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WOMAN FACES 125 CHARGES OF FRAUD, CREDIT CARD THEFT

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

A woman is in Tift County Jail on 125 charges involving credit card theft, fraud, and identity theft, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).

DeAundra Smith, 25, of Cordele is charged with 19 counts of computer trespass, 38 counts of identity theft, 18 counts of financial transaction card theft, and 50 counts of financial transaction card fraud, the GBI said Thursday.

On Jan. 16, the Tifton Police Department requested the GBI's help in conducting an investigation that found that Smith obtained personal information from customers at her job using her computer and was using the information to shop and pay her bills, the GBI said.

Smith is accused of defrauding many people, including elderly victims, many of whom did not know they were victims.

Authorities did not identify in what business Smith was working when she obtained the customer information.

"This case underlines the negative impact that these serious crimes can have and the importance of regularly checking bank statements and safeguarding personal information. The GBI encourages citizens to take the necessary steps to protect themselves and their loved ones," the GBI said in a statement.

Investigators said additional charges are pending in Dougherty and Crisp counties.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the GBI regional investigative office in Sylvester at 229-777-2080.

PATRICK WARREN BECOMES NEW DISTRICT ATTORNEY

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

Patrick Warren of Tifton is the new district attorney for the Tifton Judicial Circuit.

The Georgia Secretary of State's Office on Thursday formally canceled the March 18 special election and deemed Warren as elected because he was the only candidate who had qualified for the post, said Mike Hassinger, spokesman for the Secretary of State's Office.

Under state law, no special election shall be held if only one candidate qualifies, and "such unopposed candidate shall be deemed to have voted for himself or herself," noted Leila E. Dollison, Tift County elections supervisor.

Warren, currently acting district attorney for the judicial circuit, will officially take office upon being sworn in. He will serve through Jan. 1, 2029, filling the term of the late Bryce Johnson, who died unexpectedly Dec. 2, less than a month after being re-elected to a second term as district attorney.

The Tifton Judicial Circuit encompasses the counties of Tift, Turner, Irwin, and Worth.

In announcing his candidacy last month, Warren said that “keeping the citizens of this circuit safe has been, and will continue to be, the No. 1 priority of the District Attorney’s Office. I will continue to be a partner to law enforcement, to not only work at crime prevention but prosecute those who prey on our community."

Warren, a graduate of Creighton Law School, has served as a state prosecutor for 15 years and served as Bryce Johnson’s chief assistant for the past five years. In that latter role, Warren has secured convictions on hundreds of serious felony cases,  including murder and child molestation in the four-county circuit.

A U.S. Navy veteran, Warren, his wife Amy, and their three children reside in Tifton.

CRIME OPTICS CAN BE MISLEADING, DISTRICT ATTORNEY SAYS

By BONNIE SAYLES

Tifton Grapevine

Patrick Warren, who is being sworn in as the new district attorney for the Tifton Judicial Circuit, told the Tifton Rotary Club on Wednesday that the optics of crime in a community like Tifton are bad, but also misleading.

“I’m inside the system,” Warren said. “I see it every day. Every case has a certain set of circumstances which have no bearing on the good people of Tift County and Tifton.”

Since 2020, Warren has tried and convicted more than a dozen murders in Tifton as well as dozens of property, drug, and sex crimes. With the untimely passing of District Attorney Bryce Johnson, he was named acting district attorney.

“People are very concerned about Tifton right now,” Warren said. “We have had a real glut of cases from the school system, a couple of killings, some domestic violence cases.”

However, Warren said, “the vast majority of sensational cases should not reflect as a whole on us all. As long as you’re not in certain areas certain times of day, selling drugs or buying drugs, you’re going to be just fine.”

He said recent murders involved people the victims knew.

As a prosecutor, Warren said, “my philosophy is you have to separate the people you are mad at from the people you are scared of. A person who continually shoplifts because they can’t get a job to feed their family, I get mad at those people. Drug addicts who have a sickness, an illness, they can’t stop what they’re doing, chasing those drugs, I get mad at them, because of what they do to themselves and their families and their community.

“But, he said, "there are people in this community you should be afraid of. That’s where the majority of our focus should be on."

Warren said that "we’ve got good law enforcement on the cases we have now, and we’ve got good judges,” he said, noting that the circuit's Superior Court now has a third judge, Ralph Powell, joining Judges Bill Reinhardt and Melanie Cross.

“They help us get justice for us for those cases where we are afraid of the defendant,” Warren said. “People that we are mad at, they’ll work with us on what we can do. Let’s figure out what we can do to move forward and make that person a contributing member of society again.” 

He added that Tifton has a serious problem with people leaving guns in their unlocked cars and even leaving key fobs in their vehicles, making it easier for criminals.

STATEWIDE GRAD RATE RISES FOR CTAE STUDENTS

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

The graduation rate for Georgia students involved in Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) has risen to 98.24%, the Ga. Department of Education announced Thursday.

The rate – which applies to students who complete a career pathway – exceeds the overall state graduation rate by 12.84 percentage points, which underscores the relevance and effectiveness of CTAE opportunities, the GaDOE said.

The 2023 CTAE statewide graduation rate was 97.75%.

The state has informed Tift County Schools that its Fiscal Year 24 graduation rate for CTAE will be released within two weeks, said Michael Slaven, Tift County assistant superintendent for beyond the core.

