An attempted traffic stop late Thursday afternoon in Ashburn resulted in a 17-mile chase and shoot-out along Interstate 75 North that ended just outside Cordele with one man dead and three people shot: a woman in the car, a Turner County sheriff's deputy and an Ashburn police officer, authorities say.
Aftermath of the incident on I-75 WALB-TV photo
Preliminary reports were that the injuries of the officers and the woman were not life-threatening.
Authorities said an Ashburn police officer had attempted to stop a vehicle without a license tag at about 4 p.m. near mile marker 82 on I-75 in Ashburn. The car refused to stop, and the officer gave chase heading north on the interstate. Turner County sheriff's deputies were called to aid in the high-speed chase, as well as Georgia State Patrol troopers.
Someone in the speeding vehicle began shooting at the officers, authorities said.
The chase ended near mile marker 99 in Crisp County with the man in the car dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said. The two officers were injured by gunfire from other law enforcement officers, according to the GBI.
The northbound lanes of I-75 at the scene were shut down until nearly 9 p.m. as authorities investigated and cleared the vehicles.
BANK ROBBERY SUSPECT NABBED
AT ASHBURN MOTEL
ROTH
A man suspected of
robbing a
Union, S.C., bank Wednesday morning was
captured late Wednesday afternoon in
Ashburn, authorities say.
Glen Barry Roth, 62, was arrested at the
Best Western motel near
Interstate 75. He eventually surrendered after
Turner County deputies, Ashburn police and Georgia state troopers surrounded his room.
Turner County Sheriff
Andy Hester had
spotted a vehicle -- a
silver Pontiac Sunfire with South Carolina tags -- in the Best Western parking lot that
matched a
lookout alert issued after the robbery at
9:40 a.m. at Founders Federal Credit Union on Duncan Bypass in Union, S.C.
Authorities say they confiscated
much of the money that the man is accused of stealing.
The Union, S.C., Public Safety Department says it is
seeking Roth's extradition to South Carolina.
TIFT COUNTY SCHOOLS RELEASE 2016 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
The
Tift County Board of Education this week has OK'd the 2016
varsity football schedule for the
Tift County High School Blue Devils.
The season begins with a
scrimmage against
Turner County at
Brodie Field.
Tift County High will also compete in the
5th Annual Erk Russell Classic in
Statesboro, named
for the late Erk Russell, named for the legendary Georgia Southern University coach.
Proceeds from the Erk Russell Classic are donated to an Erk Russell Scholarship.
The Tift County High Blue Devils will also travel Sept. 1 to Orlando, Fla., to play ThunderRidge High from Highlands Ranch, Colo.
Five of the regular-season games will be played at home at the Brodie.
Director of
Children's Ministries
Tifton First United Methodist Church
Tifton, Ga.
is seeking a full-time Director of Children's Ministries
Responsibilities will be focused on kindergarten through
6th grade and include oversight of the nursery program.
The Director will work with other staff members
under the direction of the Senior Pastor.
The successful candidate should possess or be pursuing a bachelor's degree; have experience working with children's ministries and/or children's educational programs; experience working in and developing children's ministries; and possess a strong personal faith consistent with the United Methodist tradition.
During the
half-century of
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College's nursing program, cupid has conjured at least one lasting
romance.
Tifton native Preston Thornhill and Kayla Gregory Thornhill from Turner County both were ABAC nursing students who met on Jan. 6, 2011, Kayla's 19th birthday.
Kayla and Preston Thornhill
"I thought Preston was cute, but we really didn't speak to each other the night we met," Kayla said.
"I thought Kayla was pretty," Preston said. "We are both shy so we really didn't have an immediate connection."
But that didn't stop Preston from asking Kayla out. The next month the couple was officially dating.
"During this time, Preston was moving back home from
UGA, where he was previously pursuing a
pharmacy degree, and I was taking classes at
ABAC," Kayla said. "We dated throughout
ABAC nursing school."
Kayla's career in nursing was set at a young age.
"I always knew growing up that I wanted to become a nurse. My paternal grandfather had
ALS, and with his condition he needed assistance with his daily activities. Home health nurses would come in and assist him and my grandmother with medications and grooming,"
Kayla said.
