Travelers from Florida arrive Tuesday afternoon at Tifton's Hilton Garden Inn.

TIFTON & STATE PREPARE AS HURRICANE IAN APPROACHES 

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

As Hurricane Ian continues barreling toward Florida’s west coast, Tifton is beginning to feel some early effects as evacuees from Florida fill local hotels and Interstate 75 experiences heavier than normal traffic.

The latest estimated track moves the storm east of the Tiftarea toward the Georgia coast, but its potential cone of impact still could bring heavy rain and high winds to Southwest Georgia.

Gov. Brian P. Kemp on Tuesday issued a State of Emergency order for all Georgia counties, saying that heavy rainfall and damaging winds will be possible throughout Georgia.

"Though there is still uncertainty about its ultimate path on Friday and into the weekend, tropical storm force sustained winds of over 40 mph will be possible across all of Georgia on Friday and Saturday,” the governor’s office in a written statement.

"Damaging winds will be possible statewide, even well away from the center of the storm, and downed trees and power lines are possible statewide,” the governor’s office said. "Widespread rainfall of 2 to 4 inches is also possible statewide, with 4 to 6 inches or more forecast in Southeast Georgia. Flash flooding, power outages, and other dangerous situations are possible."

In the latest roundup of Hurricane Ian news late Tuesday:

• Landfall was anticipated just north of Fort Myers, Fla., on Wednesday afternoon and then moving across Central Florida, placing metro Orlando under a hurricane warning.

• Ian was last classified as a Category 3 hurricane.

• Tifton hotels are filling up as evacuees head north. “We have seen a pick up – about 100-plus rooms have been picked up for the coming weekend,” said Kathleen Moore, general manager at the Hilton Garden Inn in Tifton. "Calls have been coming in all day and even late into the evening with people looking for rooms.”

• Kim Neal of Knoxville, Tenn., and her family stayed at Tifton’s Hilton Garden Inn Tuesday night on their way home from a Florida vacation. "We were at Madeira Beach, right across from Tampa Bay, where the hurricane is coming. We were there 10 days, and fortunately our vacation ended today," she said as the family headed into the Tifton hotel. They said I-75 was "crazy," on their trip up to Georgia.

• Abbey McLaren, Tifton’s downtown development director, noted on social media that Tifton will have a lot of visitors in the coming days. "While this is a scary time for them leaving behind their homes and belongings to shelter from the storm, this is an opportunity for us to welcome them ... and show them why we are the Friendly City."

• Peanut and cotton farmers are watching the the storm warily as harvests are underway. Peanut buying points locations that receive, weigh, clean, dry, inspect, grade, and prepare peanuts for storage and shelling have been "working around the clock as farmers that could dig were bringing trailers and semis to the buying point for grading. All hands were busy moving peanuts to storage warehouses after grading. Trailers and semis will have to be covered or placed in drying sheds. The peanut crop could use a couple of inches of rain to loosen the soil for digging. If the storm lingers or slows, flooding could become a problem,” wrote Tyron Spearman of Tifton in his Peanut Farm Market News.

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S.GA. SCHOOLS MOVE UP FOOTBALL GAMES; TIFT TO PLAY THURSDAY

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

Most South Georgia football games that had been scheduled for Friday night have been rescheduled earlier because of the impending arrival of storms from Hurricane Ian.

Tift County High School announced late Tuesday that the Blue Devils game at Northside High School in Warner Robins has been moved to 5 p.m. this Thursday at McConnell-Talbert Stadium, 400 South Davis Drive, in Warner Robins.

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Tiftarea Academy also moved up its game with Valwood to 6 p.m. Thursday in Chula, rather than Friday night when TA’s homecoming was scheduled.

“We have moved all Homecoming activities scheduled for Friday night to the next home game, Oct. 14,” said Heather Fletcher, Tiftarea Academy’s spokesman.

Irwin County has moved its home game against Swainsboro to 7 p.m. Thursday, and Cook County will play at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at home against Sumter County.

The Berrien County at Jeff Davis game has been moved to Wednesday, and Worth County will play at Dodge County on Thursday.

Several schools said other team sports contests will also be adjusted. The Georgia High School Association is leaving it up to individual schools to determine what games need to be rescheduled because of the hurricane.

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HURRICANE IAN PROMPTS RESCHEDULING OF VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT FAIR

The Seventh Annual Volunteer Recruitment Fair has been rescheduled to Thursday, Oct. 6, at 4-6 p.m. at the Syd Blackmarr Art Center.

