Friday, July 3, 2020
Tifton, Georgia
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FIREWORKS CAN STILL BE FOUND ON INDEPENDENCE DAY
BUT NO FIREWORKS IN TIFTON, SYLVESTER, ENIGMA
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By FRANK SAYLES JR.
Tifton Grapevine
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The pandemic has caused the
cancellation
of some local
firework celebrations
for
Independence Day
, but there are still
fireworks
planned around South Georgia on
July 4
.
Valdosta:
The
Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks & Recreation Authority
(VLPRA) is hosting South Georgia’s largest
fireworks
show scheduled to begin at
9:15 p.m. Saturday
. People are encouraged to watch the fireworks on the Valdosta Mall side of Interstate 75 between exits 16 and 18.
Anyone watching the fireworks should follow Gov.
Brian P. Kemp
’s most recent executive order requiring social distancing, staying at least six feet away from people who live outside of your home, the VLPRA said.
If there is
inclement weather
, the Valdosta fireworks will be
rescheduled
for Sunday,
July 5
.
Fitzgerald:
The City of
Fitzgerald
says it is planning its annual fireworks show at
Paulk
Park
on
July 4
. Fireworks are expected to get underway at
9:15 p.m.
The city asks that spectators watch from or around their vehicles to maintain social distancing.
Homerville:
The
Clinch County
city will have fireworks beginning at
8:45 p.m. Saturday
at the city recreation park.
Bainbridge:
The annual
fireworks
display starts at at
9:45 p.m.
July 4 at the Earle May Boat Basin.
The popular annual
"Fireworks on the Flint"
at
Georgia Veterans State Park
in
Cordele
has been
postponed
until
Sept. 6
during Labor Day weekend. As of now, the fireworks are planned as part of the
Gum Creek Music Festival
at Lake Blackshear.
Sylvester, Enigma
and
Albany
have
canceled
their annual Fourth of July firework celebrations.
Tifton
has no fireworks planned; the
Ga. Museum of Agriculture
has not had a fireworks show since
2017
, but the museum had planned a daytime
Freedom Festival
for Saturday, July 4. However, the event has been
cancelled
because of COVID-19.
The ag museum did reopen its
Country Store
this week and says it now offers hand-dipped Blue Bell ice cream, along with freshly popped popcorn and cotton candy made right in the store.
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"Scattered, smothered, and (faces) covered"
– Wearing Waffle House masks, Gov. Brian Kemp and Georgia Public Health Commissioner Dr. Kathleen Toomey are seen on their state tour this week urging Georgians to "mask up."
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STATE COVID-19 CASES
SET RECORD AMID CALLS TO RE-CLOSE BARS, NIGHTCLUBS
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By FRANK SAYLES JR.
Tifton Grapevine
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COVID-19
cases rose by nearly
3,500
in
Georgia
on
Thursday
, setting a new daily record and punctuating
calls
by state healthcare professionals to
re-close bars
and
nightclubs
.
The
Ga. Department of Public Health
(DPH) confirmed
87,709
cases Thursday, an increase of
3,472
since Wednesday. The state also reported a toal
2,849
deaths from the virus.
Tift County
had
767
cases as of
Thursday
afternoon with
26
deaths, the DPH reported.
Also
Thursday
, more than
1,400
healthcare workers sent an open letter to Gov.
Brian P. Kemp
, telling him that Georgia is "simply
not prepared
" for the surge in
coronavirus
cases.
“We are also seeing a very
troubling increase
in hospitalizations that, if continuing, will
overwhelm
our health care infrastructure, not only in
metro Atlanta
but also in
rural Georgia
,’’ the letter reads.
The letter calls for a
return
to some
restrictions
, such as
re-closing bars
and
nightclubs
, prohibiting i
ndoor gatherings
of more than
25
people – including
churches
– and implementing a statewide
mask requirement
.
“We have an
epidemic
that’s getting
out of control
in Georgia,’’ Dr.
Melanie Thompson
, an Atlanta physician and HIV expert who signed the letter, told
Georgia Health News.
The governor has been visiting cities around the state this week to encourage residents to
wear face masks
and to maintain
social distancing
, especially during the Independence Day holiday weekend.
“We are not out of the woods yet,”
Kemp
said Thursday in
Brunswick
. “We cannot grow
complacent
and
weary
."
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COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER TO PROVIDE MEALS
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The greater Tift County
community came together to serve more than
2,000 meals to local youths while the Tift County Schools’ Summer Feeding Program was paused this week as school offices were closed.
The
grassroots effort was organized by
Priscilla Prince, her cousin
Travis Williams,
Steve Farley,
Bryant Hill, Claire Moon and Pastor
Cornelius Ponder.
Williams, a
Tifton native who now lives in
Atlanta, called
Thursday an “historical day in my hometown. ... Thank you God for mercy, grace and favor over all of our lives. Tift County community, we stepped up once again to feed over
1,250 youths today."
Williams added that “o
ver a two-day period, we fed over
2,100
youths."
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The school system’s
Summer Feeding Program has been providing meals to children on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but all school programs were shut down his past week as the school system closed for a holiday week.
