Friday, Dec. 8, 2023

Tifton, Georgia

GrapeNew

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

Even though Tifton's Hometown Holidays Celebration was canceled last weekend because of weather, the City of Tifton said it is "committed to bringing holiday cheer to our community" and is having a scaled-down version of Hometown Holidays on Saturday.


Holiday events begin with Downtown Tifton's "Second Saturday" at 10 a.m. when Buddy the Elf and friends will be "walking and skipping the sidewalks" until noon as special downtown sales continue throughout the day.


At 3 p.m. Saturday, the Tift Theatre for the Performing Arts will offer a performance of "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" at 3 p.m. (The first performance is at 7 p.m. tonight – Friday – at the theater).


Then at 5 p.m. Saturday, Tifton's annual Christmas parade hits the streets at Second Street from Magnolia Drive to Love Avenue and turning north on Love Avenue from Second Street to Sixth Street. Tyron Spearman will be this year's parade grand marshal.


Main Street (U.S. Highway 41) will be closed from U.S. Highway 82 to Eighth Street between 4-6:15 p.m. because of the parade. The city said the road closure is a requirement of the Ga. Department of Transportation and local safety officials.


Following the parade, the formal tree lighting outside City Hall is scheduled at 6:30 p.m., and Santa Claus will be available for family photos inside City Hall. A full slate of free family activities are planned after the parade on First Street and Commerce Way, including live music, Christmas karaoke, "s’mores stations," inflatables, face painting, mechanical bulls, and letters to Santa.


Food trucks will also be available.


For information, contact the Downtown Tifton Main Street program at 229-391-3966 or Tifton Tourism at 229-382-8700.

Among the new holiday lights in Tifton are the curtain or 'raindrop' lights that change colors over the road in Fulwood Park.

TIFTON UPGRADES HOLIDAY DECORATIONS AFTER 25 YEARS

By BONNIE SAYLES

Tifton Grapevine

Perhaps you have noticed that Tifton's Christmas lights look a little different this year. After more than 25 years, the city has ordered and installed new Christmas lights and street-pole banners for its downtown holiday display.


This season's fresh look brings big smiles to the city’s Main Street manager.


Hillery Culpepper is marking her one-year anniversary Dec. 19 as Main Street manager. She’s disappointed that rain canceled her first Hometown Holidays with the city, but she couldn’t be happier with the holiday décor, and this Saturday’s tree lighting and downtown activities will be a great time to see it all.


“We started researching lights last July and presented it to City Council in the beginning of August,” Culpepper said. “Council approved the purchase in August.”


The city made a $150,000 investment encompassing decoations downtown, in Fulwood Park, and individual light displays at other city buildings.


Culpepper can’t wait for everyone to see the lighting of the Christmas trees atop City Hall on First Street at 6:30 p.m. Saturday after the Christmas parade. The “grove” of five trees replaces the one big green tree trimmed in multi-colored lights.

 

“They’re white now, but they’re going to be completely different and spectacular Saturday night,” Culpepper told the Tifton Merchants Association on Wednesday. She said the original tree has been placed across Main Street in Tifton Gardens where families and others can pose for photos.


“We’ve really set up a lot of photo opportunities around downtown,” she said. “More photo ops out there means more and more reasons to come to Tifton.” 


Another new feature is the constantly changing, stunning expanse of curtain or “raindrop” lights hanging over the road just past the entrance to Fulwood Park. “The goal is to extend them and make a much needed investment in Fulwood Park to match the rest of the community,” she said.

Culpepper said the lights and displays were ordered from Universal Concepts, the same company that did Tifton’s downtown Christmas lights 25 years ago. It’s also the same company that does the lights at Dollywood, Callaway Gardens, and Wild Adventures.

 

The Christmas displays at Fulwood Park often suffer vandalism, Culpepper said, so they constantly need upgrading. “If a Christmas light warms someone’s heart, I’ve done my job,” she said. “I’m tickled pink to play a small part.” 


Culpepper is originally from a small town, Arp, in Irwin County and now lives with her husband, Ben, on a farm in Worth County. She graduated from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in 2016 with a bachelor of science in agricultural communications.


She started her career with the Georgia FFA Foundation in July 2017, traveling the state to fundraise for Georgia’s 80,000 FFA members.

