MARCH 16, 2018
Tifton, Georgia
478-227-7126
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TIFT SLIDES IN COUNTY HEALTH RANKINGS
Tift County fell by
18 places from the
past year among all
Georgia counties in the
2018 County Health Rankings released Wednesday.
Tift is ranked 103 in health among the state's 159 counties. In 2017, Tift County was ranked 85.
Thirty-six percent of children in Tift County live in poverty, compared with 23 percent of children statewide and 20 percent nationally, according to the ninth annual rankings  produced by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.
Tift also
ranks poorly regarding
percentage of residents who
smoke (
21 percent), who are
obese (
33 percent), and who
die in
auto accidents involving alcohol (
19 percent).
The 2018 County Health Rankings again showed affluent suburban counties as Georgia's healthiest, with Forsyth ranked as the healthiest county for the sixth straight year. After Forsyth, northeast of Atlanta, the next four are Oconee, Cherokee, Fayette and Gwinnett counties. They are followed by Columbia, Cobb, Harris, Paulding and Coweta.
The
five Georgia
counties in the
poorest health, starting with
least healthy, are
Quitman, Warren, Crisp, Turner and Early. All are in
South Georgia except for
Warren, which is in the eastern part of the state.
Last year's rankings also had Quitman as the least healthy county.
"This year's county health rankings highlight the tremendous health disparities that persist in Georgia by zip code, race and ethnicity,'' said Marsha Davis, an associate dean at the University of Georgia's College of Public Health. "One of the key drivers of health status is poverty."
"Until we
improve the
social and physical environments in which all Georgians live, their
income, and their
educational achievement, it is unlikely that we can
improve their
health,''
Davis said. "This will require a close
collaboration with
public health, education, the private sector, economic development, chambers of commerce and
other groups who may not have traditionally worked together."
To see the
detailed rankings for
each county,
Click Here!
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STUDENT CHARGED IN
BOMB THREAT AT TCHS
Another student has been arrested in connection with bomb threats at a Tifton school.
A
student was
arrested Wednesday and
charged
with making terroristic threats at Tift County High School, Tifton Police said.
During an 8 a.m. class Wednesday, a student was reported as having made possible threats regarding a bomb at Tift County High. School staff looked into the allegations, and Tifton Police conducted an Investigation.
On
March 1
,
Tifton Police arrested
a
13-year-old girl
in connection with
two bomb threats
at
Eighth Street Middle School
.
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Tyron Spearman, executive secretary of the National Peanut Buying Points Association and Tifton Tourism
director, leads his Tifton team in serving 700 grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwiches Monday at the state Capitol.
PB&J DAY AT CAPITOL
PROMOTES PEANUTS
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Ga. Ag Commissioner Gary Black and Georgia Peanut Commission Director Don Koehler of Tifton sample grilled PB&J's.
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Lawmakers, other officials and state staffers were
served
700 grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwiches Monday at the
state Capitol during the annual
Georgia PB&J Day.
March is
National Peanut Month, and each year the
peanut industry showcases Georgia's
official state crop in the legislative halls in
Atlanta.
Besides
grilled PB&J sandwiches, there were
country-fried peanuts, peanut candy and a variety of
peanut treats.
"The state boasts the
largest share of
peanut production in the
U.S. at nearly
50 percent for the 2017 crop," says
Armond Morris, chairman of the
Tifton-based
Georgia Peanut Commission.
"Georgia's
3,500 peanut farmers contribute approximately
$2 billion annually to the
state and
local economy,"
Morris said.
The Peanut Commission and Peanut Proud donated 10,080 jars of peanut butter to the Atlanta Community Food Bank during the event.
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CHAMBER MEMBERS HEAR ABOUT TIFTAREA ACADEMY
Heather Fletcher,
Tiftarea Academy's
director of development and public relations, was the guest speaker Thursday at the Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce's monthly membership meeting.
Fletcher told Chamber members about the private school in Chula. She said all members of this year's graduating class at Tiftarea Academy have been accepted at colleges and universities.
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1982 STALLIONS CHAMPIONSHIP BASKETBALL TEAM AMONG
HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Six
individuals and one
team will relive their
glory days when they are inducted into the Class of 2018 of the
Athletics Hall of Fame on
April 6 at
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.
Inductees are the
1982 state championship men's
basketball team;
Luis Paredes of Panama, 1974-76 men's
tennis teams;
Teresa Cromer Walker of Tifton, 1993-95
softball teams;
Andy Vaughn of Douglas,1981-83
golf teams;
Jorge Novoa of Tifton, a friend of the
tennis program since 1972;
Jenni Collins Smith of Cotton, 1980-82 women's
basketball teams; and Chuck DeVane, formerly of Valdosta and now living in Hot Springs, Ark., from the 1980-82
baseball teams.
