This mobile home in the Oakridge Mobile Home Park was burned as a result of arson, authorities say.

TIFTON MAN FACES ARSON, FRAUD, DRUG CHARGES

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

A Tifton resident has been charged with first-degree arson, insurance fraud, and several drug charges, authorities say.

Antoniyo Bennett, 43, of Tifton, was taken into custody on April 7, state Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King said Tuesday.

Bennett is being held in the Tift County Jail on the charges, which include trafficking in cocaine/marijuana and possession of a schedule 1 or schedule 2 controlled substance with intent to distribute – all felonies, according to the Tift County Sheriff’s Office.

Oakridge Properties LLC says it filed for a dispossessory warrant on March 10 against Bennett because of back rent owed on a mobile home he was renting at 458 Oakridge Church Road, Lot #1, in the Oakridge Mobile Home Park in Tift County.

On the morning of March 15, the mobile home caught on fire.

State Fire Marshal’s Office investigators responded to the scene on March 30, and investigators received information about potential illicit activity; State Farm Insurance representatives had received the tip from an anonymous caller, said Insurance/Fire Commissioner King.

“A search warrant executed by our agency at a storage unit on April 7 led to the discovery of numerous articles of clothing and household items reported to have been destroyed in the fire,” King said.

“Investigators also found a large number of controlled substances in the unit, including marijuana and fentanyl, which were reported to the Tift County Drug Enforcement Unit.

"Our office is assisted by Tift County Fire Rescue and the Tift County Sheriff’s Office on this investigation,” King said.

BUSINESS EXPO RETURNS THURSDAY

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

With more than 35 vendors. the Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce’s Business Expo returns Thursday to the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center.

The expo runs from 5-7 p.m. and is open to the community.

“We want to promote our local businesses, as well as members, to our community, so that our community knows what our local businesses and organizations have to offer,” said Melody Cowart, Chamber president/CEO.

“It is also a great networking event for attendees and vendors alike,” Cowart said.

"It is a great educational opportunity as well,” added Gabrielle Jarrett, Chamber communications manager.

Door prizes will also be awarded to visitors during the expo.

For information, call the Chamber of Commerce at 229-382-6200.

FIFTH STREET INTERIORS

TIFTON, FITZGERALD, ADEL GETTING GRANTS TO AID DETERIORATING HOUSES

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapeviine

Tifton, Fitzgerald, and Adel are among 12 communities in Georgia receiving Community Home Investment Program (CHIP) grants for stabilizing deteriorating houses.

The Georgia Department of Community Affairs made the announcement Monday that it awarded a total of $5.2 million to the 12 local communities through 2023 CHIP grants, part of an annual allocation of HOME Investment Program funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Tifton, Fitzgerald, and Adel will each receive $400,000 for owner-occupied rehabilitation of single-family homes whose owners' household income make it difficult for making repairs.

CHIP funds are awarded to communities through a competitive and collaborative process that reviews and scores applicants who demonstrate a priority of providing safe, decent, and affordable housing within their community.

The CHIP communities receiving grants will contribute more than $1 million in matching funds. 

Receiving CHIP awards, in addition to the cities of Tifton, Fitzgerald, and Adel, are the cities of Americus, Doerun, Dublin, Eatonton, Madison, Perry, and Jones County, along with two nonprofits – Habitat for Humanity of Milledgeville and the Winder Housing Authority.

NINE TO RECEIVE ABAC ALUMNI AWARDS

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

Nine former Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College students will be honored at the annual ABAC Alumni Association awards luncheon at 12:30 p.m. Friday in Gressette Gymnasium as part of ABAC’s 2023 Homecoming.

The ceremony recognizes alumni who have made an impact on the college and their communities.

