Friday, Feb. 8, 2019 Tifton, Georgia

478-227-7126 ~ www.tiftongrapevine.com

PROPOSAL CLARIFIES SCHOOL BUS PASSING

Legislation is making its way through the General Assembly that would clarify when drivers can and cannot pass a school bus . Senate Bill 25 revises changes made last year that the Ga. School Bus Drivers' Association says made the roads less safe for school children . "This bill is the first of many that we hope to pass this year to improve the livelihood and safety of all Georgians ," said state Sen. Tyler Harper , R-Ocilla. The legislation makes it illegal for drivers to pass a school bus when they are separated from the bus by a turn lane . Vehicles may pass a bus if separated by a grass median , unpaved area or a physical barrier and on a separate roadway from the bus. The Ga. School Bus Drivers' Association said the proposal " reverses the law ( HB 978 ) that was put into place last year allowing a vehicle to continue traveling (past a school bus) when only a paved median is between lanes . The GSBDA recognized HB 978 to be unsafe , however, it passed and went into effect July 2018 . "Please let your legislators know that HB 978 needs to be repealed as it has added confusion and more unsafe conditions for the children riding Georgia school buses ," the Bus Drivers' Association says. School bus safety is an issue uppermost on many parents' minds. One Ty Ty resident posted Thursday morning on Facebook about "another vehicle that chooses to ignore the law and endanger children's lives . Once again, the kids were at the bus stop and the bus had already pulled up and stopped when a white Chevy pickup comes flying by the bus; thankfully, my children had not started to walk across the road to get on the bus." And a bus driver in Berrien County responded Thursday on Facebook : "So common nowadays. Some people just don’t care. I had a dark SUV come around me this morning going north on Old Coffee Road in Berrien County and passed me while I was approaching my stop. I didn’t have my stop sign out yet but I had my lights , flashers everything that would make them know there was a child standing by the road waiting! "... On the other hand, I had several to not only stop for the bus but at a good distance away so as not to scare the kids. I really do appreciate those that have a heart and regard for these kids and their lives !"

PRAYER BREAKFAST HIGHLIGHTS PB&JESUS COMMUNITY MINISTRY

Tony McBrayer , left, was guest speaker at the 2nd Annual Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast on Thursday at the Leroy Rogers Senior Center , hosted by TIfton Mayor Julie Smith , right. McMcBrayer , a Tift County commissioner, spoke about the Peanut Butter & Jesus community ministry that he works with, based at Pineview Holiness Baptist Church on Union Road. Peanut Butter & Jesus offers PB&J sandwich lunches on Saturdays to needy children and families in Tifton .

AUCTION HELPS AGENCIES COMBAT CHILD ABUSE

The Exchange Club of Tifton will host the 26th annual Bids for Kids Television Auction on Saturday, Feb. 23 from 5-10 p.m. The fundraising project will benefit the agencies involved in helping to prevent and treat child abuse in Tifton and Tift County.  “This will be a great event,” said Betty Cromer, club president. “Area merchants and friends of the Exchange Club have graciously donated items and services to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. We are most appreciative of this continued tremendous support.”  Cromer said that Tift County is pressed for resources to handle all cases involved in child abuse and neglect. Tift County had more than 500 child abuse cases reported last year. The live televised auction will feature more than 200 items and will be broadcast on Northside Baptist Church’s Butterfly Broadcasting Network , which can be found on Mediacom and Plant TiftNet Channel 11 . The number to call to bid on Feb. 23 will be 229-391-9800 .  The Exchange Club of Tifton has raised more than $300,000 over the 25 years of the production.