"I was always interested in helping in any way that I could. I saw how important nurses were to my grandfather and knew I wanted to be able to help other people like him when I grew up."
Preston's road took a different path.
"I changed my major several times during my college career," he said. "I originally planned on pursuing a pharmacy degree at the
University of Georgia. After interviewing for the pharmacy program, I realized that I wanted to be able to provide direct hands-on patient care. I then moved back home and started working toward my nursing degree. I chose to become a nurse because I wanted to have a direct impact on patients' lives."
The two chose
ABAC's nursing program because both had heard the program was highly respected.
They agree that being in the same major made it easier for them.
"Kayla was a semester ahead of me so that definitely worked out to my advantage," Preston said with a smile. "We studied together a lot even though we were not in the same classes, and we learned a lot from each other and made great study partners."
"Preston already had a bachelor's degree in
biology and was able to help me study when I needed a different perspective or
further explanation," Kayla said. "We believe it was much easier to make time for each other simply because we understood what the other person was going through."
On many occasions, their
ABAC schedules conflicted, and they didn't get to see each other much. During those times they had to remind themselves often of their ultimate goal -- attainment of a nursing degree.
During the summer before Kayla's last semester, Preston proposed. Kayla graduated from ABAC's nursing program on Dec. 13, 2013, and passed her state boards in January 2014. Preston graduated from ABAC on May 8, 2014, and passed his state boards a few weeks later.
With
ABAC nursing degrees and
registered nurse certification completed, they got
married on
June 7, 2014. Another
ABAC romance had blossomed.
The Thornhills began their nursing careers at
Tift Regional Medical Center working the night shift. Kayla worked as an emergency department nurse, and Preston was an intensive care nurse. In
October 2015, Kayla moved to
Affinity Clinic, where she is employed as a
triage nurse on the
day shift. Preston continues to work in
ICU on the
night shift, where he recently started working as a
charge nurse.
"Since we now have
different shifts, we try to make the most of our time together," said Kayla. "We spend time together in the mornings after Preston gets off work and before I go in. We enjoy talking and catching up with each other while I get ready for work. We also try to help each other out, keeping up with the daily chores so that when we are both off work we can spend quality time together."
And they are thankful that it all started in the nursing program classrooms at
ABAC.
Seniors at Tifton's Leroy Rogers Senior Center hold "pink hearts" that they made and are sending to state legislators, asking them to "Have A Heart 4 Seniors" and help fund home- and community-based elder support services.
'HEART TO HEART' EXHIBIT OPENS SATURDAY
Valentine's Day is this weekend, and on
Saturday,
Feb. 13, the
Gallery of the
Georgia Museum of Agriculture and Historic Village at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College opens an exhibit where hearts are the featured attraction.
The gallery is partnering with the
ABAC School of Liberal Arts, School of Nursing and Health Sciences, the Tift Regional Heart and Vascular Center, ABAC alumnus C.L. Morehead Jr., and the University of Georgia Museum of Art to educate the community about
heart disease while showcasing an exhibit of
art inspired by medicine.
The
"Heart to Heart" exhibit and community outreach event opens during
"Heart Health Month" Feb. 13 with a
2 p.m. museum
reception open to the public. ABAC nursing students will be providing
free screenings blood pressure and blood sugar
screening and will calculate body mass index. They will offer advice on improving hearth health through diet and exercise.
The
"Heart to Heart" exhibit features seven of Georgia Master
Lamar Dodd's heart series, six of which belong to
Morehead, a
1948 ABAC alumnus. Morehead is a renowned collector with more than 800 of Dodd's works.
Abril Andrade Griffith, a pop-surrealist artist from Ohio who has an extensive heart series, will be spotlighted alongside Dodd's work.
Additional
"Heart To Heart" events will be held throughout the exhibit's stay in the gallery, which ends
April 4.
For information, contact Polly Huff at 229-391-5222 or via e-mail at [email protected]
For That Special Valentine's Gift ...
Annie's is the Place!
Jewelry, candles, willow tree angels, bath robes, home decor, Christian gifts, and gift baskets.
Free custom
gift wrapping
and free delivery.
