Friday, May 1, 2020
Tifton, Georgia
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SHELTER IN PLACE EXPIRES FOR
MOST GEORGIANS
BUT 'FIGHT IS FAR FROM OVER,' GOVERNOR SAYS
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Gov.
Brian P. Kemp
let his statewide
shelter-in-place
order
expire
Thursday night for
most Georgians
, but
extended restrictions
for
"medically fragile"
and
older residents
, as well as for
businesses
and
senior-care homes
.
Kemp's new order
requires
people age
65 and older
, and
anyone
with
medical conditions
, to
shelter in place
until
June 12
.
Businesses reopening
must follow
strict safety guidelines
, while
bars
and
nightclubs
remain
closed
through
May 13
.
“It
isn’t
as if a
switch has been flipped
and
everything
has
opened
,” Dr.
Kathleen Toomey
, Georgia’s public health commissioner, told the
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
.
“We’re
moving
into this phase
carefully
and
cautiously
and encouraging
social
distancing
, wearing a
mask in public
” as the
coronavirus
continues to
infect
people across the state.
In a press release
Thursday
,
Kemp
said, "Moving forward, I am
urging Georgians
to continue to
stay home whenever possible
. ... The
health
and
well-being
of Georgians are my
top priorities
, and my
decisions
are
based
on
data
and
advice
from
health officials
. I will do what is necessary to
protect
the
lives
– and
livelihoods
– of our people."
The
governor
thanked Georgians "who heeded public health advice, afforded us time to bolster our healthcare infrastructure, and
flattened the curve
. We were
successful
in these efforts, but the
fight
is
far from over
,"
Kemp
said.
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STUDY: GA HAS BIGGEST
JOB LOSS IN NATION
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Georgia
has had the
largest increase
in
unemployment claims
in the U.S. since the
COVID-19 pandemic
began and ranks
second
in jobless claims during
April
, according to a new report.
WalletHub
, a financial data website, said
Georgia
recorded
1,367,494
unemployment claims between the weeks of
March 16
and
April 20
; during the same period
one year
ago
there were
27,355
claims. The
4,999.06 percent
increase is the
highest
in the
nation
.
The
264,818
jobless claims during the week of
April 20
is
5,841.62 percent
more than the
4,457
claims
last year
during the same week,
WalletHub
said.
To identify which states’
workforces
have been
hurt
most by
COVID-19
,
WalletHub
compared the
50
states and the
District of Columbia
based on
increases
in
unemployment claims
. They used the
data
to
rank
the
most impacted
states in both the
latest week
for which they have data (
April 20
) and
overall
since the
beginning
of the coronavirus
crisis March 16.
The
Ga. Department of Labor
reports that
unemployment
in
Tift County
rose to
4.1
percent during the month of
March
. It was
3.4
percent in
February
and was
3.6
percent in
March 2019
.
The
jobless rate
in
local counties
during
March
include:
Ben Hill
,
7.4
percent;
Irwin
,
5.9
percent;
Turner
,
5.7
percent;
Worth
,
4.7
percent; and
Cook
,
4.1
percent. The
figures
for
April
are expected to
rise significantly
.
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A Message from Todd Tillman,
our Local Business Development Manager:
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STATE SEES 1,132 DEATHS, 26,264 COVID-19 CASES
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As Georgia's
shelter-in-place
order was
expiring
Thursday, the
Ga. Department of Public Health
(DPH) recorded
25
more
COVID-19
related
deaths
in the state and
231
more confirmed
cases
of the virus.
The
DPH
said the
state
has seen
1,132
deaths from
coronavirus
and has
26,264
confirmed cases as of
7:30 p.m. Thursday
. There have been
164,465
tests administered in the state.
Albany/Dougherty County
continues to
lead
Georgia in virus-related
deaths
with
120
, the DPH said. The county also has had
1,505
confirmed cases and
303
hospitalizations.
Phoebe Putney Health System
in
Albany
said
Thursday
that it had
14
positive cases and
one additional death
of a positive COVID-19 patient within the previous
24 hours
.
As of
Thursday
,
Tift County
reported
117
positive cases and
five
deaths. The DPH said
Sylvester/Worth County
had
153
cases and
11
deaths.
Ashburn/Turner County
recorded
68
cases and
eight
deaths.
The
Southwell
health system, which includes
Tift Regional Medical Center
(TRMC), reported a total of
325
positive cases and a total of
25
deaths at TRMC,
most
of them being
residents
of
other counties
.
In the previous
24
hours,
Southwell
said there were an additional
12
positive cases,
six
recoveries and
no additional deaths
.
Recovery
is defined as a full
14 days
after testing with the patient
no longer symptomatic
.
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TRMC EXPANSION TAKES SHAPE
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Construction
continues on the
expansion
project at
Tift Regional Medical Center
in Tifton. The photo on the left shows the construction
footprint
on
18th Street
; the photo at right shows the hospital’s
new tower
starting to rise.
The
multimillion-dollar
expansion project includes a
263,000-square-foot
,
four-story
tower. The first level will be a new
emergency
center; the second, third and fourth levels of the new tower will be
inpatient units
, including a new location for the hospital’s
intensive care unit
.
The project is expected to be completed in
fall 2021
.
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Concerning Covid-19
A diverse group of about 30 area pastors met Thursday morning via Zoom to pray and discuss the Covid-19 Pandemic, and how we as Christian leaders can and should respond.
We want Tiftarea to know we are taking this crisis seriously and are planning accordingly. Even though we come from different denominations and answer to different ecclesiastical authorities, ultimately we answer to God for the wise and responsible stewardship of our congregations.
