Friday, Jan. 24, 2020
Tifton, Georgia
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Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce award recipients Thursday night were, from left: Dr. Ryan Currie, Ernest Lang, Bill Park, Dr. Homer Day, Fortson Turner, Mandy Brooks and Jody Benson.
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TIFT CHAMBER NAMES DR. HOMER DAY TO
WALL OF FAME
SEVERAL LEADERS RECOGNIZED AT ANNUAL BANQUET
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Dr.
Homer Day’s
induction into the
Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce’s Wall of Fame
highlighted the Chamber’s annual
banquet
Thursday
night at the
UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center.
Fortson Turner
of
Turner’s Furniture
was the recipient of the
Stafford Award
, recognizing excellence in business leadership and contributions to economic development. Also,
Mandy Brooks
received the
Prince Business Woman of the Year
Award,
Ernest Lang
received the
Tifton Rotary Club Ethics in Business
Award,
Bill Park
received
the
John Hunt Entrepreneur of the Year
Award, Dr.
Ryan Currie
was winner of the
J. Lamar Branch Award
, and
Jody Benson
was named the Chamber's
Ambassador of the Year
.
Day
was a member of the professional staff at
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
for
30
years, a successful career which culminated by being named the
interim president
in
2000
. He has also served on the
Board of Commissioners
for the
Tifton Housing Authority
for more than
25
years, including the last
20
as chairman.
Additionally, he serves on the
Tift County Development Authority
, is treasurer for
PLIGHT Inc.
, and is chairman of the
Board of Deacons
at
Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church
. Previously, he served as president of the
Tifton Rotary Club
, the first African American to hold that post, just as he integrated the professional staff at ABAC when he was hired in
1972
.
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Turner
is a fourth-generation co-owner of
Turner’s Furniture
and, under his leadership, the company has grown to include
11
stores from
Middle Georgia
to
North Florida
as well as a distribution center in
Tifton
. He has been active with the
Chamber of Commerce
, the
United Way
,
First United Methodist Church
and with Tifton’s
Young Life
organization.
Brooks
is executive director of the
Tift Regional Medical Center Foundation
, which helps to provide assistance to patients in need. Under her leadership, the foundation’s
philanthropic
efforts have grown, most recently with the addition of the mobile clinic
“Care-A-Van”
which brings healthcare services to needy areas. Brooks serves as special events chair for the
Tifton Rotary Club
and is active in several ministries at
First Baptist Church.
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Lang
took over his family business,
Lang Printing and Office Supply
, in the mid
1970s
and continued to grow it to serve the community's business needs before recently announcing its closing. Lang has also been a member of the
Tifton Rotary Club
for nearly
40
years and remains active with the
Sunbelt Runners
.
Park
is president and CEO of
Tifton Quality Peanuts
, a farmer-owned corporation formed in
2006
. The business, which employs
94
full-time personnel, produces about
160
million
pounds of peanuts each year and ships to some of the largest retailers in the industry. A
Waycross
native,
Park
is a board member at
Spring Hill Country Club
and organizes the annual
Bridge the Gap for Kids
golf tournament, raising funds for the
Backpack
and
Kids Special Needs
programs at the
Bridge Church
.
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Currie
has been an instructor in ABAC's
Stafford School of Business
since
2017
after working as an attorney in the
Atlanta
area. He has been an active
ambassador
with the
Chamber of Commerce
and often brings his students to Chamber functions so that they can learn more about the community.
Benson
is a sales consultant with
Georgia Premier Services
and has served as an
Ambassador
with the Chamber for many years. A
Berrien County
native,
Benson
is also a former
J. Lamar Branch Award
winner and is a consistent presence and all Chamber of Commerce events.
Chamber President and CEO
Brian Marlowe
also addressed the banquet, recapping a
successful year
of growth in
Tift County
and welcoming officials in attendance from
Coca-Cola United Bottling Co.
, who are building
a sales and distribution
center in Tift County.
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Coca-Cola United representatives and local officials break ground on Lamb Loop Road for the $60 million Coke sales and distribution center in Tift County.
