Author: Staff Reports

Most students spend Spring Break at the beach or somewhere fun. The Coffee High School VEX team will spend their break in Louisville, Kentucky, at the 2017 robotics world championships. The team recently qualified for the world championships. Team members include Diego Escobar, Xavion Woodberry, Edvin Najarro, Alana Atkinson, Samina Patel, Leana Atkinson, Netra Ghandi, Paulina Escobar, and Ashni Patel. Dr. Rodney Ragsdale advises the team.

Don Brooks, owner of Brooks Auto Parts and a former Douglas city commissioner, will be inducted into the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame on April 29 at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Warner Robins. The other inductees are Sgt. Mike J. Ferros, and Richard (Dick) Fortenberry. The three new members bring the total number of military and civilian inductees in the Hall of Fame to 112 since the Hall started in 1989. Brooks has generated national attention for his involvement in the recovery of old World War II aircraft, including expeditions to Greenland to recover a P-38 and…

The Telfair County pill house is closed, says the sign. On Wednesday March 8, as a result of a four-month-long investigation targeting an individual suspected of illegally buying and redistributing prescription medications, Telfair County deputies executed a search warrant on a residence in the county. As a result, deputies discovered and seized thousands of pills of various controlled substances and schedules, numerous firearms, 15 slot machines, and over $12,000. Deputies arrested two people inside the residence were taken into custody and will face a multitude of charges. Arthur Alex Sirmans, owner of the residence, 69, of a Lumber City, address will be charged…

Michael Milikae Scott, 22, of Douglas, was captured early Friday morning and faces multiple charges in the suspected kidnapping of 21-year-old Veronica DeLeon. Coffee County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched around 9 a.m. Thursday, March 2, 2017 to Old Pearson Highway near the Atkinson County line. Deputies were advised that an Atkinson County deputy was responding to the area to check on a female who was allegedly being run off the road by her boyfriend. 911 received a second call in reference to the same incident in which the complainant stated two individuals had jumped out of a black SUV and…

A wanted parolee from Coffee County was jailed Thursday in Alma following an arrest on drug distribution charges. Alma police stated a search warrant was executed at 213 E. 6th St., where officers seized over six packages of marijuana and ten packages of powder cocaine. Christopher Fuller (39) was charged with possession of marijuana and cocaine with intent to distribute. He was also wanted in Coffee County for prior drug violations. Also arrested in the same incident was 31-year-old Ikedia Rolax of Savannah, who was also charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana and cocaine.

Human remains found on Charlie Harper Road in Willacoochee on February 10, 2017 have been identified as those of missing teenager Kiree Hersey. The 18-year-old had been missing since November 5, 2016. Officials state Hersey’s death has been ruled a homicide. Anyone with information concerning this case is asked to call the Atkinson County Sheriff’s Office at (912) 422-3611, the GBI Douglas office at (912) 389-4103, or through GBI Tips online at http://investigative.gbi.georgia.gov/gbi-tip-line.

Authorities have been busy in Alma over the last couple of days. Thursday evening, the Alma Police Department executed a search warrant at the home of Betty Ann Wertz, 602 N. Wayne St. Officers seized crack cocaine, powder cocaine, marijuana, and a variety of pain medications. The following individuals were arrested and charged as follows: Betty Ann Wertz, 50, of Alma, possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance (two counts) and sale of marijuana; Lisa Michelle Butler, 46, of Alma, possession of cocaine and possession of a Schedule II controlled substance; Robert Antonio Faulk, 33, of Alma, possession of cocaine;…

One person has been hospitalized and another arrested after a shooting Wednesday night on East Cleveland Street According to a press release issued by the Douglas Police Department, officers responded to a call at the 800 block of East Cleveland after receiving a report of gunshots being fired. When they arrived, they found Ben Mortez Martin, 25, lying in the road with multiple gunshots to his upper body. Martin told officers that Dario Ortiz Graves, 23, was the shooter. Graves fled the scene and officers were unable to locate him. During the ensuing investigation, officers determined that Martin and Graves…

The CCA Lady Patriots are off to the Elite Eight. The girls defeated Solid Rock in Sandersville Tuesday night. The win gets them one step closer to another state title for the program. They will face Brentwood Friday afternoon at Brewton-Parker College in Mount Vernon at 4 p.m. CCA’s boys begin their postseason run when the first round begins today. Photo courtesy of Suzanne Ray

Today, Representative Thomas Massie introduced H.R. 899, a bill to abolish the federal Department of Education. The bill, which is one sentence long, states, “The Department of Education shall terminate on December 31, 2018.” ​On the day of Betsy DeVos’ scheduled Senate confirmation for Secretary of Education, Massie said, “Neither Congress nor the President, through his appointees, has the constitutional authority to dictate how and what our children must learn.” Massie added, “Unelected bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. should not be in charge of our children’s intellectual and moral development. States and local communities are best positioned to shape curricula that…