Newsbreak

The Georgia Association of Broadcasters held their annual GABBY awards Saturday night recognizing broadcasters from all over Georgia. This year’s event took place virtually due to COVID-19 concerns. The awards ceremony honored members of the broadcast community throughout the state of Georgia for their efforts during the 2019 broadcast year.

Longtime station General Manager Zack Fowler received the Small Market Radio Merit Award for Best Newscast on WVOP AM 970 and FM 105.3 for 2019. Chester Proctor was honored with the Small Market Radio Gabby Award for Best Reporter on WYUM 101.7 FM for 2019.

Congratulations to both of these local broadcasters for being recognized by the Georgia Association of Broadcasters for their outstanding contribution to the radio stations they represent and the radio broadcasters across Georgia.

Details: Written by Jeff Raiford; Category: Newsbreak; Published: 24 October 2020; Hits: 177

The Vidalia City School System, Toombs County School System and the Montgomery County School System all released their COVID-19 weekly figures on Friday, and the numbers continue to decline.

Vidalia City Schools reports that no students are currently testing positive for the virus while 25 students are quarantined for possible exposure. Three employees are currently positive and 4 employees are quarantined.

Toombs County Schools reported Friday 6 students have tested positive for the virus and 7 students are in quarantine. No employees in the system are positive and only 1 employee is in quarantine.

Montgomery County Schools report zeroes across the board for positive cases; no students, teachers or employees of the school system have the virus. Additionally, no teachers are in quarantine while 1 other staff member and 7 students are quarantined.

Details: Written by Kathy Hilt; Category: Newsbreak; Published: 24 October 2020; Hits: 547

Shannon Hart Rhonda Phillips Meadows Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehab employees Shannon Hart, RN Clinic Coordinator, and Rhonda Phillips, Registered Respiratory Therapist, receive awards Thursday, Oct. 22. Left to right: Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer Jeffrey Harden; RN, Clinic Coordinator Shannon Hart; Registered Respiratory Therapist Rhonda Phillips; Assistant Vice President of Cardiovascular Services Travis Roose.

Meadows Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehab employees Shannon Hart, RN Clinic Coordinator, and Rhonda Phillips, Registered Respiratory Therapist, received awards Thursday, Oct. 22. Hart received the October Daisy Award and Phillips received the Meadows Moment Award.

The Meadows Moment Award was created to recognize staff members and physicians who are noticed for exemplifying Meadows’ values of compassion, teamwork and integrity. Awards are given to deserving employees for coming up with new ideas, helping coworkers, and other efforts that bring value to the team.

The Daisy Award was established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, who died at 33 of complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. The family noticed that during the course of Patrick’s illness the extraordinary care he received from nurses made a difference not only in his health but his personal well-being. The family wanted to recognize the extraordinary work nurses do daily while performing other duties involved in caring for their patients. The Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nurses is a nationally recognized award that is celebrated across the country. Recipients from Meadows become part of an elite group of professionals across the nation.

“I was honored to present Shannon and Rhonda with these awards,” said Jeffrey Harden, Meadows Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer. “Since opening Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehab they have helped so many patients regain quality of life. They are both extremely deserving.”

Hart has been employed with Meadows since February 2019 and currently resides in Vidalia. Phillips has been employed with Meadows since March 2001 and currently resides in Vidalia.

Details: Written by Jeff Raiford; Category: Newsbreak; Published: 23 October 2020; Hits: 253

RtcaHocoFall21 057Bb Pictured L-R : Front Row-Carleigh DeFee, Katie McDuffie, Maison Garbutt, Carolina Mead, Madison Willams, and Ellie Graham Second Row-Aly Brown, Mary-Claire Wolfe, Caroline Thompson, and Marli McCranie Photo Credit: The Davis House

RTCA HOMECOMING COURT 2020

Robert Toombs Christian Academy’s Homecoming will be held Friday, October 30^th. Kickoff begins at 7:30 p.m. against Brentwood. Homecoming representatives are:

Seniors:

Carleigh DeFee (Senior Football Representative), daughter of Lane and Jane DeFee

Maison Garbutt, daughter of Jason & Misty Wiggins and George & Renee Garbutt

Katie McDuffie, daughter of Randy and Jolie McDuffie

Carolina Mead, daughter of Paul and Lisa Mead

Juniors:

Ellie Graham, daughter of Paul and Jodi Graham

Marli McCranie, daughter of Tony & Marci Meadows and Keith McCranie

Madison Williams, daughter of Travis and Sandra Williams

Sophomores:

Aly Brown, daughter of Whit and Jennifer Brown

Mary-Claire Wolfe, daughter of Neal and Jennifer Wolfe

Freshmen:

Caroline Thompson, daughter of Rhett and Susan Thompson

Details: Written by Jeff Raiford; Category: Newsbreak; Published: 23 October 2020; Hits: 485

Two cultural entities in Vidalia will share a total of almost $114,000 in grant money from the Georgia Council for the Arts, and local resident and State Senator Blake Tillery said the one-time grants shows the community’s support of cultural events.

Sen. Tillery said, "When looking at our successes over the years, much of that can be attributed to the arts. Whether it is in terms of infrastructure such as venues and museums, or through neighborhood events and cultural initiatives, the creativity that comes from the arts has given back to our community unimaginable ways."

"I am appreciative of the General Assembly, and Georgia Council for the Arts and Gov. Brian Kemp in providing these grants," Sen. Tillery concluded.

The Altama Museum of Art and History was granted $75,000, and the Vidalia Convention and Visitors Bureau will receive $38,951. Through funding from the Georgia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts, the Georgia Council for the Arts provides finical assistance and service that promote the mission of cultivating the growth of vibrant and thriving Georgia communities through the arts. The awarded grants support the construction, renovation or acquisition of a building or the addition of equipment to support arts programs.