Tifton Police Chief Steve Hyman, left, receives the state certification designation, signed by the governor, from Chuck Groover of the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police.

TIFTON POLICE GETS STATE CERTIFICATION

ONLY 20% OF DEPARTMENTS CERTIFIED IN GEORGIA

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

The Tifton Police Department has joined the top 20% of police agencies in Georgia meeting 141 professional standards to attain state certification.

The announcement was made Tuesday night at Tifton City Council’s workshop meeting. The standards involve professionalism, operational guidelines, transparency, ethical conduct, liability protection, and positive community support.

“This is really a big deal – a big deal for the department, a big deal for the City of Tifton,” said Chuck Groover, state certification coordinator for the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police.

“We don’t give it away; they had to earn it,” Groover said.

He noted that out of more than 700 police agencies in Georgia only 138 are currently certified. 

Tifton Police Chief Steve Hyman said the certification was a three-year process and is a “milestone’ for the city and its police department, “which, at times, seemed miles away."

With certification, Hyman said the Tifton department is eligible for a 20% discount in liability insurance as well as for future monetary grants. He said the certification process was a department-wide effort, as well as a city-wide effort involving city personnel.

Tifton Police Lt. Lee Dunston is the department’s certification manager charged with maintaining the necessary records and procedures.

“This absolutely something for this community to be very, very proud of,” said Mayor Julie B. Smith. “We are a better community because of all you do,” she told the police department.

ALAPAHA COUNCIL SAYS CHARTER, ORDINANCES

WERE ‘NEVER LOST'

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

A "controversy over the town charter and ordinances” in the Berrien County town of Alapaha is a result of a “misunderstanding,” Alapaha’s mayor and City Council say in a press release.

In a statement released Thursday to the Tifton Grapevine, the council said that “many false accusations have been made over the past year and a half about the age, language, and relevance of these documents. These accusations are unfounded and began over a misunderstanding about a clipboard filled with historic documents, which included ordinances and copies of the original town charters of 1881 and 1921."

The mayor and council members said the town’s charter and its amendments "are current and on file at the City Hall, as they have always been. The most recent amendment, dated 2008, refers to the 1994 revision of the town charter. That amendment sets guidelines for mayoral and council elections, terms of office, and post assignments, etc."

The council said it has been working with past and current Alapaha officials and staff, and that many of the alleged “‘lost' and unsigned ordinances were found intact, packed away in City Hall. All ordinances are now under review to verify relevance and authenticity of any unsigned documents and to determine that all are up-to-date regarding city, county, and state laws and regulations."

The town charter and ordinances "were never lost,” the council said.  

"They had been packed and transferred to the new City Hall and Annex in 2011. Although they seemed forgotten, a copy of all ordinances pertaining to current Alapaha city laws and enforcement have always been on record in the police department. Therefore, the police department has had full knowledge of the ordinances and operated accordingly.

"The mayor and city council of the Town of Alapaha wants all of its citizens to know that the charter and ordinances are now, and have always been, secure and up-to-date. "

HEALTH DEPARTMENTS NOW OFFER BIVALENT BOOSTERS FOR COVID-19

TIFT COUNTY COVID CASES RISE BY 114 IN PAST 2 WEEKS

All state South Health District health departments, including Tift County, began offering Moderna/Pfizer COVID-19 bivalent boosters on Thursday.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommend the bivalent booster manufactured by Pfizer for those age 12 and older; and recommend the bivalent booster by Moderna for adults 18 and older.

The current COVID booster doses contain the genetic recipe for the original strain of COVID-19. The bivalent vaccine contains the genetic recipes for two versions of COVID-19 – the original strain, plus the omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5, offering better protection against current circulating COVID-19 variants.

People should wait at least two months after completing their initial vaccination or their last booster shot before getting the bivalent booster, health officials say.

More than 89% of new reported COVID cases in the state are caused by the BA.5 variant. Hospitalizations and deaths from COVID continue to decrease slightly statewide.

Georgia has recorded a total of 2,222,490 confirmed cases and 33,088 related deaths, the state Department of Public Health (DPH) reported. There were 13,428 more total cases reported in the past week and 95 additional deaths statewide. There also were 701 COVID-related hospitalizations in Georgia in the past week, the DPH said.

The DPH reported that Tift County's total COVID-19 cases have risen by 114 in the past two weeks with no additional deaths. That number includes rapid tests and confirmed PCR tests.

Tift County’s total positive cases represent 279 cases per 100,000 population, the measure used across the country to compare case rates among communities and states. Tift's testing positivity rate for the two-week period was 16.7%, the DPH said.

Tift has seen a total of 6,680 confirmed cases with 170 confirmed deaths, the DPH said.

OVERBREEDING OF DOGS ‘OUT OF CONTROL,’ SAYS TIFT ANIMAL RESCUER  

By BONNIE SAYLES

Tifton Grapevine

“I am in animal rescue, and I see the things that the average person doesn’t – like the constant unwanted litters, the constant ‘I’m moving and need to re-home my dog now,'” Candas Bennett stated on social media this week.

“The constant dumping of dogs: It’s out of control and it’s illegal.”