"This is a great group of
inductees, and I'm looking forward to hearing all the stories from their playing days," said
Athletics Director Alan Kramer. "We've been able to connect with some of our
top performers from just about
every sport at ABAC."
As an added attraction,
Polly Huff, assistant director and curator at the
Ga. Museum of Agriculture, will feature an
exhibit based on
ABAC athletics entitled
"The Glory Days" in the Museum Gallery. The exhibit will open to the public
April 7 as a part of
Homecoming Weekend.
"We've got memorabilia ranging from
Kyle Farnsworth's glove when he played in the major leagues to pictures and
stories from previous Hall of Fame recipients," Kramer said. "The original Golden Stallion statue will be the centerpiece of the room. Anyone who loves sports is going to love this exhibit."
Tickets to the
5 p.m. reception and dinner at ABAC's Museum of Agriculture are available at
229-391-4930. The
deadline for tickets is
March 26.
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'CLOCK IS TICKING'
ROTARIANS TOLD
J
ohn Eunice spoke to the Tifton Rotary Club on Wednesday, sharing the story of his son James.
He noted "The Clock is Ticking," relating the influence that his son had on others in the 17 years of his life.
James Eunice was a senior at Valdosta High, honor student, and a VHS Wildcat football player when he died in a boating accident in 2011. He had hoped to play football at the University of Georgia.
At left in the photo are Tammy and John Eunice with Tifton Rotary President Shaundra Clark.
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A 'DOG DAY' AFTERNOON AT
20th CENTURY LIBRARY CLUB
Louise Hetzel was the featured speaker
Tuesday for the
March meeting of the
GFWC Tifton 20th Century Library Club at
Leroy Rogers Senior Center. She told of her experiences as a
transport volunteer for numerous
dog rescue operations.
"(Mayor)
Julie Smith got me involved. The first dog I
transported, I was
hooked!"
Hetzel said.
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LOUISE HETZEL
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There are
three reasons they transport dogs, she said. "One: out of a shelter to a rescue agency; two: from a rescue agency to a
foster home; and three: from a foster home to a
permanent home."
Hetzel said her first transport was for
Kindred Hearts Transport Connection. "It's a wonderful transport group. When I started five or six years ago, they had
26,000 members and
15,000 pilots all over the U.S. and Canada," she said. "One lady flies to
Greece to get setters."
Some of the rescue agencies have closed several
dog meat farms in
South Korea. "We lived in
Taiwan and the
Philippines while (husband)
Dave was in the
Air Force," Hetzel said. "
Dog meat is a part of the
culture there."
She said her
first transport was a
pit bull that went to sleep with his muzzle in her hand while she drove. Hetzel said her route is from
Valdosta to
Cordele.
"You never go much over
100
miles," she said.
Hetzel recommended that anyone who wants a specific breed of dog should search online through rescue groups rather than through breeders. Among the groups she helps are Get Along Dachshunds, Pit Stop Pit Bull Rescue, New Ratitude for rat terriers, Pointer Rescue Organization, Ziggy's Rescue, and National Brittany Spaniel Transport
of Canada.
During the meeting,
club members put together nine
dog beds for the
Tifton-Tift County Animal Shelter using
quilting scraps and old
pillow cases. Also, Treasurer
Susan Saye gave
Bonnie Sayles a donation in her honor to
Literacy Volunteers of Tifton-Tift County.
Club members create dog beds for the animal shelter. From left are Laverne Walker, Melanie Hasty, Laura Whitfield, Sybil Ogilsby, President Shirene Daniell, Bonnie Sayles, Debbie Thomson, speaker Louise Stamps Hetzel, and seated, Genie McCook.
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Destination Ag student instructor McKenzie Lewis, left, and Lynn Lovett from Georgia Power with students from Annie Belle Clark Elementary School at the erosion table provided by Georgia Power.
GA POWER DONATES TO DESTINATION AG
Georgia Power recently made an investment with the ABAC Foundation to fund the building of an erosion/steam table for the Destination Ag program at the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Georgia Museum of Agriculture.
"Georgia Power is proud to support Destination Ag in its efforts to connect students across the area with the importance of agriculture in our lives," said Lynn Lovett, Georgia Power's Tifton area manager.
