Many folks have stopped through the years to take a picture of the ‘World’s Largest Peanut’ in Ashburn off I-75. In April 2014, actors Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher stopped in Ashburn and posted this photo on social media, which was published around the world as folks speculated that they were hinting about a possible baby on the way, and about seven months later the couple did have their first child. 

ASHBURN LANDMARK

PEANUT MONUMENT

BEING REPAIRED

‘WORLD’S LARGEST PEANUT’ KNOCKED DOWN

BY HURRICANE MICHAEL IN 2018

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

Since Hurricane Michael walloped South Georgia and toppled Ashburn’s big peanut in 2018, Turner County officials have been working to get the 20-foot-tall monument back up along Interstate 75.

On Wednesday, state Sen. Carden Summers, R-Cordele, formally presented Turner County officials with $55,000 from the Ga. Department of Agriculture to cap the local fundraising efforts to restore the Ashburn landmark.

The monument’s restoration will cost more than $80,0000. The Turner County Young Farmers group had already raised about $12,000, and the Ashburn-Turner County Chamber of Commerce had previously contributed $15,000 toward the project.

“The City of Ashburn and Turner County worked together to make this happen, along with the community – the Chamber of Commerce, Young Farmers, and other organizations,” Summers said.

“This just shows what can happen when a city and county and all the players come together for a common cause."

Summers said the Ashburn-Turner County Chamber of Commerce provided him with the monument's history. The big peanut, built atop a crown on a brick base in 1975, was made the state’s official peanut monument in 1998. 

Summers then found a section in the state code that allows for the restoration of state monuments and was able to get the funding in the state budget with the aid of Senate Appropriations Chairman Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia.

“I was really blown away how many people around the state know Turner County because of that peanut,” Summers said.

Officials hope the monument will be fully restored by mid 2023. 

Georgia leads the nation in peanut production; nearly half of all of all peanuts grown in the United States come from Georgia.

16-YEAR-OLD SHOT IN TIFTON;

MAN CHARGED IN CONNECTION

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

A 16-year-old girl was shot Wednesday night in Tifton and was in critical condition Thursday, Tifton Police said. A Tifton man was arrested Thursday morning and charged in connection with the shooting.

Kylie Rose Gibbs, 16, of Tifton, was life-flighted to Tallahassee, Fla., in critical condition, Tifton Police said. Witnesses told police that “unknown persons" shot into Kylie Gibbs’s vehicle multiple times and then fled the scene.

At approximately 9:20 a.m. Thursday, D’Qwaun Dontavious Watts, 27, of Tifton, was arrested and charged with two counts of party to a crime of assault and one count of party to a crime of criminal damage to property first degree in connection with the shooting, Tifton Police said. Watts was being held Thursday in Tift County Jail. 

At approximately 8:36 p.m. Wednesday, Tift County Sheriff’s deputies responded to Dr. GC Hill Drive in reference to a gunshot victim and found Kylie Gibbs with a gunshot wound. Deputies determined that the shooting occurred nearby on Woodlawn Avenue between Popular Avenue and Elm Street in Tifton.

The Tifton Police Department requested the assistance of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Region 15 Sylvester field office to assist with the investigation. 

"We are not releasing any further information at this time due to this being an active and ongoing investigation,” Tifton Police said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Tifton Police Tip Line at 229-391-3991 or call Detective Michael Gaskins at 229-382-3132.

TOTAL COVID-19 CASES RISE IN TIFT BY 164 IN 2 WEEKS, STATE DPH REPORTS

Tift County's total COVID-19 cases have risen by 164 in the past two weeks with no additional deaths, according to the state Department of Public Health (DPH).

That number includes rapid tests and confirmed PCR tests. It represents only those results reported to the health department and do not include at-home testing.

Confirmed positive PCR results during the past two-week period totaled 47.

Tift County’s total positive cases represent 402 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 18.3%, the DPH said.

Tift has seen a total of 6,666 confirmed cases with 170 confirmed deaths, the DPH said.

The state has recorded a total of 2,213,523 confirmed cases and 32,998 related deaths, the DPH said. There were 21,498 more total cases reported in the past week and 130 additional deaths statewide. There also were 826 COVID-related hospitalizations in Georgia in the past week, the DPH reported.

The state reports COVID-19 data once a week.

STOLEN GUNS IN UNLOCKED CARS FUEL LOCAL CRIME, D.A. SAYS

By BONNIE SAYLES

Tifton Grapevine

One of the best ways to cut crime in our community is to keep loaded guns out of unlocked cars, Tift Circuit District Attorney Bryce Johnson told the Tifton Rotary Club on Wednesday.

In eight of the last 12 murders in Tift County, with the exception of the shooting three weeks ago in the intersection of Tift Avenue and U.S. Highway 82, the suspects are under age 17.

“One is 13, who was the trigger man in one of the murder cases,” Johnson said.

The weapons they are using are expensive – Glocks or AR-15s that cost $1,000. These kids are stealing them from unlocked vehicles, Chief Assistant District Attorney Patrick Warren told the Rotary Club. “These are loaded semi-automatic weapons,” he said. “These are the people we need to be afraid of.” 

