Feb. 28,

2014

Tifton Georgia

www.tiftongrapevine.com

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BBQ, TUNES TAKE OVER TIFTON

Are you ready for some barbecue and some great music? Well, the Rhythm & Ribs festival returns to Tifton this weekend in a big way.

Last held in 2009 and 2010 as a Memphis Barbecue Network sanctioned event, this year's festival will have cooks from across Georgia visiting Tifton to earn points toward their season championship.

It is now a sanctioned Georgia Barbecue Association event at Fulwood Park.

There is a "Fun Cook" division for amateurs. In all, over $10,000 in cash prizes will be awarded for the area's best barbecue.

The weekend starts Friday, Feb 28, with recording artist Edwin McCain performing at the Tift Theatre for the Performing Arts. McCain is best known for his Top 10 hits "I'll Be" and "I Could Not Ask For More."

Entertainment continues all day on Saturday, March 1 as seven acts perform on the Syd Blackmarr Stage at Fulwood Park beginning at 11 a.m. with local favorites Adam Smith and Josh Salter. At noon, Scott Fields performs, followed by the Tracie Victoria Mattox Band at 1 p.m.

At 2:30 p.m., the Yankee Slickers take the stage, followed by Andy Miller at 4 p.m., and Street Choir: A Tribute to Van Morrison (featuring Greg Hester w/ Soul Gravy) at 5:30 p.m.

The Randall Bramblett Band will headline at 7 p.m. Saturday. Bramblett has recently played with the Allman Brothers, Bonnie Raitt and Widespread Panic. All entertainment on Saturday is free.

There will also be a dedicated Kids' Area featuring bounce houses and slides, a mechanical bull, a rock climbing wall, a kids' train and more.

For information, contact Angela Elder, 229-386-0216.

U.S. SENATE BLOCKS VETERANS BILL

ISAKSON, GOP WANT IRAN SANCTIONS

U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., joined with other Senate Republicans on Thursday, Feb. 27, to block a $24 billion bill enhancing health care, education and job-training benefits for veterans because of concerns about spending and adding Iran sanctions.

GOP senators had sought unsuccessfully to add sanctions on Iran to the veterans bill. Isakson spoke on the issue earlier Thursday on the Senate floor (see video below).

VIDEO: Sen. Isakson on Veterans

Bill and Iran Sanctions

Supporters of the veterans bill said it would have brought the biggest changes in decades to veterans' programs, such as creating 27 new medical facilities to help a healthcare system strained by veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

While both Democrats and the GOP favor helping the nation's 22 million veterans and their families, Republicans want to add a provision imposing new sanctions on Iran for its nuclear program, which Democrats and the president say is premature while international negotiations are under way.

Even though the legislation cleared a procedural vote on Tuesday by a 99-0 vote, the measure quickly got bogged down in partisan fighting.

TIFT BLUE DEVILS IN FINAL FOUR

The Tift County High School Blue Devils basketball team is Atlanta-bound for the state semifinals; the Blue Devils beat the Hillgrove High Hawks, 56-47 on Thursday night, Feb. 27, before a home crowd.

The Blue Devils are now in the state's Final Four, their first appearance in three years.

They will play Norcross High on Saturday at Georgia Tech.

'STORY QUILTS' BY GLOBAL ARTIST

OPENS MARCH 1 AT TIFTON MUSEUM

The "Story Quilts" exhibition opens 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 1 at the Tifton Museum of Arts and Heritage with internationally known artist Beth Mount of New York, formerly of Georgia, discussing her work at 7 p.m.

"I stitch together symbols and patterns of the longings, joys, struggles and beauty of thousands of people who are learning together how to bring the gifts of every person to life and to create a more inclusive community by doing so," says Mount of her quilts.

Beth Mount with one of her quilts

"At the core of Christianity and all the world's

religions, is a commitment to justice, compassion and hospitality," she says. "Working with people from 140 cultures for the past two decades confirms my understanding that it is up to each of us to create a world that works for everyone."

The exhibition of 17 quilts will fill the museum with vibrant colors, said Marion Curry, Diversified Enterprises director and the project's initiator.

"These works of art are exceptional in their beauty, and the visions they express," Curry says. "They reflect in magnificent colors and shapes the threads that bind us together as people, especially when we help one another."

The exhibition continues with related activities through March 22. Events include storytelling by local attorneys and preachers on Sunday, March 9; opportunities to tell personal stories for the National Public Radio StoryCorps; and a presentation March 16 about Waddie Welcome, a man born with severe disabilities yet moved beyond life in an institution

This is the second event in "A Season of Quilts" spanning three months, two venues and four exhibits, using the art of quilting to tell inspiring stories.

The museum, at 255 Love Ave. in downtown Tifton, has hours from 1-5 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays; 1-7 p.m. Thursdays; and 1-3 p.m. Sundays.

For details, Click Here!

CHARITY RUN BENEFITS BLOOD-DISORDER SUFFERERS

The weather was great for the 17th Annual Sweetheart 5k Run & 1-mile Clot Trot on Saturday, Feb. 22, in Tifton.

The "Overall Male" winner was Lorenzo Gomez of Omega with a time of 20:35.

"Overall Female" winner was Ashlee Golden of Tifton at 22:16.

"Male Masters" was Bret Wagenhorst, Tifton, 20:49.

"Female Masters" was Penny Peters, Tifton, 24:59.

"One-Mile Male Winner:" Austin Bennett, Tifton, 6:14.