We are listening to the wisdom of our local medical professionals and will continue to heed their advice, and because we love God and we love our neighbor, we plan to proceed cautiously and with a united purpose as we begin to reopen our churches over time.
Finally, we are planning a
Pastors’ Prayer Gathering
for
Monday, May 4
, at
5 p.m.
, in the lot in front of the
Charles Kent County Administration Building
. We invite all area pastors to join us as we meet outdoors to pray for our community, for the medical staff and first responders, and for all those suffering from this illness.
We will structure the gathering in accordance with all social distancing guidelines. Please help us spread the word.
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ABAC PLAYS CHIMES FOR NURSES
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Gentle
music
wafts through the pines at
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
at
7 p.m.
nightly when ABAC pays
tribute
to
nurses
on the front lines of the pandemic.
“We honor all the nurses across the state and country who are risking their lives every day during this struggle against the coronavirus,” ABAC Media Productions Coordinator
Matthew Reid
said.
“We saw what some other places were doing, such as the nightly cheers every night at 7 in Manhattan, and we wanted to do
something special
.”
Emanating from the
bell tower
at the
Chapel of All Faiths
, the music reaches several blocks in all directions.
“It’s a way of
celebrating
the accomplishments of the
nurses
and our way of saying
thank you
for their sacrifice,” Reid said. “We also play a song at
noon
every day to lift the spirits of the entire community.”
ABAC
opened its
nursing program
in
1966
, and many of the nurses at
Southwell
, which includes
Tift Regional Medical Center
, received their education at ABAC. The college now offers both
associate
and
bachelor’s
degrees in
nursing
.
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ABAC ALUMNI ASSOC. NAMES TIFTON MAN OUTSTANDING EDUCATOR
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Dr.
Frank Flanders
of
Tifton
has been named the
2020 Outstanding Educator
by the
Alumni Association
at
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
.
The
Outstanding Educator Award
recognizes alumni involved in education, ranging from elementary school to college. Open to both active and retired educators, the Alumni Association began presentation of the award in 1995.
A
1972
ABAC graduate,
Flanders
went on to receive bachelor’s, master’s, and a specialist in education degree from the
University of Georgia
(UGA) with a focus on
agriculture
and
agricultural education
. He earned his doctor of education degree from UGA in
1988
.
Flanders serves as
program coordinator
for the
agricultural education department
at
ABAC
. Integral in establishing the program, Flanders spent many years as an ag ed teacher in
public schools
, followed by three decades of teaching at
UGA
.
He has received more than
25
professional awards, including the
National Mentor Award
at the National Association of Agriculture Teachers in 2019 and the
CAES Academic Advisor Award
at UGA in 2014. He was inducted as a member of the
Georgia FFA Ag Education Hall of Fame
in 2003 and received the
Honorary American FFA Degree
in 1987.
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TIFTON GRAPEVINE'S PET OF THE WEEK
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ANOTHER 'HAPPY TAIL'
Here is another
happy ending
of a
former pet
from the
Tift County Animal Shelter
:
Roxie
was
terrified
in the shelter and was placed on the
euthanasia list
. Her
rescuers
pleaded
for someone to
save
her, and her
picture
was
shared
across the
Internet
.
Jonna Bledsoe Hart
in
Tennessee
saw the photo and immediately
fell in love
with
Roxie
.
Adopted
over the
phone
,
Roxie
had found a
new home
. Two years later,
Hart
offers an
update
:
“
Adopting Roxie
was the
best thing
;" in her photo she "looked
terrified, insecure
and
lost
. My
heart went out to her
because I
knew
exactly
how she felt
," Hart says.
"She is my
constant companion
, my
biggest fan
and
loves
me
unconditionally
. The
healing
we have accomplished
together
is
powerful
and
freeing
. ... I can't imagine life without her. Our
journey together
is
amazing
.”
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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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APRIL 22
Benjamin Harmon Crum, 63,
Enigma
Barbara Roberts, 82,
Norman Park
APRIL 23
Leila "Ruth" Rhodes, 91,
Clermont, Fla.
APRIL 24
Ilene Carpenter Young, 85,
formerly of Tifton
Ret. M.Sgt. Bobby Vernon, 84,
Albany
Carolyn Louise Green, 55,
Tifton
Lois Powell, 83,
Adel
Durel Nelson, 83,
Kennesaw
Amanda Kay Broome, 40,
Sparks
Christy "Cee Cee" Scheeler, 47,
Jasper, Fla.
APRIL 25
Jackie Lunsford Reynolds, 79,
Worth County
Vanneece Nelms Brooks, 55,
Cordele
Evelyn L. Sheffield, 81,
Warner Robins
Charlie James Edge, 93,
Ashburn
Arthell Brown III, 40,
Worth County
Patricia "Trishann" Jefferson, 67,
Sylvester
APRIL 26
Robert Hanson Ramsey, 86,
Tifton
Hazel Jeraldine Fowler Marchant, 77,
Tifton
Lillian Burns Robinson, 101,
Fitzgerald
APRIL 27
Eloise Hilley Scarborough Torrence, 86,
Tifton
Dorothy Davis Coalson, 83,
Ocilla
Roger Lamar Nipper, 84,
Sycamore
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APRIL 28
Catherine “Catfish” Marie Windham, 60,
Sumner
Thelma Estelle Faircloth, 85,
Tifton
Dell Clay "D.C." Bohannon, 70,
Cordele
Frances Yawn, 92,
Ashburn
APRIL 29
Debra Giles King, 48,
Tifton
Barbara Thompson Bondari, 75,
Tifton
Gina Marie Mastrario, 59,
Ashburn
APRIL 30
Mary Cromer Shehee, 89,
Sycamore
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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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