Heartwood Land Co.’s proposal is to build 24 townhomes and a professional office building off Kent Road adjacent to Tift County High School.

DEVELOPERS PROPOSE NEW TOWN HOMES ON WHIDDON MILL, KENT ROADS

TWO UNRELATED PROJECTS HEAD TO CITY COUNCIL

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

A total of approximately 74 new townhomes would be built in Tifton in two unrelated proposals, one on Kent Road near Tift County High School and the other on Whiddon Mill Road in the Mill Ridge subdivision.

The Tifton Planning & Zoning Commission on Monday endorsed the projects and sent them on to Tifton City Council for final approval.

The P&Z Commission endorsed developer Robert Massey’s plan to build 24 townhomes and a professional office building on Kent Road with the stipulation that a traffic study be undertaken. Several nearby residents raised concerns about traffic on Kent Road because of the existing professional offices, the Cypress Ridge development, and the high school already causing some congestion.

In November, Massey’s Heartwood Land Co. initially proposed placing a retail establishment along with the townhomes, but after the P&Z Commission registered concerns, Massey revised the plan to change retail to a professional office building.

The commission also endorsed a concept by Valdosta developer Cole Davis of Acquisitions South LLC to build approximately 50 townhomes on 6.42 acres on Whiddon Mill Road at the Mill Ridge subdivision. An existing Planned Development Overlay lists future retail development for the site; Davis said residential use would be more compatible.

Some nearby residents expressed concerns about whether any new sidewalks would be created and where community garbage bins would be located for the townhomes, saying they didn’t wish to see large garbage bins near the subdivision's entrance.

TIFTON CONSIDERS CLOSING FULWOOD PARK AT SUNSET

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

The City of Tifton is considering closing Fulwood Park between dusk and dawn daily in the wake of recent nighttime crimes in the park.

“Lots of crime happens at nighttime,” Acting City Manager Emily Beeman told Tifton City Council Tuesday night. “To protect citizens and in the best interest of the park ... we would like to update the ordinance to allow the park to be closed at sundown and open up at sunrise.”

Under the city’s current ordinance, the park closes at 10 p.m. and reopens at 7 a.m. 

Just before Thanksgiving, a local public school teacher was shot at while she sat in her vehicle at the park after dark, and a drug deal gone wrong inside Fulwood Park Saturday night resulted in two men robbing another of cash, an iPhone, and drugs.

“My personal opinion is the park is just as safe today as a few months ago,” Beeman said. “We just have a bigger spotlight on it now.”

She said even if the park hours are changed, the park could still stay open later for special events, such as festivals.

“We just don’t want any vehicular or pedestrian traffic (in Fulwood Park) after sundown,” said Mayor Julie B. Smith.

“We’ve got to do some sort of drastic measures, in my opinion, to really be able to get hold of everything to be able to take the park back,” the mayor said. “We’re doing everything possible we can do to make it as safe, as user-friendly as possible, but making sure that there’s no issue with being in the park at the appropriate time.”

Beeman said the city is reviewing the location and type of surveillance cameras needed in the park as well as improving lighting. Smith said some lights were recently turned off intentionally to showcase the recent Christmas lights display in the park.

The mayor also said the city doesn’t own the park, that it has an easement for its use from the Tift family. “We have use of it as a park if we maintain it,” Smith said. Otherwise, it reverts back to the Tift family.

“It’s private property that we have an easement to use for public enjoyment,” the mayor said.

KEMP PROPOSES REFUNDS, PROPERTY TAX RELIEF

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

Gov. Brian P. Kemp was inaugurated to a second term Thursday and proposed income tax refunds and property tax relief for Georgians.

“We will once again return $1 billion of your income tax in the regards of a refund for our taxpayers this year, and second, we will allocate $1.1 billion for a one-time homeowner property tax relief grant,” Kemp said.

"I'm putting you and your families first because that's your money, not the government’s."

