As we approach the Memorial Day weekend, the Command Staff and all our our employees of the Tift County Sheriff's Office, wish to thank each and every member of our military and their families, who paid the ultimate sacrifice, in defending our freedom.
Godspeed!
Bottom Line:
Several rounds of showers and storms are expected over the next two days with heavy rainfall and isolated flash flooding possible. A Flood Watch has been issued for the area through Tuesday evening.
Overview:
Unseasonably wet and rainy conditions are forecast over the next couple of days with a stalled front draped across the region. Several rounds of showers and thunderstorms are expected over the next two days, with 2-day widespread rainfall totals of 1 to 3 inches and isolated amounts of 4 to 6 inches possible. Soils across the area are already fairly saturated from heavy rain over the past week. Therefore, additional heavy rainfall may lead to flash flooding, particularly in urban and poor drainage areas. While the best threat for heavy rainfall exists over the Florida Big Bend and I-75 corridor through Georgia, all of the area has at least some potential for heavy rainfall. Therefore a Flood Watch has been issued for the entire area.
Heavy rainfall that falls today will help further prime already moist soils for additional heavy rainfall Tuesday. A few storms may also be strong with gusty winds, small hail and lightning.
The Tift County Sheriff's Office is hiring Deputies, Deputies for Transport & the Court Division, Detention Officers & Records Clerks.
Employees receive paid vacation, paid sick leave, a pension plan is offered as well as a 401(k) & health insurance.
The Tift County Sheriff's Office is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a Drug Free Workplace.
MAY 18, 2023
Commissioner Spencer R. Moore announced that, starting this week, the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) will begin to offer residents the option to add a valid, Georgia-issued driver's license and ID to their iPhone and Apple Watch. Once added, customers can securely present their digital driver's license and ID using their iPhone or Apple Watch at select Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security checkpoints, including those within Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Georgia is the largest state to provide this capability to their residents enabling an easy, fast and secure way for Georgians to present their driver's license or ID - without needing to take out their physical card.
"As the No. 1 state for business, Georgia recognizes the value of finding new and innovative ways to remain at the forefront of emerging trends," said Governor Brian Kemp. "I want to thank our great team at DDS for working with their partners in the private sector, as well as the TSA, to make this exciting new service possible. I look forward to this option being widely available for hardworking Georgians and visitors alike."
How to Add a Georgia Digital Driver's License and ID
To get started, Georgia residents must have a valid and easily readable Georgia driver's license or ID card, as well as an iPhone 8 or later, , or Apple Watch 4 or later, with the latest version of iOS or watchOS. You must also have your device set to the United States.
Adding a driver's license or state ID to Apple Wallet can be done in just a few simple steps. Georgia residents can tap the + button at the top of the screen in Apple Wallet on their iPhone select 'Driver's license or State ID," and follow the on-screen instructions to start the set-up and verification process.
Please note that it could take up to 48 hours for Georgia to appear as an option in Apple Wallet.
How to Use a Georgia Digital Driver's License and ID in Apple Wallet
At this time, Georgia digital driver's license or ID in Apple Wallet is accepted at select TSA checkpoints at participating airports https://www.tsa.gov/digital-id around the country.
To present a Georgia digital driver's license or ID in Apple Wallet at a TSA checkpoint, residents can simply hold their iPhone or Apple Watch near the reader. Residents' devices will then display what information is being requested by the TSA, and only after authorizing with Face ID or Touch ID is the requested information released from a device. Since the information is shared digitally, residents do not need to hand over their iPhone or Apple Watch to present their Georgia digital driver's license or ID in Apple Wallet.
"Get ready to reimagine the way you use your driver's license. Over time, we expect the locations accepting Georgia Digital Driver's License and IDs to grow, but we are excited now to allow customers the option to present their credential easily and securely at TSA checkpoints," said DDS Commissioner Spencer R. Moore. "We value the opportunity to work with Apple and TSA to bring this convenience to our residents."
DDS reminds customers that a Georgia Digital Driver's License or ID in their Apple Wallet is voluntary and comes at no additional cost, and Georgians must continue to carry their physical driver's license or ID with them.
For more information including access to informational videos on Georgia Digital Driver's License and ID on iPhone and Apple Watch, please visit GA Digital Driver's License ' Georgia Department of Driver Services.
Information about Apple Wallet can be found at learn.wallet.apple/id.
Good Morning,
Bottom Line:
Isolated instances of severe storms with damaging wind and hail are possible this afternoon into early this evening. In addition, pockets of heavy rain could lead to localized flooding.