The Alumni Association will recognize Dr. Mary Ellen Hicks of Tifton with the Distinguished Alumnus Award; Brittney Gunter Turner of Clermont, Outstanding Young Alumnus Award; Dr. L.C. “Buster” Evans of Bolingbroke, Outstanding Educator Award; Steve Dixon of Alapaha, Outstanding Farmer Award; Ali Ikner of Gordon, Miles A. Drummond Rising Star Award; Chad Sumner of Tifton, Outstanding Business Leader Award; Stan Hutchinson of Tifton, J. Lamar Branch Award; Dannie Sparks Family of Ray City, Family Legacy Award; and Wayne Jones of Dallas, Honorary Alumnus Award.

Hicks has been a professor of animal science at ABAC for more than 30 years and is the only faculty member in the college’s history to receive all three of the top awards for teaching, advising, and student engagement. She is the faculty advisor to the ABAC Cattlemen’s Association.

Turner has worked for the Georgia Museum of Agriculture and played an important role in creating the “Destination Ag” program. Today, she serves as human resources assistant manager at Wayne-Sanderson Farms and chairs the ABAC School of Agriculture and Natural Resources Alumni Council.

Evans is executive director of the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia, which serves more than 500,000 educators from the state’s public schools, colleges and universities. He has served as assistant commissioner of education with the Georgia Department of Corrections, as superintendent of Forsyth County Schools. and as assistant superintendent and superintendent for the Bleckley County School System.

Hutchinson has served in technical service and support roles and was later involved in management and as owner of a John Deere agriculture dealership and in management of a Case IH agriculture equipment dealership. He is retired and serves as president of Shepherd Care Inc., a non-profit organization.

Sumner owns a State Farm Insurance agency in Tifton and has been with the company for more than 30 years. His wife Leigh is also an ABAC alumnus and their children, Anna Leigh and Cameron, are both currently ABAC students.

Ikner serves as certification, training and licensing program manager for the Structural Pest Division of the Ga. Department of Agriculture. She is a member of the ABAC Alumni Association and the Green & Gold Society for graduates of the past decade.

Dixon has been a successful agriculturalist, businessman, and community leader. He started Dixon Farm Supply and opened Dixon Gin Co. The Dixon family grows 2,700 acres of cotton; 3,000 acres of peanuts; 300 acres of corn; has 100 acres of timberland, and has 1,000 acres of pasture land where they graze 800 head of cattle.

Alton Sparks had a key role in establishing the Tifton Experiment Station. His wife Dannie and 15 members of their family attended ABAC and went on to careers in agriculture, education, healthcare, and engineering.

Jones joined the ABAC faculty in 1989 and served as choral and vocal music director for 15 years before being named director of the ABAC Arts Connection.

You are cordially invited to a Health Equity Summit;

a free event organized by Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College

and the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Join us on April 17, 2023, for a day of learning and discussion

about health equity and how we can work together

to address healthcare disparities.

Registration is required to attend this event,

which features keynote speakers and breakout sessions

led by experts in the field.

You can attend all sessions or just the ones that interest you,

and refreshments and lunch boxes will be included.

Don't miss this opportunity to engage with fellow community members, healthcare professionals, and advocates.

Registration begins at 8:30 a.m., first Keynote Speaker at 9:30.

We will send the agenda to people who register

with the QR code or the following link: Click Here.

At the announcement of Ariel Wilson being named a National Outstanding Assistant Principal are, from left, Tift County Superintendent Adam Hathaway, Northeast Middle Principal Jennifer Johnson, Ariel Wilson, and Melanie Sigler with the Georgia Association of Middle School Principals.

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT NORTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL GETS NATIONAL DISTINCTION

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

Ariel Wilson, assistant principal at Northeast Middle School in Tifton, has been selected as a National Outstanding Assistant Principal for 2023.

Melanie Sigler, executive director of the Georgia Association of Middle School Principals, recently made the announcement on behalf of the National Association of Educational School Principals.

Wilson began her career in Tift County in 2012 as a teacher at J.T. Reddick Elementary School. As a classroom teacher, she taught math, science and social studies.

In 2018, she became an assistant principal at the Northeast Campus of Tift County High School. She has remained at the school through the transition to a middle school and has continued to serve in the role of assistant principal.

Wilson and her husband Britt have three children – Brielle, Bryleigh, and Britt Jr.