21 COMPETE FOR MS. ABAC TITLE

Twenty-one contestants will compete in the 50th annual Ms. ABAC contest Feb. 21 at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. Sponsored by the Agribusiness Club , the theme of this year’s pageant is “The Golden Anniversary.”   The winner will receive a $500 academic scholarship. The event begins at 7 p.m. in ABAC’s Howard Auditorium . Admission is $10 . Because of limited seating, advance ticket purchase is advised. Tickets may be purchased from any Agribusiness Club officer, in the Donaldson Dining Hall the week of the even or by calling Agribusiness Club advisor Audrey Luke-Morgan at 229-391-4807 . Contestants will compete in casual and evening wear . They will also be judged on a written essay and an interview with the judges . Students competing in this year's pageant include: Lori Hayli Ary , a nursing major from Valdosta , sponsored by family and friends; Madison Elizabeth Barber , a nursing major from Warwick , sponsored by family and friends; Jaylee Nicole Bass , a writing and communications major from Adel , sponsored by the ABAC Ambassadors;  Rebecca Davis , a livestock production major from Crystal River, Fla., sponsored by the Cattlemen’s Association; Chasity Denmark , an agricultural education major from Uvalda , sponsored by the Beekeepers Association. Also, Savannah Eastall , an agriculture major from Lilburn , sponsored by the Collegiate 4-H;  Sara Faulk , a nursing major from Cochran , sponsored by the Young Farmers and Ranchers; Kaycee Goodman , a nursing major from Tifton , sponsored by the Baptist Collegiate Ministries; Caitlyn Lawton , a crop and soil sciences major from Leesburg , sponsored by friends and family; Charley Lollis , an agricultural communication major from Perry , sponsored by Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT) Club; and Wellsley Martin , an agribusiness major from Hawkinsville , sponsored by the Agronomy Club. Other contestants are Meredith McGlamory , an agricultural communication major from Abbeville , sponsored by the ACT Club; Natalie Logan Meeks , a psychology major from Alma , sponsored by friends and family; Katibeth Mims , an agricultural communication major from Donalsonville , sponsored by the ACT Club; Shelby Mumma , an agricultural communication major from Mechanicsburg, Pa. , sponsored by Red Door Bible Study; Emily Elizabeth Ralston , an agribusiness major from Bradenton, Fla. , sponsored by the Sigma Alpha Sorority; and Lexie Nicole Reynolds , an agricultural education major from Commerce , sponsored by the Collegiate FFA. Other participants include Lindsay Shurley , an agribusiness major from Groveland, Fla., sponsored by the Sigma Alpha Sorority; Abigail Allene Stumpf , a business major from Monroe , sponsored by the Ag Engineering Technology Club; Megan Thackston , an agricultural education major from Washington ., sponsored by the Dairy Science Club; and Madison Nicole Thompson , a business major from Ocilla , sponsored by friends and family. Mike Chason , public relations director emeritus, will serve as master of ceremonies. All proceeds from the Ms. ABAC pageant will benefit the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life and ABAC’s 2019 National Agri-Marketing Association Team .

GEORGIANS GO FOR CHOCOLATE ON VALENTINE'S DAY – SURVEY

Valentine's Day is next week and  a new Offers.com survey  confirms that love is not dead (sort of). To get a pulse on what consumers are buying for their sweethearts and how they’ll spend Feb. 14, the online company surveyed 1,000 people across the nation to get a look at the top trends. In Georgia : The majority of Georgia shoppers (42 percent) will be spending between $1-$50 this Valentine's Day. About 13 percent will be spending between $51-$100. In Georgia, the top desired gifts are chocolate, candy or other food (20 percent) and jewelry (17 percent). When it comes to the top treats of Valentine's Day, Georgia is most looking forward to indulging on chocolate (34 percent) and champagne (11 percent).

ROTARY HEARS ABOUT SOUTH GA. HOME SHOWCASE COMING TUESDAY

Amzie Cooper, from left, Kirsten McAlpin and Jay Short spoke to the Tifton Rotary Club on Wednesday about their respective businesses, Conger Gas and Short & Paulk, and the upcoming South Georgia Home Showcase to be held at the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb 12. There will be 73 booths and classes for not only contractors, but also for women and men who enjoy cooking and gardening. Featured speakers are Lauri Jo Bennett; Carmen Johnston, Southern Living Magazine's garden and lifestyle expert; and Chip Reed, formerly with Zac Brown's Southern Ground. Admission is free online in advance at gahomeshowcase.com or $10 at the door to benefit the Ruth's Cottage Capital Campaign. Another featured charity at the event will be Literacy Volunteers of Tifton-Tift County. Refreshments will be provided.

MUST BE A PRETTY BIG BULLDOG!

There's a new addition to the University of Georgia Tifton campus . On Thursday, paw prints were painted along Rainwater Road and Moore Highway . It's all part of the UGA campus' centennial celebration this year.

Pictured from left, First row: Jessica Thompson of Colquitt, Shiela Moser of Boston, Harley Grimm of Berlin, Megan Hornsby of Cairo and Jaime Nesemeier of Ellijay. Second row: Alison Powell of Thomasville, Hannah Hart of Moultrie, Denver Spivey of Hartsfield and Zoey Arrington of Thomasville. Third row: Satchuell Terrell of Valdosta, Jennifer Reynolds of Thomasville and Amanda Howell of Omega.

100 PERCENT OF AREA NURSING STUDENTS PASS EXAM ON FIRST ATTEMPT

Twelve recent graduates in Southern Regional Technical College’s (SRTC) Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) generic program in Thomasville reported 100 percent passage on their National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). The NCLEX exam is a standardized test that each state board of nursing uses to determine whether or not a candidate is prepared for entry-level nursing practice These students completed coursework in late fall, and were pinned in December. Faculty recently learned that each graduate passed her board exam on the first attempt . This 100 percent first-attempt pass rate is a major accomplishment for this program and its students, as that percentage is well above the national average for nursing programs. SRTC’s Nursing Program Chair Tammy Bryant said there is a growing nursing shortage in South Georgia. “ Over the next three years, an additional 300-plus registered nurses will be needed to fill open vacancies in community hospitals and healthcare facilities in Southwest Georgia," she said. "To meet the challenge of having a sufficient number of highly qualified healthcare professionals, SRTC must continue to expand its healthcare offerings and capacity to prepare more students to enter these fields.”