The governor also proposed a $2,000 pay raise for all state employees, including law enforcement and educators, and $150 million in one-time grants to schools to fund security, address learning loss, and help paraprofessionals become certified as teachers.

“Our job is to make sure our kids get the best education they can, our streets are safe from crime, our citizens have access to good paying jobs in a state that welcomes opportunity and investment,” Kemp said.

On Thursday, he also administered the oath of office to Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, Attorney General Chris Carr, Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper of Ocilla, State School Superintendent Richard Woods of Tifton, Insurance and Fire Safety Commissioner John F. King, and Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson.

GDOT PLANS ROAD PROJECTS

IN TIFT, BERRIEN, LOWNDES

The Ga. Department of Transportation (GDOT) recently awarded two construction contracts for projects in Tift, Berrien, and Lowndes counties. 

The larger contract is for approximately $5.2 million for milling and plant mix resurfacing on State Route 125 in Tift from north of the New River Tributary Bridge to the Irwin County line.

The project was awarded to East Coast Asphalt Inc.

A $3.2 million contract will resurface 4.65 miles on State Route 34 from east of SR 38 from west of Rocky Ford Road in Lowndes County to east of Jones Street. The contract was awarded to Reames and Son Construction Co.

Project start dates have not been set.

The Tift County Commission is also planning to resurface portions of Whiddon Mill and Jack Bankston roads.

The $1.3 million project involves resurfacing just under five miles of roads.

TIFTON OBSERVES MLK DAY

The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Breakfast will be held at 8:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 16, at the Tift County Recreation Department. 

The guest speaker will be Donnie Carter of Adel, the facility manager for the Tifton Housing Authority. 

A community advocate, Carter is a member of Brothers Helping Others and the Recreation Board of Adel, and is president of the Tip-Off Club for Cook County basketball. He is a deacon at Miracle Temple Church in Adel.

Tickets are $12 and may be purchased from PLIGHT Inc. members. For ticket details or to sponsor a table, call Tift County Commissioner Melissa Hughes at 229-326-0241 or any PLIGHT member.

Following the breakfast, a commemorative service begins at 11 a.m. at Greater Springfield Baptist Church at 507 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Tifton.

AUTOMATED RV PARK OPENS IN TIFTON

The Stafford Co. has opened Tifton Overnight RV, an automated, contact-less RV park located off of U.S. Highway 82 adjacent to Hilton Garden Inn, offering travelers full hook-ups, pull-through sites, a fenced dog park, and WiFi. 

The park has 34 pull-through sites ranging in size from 48 to 100 feet long for recreational vehicles. 

The RV Industry Association reports that the RV industry has a $3 billion annual economic impact to the Georgia economy.

TIRES & BRAKES STORE NOW OPEN ON 8th STREET

Mavis Tires & Brakes is now open at 1011 W. Eighth St. in Tifton and invites drivers to stop by for a free tire-pressure and visual tire check.

“A simple tire pressure check can help drivers save money on fuel and extend the life of their tires,” said Brian Sisson, senior vice president of retail operations.

Mavis has more than 120 retail locations in Georgia and more than 850 stores nationwide.  

CHOCOLATE-TASTING EVENT RETURNS TO BENEFIT LITERACY VOLUNTEERS

After a three-year hiatus because of COVID, the "Choc-It-Up for Literacy" is back in Tifton.

Literacy Volunteers of Tifton-Tift County just approved a new location, The Station at 101 N. Tift Ave., and the date is Tuesday, Feb. 7, at 6:30 p.m.

The Choc-It-Up is a time for local restaurants, bakeries, jewelers, and gift shops to showcase their products a week before Valentine’s Day. Attendees will get plenty of ideas for their special night with their loved ones during silent and live auctions, and enjoying a night on the town tasting chocolate.

Attendees vote for the Best Tasting, the Most Original, the Greatest Variety, and Presentation. Milk, coffee, and wine are provided.

Tickets are $30 in advance and $40 at the door. Tickets may be purchased at Cole’s Cakery and other locations to be announced. Follow the Literacy of Tifton-Tift County Facebook page for updates, or email tiftlv@gmail.com to participate in the event.