"Our CTAE graduation rate (for Tift County Schools) was 97% in FY 21, 99% in FY 22, and 99% in FY 23. This includes students who earned at least two units of credit in CTAE. In FY 23, the CTAE graduation rate specifically for limited English students was 100%. Again, these students had earned at least 2 CTAE credits," Slaven said.  

“Communities all across Georgia are continuing to see record-breaking job growth, and preparing Georgians to seize those opportunities is critical to our continued success,” Gov. Brian P. Kemp said. “These numbers underscore the importance of our work to streamline the state’s high-demand career pipeline and let Georgia’s students know there is an option for a successful career available to them right here in the Peach State.”

CTAE in Georgia offers a high-school experience that prepares students for their lives after high school. Students can learn skills for real-world careers in 145 career pathways within 17 Georgia Career Clusters – from construction to information technology – while earning recognized industry credentials and participating in work-based learning and apprenticeship opportunities.

TIFTAREA ACADEMY ANNOUNCES STAR STUDENT, TEACHER

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

Thomas Holt has been named Tiftarea Academy's STAR Student and Natalie Rippy as the STAR Teacher for 2025.

The Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program honors Georgia's highest-achieving high school seniors and the teachers who have been most instrumental in their academic development.

The STAR Student is awarded to the graduating senior with the highest SAT or ACT score recorded in a single sitting. Tiftarea Academy said that Thomas Holt demonstrates leadership abilities and academic excellence; he works hard and has a passion for learning.

Natalie Rippy, who teaches high school English, goes above and beyond to inspire and guide students; her dedication, patience, and commitment to excellence have made a lasting impact on students, the Chula school said.

BEN HILL 4-H WINS IN NATIONAL CONSUMER SCIENCE CONTEST

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

Ben Hill County 4-H recently captured a first-place win in the National Consumer Decision Making division at the Family and Consumer Science National Championship and Conference in San Antonio, Texas.

The winning team members include Thomas Holt, Nandini Patel, Landon Sinyard, and Ruby Witt, with support from coach Laura Lee Hughes, the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension 4-H agent and coordinator for Ben Hill County.

In addition to the top award, individual team members also earned honors, with Holt earning second high individual in the contest and Witt placing third high individual.

Patel earned the high individual score in reasons, Witt earned the fifth high individual score in placings and third high individual score in reasons, and Holt earned the fourth high individual score in placings and second high individual score in reasons.

Additional team awards included high overall team placing, high overall team reasons, and second-place group thinking team.

FIRST TUESDAY CONCERT FEATURES VSU FACULTY

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College’s First Tuesday concert on March 4 will feature David and Maila Springfield, members of the Valdosta State University music faculty.

“We are so pleased to welcome our fellow musicians to ABAC,” said Dr. Jennifer Huang, head of ABAC’s Fine Arts department. “The Springfields have a wide range of musical interests which will translate into a wonderful evening of music.”

David, who is a pianist and trombonist, and Maila, a pianist, frequently collaborate with colleagues and friends across genres including classical, jazz and musical theater.

The concert will begin at 7 p.m. in Howard Auditorium.

The final First Tuesday concert of the season will be “The Songs of Broadway!” on April 1. Concerts are free. For information, call 229-391-4943.

TIFT ANIMAL RESCUE HOLDS VACCINE, MICROCHIP CLINIC ON SATURDAY

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

Tift Animal Rescue is hosting another vaccine and microchip clinic for dogs and cats at 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday at the Tift County Animal Shelter, 278 Ga. Highway 125 South.

A $25 donation includes rabies vaccine, canine DAPP or feline HCP vaccine, and a microchip inserted under the skin of the pet.

The clinic is sponsored by Tift Animal Rescue Inc. and Petco Love with Dr. Jessica Giddens of JAG Veterinary Services. It is open to the public, including residents outside Tift County. There is no limit on the number of pets, and no appointment is needed.

Pets must be leashed or crated.

Georgia state law requires rabies vaccine at three months or older. DAPP vaccines help prevent parvovirus in dogs. HCP vaccines help prevent distemper in cats. They are highly contagious and often fatal.

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YOUR GUIDE

TO ACTIVITIES

THIS WEEKEND

IN THE GREATER TIFTAREA

Today, Feb. 14, is Valentine's Day. Historians believe the romanticized element of celebrating Valentine’s Day first came from a priest around 270 A.D. And during the 1400s, messages, or "Valentines" as they were called, began to appear. Handwritten letters and poems declaring affections of love became popular. In the mid 1800s, Valentine’s cards began to be commercially produced and traditional gifts were candy and flowers, especially red roses symbolizing love and beauty. And this year, Venus, a planet named after the Roman goddess of love, will fittingly be at its brilliant best tonight on Valentine's Day and won't as bright again until September 2026.

FRIDAY, FEB. 14

• "Wicked," the movie, 7 p.m., Tift Theatre for the Performing Arts, Tifton
• Sweetheart Dance, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Train Depot, 102 S. Main St., Sylvester

SATURDAY, FEB. 15

• 3D Archery Shoot, South Georgia Council of Boy Scouts of America, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., 371 Camp Osborn Road, Sylvester
• Vaccine and Microchip Clinic, for dogs and cats, sponsored by Tift Animal Rescue, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Tift County Animal Shelter, 278 Ga. Highway 125 South, Tifton
• Tifton's Masked Singer, 7 p.m., Tift Theatre for the Performing Arts, Downtown Tifton

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"Violet Blue" is a sweet girl as lovely as her name. Full of playful energy and endless love, she’s always ready to make new friends, both human and dog alike. Come visit her and see 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).