GA-FL At a Glance

Published 4:17 pm Wednesday, April 26, 2017

ABAC hosts annual Carry The Load Step-Off

TIFTON, Ga. – For the fourth consecutive year, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College will host a Carry The Load Step-Off event beginning at 5 p.m. on April 26 and continuing for 24 hours. Members of the community are invited to participate in the event which involves a constant two and one-half mile relay through the campus. The Carry The Load Step-Off culminates with a send-off for the eight ABAC students who will participate in the National Carry The Load Relay in a ceremony in front of Herring Hall on April 27 at 5 p.m. The Step-Off serves as a prelude to the National Carry The Load Relay which begins in West Point, N.Y., on May 1 and ends in Dallas, Texas on Memorial Day. ABAC students participating in the National Relay this year are Hunter Gainous, a diversified agriculture major from Brunswick; Shannon Kehoe, an agricultural communications major from Myakka City, Fla.; Ginger Orton, an agricultural communications major from Tifton; Landon Rowe, a rural studies–writing and communication major from Ocilla; Mitchel Sheffield, a biology major from Donalsonville; Dustin Thomas, a natural resource management major from Plainville; Collin Vickers, a rural studies–writing and communications major from Alapaha; and Madison Woodson, a business and economic development major from Jesup. For more information on ABAC’s Carry the Load Step-Off event, interested persons can contact Dr. Johnny Evans and Matt Reid, event coordinators, via e-mail at carrytheload@abac.edu.

Moultrie’s Relay for Life set for Friday

MOULTRIE, Ga. — Each year Colquitt County holds a Relay for Life event to benefit the American Cancer Society. This year’s event will be held 6-10 p.m. Friday, April 28, at the parking lot of Withers Auditorium. The survivor’s breakfast will be at 7 a.m. on the same day at the First United Methodist Church social hall. The guest speaker will be cancer survivor, Ruthie Garner. Opening ceremonies will begin at 6:30 p.m. The Colquitt County high School Serenaders will perform and the speaker will be Dr. Roxanne Aguirre, Colquitt Regional Medical Center’s oncologist. Luminaries may be purchased at the event. Teams are welcome to bring their grills, however, food venues and a snowcone trailer will be available on site. Activities, including children’s games, will end at 8:45 and the Luminary ceremony will begin. For further information, please contact Donna Duncan at 891-7695. 

Cattlemen’s association to hold dinner, raffle

CHATSWORTH, Ga. — The Murray County Cattlemen’s Association Dinner will be held in the North Murray High School cafeteria on Saturday, June 3, at 5:30 p.m. It is open to the public. The dinner includes a raffle for a Kubota RTV500A compact utility vehicle. Tickets are $100 and only 500 will be sold. The winner has the option to exchange the vehicle for cash value of $8,500. Each ticket purchased entitles the purchaser to steak dinner for two. Carryout plates will be available. Proceeds will benefit the Murray County Cattlemen’s Association and its activities including scholarships for Murray County students pursuing degrees in agriculture fields of study and funds distributed to local FFA chapters and the 4-H club to help provide equipment and money to promote agriculture and livestock projects. To purchase tickets, call Randy Porter at (706) 581-0250 for more information.

New Hope Baptist Church Sunday night sing

JENNINGS, Fla. — New Hope Baptist Church is hosting their fifth Sunday night sing this weekend. The Corinth Christian Church, First Baptist Church Lee and the New Hope choirs will be singing at the event. The program begins at 6 p.m. Sunday at New Hope Baptist Church, located at 6592 NW 48th St. in Jennings. The community is invited to attend.

Bible reading marathon kicks off Thursday

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — The 10^th annual Bible Reading Marathon will begin at 6 p.m. on the steps of the old courthouse in downtown Milledgeville. The event is sponsored by Bible Pathway Ministries. The community is invited to take part in the opening ceremony, where a proclamation will be read in honor of this year’s event. According to Tammy Smith, coordinator of the event, local churches and individuals will participate by beginning the reading in Genesis and will read publicly for 15-minute segments through the last chapter of Revelation. Churches are encouraged to have members sign up for 15-minute blocks of time. The marathon will conclude on the evening of May 3 with a closing ceremony on the old courthouse steps. Those interested in participating are asked to call Tammy Smith at 478-295-0691.

Swamp fire still raging

FARGO, Ga. — The blaze engulfing part of the Okefenokee Swamp grew by 11,000 acres overnight late Monday, but no evacuations are taking place or planned, firefighters said. The West Mims Fire went from 48,413 acres Monday afternoon to 59,318 acres Tuesday morning, according to a statement from the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. Westerly winds pushed the fire east, the statement said. Ga. 177 is closed near the refuge’s main entrance. While firefighters were concerned about several homes located further up Ga. 177 last week, no homes are located near the road closure, said Susan Granpery, a public information officer for the Georgia Forestry Commission. More than 440 firefighters are battling the blaze with eight helicopters and 45 fire engines. Granpery said firefighting efforts could continue through the summer. “It will take a major rainstorm” to put out the fire, she said. The Southeast Health District, which covers Clinch County, has asked residents to take precautions because of smoke from the fire. There have been six minor cases of smoke inhalation reported, including a couple of firefighters, said Wallace Mincey, administrator of Clinch Memorial Hospital. All six cases were treated and released, he said. The fire has impacted South Georgia in other ways. Stephen C. Foster State Park, located entirely within the refuge, is closed. In the refuge itself, Swamp Island Drive, Chesser Island Boardwalk and the Chesser Island Homestead are closed. Wilderness canoe trail overnight stops are closed, as is access to all water trails, including boat tours, from the Suwannee Canal recreation area.