GA-FL At a Glance

Published 3:56 pm Thursday, June 8, 2017

CGTC-Afghanistan partnership produces first cohort graduates

WARNER ROBINS — Kabul Polytechnic University (KPU) in Kabul, Afghanistan recently graduated its first cohort of the Internet Technology (IT) associate degree program, one that saw significant instructional contributions from Central Georgia Technical College (CGTC) Computer Technology faculty and staff. CGTC’s partnership with KPU began in 2015, when the University of Massachusetts selected the college, after a highly competitive bidding process, to become one of two two-year colleges in the United States to serve as a sub-contractor for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) multi-million dollar grant to build the educational system in war-torn Afghanistan.

KPU has extended its appreciation to the college in a letter from KPU’s chancellor.

In March, CGTC computer technology program division head, Bridget Willis, instructor, Felicia Everidge, and executive vice president Jeff Scruggs, traveled to Baku, Azerbaijan, to work face-to-face with KPU and its faculty on curriculum for the two-year IT degree. Faculty from both institutions met in Azerbaijan as a mutually accepted training location. In the two years between CGTC’s selection and its trip, groundwork had been laid to assess technologies at KPU. After an initial on-site technology inventory in Kabul more than a year ago, CGTC has been mentoring faculty and delivering videotaped classroom presentations for KPU review and utilization. For more information about Global Initiatives at CGTC email Rick Hutto at rhutto@centralgatech.edu.

United Way of Colquitt County offers educational grant

MOULTRIE — The United Way of Colquitt County is offering a three-year Community Impact Grant in the area of education. “United Way has a proud history of raising and distributing funds,” said Angela Castellow, executive director of the local United Way chapter. “We have also developed a Community Impact grant process which takes our work to a new level where the focus is on issues, strategies, and the actions needed to improve lives and create lasting change in our communities. This is another round of Community Impact funding in the area of Education – Improving Success for Children and Youth.” The Story Time in the Parks is a previous grant from United Way that provides excellent programming for children, and brings the library out into the community. Applications for the new funding must align with one of the strategies below and provide an explicit target outcome — specific improvements sought in the lives of the defined community population.Applications must be submitted on original forms provided, with all required supporting documents and mailed or delivered to United Way of Colquitt County by Aug. 4. Please contact Angela Castellow at (229) 985-2627 or via email at uwcolquitt@moultriega.net to receive the RFP.

Police officers provide life-saving care to unresponsive man

DALTON, Ga. — Three officers from the Dalton Police Department are being credited with providing critical care to an unconscious man who stopped breathing on Tuesday night. As the first responders on the scene, the officers provided CPR to the man until an ambulance arrived. The man was breathing with a normal heart rate when he was taken to the hospital. Officers were dispatched to the North Georgia Fairgrounds at about 8 p.m. on a report of a man who had stopped breathing. When Officer Dexter Kapur arrived, he found a 65-year-old man unresponsive on the ground. Kapur began to give chest compressions to the man and continued while Sgt. Woody Cantrell set up an automated external defibrillator (AED) on the man. The AED analyzed the man’s vitals and advised that he needed a shock, which Cantrell delivered. After the shock, the man began to gasp for air and Officer Blake Edwards delivered air using a CPR mask while Kapur resumed chest compressions. The officers continued CPR until Dalton firefighters and Hamilton Emergency Medical Services paramedics arrived to take over the man’s care. He was taken with normal heart and respiration rates to Hamilton Medical Center, where at last report he was being treated.

Amateur Radio Field Day demonstrates ham radio operation

ASHBURN, Ga. — Members of the Coastal Plains Amateur Radio Club will be participating in the national Amateur Radio Field Day exercise, June 24 at 1070 Bridges Road. Since 1933, ham radio operators across North America have established temporary ham radio stations in public locations during Field Day to showcase the science and skill of amateur radio. This event is open to the public and all are encouraged to attend. Anyone may become a licensed amateur radio operator. There are over 725,000 licensed hams in the United States, as young as 5 and as old as 100. For more information about Field Day, visit www.arrl.org/what-is-ham-radio.

Wild Blackberry Festival this Saturday

JASPER, Fla. — The Hamilton County Beautification and Preservation Inc. will host the seventh annual Wild Blackberry Festival on Saturday in Heritage Village by the old jail. The festival will start at 8 a.m. and end at 2 p.m. There will be a fun walk/run at 8 a.m., a pancake breakfast from 8-10 a.m., free child identity kits from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. and the Miss Wild Blackberry Contest will be at 11:30 a.m. There will be an antique/classic car show. Register for the fun walk/run at eventbrite.com, by email hcbanpi@gmail.com or message the Wild Blackberry Festival Facebook page. Ted “Teddy Mac Elvis” McMullen and the Legends will perform from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Other local artists will perform throughout the day. The festival will have arts and crafts, a petting zoo, birds of prey, Mystic Jungle, a pet photo booth, vendors, lots of entertainment and lots of food.  There will be water fun for the children so bring a towel. 

Turner Center opens new art exhibits 

VALDOSTA, Ga.  — Several new art exhibits open this week at the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts. The shows follow the recent closing of the 2017 Spring Into Art show at the center. The new round of shows features three solo exhibitions and the annual city photography competition, said Bill Shenton, artistic administrator at the center. The solo exhibits each feature painters. Brandon McMillan, a Valdosta artist, will be featured in the Boyette and Mittiga galleries. Anda Chance, a McAlpin, Fla., artist, will be featured in the Price-Campbell Foundation and Mittiga galleries. Ron Thomson, a Thomasville artist, will present his “Vessels of Light” exhibit in Josette’s Gallery. The annual City of Valdosta People’s Choice Photography Contest will be exhibited in the Tillman Gallery. Art Explorations students will exhibit their works in the Roberta George Children’s Gallery. The permanent fine European porcelain collection will be on display in the Howard Gallery. The new exhibits open with a free, public reception, 5-7 p.m. Monday, June 12, at the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts, 527 N. Patterson St. The shows run through July 26. Gallery hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday and Saturday; closed Sunday and Monday (with exception of opening receptions). Admission: Free. More information: Visit www.turnercenter.org, or call (229) 247-2787.