For eight years, Bennett has been running a nonprofit animal rescue from her Tift County home, Paws Furever Home Rescue. She helped start a cat spay neuter clinic at the Irwin Animal Clinic near Ocilla. She recently applied for and will receive a spay/neuter grant for dogs.

Ninety percent of the problem in Tift County and beyond is overbreeding by backyard breeders, Bennett told the Tifton Grapevine. People think they can get into the breeding and selling business and make money. 

“Then they can’t sell them all,” she said. “Statistics show that only two in a litter of 12 will find a fulltime forever home. Eight will wind up in a shelter. Backyard breeders are hurting all of us.”

Licensed breeders are a different story, Bennett said. “I bought three Jack Russells from a licensed breeder.”

At her rescue in Tift County, Bennett said, she has 30 dogs (including puppies) in a building built to house 12. With some volunteer helpers, she walks the dogs twice a day and lets them out to run in a play yard daily. 

“I keep them supplied with food and give the dogs a loving home until they go North,” she said. Northern states, such as Maryland, New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Maine, have laws that require dogs to be spayed or neutered by age nine months, unless the owner is a licensed breeder.

“They don’t have the over-abundance of dogs that we have in the South,” so they adopt from Southern rescues.

“If they come from the streets here, I don’t believe they should go back to the streets,” she said, so she doesn’t adopt out any of her rescued dogs locally. “We can’t adopt our way out of this. We can’t euthanize our way out of this.”

She applauded Candice Hernandez and her work at the Tift County Animal Shelter. “She and Leah Robbins work so hard to find rescues to take dogs. Dogs are dumped 10 to 12 dogs a day,” she said, so it’s hard to stay ahead of the input. 

What is the solution? Educating the public on stopping the overpopulation of pets.

She said people need to ask for help in getting their dogs spayed and neutered, using "Fix Georgia Pets" for low cost spay/neuter. Georgia laws allow only one litter a year without a breeder’s license, so multiple litters are actually illegal in addition to being unhealthy.

In addition, she said, “We could save a lot of dogs if we had more fosters.” Bennett has just one local Tift County foster home and her veterinarian in Irwin County is fostering puppies for her.

Bennett said she has had only one person say, “I’m moving in 30 days and need help re-homing my dog.” Usually she hears, "I need help now," and then "they get mad at me like it’s my problem; I’ve had people cuss me out for not taking their dog.” 

Some people call her and say they don’t have time for their dogs. “Dogs sleep 21 hours a day. I ask them, ‘How many hours do you work? You can spend one hour with your dog,’” Bennett said. 

She received four calls before 8:30 a.m. Thursday from people moving and needing to give up their dogs. 

“Guess what, It takes weeks planning to move,” Bennett said. “Start looking 30 days ahead for a new home, not three days before the move.

“I encourage you, please think responsibly when considering getting a pet. Pets are family; stop the overbreeding, stop the dumping. We can't keep up.”

Bennett’s nonprofit, Paws Furever Home, has an Amazon wish list where people can buy puppy food, cleaning supplies and more – Click Here.

Donations can be accepted through PayPal at pawsfureverhome@gmail.com, and old rugs, old towels, and blankets are needed for the puppies. Items may be left for the rescue operation at Short & Paulk Hardware Store on South Main Street.  

We Have Moved!

Our new location is at

4027 HIGHWAY 125 North, TIFTON, GA

"When the Bugs Grow, Call ASTRO!"

FOOTBALL OFFICIALS’ JOB TO MAKE GAME ‘FAIR AS POSSIBLE,’ ROTARIANS TOLD

By BONNIE SAYLES

Tifton Grapevine

Bruce Austin, general manager of WALB-TV, told the Tifton Rotary Club Wednesday about his side job experience as a Division 1 college football referee.

A Rotarian member in Albany, Austin said that the philosophy of being an official meshes somewhat with the Four Way Test of Rotary Clubs:

“Is it the Truth? Is it Fair to all concerned? We do fail on one: It doesn’t Build Friendships. But it will be Beneficial to all concerned.

"If we (refs) weren’t standing there, you’ll find out how riotous things can go” on the gridiron.

Austin said the goal is to have as few flags as possible in a game. For instance, in every play, there’s a hold going on somewhere, he said. “Not every hold counts as far as where the play goes and making a call. You ask yourself, ‘Does it affect the play?’” 

He said he stressed the respect between officials and coaches. “Coaches have a stressful job. I wouldn’t want someone coming into WALB and messing with my livelihood. My job is to officiate the football game and make it as fair as possible.”

He said officials have a weekly meeting where they are graded on every foul they had and the ratio of how many calls and missed calls there were. At an end of the year meeting, officials look at every single foul during the year and whether they were called correctly.

Being a football official requires an investment in time and money, with travel,  training, and uniforms. But Austin said it pays off in experiences such as having the opportunity to work in Neyland Stadium in Tennessee, which fulfilled one of his life’s dreams. 

SECOND SATURDAY RETURNS

IN DOWNTOWN TIFTON

This Saturday, Sept. 10, is “Second Saturday” in Downtown Tifton.