 

“I have always felt a part of the Tifton community by attending ABAC and working in the area,” Culpepper said. “Now, I call Tifton my home as the merchants and community members I work with each and every day are like family to me.


“Whether it is helping a merchant with a marketing strategy, planning an event in downtown, or thinking of ways to bring holiday cheer to our community, I know that even in the smallest way, we are making a difference through the work that we do.


And together, we are helping our Downtown Tifton community be stronger.”


The community is invited to join Santa and Mrs. Claus for Santa's Workshop Saturday, December 9th in the Tifton First United Methodist Church Activity Center from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Enjoy games, arts and crafts, 

and have your picture taken with Santa. 

TIFT COUNTY FLOOD MAPS BEING REVISED

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

Today, Dec. 8, is the deadline for scheduling an appointment with state and federal officials to ask questions about proposed changes to local flood maps, the City of Tifton said Wednesday on social media.


Tift County’s flood-risk information is in the process of being revised, and preliminary flood maps have been drafted. The city said that letters were mailed to residents that will be added to the floodplain.


The multi-year project to develop detailed, digital flood hazard maps for the Withlacoochee and Little watersheds is nearing completion. The new maps, known as Flood Insurance Rate Maps, reflect current flooding risks, replacing maps that are based on outdated studies, some which are more than 30 years old.


The preliminary maps will undergo a 90-day review and comment period in the spring before becoming effective. 


To learn more about the proposed flood maps and to schedule an appointment through the Georgia Flood Map Program, Click Here.


The Flood Map Program said that in-person virtual meetings are available by appointment only and must be reserved on the website. Reservations for appointments with floodplain management experts opened Nov. 28 and ends Dec. 8. The virtual appointments are scheduled for the coming week.


"If anyone needs assistance with scheduling an appointment or has any questions, or if you cannot pull your address up on the map, please let us know and we will be happy to help," the City of Tifton said Thursday on social media.


For the city's help, contact Crystal Gaillard, Tifton planning and zoning director, at 229-520-2590 or cgaillard@tifton.net


Once the new flood maps become effective, residents and business owners will have up-to-date, Internet-accessible information about their flood risk on a property-by-property basis. 


The new flood maps are a cooperative effort among the Georgia Environmental Protection Division under the state Department of Natural Resources, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and local communities.

CASA VOLUNTEERS MAKE A DIFFERENCE, DIRECTOR SAYS

By BONNIE SAYLES

Tifton Grapevine

Kristin Morrison, executive director of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), says volunteers make a difference in the lives of children in the Tift Judicial Circuit court system.

 

“These are our children,” Morrison told the Tifton Rotary Club on Wednesday. “They are our future. They will be working at fast food restaurants and our offices and our hospital. We’ve got to take care of them.” 


CASA was started in 2000 by Judge Gary McCorvey, Cindy Evers, and several other concerned citizens, Morrison said. “They felt like the children needed an advocate.”


Volunteer advocates are able to “fill in the gaps” for children in the court system for needs that can’t be met by an attorney or representative of the Department of Family and Child Services. 


“The fact that we are volunteers is huge,” she said. “We’re able to come in and say, ‘This child needs therapy; let’s find somebody that can actually help the child.’” 


Morrison began as a CASA volunteer when she was a stay-at-home mom as a way to make a difference in the community. As executive director, she has obtained more than $1 million in Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grants since 2016, which has enabled the office to grow from one full-time director and a part-time assistant to five full-time positions. The larger staff is able to manage more volunteers, an average of 55, to serve 75% of children in foster care or the court system. 


The nonprofit has one fundraiser, "CASH for CASA," in which $10,000 is given away from among hundreds of tickets sold for $100 each.The winner is announced at the Tifton Rhythm & Ribs Festival in March.

TIFTON KTB NAMES 'BEAUTY SPOTS' FOR DEC.

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

Keep Tift Beautiful, a city-county citizens advisory board promoting recyclingcommunity gardeninglitter abatement, and outdoor beautification, has named its “Beauty Spots” for December.


Pictured above left is the Skip Hill family home at 26 Springhill Drive, this month’s residential Beauty Spot. Pictured above right is the month’s commercial Beauty Spot3rd & Main Antiques in Downtown Tifton.

