Tuesday, October 20, 2026

Tifton, Georgia

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PROPERTY TAXES MAY BE LOWER ON TIFT BILLS BEING MAILED

GOVERNOR'S HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION CREDIT

WILL REDUCE ASSESSED VALUE

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

Tift County Tax Commissioner Chad Alexander says that Tift property tax bills are going out this week, and for those with homestead exemptions, "your bill will be less than last year."

That's because of the "governor's homestead exemption credit this year," Alexander said.

Gov. Brian P. Kemp proposed the one-time Property Tax Relief Grant to refund $950 million in property taxes back to homestead owners in the Amended Fiscal Year 2026 budget. Kemp's proposal became law when he signed HB 439 in May.

Kemp's plan provides an $18,000 reduction in the assessed value of qualifying homesteaded properties for the 2026 tax year. It reduces the assessed (40%) taxable value of your primary residence by $18,000 after standard homestead exemptions are applied.

A homestead exemption in Georgia is a legal tax break that lowers the property taxes on your primary residence by reducing the home's taxable assessed value. 

Also during meetings in September, the City of Tifton, the Tift County Board of Commissioners, and the Tift County Board of Education all reduced their millage rates for the 2027 Fiscal Year.

Tifton lowered the city millage rate to 6.114 mills (down from 6.262 mills in the previous year); Tift County reduced the county-wide/unincorporated-incorporated rate to 8.225 mills (down from 8.427 mills) and the Special Tax District rate to 0.952 mills (down from 1.116 mills); and the BOE adopted a reduced millage rate of 11.777 mills (down from 12.275 mills). 

Tax Commissioner Alexander reminds residents that Tift County property taxes are due by Dec. 30. He noted that the tax bills are being sent to individual property owners and not to mortgage companies. Homeowners will need to forward the bills to their mortgage company if it is responsible for handling the payments.

Alexander said Tift property owners can access and pay their property taxes online at TiftCountyPay.com.

The Sunbelt Rodeo Queens welcome visitors Tuesday to the 48th Sunbelt Ag Expo. The Expo continues Wednesday and Thursday.

SUNBELT AG EXPO UNDERWAY;

FLA. MAN NAMED FARMER OF YEAR

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

The Sunbelt Ag Expo opened its gates Tuesday for the three-day "premier farm show” in North America with more than 1,200 exhibitors. During Tuesday's luncheon, Woody Larson of Okeechobee, Fla., was selected the Sunbelt Ag Expo Farmer of the Year.

A big crowd came out for opening day. Being an election year, the Expo is also attracting its share of politicians to the Spence Field site just outside Moultrie.

South Carolina is this year's "Spotlight State" at the Expo, and the state's agriculture is highlighted through special state exhibits in the Spotlight State Building.

Among fan-favorite activities Tuesday was the milking competition. Special guests, agricultural leaders, and student competitors race against the clock with a bucket and stool to see who can hand-milk the most milk from live dairy cows. The University of Florida came in first place Tuesday.

The Sunbelt Ag Expo attracts farmers, families, educators, students, and agricultural-related vendors from across the Southeast and the nation. An economic impact study by the University of Georgia’s Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development estimated that the Expo generates more than $16.72 million in annual economic output across a 20-county region of South Georgia.

The study also identified $1.1 million in state and local tax revenue from the three-day event.

The Ag Expo actually began in Tifton in 1964 as "Dealer Days." Agricultural engineering students at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College first organized the event to bring together students and agricultural equipment dealers.

The annual event become so popular that it outgrew its Tifton location and in the 1970s was relocated to Spence Field in Moultrie and renamed.

The Sunbelt Ag Expo is open Wednesday from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., and Thursday until 3 p.m. Admission at the gate is $15 per person per day. Advance and discount tickets may be purchased online. The site is four miles southeast of Moultrie on Highway 133.

RAY CITY COUPLE CHARGED IN CHILD MOLESTATION INVESTIGATION

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

The GBI has arrested a Ray City couple following a child molestation investigation in Berrien County.

Kenneth Duane Brewer, 57, is charged with two counts of child molestation; one count of grooming of a minor; one count of rape; one count of aggravated sodomy; one count of improper sexual contact by an employee, agent, foster parent, or person in a position of trust; and one count of distribution of a controlled substance, the GBI said.

Kelley Brewer, 43, is charged with one count of second-degree cruelty to children, according to the GBI.

