Digital Newspaper for Tifton, Ga., and the Greater Tiftarea

TRIAL SET FOR DOC CLAIMING TV NETWORK DEFAMED HIM NBCUNIVERSAL MEDIA REPORTED UNNEEDED 'MASS HYSTERECTOMIES' ON IMMIGRANTS IN OCILLA

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

A federal judge has set a trial date for a South Georgia physician who alleges that MSNBC defamed him in claiming that he performed unnecessary “mass hysterectomies” on immigrants housed in the Irwin County Detention Center in Ocilla.

Last week, U.S. District Judge Lisa Godbey Wood of the Southern District of Georgia set a trial date of next April 22 in the federal courthouse in Waycross.

Dr. Mahendra Amin of Douglas is seeking $30 million in damages from NBCUniversal Media for its MSNBC reports in September 2020. The TV network reported medical malpractice at the Irwin County facility while it served as an immigrant detention center for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Dawn Wooten of Tifton, a nurse who worked in the Irwin County Detention Center, had come forward as a whistleblower alleging the malpractice and citing what she called deplorable conditions at the 1,296-bed facility in Ocilla. Her complaints sparked an 18-month bipartisan investigation by a U.S. Senate committee.

The committee's report in November 2022 found a pattern of “excessive, invasive, and often unnecessary” gynecological procedures involving immigrant detainees inside the Ocilla center. The 103-page report also raised questions about detainees’ ability to consent to the procedures and described gaps in ICE oversight.

The report, however, did not substantiate Wooten's claim of mass hysterectomies. By the time of the Senate report, the federal government had severed ties with the Irwin County facility, and all ICE detainees were moved out by September 2021.

A judge had determined in late June that some of MSNBC's reports about Dr. Amin are “verifiably false” and that a jury should decide whether it made the statements with malice and a “high degree of awareness that the statements were false.”

According to previous reports, Amin performed two hysterectomies on immigrant detainees between 2017 and 2019, which ICE determined were medically necessary.

In setting a trial date, Judge Wood said a jury could conclude that Amin had "performed unnecessary and unauthorized gynecological procedures, including the two hysterectomies.” But, “a jury could also conclude that these accusations were materially false,” the judge said.

In court filings, Amin said the Georgia Composite Medical Board had found the allegations were unsubstantiated.

NBCUniversal Media declined to comment on the case, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The newspaper also reported that a different federal judge in Georgia recently dismissed civil medical malpractice claims against Amin and others tied to the Irwin County Detention Center.

FITZGERALD WOMAN CHARGED IN DEATH OF 4-YEAR-OLD FOUND IN CAR

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) has arrested and charged a Fitzgerald woman in the death of a four-year-old boy found unresponsive Wednesday in a vehicle.

Kelsey Monaco, 30, is charged with cruelty to children and felony murder, the GBI said.

The child left his apartment unsupervised at the Fitz-Carlton Apartments and eventually got inside a car. He was later found unresponsive inside in the car Wednesday, the GBI said.

The four-year-old was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Monaco is being held in the Ben Hill County Jail.

The Fitzgerald Police Department asked the GBI to investigate the death. The investigation is active. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Fitzgerald Police Department at 229-426-5000 or the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Perry at 478-987-4545.

Anonymous tips may also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the "See Something, Send Something" mobile app.

FARM BILL UNLIKELY THIS YEAR, SCOTT TELLS PEANUT GROWERS

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

It's "unlikely we get a farm bill before the end of the year," Congressman Austin Scott, R-Tifton, told the Southern Peanut Growers Conference in Savannah last week.

"I think we'll operate under an extension," Scott told the audience.

The U.S. farm bill is updated roughly every five years. The 2018 bill ended late last year and been extended while Congress works on the legislation. The current extension ends Sept. 30.

The U.S. House Agriculture Committee passed its version of the farm bill in May on a 33-21 committee vote, with four Democrats in favor, including Rep. Sanford Bishop, D-Albany.

"I think we got a pretty good bill out of the House Ag Committee," said Scott, the committee's vice chairman; he also chairs the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities. Scott said he is unsure if the bill in its current form will pass in the House, but he said "we don't have the votes in the Senate."

He expects the bill will be delayed until next year after the fall elections.

“It’s harder now to get anything done in Washington, D.C.,” Scott said. “We’ve got to get a farm bill, and that farm bill has got to take care of American production agriculture. ... and it has to have crop insurance that works.”

The farm bill covers such programs as crop insurance for farmers, training to support sustainable farming practices, and healthy food access for low-income families – the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which allows low-income people to purchase food at stores.