"As Georgia's No. 1 industry, agriculture is vitally important to the future of this region, and Georgia Power is dedicated to giving back to the communities we serve."
Museum Director Garrett Boone said the erosion/steam table provides a hands-on experience that puts science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) into action. An interdisciplinary approach to teaching how rivers work creates goo
d stewards of natural resources and prepares students for careers in STEM fields, he said.
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'GEE HAW WHOA BACK'
ABAC HOMECOMING RODEO APRIL 6-7
From bull riding to steer wrestling, the excitement of live rodeo action returns to Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College on April 6-7 when the ABAC Alumni Association presents its annual "Gee Haw Whoa Back" rodeo as a part of the 2018 Homecoming Weekend.
Following the rodeo April 6, recording artist Jason Michael Carroll will
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CARROLL
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take the spotlight at approximately
9:30 p.m. to perform some of country's hottest music.
The Professional Cowboy Association-sanctioned rodeo at the ABAC Arena begins at 7 p.m. each night. Gates open at 6 p.m.
Cowboys will participate such events as bull riding, saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, team roping, calf roping, and steer wrestling. Cowgirls will compete in break-away roping and barrel racing. The ABAC Homecoming Court will be introduced at the rodeo April 6, and Stallion Cup Club winners will be announced at the rodeo April 7.
Carroll debuted at No. 1 on the country chart in 2006 with his album "Waitin' in the Country." The album featured Top 10 hits including "Alyssa Lies" and "Livin' Our Love Song." He
has toured with country artists including
Carrie Underwood
and
Alan Jackson
.
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Tifton's Locally Owned Electronic Newspaper!
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e-published every Tuesday & Friday / to Advertise, call
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YOUR WEEKEND
.
..at a Glance
FRIDAY, MARCH 16
- St. Patrick's Day Senior Dance, 6 p.m., Leroy Rogers Senior Center, Tifton
- Kiwanis Club Arts & Music Showcase, 6 p.m., TCHS Performing Arts Center, Tifton
- Wild Chicken Festival: The Bushmen street dance, 7 p.m., White Swan Parking lot, Fitzgerald
- 'Home Free' Timeless World Tour concert, 7:30 p.m., UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center, Tifton
SATURDAY, MARCH 17
(St. Patrick's Day)
- Wild Chicken Festival, all day (begins with 8 a.m. Masonic Lodge Pancake Breakfast), Main Street, Fitzgerald
- Indoor Yard Sale, 7 a.m.-Noon, Tift County Recreation Department, Victory Drive, Tifton
- The Gospel Starlights Ninth Annual Hometown Gospel Celebration, 6 p.m., Tift Theatre for the Performing Arts, Tifton
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MARCH 8
Willine P. Young, 90, Wray
Ronnie W. Burnette, 67, Fitzgerald
Amy Calhoun Fletcher Kimsey, 94, Sylvester
Richard Lee Romberger, 59, Lakeland
Ola M. Williams, 81, Ashburn
Irene P. Warren, 95, Fitzgerald
Earl Williams, 58, Nashville
MARCH 9
Carolyn "Nadine" Simmons Hall Needle, 87, Tifton
Alene Crews Griffin, 88, Tifton
Merle B. Shiver, 91, Sylvester
Futch Rupert Yarbrough, 93, Lakeland
MARCH 10
Geraldine Spillers Walters, 75, Ty Ty
Louise Hawthorn Lockerman, 85, Tifton
David Loyd, 79, Oakfield
Henry L. Simpson, 68, Irwinville
Hattie Mae Lawson, 94, Albany
Delmar Hall, Ashburn
MARCH 11
Betty Jean Tucker Mathis, 86, Tifton
Charles Lavon Lovett, 77, Ty Ty
Freddy Gaskins, 55, Nashville
MARCH 12
Rebecca "Becky" Land Terry, 82, Tifton
Ida "Vivian" Stone Tucker, 94, Tifton
Benny Gillis, 68, Fitzgerald
Glenda J. Hobby, 68, Ashburn
MARCH 13
Floyd Stanley McKellar Sr., 70, Tifton
Connie Hilton, 59, Dublin
Arthur Delmus Little, 79, Sycamore
MARCH 14
Michael Hopkins Woodward, 74, Nashville
Carol Miles Whaley, 66, Tifton
Linda Williams Suggs, 65, Turner County
MARCH 15
Betty Jewell Griffin Freeman, 89, Ocilla
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FRANK SAYLES JR.
Editor & Publisher
iheardit@tiftongrapevine.com
A Service of Sayles Unlimited Marketing LLC
478-227-7126
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