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COCA-COLA UNITED BREAKS GROUND ON $60M PLANT
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By BONNIE SAYLES
Tifton Grapevine
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More than 50
Coca-Cola United representatives
and
local government officials
broke ground
Thursday
on a
$60 million facility
on
80
acres along
I-75
on
Lamb Loop Road
, bringing
Coca-Cola “Home Again to Tifton.”
The
Tifton Coca-Cola United Sales and Distribution Center
will be a
300,000-square-foot
operation, producing
4.5 million
cases of non-alcoholic beverages by late
2021
. The
state-of-the-art
facility will be equipped with a new “vertique” packaging technology that offers
efficiency
.
“Tractors will be on site in about
two weeks
, so we’re ready to get rolling,” said
Rick Terrell, director of Coca-Cola United's Savannah River division
. “We’re committed to
partnerships
with our community and will be
invested
in this area for
decades to come
.”
Coca-Cola Bottling Co. United
has been recognized as the
top bottler
in the
United States
for
four straight years
, according to its president and CEO
John H. Sherman III
.
“The
No. 1 Coca-Cola bottler
in the U.S. is now
coming
to
Tifton, Georgia
,” he said. It has
60
facilities throughout the
Southeast
and employs
10,000
associates. The
Tifton
facility will employ
200
people.
“When you include this project, we would have spent over
$200 billion
in the state of
Georgia
in the last
five years
,” Sherman said, “and our future plans will be to continue to
invest
in the state of
Georgia
.”
Congressman
Austin Scott
, R-Tifton, praised “the
team
that made this happen” –
Brian Marlowe
with the
Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce
, the
Georgia Legislative Delegation,
Tifton Mayor
Julie Smith
, Tift County Commission Chairman
Grady Thompso
n, the
County Development Authority
and
state economic partners
.
“I want thank all of you for being friends for so long.
Go Coke!
”
Scott
said.
Thompson
said: “We got peanuts selling from I-75, so now we’re
selling Coca-Cola
from
(Interstate) 75.
We’re glad they picked
Tifton
.”
Smith
said: “We
welcome Coca-Cola United
to the
Tifton family
of business and industry. With partnerships come friendships, and I know that the friendship between Coca-Cola and this great community will be a
strong bond
that will be
beneficial
to both of us.”
“We do
projects
like this all over the
Southeast
,”
Sherman
said. “But the sense of
partnership
, the sense of
professionalism
and the sense of
urgency
which we experienced here in
Tifton, Georgia
, was simply
unmatched
.
"As citizens of this community, you should be
extremely proud
of the
leadership
that
made this happen
; I’m telling you that from experience.”
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James Herring of Tifton, whose maternal grandfather opened Tifton's first Coca-Cola bottling company in the early 1900s, stands next to Coca-Cola United's banner announcing that Coca-Cola is "Home Again in Tifton."
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IRWIN COUNTY COACH BUDDY NOBLES
DIES FROM CANCER
TEAM WON STATE FOOTBALL TITLE IN DECEMBER
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Head Football Coach
Buddy Nobles, 53, of the state champion
Irwin County High Indians has
died from
stomach cancer. Irwin School Superintendent Dr.
Thad Clayton made the announcement
Thursday morning on social media.
"Our Coach,
Buddy Nobles
, has passed from this life and is now in the presence of our Lord. He finished his fight with cancer
peacefully
in the
night
surrounded by his family.
Irwin County Schools
has
lost
a true
man of God
who will have an
everlasting impact
on many students, players, coaches and colleagues," Clayton wrote.
Nobles
had been a source of
inspiration
to his
team
and to the entire
Ocilla
community this past year as he battled
Stage 4 stomach cancer.
Even though his
health
had been
failing
and he had to resort to a
wheelchair
,
Nobles
w
as on the
sidelines
for much of the season, including the state championship game in Atlanta last month when the
Indians
captured the
Class A public high school football championship 44 years
after its
last state title.
In
six
seasons,
Nobles
led the Indians
to the
state finals
five times
. This past season, the
Indians finished
the season
undefeated
at
13-0
– for the first time since
1975
when they had
won
their last
state title
.
The Ocilla
community
had
rallied
around the
team
and
Nobles
, and the rallying cry
"Nobles Strong"
w
as been
heard
throughout the team's
winning season
.