On Oct. 7, the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office requested the GBI to investigate allegations that Kenneth Brewer had inappropriate contact with a child. The couple were arrested Thursday and booked into the Berrien County Jail.

The Lowndes County Sheriff's Office also assisted in locating and arresting the Brewers, the GBI said.

This investigation is still active. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office at 229-686-7071 or the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Douglas at 912-389-4103. Anonymous tips can 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.

EARLY VOTING BREAKS RECORDS: 1.1M VOTES CAST IN GA, 3,500 IN TIFT

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

Record-breaking voter turnout continues in Georgia with more than 1.1 million in-person ballots cast as of Tuesday, and nearly 3,500 cast in Tift County.

“We continue to break records each day of early voting,” said Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. “This is evidence that Georgians trust our election process. The strong turnout reflects the work our 159 county election officials do to make our elections free, fair, and fast.”

As of the end of the day Tuesday, 1,131,437 Georgians had voted in person, according to the Secretary of State's Office, a 12% increase from the election four years ago.

In Tift County as of Tuesday, 3,461 voters had cast in-person ballots. Leila E. Dollison, Tift County elections supervisor, said the early voting turnout "has been nothing short of amazing. From the very first day, the tone was set."

Early voting began a week ago, and each day except Saturday's voting has seen more than 500 Tift countians come to the polls. On Monday this week, 526 people voted in Tift County; and on Tuesday, 553.

When absentee ballots are added to the totals, Tift County has seen 3,575 ballots cast, a 13.1% turnout thus far – and early voting continues through Oct. 30 for the Nov. 3 election.

For your precinct location and other voting information, visit the Secretary of State’s My Voter Page here.

'The Wet Bandits' of Tifton won the 'Haunted Trivia Night at the Movies' on Tuesday, a fundraiser for Literacy Volunteers of Tifton-Tift County. Joining the team photo are Literacy Volunteers Director Andrea Story, at far left, and trivia MC 'Big Wave Dave' Holmes, third from right.

TIFTON NAMES NEW CHAMPS OF MOVIE TRIVIA

By BONNIE SAYLES

Tifton Grapevine

Movie trivia reigned supreme Tuesday night at Southern Regional Technical College with the 26th Annual Howard Center Haunted Trivia Night benefitting Literacy Volunteers of Tifton-Tift County.

The “Wet Bandits” team won first-place bragging rights. Second place was the Badass Book Club team (pictured at right), and The Exchange Club of Tifton (pictured below) took third place in the trivia competition.  

Trivia Master David "Big Wave Dave" Holmes entertained the teams with creative questions accompanied by an amusing PowerPoint. His sidekick and son-in-law, Matt Lovelace, kept score with precision, and Matt’s son, Arlen, stole the show as a little “Freddy Krueger.”

Dinner was provided by Chicago Pizza, Chicken Salad Chick, Pizza Hut, and Chapo’s Tequillas & Grill with spirited desserts by the Tifton Junior Woman’s Club and beverages by Coca-Cola United.

The event sponsor is The Howard Center for Women. The Southwell team won the costume contest as Jason and the Crystal Lake Counselors. Prizes were donated by Hilton Garden Inn, SpringHill Suites, Wild Adventures, and Chick-fil-A. 

Funds raised allow Literacy Volunteers to recruit and train tutors to work with individuals wanting to improve their reading, writing, math, and English-speaking abilities. 

Literacy Volunteers also has provided laptops to SRTC Adult Education students who have completed their GED exams.

COOK COUNTY WARRANT AMNESTY CLEARS CASES, COLLECTS $202,000

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

A warrant amnesty program in Cook County, implemented in 2024 involving misdemeanor and traffic cases, has successfully cleared 406 warrants and collected $201,938.50 in fines and fees, says L. Chase Daughtrey, Cook County probate judge.

The open-ended warrant amnesty program allows a defendant to clear warrants by contacting the court or appearing at an available court date to avoid arrest.

Led by Court Clerk Suzanne Bennett, a plan was implemented to contact defendants through available information, verify warrants and defendants' identities, and seek a resolution in cases to prevent the defendants' incarceration.

“I am proud of Suzanne, Solicitor Lea Hazel, and the staff who worked this program and continue to work to prevent incarceration on warrants for defendants who failed to appear on misdemeanor and traffic offenses," Daughtrey said.

"It is the goal of this court to seek solutions that are fair and equal to both sides while preserving the rights of the defendants. We will continue to provide solutions to problems the best we can that meets the letter of the law,” he said.

