U.S. Department of Defense photo

Col. Ralph Puckett Jr., a Tifton native, receives the Congressional Medal of Honor from President Joe Biden on May 21, 2021, at the White House.

SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT TO HONOR TIFTON’S COL. PUCKETT

TIFTON NATIVE TO RECEIVE SOUTH KOREA’S HIGHEST DECORATION FOR VALOR

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

Col. Ralph Puckett Jr., a Tifton native who received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroics during the Korean War, will be awarded South Korea's highest military order by that country’s president during his visit this week to the United States.

President Yoon Suk Yeol, currently meeting in Washington, D.C., with President Joe Biden, plans to hold an event with key figures from South Korea and the United States, awarding the Taegeuk Order of Military Merit to three American servicemen who fought during the 1950-53 Korean War, the South Korea presidential office said in a press release.

It will mark the first time a South Korean president bestows a military order outside of his country.

In addition to retired Army Col. Puckett, other Korean War veterans to be honored are retired Navy Capt. Elmer Royce Williams and the late Baldomero Lopez, a first lieutenant who served in the Marine Corps. A nephew will attend the award ceremony on behalf of Lopez.

Puckett commanded the Eighth Army Ranger Company and fought off several waves of Chinese attackers after they captured Hill 205, a strategic location during the Battle of the Chongchon River in November 1950. He was wounded in battle but refused to be evacuated; he later spent nearly a year in the hospital.

Puckett was awarded the Army’s Distinguished Service Cross after the battle. In May 2021, President Biden presented Puckett with the Congressional Medal of Honor, America’s highest award for valor.

Previous South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who attended Puckett's Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House, said at the time that “Colonel Puckett is a Korean War hero. The colonel fulfilled his missions to the end with superhuman valor and leadership in countless combat, including the Battle of Hill 205.

“His sacrifices and those of the troops of the U.S. Eighth Army Ranger Company and other Korean War veterans have enabled Korea to bring freedom and democracy to full bloom,” the former South Korean president said.

Last July, the City of Tifton held a ceremony honoring Puckett, 96, who resides in Columbus. Tifton proclaimed “Ralph Puckett Day” and added his name to the city’s Victory Drive.

FITZGERALD MAN FACES METH TRAFFICKING CHARGE

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

The South Central Drug Task Force (SCDTF) arrested a Fitzgerald man on Sunday on charges of methamphetamine trafficking.

Jeffery Brian Melton, 39, was arrested in Ocilla on the charges. Authorities seized 36.89 ounces, or 2.3 pounds of methamphetamine.

Assisting the SCDTF were the Irwin County Sheriff’s Office, including Deputy T.J. Merritt and K-9 Maverick, the Georgia State Patrol, Georgia Public Safety Training Center Police, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

A collaborative multiagency investigation led to the seizure of more than 40 ounces of suspected methamphetamine within the past week, authorities said, and additional arrests are expected.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the SCDTF Tip Line at 229-468-8449 or leave an anonymous message.

3 Beards BBQ will be available on site!

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

J&J Weight Room – 229-386-1477

Coach Billy King – 229-392-3578

www.tiftwrestling.com

FARMERS MARKET OPENS 12th SEASON SATURDAY

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

The 12th season of the Wiregrass Farmers Market, now under the operation of the ABAC School of Arts & Sciences, opens Saturday at the Georgia Museum of Agriculture.

The spring market will be open 9 a.m.-noon every Saturday through July 29 under the pole barn behind the museum’s Country Store off Whiddon Mill Road.

For Saturday’s opening, live music will be provided by Laura Wiley, a singer-songwriter from Irwinville and a music major at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.

During future market Saturdays, more live music, free children’s activities, and market classes are planned.

Among vendors expected at the Wiregrass Farmers Market this spring are those selling local honey, baked goods, eggs, a variety of produce, fruit, and nuts, various plants, bulbs, and flowers, as well as handmade crafts and embroidered items.

The museum’s Polly Huff says, "The rule of thumb still remains: If it is sold at our market, it was grown or made by the hands selling it."

Chuck Bargeron of UGA Tifton’s Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health, second from left, and his wife, Lori, stand with Dale Greene, dean of the UGA Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, left, and Kris Irwin, Warnell’s associate dean for outreach and engagement, at right.

UGA TIFTON'S INVASIVE SPECIES DIRECTOR HONORED FOR EDUCATING PUBLIC

Tifton Grapeviine Staff Reports

A director at the University of Georgia’s Tifton campus was recently honored for his work to educate the public on invasive species.

Charles T. Bargeron IV, director of the Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health at UGA Tifton, was one of four recipients of this year’s Walter B. Hill Award recognizing significant contributions made to the quality of life in Georgia and beyond.

It is awarded annually by UGA’s Office of Public Service and Outreach.

Bargeron, who is also a senior public service associate in UGA’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, oversees the development and maintenance of a variety of apps and other technologies to track and disseminate information on invasive species, forest health, natural resources, and agricultural management. 

Invasive species are a threat to Georgia’s crops, forests, and natural resources, and early detection is critical to prevent and eradicate them. The storage and reporting systems developed by Bargeron’s team have “been a paradigm shift in the data management that allows state and federal agencies to make more informed decisions to reduce the impacts of invasive species,” said Dale Greene, dean of the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources.

These systems include EDDMapS, a web and smartphone-based mapping system for documenting invasive species and pest distribution. With more than 7.5 million records, it is said to be the most comprehensive source of invasive species and pest distribution data in North America.

A spinoff of the product, Wild Spotter, allows citizen scientists to use a smartphone app to map invasive species in national forests.

