OCILLA’S HARPER TO TAKE REINS OF GA AGRICULTURE

EX-IRWIN COUNTY SENATOR BECOMES STATE AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER NEXT WEEK

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

A seventh-generation farmer from Ocilla will become Georgia’s 17th agriculture commissioner next week.

Former Republican state Sen. Tyler Harper, elected to his statewide office in November, will take the oath of office from the governor on Thursday, Jan. 12.

Harper, 36, succeeds Gary Black, who served as agriculture commissioner for a dozen years. Since 2013, Harper has served in the state Senate, chairing the Senate’s Natural Resources and Environment Committee and serving as vice chair of the Public Safety Committee.

"I am extremely honored and humbled to have won our election to be Georgia's next commissioner of agriculture,” Harper said. "For the past year and a half, we have been crisscrossing this state, meeting with voters, and sharing our message directly with communities from Blue Ridge to Bainbridge and everywhere in between.

"That message clearly resonated with the voters, and I'm so thankful for their trust and support throughout our campaign. We are going to put that work ethic, record, experience, and passion to work every day to help lower costs, secure fair trade deals, empower our family farmers, invest in the next generation of agriculture, and improve the lives of every farmer and family in our state,” Harper said.

Georgia's new agriculture commissioner grew up on his family’s Ocilla farm, where he grows peanuts, cotton, and timber, and raises beef cattle, and where his family has farmed for more than a century.

Harper graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural engineering and has an associate’s degree from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.

He is an active member in the community, helping lead organizations including his local Rotary Club, the Georgia Young Farmers Association, and the Southern Legislative Conference's Agriculture and Rural Development Committee. He plays in the band at his church, Satilla Baptist in Wray in Irwin County.

Harper recently endorsed state Rep. Sam Watson, R-Moultrie, in the special election for the District 11 state Senate seat, vacant after the resignation of Sen. Dean Burke. Until redistricting last year, Watson’s House district included part of Tift County.

That special election is set for Jan. 31 in District 11, which includes Colquitt, Cook, Seminole, Decatur, Grady, Thomas, and Brooks counties.

UGA FANS PREPARE FOR CHAMPIONSHIP

– BUT NO TAILGATING

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

The Los Angeles stadium hosting Monday’s college football national championship between UGA and TCU has banned tailgating on site, irking Gov. Brian P. Kemp.

"While California may not know this, in the South a tailgate with friends & family is the only way to prepare for a big game. When Georgia hosts the 2025 #NationalChampionship, we'll make sure fans are able to tailgate! Even if it's at the state Capitol!!” Kemp tweeted Thursday.

The Peach State has been chosen to host the national championship game in two years in Atlanta.

SoFi Stadium, home of the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers, is the site of Monday’s game between the the University of Georgia Bulldogs and the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs. The L.A. stadium generally allows tailgating in "designated parking lots and other areas for ticketed guests who have purchased a tailgating pass,” according to its website.

Some national news organizations say that the tailgating ban appears to come from the college football playoff organization. 

Georgia, undefeated at 14-0, will play TCU (13-1) for the national championship. UGA, who last season won its first national title since 1980, is vying for its first consecutive championship.

TCU upset No. 2 Michigan by a score of 51-45 in the Fiesta Bowl semifinal. The Michigan Wolverines were undefeated going into that contest.

Monday’s national championship game will be broadcast on ESPN beginning at 7:30 p.m.

GA RANKS 8th IN GROWTH ON U-HAUL GROWTH INDEX

Georgia is ranked eighth among states in growth during 2022, according to the annual U-Haul Growth Index.

Texas, Florida, and the Carolinas were the top destinations of one-way U-Haul truck customers last year, ranking as the top growth states in U-Haul’s annual Index.

U-Haul transactional data confirms that migration to the Southeast and Southwest U.S. – trends that were amplified and accelerated during the pandemic – continued through last year.

However, do-it-yourself moves slowed slightly in most states from the record-breaking number of moves in 2021, the truck rental company said.

Demand for equipment out of California, Illinois, and New York remained strong in 2022, as more people opted to leave areas of the West Coast, Northeast, and Midwest, U-Haul reported.

California and Illinois ranked 50th and 49th, respectively, on the Growth Index for the third consecutive year, meaning those states saw the greatest net losses of one-way U-Haul truck rentals.

The U-Haul Growth Index is compiled according to the net gain of one-way U-Haul trucks arriving in a state or city vs. departing from that state or city in a calendar year. Migration trends data is compiled from more than 2 million one-way U-Haul truck transactions annually across the U.S. and Canada.

Texas is ranked No. 1 growth state for the second consecutive year. Florida, which ranks second, has been a top-three growth state seven years in a row.

South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Arizona, Georgia, Ohio, and Idaho round out the top 10 growth states.

Posing at the recent ABAC Holiday Luncheon are Destiny Garmon of Tift Regional Medical Center, ABAC President Tracy Brundage, and ABAC Staff Council Chair Jessica Gandy. Garmon, an ABAC alumnus, founded TRMC's Pediatric Plushie Program.

TRMC NURSE TELLS ABAC STAFF ABOUT PROGRAM GIVING COMFORT TO CHILDREN IN ER

Registered nurse Destiny Garmon, an ABAC alumnus, recently made a presentation to cabinet members, faculty, and staff at Abraham Baldwin Agriculltural College's recent holiday luncheon about a Pediatric Plushies program that Garmon founded.