That prompted several folks to organize an effort to ensure that kids still received meals. Several local businesses and individuals donated to the cause. The
Peanut Butter & Jesus
ministry lent the use of its vans.
Locations were set up this past Tuesday and Thursday at
Puckett Park
and at
Community Mortuary
to distribute the meals.
"Thanks for all the support," Williams said. "We appreciate every food donation from the local
restaurants
and
businesses
, and monetary donations from Tift County community, alumni, and all of our volunteers who helped out during our
'Feed the Community Rally'
... What a blessing from God."
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ROTARY CLUB ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
FOR ABAC SCHOLARSHIPS
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It is time
to apply for the
Rotary Club of Tifton's
Past District Governor
Scholarships for freshmen
at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.
The
Rotary Club
plans to award
$1,000 scholarships
to ABAC students
in honor of the club's past Rotary District governors –
Leon Benefield, David Bedell, Pete Donaldson
and
Lamar Branc
h.
Criteria
for the awards include
past community service, economic need and academic scholarship. Applicants must submit
an essay
detailing how their educational goals match Rotary's commitment to
"Service Above Self."
The application
deadline
is
July 15
; applications
may be obtained by
contacting
Scholarship Chairman
Jeff Gibbs
at
jeffgibbs1206@gmail.com
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Tifton’s Locally Owned Digital Newspaper
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Your free subscription allows you to automatically receive our MidWeek and Weekender editions in your in-box, along with occasional sponsored editions.
To Contact Us, Call
478-227-7126
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TIFTON GRAPEVINE'S PET OF THE WEEK
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This dog is on stray hold at the
Tift County Animal Shelter
. If unclaimed, the pooch will be available for adoption.
The shelter, located at 278 Georgia Highway 125 S., in Tifton, is open to the public for adoptions from
1-6 p.m. Mondays
through
Fridays
.
For
information
,
call
229-382-PETS (7387).
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Pets of the Week are sponsored by:
Branch’s Veterinary Clinic
205 Belmont Ave., Tifton, 229-382-6055
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CORONAVIRUS CLEARINGHOUSE
Important Phone Numbers & Web Sites
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JUNE 25
Orris L. Hobby, 95,
Tifton
Norma Jeannette Fernandez Martinez, 56,
Tifton
Brenda Green, 74,
Worth County
Martin Humberto Sanchez Fregoso, 36,
Fitzgerald
Winter Olivia Turner, infant,
Tifton
Robert L. Johnson, 81,
Lenox
Aisha Sheria Hill, 23,
Tifton
JUNE 26
Marjorie Highsmith, 59,
Tifton
John W. Tompkins Jr., 72,
Tifton
The Rev. Roland Boyett Averett, 96,
Worth County
Emily Watson, 83,
Adel
Mary Ann McDaniel, 83,
Ocilla
James Griffin Jr., 62,
Tifton
JUNE 27
Joan Katherine Duren Sirmans, 66,
Moultrie
Juanita Romane Flancher Kirkland, 91,
Omega
Doris Lamb Willis, 93,
Damascus
Pearl Williams Barbee, 95,
Sylvester
Bobby Ray Hodges, 63,
Fitzgerald
Jack Millard Bivins, 77,
Moultrie
Terri Terrell, 70,
Ocilla
JUNE 28
Juan Alvarez Sr., 59,
Tifton
Inez Cook Gaskins, 88,
Sylvester
Brenda Houck, 57,
Tifton
Rebecca Annette Roberts, 81,
Fitzgerald
Everlena Hooks, 68,
Sylvester
JUNE 29
Cathy Elaine Moats, 55,
Tifton
John Bunyan White, 85,
Warwick
Mary Louise Singletary, 82,
Sylvester
Annette Yvonne Cole Watson,
Tifton
Joe “Porkchop” Reliford, 44,
Fitzgerald
Kathryn Cannon Faircloth, 70,
Fitzgerald
Angelia Moore, 79,
Fitzgerald
Carl Elliott McDaniel Sr., 83,
Ocilla
Vivian Searcy, 84,
Sylvester
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JUNE 30
Ernest “Ernie” Edward Carter, 67,
Tifton
Five Eights Tillery Sr., 63,
Sylvester
Steve Griffin, 73,
Fitzgerald
Robert “Bob” McAllister, 75,
Ashburn
Mary A. Floyd, 81,
Ashburn
JULY 1
Michael Hubert Jones, 60,
Chula
Joseph "Joey" Walker, 62,
Ty Ty
Kenneth Pearson, 80,
Enigma
Jimmy Lee, 85,
Sycamore
Virginia Ruby Hiers, 76,
Dixie
JULY 2
Annie Mae Johnson,
Ashburn
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OUR DOORS
ARE OPEN
By Appointment
Monday - Friday
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
We are Looking Forward
to Serving All of Your
Housing Needs
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Tifton Grapevine
e-published every Tuesday and Friday
Frank Sayles Jr.
Editor & Publisher
Bonnie Sayles
Managing Editor
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A Service of
Sayles Unlimited Marketing LLC
,
Tifton, Georgia
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