Another product developed by Bargeron’s team, the Georgia First Detectors Program, offered through the Georgia Master Gardener Program, trains volunteers to report invasive species through the EDDMapS app. Nearly 7,000 invasive species have been reported by 1,602 volunteers in Georgia since the program started.

These products also make use of the Bugwood Image Database System, which stores high-resolution photos and has a permanent archive of 300,000 photos that were viewed more than 2 million times last year. 

The Walter Barnard Hill Award for Distinguished Achievement in Public Service and Outreach is named in honor of Chancellor Walter Barnard Hill, who led UGA from 1899-1905.

ABAC, LOCAL COMMUNITY BUILD MORE CONNECTIONS

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

Representatives from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College met recently with Tifton business owners, organization volunteers, and non-profit directors to build closer relationships between the college and its community partners.

The meeting served as an introduction to internship programs available for students and student-engagement programs through housing.

Trent Hester, student leadership and engagement coordinator, said that he hopes the meeting is the beginning of a valuable collaboration benefitting both students and the Tiftarea. 

“A strong majority of our academic programs require internships in order for the students to graduate,” Hester said.

“We are always looking for opportunities for our students to get engaged somewhere, to get valuable experience so that they can graduate career ready. Right now, we’re sending students all over the country to do internships."

Tifton Main Street Manager Hillery Culpepper is a 2016 ABAC alumna who helped organize the meeting.

“During my time as an ABAC student, my internships and practicum placements played an integral role in where I am today, personally and professionally,” she said.

“I was extremely fortunate to be given the opportunity to complete these experiences. As an ABAC alum, I believe in giving back to the college however I can. Through my role as the Main Street manager for Downtown Tifton, I saw a need for our businesses and non-profit organizations to connect with our ABAC students."

Many of the organizations at the meeting expressed interest in student involvement in the form of not only internships but also short-term projects, volunteers, and assistance at local events.

“I cannot wait to see the positive ripple effect start from partnership,” Culpepper said. “I hope to see our ABAC students in downtown Tifton doing more shopping, dining, and exploring but also benefiting from our local businesses and organizations through internships and volunteer opportunities.”

Medical Technologist I

Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Tifton, GA 

40 hour per week position. Primary job responsibilities include performing basic testing for chemistry, hematology, parasitology, and urinalysis.

Process and analyze specimens received; calibration and operation of various instrumentation; and maintain instrumentation. Requires technical knowledge in the field acquired through an apprenticeship, a 2-year degree or higher, or professional certificate.

Salary is commensurate with experience. 

For detailed description and to apply online go to:

https://www.ugajobsearch.com/postings/297435

prior to April 28, 2023. 

The University of Georgia is an

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution.

An Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, Veteran, Disability Institution

NEW COFFEE SHOP COMING TO TIFTON

Just Love Coffee Cafe is coming soon to 2202 U.S. Highway 41 N. near Food Lion in Tifton.

Known for its artisan, fair trade, and organic coffees, craft beverages, and waffle-based all-day menu, the Tennessee-based cafe already has a location in Valdosta.

The coffee shop is expected to serve drip coffee, cold brews, teas, “classic caffe,” traditional espresso signature lattes, along with tea and seasonal drinks. The menu is built around what can be made with a waffle iron, including waffle omelets, waffle sandwiches, waffle wraps, and traditional waffles, according to the company’s website.

FITNESS CENTER UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN TIFTON

KPeele’s Growing Pains, a 6,000-square-foot fitness center, is being constructed at 50 Tri County Road in Tifton.

The gym will have a children’s area and 24/7 access for members.

Kelly Peele of Tifton, a personal trainer certified by the American Council on Exercise, is building the fitness center, expected to be open by July.

The Road Church is hosting an Outdoor Worship Service

at Harding Stables in Tifton, Ga. There is no cost.

Everyone is welcome. Chairs will be provided, but you can bring your own outdoor chair if you like.

Date: Sunday, April 30 Time: 10:00 a.m.

Location: 901 Wiley Branch Rd., Tifton, Ga. 31794.

For more info: 229-326-2366.

GA SPORTS MEDICINE HOLDS FREE SPORTS PHYSICALS FOR STUDENT ATHLETES

Georgia Sports Medicine provided more than 250 free sports physicals on Saturday for Tift County Schools and Tiftarea Academy student athletes. 

Volunteers included providers and support staff from Georgia Sports Medicine, Southwell Medical Clinic, Affinity Pediatrics, South Georgia Surgical, Tift Regional Medical Center Informatics, as well as athletic trainers and school personnel. 

TIFTON GRAPEVINE'S CAT OF THE WEEK

“Pineapple” is among the adorable pets available for adoption at the Tift County Animal Shelter. To adopt Pineapple and to see other pets available, visit the shelter between 1-6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, or call 229-382-PETS (7387).

TIFTON UNVEILS CONFEDERATE MONUMENT

~ APRIL 26, 1910

One of the largest crowds in Tifton up to that time gathered on Tuesday, April 26, 1910, as the monument to the soldiers of the Confederacy was unveiled under the auspices of the Charlotte Carson Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy.

The $2,000 monument was placed in the center of the intersection of Love Avenue and Fourth Street. The monument has been relocated several times during the past century, first moved when it became a traffic hazard as more automobiles arrived in town with many of them striking the monument. The Confederate monument currently stands in the northwest corner of Fulwood Park.

Tifton Grapevine

e-published every Tuesday and Friday

Frank Sayles Jr.

Editor & Publisher

Bonnie Sayles

Managing Editor