"One-Mile Female Winner:" Hannah Dotson, Tifton, 8:24.

Tifton Fitness & Wellness - Rehabilitation Services of Tifton sponsored the event, which raised $2,725 for Hemophilia of Georgia, a nonprofit organization providing services and support to people with hemophilia and other inherited bleeding disorders.

MARK BENNETT SEEKING BOE SEAT

Mark Bennett of Tifton has announced his candidacy for the District 4 seat on the Tift County Board of Education.

Bennett, general sales manager at Griffin Ford in Tifton, is a 1988 graduate of Tift County High School and studied business at Valdosta State University.

He is seeking the seat being vacated by Rita Griffin, who is not seeking re-election.

LOCAL GROUP ADVOCATES FOR ALZHEIMER'S AT STATE CAPITOL

More than a dozen advocates from South Georgia, including several from Tifton, joined hundreds of volunteers across the state on Thursday, Feb. 27, in Atlanta for Alzheimer's Advocacy Day at the Georgia state capitol.

Stephanie Dorman, left, of Tifton; Sen. John 'Dickie' Crosby of Tifton; Bonnie Sayles of Tifton; and Carl Dasher of Moultrie.

Organized by the Alzheimer's Association, Georgia Chapter, the event allows advocates to meet with their local legislators and with the governor to raise awareness about Alzheimer's and related dementias.

The advocates are seeking to strengthen Georgia's respite care for those with Alzheimer's disease or dementia; to create a Georgia Alzheimer's Registry; and to get state funding for emergency placement for those with Alzheimer's disease or dementia when a care facility is closed or when a person with Alzheimer's disease or dementia wanders from home.

TIFTON ROTARY SEEKING

'ETHICS IN BUSINESS' NOMINATIONS

The Rotary Club of Tifton is seeking nominations for its annual Tifton Rotary Ethics in Business Award to recognize a local business that has demonstrated exceptional ethical behavior.

"We began this annual award last year and the first recipient was Central Jewelers," says Tifton Rotary President Andy Borem. "The award was created to recognize those local businesses exhibiting high ethical behavior and a commitment to our community."

Criteria for the award, which will go to a business physically located in Tifton or Tift County, were

developed by a committee of Tifton Rotary Club members. The nominated business must have consistently demonstrated high ethical standards of honesty and integrity in dealing with employees, customers and contractors while enhancing the economic well-being of the company and providing local jobs, opportunity and profits.

In addition, the business must have participated in activities beneficial to the community beyond the provision of economic benefits of the business and must adhere to fair and truthful business practice reflected in the Rotary Four-Way Test:

1. Is it the TRUTH?

2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?

3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIP?

4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

Nomination applications are available from the Tifton Rotary Club, which meets for lunch each Wednesday at the Tiftarea Conference Center on Highway 82, may be downloaded online at the Tifton Rotary website, http://www.tiftonrotary.org/index.html and at the Tifton Rotary Facebook page, Click Here! .

Applications must be submitted and received by March 15.

Nominations may be submitted by anyone other than an owner or manager of, or family member of an owner or manager of, the nominated business. Nominations must be mailed to the Tifton Rotary Club, PO Box 1354, Tifton, GA 31793 (attn: Rotary Ethics in Business Award).

A committee of faculty and students from the ABAC business school will select this year's recipient.

KIWANIS SETS ART & MUSIC SHOWCASE

The Kiwanis Club of Tifton is having its annual Art & Music Showcase at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 20 in the Tift County High School Performing Arts Center.

Students will demonstrate their talents in a competitive atmosphere to build self-esteem. The competition is open to Tift County students in public, private or home schools in grades 4-12. A student may enter only one category, music or art.

Applications are available from art and music teachers in the schools, from Cassi Sylvester atTCHS, from Amy Henderson at Tiftarea Academy or from show coordinator Hal Henderson at 229-386-2237. Applications must be received by March 10.

The local showcase is open to the public and there is no admission charge. The club will also announce the Kiwanis Arts Citizen of the Year at its showcase. For information, contact Henderson, 229-386-2237. Nominations for the arts citizen award are due by Feb. 28.

CAJUN MARDI GRAS

Literacy Volunteers of Tifton-Tift County

Saturday, Feb. 22

Our Divine Savior Catholic Church

HEARTS & DIAMONDS

Tift Regional Medical Foundation

Saturday, Feb. 22

UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center

Gail Barnard and Becky Macri

with "Vegas showgirls."

24th Annual Miss Tift County Forestry Pageant

Scholarship Pageant

Saturday, Feb. 22

Tift Theatre for the Performing Arts

A NIGHT OF CLASSICAL GUITAR AT ABACz

A "Night of Classical Guitar" featuring Dr. Francois Fowler is the First Tuesday Concert at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 4, in the Chapel of All Faiths on the campus of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.

The program includes two of Fowler's original pieces, "Meditation" and "Wavelength Sonata," as well as "The First Ride" and "The Is-Ought Controversy" by Don Ross. Other selections include Johann Kaspar Mertz's "Fantaisie Hongroise" and "Partita in A minor" by Johann Sebastian Bach.

Fowler has given recitals in the United States, Canada and Mexico. He has received many national and international prizes and was a finalist in the 2001 Guitar Foundation of America International Guitar Competition. An associate professor at the Dana School of Music at Youngstown State University, he maintains an active guitar studio and coaches guitar ensembles.

The First Tuesday series spotlights regional professional artists on the first Tuesdays of five months during the year. All performances are free and open to the public.