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JAN. 5, 2018
Tifton, Georgia

478-227-7126
A RARE SOUTH GA SNOW
SNOW CAME AND WENT FAST BUT ICE REMAINS

South Georgia residents can go years without seeing snow, so Wednesday morning's weather
A timely message on a Tifton vehicle.
caused a stir throughout the region: Schools closed, kids bundled up and went outside to play, and several  vehicles skidded  on icy roads.

Tifton received approximately a half-inch of snow or less, while some surrounding areas got more -- Berrien and L owndes counties received an inch, and Cook County got about two inches of snow.

But it has been the low temperatures, particularly at night, that caused problems with broken water pipes and iced-over roads
Kids find an 'ice tree' in Tifton.
The City of Tifton experienced  two water main breaks Thursday. Water was off temporarily in the late afternoon on Ridge Avenue between 16th and 18th streets, and on Central Avenue between 14th and 16th streets. The water mains were repaired by the the end of the day.

A hard freeze warning was in effect overnight Thursday, and overnight temperatures will remain in the 20s until Sunday night, when a warming trend begins. By Monday, more seasonable weather will arrive with high temperatures in the 60s and lows only in the 40s.


LEN LASTINGER SCHOOL SETS
'PLAYGROUND BUILD DAY' SATURDAY

On Saturday, Jan. 6, school and community volunteers will work together during "Build Day" to construct a new playground structure on the north end playground of Len Lastinger Primary School as a result of the school winning a $20,000 grant and through the work of the school's Parent Teacher Organization.

The playground will receive much-needed equipment as well as refurbishment of old equipment. The custom-designed structure geared for children ages five to 12 will feature six individual play events and support up to 45 users. 

It is funded in part by the grant provided by Dr Pepper Snapple Group and national non-profit KaBOOM!, that the school won in June. An additional $10,100 was supplied by the Len Lastinger PTO, which has been raising funds for new playground equipment for more than four years.
 
Under the guidance of a  professional playground installer provided by PlaySouth Playground Creators, volunteers will  assemble and set playground components and  install a new protective area border with new mulch fill. Volunteers will also mount existing equipment that the PTO purchased in a new area, prep two swing sets for painting and new hardware, as well as some other  site improvements
 
"This is a community project touched by so many hearts and hands," said Debby Monfort, the school's PTO playground/grants committee co-chairman. 

"We have several cooperators, including the Tift County Board of Education, Lowe's and the City of Tifton, and donors helping us make Build Day happen. We, as volunteers, have an amazing opportunity to be an active part of change. We're going to bundle up for the cold weather and show our students what reward comes from perseverance and hard work," she said.


GOVERNOR PROCLAIMS
'UGA FOOTBALL FRIDAY'
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME ON MONDAY

In preparation for Monday's national championship college football game, Gov. Nathan Deal  has proclaimed today, Jan. 5, as "UGA Football Friday" and encourages fans to represent  Georgia football
Deal signs proclamation.
by wearing red and black.

In his proclamation signed Thursday, Deal encourages "all 103,706 (state) employees and UGA fans across our state to dress accordingly in red and black attire."

The Georgia Bulldogs will take on the Alabama Crimson Tide on Monday night at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

"I hope to join UGA alumni, students and fans across the nation to celebrate UGA's first national championship since the 1981 Sugar Bowl. This season has been most memorable, with UGA punching a ticket home after a win in double overtime against Oklahoma, perhaps the most exciting football game ever played," Deal said in his proclamation.

The Alabama game is scheduled for 8 p.m. Monday and will be televised on ESPN.


We're Seeking a
Church Pianist

Tifton First United 
Methodist Church

107 W 12th St., Tifton, GA


Tifton First United Methodist Church has an opening for a part-time church pianist.
 
The pianist is responsible for preparing for and 
practicing with  the chancel choir, orchestra and 
ensemble every Wednesday evening for about 
two hours and for playing at Sunday  traditional services  at  9 a.m. and 11 a.m., as well as at 
special services at Christmas, Easter, etc.  

