Friday, October 30, 2026

Tifton, Georgia

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IRWIN COUNTY COUPLE

BRING 'DINOSAURS'

TO TOWN FOR KIDS

By BONNIE SAYLES

Tifton Grapevine

It's not just a walk in the "park."

A "Jurassic Park" display, modeled after the popular movies, is taking shape for Halloween trick-or-treaters at Mallory and Austin Griffin’s home at 205 East Boulevard in Ocilla.

It started with a sign in early October, teasing “Jurassic Park Coming Soon,” at the home just down the street from Irwin County’s elementary, middle, and high schools. 

Temporary cowpen panels, designed to contain cattle, set the tone for the dinosaur enclosures. Work is ongoing and will be completed by Saturday. A "velociraptor" and its nest of eggs will be the site of the candy for the children. 

A Jurassic Park jeep will be added soon, borrowed from a friend.

“All our friends are helping put it up,” Mallory Griffin said. “It’s all about bringing back the magic of trick-or-treating and giving kids a place to go and make memories.” 

Last year, the Griffins did a pirate theme and had 400 to 500 trick-or-treaters. They have a three year old and a six year old who loves dinosaurs, so this year the family is going for Jurassic Park.

“We wanted it to be not too spooky,” Griffin said. So far, they have two dinosaurs and quite a few "dinosaur bones."

“We’re going to have a Dr. Grant skeleton, and all the classic Jurassic Park crew that were in the movie, all around the yard,” she said.

Kids will walk through the Jurassic Park gate, around the dinosaurs, and all the way to the back to get the candy, Griffin said – “It’s a little bit of an adventure.”

She gave credit to her husband and his friends for playing a large part in bringing her ideas to life. The family grows cotton and peanuts, and works cattle when not planning exciting Halloween themes.

Griffin and her husband had noticed that after the pandemic, people did not seem to participate in the holiday as before.

“Our goal is for the kids of Irwin County – and elsewhere – to build positive, safe memories around Halloween,” she said.

FINAL DAY OF EARLY VOTING FOR ELECTION

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

This is it – the final day of early voting. The long election season is almost over.

Georgians are now in the homestretch for the Nov. 3 election. After 5 p.m. today, any votes will have to be cast Tuesday, Election Day, at the voter's home precinct.

Early voting has broken records for midterm elections in the state. As of the end of the day Thursday, 2,402,408 Georgians, 33% of eligible voters, have cast ballots in person.

In Tift County, 7,265 residents cast in-person ballots as of Thursday, representing 27% of the county's eligible voters, according to the Georgia Secretary of State's Office.

Turner County continues to be among the South Georgia leaders in turnout with 32% of voters having cast ballots.

On Tuesday, Election Day, polls will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

TIFTON POLICE WIN

GOVERNOR'S TRAFFIC SAFETY AWARDS

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

The Tifton Police Department earned three prestigious awards Oct. 22 at the 2026 Governor’s Challenge in Macon.

The Governor’s Challenge is presented by the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, which awarded Tifton Police with:

• 1st Place in Speed Awareness among all agencies, regardless of size, for Tifton’s commitment to addressing speeding and promoting safer driving habits throughout the community.
• 3rd Place overall in Traffic Enforcement among agencies with 46-75 officers for the Tifton department’s comprehensive traffic-safety efforts, including public education, traffic-safety campaigns, enforcement initiatives, and special events.
• Rookie of the Year for Tifton Police Department’s efforts and accomplishments in the Governor’s Challenge program.

Tifton Police said the awards represent more than trophies, reflecting the dedication of officers and personnel who work daily to make roadways safer through proactive enforcement, education, community outreach, and participation in statewide traffic-safety initiatives.

Traffic safety is more than writing citations – it is about changing driving behaviors, preventing crashes, protecting families, and saving lives, the Tifton Police Department said. 

