Author: Caitlin

By Caitlin Wolfe DouglasNow.com The beautiful two story home on 305 South Gaskin Avenue was once home to U.S. Rep. John S. Gibson, his wife Jimmie Gibson, and their four children, two of which came from his first marriage. John Gibson’s story is fascinating, in large part because he has become one of the most important figures in post-World War II America. He left not only a mark on his local community, but also an enormous impression on our country. John Gibson was one of only a couple siblings that would leave the farm where…

By Caitlin Wolfe DouglasNow.com Jasmine McDonald, 17-year-old singer-songwriter from Douglas, has been named a Fan’s Choice nominee for the 2023 ninth annual Josie Music Awards. The ceremony will take place at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville on October 22. It has been said that the Josie Music Awards is the largest music awards show in the independent music industry. Jasmine, who started singing at the age of just three years old, has a passion for singing and music that is deeply rooted throughout her family. She has performed at festivals and venues in several states…

By Caitlin Wolfe DouglasNow.com The Dickerson home on 115 North Gaskin Avenue was built in a beautiful Queen Anne style back in 1905 by Judge Marcus Dickerson. Judge Dickerson and his wife, Ethel, lived in the home for many years and together the two had three children: David, Will, and Ethel. The story of the Dickerson family seems to be one of happy times and pleasant memories. That is until the year 1946. Over the next 7 years, Ethel would lose both of her sons and her husband before deciding to sell their lovely house in…

As the school year begins, one of the topics on everyone’s mind involves student safety. Are the students of the Coffee County School System safe, protected, and shielded as much as possible from any of the various bad occurrences that have been taking place at schools in other parts of the country? While no one can eliminate all of the risks from the various activities in which people engage daily, including going to school, Coffee County schools are as safe as they possibly can be. And one of the reasons why is because of the Coffee County…

At 215 North Gaskin Avenue sits what was once the home of the Stubbs family. The home was built in the fall of 1899 by Francis Willis Dart, who bought the lot for $150. Its architecture was designed in a Victorian style that even had a captain’s walk on top of the house. The family’s history and stories of those who lived there are interesting, impressive, and definitely worth telling. On August 27, 1925, Dart sold the home to his nephew, Francis Seaborn Stubbs Sr. From the start of his life, it is said that Francis seemed to…

By Caitlin Wolfe DouglasNow.com Ken Suttles, a 65-year-old Douglas local, has recently published a book called “The Swim: A Journal of My Ocmulgee and Altamaha Rivers Environmental Swim” and it has been named the #1 bestseller in Georgia Travel Guides on Amazon. This book is an inside look at Ken’s personal findings and observations of the Altamaha and Ocmulgee rivers. Ken moved to Douglas when he was in first grade. “I’ve always enjoyed it,” says Ken when referring to his history with writing. When he was growing up, Ken says he and a group of friends even…

By Caitlin Wolfe DouglasNow.com Gaines Chapel AME Church in Waycross is a historical church that has sat idle since COVID struck in 2020. Jay White, a 39-year-old Douglas business owner, has been a member of the church since he was born. He says that after the decision was made to stop attending in person services due to the rise of COVID, the church began holding services over the phone every Sunday. However, over time, the inability to maintain the building itself has caused some major wear and tear on this beautiful brick church. Gaines Chapel AME…

By Caitlin Wolfe DouglasNow.com The Coffee High School band program has been busy preparing for the upcoming football season. Steve Myers, band director, has been with the program for 29 years. Alex Cruz, associate director, has been with the program for nine years. They, along with around 116 students, are working to give Trojan fans a fun and exciting football season. The band has finished up the first week of their two-week summer band camp. During these five-hour practices, they learn new music for the halftime show, stands, and pep rally while also perfecting drill assignments.…

If you’ve lived in Coffee County, you’ve probably heard of the last name Peterson at some point in your life. We have Peterson Hall at South Georgia State College as well as Peterson Avenue. However, what most don’t know is the history behind this last name and why it seems to hold importance to the local community. Benajah Peterson, born on April 10, 1860, was a local businessman and assisted in getting the city of Douglas up and on its feet. At one time, he even owned the lot of land that would eventually be chartered as a…

By Caitlin Wolfe DouglasNow.com Brock Higgins, 11, of Coffee County, has placed in the top 25 in the USA Mullet Championship. This nationwide competition started off with around 300 kids in Brock’s age group from all across the country. This round of eliminations was chosen from the 2022 mullet champion, judges, celebrity picks, fan votes, and donations raised. These scores were combined to form the competition’s top 25 in his age group. The next round will be pretty intense, as there will only be 3 contestants from the 9-12 year old group that will move on to…