Jon Freeman Nelson, game correspondent for
Georgia Public Broadcasting, had become close to
Nobles and posted the following
tribute on the
GPB blog:
Click Here.
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FIVE FLU DEATHS IN SOUTH GEORGIA
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The
Georgia Department of Public Health
(DPH) has confirmed
five flu-related deaths
between the
South Health
and
Southwest Health
districts
, which cover
24
South Georgia counties.
As of
Jan. 11
, DPH has confirmed
31
flu-related deaths throughout
Georgia
for the 2019-2020 flu season.
“Our
hearts go out
to the families that have lost a loved one. We will
not release
the county of death or any type of
identifying information
,” says
Courtney Sheeley
, DPH communications director.
“This
disease
is affecting people
statewide
… it doesn’t matter where you live. Our message remains the same: Everyone
six months and older
should
get
the
flu shot
,
wash your hands thoroughly
and
frequently
, and
stay home
if you’re
sick
to eliminate the spread of the disease.”
The
flu activity level
is
high
throughout Georgia and is expected to continue at
elevated
levels for
several more weeks
. Most people who get the flu will have mild illness and will recover in less than two weeks, according to
Kenneth Lowery
, South Health District epidemiologist.
However, some people are more likely to get flu
complications
, such as adults
65
years and older,
young children
and
those
with
chronic illnesses
.
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ABAC STUDENT THANKS
TIFTON ROTARY FOR SCHOLARSHIP
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Terrie Powell
, at left in photo, a first-year
ABAC student
and one of four
recipients
of
Tifton Rotary's ABAC scholarships
, thanked the
Tifton Rotary Club
on
Wednesday
.
Standing with her are her mother,
Yolanda Powell
, and
Marion Curry
, Rotary assistant district governor.
Powell
intends to major in writing and communications, and continue her education in law school.
Also
Wednesday
,
Rob Kellner
of the
Valdosta Rotary Club
spoke about the
Georgia Rotary Student Program (GRSP)
, an
international program
begun in
1949
by the
Thomasville Rotary Club
.
Through the program, more than
45
students from
foreign countries
have been hosted by the
Tifton Club
. "I've come to believe it's the
best thing
this
club does
," said Tifton Rotary Past President and local GRSP chair
Jeff Gibbs
.
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Georgia Peanut Commission Chairman Armond Morris, left, of Ocilla, unveils a portrait of U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson along with Jody Redding, Isakson's former Senate aide.
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JOHNNY ISAKSON NAMED TO
GEORGIA PEANUT HALL OF FAME
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U.S. Sen.
Johnny Isakson
, R-Ga., who recently
retired
from the
U.S. Senate
because of health issues, has been installed as the
sixth
person in the
Georgia Peanut Hall of Fame
.
The
Georgia Peanut Commission
bestowed the honor
Jan. 16
during its
44th annual Georgia Peanut Farm Show and Conference
in
Tifton
. A portrait of
Isakson
, unveiled at the Farm Show, will be
displayed
at the
Peanut Commission headquarters
in
Tifton
.
Isakson
is the
only Georgian
to have been elected to the
state House, state Senate, U.S. House and U.S. Senate
. In addition, in
2016
he became the
first Georgia Republican
ever to be
elected
to a
third term
in the
U.S. Senate
. He officially retired on
Dec. 31
.
More than
1,600
attendees gathered last week at the
Peanut Farm Show
, sponsored by the
Georgia Peanut Commission
which
recognized
individuals and businesses for their
service
to the
peanut industry
and promotion of peanuts across the United States.
Award recipients included:
- Distinguished Service Award – Dr. Joe West, assistant dean for the University of Georgia Tifton Campus
- Research and Education Award – National Peanut Research Laboratory
- Media Award – Posthumously to John Leidner, freelance writer for the Southeastern Peanut Farmer, and David Maxwell, managing editor of the Donalsonville News
- Two Georgia Peanut Special Awards to Southern Ag Carriers and to the Peanut Butter & Jesus ministry in Tifton
The
Peanut Commission
and
Agri Supply
also presented the
Outstanding Georgia Peanut Farmers of the Year Award
to individuals representing each of the commission’s
five districts
.
The
District 2
recipient was
Charles Paulk
of
Ocilla
.