Sponsored by the Tifton Merchants Association and Tifton Main Street, “Second Saturday” is observed all day on the second Saturday of each month.

Downtown Tifton hosts sidewalk sales, live music, and food trucks during the event. This Saturday's entertainment will be the Songfarmers of Tifton playing from 2-4 p.m. at the Tifton Gardens stage, along with Tyler Hogan strumming and singing tunes outside of Vintage 41 from 4-7 p.m.

Each month, organizers provide a mix of entertainment. When cooler weather begins, nighttime entertainment will return during Second Saturdays.

ABAC HOLDING 9/11 OBSERVANCE SUNDAY

The Student Government Association at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College will host a 9/11 Memorial Service in remembrance of those whose lives were lost on Sept. 11, 2001.

The service will be held at the ABAC Chapel from 9-10 a.m. Sunday. ABAC students will speak about what the day means to them, and there will be a presentation of colors from the Coffee High JROTC.

The event is organized by ABAC’s Student Government Association and the American Legion Post 515 from Coffee County. Caleb Bagley, ABAC’s Student Government Association president, said it is important that the day be remembered by the entire community.

“We’re in full swing of the fall semester, and our schedules are packed. But in the midst of all of that, we need to remember a promise we made 21 years ago,” he said. “We promised not only to ourselves but to the victims to never forget."

The ceremony is open to the public.

Pictured from left are Austin Stripling and Heather Prince Stripling of Prince Automotive; Mandy Brooks, TRMC Foundation; and Heidi Prince Massey and John B. Prince of Prince Automotive.

PRINCE TOYOTA GIVES TO TRMC FOUNDATION

Prince Toyota, in conjunction with Toyota Motor Sales, recently made a $5,000 donation to the Tift Regional Medical Center Foundation.

The donation will assist projects of the TRMC Foundation, which will include quality health care for all patients within the hospital’s 12-county service area, funding of scholarships, efficient medical technology, community programs, and financial aid for patient families. 

The funds will also benefit the annual “Hearts & Diamonds” Gala.

Prince Toyota said it is proud to be a partner with the Tifton community; this grant has been funded for 12 consecutive years.

ABAC PROF AIDING GOPHER FROG REPOPULATION

South Georgians are accustomed to spotting gopher tortoises slowly navigating the area landscape. But gopher frogs have been slowly disappearing from Southern pinelands for decades.

Dr. Vanessa Lane, an associate professor of wildlife ecology and management at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, is partnering with agencies to help replenish the species.

For years, state biologists have collected gopher frog egg masses from the few remaining healthy populations to raise in captivity. The egg masses were distributed to facilities at the University of Georgia, The Amphibian Foundation, and Warm Springs National Fish Hatchery.

Earlier this year, the Ga. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) asked Lane to start the state’s fourth captive-rearing facility.

“It’s very exciting to be part of this project,” Lane said. “I’ve only seen one gopher frog in the wild. They’re quite rare.”

The medium-sized, toad-like frog needs pine savannas and wetlands, habitats that have become rare throughout the Southeast because of fire, conversion to agriculture, and intensive forestry. Over the past decade, the Georgia DNR, along with private organizations and other government agencies, have purchased and protected new habitat areas for the species.

Now, they just need the frogs.

The Gaskins Forest Education Center in Alapaha agreed to take in the egg masses and raise the frogs there. Once there, Lane takes the miniature adults, called “metamorphs,” and weighs, feeds, and marks each one prior to release.

“We’re trying to boost populations,” Lane said. “Getting the frogs past the egg and tadpole stage gives them the best shot at surviving to adulthood.”

YOUR GUIDE TO ACTIVITIES THIS WEEKEND IN THE TIFTAREA

Sunday, Sept. 11, is Patriot Day, a day of remembrance honoring the lives and bravery of American citizens and uniformed personnel in one of the world’s most terrible terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 9

• Guided Historical Trail Tour, 6 p.m., Reed Bingham State Park, Adel
• Omega Pepper Festival, 6-10 p.m., Ponder Park, Omega
• Tiftarea Academy Panthers varsity football @ Westfield Hornets, 7:30 p.m., Perry

SATURDAY, SEPT. 10

• Omega Pepper Festival, 10 a.m.- 10 p.m., Ponder Park, Omega
• Second Saturday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Downtown Tifton
• Ride for Recovery, 10 a.m.-Noon, Tifton Harley-Davidson to Fulwood Park, Tifton
• 2nd Annual Recovery Fest, Noon-3 p.m., Fulwood Park, Tifton

SUNDAY, SEPT. 11 (Patriot Day)

• 9/11 Memorial Service, 9-10 a.m., ABAC Chapel, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, Tifton

ADVERTISE YOUR

YARD SALE HERE

TO ADVERTISE YOUR YARD SALE,

CONTACT US at 

yardsales@tiftongrapevine.com 

or 478-227-7126

Fees are $1 per word, paid in advance

“Chubbs” is among the pets available for adoption at the Tift County Animal Shelter on Highway 125 South between 1-6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. For additional information, call 229-382-PETS (7387).