Friday, October 4, 2019
Tifton, Georgia
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An aerial view of the current Town Terrace site. Twelfth Street is at the top of the photo.
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A rendering of what the proposed project
would look like, with townhomes and a
grassy courtyard social space.
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LOCAL GROUP UNVEILS PROPOSAL FOR 'PINK MOTEL'
TOWN TERRACE WOULD BECOME 'POCKET NEIGHBORHOOD'
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By FRANK SAYLES JR.
Tifton Grapevine
The deteriorating
Town Terrace Motel
on
12th Street
would be
razed
and become a
"pocket neighborhood"
of
upscale townhomes
in a
proposal
presented
Tuesday
night to Tifton's
Historic Preservation Commission
(HPC).
John and Michael Bowen
of
31 North Real Estate Investors
of
Tifton
said they have a
pending contract
to
purchase
the
0.74-acre
site. They hope to develop
21
upscale
micro-townhomes
, all
two-story, 960 square-foot units
. The "pocket neighborhood" will include a
community social space
along with a
pedestrian-only central courtyard
.
The
HPC said its
guidelines require formal
documentation of the
cost and
feasibility of
rehabilitating an
existing historic property before it can be
demolished. The HPC
tabled the matter until its
November meeting in order to receive the information.
John Bowen said he recognizes that this is "a
difficult conversation." He said he believes in "
preserving what
makes Tifton special," but the
"economic reality" is that saving the current motel, also known as the
"Pink Motel," "would
require new
walls, new wiring" and
essentially
rebuilding the structures.
"It's
not economically viable," he said.
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Bowen said he
welcomes ideas to
salvage elements of the current structure. "This is
our neighborhood," he said, noting that both he and his brother reside nearby.
"This site
once served as a
home for memories and magic," he said, "and
we believe it has
a magical future."
During Tuesday's meeting,
both proponents of the
proposed project and
opponents of
demolition spoke to the
HPC.
One citizen called the motel a
"landmark," and said that "if it
can be saved, it
should be saved."
Bruce Green, interim director of the
Tifton Urban Redevelopment Agency, said the current
motel is part of "
our cultural heritage of Tifton." If it is
demolished, "will we have
created more than we have destroyed?" he asked.
"Please
take your time, take a
breath, and
make sure we
move in the
right direction,"
Green told the
HPC.
But
several citizens said the
current state of the
motel is "a
blight on our
community."
"It's
infested with
rats; the
bottom is
falling out," said
Ellen Spain, who lives nearby. "For
20 years it has
just sat there. It's
time for it
to go."
Chase Nickelson, who also lives in the
Historic District, told the HPC, "I'm
sensitive to your
historic mission and
preservation efforts,
but the
Pink Motel in its
current state is
not healthy for the
community."
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Actor Bruce Willis poses Wednesday with Monica Torres of Fresco Italiano restaurant on Tift Avenue in Downtown Tifton.
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BRUCE WILLIS IN TOWN;
MAKING FILM IN FITZGERALD
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Actor
Bruce Willis is in the
Tiftarea for a few days
filming a
science-fiction movie in
Fitzgerald, and was spotted
Wednesday out and about in
Fitzgerald and
Tifton.
Willis was seen at a
sports shop and in
Walmart in
Fitzgerald, where he posed for photos with workers and customers, and later had a
chicken alfredo
dinner at
Fresco Italiano restaurant in
Downtown Tifton.
Willis
told Fresco's owner: “
Good work
; this
restaurant
is
amazing
.”
The
movie being made in
Fitzgerald is called
"Anti-Life" and is a
science-fiction thriller.
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Nancy Bryan, executive director of Ruth's Cottage and The Patticake House, speaks Wednesday to the Rotary Club of Tifton. Seated at left is Lynn Lovett, who heads the fundraising campaign for Ruth's Cottage's new facility, and, at right, is Rotary President Wayne Roe.
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RUTH'S COTTAGE SEEKING HELP WITH FURNISHING
NEW FACILITY
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By BONNIE SAYLES
Tifton Grapevine
A
campaign
to raise
$1.8 million
to
build
a
new shelter
for
domestic violence victims
has “
paid for the building
,” announced
Lynn Lovett
, Ruth’s Cottage building campaign chair, at Wednesday’s
Tifton Rotary Club
meeting.