Scott said SNAP has grown from 67% of the farm bill to 80%. He said production agriculture gets only 10% of the spending.

"We are going to have to have a serious conversation whether or not SNAP and production agriculture remain tied together," Scott said. "The American farmer deserves better than 10% out of what we call the farm bill."

TIFTON COUNCIL CALLS SPECIAL MEETING TO NAME ACTING CITY MANAGER

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

Tifton City Council, which has placed its city manager on indefinite administrative leave, has called a special meeting Monday to name an acting city manager and conduct other business.

According to the agenda for Monday's 5:30 p.m. meeting at City Hall, the council will go into closed session to discuss legal and personnel issues, and then will come back into open session to appoint an acting city manager.

Council then will address authorizing the acting city manager to execute a contract for renovations to the two public bathrooms in Fulwood Park.

City Manager Emily Beeman has been placed on administrative leave with pay. Council has not commented on the reasons for its action.

Beeman, 35, has been Tifton's city manager since March 2023.

TIFTON POLICE 'SOLVE' ENTERING AUTOS WITH ARRESTS OF TEENS

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

Tifton Police say they have solved the "rash of recent entering autos over the past weekend" with the arrest of four teenagers.

At approximately 3:32 a.m. Wednesday, Tifton Police stopped a vehicle for traffic violations in the area of 12th Street and Love Avenue.

"As a result of the stop, three male juveniles and a 17-year-old were taken into custody. During an inventory of the vehicle, stolen property was discovered," police said.

"After reviewing several surveillance videos and conducting interviews, detectives solved the rash of recent entering autos over the past weekend," Tifton Police said, noting that four people are charged:

• Derrick Pettiford, 17, of Tifton, is charged with one count of theft by receiving stolen property.

• A 16-year-old juvenile of Tifton is charged with 10 counts of entering automobile, one count of curfew violation, and two counts of theft by receiving stolen property.

• A 15-year-old juvenile of Tifton is charged with one count of driving while unlicensed, one count of driving a vehicle with suspended registration, two counts of theft by receiving stolen property, and one count of curfew violation.

• A 15-year-old juvenile of Tifton is charged with one count of curfew violation and two counts of theft by receiving stolen property.

Anyone with information or video footage is asked to contact the Tifton Police Department at 229-382-3132 or use Tip411. Anonymous tips may be made by texting TIFTONPD and the tip to 847411, or using the Tifton PD app on a smart phone.

TIFTAREA JOBLESS RATE RISES DURING JUNE

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

Tift County's unemployment rate rose substantially during June from the previous month, as did all counties in the Tiftarea, according to data released Thursday by the Ga. Department of Labor (GDOL).

Tift County's jobless rate rose to 3.8% in June, up from 3.1% in May. One year ago in June, Tift recorded a 3.2% unemployment rate, according to the GDOL.

Tift County’s labor force – the number of people who are employed or are unemployed and seeking employment – was at 21,029 during the month, which is a decrease of 34 from the previous month, according to GDOL data.

June's jobless rates in area counties versus the previous month's rates were: Turner, 4.5% vs. 3.8%; Worth, 4.3% vs. 3.8%; Irwin, 4.9% vs. 4.4%; Cook, 3.8% vs. 3.4%; Berrien, 4.9% vs. 4.1%; and Ben Hill, 5.3% vs. 4.6%.

Statewide, the June unemployment rate rose slightly to 3.3% from 3.2% said Georgia Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson. The national jobless rate for June was at 4.1%.

Caleb Smith, left, and Macy Thorne, both with Tift County High Schools' Work-Based Learning program, tell Tifton Rotarians how students get hands-on learning through on-the-job experience in the program.

WORK-BASED LEARNING PROGRAM GIVES HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AN EDGE IN FUTURE CAREERS

By BONNIE SAYLES

Tifton Grapevine

This past spring, 193 Tift County High School students participated in a Work-Based Learning (WBL) program, acquiring on-the-job experience from 122 employers in Tift County, WBL coordinators Macy Thorne and Caleb Smith told the Tifton Rotary Club on Wednesday. 

The students worked 71,899 hours and earned $702,484.

Thorne said WBL is a class at TCHS, and the students enrolled get to leave campus during that block and work at businesses in Tifton. It allows them to go to a job or internship to get hands-on experience and learn employability skills. 

“Some of them are in positions that are related to their career goals, so they are really getting a step ahead before they leave for college or go to trade school,” Thorne said. 

“We have students in such a variety of placements,” she said. Some shadow medical professionals, intern with accounting firms, retail operations, food service, farms, and veterinarians.