908 BELLEVIEW AVE. UNIT 2, TIFTON, GA

229-396-4140

SOUTH HEALTH & REHAB IN ADEL EARNS NURSING CARE CENTER ACCREDITATION

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

Southwell Health and Rehabilitation, a 95-bed skilled nursing facility in Adel, has earned Nursing Care Center Accreditation from Joint Commission.

The Commission, an independent, evidence-based, standards-setting organization, sets the benchmark for safe, high-quality patient care through healthcare accreditation.

Southwell Health and Rehabilitation underwent a rigorous, unannounced on-site survey on Sept. 8. During the visit, a team of Joint Commission surveyors assessed compliance across key areas, such as environment of care, infection prevention and control, performance improvement, and overall resident care.

“This accreditation reflects our team’s dedication to providing safe, compassionate, high-quality care,” said Mark Kimball, chief operating officer for Southwell Medical. “We are proud of this achievement and remain committed to maintaining the highest standards for our residents.”

Joint Commission surveyors conducted on-site observations and interviews to identify performance strengths and opportunities for continued improvement. With decades of expertise and a data-driven accreditation process, Joint Commission helps ensure healthcare organizations adhere to leading quality and safety practices.

TIFT & WORTH COUNTY HIGH STUDENTS WIN SEVERAL SRTC TRADES COMPETITIONS

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

Students from Tift County and Worth County high schools recently won competitions in skilled trades at Southern Regional Technical College (SRTC).

SRTC hosted approximately 135 students, educators, industry partners, and guests to its Moultrie Campus recently for the college's inaugural Trades Challenge, giving high school students an opportunity to put their technical skills to the test while exploring careers in the skilled trades.

Students competed in six trade areas: Air-conditioning technology, automotive technology, carpentry, electrical systems technology, plumbing, and welding and joining technology. The Trades Challenge was designed to give students a low-pressure opportunity to practice their skills ahead of regional skills competitions while also introducing them to SRTC's programs.

Throughout the morning, student competitors completed hands-on challenges designed to test technical knowledge, workmanship, safety, and skills specific to their respective trade areas.

In the automotive technology competition, Rider Abbott of Tift County High School earned first place, and Javier Vazquez of Tift County High earned second place.

In the welding and joining technology competition, Cason Roberts of Worth County High School earned first place.

The event brought 73 competitors and 65 spectators to campus. Schools represented were Tift County High School, Turner County High, Worth County High, Colquitt County High, Lee County High, Mitchell County High, Southwest Georgia Academy, Thomas County Central High, 4C Academy, Baconton Community Charter School, Baker County High, and Cairo High.

PRECISION AG SENSORS HELP FARMERS DETECT CROP ISSUES

From UGA TODAY

Farmers spend a lot of time keeping a careful eye on their crops, but they can quietly begin responding to drought, disease, and insect pressure long before signs of stress are visible.

At the University of Georgia, Professor Liang Dong is developing sensor technologies designed to detect those early signals, giving plants a way to communicate what they are experiencing and helping farmers make faster, more informed decisions.

As the Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar in Precision Agriculture, Dong brings renowned sensor research and a passion for crop diversity to UGA, where he sees opportunities to develop sensors and precision technologies for very different agricultural systems after nearly two decades in the Midwest.

Dong’s research focuses on the development of novel sensor technologies for real-time monitoring of soil conditions, plant health, and environmental factors, with the goal of addressing challenges in the water-energy-food-health nexus.

For those who haven’t spent a career in precision agriculture and engineering, Dong suggests thinking of a health tracker on a smartwatch. The device measures signals from the wearer’s body — such as heart rate — and provides the user with health data. Dong and his team are applying a similar idea to crops by designing sensors around the plant to measure the signals it produces.

“Instead of waiting until we can see that something is wrong, the sensor lets the plant tell us what it is experiencing,” Dong said. “In a sense, we are giving plants a voice.”