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GEORGIA POET TO SPEAK FEB. 3 AT ABAC
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Poet and author
Ed Pavlic
will speak at
7 p.m. Feb. 3
, in the History Room in Tift Hall at
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
.
The presentation is part of the
Georgia Poetry Circuit
founded at
Mercer University
in
1985
. The circuit is a consortium of
10
Georgia colleges and universities working to bring poets of national and international reputation to the campuses annually.
Pavlic
is the author of
11
books and pieces in more than
60
magazines. His books include “Another Kind of Madness,” “Live at the Bitter End,” and “Who Can Afford to Improvise?: James Baldwin and Black Music, the Lyric and the Listener.”
Forthcoming books include “Let it be Broke,” a collection of
poems
focused upon cross-racial dynamics in American life.
Pavlic
is characterized as an “American writer whose work travels across, often blurring, genres: poetry, fiction, non-fiction and scholarship.”
He received
The American Poetry Review/Honickman First Book Award
in
2001
, the
National Poetry Series Open Competition award
in
2012
and
2014
, the
Author of the Year award
from the
Georgia Writers’ Association
in
2009
, and the
Darwin Turner Memorial Award
from
African American Review
in
1997
.
A distinguished research professor of English and African American studies at the
University of Georgia
, Pavlic lives in
Athens
.
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AVAILABLE AT THE TIFT COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER
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This boy is among the pets ready for adoption today.
________________________
Visit your future pet at the Tift County Animal Shelter,
1-6 p.m., Mondays-Fridays,
at 278 Ga. Highway 125 South in Tifton.
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YOUR WEEKEND
...at a Glance
FRIDAY, JAN. 24
- Tift County High Blue Devils basketball vs. Colquitt County High Packers, 6 p.m., Tifton
- ABAC School of Agriculture and Natural Resources mural dedication, 6 p.m., Atrium in ABAC Agricultural Sciences Building, Tifton
- Ashburn-Turner County Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet, 6 p.m., Turner County Civic Center, Ashburn
SATURDAY, JAN. 25
- Plant & Seed Swap, 10 a.m.-Noon, Georgia Museum of Agriculture, Tifton
- "Rust & Recreation" exhibit opening, 10 a.m., Museum Gallery, Georgia Museum of Agriculture, Tifton
- Chili Cook-Off, Noon, Georgia Veterans State Park, Cordele
- Cycling Saturday, 1 p.m., Reed Bingham State Park, Adel
- Open House at J&J Weight Room, 3-5 p.m., Tifton
- The Faithful Servants 12th Anniversary Sing, 6 p.m., Omega Church of God, Omega
- Tift County High Blue Devils basketball @ Coffee County High, 7 p.m., Douglas
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JAN. 16
Raymond Howell,
Sumner
Paula Cook Pate, 64,
Fitzgerald
Hanson Rawlins Carter, 87,
Nashville
Velma Jane Wooten Cargle, 88,
Tifton
Shirley Ann Whitley Chambers, 84,
Pinetta Community, Irwin County
Ollie Troup Love, 96,
Irwin County
JAN. 17
Thomas “Stoney” Foy Stone, 80,
Winder
Leonard G. Lindsey Jr., 91,
Adel
James Lamar "Jimmy" Lane, 74,
Nashville
Freida Reeves, 69,
Moultrie
JAN. 18
Frances Sauls Cox, 92,
Tifton
Vickey Gray Giddens, 61,
West Berrien Community
William Larry Kelly, 51,
Nashville
Benny Warren Denham, 89,
Sycamore
Isaac Jason Peavy, 42,
Nashville
JAN. 19
Tammy Sikes Hogan, 58,
Omega
JAN. 20
Lonnie Harris Boyd, 78,
Tifton
JAN. 21
Kathy Lee Wagner Ashley, 79,
Sycamore
The Rev. James Mercer Hancock, 95,
Greenville, S.C.
Ronnie David Hiers, 65,
Nashville
Carolyn Phillips Haggard, 71,
Fitzgerald
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JAN. 22
Clifford “Denny” Dove, 80,
Mystic
JAN. 23
Buddy Nobles, 53,
Fitzgerald
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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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,
Tifton, Georgia
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