ABAC RECEIVES TOP MUSEUM AWARDS

Diving into the archives for five months at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College has paid off for ABAC’s Georgia Museum of Agriculture and Curator Polly Huff . At its recent annual meeting, the Georgia Association for Museums and Galleries (GAMG) presented ABAC with the top award in the Special Project Category and the Multimedia Project of the Year . ABAC won the top prizes for “An Overhaul of 110 Years of College Archives” in the Special Project Category, and “Fridays with the Curator” as the first ever Multimedia Project of the Year.   Huff directed both projects. She was assisted on the archives project by two student interns, Britt Fuller and Will Hunnicutt , who both majored in rural studies. “For five months, Britt, Will and I sorted through hundreds of boxes of ABAC institutional archives ,” Huff said. “Then we organized, cataloged, and stabilized them with proper care and archival supplies before packaging them for storage while the Carlton Center is undergoing renovation.” The Special Project Award recognizes outstanding achievement on a project other than static exhibits, completed by the institutions, friends, and supporters of the GAMG. Huff initiated the “Fridays with the Curator” series in 2017 with technical assistance from the museum’s marketing staff. Since then, the series has spotlighted significant artifacts, exhibits and restorations in the museum’s gallery and the agricultural collection via innovative use of audio and video presentations.

OCILLA SCHOLAR BENEFITS FROM AID When sponsors invest in "An Evening for ABAC" at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, their dollars really do turn into ABAC scholars. AgGeorgia Farm Credit invested $2,500 as a Gold sponsor for the annual ABAC scholarship fundraising event in 2018 , which resulted in a scholarship for Owen Paulk from Ocilla . Paulk is a sophomore majoring in agricultural business.  AgGeorgia Farm Credit has also agreed to a Gold sponsorship for this year’s event on Feb. 23 . Sponsored by the ABAC Foundation , "An Evening for ABAC" will be held at the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center. Tickets are $125 for singles, $225 for couples, and $1,500 for a reserved table which seats eight persons. A portion of the ticket price is tax deductible. For tickets, call 229-391-4895 . In the photo , scholarship recipient Owen Paulk from Ocilla thanks Rhonda Shannon for AgGeorgia Farm Credit's contribution.

BOOK SALE COMING FEB. 15-16

The Tifton-Tift County Public Library is holding what it calls a "Fabulous Frabjous February Book Sale" on Friday, Feb. 15, from 9 a.m.- 6 p.m., and on Saturday, Feb. 16, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. All books will be on sale for $1, says Branch Manager Victoria A. Horst .

YOUR WEEKEND ...at a Glance SATURDAY, FEB. 9 "Sock it to 'em with Love,", 1-5 p.m., Copeland Park, Tifton Tift Area Greenway Association "Greenway Walk," 2-4 p.m., behind Tiftarea YMCA, Carpenter Road, Tifton SUNDAY, FEB. 10 Tiftarea Academy Open House, 2-5 p.m., Highway 41 N., Chula

LET THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT YOUR YARD SALE Place it in the TIFTON GRAPEVINE and get quick results! _____________________ TO ADVERTISE YOUR YARD SALE, CONTACT US at yardsales@tiftongrapevine.com Fees are $1 per word, paid in advance

JAN. 31 Robert Kelly, 82, Ty Ty Estelle Thornhill, 96, Dixie FEB. 1 Betty Jean Swails Goode, 81, Enigma Ricky Steve Bryan, 65, Tifton Eugene “Gene” Beard, 56, Fitzgerald Vivian Gordon, 85, Valdosta FEB. 2 William Avery Brown, 51, Tifton Ethel Louise Kelly Hardwick, 92, Woodstock Flora Margaret Howell Norman, 78, Tifton FEB. 3 Johnny Jackson “Jack” Ethridge Jr., 70, Tifton Mattie Elizabeth “Susie” Marchant Purvis, 88, Omega Carol Cromartie Alvis, 71, LaGrange Karen Akin Wynn, 68, Ashburn FEB. 4 Donna June Thomas-Jernigan, 57, Enigma Roberta Leigh Rishty, 69, Tifton Brenda Drawdy Connell, 77, Tifton Johnny Walter Baldree, 62, Tifton The Rev. Jerry C. Wilson, 89, Irwinville Mary Lee Price, 91, Quitman Wayne Everett, 79, Greenville, Fla. FEB. 5 John “Mark” Goode, 53, Sylvester Peggy King Shivers, 85,  Ashburn FEB. 7 Ola Mae Bell, Ashburn

Tifton Grapevine e-published every Tuesday and Friday Frank Sayles Jr. Editor & Publisher Bonnie Sayles Managing Editor

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