ABAC NAMES 4th TENNIS COACH

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

In the first 57 years of the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College tennis program, only three head coaches led the program.


That kind of consistency is not lost on Matt Rogel, who will lead the program this spring as the fourth head coach in the college’s history.


During his ABAC career, Rogel helped lead the Stallions to a pair of top six national finishes and was named a “National Player to Watch” during his freshman year in 2016-17. The Nantes, France, native is excited that his first head coaching opportunity will be at his alma mater.


“This is a great opportunity,” Rogel said. “I love that I get to go back to where it all started. I can’t think of a better place to start my head coaching journey.”


Rogel parlayed his ABAC success into a highly decorated career at Georgia College and State University. He was an ITA Doubles All-American in 2018-19 and won several scholar-athlete awards during his time as a Bobcat.


“We’re thrilled to have someone of Matt’s caliber leading our program,” said ABAC Athletic Director Charles Wimberly. “Our program always has high expectations, and he not only understands that, he embraces it.”


Rogel earned his master’s degree at Georgia College while serving as the assistant tennis coach, always with an eye on becoming a head coach. When that opportunity came at ABAC, he jumped at the chance. And he said his first head coaching position became even more exciting when the college was approved for four-year status in May and was approved for membership by the NAIA.


Competing in the NAIA will be completely new for our program,” he said. “There is a great tradition here and following coaches like Red Hill, Alan Kramer, and Dale White, I know I have big shoes to fill. But I’m excited about the chance to build on that great tradition as we move into NAIA competition.”


Last year in the National Junior College Athletic Association, ABAC’s men’s team finished fourth in the country while the women’s team finished fifth.

NICOLE PALMER

ANA MORALES

JABREAILLE WHEELER

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TIFTON STUDENTS AMONG SRTC PRACTICAL NURSING GRADUATES

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CICI MALDONADO

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

Four Tifton residents were among practical nursing graduates honored recently in a pinning ceremony at Southern Regional Technical College.


Nicole Palmer, Ana Morales, Jabreaille Wheeler, and Cici Maldonado, all of Tifton, received a pin and a small lamp.


The pin is used to remind students of their purpose to serve the sick and infirmed. The lamp portion of the ceremony serves as a tribute to Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern-day nursing. In the 1800s, Nightingale was known as the "lady with the lamp" who tended to the sick while carrying a lamp to light the way.


The pinning ceremony is a rite of passage into the nursing profession.

GA HOME PRICES RISE BY 141% WITHIN DECADE, SAYS REPORT

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

The median price of a home in Georgia has increased 141.2% in 10 years, according to a recent report by constructioncoverage.com.


In 2013, the median home price in Georgia was $132,718. Today, the median home price is $320,082, according to the report. Overall, Georgia has experienced the fourth-largest increase in home prices during the past decade.


In the past decade — which has included recoveries from both the Great Recession and the COVID-19 recession U.S. home values grew by more than 100%. In comparison, average hourly earnings saw a 41% increase, while the Consumer Price Index rose by 32%.


Consequently, housing affordability has taken a hit, while homeowners have seen substantial gains in their real estate wealth, according to the report.


While the real estate market appears to finally be cooling down, home price growth has been a defining economic trend in recent years.


Although the brief COVID-19 recession led to an unprecedented 49% national increase from 2020 to 2022, prices have since stabilized, aligning the recovery more closely with historical norms.

'PACK THE PATROL CARS' THIS SATURDAY

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

On Saturday, the Georgia State Patrol, the Tift County Sheriff's Office, and the Tifton Police Department are jointly participating in the "Pack The Patrol Cars Toy Drive" for Toys For Tots


Patrol cars will be parked from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. in front of the Walmart Supercenter on U.S. Highway 82 West for donations of new, unwrapped toys.


All toys donated will be given to needy children in the Tift County community


Shoppers are invited to donate a new toy and meet the troopers, deputies, and police officers.