We have baby and
children's gifts too!
1019 Love Avenue, Tifton, Georgia
229-238-2851 / open 10 A.M. to 6 P.M.
A Locally Owned Family Business
PEANUT COMMISSION REPORTS ON RESEARCH PROJECTS
The
Georgia Peanut Commission (GPC) held its annual
Research Report Day on
Wednesday, Feb. 10, on the
University of Georgia Tifton Campus to
provide the latest information on peanut research projects to growers and industry representatives.
GPC VIDEO: Peanut Production in Georgia
"The commission works to wisely invest peanut farmers' dollars into
research projects across Georgia in an effort toreduce production input costs and improve agronomic techniques," says
Donald Chase, GPC Research Committee chairman. "Although some of the findings are preliminary, the projects are exciting and many times new recommendations or observations are announced."
The
GPC, on behalf of Georgia's
3,500 peanut farmers, awarded
$398,630 to
peanut research facilities in the state during
2015. This effort funds
31 research projects at
UGA, Georgia Tech and the
USDA Agricultural Research Service. The GPC board approved additional funding to provide a
tractor for the
UGA Peanut Team. The tractor is compatible to 4-row equipment and is equipped with GPS guidance.
The Georgia Peanut Commission's research program continues to focus on a variety of topics, such as breeding new cultivars for higher yields and improved quality; economics and farm policy studies; programs for county agents; irrigation and water management; pests, weed and disease management; peanut utilization and manufacturing; and allergen free peanuts.
The
Georgia Peanut Commission will host the
Annual PB&J Day at the
Georgia State Capitol on
March 16. The event celebrates
National Peanut Month. Throughout the day, visitors sample
roasted peanuts, grilled PB&Js and boiled peanuts.
LEADERSHIP GEORGIA TO MEET IN TIFTON
The
Leadership Georgia program has selected
Tifton as
one of five cities that the program will
visit this year.
All Tifton alumni of the Leadership Georgia program are invited to a meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18, at the Elks Lodge, during which the 2016 theme will be shared and the Tifton program chairs will be introduced.
The Tifton program is scheduled for Sept. 8-10.
Joy Lampley Fortson,
current Leadership Georgia president, wrote Tifton alumni that "after my husband, Reggie, and I visited Tifton in early 2015, we knew that we wanted to bring the Class of 2016 to your wonderful city."
Leadership Georgia is one of the nation's oldest and most successful leadership training programs for young business, civic, and community leaders.
"The purpose of
Leadership Georgia is to prepare strong and effective leaders for the future development of this state. Those who participate are young people coming from every nook and cranny of
Georgia ... the small town, the open country, the big city," according to the program's web site.
26th Annual Tift County Forestry and Pine Seedling
Scholarship Pageant
February 20, 2016
Tift Theatre for the Performing Arts
Tifton, Georgia
Dianne Dominy, Director
"Promoting the Forestry Industry for Tift County"
Reigning Tift County Forestry Queens
Madison Thornhill - Miss
McKenzie Warren - Teen
Shelby Hicks - Junior
Summer Miller - Little
Breana Jimenez - Tiny
Morgan Hicks - Teeny
Sutton Lovett - Baby
Taylor Jones - Hospitality
Winners will represent Tift County at the 77th annual
Miss Georgia Forestry Pageant held each year in Tifton!
AGE DIVISIONS:
BABY MISS AGES BIRTH TO 23 MONTHS
TEENY MISS AGES 2 TO 3 YEARS
TINY MISS AGES 4 TO 6 YEARS
LITTLE MISS AGES 7 TO 9 YEARS
JUNIOR MISS AGES 10 TO 12 YEARS
TEEN MISS AGES 13 TO 16 YEARS
MISS AGES 17 TO 24 YEARS
PRIZES: CUSTOM CROWN AND CROWNING PIN, FLOWERS, GIFTS, TROPHIES, SILVER ENGRAVED TRAY, CUSTOM EMBROIDERED SASH, SAVINGS BONDS AND CASH SCHOLARSHIPS
Entry fee paid to the State Georgia Forestry Pageant in Tifton / Open to all surrounding counties!
