Georgia News Roundup

AAPHC plans HIV/AIDS Awareness 5K Run

ALBANY — Albany Area Primary Health Care will hold the Run for Hope HIV/AIDS Awareness 5K Run at Riverfront Park April 29.

Runners can take part in timed 5K and mile runs or participate in a fun walk. Entry fees are $25 for the mile events and $30 for the 5K. All proceeds will be used to support HIV/AIDS community outreach, to educate the public and to honor those affected by the condition.

Race-day registration starts at 8 a.m., opening ceremonies will be held at 8:45, and the run/walk events begin at 9:20. An awards ceremony is scheduled for 11:30 a.m.

To register or for additional information, contact Nakoasha Dillard at (229) 431-1423 or online at [email protected].

DOT’s Work Zone Awareness Week winds down

TIFTON – Friday will mark the end Georgia DOT’s observance of National Work Zone Awareness Week.

This year’s theme has been Work Zone Safety Is in Your Hands and calls attention to the dangers in roadway work zones. It reminds motorists that their driving behavior in work zones can be the difference between life and death — not only for workers, but for drivers and passengers. It also reminds workers to remain cautious and vigilant in a work zone.

Employees in Georgia Department of Transportation district offices paid a Work Zone Awareness Week tribute to fallen employees who have died in work zone incidents – 59 since record keeping began in 1973 — with a moment of silence.

Southwest District Engineer Chad Hartley asked employees gathered at bridge headquarters to stand and count off to 59 to emphasize what that number represents.

“Fifty nine is basically everybody in the room except the back row and that’s amazing. That’s how many employees have lost their lives,” Hartley said.

The last work zone employee death in Southwest Georgia occurred in 2005. Tommy Hudson, a survey party chief, was working on the shoulder of state Route 107 in Turner County when a vehicle crossed the center line and struck and killed him. Hudson had been a Georgia DOT employee almost 22 years.

In all, 14 Southwest Georgia employees have been killed in work zone crashes since 1969, when the district began keeping records. Members of the district Georgia Department of Transportation Employees Association presented Hartley with a plaque bearing the names of the 14. The plaque will be displayed at the Tifton district office.

Interested persons may check out Georgia DOT’s work zone safety webpage and video at www.dot.ga.gov/WZS.

Closing Tifton Penney receives Founder’s Award

PLANO, Texas – The JCPenney outlet in the Tifton Mall was one of 85 top-performing stores that received a J. C. Penney Company Inc. Founder’s Award at a special ceremony held at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas.

The award comes after the corporation announced in March that the Tifton store is among ones it will close this summer.

The Founder’s Award is presented to general and district managers for leading teams that excel in the areas of financial performance, customer and client service, and business expertise.

Park plans annual festival, Easter egg hunt

OMAHA — Florence Marina State Park will host its annual Festival by the Lake and Easter Egg Hunt April 15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the park here, located at 218 Florence Road (Georgia Highway 39).

Participants are invited to enjoy available craft tables or to set up their own table of items to sell. Egg hunts will begin at 1 p.m. and will be separated by age groups: 0-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Prizes will be awarded to participants who find golden eggs, as well as those who find the most eggs in each age group.

Persons who wish to be a vendor at the craft festival may contact Breanna Walker at (229) 838-4706. A vendor fee is required.

DNR awards $2.3 million in recreation grants

ATLANTA — The Georgia Department of Natural Resources has announced the award of 14 new grants totaling $2.3 million for recreational trails around the state. The selected projects will provide new outdoor recreation opportunities for a variety of trail user groups. A total of 46 applications were received from state, federal,and local governments during this grant cycle, totaling $5.3 million in requests.

DNR administers the Recreational Trails Program under the guidance of the Federal Highway Administration. Funding for the program is appropriated by Congress in national highway legislation and is overseen by the Federal Highway Administration. Each year, the DNR offers awards through a competitive grant program. Agencies of state, federal, local government and authorized commissions are eligible to compete. Every recipient is required to match the grant by providing at least 20 percent of the cost of the project.

The Recreational Trails Program funds hiking, biking, and horseback trails, in addition to canoe and kayak launches.

Grant recipients include:

— Macon County Board of Commissioners, Whitewater Creek Trail System, $100,000;

— City of Union Point, City of Union Point Firefly Trail, $100,000;

— Spalding County, Quarry’s Edge Hike and Bike Trail at Dundee Park, $100,000;

— Augusta Canal Authority, Pump Station Trail Head, $100,000;

— Polk County Board of Commissioners, Silver Comet Accessibility Improvements and Maintenance Project, $100,000;

— Rockdale County Board of Commissioners, Shared Use Trails of South Rockdale Community Park, $100,000;

— USFS – Chattahoochee – Oconee National Forests, Conasauga Ranger Distr5ict – OHV Trail Maintenance 2017-2019, $70,000;

— DNR – Bush Head Shoals, Bush Head Shoals State ATV Park, $1,103,526;

— City of Toccoa, Lake Toccoa Recreational Trail, $100,000;

— City of Abbeville, Half Moon Walking Trails, $99,980;

— City of Hampton, North Forty Trail, Phase I, $92,608;

— Union County Government, Helton Creek Falls Rehabilitation Trail, $100,000;

— City of Brookhaven, Briarwood Park Nature Trail, $100,000;

— City of Lula, Nature Trails Project, $79,000.