Garmon, with the Tift Regional Medical Center (TRMC) emergency department, discussed how the TRMC Pediatric Plushies program helps to reduce anxiety and fear in children who come into the ER.

She and the TRMC emergency department team use donated stuffed animals to demonstrate medical procedures and provide comfort for kids. In September, Garmon was recognized with a TRMC DAISY Award for her efforts in launching the Pediatric Plushies program. The award is presented to a nurse or nursing team that goes above and beyond its regular duties to address a need.

For this year's holiday luncheon, ABAC team members collected stuffed animals, kiddie band-aids, and coloring books and crayons to support Garmon's initiative.

“We really appreciate this kind of support,” Garmon said. “It helps so much with the kids that we see. I never thought that our idea to start this would go this far.”

Jessica Gandy, chair of the ABAC Staff Council, and got the idea to contribute after reading a story about the Plushies program.

“We think it’s such a great cause, and our folks really showed up,” Gandy said. “We’re all aware of Destiny and the hard work and care she provides for her pediatric patients. We appreciate all of our guests from Tift Regional for coming to our luncheon so we could thank them for what they do for our community.”

The Pediatric Plushies program began last February when Garmon purchased a few stuffed animals. She then raised $705 to buy more through an online fundraiser.

COLQUITT EMC ACCEPTING SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS

Colquitt EMC is accepting applications for the Walter Harrison Scholarship, sponsored by Georgia's member-owned electric cooperatives.

The $1,000 scholarship may be used for academic expenses at any accredited two- or four-year university, college, or vocational-technical institute in Georgia.

Students applying for the Walter Harrison Scholarship must be accepted or enrolled in an accredited undergraduate degree program, complete a two-page application and write a two-page autobiographical sketch with references to future plans and goals.

A combination of need and academic ability is used in determining scholarship winners.

The scholarship was created in 1985 by the board of directors of Georgia Electric Membership Corp., the trade association for the electric cooperatives of Georgia.

“The award pays tribute to the late Walter Harrison, a pioneer in the rural electricity movement and a leader at the local, state and national level in the electric cooperative program,” representatives said.

Applications are available here. The deadline to apply is Feb. 1. Completed applications may be delivered to any Colquitt EMC office or mailed to: Sonya Aldridge, P.O. Box 3608, Moultrie, GA 31776.

Colquitt EMC provides electricity to more than 47,508 members in Berrien, Brooks, Colquitt, Cook, Lowndes, Tift, and Worth counties.

ALBANY AUTHOR

ADDRESSES TIFTON

ROTARY CLUB

Henry C. Duggan III, a retired bank officer and part-time writer from Albany, described and read excerpts from his latest book at Tifton Rotary Club's meeting Wednesday. The book, “Savannah on Fire,” is historical fiction, Duggan said, describing an arson investigator probing who started a fire nearly 200 years ago that destroyed much of what is now Savannah's historic district. The portion he read described how the protagonist is shanghaied at the Seaman’s Inn, now known as The Pirate’s House restaurant. 

COVID-19 CASES RISING IN TIFT COUNTY

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

COVID-19 cases have continued to tick up in Tift County, according to data from the Ga. Department of Public Health.

In the past two weeks, Tift’s confirmed and suspected cases have risen to 160 from 113 cases during the previous two-week period, and the county’s positivity rate has risen to 17.7% from 11.4%, according to the DPH.

Tift County’s confirmed and suspected cases per 100,000 population (the metric used across the nation) is 392 for the past two weeks, compared to 277 in the previous period.

The DPH’s South Health District said that, according to federal CDC guidelines, Georgians should get an updated bivalent COVID-19 booster at least two months after completing the primary vaccination series or last booster. If one has had COVID-19, he/she may delay getting a booster by three months after symptoms end.

Weekly COVID-19 data released from the

Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) as of Jan. 4:

TOTAL TIFT COUNTY CASES: 6,799 ...................................... TOTAL DEATHS: 173

CONFIRMED TIFT CASES - 2 weeks: 38 ................................... DEATHS - Past week: 0

TIFT POSITIVITY RATE - 2 weeks: 17.7% ........ CONFIRMED & SUSPECTED CASES: 160

TIFT CONFIRMED & SUSPECTED CASES - 2 weeks, per 100K population: 392

_______________________________________________________________

GEORGIA TOTAL CASES: 2,306,382......................................TOTAL GA DEATHS: 34,374

GA CONFIRMED & SUSPECTED CASES - 1 week: 14,630

GA DEATHS - 1 week: 77............................................GA HOSPITALIZATIONS - 1 week: 785

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YOUR GUIDE TO ACTIVITIES THIS WEEKEND IN THE TIFTAREA

Today, Jan. 6, is Epiphany, marking the final celebratory day of the Christian holiday season. It is commonly associated with the day the Three Wise Men arrived at Jesus' manger.

FRIDAY, JAN. 6

• Tift County High Blue Devils basketball @ Veterans High, 7:30 p.m., Veterans High School, Kathleen

SATURDAY, JAN. 7

• Artist Reception: Kathleen Jones “Be Still” exhibit, 5:30-7 p.m., Plough Gallery, Tifton
• Tift County High Blue Devils basketball vs. Thomas County Central, 7:30 p.m., TCHS, 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

“Zelda" is available for adoption today at the Tift County Animal Shelter. Visit her and other pets available for adoption at the Animal Shelter, on Highway 125 South between 1-6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. For additional information, call 229-382-PETS (7387).

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