Interested persons should contact Angie Carr at  musicdirector@tiftonfumc.org 
or call   229-382-6100 .

SOME TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR
DOC SEVERINSEN CONCERT

Tickets are still available for the Doc Severinsen concert with the Byron Stripling Quartet at 7 p.m. Jan. 11 at the Tift County High School Performing Arts Center as a part of the ABAC
SEVERINSEN
 Presents! Performing Arts Series at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. 
         
Severinsen is the former bandleader on "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson
          
A limited number of tickets will be available at the door for $30 for adults and $15 for students.
THREE REDNECK TENORS
Also scheduled, on Jan. 16, is the trio  Three Redneck Tenors. Observers say the tenors' musical comedy featuring classically trained veteran artists is like "Duck Dynasty" goes to Carnegie Hall with down-home laughs with big city music

The Redneck Tenors will perform at 7 p.m. Jan. 16 as a part of the ABAC Presents! Performing Arts Series in Howard Auditorium.

Tickets will be available at the door at a cost of $25 for adults and $10 for students who are 18 and under. For more information, contact ABAC Arts Connection Director Wayne Jones at 229-391-4819.

YMCA REPORTS FINAL 'PLUNGE'
FUNDRAISING RESULTS 

The Tiftarea YMCA has finished tallying all the results for its annual Polar Bear Plunge held Jan. 1, and now that the water has cleared the Y reports that a record-breaking grand total of $13,096.18 has been raised for local non-profit  organizations.

Here are the final results according to the YMCA, with the organizations listed that are receiving funds followed by the "polar bears" who raised the money:
'Polar Bears' prepare to plunge.

1. Save Our Pets / Julie Smith$3,910
2. Family Promise / Darian Peavy: $2,375  
3. Patticake House / Wingate Whitley: $1,635  
4. Meals on Wheels / Bret Wagenhorst: $1,025.01  
5. Called To Care / Ted McElroy: $950  
6. Tift County Commission on Children & Youth
Vicki Taft: $825  
7. Literacy Volunteers / Jarrod Roberts: $475  
8. Coastal Plain CASA / Jarrett Haswell: $450  
9. Celebration Recovery / Bobby Bennett: $435  
10. Pregnancy Care Center / Jennifer Woodall: $400  
11. Ruth's Cottage / Mike Beeman: $391.17  
12. Tift Area Greenways Association / Paul Horst: $225 
  • Total  money raised for  organizations $8,498.09  
  • Total money raised for Tiftarea YMCA: $4,593.09  
  • Water temperature at time of plunge: 46 degrees


Bottom row from left: Rachel Haynes, Rebecca Happel, Donielle Pratt; second row: Blair Baldree, Veronica Alvarez, Lexi Gilliard; third row: Robin Metzger, Amanda Williamson, Daisy Damian; fourth row: Kristal Sheffield, Autumn Hank; f ifth row: Qusanna Sharp, LaShondra Thomas; sixth row: Randall Green, Brian Handley.

SRTC PINS PRACTICAL NURSING STUDENTS

Southern Regional Technical College recently held a pinning ceremony during which the most recent class of practical nursing (PN) students were honored. The ceremony commemorates the students' successful completion of their nursing course work and clinical rotations. 

Students receiving pins were: Veronica Alvarez of Omega, Blair Baldree of Lenox, Daisy Damian of Omega, Lexi Gilliard of Tifton, Randall Green of Moultrie, Brian Handley of Tifton, Autumn Hanks of Moultrie, Rebecca Happel of Adel, Rachel Haynes of Berlin, Robin Metzger of Tifton, Donielle Pratt of Tifton, Qusanna Sharp of Moultrie, Kristal Sheffield of Moultrie, LaShondra Thomas of Ochlocknee, and Amanda Williamson of Omega.