Also, she said, the
contractor
for the
11,000-square-foot building
expects to
complete
it in
December
, ahead of schedule.
More funds
are
needed
, however, for about a
half-million dollars’ worth
of
furnishings, equipment, fencing, parking and state-of-the-art security systems
, Lovett said.
The facility will provide
26 beds
, including
three apartments
. It is about
$1,500-$2,000
to
furnish most rooms
, she said. “Right now, we can’t serve a mom with three children,” Lovett said. “We will be able to help them in the new building.”
Lovett told
Rotarians that
theirs was the
first brick sold in
2017.
Engraved bricks may still be
purchased for $
250. She said the generosity of
local governments helped pave the way with
grants.
“
Domestic violence
is a
killer
of
women, children
and
some men
,” said Executive Director
Nancy Bryan of
Ruth’s Cottage and The Patticake House
.
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“Domestic violence is
more than somebody with a
black eye. It starts from a
need of someone to really
control another person, and there are a
million harmful ways that can happen that’s way
beyond physical.”
She urged everyone to
be “in tune with people in your world, children and grandchildren, as they develop relationships with people.
Look for signs that are early in domestic violence that are controlling.”
Bryan said there are
misconceptions about
domestic violence, such as “Why don’t they just leave?” And “Why do they leave and then go back?”
“We love opportunities to explain all that,” she said. “We
urge you to
come to programs that we offer where you can learn.
Educated folks are the
best way we can
stop domestic violence.”
October is
Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Among events are
Friday Night Lights with Ruth’s Cottage information tables at
football games;
Walk a Mile in Her Shoes: Men’s March,
Oct. 22 at 5:30 p.m. at ABAC – call
229-387-9697 for information; and
Wear Purple Day on
Oct. 24.
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60 YEARS STRONG: CLASS OF '59 MEETS
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The
Tifton High Schoo
l class of
1959
held its
60th reunion
last weekend. The photo above was taken at
Harding Stables
in
Tifton
.
Classmates
got to
reconnect
and
reminisce
. In
1959
, top
songs
included
"Mack The Knife"
by Bobby Darin,
"
Sea of Love"
by Phil Phillips, and
"La Bamba"
by Ritchie Valens.
Top
movies
that year included
"North by Northwest," "Gidget,"
and
"Ben-Hur."
The
BIC Crystal ballpoint pen
was first sold in
1959
for
19
cents. Mattel’s
Barbie doll
and the board game
"Risk"
also debuted – all of which are still going strong, as is the
Class of '59
.
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CANDLELIGHT VIGIL HELD IN HONOR
OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS
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Board members and staff of
Ruth's Cottage
and the
Patticake House
gather at the
Domestic Violence Candlelight Vigil
with the program's speaker,
Jennifer Thomas
(center, in jacket).
The
vigil
was held
Tuesday night
at
Southern Regional Technical College
in
Tifton
.
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CHANTICLEER PERFORMS OCT. 24
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Twelve
male voices will blend seamlessly in
harmony
when internationally acclaimed
Chanticleer
performs as a part of the
ABAC Presents! Performing Arts Series
at
7 p.m. Oct. 24
at the
Tift County High School Performing Arts Center
.
Wayne Jones
, Arts Connection director at
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
, said the performance by the
“world’s reigning male chorus”
is a must-see event for all arts patrons in
South Georgia
.
“They are among the
very best
at what they do,”
Jones
said. “When we put together this year’s series, we knew
Chanticleer
was going to be one of the
biggest attractions
.”
Jones said the
San Francisco-based
performing group was on the schedule in
2018,
but the performance was cancelled by
Hurricane Michael
.
“Just to show you what kind of impact they have, the group is the
only professional choir
in the United States with a
52-week contract
,” Jones said. “They are well worth the price of admission.”
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LIVE PRODUCTION THIS WEEKEND AT THE TIFT
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The
Tift Community Players' live stage production of
"On Golden Pond" continues at
7 p.m. today (Friday) and
Saturday at the
Tift Theatre for the Performing Arts on Main Street.
The
1979
play by
Ernest Thompson
focuses on aging couple
Ethel and Norman Thayer
, who spend each
summer
at their home on a
lake
called
Golden Pond
.