Bakers and restaurants are invited to share up to 100 samples of their chocolate desserts for attendees to taste. 

Literacy Volunteers recruits and trains tutors to work one-on-one with clients, teaching adults to read or to prepare for the GED exam, or to learn English. Also, the nonprofit agency has provided transportation to Adult Education students at Southern Regional Technical College's Tifton campus, for the free GED classes. 

For information contact Literacy Board members Bonnie Sayles, Hannah Lovelace, Victor Pires, Melissa Burtle, Jarrod Roberts, Melanie Nunley, Carolyn West, Roxie Price, or Executive Director Andrea McLemore at 229-391-2527.

Weekly COVID-19 data released from the

Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) as of Jan. 11:

TOTAL TIFT COUNTY CASES: 6,817 ...................................... TOTAL DEATHS: 173

CONFIRMED TIFT CASES - 2 weeks: 40 ................................... DEATHS - Past week: 0

TIFT POSITIVITY RATE - 2 weeks: 19.4% ........ CONFIRMED & SUSPECTED CASES: 155

TIFT CONFIRMED & SUSPECTED CASES - 2 weeks, per 100K population: 380

_______________________________________________________________

GEORGIA TOTAL CASES: 2,315,404......................................TOTAL GA DEATHS: 34,472

GA CONFIRMED & SUSPECTED CASES - 1 week: 13,555

GA DEATHS - 1 week: 99............................................GA HOSPITALIZATIONS - 1 week: 864

YOUR GUIDE TO ACTIVITIES THIS WEEKEND IN THE TIFTAREA

Saturday, Jan. 14, is Ratification Day, when the United States commemorates the ratification of the Treaty of Paris by the Confederation Congress, which ended the Revolutionary War and established America as an independent nation. It was on this day that the U.S. Congress officially declared the war to be over.

SATURDAY, JAN. 14

• "Second Saturday," all day, Downtown Tifton
• Tift County High Blue Devils basketball @ Lee County High, 7:30 p.m., Leesburg

THIS WEEKEND'S

YARD SALE

Estate/Moving Sale

Date: Saturday, January 14

Times: 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

2020 Hall Avenue, Tifton

________________________________________________



TO ADVERTISE YOUR YARD SALE,

CONTACT US at 

yardsales@tiftongrapevine.com 

or 478-227-7126

Fees are $1 per word, paid in advance

“Sully" is patiently awaiting a new home. He is available for adoption today at the Tift County Animal Shelter. Visit him 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).

L. CLARK LANDRUM

TIFTON – L. Clark Landrum, 87, of Tifton passed away Thursday, January 5, 2023, at Tift Regional Medical Center. His funeral service was held at 2 p.m. Sunday, January 8, 2023, in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals with the Rev. Hugh Ward officiating. Mr. Landrum’s friends offered eulogies. Mr. Landrum was laid to rest at Northview Cemetery in Cedartown on Monday, January 9, 2023. 

Born July 3, 1935, in Cedartown, Mr. Landrum was the son of the late Lige Landrum and Annie Mae Landrum. Originally, he was an electrical engineer in California and returned to Georgia to attend law school and practiced law in Sylvester and Tifton. He was a member of Tifton’s First Presbyterian Church. He was also a member of the Georgia Bar Association and he loved his dogs, Bailey and Cote. He was preceded in death by his border collies, Elvis and Duke.

Mr. Landrum is survived by his wife, Melba McDonald Landrum of Tifton; one son, Joel Clark Landrum of Watkinsville; one daughter, Leigh Landrum Davis and her wife, Anita Phillips of Acworth; and two grandchildren, Aidan Landrum of Watkinsville and Claudia Davis of New York, N.Y.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Tift Animal Rescue, 2207 Belmont Ave., Tifton, GA 31794.

You may offer condolences to the family at the online guest registry at www.bowen-donaldson.com. Services for the Landrum family were under the care and direction of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.

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