It’s been one month since tornadoes ripped through South Georgia, killing 16 people. Dougherty County was among the hardest hit areas. An EF-3 twister left hundreds of homes and businesses damaged and destroyed. Local, state and federal organizations are now all helping to rebuild Albany. So far, FEMA has provided $2.7 million in grants. Hundreds of people have registered for FEMA assistance, including 800 in Dougherty County.
Students at Westside Elementary are helping families recovering from the storm that destroyed areas of Cook County a month ago. In just two weeks, the students raised more than $2,500 through their “Coins for Cook” fundraiser. The Parent-Teacher Organization matched student’s donations. The kids emptied their pockets and piggy banks to make a difference. On Wednesday, the PTO presented a check for more than $5,000 to the Adel Tornado Relief Fund.
The fate of a Nebraska airman from Valdosta accused of murder, now rests in the hands of his superiors following a hearing last week. Airman First Class Timothy Wilsey, 20, was arrested in August and charged with the death of Airman First Class Rhianda Dillard, said Drew Nystrom with the 55th Wing public affairs office at Offutt AFB in Nebraska, where both airmen were stationed.
With 11 overdoses in a four week period, Tifton judges and counselors are turning to the Tift County Drug and DUI Court Program, a 12 month intensive outpatient treatment program for repeat criminal offenders. The majority of crime cases the judges handle are committed by people who have drug or alcohol addiction problems.
A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) will arrive on April 2, 2017 to examine all aspects of the Valdosta Police Department’s policies and procedures, management, operations, and support services. As part of the on-site assessment, members of the community are invited to offer comments at a public information session in the City Hall Annex at 300 North Lee Street on Monday, April 3, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. For more information, visit ValdostaToday.com.
Some of the South Georgia foods you’ve grown to love may be competing for top prize at this year’s Flavor of Georgia. Business owners from ten different Southwest Georgia cities have been named as finalists in the contest, including Smokin’ Temptations Championship BBQ Sauce from Moultrie and Wisham Jellies Fire! Pepper Jelly from Tifton. Categories range from barbecue sauces to beverages.
A judicial official sided with Georgia in Florida’s lawsuit over water rights. It was a big win for farmers in Southwest Georgia because agriculture is the state’s number one industry, and it thrives on water. The Flint River is the primary source of water supply for Southwest Georgia farmers, and the crux of how the decades-old water wars started.
Valdosta students are exploring museums, taking trips back in time to learn about fossils, and even going to space, all without ever leaving their desks. Scintilla Charter Academy is using Google Expeditions to keep students engaged during lessons. The students are taking field trips using the Google Expeditions goggles. The goggles create a 360 degree panorama picture with 3D images.
Data released today by the College Board shows that the percentage of Georgia graduates scoring 3 or higher on an Advanced Placement (AP) exam during high school increased again this year, even as participation in the exams increased. Georgia ranks sixteenth in the nation for highest AP pass rates, with 22.4 percent of the class of 2016 scoring 3 or higher on at least one AP exam during high school. Only 17 states exceed the national average.
Georgia driver’s licenses given to immigrants and others with legal permission to be in the U.S. would include the word “noncitizen” under legislation proposed this year. A House subcommittee discussed the bill on Tuesday but didn’t vote. The state agency that oversees licenses now prints the phrase “limited term” on identification of people who aren’t U.S. citizens but are in the country legally.
