Local News
Local UGA scientist named AAAS fellow
TIFTON — University of Georgia Tifton scientist Peggy Ozias-Akins has been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science for “scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications.”
The Tifton native will be honored, along with 531 new Fellows, at the 2010 AAAS Annual Meeting in San Diego Feb. 20. AAAS is the world’s largest general scientific society. Being named a Fellow is one of its most prestigious honors, a tradition that started in 1874.
Ozias-Akins, a professor of horticulture, is being recognized for her contributions to the field of agricultural biotechnology.
After graduating high school in Tifton and attending a year at a local junior college, she studied in Florida and then in Germany. In 1986, she returned home and established her laboratory on the UGA Tifton Campus. And since then, research scientists and students have traveled from across the world to collaborate with and to learn from her.
Apomixis is a strange trait that allows a plant to produce a seed identical to itself -- a natural clone. For years, she has searched for the genetic information that causes it. The trait occurs naturally in many plants, but it's rare in domesticated ones. It doesn’t happen in any major food crops.
She developed a method to genetically engineer peanuts that is used by other scientists. She’s working now to create a peanut that doesn’t have the protein that causes severe allergic reactions in some people.
She is married to Paul Akins, a former farmer. Their son is Robert.
AAAS publishes the journal Science as well as Science Translational Medicine and Science Signaling. It was founded in 1848, and includes some 262 affiliated societies and academies of science.
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Mac Frampton dinner concert to benefit library
Renowned pianist Mac Frampton is coming to Tifton for a special evening of music and dining at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 2 at the UGA-Tifton Campus Conference Center.
The catered dinner and show, sponsored by the Tifton-Tift County Public Library Foundation, benefits the local public library to enhance its collections and programs. This is the only fundraiser the non-profit Library Foundation is holding this year to benefit the public library. -
Some bunker down, some flee as Earl approaches US
Tourists were largely gone from North Carolina's Outer Banks, but those resolute residents who stayed behind say they were prepared Thursday to potentially face down the most powerful hurricane to threaten the coast in years.
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Woman arrested for check forgery
A home healthcare worker has been charged with forging checks belonging to an elderly Ashburn woman under her care.
According to Lt. Porter Jackson of the Tifton Police Department, he was initially called by a Turner County Sheriff’s Office agent about the case. Jackson said members of the elderly woman’s family looked through some of the woman’s checks and notices that some of those written were out of numerical sequence.
“They looked into her bank account and discovered that several checks had been written for a good amount of money,” Jackson said. “They figured that the only person who came to the woman’s house was a caretaker.” -
Hannah’s Hope takes second place in the Pepsi Refresh Campaign
After a recent online vote, Hannah’s Hope finished second in the Pepsi Refresh Campaign. With the second-place finish, Tifton’s Lottyn Bates will be helped.
Since he was 2 1/2 years old, Bates has suffered from Giant Axonal Neuropathy, a neurological disorder similar to Lou Gehrig’s Disease, that strikes in childhood and progresses rapidly, taking away the ability to walk, talk and breathe. A group of scientists has developed a drug for this disorder.
Hannah’s Hope will be awarded a $250,000 grant to help with his clinical trials. This win has given Bates and his family a surreal feeling of gratitude and appreciation for the public’s support. - Ex-DA slaying case headed for Jesup jury
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Talent at the Tift: 'America's Got Talent' to perform here
America’s Got Talent 2009 winner Kevin Skinner will perform at 8 p.m. Oct. 9 at the Tift Theatre and Tifton singer and songwriter Kirsten Underwood and her band will open the night.
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Man gets 24 years for armed robbery
A Tift County jury has found a man guilty of the December armed robbery of the Dixie Food Store and sentenced him to serve 24 years in prison. Also, a young Tifton woman pleaded guilty to the stabbing death of her brother and is awaiting sentencing.
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Local school system facing additional cuts
The local public school system has again been asked to cut additional funding for 2011 and will lose an additional $900,000 in equalization funding in 2012 because of the declining tax base.
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Omega's Pepper Festival set for Sept. 10
Before kicking off the seventh annual Pepper Festival, the City of Omega will be introducing Christian Saslo, a magician and illusionist from Atlanta, at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 9 at Ponder Park.
- Earl threatens US East Coast
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