Emery Center reception celebrates state recognition

DALTON, Ga. — The public is invited to the Emery Center, formerly the Emery Street School from 1886 to 1968, on Thursday, April 19, for a reception celebrating the presentation of a resolution proclamation from the Georgia General Assembly recognizing and commending the work of the Emery Center. The resolution mentions the center’s work “in preserving the physical fabric, documentation and spirit of the community it has nurtured, educated and memorialized since its founding in 1886.” The proclamation will be presented by state Sen. Chuck Payne and state Rep. Kasey Carpenter. The celebratory reception is at 6 p.m. The Emery Center is at 110 W. Emery St.

Police release video of robbery attempt

MOULTRIE, Ga. — Moultrie police are seeking help in identifying a suspect in an attempted robbery that occurred on March 21 at U.S. Food Mart, 3025 S. Main St. On Wednesday, investigators released a 2-minute clip from the store’s video recorder that shows part of the incident. View it at www.moultrieobserver.com. Police said that as an employee was checking to make sure the door was locked a gunman emerged from the side of the building and demanded money. The gunman also ordered another employee out of a car. No money was taken during the incident. It was the third time the store was targeted in a little more than a year.

UGA-Tifton students plant sale April 11-13

TIFTON, Ga. — Agriculture education students from the University of Georgia Tifton campus will host a plant sale Wednesday, April 11, through Friday, April 13. The annual sale helps to cover the cost of UGA-Tifton seniors’ attendance at the National FFA Convention and the production of plants by next year’s “Floriculture for Educators” class. The plant sale will take place at the UGA Tifton campus on Wednesday through Friday from noon through 2 p.m. Plants will also be on sale outside of Tractor Supply at 155 Virginia Avenue South on Wednesday through Friday from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-7:30 p.m. Costs vary per item. The class produced popular vegetables, such as tomatoes, squash and peppers, along with flowers like begonias and petunias.

Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest now open

LIVE OAK, Fla. — Submissions are now being accepted for the first Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest.

The WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc., is looking for more songs about the Suwannee River in addition to the famous, “Old Folks at Home,” by Stephen Foster, or the Withlacoochee and Alapaha rivers as well, or even the Okefenokee Swamp.

Submissions must be received by May 13 and the songwriting contest committee will select seven finalists, announcing them May 19.

Those finalists will perform in Cedar Key on July 23, where there will also be a silent auction, a kayak raffle as well as food and drink.

Judges will award a $300 cash prize to the overall winner and $50 prizes will also go to a winner from inside and outside the 10,000-square mile Suwannee River basin in Georgia and Florida.

Submissions are invited in every musical genre or style, and there will be a prize for the top finalist in each submitted genre.

Sponsorships are also available for organizations or individuals.

For more information, contact Eileen Box, the contest committee chair, at 386-647-7240; or Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman at 850-290-2350, or song@suwanneeriverkeeper.org.

An entry form can be found online at wwals.net.