The Southern Regional Technical College Practical Nursing HESI Exit Exam Award is given to the student with the highest score on the exit exam on each SRTC campus. This year's award was presented to Autumn Hanks.

The Colquitt Regional Medical Center Leadership Award is given to the student who presents outstanding leadership qualities  in the classroom and in the clinical setting; it was presented to Brian Handley.

The Most Outstanding Senior Award for the Practical Nursing program is voted on by the PN students; it was presented to Amanda Williamson.


TIFTON ROTARY SEEKS NOMINATIONS FOR ETHICS IN BUSINESS AWARD

The Rotary Club of Tifton is seeking nominations for its Tifton Rotary Ethics in Business Award to recognize a local business that has demonstrated exceptional ethical behavior.
 
Criteria for the award, which will go to a business physically located in Tifton or Tift County, were  developed by a committee of Tifton Rotary Club members. The nominated business must have consistently demonstrated high ethical standards of honesty and integrity in dealing with employees, customers and contractors while enhancing the economic well-being of the company and providing local jobs, opportunity and profits. 
 
In addition, the business must have participated in activities beneficial to the community beyond the provision of economic benefits of the business and must adhere to fair and truthful business practice reflected in the  Rotary Four-Way Test
 
1.     Is it the TRUTH?
2.     Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3.     Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIP?
4.     Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
 
Nomination applications are available from the Tifton Rotary Club, which meets for lunch each Wednesday at noon at the  Tiftarea Conference Center on  Highway 82, and are on the club's Facebook page, Click Here!
 
Applications must be submitted and received by  Jan. 12, and may be sent to: Tifton Rotary Club, P.O. Box 1354, Tifton, GA  31793.


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YOUR WEEKEND 
        . ..at a Glance


FRIDAY, JAN. 5  ('UGA Football Friday')
  • Tiftarea Academy classes return, 8 a.m., Chula
  • Travis Tritt in concert, 7 p.m., Tift Theatre for the Performing Arts, Tifton
  SATURDAY, JAN. 6
  • Playground Build Day, 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Len Lastinger Primary School, Tifton
  • 'Bring One for the Chipper' Christmas tree recycling, 9 a.m-1 p.m., Fulwood Park, Tifton


In Memoriam
BowenDonaldson

DEC. 27
Leon M. Bryan, 88, Ashburn
Donald Ray Booth, 62, Lenox
Carolyn Parrish "Nina" Hester, 82, Forsyth

DEC. 29
J.C. Spikes, 78, Fitzgerald
Edith Sapp, 85, Madison, Fla.

DEC. 30
Fred "Dub" Horne, 79, Tifton
Lisa Lynn Dunn, 54, Tifton
Lane C. Posey, 82, Warwick
Collie Anderson Burdett, 98, Sycamore
Mary Evelyn Wall, 94, Quitman

DEC. 31
Rita Kay Stripling Edenfield, 67, Tifton

JAN. 1
Frederick Allen Busbin, 77, Waterloo
Robert Henry "Bob" Merritt, 83, Abbeville
Woodrow Mercer, 77, Adel
Leighton Thomas Delk Sr., 64, Quitman
John L. Herrington, 80, Monticello

JAN. 2
Jerry Carrol Camp, 60, Lenox
Dona Bailey Shiver, 66, Tifton
Simeon "Simmie" Louis Bell, Athens
Jacob E. "J.E." Joiner, 89, Stone Mountain
Howard Elton Heath, 78, Douglas
Sara Powers, 79, Sparks
Geraldine Bates, 74, Quitman
Howard Elton Heath, 78, Douglas

JAN. 3
Stacy H. Stacey, 60, Lenox
Larry Busbin, 62, Ocilla
Harold Walker, 82, Ocilla
Emory Hugh Simmons, 82, Nashville

JAN. 4
Jerry Eugene Ivey, 60, Tifton
Edna Mae "Edna Mama" Whitfield Abel, 95, Enigma
Betty P. Evans, 89, Tifton
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