Author: Staff Reports

Elizabeth Bailey, age 90, of Douglas, Georgia, passed away on Saturday May 23, 2020 at Vista Park. Mrs. Bailey was born on June 21, 1929 in Coffee County, Georgia, the daughter of the late Naef Thomas and Estelle Morris Thomas. Mrs. Bailey was a homemaker and a member of St. Andrews Anglican Church. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond Bailey, Sr. Survivors include two daughters, Terri Macy (Ron) of Douglas, GA and Tina Bailey (Mark Tapley) of Douglas, GA; son Dr. Raymond H. Bailey Jr (Gina) of Leesburg, GA; seven grandchildren, Michelle…

Bailey Bryant and A.J. Ricketson of Citizens Christian Academy have received the annual Leo Club Scholarships for 2020. The recipients of the Citizens Christian Academy Leo Club Scholarships must be average or above average academic students of the school. They must be able to interact well with fellow students and faculty. They must be individuals that interact in the community with groups that are providing help for needs of others. They shall possess honor, integrity, good Christian morals and good leadership skills. They shall be selected by a panel that reviews their records and the submitted application.

Anna Grace Scholten, a 2020 graduate of Coffee High School, has received the 2020 Willie Pearl Davis Leadership Scholarship. During her four years at Coffee High, Anna Grace has been a standout tennis player, cheerleader, and student. She is the daughter of Joel and Amanda Scholten of Douglas. She plans to attend Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. Miss Willie Pearl Davis, born on June 12, 1905, was a lifelong resident of Coffee County, Georgia. She died May 2, 2000, six days shy of her 95th birthday. Throughout her years, Miss Willie Pearl touched the lives of thousands of…

Wes Lott, son of Adam and Mindy Lott of Douglas, is the recipient of the 2020 Buck Preston Sportsmanship Award. The Douglas Lions Club presents the award annually to a deserving student. Lott, a 2020 graduate of Coffee High School, played baseball and football for the Trojans. In 2019, he was named region Pitcher of the Year. He will continue his baseball career at South Georgia State College. Here is a little about the Buck Preston Sportsmanship Award and the man after which it is named: Montgomery Lane “Buck” Preston, Jr. was born January 24, 1937 and…

Coffee County Sheriff’s Office investigators are looking for an individual who burglarized a local convenience store early Sunday morning. At 1:47 a.m. on Sunday morning, April 19, 2020, an individual broke into Quick Change #25 (the old Cindy’s Mini Mart near Baymeadows) on Highway 158 West. Store surveillance cameras caught the thief in action but his/her face isn’t recognizable on camera. Someone in Coffee County knows who this offender is and the sheriff’s office would like to hear from you. If you can identify this person or have any information on this burglary, contact the Coffee County Sheriff’s…

Wiley Hammock ATV Park has announced that it will be open this weekend. The Coffee County Sheriff’s Office has released a statement regarding the opening of the park and whether or not it violates the social distancing guidelines Gov. Brian Kemp has issued. Here is the sheriff’s office’s statement: “We have received several questions and concerns regarding Wiley Hammock ATV Park opening this weekend, April 17th – April 19th. The Coffee County Sheriff’s Office was originally contacted by representatives of Wiley Hammock ATV Park concerning holding the event. We advised them that holding it would appear to violate Governor…

Due to Monday’s announcement from Gov. Brian Kemp, all public schools in Georgia (grades Pre-K to 12) will be closed until March 31, 2020. The Coffee County School System released a statement on its Web site Tuesday morning addressing the closure. The statement can be seen below: Coffee County Schools are closed for all students. This action is being taken as a step in preventing the spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus). During this time, we understand that many students, families, and community members have questions about how school closures will affect our daily lives. Our faculty and staff are…

On Friday, Feb. 28, the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office announced that officers were looking for Anthony Goodwin, a convicted sex offender. Goodwin had failed to notify the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office of his current address, according to the CCSO. On March 12, deputies located and arrested Goodwin at a residence in the county. He was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Coffee County Jail. He is currently charged with failure to register address change and violation of probation. Sheriff Doyle Wooten released the following statement: “Officers take the appropriate actions as dictated by law when…

At the moment, the Coffee County School System has no plans to cancel school as a result of the coronavirus. Friday afternoon, Dr. Morris Leis, school superintendent, released the following statement: “As we stated yesterday, we are continuously planning at the local level to properly prepare to reduce the impact of COVID-19. We have been in close communication with our local Department of Public Health, Coffee Regional Medical Center and other agencies and governmental bodies. School system administrators met this afternoon with city and county government officials and local healthcare professionals to review the latest data from the Centers for…

Crystal Lynn Garren, a convicted sex offender who has been charged with failing to register an address change, failed to show up this week in Superior Court and the sheriff’s office needs the public’s help in locating her. Garren was convicted in Cook County for enticing a child for indecent purposes in February of 2003. She was required to register as a sex offender as part of her sentence. Garren has been living in Coffee County since 2016. In February of 2018, Garren was charged for failing to register address change after leaving the address she was registered at and…