GA-FL At a Glance

Published 1:18 pm Friday, July 13, 2018

By Staff reports

New hands-free cellphone law not resulting in many tickets locally

DALTON, Ga. —  Area drivers have apparently been taking heed of Georgia’s new hands-free driving law as some local law enforcement agencies have been giving drivers a grace period with warnings and have issued very few citations. The law, which went into effect on July 1, prohibits anyone operating a motor vehicle from having a phone or other electronic device in their hands or in their laps. The law is more stringent than previous distracted driving laws in the state, which mainly covered texting or surfing the internet while driving. But implementation of the new law hasn’t seemed to be a major issue for area law enforcement. “The media has done a good job of letting people know about the new law and it seems like people have taken it to heart,” Tunnel Hill Police Department Chief Trey Rider said. “We haven’t had to write any citations and are giving warnings for the first month, but really haven’t had many issues with the exception of out of state drivers.” Capt. Clay Pangle of the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office patrol division said his department has written just one citation under the new law, and that was on an incident that involved other charges. The sheriff’s office has issued 13 courtesy warnings.

FSU chaplain to speak Monday at ‘Iron Sharpens Iron’ event

LIVE OAK, Fla. — Chaplain Clinton Purvis has been seen on the Florida State sideline for many years.

Now the Live Oak Church of God welcomes the community to hear him speak live Monday.

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Purvis, the FSU football chaplain, is the featured speaker for Monday’s “Iron Sharpens Iron” Men’s and Boys Fellowship event at the Live Oak Church of God.

The free event begins at 7 p.m. A love offering will be collected.

Former Florida State coach Bobby Bowden, Valdosta State coach and Mayo native Kerwin Bell and inspirational speaker David Ring have been speakers at past “Iron Sharpens Iron” events at the church, which is located at 9828 U.S. Highway 129 in Live Oak.

Purvis has served as the FSU football chaplain under Bowden, Jimbo Fisher and now Willie Taggart.

For more information about the event, please call the church’s Men’s Ministry leader Johnnie Philman at 386-842-5494.

Tift SharpShooters place at national tournament

TIFTON, Ga. — The Tift County 4-H SharpShooters placed 18th at the 53rd Annual Daily National B.B. Gun Championship match held earlier this month in Rogers, Ark. This was the ninth trip to nationals for Tift County, which competed against 55 other teams. Haley Brannen finished fourth in the prone position, just three-tenths of a point from third place. Coach David Haire said the team won the 41-county Southwest District, the 17th victory in the program’s 21 years. Tift County finished fourth at the Georgia state championship.