Vice Mayor Opposition

Aug. 29, 2017

Tifton, Georgia

478-227-7126

tiftongrapevine.com

VICE MAYOR EHLERS

FACES OPPOSITION

RETIRED TIFTON FIRE LT. PAUL BOYD SEEKING CITY COUNCIL SEAT

Vice Mayor Wes Ehlers will face political newcomer Paul Boyd for the District 1 seat on Tifton City Council this fall.


	BOYD


EHLERS

Candidate qualification ended Friday for the City Council election set for Nov. 7.

In the only other City Council race this year, District 3 incumbent Johnny Terrell Jr. is running unopposed.

Ehlers is completing his first four-year term on City Council. He was appointed vice mayor by council members in January 2016. Ehlers is vice president at Colony Bank in Tifton.

Boyd is a retired lieutenant with the Tifton Fire Department. He retired this past June after 25 years of service.

Also expected to be on the Nov. 7 ballot is a referendum to continue the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, or SPLOST. At a joint City Council-Tift County Commission meeting this past Friday, the county, as required by state law, gave a 10-day notice for a meeting to discuss SPLOST projects to be placed on the ballot. That joint meeting among the cities of Tifton, Omega, Ty Ty and Tift County is set for Sept. 7.


Tifton's Grande Dame Eunice Mixon says hello to her old political friend U.S. Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue.

PERDUE HOMECOMING

U.S. AG SECRETARY MEETS FARMERS,

LOCAL RESIDENTS AT UGA TIFTON


	Perdue in Tifton

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue came home to rural Georgia on Friday, holding a "listening session" as part of his Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity, and speaking to the Georgia Farm Bureau.

The former Georgia governor from Perry has been holding listening sessions around the country and said that he consistently hears four things at nearly every such meeting:

A need for fair trade deals;
Labor issues are a growing problem;
Too many regulations from bureaucrats who don't understand the issues;
The need for widespread broadband in rural areas.

Church Pianist

Position

Tifton First United

Methodist Church

107 W 12th St., Tifton, GA

Tifton First United Methodist Church has an opening for a church pianist. This is a part time position.

The pianist is responsible for preparing for and practicing with the chancel choir, orchestra and ensemble every Wednesday evening for about two hours and for playing at Sunday traditional services at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., as well at special services at Christmas, Easter, etc.

Interested persons should contact Debbie Minton, church executive secretary, at 229-382-6100.

SRTC STAFFER DONATES WHEELCHAIR TO GED STUDENT

A GED student at Southern Regional Technical College in Tifton is getting help both inside and outside the classroom.

New student Kierean Hayes recently began attending classes to obtain his GED. Both Karen Boss, instructional aid for adult education, and Hayes' instructor, Audrey Bailey, have noticed him struggling with his wheelchair that was falling apart after 11 years of heavy use.

They became concerned this personal barrier could become an issue for him to achieve his life-long goal of obtaining his GED.

Student Affairs Assistant Paula Moser also noticed Hayes was unable to maneuver himself easily as he passed by her desk each day on the way to class. Moser decided to donate a wheelchair to Hayes that now enables him to "wheel" the halls with ease.

The SRTC staff said they are hopeful this is "one more tool that allows Kierean to achieve his goals and receive his GED soon."

At left is Paula Moser with student Kierean Hayes.

ABAC PERFORMING ARTS SERIES

INCLUDES DRAMA, JAZZ, SYMPHONIES

Symphonies, jazz and dramatic performances are among the eight events of this year's ABAC Presents! Performing Arts Series at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.

ABAC Arts Connection Director Wayne Jones said the theme for this year's series is "Ignite."

The 2017-18 series kicks off with the Valdosta Symphony Orchestra at 3 p.m. Sept. 24 at the Tift County High School Performing Arts Center.

The Neeman Piano Duo will play in Howard Auditorium at ABAC on Oct. 19. The husband-and-wife duo will perform a four-


	*Jamie Farr at right ("Klinger" from "MASH") stars in the play "Tuesdays with Morrie," coming to ABAC on Nov. 30.**

hands concert -- two pianists playing on the same piano. They are acclaimed throughout the United States, Asia and Australia for their wide-ranging repertoire.

