Ga Dem/GOP Views on Infrastructure

Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021

Tifton, Georgia

478-227-7126 ~ www.tiftongrapevine.com

INFRASTRUCTURE BILL GOOD OR BAD?

IT DEPENDS IF ONE IS A GEORGIA DEMOCRAT OR

GA REPUBLICAN IN CONGRESS

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

The $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, which President Joe Biden signed into law Monday, is either a needed boon for Georgians, improving rural broadband, roads, and bridges, or it is a bill of "unpopular liberal policies" and part of Biden's "socialist agenda,” depending on whether one is a member of Georgia's Democratic or Republican congressional delegation.

In Congress, the state’s senators and representatives voted on the bill along party lines, with all Georgia's Democrats in favor and the state's Republicans opposed. Overall, the full congressional vote had 13 House Republicans voting for the bill along with 19 GOP senators, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., voting for it.

Congressman Austin Scott, R-Tifton, has blasted the Republicans from other states who voted in support of the infrastructure legislation, calling it a "trojan horse."

"It is $1.2 trillion in total spending, but only a sliver of that is dedicated to traditional infrastructure projects, like roads and bridges,” Scott said. “Thirteen (House) Republicans provided the deciding votes for Speaker Pelosi and helped pass a key piece of President Biden’s socialist agenda. Make no mistake about it: The Republicans who voted for this ... helped pave the way for the Reconciliation package to be brought up in the coming weeks, which will lead to higher taxes and more federal control of our lives.”

Scott added that "Democrats have again rammed through unpopular liberal policies. They are completely out of touch with Americans, or they simply don’t care what they think.”

Georgia's two Democratic U.S. senators have an opposite view of the legislation.

“This historic bipartisan bill will upgrade our infrastructure, promote clean energy, and create good-paying jobs that will benefit Georgians for generations to come,” said U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga.

“The investments we make now will set us forward on a path toward sustainability, innovation, and world-class transit and transportation across our state. And we have proven that America’s elected leaders can rise above partisanship to serve the national interest,” Ossoff said.

U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., said that “we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to repair our nation’s aging infrastructure while addressing the worsening climate crisis and supporting job growth, including the clean energy jobs that will move Georgia into the future.”

Warnock's office did not respond Tuesday to queries by the Tifton Grapevine, but the senator had told a Columbus TV station on Monday that much work must still be done to get the funds to local governments so they can begin working on rebuilding communities.

“In my view, it can’t come soon enough, but know that I’m working every single day to make sure that these resources get to where they need to go and that they get there as soon as possible," Warnock had said.

Ossoff said the infrastructure bill will bring more than $11 billion in investments to the Peach State to upgrade Georgia’s transportation and transit infrastructure, public schools, broadband internet, energy grid, airports, ports, and more.

According to Ossoff's office, the infrastructure legislation includes $8.9 billion to fund repairs of Georgia roads and highways, and $225 million for bridge replacement and repairs in the state.

The bill also has at least $100 million to help provide broadband coverage across rural Georgia and establishes the Affordability Connectivity Benefit to help more than 3 million low-income Georgians afford internet access, Ossoff's office said.

Among other provisions are a $500 million grant program to make infrastructure and energy efficiency upgrades at public schools in Georgia and across the country, $55 billion to replace lead pipes and service lines in public schools and buildings in Georgia and across the country, and $1.36 billion to improve and expand public transportation statewide over the next five years – all proposals that Ossoff's office said he championed.

Among the public transit projects to be funded are about $9 million for Valdosta and about $11 million for Albany, Ossoff's office said.

GBI CHARGES WORTH COUNTY DEPUTY IN DOMESTIC INCIDENT

CHIEF DEPUTY RAY DRENNON IS EX-TIFTON ASST. POLICE CHIEF

Worth County Chief Deputy Raymond Drennon, a former assistant police chief in Tifton, was arrested Monday by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, charging him with three counts involving a domestic incident at his home, the GBI says.