Because signs of disease, insects, drought, or other stressors may not be immediately visible, the sensors Dong has developed can detect a variety of signals, including reactive oxygen species, phytohormones, and volatiles, which form an interconnected signaling network that regulates plant growth, development, and responses to environmental stress.

“Our sensors can also detect nutrient levels, transpiration, and photosynthetic activity,” Dong said. “These signals can give us an earlier picture of what is happening inside the plant.”

Georgia’s drought-prone yet hot and humid climate makes addressing the issues a challenge.

“We want to know whether sensors can detect how a plant is responding to these threats before we can see visible symptoms. If we can do that, sensors could provide an early warning and help growers respond much faster,” Dong said. “More data can help growers make more precise irrigation decisions and use water more efficiently.”

TIFTON-TIFT COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RIBBON CUTTING

Taco Loco

Celebrating 10 Years

901 Pine St., Tifton

Oct. 27

TIFTON ARTS COUNCIL OPENING TWO EXHIBITS

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

The Syd Arts Collective will be exhibited at the Syd Blackmarr Arts Center in Tifton beginning with an opening reception 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1. The exhibit will continue Noon-6 p.m. daily through Nov. 11. 

The collective is an annual juried exhibition celebrating the creativity and artistic talent found throughout the region. It will feature work from 29 emerging and established artists across a variety of media.

Visitors can explore original paintings, photography, sculpture, ceramics, fiber art, mixed media, and more while supporting local artists and experiencing the best of South Georgia’s creative community.

This exhibit also serves as the featured gallery exhibition during the Arts Affair Festival on Nov. 7, bringing together artists and art lovers for one of the region’s premier celebrations of the arts.

Also, the Tifton Arts Council will host an opening reception at 6-8 p.m. Monday for an art exhibit at Tift Regional Medical Center in its 20th Street lobby.

Artwork by fine artist Kenny Barfield will be on display and available for purchase. Light refreshments will be served at the reception. The TRMC exhibit will continue through Jan. 22.

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YOUR GUIDE

TO ACTIVITIES

THIS WEEKEND

IN THE GREATER

TIFTAREA

Saturday, Oct. 31, is Halloween. The word Halloween or Hallowe’en dates from before the 16th century and draws from its early Christian past. In old Scottish, Hallowe’en translates as “All Hallows’ (holy) Even” referring to “All Hallows’ Evening,” the day before All Hallows Day, a solemn occasion in which all of the Catholic Church’s heavenly saints were honored. By the 18th century, Halloween shows up with the spelling we know today. Halloween became popular in America in the 19th century, with enthusiasm for the holiday brought from the Irish and Scottish immigrants who were arriving at the time. The biggest change from Halloween’s earliest roots is that it becomes more secular than religious. By the 1920s and '30s, Halloween parades and parties became a major part of the festivities, and the holiday was celebrated from coast to coast.

Born on October 30: Christopher Columbus, explorer & navigator, 1451-1506; John Adams, 2nd U.S. President, 1735-1826; Martha Wayles Jefferson, First Lady of Virginia & wife of Thomas Jefferson, 1748-1782; Paul Valéry, author-philosopher-poet, 1871-1945; William Halsey Jr., U.S. Naval admiral in WWII, 1882-1959; Ezra Pound, poet & critic, 1885-1972; Ruth Gordon, actress, 1896-1985; Bill Terry, Atlanta-born baseball Hall of Fame All-Star, 1898-1989; Fred W. Friendly, journalist & broadcast executive, 1915-1998; Jane Randolph, actress, 1915-2009; Louis Malle, film director, 1932-1995; Dick Vermeil, Super Bowl coach, 1936–; Eddie Holland, singer-record producer, 1939–; Grace Slick, singer with Jefferson Airplane/Starship, 1939–; Henry Winkler, actor "Fonzie," 1945–; Andrea Mitchell, TV news broadcaster, 1946–; Chris Slade, drummer with rock groups Manfred Mann & AC/DC, 1946–; Timothy B. Schmit, bass player with The Eagles, Poco & Coral Reefer Band, 1947–; Harry Hamlin, actor, 1951–; T. Graham Brown, country music singer from Arabi, Ga., 1954–; Ivanka Trump, daughter of President Donald Trump, 1981–; Marcus Mariota, NFL quarterback, 1993–.