The critically acclaimed play, "Tuesdays with Morrie," will come to the ABAC campus Nov. 30. The story is an autobiography of Mitch Albom, a journalist driven by his career, and Morrie Schwartz, his former college professor. Jamie Farr from "M*A*S*H" will star as Morrie.

On Jan. 16, the musical comedy act Three Redneck Tenors will perform in Howard Auditorium. The Tenors were top finalists on "America's Got Talent" and have been thrilling audiences since 2006.

The Olney Theatre's National Players will perform one of the most beloved literary treasures, F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" on Feb. 1 in Howard Auditorium. Set in the fast-paced Jazz Age of New York, "The Great Gatsby" shows a world where love, opportunity, deception and tragedy are just around the corner.

The California Guitar Trio will perform on Feb. 15, marking the fourth time that the Arts Connection has presented the California Guitar Trio to area audiences. T his concert is always an audience favorite.

On March 15, ABAC Fine Arts faculty member Andy Lagrimas (piano) and Jared Starr (violin) will team up or "An Evening at the Cinema," performing musical masterpieces of the silver screen.

Saxophonist Tim Green will showcase his talents April 19 and serve as the guest clinician during the ABAC Jazz Festival during the day and will perform with the ABAC Jazz Ensemble in his concert.

Tickets may be purchased online at www.purplepass.com/abac or by phone at 229-391-4895.

GA PEANUT COMMISSION TO DEDICATE EDUCATION CENTER

The Georgia Peanut Commission (GPC) will host a dedication of the commission's education center at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 6, at the GPC office, 445 Fulwood Boulevard in Tifton. The public is invited.

"We are proud of our education center and the opportunities it provides visitors to learn more about Georgia peanuts ," said

Tim Burch, GPC board member and peanut farmer from Baker County. "Visitors can learn everything from production, toeconomics, to global impact -- all important aspects of Georgia's official state crop."

The new education center features interactive touchscreen monitors with peanut-specific activities and games, self-guided exhibits related to the peanut business, global implications, how peanuts grow and are harvested, as well as an eight-minute

video of peanut production, from land prep to harvest, viewable in 3-D format.

Additionally, a live peanut plant exhibit is set up to allow visitors to see a peanut plant growing. Not only can visitors see the stems and leaves, the exhibit also showcases the roots and pegs forming underground through tempered glass. Furthermore, the education center features the Georgia Peanut Hall of Fame portraits. Members of the Hall of Fame are recipients of GPC's highest award and have demonstrated leadership and stimulation of peanut industry growth, development, research and education.

The center's newest addition includes hand-painted murals by local artist Jill Whitley. The murals depict peanut production in South Georgia and feature peanut industry agribusinesses.

The Georgia Peanut Commission education center has been made possible through industry support and Georgia peanut farmers.

For more information about Georgia Peanut Commission programs, visit www.gapeanuts.com

RECENT ABAC GRAD COMPLETES

INTERNSHIP IN CONGRESS

Brittany Sherrod, daughter of Jim and Bobbie Sherrod from Swainsboro, has just completed an internship in Washington, D.C., with U.S. Rep. Austin Scott, R-Tifton. Sherrod is a recent cum laude graduate of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College with a degree in agriculture.

"Our internship program provides college students or recent graduates an opportunity to learn more about the legislative process while gaining valuable work experience. It allows them to experience how our federal government works first-hand," Scott said.

"I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the constituents in Georgia's Eighth District. Learning the inner-workings of our government's legislative process has been an amazing experience, and I would absolutely encourage others to apply," said Sherrod.

Scott offers internships to college-aged students and to recent college graduates who have an interest in the legislative process. Individuals selected to be interns have the opportunity to gain a comprehensive view of the procedures of a congressional office and how the legislative process works. In some cases, college students may be able to obtain academic credit.

Students interested in becoming a congressional intern may visit the web site: austinscott.house.gov/services/internships

BEAUTY SPOT OF THE MONTH

Keep Tift Beautiful is recognizing Carol and Doug Bowen's home at 104 16th St. in Tifton as the "Beauty Spot of the Month" for September .