Bring Home the Grits!

Aug. 23, 2016

Tifton, Georgia

(478) 227-7126

www.tiftongrapevine.com

TIFTON CHEF A REGIONAL WINNER

THE LOCAL'S DAVID SCARBROUGH TO COMPETE AT JEKYLL

The votes are in, and Executive Chef David Scarbrough of Tifton's The Local Kitchen + Bar restaurant on Main Street is a regional winner, getting a chance to compete against other chefs to determine "Georgia's Best Shrimp & Grits" at the Jekyll Island Shrimp & Grits Festival.

During online voting that ended Friday, The Local Kitchen + Bar was selected to represent Georgia's "Plantation Trace" tourism region at the annual festival, held Sept.16-18, in the Jekyll Island Historic


	SCARBROUGH

District. The cooking competition is scheduled at 11 a.m. Sept. 18.

"We would just like to say THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the online voting portion of the contest," reads a message on The Local's Facebook page. "Thank you to the City of Tifton and all of our family, friends and everyone who played a part in this! We promise to do our best to bring home the grits!!!"

Other regional winners of the "Georgia's Best Shrimp & Grits" online voting include:

Historic High Country region: Goin Coastal Seafood; Northeast Georgia Mountains: American Catch Seafood Exchange; Atlanta Metro: West Egg Cafe; Historic Heartland: The National; Magnolia Midlands: Deano's Italian, Dublin; The Coast: Indigo Coastal Shanty; Golden Isles: Jekyll Island Club Hotel.

They all will compete with The Local for the best shrimp and grits.

A dish at The Local Kitchen + Bar was recently named "100 Plates that Locals Love" by Georgia Department of Economic Development's Tourism division and featured in the state's new culinary guide, "Georgia Eats." A coastal favorite, the Jekyll Island Shrimp and Grits Festival, presented by Southern Living, combines the classic Southern dish with family-friendly entertainment, more than 100 art and craft vendors, live music, kids' zone, food, a craft brew fest, wildlife demonstrations and more.

This year's festival includes the newly announced Southern Living Biscuits and Jam concert featuring Grammy-nominated country music artist David Nail. For festival details, Click Here!

TIFT CHARTER SCHOOLS

SCHOOL SYSTEM HOLDS COMMUNITY MEETING TONIGHT

The Tift County School System is holding an informational meeting at 6 p.m. today (Tuesday, Aug. 23) at Tift County High's Performing Arts Center to discuss the creation of school governance teams as part of the charter school system.

The state Board of Education in May approved Tift County as a charter school system. A charter system is a local school district that operates under the terms of a charter between the state BOE and the local district, which receives flexibility from certain state rules and regulations in exchange for greater accountability. There is an emphasis on school-based leadership and decision-making.

Local teams will be created at each Tift County school. Parent and teacher positions on the teams are elected. Each school will begin the nomination and election process after the informational meeting.

LOCAL YOUTHS SPEND SUMMER

AS AG MUSEUM APPRENTICES

Fifteen young people between the ages of 14 and 18 spent their summer volunteering as a part of the Museum Apprentice Program at the Georgia Museum of Agriculture and Historic Village at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.

"The program offers Tiftarea youth an opportunity to learn about history, gain work experience, and prepare to take an active role in volunteering at the museum," said museum volunteer coordinator Lynn


	Apprentices include, first row from left, Emily Walker, Kailyn Hester, Jessica Gibbs and Maya Jordan, all from Tifton. Second row, from left, Lydia Connell, Sydney Doss, Ashlyn Owens, Michael Talley, all from Tifton, and Dylan Jackson from Ashburn.

McDonald. "Plus, the program provides fun along the way."

First-time apprentices were Sam Aultman, Lydia Connell, Dylan Jackson, Nate Mayfield, Ashley Owens, and Michael Talley. Returning apprentices were Mary Allison, Sydney Doss, Jessica Gibbs, Justin Harper, Kailyn Hester, Ashley Jensen, Maya Jordan, Alyssa Mazzuchelli and Emily Walker.

Each of the students agreed to work a minimum of 30 hours during June and July. They also committed to volunteering throughout the rest of the year, especially during the special events.

"During the summer they worked side-by-side with our historical interpreters, learning the way of life associated with the time period and the details about each of the buildings and areas in the village," McDonald said. "They dressed in period-appropriate clothing, which they provided themselves. Other activities during the summer included group research on selected topics, communications workshops and field trips.

McDonald said the apprentices will be on duty during fall special events, including ABAC Family Day on Oct. 8; Trick or Treat in the Village, Oct. 26; Harvest Celebration, Nov. 5; Native American Experience, Nov. 19; Victorian Village by Candlelight, Dec. 4; and North Pole Express.

For information on the apprentice program, contact McDonald, 229-391-5223, lmcdonald@abac.edu

DOWNTOWN TIFTON'S UNIQUE ADDRESS!

HISTORIC

UNION DEPOT APARTMENTS

Unique 1 Bedroom/

1 Bath Apartment @ $875

& 2 Bedroom/2 Bath

Loft Apartment @ $950

Now Available!

Both with Marble Countertops;

Custom-made Cabinets;

Walk-in Closets; Hardwood Floors;

All Appliances,

including Washer & Dryer;

Secure Entry; Ample Parking

121 N. Central Ave.

Downtown Tifton

Call

229-382-0959

Tickets Available at UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center and at

the Tifton-Tift County Public Library

$80 per person for Dinner & Show; $35 for Show Only

For information, call 229-848-7043

COTTON, PEANUT, UGA EXTENSION SET JOINT FIELD DAY

The Georgia Cotton Commission, Georgia Peanut Commission and the University of Georgia Extension Cotton and Peanut Teams will co-sponsor a joint research field day on Wednesday, Sept. 7, in Tifton.

The field day will start at 8 a.m. at UGA's Gibbs Farm, 226 William Gibbs Road, before relocating to the Georgia Museum of Agriculture & Historic Village for lunch.

The tour is to showcase current research, funded by the respective commissions, in plot-side presentations by the researchers themselves. The sponsors' goal is to provide an educational environment for cotton and peanut producers and give them a chance to pose

questions and express opinions about production of their crops.

Chairmen of the peanut and cotton commissions, Armond Morris and Mike Lucas, respectively, say the event presents an opportunity for the commissions to interact with growers and other attendees.

Those wishing to attend must RSVP by Friday, Sept. 2, to Michela Rineair at msrineair@uga.edu or 229-386-3006.

"Best-Selling Truck for 39 Straight Years"

511 West 7th Street

(229) 382-1300

griffinford.net

TURF GREENHOUSE TAKING SHAPE

Construction continues on the new turf greenhouse on the UGA Tifton campus . Turfgrass breeder Brian Schwartz and his team will be using the greenhouse to produce some of the top turf varieties in the world.

TIFTAREA ACADEMY BEGINS YEAR

Tiftarea Academy began the school year last Thursday, after the football team had already begun playing. In the photo above, Tiftarea's Class of 2017 gather for a group picture.