“We’d love to continue to grow our community partners. This is your opportunity to train your future workforce and retain them for later,” Thorne said.

Students – who must be sophomores, juniors, or seniors – must work at least seven and a half hours a week in either paid or unpaid internships. The WBL coordinators keep open communication with community partners, visiting the workplace and evaluating the students’ performance. 

Thorne and Smith presented four examples: Dalana Simmons worked at Pawfection Pet Salon; Selena Divoll worked at Ashley’s Automotive Repair; Kaylon Hill worked at Allen Pritchett & Bassett; and Ayana Harp worked at Tift Regional Dental Group. Several of them continue to work at their employers after their internships were completed. 

“We have to report to the state. We check them on their employability skills," Smith said. "Georgia is the No. 1 state in the U.S. for workforce readiness, particularly because of work-based learning,” he continued. “This data is a reflection for us of how good our community partners are and how much we really appreciate working with our community."

Thorne said she participated in the program when she was a student at TCHS, working with Dr. Ted McElroy at Vision Source. McElroy said that among the things a student learns is how to work with the public. 

“If you wait for them to do this after college, it’s too late,” he said. “Getting them involved in this and the great advantage it gives them, I can’t tell you how proud I am of them.” 

Those interested in becoming a community partner and obtaining a student intern in the Work-Based Learning program may contact Thorne, macy.thorne@tiftschools.com, or Smith, caleb.smith@tiftschools.com.

'RUN FOR LOVE' BENEFITS TIFT

CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

The 35th annual 5K/1-Mile Run For Love to support Tift County's Cross Country Teams begins at 8 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 3.

Race-day registration begins at 7 a.m. at the starting line at the ABAC Tennis Complex.

The family event is for all levels of fitness and all ages. Dogs on leashes are welcome. 

Registration is $30 for the 5K and $15 for the 1-mile fun run, or $40 for both events.

Awards will be presented in the 5K to: Overall male, female, and masters winners; to the top three males and females per age group; and to five-year age group increments.

In the 1 Mile, awards will be presented to the overall male and female winners; all other runners receive a participation medal.

To register online, Click Here!

HUNDREDS ATTEND BACK TO SCHOOL COMMUNITY RESOURCE FAIR

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

Nearly 600 families with children attended the annual Back-to-School Community Resource Fair and School Supply Giveaway on Thursday at the Tift County Recreation Department.

Vendors representing local businesses, civic clubs, and nonprofit agencies participated by distributing information along with school supplies, such as pencils, notebook paper, binders, and more, while the families circulated in an organized line around the tables.

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To Contact Us, Call 478-227-7126

Statewide influenza data released from the 

Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) as of week ending July 13:

Since Seasonal Tracking Beginning Oct. 23, 2023:

TOTAL INFLUENZA OUTBREAKS: 199 ............................................... LATEST WEEK: 0

TOTAL METRO AREA HOSPITALIZATIONS: 4,420 ..............................LATEST WEEK: 3

TOTAL INFLUENZA-ASSOCIATED DEATHS: 59 ................................. LATEST WEEK: 0

In Georgia, influenza is not a reportable condition, with the exception of influenza-associated deaths and outbreaks.

YOUR GUIDE

TO ACTIVITIES

THIS WEEKEND

IN THE GREATER TIFTAREA

Sunday, July 28, is National Milk Chocolate Day, celebrating the most popular member of the chocolate family. When solid chocolate is combined with either powdered, liquid, or condensed milk, it’s known as milk chocolate. It is believed that in the mid-1800s, milk chocolate was first created as a beverage in Germany. The first milk chocolate in the form of a bar that we all recognize today was created by Swiss chocolatier Daniel Peter in collaboration with Henri Nestlé, the founder of his Nestlé chocolate company.

FRIDAY, JULY 26

• City of Adel's Summer Night Beats Concert, with 41 South; food trucks available, 5-8 p.m., Storybook Park, 213 E. Second St., Adel
• Final Friday, food trucks, lawn games, live music by Walt Dunn, 6-8 p.m., Downtown Nashville
• Margaret White Night Out Against Crime & Back to School Bash, backpacks with school supplies/food and drinks – first come, first served, 6-8 p.m., Jeffords Park, Sylvester

SATURDAY, JULY 27

• Wiregrass Farmers Market, Kids' Day, 9 a.m.-Noon, Ga. Museum of Agriculture, Tifton

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

"Cleopatra" has a regal presence and a heart full of love. Cleopatra is not just a royal beauty but a loyal companion. With her playful spirit and affectionate nature, she’s sure to become the queen of your castle. Come meet Cleopatra and 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).