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COVID-19 data released from the 

Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) as of Dec. 6:


TOTAL TIFT COUNTY CASES: 7,132 ....................................... TOTAL TIFT DEATHS: 181

CONFIRMED TIFT CASES - 2 weeks: 2 ....................................... DEATHS - Past week: 0

CONFIRMED & SUSPECTED CASES: 22

TIFT CONFIRMED & SUSPECTED CASES - 2 weeks, per 100K population: 54 

_______________________________________________________________


GEORGIA TOTAL CASES: 2,412,505

GEORGIA CONFIRMED & SUSPECTED CASES - Past week: 2,999

TOTAL GA DEATHS: 35,913 ..................................................... GA DEATHS - Past week: 18 

YOUR GUIDE

TO ACTIVITIES

THIS WEEKEND

IN THE TIFTAREA

Saturday, Dec. 9 is National Pastry Day. Pastries date to the ancient Egyptians, who made pastry dough out of grain meal and flour, and sweetened it with honey. The ancient Greeks and Romans made sweets out of paper-thin pastry dough. Pastries traveled to Europe in medieval times, where they added fats such as butter and shortening to make a sturdier dough. Pastries became refined in French kitchens during the 18th century, and even today, France is still known for its pastries.

FRIDAY, DEC. 8

  • "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever," 7 p.m., Tift Theatre for the Performing Arts, Downtown Tifton


SATURDAY, DEC. 9

  • Ashburn Christmas Parade, 10 a.m., Downtown Ashburn
  • Santa's Workshop, 2-4 p.m., First United Methodist Church activity center, Tifton
  • "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever," 3 p.m., Tift Theatre for the Performing Arts, Downtown Tifton
  • Tifton Christmas Parade, 5 p.m., Downtown Tifton
  • "Christmas in 'Puddle'ville Parade," 5 p.m., Downtown Adel
  • Tifton Tree Lighting & Holiday Activities, 6:30 p.m., Tifton City Hall, First Street, Tifton


SUNDAY, DEC. 10

  • "Blue Christmas" service of remembrance & hope, 4 p.m., St. Anne's Episcopal Church, Tifton

ADVERTISE YOUR

YARD SALE HERE!


TO ADVERTISE YOUR RESIDENTIAL

YARD SALE, CONTACT US at 

IHeardIt@tiftongrapevine.com 

or 478-227-7126


Fees are $1 per word, paid in advance

TIFTON GRAPEVINE'S DOG OF THE WEEK

"Truffles" is a loving and affectionate pup who gets along well with other dogs and can’t wait until he can find a home of his own. Come meet this boy and visit other pets available for adoption at the Tift County Animal Shelter on Highway 125 South, open between 1-6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. For additional information, call 229-382-PETS (7387).

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NOV. 28 

Gloria Joyce Bellamy-Ross, 71, Tifton

Matthew “Tyler” Barber, 27, Tifton

Jean Davis, 69, West Berrien Community

Guadalupe Alavarez “Lupe” Garza, 69, Alapaha


NOV. 29

John T. Croley Jr., 74, Fitzgerald

Jessie C. Youngblood, 96, Ashburn


NOV. 30

Derrick D. Wilson, 20, Tifton

Levenki Alexis Parker, 52, Ashburn

Reba Jean Spradley, 77, Adel

Paul Sikes Sandifer, 60, Tifton

Christianna "Shanna" Wright, 80, Adel


DEC. 1

Sheila Ann Carswell, 77, Fitzgerald


DEC. 2

Fred Leon Cardwell, 74, Tifton

Linda C. Pope, 72, Fitzgerald

Lynn Mills, 59, Lenox, formerly of Adel


DEC. 3

Bonnie Vanita Denby Dean, 71, Tifton

Jose Alfredo “Joe” Terrazas Velez, 39, Jesup


DEC. 4

Amanda Madelyne Giddens, 46, West Berrien Community

Lankford Eugene “Big Daddy” Aycock Sr, 82, Fitzgerald

Egar Lewis Golson, 77, Tifton

DEC. 5

Benny Richard Parker, 68, Tifton

Susan Hutchinson Saye, 83, Tifton

Christine Hall Gaskins, 89, Franklin, N.C., formerly of Berrien County

Maxine Carter, 79, Nashville, formerly of Adel


DEC. 6

Debra Lynn Sandiford, 62, Fitzgerald

Essie Temple, 79, Tifton

Tifton Grapevine
e-published every Tuesday and Friday

Frank Sayles Jr.
Editor & Publisher
Bonnie Sayles
Managing Editor
A Service of Sayles Unlimited Marketing LLC, Tifton, Georgia
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