FRIDAY, OCT. 30

• Downtown Tifton Trick-or-Treat with Merchants, parents/guardians must accompany children, 5-6 p.m., Downtown Tifton

• Magic on Main Halloween Carnival, hosted by the Tifton Merchants Association: Candy, games, food, fun; 5-8 p.m., Cato Knight Parking Lot, Downtown Tifton

• Haunted House & Trail: Last Train Out, Haunted House & Walking Trail, 7:30 p.m., ABAC's Georgia Museum of Agriculture & Historic Village, 1392 Whiddon Mill Road, Tifton

•Tift County High Blue Devils football @ Veterans High Warhawks, 7:30 p.m, Kathleen

• Tiftarea Academy Panthers football @ Terrell County High Eagles, 7:30 p.m., Dawson

• Turner County High Titans football vs. Dooly County High Bobcats, 7:30 p.m., Ashburn

• Fitzgerald High football @ Brooks County High Trojans, 7:30 p.m., Quitman

• Irwin County High Indians football @ Mitchell County High Eagles, 7:30 p.m., Camilla

• Cook County High football Hornets vs. Bacon County High Raiders, 7:30 p.m., Adel

• Berrien County High Rebels football vs. Jeff Davis High Yellowjackets, 7:30 p.m., Nashville

• Haunted Theatre, 8-11 p.m., Tift Theatre for the Performing Arts, Downtown Tifton

SATURDAY, OCT. 31

• 66th Annual Georgia Sweet Potato Festival, parade; music with the Highway 129 Band; classic cars, including the "General Lee" car from TV's "Dukes of Hazzard;" arts & crafts; kids entertainment; food vendors; 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Downtown Ocilla

• Tifton Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-noon, Tifton Gardens, Downtown Tifton

• Open Horse Show, hosted by ABAC Horsemen's Association, 9 a.m., ABAC Rodeo Arena, 85 Perimeter Road, Tifton

• Community Garden Volunteering, hosted by Keep Tift Beautiful, 9:30-11 a.m., 1413 Central Ave. N., Tifton

• Field of Screams Trick or Treat, businesses & local organizations hand out candy to costumed trick-or-treaters, 4-6 p.m., Berrien County Recreation Department, 500 County Farm Road, Nashville

• Porchtober, Fitzgerald- Ben Hill County Arts Council hosts live music by Chasidy Wood & Christian Alexander on Central Avenue followed by Highway 129 Band on the back porch of the Carnegie Center, 6-9 p.m., Downtown Fitzgerald

• Haunted Theatre, 8 p.m.-until, Tift Theatre for the Performing Arts, Downtown Tifton

SUNDAY, NOV. 1

• Downtown Fitzgerald Christmas Open House, shopping & holiday cheer at various businesses, 1-5 p.m., Downtown Fitzgerald

• The Syd Arts Collective, exhibit opening reception, 2-4 p.m., Syd Blackmarr Arts Center, 255 Love Ave., Tifton

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TIFTON GRAPEVINE'S DOG OF THE WEEK

"Cullen" is 2 years old, weighs 67 pounds, friendly, and looking for a new family through no fault of his own. He was surrendered to the Animal Shelter after his owner’s housing situation no longer allowed them to keep him. Imagine being loved and cared for by your family only to suddenly find yourself in a shelter. Cullen deserves so much better. He deserves a home where he can settle in, feel safe, and know that he is part of a family for good. Come meet Cullen and see other pets available for adoption between 1-6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at the Tift County Animal Shelter on Highway 125 South, or call 229-382-PETS (7387).

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