For more information or to enter call 229-386-2681 or 229-238-2851
Or pick up applications at Annie's Place Gift Shoppe, 1019 Love Ave., Tifton
COMMUNITY LENTEN LUNCHES HELD ON WEDNESDAYS
The Community Lenten Lunch Series is being held on Wednesdays at noon at the Leroy Rogers Community Center on Second Street.
It is open to Christians from all denominations across Tifton for a simple meal followed by a brief service sponsored by area churches. The cost is $3 per person.
WOMEN'S AG SUMMIT: MORE FEMALE LEADERS NEEDED
More than
150 agricultural leaders from across
13 Southern states and Washington, D.C., converged on the
University of Georgia's campus in Athens on
Feb. 8 to discuss
leadership roles for
women in agriculture.
"The delegates at this summit represent the
future of agriculture," said UGA President
Jere W. Morehead. "The work they are doing to shape policies and programs to promote gender equity and women's leadership development will have a positive impact on an industry that is crucial to our nation's food security and economic vitality."
Women representing government agencies, farms, the Cooperative Extension System and agriculture-related industries were invited to participate in the UGA-led
Southern Region Women's Agricultural Leadership Summit. Participants were chosen because of the leadership roles they play in their home states.
One of the goals of the summit, sponsored by the UGA President's Venture Fund, the UGA Women's Leadership Initiative and the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, was to put agriculturally minded women together to share leadership experiences and document the barriers they have overcome.
"The university's role as host of this extraordinary gathering underscores our commitment to
increasing the number of women in
leadership roles in agriculture," said
Pamela Whitten, UGA's senior vice president for academic affairs and provost.
Agriculture is
slightly behind the curve in cultivating
female leaders, said
Krysta Harden, U.S. Department of Agriculture deputy secretary, a Georgia native and UGA alumna, who told the audience that she was only the
third female deputy secretary at the
USDA in
150 years. In boardrooms, on commodity commissions and in state growers' associations, the track record is not much better.
"How many bright, talented women have been passed over (through) the years? That's why we're here," she said.
"Young women need to hear, 'You can do it, don't wait to be asked.
Step up and be counted and
make a difference.' This our responsibility and our obligation."
Sock it to 'em with Love, 1 p.m., Copeland Park, Southern Ave., Tifton
"Heart to Heart" opening reception, 2 p.m., Ga. Museum of Agriculture, Tifton
SUNDAY, FEB. 14
Happy Valentine's Day!
FEB. 4
Mamie "Scrap" Hinson Bennett, 83, Tifton
Eugenie Eckstein Rogers, 88, Tifton
Martha Ann Raines Schaffer, 77, Ocilla
Louie Dell Morgan Sr., 76, Tifton
FEB. 5
Bobbie Jean Simpson, 72, Fitzgerald
Lila Jean Folsom Dunlap, 90, Ashburn
Varnelle Barnes Conner, 74, Fitzgerald
FEB. 6
Alice Francis Pafford, 62, Nashville
Patricia M. Miller, 68, Abbeville
Venton "Bug" Charles Wynn Jr., 73, Sycamore
FEB. 7
Sally Ammons Lyle, 92, Tifton
Janet Gable Howard, 64, Sylvester
FEB. 8
Tommy Lee Stone, 65, Tifton
Janie "Polly" L. Fambro West, 98, Valdosta
Henry McGeehan Jr., 74, Sylvester
Johnny Gilliam, 55, Adel
Joel Scott "Joe" Guest, 43, Nashville
Polly Paulk Hill, 85, Ashburn
FEB. 9
Jimmy Hurst, 75, Poulan
Shelley Lynn Newsome, 62, Nashville
Kathryn Wilkerson, 59, Nashville
FEB. 10
Jessie Wilkerson, Sylvester
FEB. 11
Beverly Schofield Byrd, 75, Tifton
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further explanation," Kayla said. "We believe it was much easier to make time for each other simply because we understood what the other person was going through."
Regional Heart and Vascular Center, ABAC alumnus C.L. Morehead Jr., and the University of Georgia Museum of Art to educate the community about
heart disease while showcasing an exhibit of
art inspired by medicine.
Lodge, during which the 2016 theme will be shared and the Tifton program chairs will be 