Drennon, 60, is charged with one count of violation of oath by a public officer, one count of terroristic threats and acts, and one count of cruelty to children in the third degree, the GBI said.

Worth County Sheriff Don Whitaker earlier Monday had asked the GBI to investigate a domestic incident that occurred at Drennon’s home, according to the GBI.

Drennon was taken to the Worth County Jail, and the criminal investigation is ongoing, the GBI said.

When contacted Tuesday, Sheriff Whitaker told the Tifton Grapevine that Drennon "is no longer employed here. The GBI was asked to handle this case right after we got the call. The agent came to the scene. The Sheriff’s Office wanted to show complete transparency."

Whitaker did not say when Drennon left the Sheriff's Office. As of Tuesday night, Drennon was still listed as a contact on the Worth County Sheriff's Office website.

Drennon previously served as interim police chief in Sylvester between 2018 and 2019. Before that, he was assistant police chief in the Tifton Police Department.

Tom Gehl, the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) governmental relations director, and Tifton Mayor Julie Smith, the GMA's Legislative Policy Council chair, testify before the Senate State and Local Governmental Operations Committee.

TIFTON MAYOR TESTIFIES AGAINST PROPOSED NEW BUCKHEAD CITY

Tifton Mayor Julie B. Smith, in her role as a Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) official, was among those testifying recently before a state Senate Committee against a proposal to create the new City of Buckhead out of the City of Atlanta.

The effort for Buckhead cityhood is moving forward, with legislation calling for a referendum being pre-filed. An opposition group has started a yard-sign campaign as part of the effort to keep Atlanta together.

The Senate State and Local Governmental Operations Committee held a hearing recently on the proposed Buckhead City, a measure which would de-annex portions of Atlanta to create the new city. In testimony, the GMA told the committee that the association opposes the creation of any new city using portions of an existing city.

If the General Assembly allows that precedent, the GMA said this approach to incorporation may have negative affects on all municipal bonds and credit ratings in the state.

“An S&P Global report ... predicted that creating a new city from an existing city could lead to a weakened credit rating for all of Georgia’s cities, especially if similar actions become more frequent without considerations for overall operations and liabilities,” said Tom Gehl, GMA governmental relations director.

Mayor Julie Smith, who is also GMA's first vice president, said that the “cityhood proponents have asked for the opportunity to cast a vote, but the Buckhead City proposal is an attempt to circumvent the local election process they already have access to. Instead of voting for a new mayor and council, they wish to create an entirely new government, without allowing for the entire city, council or citizens to have a say or a vote.”

Smith said Buckhead could be a precedent to “elevate any local spat” to a state controversy and leave legislators “playing referee on local arguments that are well outside of your own districts.”

TIFT SEES 3 COVID CASES,

NO DEATHS IN PAST WEEK

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

Tift County recorded three new

COVID-19 cases and no related deaths in the past week, according to data released Tuesday.

In the past two weeks, Tift has seen 12 confirmed cases, representing 29 per 100,000. When rapid Antigen test results are added, Tift had 39 total cases during the period, representing 96 per 100,000., according to the state Department of Public Health (DPH).

Tift's testing positivity rate is 2% in the past two weeks. The county has a total of 4,877 confirmed cases with 139 related deaths, the DPH said.

The state has recorded a total of 1,275,238 confirmed cases with 25,368 deaths, the DPH reported. During the 24 hours between Monday and Tuesday, Georgia reported 771 new confirmed cases of the virus with nine related deaths, and 164 new hospitalizations, the DPH said.

The percentage of Tift countians fully vaccinated remains at 40%, according to DPH data. Statewide, 51% of eligible Georgians are now fully vaccinated, the DPH reported Tuesday.

Angie Saturday, Exchange Club public safety chair, from left, Carlos Martinez, and Tifton Fire Battalion Chief Tommy Garren.

TIFTON EXCHANGE CLUB NAMES FIREFIGHTER OF YEAR

The Exchange Club of Tifton recently presented the Firefighter of the Year award to firefighter Carlos Martinez of the Tifton Fire Department.

