Author: Staff Reports

Four Coffee Countians, including two current elected officials and one former city commissioner, are voicing their support for Democratic incumbent John Barrow, officially offering their endorsements for the 12th District Georgia Congressman. Coffee County Sheriff Doyle Wooten, County Commissioner Charles “Scooter Bill” Dean, former City Commissioner Johnnie Lee Roper, and Douglas attorney Jeff Hennesy were each named as endorsers of Barrow in a press release issued by the Congressman’s campaign on Thursday. The press release read, “Congressman John Barrow (GA-12) today rolled out a list of endorsements from all 19 counties in the 12th District. The list of endorsements includes…

Team Nocahoma, a Nashville-based live pitch travel baseball team that includes players from throughout the area, recently made the transition from 9U competition to 10U. The season began on Aug. 1 and Nocahoma didn’t waste any time letting their intentions be known. Nocahoma made the trip to another time zone to play in a tournament in Marianna, Fla. Team Nocahoma went undefeated in this tournament, beating teams form Georgia, Florida, and Alabama along the way. They played well in all facets of the game, allowing just 11 runs throughout the tournament while scoring 36 runs and securing first place in…

Beginning September and October, Transwaste Industries will start using an automated side loader for trash pickup in Douglas. The side loader trucks are safer, quieter, cleaner and more efficient than the rear loader; however, the use of the side loader will require customers to change how their container is placed at the curb. “We are trying to get the information out to our customers to ease them into this transition,” says Terrell Jacobs, City Manager. “Using the side loader will improve efficiency of trash pickup. Container placement is essential to side loading. Once we start pickup with the side loader,…

A large crowd was in attendance Monday in northern Coffee County, as people from throughout the community gathered to officially open the doors of the newly-remodeled Broxton-Mary Hayes Elementary School. Funded throught E-SPLOST, the project has been ongoing since 2012, and Monday’s ribbon cutting and open house marked its culmination.

The Coffee County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation are still awaiting the autopsy report from the crime lab in regards to the cause of death of Mr. Alexander Hunt, whose bodied was discovered buried outside the Rosewood Manor assisted living facility on August 8. Former facility operater Diana Jacobs and her husband, James Jacobs, are currently incarcerated at the Coffee County Jail, having been charged with concealing a death and financial transaction card fraud in regards to the incident. The sheriff’s office reported Monday morning the investigation is ongoing and additional charges are expected to be filed…

Officials with the Douglas Police Department are asking the public’s assistance in identifying a man whose image was recently caught by a store’s security system. The police department has featured the individual’s photograph on their Facebook page since August 15. Authorities state officers are wanting to speak with the man in reference to an ongoing investigation. Anyone with information that could possibly assist in identifying this person is asked to contact the Douglas Police Dept. at (912) 384-2222 or the Tips Line at (912) 260-3600.

City and county firefighters stayed busy over the weekend, with each department responding to structure fires which destroyed two homes. Around 11:45 Saturday night, Douglas fire officials were called to a blaze at 1006 N. Pearl Ave. The residence, which was abandoned, was completely engulfed in flames and took some time to extinguish. On Saturday morning, a house fire on Yellow Brick Road in the county was a total loss, leaving an entire family without a home and in despereate need. County fire officials are asking anyone who may be able to help with clothing items or other needs to…

Investigators with the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office are reporting the arrests of three people in connection with a string of burglaries which occurred during the months of June and July. On August 1, officials received information about individuals that could be involved in these burglaries and, as a result of this information, investigators arrested Carlos Refugio Diaz, Zeke Williams Buttz and Ashton Mikelle Solomon for their involvement. In a press release issued by the sheriff’s office this weeks, law enforcement officials stated crime victims around the county reported that unknown suspects had entered their residences and taken items that included…

Congregants of Faith Chapel Church on Mahogany Road say their prayers were answered last Saturday when Joseph Mark Dube turned himself in to authorities, confessing to two incidents in which the church was burglarized. Representatives with the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office report on August 3, 2014, a burglary was reported at Faith Chapel. Deputies arrived at the scene, where they were met by a member of the church who stated he observed the back door open when he arrived that morning. Upon further investigation, he discovered a window at the rear of the church had been broken. It was later…

The Valdosta State University Red Hot team, the danceline for the VSU Blazers, recently competed at the National Dance Camp in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, taking home the first place overall trophy for Division I schools. The Red Hots beat out teams from the University of Kentucky and the University of Georgia, among others, and have earned a full paid bid to the upcoming national competition. Coffee County natives Hannah Hulsey is pictured here on the second row, far right, along with Lexie Curles, second row, fourth from right.