Originally planned for this week, Coastal Plain Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) postponed the event because of anticipated weather issues from Hurricane Ian. 

The event allows local non-profit organizations to inform individuals in the community about ways they can serve as a volunteer in the local area, said Julie Mitcham, advocacy coordinator with Coastal Plain CASA.

For additional information, call Darcie Norton, recruitment and training coordinator with Coastal Plain CASA, 229-386-9765, or email dnorton@cpcasa.org

From left are Kiwanians Mary Teter, Tom Shoup, Lavonia Hobgood, Dave Nehring, Melvin Thompson, Deidre Martin, Barbara Reese, Renae Woods, Barbara Wilber, and Ben Baker.

TIFTON KIWANIS CLUB INSTALLS NEW PRESIDENT, OFFICERS

The Kiwanis Club of Tifton held its Fish Fry/BBQ Officer Installation Banquet on Thursday at Melvin Thompson’s barn.

Kiwanis District 13 Lt. Gov. Ben Baker of the Ashburn club installed the new officers. Outgoing club President Barbara Wilber handed her gavel to incoming President Barbara Reese. New member pins were also distributed.

The officers include Vice President Tom Shoup, President-Elect Dave Nehring, Secretary Renae Woods, and Treasurer Deidre Martin. The incoming Board of Directors include Lavonia Hobgood, Mary Teter, and Melvin Thompson.

FIRST TUESDAY CONCERT FEATURES ABAC MUSIC FACULTY MEMBERS

Music faculty members will open the 20th season of the First Tuesday Concert Series at 7 p.m. Oct. 4 at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.

Dr. Jennifer Huang, Fine Arts Department head, said all five performances in the First Tuesday Series will be held in ABAC’s Howard Auditorium. Each event is free and open to the public.

"This is our 20th season, and we want to make it really special,” Huang said. “Dr. Susan Roe started the series, and it has been a constant joy for members of the South Georgia community ever since.”

Performing Tuesday are, in the photo from left, Dr. Andrew Peal on the trombone, 

Sheri Wyles on the flute, Huang on the piano, and vocalist Marti Schert. Selections will include the works of Mozart, Jorgensen, Brun, and Chopin.

Other performances in the First Tuesday lineup include A Night of Jazz featuring The Thomas Heflin Quintet on Nov. 1; A Night of Choral Singing featuring Fredrik Shorter and the Blakely Mass Choir on Feb. 7; A Night of Chamber Music featuring Quartet Giocoso on March 7; and A Night of Broadway Music on April 4.

For information, contact Huang at zheng.huang@abac.edu

TIFTAREA ACADEMY NAMES HOMECOMING COURT

Tiftarea Academy has announced the selection of its 2022 Homecoming attendants. 

Tiftarea Academy’s homecoming game has been rescheduled for Friday, Oct. 14, at 7:30 p.m. in Chula. A queen will be crowned during the halftime festivities. 

Pictured from left are, front row: Eighth-grade representative Kirkland Sumner, daughter of Thomas and Kelly Sumner of Norman Park; freshman Kate Phillips, daughter of Kevin and Nan Phillips of Fitzgerald; sophomore Jasmine Olson, daughter of Daryl and Maryjane Olson of Tifton; and junior Greyson Smith, daughter of Dr. Dan and Nancy Smith of Tifton.

In the back row from left are: Seniors Elli Bryan, daughter of Jeffrey and Traci Young, and Tracy Bryan of Sumner; Ali Strenth, daughter of Dwayne and the late Amy Strenth of Sylvester; and Julie Sandlin, daughter of Jason and Jessica Sandlin of Poulan. 

TIFTON GRAPEVINE'S CAT OF THE WEEK

“Relish,” a female kitty, is available for adoption today at the Tift County Animal Shelter. To adopt Relish and to see other pets available, visit the shelter between 1-6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, or call 229-382-PETS (7387).

SIX NEW BRICK STORES IN DOWNTOWN TIFTON

~ SEPT. 29, 1899

On Sept. 29, 1899, local press reports noted that ground was broken that week for six new brick stores, five on the west side of Tifton’s Main Street. W.B. Parks was erecting four of the Main Street buildings, and L.S. Shepard & Co. was building the other one. Also M.S. Harrison began work on a brick hardware store building on Third Street downtown.