Overview:
Unsettled conditions will continue today with scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms expected to develop during the afternoon. A few storms may briefly become severe with localized damaging wind the main threat. Some hail could also occur. In addition, localized areas that have received heavy rain over the last couple of days are more susceptible to flooding if they receive another burst of heavy rain today. For these reasons, marginal risks of severe storms and excessive rainfall are in place this afternoon. The attached graphics depict the risk areas.
First Grade Students from the Annie Belle Clark Elementary School took a field trip yesterday to the UGA Farm. They then had lunch at Fullwood Park whey they got to meet Sheriff's Deputies James Spradley & Sgt. Corey Kennedy.
Congratulations to the C.H.A.M.P.S. Student of the year Olivia Clark.
The 36 members of the 5th Grade Classes at Tiftarea Academy Graduated today from the Tift County Sheriff's Office C.H.A.M.P.S., (Choosing Healthy Activities & Methods Promoting Safety) class. Sgt. Yuriana Vasquez is the instructor.
The Essay winners from Mrs. Shannon's class were: 1st place Ava Kelley, Maddie Jackson 2nd place & Shaw Hopkins 3rd. In Mrs. Brown's class Blakely Kelly in 1st, Ashton Connell in 2nd & Brook Webb 3rd.
The Tift County Sheriff's Office began teaching the C.H.A.M.P.S. program at Tiftarea Academy & in the Tift County Public School system in 2014 to 5th graders with more than 2,000 students graduating.
Pictured from left to right are: Sgt. Yuriana Vazquez, Laci Gongazles & Sheriff Gene Scarbrough
"Showing Acts Of Kindness"
Laci Gonzales is an 8th grade student at Tiftarea Academy and was tasked with a school project, "Showing Acts of Kindness", and chose the Tift County Sheriff's Office. She provided bottled water, Gatorade and a variety of snacks for our Deputies. Thank You Laci.
Bottom Line:
A couple rounds of strong to severe storms today, beginning late this morning and continuing into the late evening. Chances for strong to severe storms continue both Friday and Saturday. Locally heavy rainfall could lead to some localized flash flooding each day through Sunday.
Overview:
Several rounds of severe weather and heavy rainfall are possible as a front moves slowly through the area.
Today (Thursday)
A large complex of showers and storms is forecast to develop near the Panhandle later this morning/around midday before moving northeastward through the area through the early afternoon. Another, more organized line of showers and thunderstorms is forecast to push into the area from the west in the early to mid afternoon before moving eastward through the area into the evening. Strong to severe thunderstorms will be possible with all activity today, with tornadoes, damaging winds, hail, and heavy rainfall possible. Slight Risk (level 2 of 5) for severe weather. Timing - First round may begin in the late morning to midday across the FL Panhandle and SE AL, reaching the FL Big Bend into SW GA in the early to mid afternoon hours. The second round is forecast to push into SE AL and the FL Panhandle around mid afternoon, reaching the FL BIg Bend and SW GA in the early evening hours and lingering into the late evening. Since there will probably be at least two waves of storms today, exact onset and ending timing is difficult to parse out.Friday
Scattered thunderstorms will redevelop early in the morning near the coast and offshore and gradually move into the Big Bend in the morning. Additional storms could develop in southwest Georgia along the cold front. Primary threats include locally damaging wind gusts, some hail, a brief tornado, and heavy rainfall. Marginal Risk (level 1 of 5) for severe weather.Saturday
A stronger system will move across the area through the day Saturday with possibly a couple rounds of strong to severe storms and heavy rainfall. Uncertainty is a bit higher with this system, but this has a higher ceiling than today's severe weather with some better ingredients possible. Marginal Risk (level 1 of 5) for severe weather, but could change in later forecasts.Slight Risk for (level 2 of 4) excessive rainfall.
Through the weekend, rainfall totals of 3 to 6 inches with localized totals of 8 inches or more are expected. Localized flash flooding is possible.
Bottom Line:
* What: Marginal Risk of severe thunderstorms
* When: Saturday morning and afternoon
* Where: Mainly along and east of a line from Tallahassee to Tifton
* Mode: Isolated damaging wind gusts are the main threat, though small hail is also possible.
Overview:
Yet another Saturday with a severe weather threat is coming up. A cold front will make its way across the service area on Saturday. In advance of the front, instability and wind shear will support thunderstorms with isolated damaging wind gusts.
The main limiting factor will be the lack of moisture return. This will hold down coverage of thunderstorms.
General, sub-severe thunderstorms could form over the Florida Panhandle late tonight. As they move east into the Florida Big Bend and South-Central Georgia on Saturday morning, daytime heating will destabilize the atmosphere enough to cause some storms to start producing isolated damaging wind gusts and possibly some small hail.
Storms will exit east of the Suwannee River during the mid-late afternoon.