During the year the story takes place, they are
visited
by
daughter Chelsea
with her
fiancé Billy Ray
and his
son Billy Ray Jr.
The
play
explores
the often turbulent
relationship
the young woman
shared
with her
father
growing up, and the
difficulties
faced
by a
couple
in the
twilight years
of a long marriage.
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AG MUSEUM LOOKS AT 'GRAVE' TOPIC
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Intrigued by
historic cemeteries
and the many
tales
they tell?
Join
Barbara Clark
for the
History After Dark: Victorian Mourning and Grave Symbology
program from
5-7 p.m. Oct. 18
, at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College's
Ga. Museum of Agriculture
.
Clark
, director of North Central & Northwest Regions of the Florida Public Archaeology Network, said guests will learn about
mourning practices
unique to the
Victorian
period. The museum’s
Wesley Chapel
will be transformed into a representative
mourning setting
and display heretofore unseen mourning
artifacts
.
Clark will explore the
mourning practices
and
cultures
from the
Victorian
era. The program will involve such items as mourning jewelry, including jet and hair jewelry, and Victorian mortuary photography.
For
information
, call the Country Store at
229-391-5205
.
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TIFTON-TIFT COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
RIBBON CUTTING
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STYLash Glam Bar
201 N. Central Ave., Suite F
Sept. 26
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YOU MUST REGISTER TO VOTE BY MONDAY, OCT. 7,
TO VOTE IN THIS ELECTION
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READY FOR ADOPTION AT THE TIFT COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER
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"Oink Oink”
I have found my way to the animal shelter and am looking for a new home. If you have an adequate farm for me to live on, please visit the Tift County Animal Shelter.
P.S I can’t wait to find me a big mud hole to cool off in with these high temperatures!
Yours,
Chris P. Bacon
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YOUR WEEKEND
...at a Glance
FRIDAY, OCT. 4
- "On Golden Pond" play, 7 p.m.,Tift Theatre for the Performing Arts, Tifton
- ABAC Truck & Tractor Pull, 7 p.m., ABAC Truck Pull Track, Tifton
- Tift County High Football Blue Devils vs. Bainbridge High Bearcats, 7:30 p.m., Brodie Field, Tifton
- Tiftarea Academy Football Panthers @ Valwood School Valiants, 7:30 p.m., Valdosta
SATURDAY, OCT. 5
- Stepping Out for Your Heart 5K & Fun Run, 8 a.m., Northeast Middle School, Tifton
- Wiregrass Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-Noon, Ga. Museum of Agriculture, Tifton
- ABAC Truck & Tractor Pull, 6 p.m., ABAC Truck Pull Track, Tifton
- NPC Peachstate Bodybuilding Championship, 6:30 p.m., UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center, Tifton
- "On Golden Pond" play, 7 p.m., Tift Theatre for the Performing Arts, Tifton
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SEPT. 26
Hilton Gann, 82,
Tifton
Ramsella Odom Cowles, 93,
Sylvester
George Horton Williamson, 90,
Rochelle
SEPT. 27
Ellen “Marguerite” Jackson Conner, 83,
Tifton
Norma Faye Sewell Hendley, 52,
Fitzgerald
Ed Pedrick, 87,
Quitman
SEPT. 28
Al Browning, 65,
Nashville
Allen George Morris, 66,
Fitzgerald
SEPT. 29
Wilma F. Knisel, 88,
Winter Springs, Fla.
Claria Walding Wolf, 83,
Poulan
Raymond Alfred "Al" Chambers III., 58,
Nashville
Sherry Lynn Cumbus, 62,
Ray City
SEPT. 30
Carol Marie Herbst Waldschalger Garren, 85,
Valdosta
OCT. 1
Johnna Shae Daniels-Carey, 29,
Tifton
Mildred McMillan Braswell, 91,
Lyons
Shirleen Andrews, 48,
Worth County
Kathy Dilisio, 73,
Fitzgerald
Mildred McEwen Campbell, 90,
Fitzgerald
OCT. 2
Marlene Jones Cannon, 83,
Tifton
Dorothy Fay Pitts Yancey, 83,
Tifton
Justin Matthew Hinson, 35,
Worth County
OCT. 3
T. Darold Griffin, 75,
Ocilla
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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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