Martinez has been with the fire department for almost three years and was chosen for the award by all his peers within the department.

Battalion Chief Tommy Garren described Martinez as always smiling, happy, and who does anything asked of him. “He is not only a great firefighter, but he is a great guy. He is truly an asset to Tifton,” Garren said.

Martinez and his wife, Marisol, were born and raised in Tifton and have two children.

TIFTON

2012 Pineview Ave. Tifton, Ga 31793

GA AG MUSEUM TO SHOWCASE

CANE GRINDING, SYRUP MAKING

From the mule-powered sugar cane mill to the smell of syrup cooking, visitors will become immersed in the days of old on Saturday, Nov. 20, at the annual cane grinding and syrup making at the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College's Georgia Museum of Agriculture.

The museum’s Historic Village is one of the few places where visitors can step back in time to see a mule-powered mill grinding sugar cane.

The sweet juice pouring from the cane mill is transferred to the syrup shed, where it is cooked down in a cast-iron kettle to make cane syrup. Costumed interpreters will explain the process and intricacies of producing a bottle of cane syrup.

Andrew Tucker will entertain with guitar music on the porch of the Gibbs House from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Educational programs will take place throughout the village during the day, including doll-making at the Clark Cabin, quilt-square sewing at the Gibbs House, candle-making at the Simon’s Cabin, grapevine wreath-making at the Cravey House, and more.

The museum will be open from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. Entrance admission is charged.

UGA TIFTON CLASS VISITS

'LITTLE GRAND CANYON'

Dr. Glen Harris' soils and hydrology class at the University of Georgia Tifton campus made its annual trip Friday to the "Little Grand Canyon" in Lumpkin.

Students learned about evaluating how the canyons formed because of poor farming practices implemented in the 1800s.

Some gullies are as deep as 150 feet.

There are more than 1,100 acres with 16 canyons on the site.

Both undergraduate and graduate students made the trip to Providence Canyon State Park.

TIFTAREA ACADEMY ONE-ACT TEAM GETS STATE RUNNER-UP AWARD

Tiftarea Academy's One-Act team has been named state runner-up in Georgia Independent School Association (GISA) competition.

This is the first time since 2005 that Tiftarea Academy's One Act team has placed so high in state competition, and the first time ever within the GISA AAA division.

Sarah Hutto, pictured holding the trophy, was awarded All Star Actor honors, and Reid Phillips received an Honorable Mention.

TIFTON PLAYER FINALIST IN

U.S. TENNIS ASSOCIATION TOURNAMENT

Henley Gabel of Tifton, at right, received the finalist trophy in the U.S. Tennis Association's 10 & Under tennis tournament this past weekend at McKey Park In Valdosta.

Henley won three out of four matches. Pictured at left is her opponent, Medley Perry of Valdosta, who won her division.

TIFTON-TIFT COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

RIBBON CUTTING

Mommy Bee Boutique

255 Brumby Way, Tifton

Nov. 15

TIFTON GRAPEVINE'S CAT OF THE WEEK

"Whiskers" is ready for a good home. To adopt this kitten and to see other pets available for adoption, visit the Tift County Animal Shelter from 1-6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, or call 229-382-PETS (7387).

Pets of the Week are sponsored by:

Branch's Veterinary Clinic

205 Belmont Ave., Tifton, 229-382-6055

ALL TIFTON TOURISTS INVITED TO DINNER

– NOV. 19, 1928

"Every tourist car passing through Tifton" between 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Nov. 19, 1928, was "invited to stay for dinner." If the tourists were in a hurry and couldn’t wait for dinner, they were given a "handout and wishes for a pleasant trip." Those who stopped for dinner received a meal made from Georgia products: Barbecued pig, whole wheat bread, cornsticks, potatoes, slaw, salad, pickles, and sweet potato pie. The meal was handled by the Tift County Board of Trade, the Tifton Twentieth Century Library Club, the Tifton Kiwanis Club, and the Tifton Garden Club.