In September 2020, 72 loaded firearms were taken from unlocked vehicles in one month in Tifton, Warren said.

Johnson told Rotarians that drugs and gangs are the cause of nearly all of his circuit’s caseloads in the four counties: Tift, Irwin, Turner, and Worth. 

“In the late 1980s when crack cocaine became a thing here in South Georgia, cases exploded,” Johnson said. 

With a population of 85,000 people in the Tift Judicial Circuit, the circuit has 4,417 open cases – 49% in Tift – mostly because trials were halted for a year and a half as the pandemic struck, Johnson said.

By comparison, the Americus Judicial Circuit, with a population of 105,000 in six counties, has 3,500 open cases, he said. The Dougherty Circuit, with a population about 5,000 more than the Tift Circuit, has 10,000 open cases, again from the impact of the pandemic in Albany. 

“We’re in the groove trying to get the case load down,” Johnson said. 

Since January 2017, accountability courts are making a difference. “It’s a drug court. They’re not really violent offenders. There’s a counseling component and random drug tests to make sure there is no relapse,” Johnson said. 

Considering that it costs $45 a day to house a person in jail, Johnson said courts should and are doing everything they can to help keep people out of jail and help them be productive, tax-paying citizens.

LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION MEETS WITH TIFT CHAMBER MEMBERS

The Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce held its annual Legislative Appreciation Breakfast Thursday at the Georgia State Chamber's Tifton office.

Speaking to Chamber members about state legislative initiatives were, from left in above photo, state Sen. Carden Summers, R-Cordele; Rep. Sam Watson, R-Moultrie; Rep. Penny Houston, R-Nashville; and Rep. Clay Pirkle, R-Ashburn.

Also in attendance were Charles White and Alice Johnson with the office of Congressman Austin Scott, R-Tifton; Jody Redding with Gov. Brian P. Kemp’s office; and Keith Stone with the Ga. secretary of state's office.

There was a good turnout of Chamber members for the breakfast meeting, as seen in the photo below.

FULWOOD PARK HOSTING NATIONALLY SANCTIONED

DISC GOLF TOURNEY SATURDAY

By BONNIE SAYLES

Tifton Grapevine

A National Amateur Disc Golf Tour-sanctioned Tournament will be held at the Fulwood Disc Golf Course in Tifton’s Fulwood Park on Saturday beginning at 8:10 a.m. with a players meeting. 

Seventy-two players are registered, coming from Valdosta, Tallahassee, Orlando, and South Carolina, in addition to the Tiftarea, according to Tommy Cowart of Valdosta, the tournament director.

“It’s full, but I can add more spots if needed,” he said. 

The first round starts at 8:35 a.m. and continues until 11:30 a.m. The second round is from 12:30-3:30 p.m. 

“Fulwood is amazing scenery and a perfect spot where it's located,” Cowart said. “It is a beginner-friendly course that can also prove to be challenging for the more advanced players.”

This is Cowart’s third NADGT tournament in Tifton; he has run five tournaments here overall. Others were sponsored by Fulwood Legends, the Valdosta Disc Golf Association, and Cowart’s sponsor, Fore! Disc Golf. 

“This is a qualifying tournament for the national championship,” Cowart said. “Winners will receive an invitation to the national championship in Texas, and they are also playing for points to potentially become their state’s points champion.” 

Cowart is a big advocate for women and children playing disc golf.

“I had one woman and one child play in my first tournament,” he said. “Now I have over 20 combined (women and children) playing his weekend. We are growing the sport. Our lowest age playing is seven and our oldest is over 70,” he said.

More tournaments are coming this year and next. The last tournament he ran had more than $1,500 in prizes. This weekend’s tourney is amateur/trophies only. 

“Everyone is welcome to come spectate all day Saturday for free,” Cowart said. “I'll be more than happy to answer any questions or explain how to play or any rules. I’ll even set up one-on-one times to teach them.” He has taught more than 50 people how to play.

For information, click here!

TIFTON-TIFT COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RIBBON CUTTING

Abide Home Care

1914 Old Ocilla Road, Tifton

Aug. 10

TIFTON-TIFT COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RIBBON CUTTING

Tifton’s Best Running

357 Main St., Tifton

Aug. 10

YOUR GUIDE TO ACTIVITIES THIS WEEKEND IN THE TIFTAREA

Today, Friday, Sept. 2, is "V-J Day” – Victory over Japan Day, celebrated in the United States on the day formal surrender documents were signed aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on Sept. 2, 1945, during World War II.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 2

• Wildlife Trail Tour, 6:30 p.m., Reed Bingham State Park, Adel
• Tiftarea Academy Panthers varsity football @ Central Fellowship Christian Academy Lancers, 7:30 p.m., Macon
• Tift County High Blue Devils football @ Colquitt County High Packers, 7:30 p.m., Moultrie

SATURDAY, SEPT. 3

• Guided Wildlife Hike, 6 p.m., Reed Bingham State Park, Adel

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

“Vino,” a male pooch, 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).