Tift County High School Dr. Chad Stone with the school’s valedictorian and salutatorian for the Class of 2023.

TCHS NAMES VALEDICTORIAN, SALUTATORIAN FOR CLASS OF ‘23

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

Tift County High School’s valedictorian and salutatorian for the Class of 2023 were announced at a ceremony Monday morning in the TCHS Performing Arts Center. 

With a grade point average of 99.786, Neel Manish Patel was named as the valedictorian, and Gwyneth Marie Conner was named the salutatorian with a grade point average of 99.630.

Before the announcement, all superior honor and honor students were recognized and presented with yard signs to display their accomplishment. 

"These students have 'Relentlessly Pursued a Culture of Excellence,' and that hard work has paid off. Celebrating the success of the Class of 2023 makes us 'Better Today Than Yesterday!’” said TCHS Principal Dr. Chad Stone.

The graduation ceremony for the Class of 2023 will be Saturday, May 20, at Brodie Field. 

TIFT BEAUTY SPOTS OF MONTH

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

Keep Tift Beautiful of Tifton and Tift County has named the residential and commercial Beauty Spots of the Month.

The Guill home at 612 10th St. in Tifton (pictured above) is this month’s residential Beauty Spot, and Tiftarea Pediatrics at 215 12th St. W. (below) is the commercial Beauty Spot.

SPEARMAN SCHOLARSHIP GOES TO FIRST RECIPIENT AT ABAC

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

The new Tyron Spearman Agricultural Scholarship has been awarded the first time to William “Trace” Lamberth, an ABAC freshman crop production major from Sale City.

Spearman (at left in photo with Lamberth) is a well-known name in agriculture. Because of a commitment from the National Peanut Buying Points Association, Spearman is now associated with an ABAC scholarship to benefit future leaders in agriculture.

Lamberth’s career goal is to work as a crop consultant or in his own farm operation. When he is not in classes at ABAC, he can be found hard at work back on the family farm.

“I appreciate this scholarship being awarded to me and am honored to be the first recipient of the Tyron Spearman Agricultural Scholarship,” said Lamberth. “This scholarship will give me the inspiration to exceed my academic and career goals, and I am excited to make Mr. Tyron proud.”

The scholarship is awarded to a full-time student majoring in agricultural communications, agribusiness, or agriculture, with preference for students with documented financial need.

TIFTON MAYOR ATTENDS CONGRESSIONAL CITY CONFERENCE

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

Tifton Mayor Julie B. Smith recently attended the National League of Cities’ (NLC) Congressional City Conference, which brought together more than 2,500 municipal leaders to discuss federal policy issues important to local governments.

Smith attended as a representative of both the City of Tifton, who is a new NLC member, and the Georgia Municipal Association as president.

The conference was an opportunity for local officials to learn from federal leaders, policy experts and fellow local leaders, and connect with experts on such topics as infrastructure, workforce developments, public safety, and sustainability.

“I found it interesting that we share so many challenges, regardless of our size and location, including safety of our residents, homelessness, aging infrastructure, and more,” Smith said.

"But the opportunities are there too, such as collaborative efforts with partners, job growth, and engaging youth. It was particularly interesting to hear from Norfolk Southern. Since there are numerous rail lines running through Tifton, I was able to hear about safety measures and how we can work to best train our first responders. The information provided at all the sessions was amazing.”

TIFTON GRAPEVINE'S CAT OF THE WEEK

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

TIFTON CREATES A BOARD OF TRADE/

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 

~ APRIL 14, 1900

Local businessmen met Saturday night, April 14, 1900, in the offices of Fulwood & Murray "for the purpose of forming a Board of Trade (Chamber of Commerce)." L.G. Manard was elected president; H.H. Tift, first vice president; C.W. Fulwood, second vice president; W.W. Banks, secretary; and Briggs Carson, treasurer. The first order of business was to "make preparations for an effective fight for better freight rates for Tifton."

Tifton Grapevine

e-published every Tuesday and Friday

Frank Sayles Jr.

Editor & Publisher

Bonnie Sayles

Managing Editor