The Probate Court has jurisdiction over traffic and misdemeanors cases arising in Cook County. During Fiscal Year 2026, the court processed and adjudicated 16,541 criminal cases, a 23% increase over Fiscal Year 2025.

Any person who has an outstanding bench warrant in the Cook County Probate Court may call 229-896-3941 to see if they are eligible for the amnesty program. Some offenses such as simple battery, family violence, and driving under the influence require a court appearance. 

The scarecrows winning the Main Street decorating contest are: First Place (below) by Called to Care; and (from left above) Second Place by the Coronel family;Third Place by Coastal Plain CASA; and "Main Street Choice" winner, GFWC Tifton Woman’s Club.

WINNERS CHOSEN FOR TIFTON'S 'SCARECROWS ON MAIN'

By BONNIE SAYLES

Tifton Grapevine

Downtown Tifton announced the winners of the Scarecrows on Main in the sixth year of this event, with first place going to “Mother Laura” of Called to Care of Tift and Turner County.

Second place went to “If You Give a Mouse a Pumpkin” by the Coronel family, and third place went to “Forky” of "Toy Story" fame by Coastal Plain CASA.

Main Street Choice was “Mary Poppins Votes” by the GFWC Tifton Woman’s Club. 

The winners were determined by “Likes” on scarecrow pictures on the Downtown Tifton Facebook page. 

Tifton Main Street Director Abbey McLaren thanked those who decorated and maintained scarecrows and those who voted. 

The scarecrow contest featured nine entries and provided an opportunity for Tifton organizations and businesses to showcase their roles in the community. They will remain in place through Nov. 1 and can be viewed during a variety of October activities. 

Witches Night on the Town will be 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, with participating businesses staying open late, offering nibbles and spooky themed cocktails. Little Hippie Chick will hold a Paint and Sip at 6:30-8 p.m. Thursday for $40 for supplies. Chocolate and a Canvas Painting class will be held at 6-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, at the Syd Blackmarr Arts Center for a fee of $35. Register at www.tiftonarts.com/chocolate. Gray Ghost Comics will hold events at 6 p.m. Friday as well. 

The movie “Final Destination” will be shown at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 27, at the Tift Theatre with $5 admission. 

Downtown Tifton’s Trick or Treat with Merchants will be 5-6 p.m. Friday, Oct 30. Children dressed for Halloween may walk with their family members collecting candy from merchants. A Halloween Carnival will be 5-8 p.m. the same evening in the Cato Knight parking lot downtown.

DRESS UP YOUR PETS AND WIN PRIZES

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

Two pet costume contests will be held Saturday in Tifton.

A “Creepy Critters” pet costume contest is scheduled at 10:30 a.m. at the Downtown Tifton Farmer’s Market in Tifton Gardens on First Street Extension. 

Sponsored by Bean’s Biscuits and the Farmer’s Market, the event will include an entrance fee of $20 to benefit Tift Animal Rescue. There will be prizes for first, second, and third places, with a $100 cash prize and gift basket for first place. 

“Barktober Fest,” sponsored by Second Thoughts Bookstore, will be 1-5 p.m. Saturday at Fulwood Park. A market and free activities will be ongoing. The pet costume contest with a $5 entry fee will begin at 2 p.m., also benefiting Tift Animal Rescue. 

Music will be provided by Brian Gardner from 2-4 p.m. Dogs and cats will be available for adoption. 

TIFTON GRAPEVINE'S CAT OF THE WEEK

"Chickpea" is about 4 to 5 months old, is friendly, social, adorable, and is always ready to make a new friend. This sweet girl is looking for a family who will give her all the love, playtime, and cuddles she deserves. Come by the Tift County Animal Shelter and visit Chickpea and see other pets available for adoption between 1-6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at the Animal Shelter on Highway 125 South, or call 229-382-PETS (7387).

TIFTON LEADS IN 'AROUND STATE AUTO TOUR'

~ OCT. 20, 1910

Tifton, which was among the leaders in the "Around the State Auto Tour" in October 1910, distributed information about Tifton to residents around Georgia. Organized as promotional road trips to highlight the state of rural transportation and lobby for paved, reliable highways in the state, communities also used the road tour for their own promotion. The Tifton car – "Rambler 45" – reached Savannah on Oct. 20, 1910, then headed to Augusta, Atlanta, then south to Macon and Albany before returning to Tifton. The tour took nine days.

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