The U.S. Justice Department is accusing the state of Georgia of segregating thousands of students with behavior-based disabilities from their peers in inferior buildings that formerly served as schools for black students back in the years of legal segregation. Furthermore, the students are receiving unequal educational opportunities but instead many are getting only computer-based lessons rather than direct instruction from a certified teacher. Read the entire story from a recent ‘Washington Post’ article by clicking here.
Author: Staff Reports
A 48-year-old Douglas woman was jailed Friday after attempting to swallow her crack cocaine in an attempt to conceal the drugs from authorities. Officials with the Douglas – Coffee Drug Unit (DCDU) stated detectives encountered Linda Blank on Cleveland St. near Dewey Ave. in Douglas. During a brief investigation, they discovered she was wanted on a probation violation warrant and a bench warrant for theft by shoplifting. Upon Blank’s arrest, detectives and DCDU K-9 officers discovered Blank was attempting to chew up a small quantity of crack cocaine, and officers were able to recover the contraband before she swallowed…
The warehouse at the Universal Leaf Tobacco Market in Douglas started filling up Wednesday morning on the first day of operations for the season. The Chamber of Commerce hosted an open house for the business on July 29 to help mark the occasion. Tobacco from several different counties all over the region is being shipped into the market’s warehouse to be distributed and sold. One tobacco farmer from Colquitt County who was on site said the turnout looked good and it looked to be a very successful season for tobacco farmers and the Universal Leaf Tobacco Market alike. This selling…
In early July the City of Douglas hired Stevie Young as director of the Parks and Recreation Department. Mr. Young is eager to work with the citizens of Douglas to improve conditions for recreation and talk about new ideas for the city. Plans for a skate park are in the works, but negotiation and communication from the skateboarding community of Douglas are needed to push things forward. Though there currently is no area specifically designated for skating at this time, Mr. Young urges those who skate to abide by laws and not skate on sidewalks in downtown Douglas. Citizens are…
The Douglas City Commission recognized the Douglas Stingrays swim team at the City Commission meeting on Monday evening. Coach C.M. Jenkins spoke about the triumphs his team accomplished at the recent state meet. This year marked the second consecutive year that the team won a state championship and Coach Jenkins said the team is “getting better every year.” The Stingrays are becoming the team to beat in the state level competitions, and this reflects not only the hard work and dedication that the team members and coaches have put forth, but also the massive support that the community and the…
South Georgia State College celebrated the long-awaited completion of an important on-campus project Monday, July 27, with a ribbon cutting at the newly renovated Alumni House. Dr. Jim Cottingham, former Vice President for Student Affairs, delivered a general history of the house and its importance to the college. For many years the Alumni House had served as a home for the presidents of the college and their families. Before being built in the 1950’s, college presidents lived in other buildings on campus including Richey and Davis Halls. It was during the tenure of President William Smith that the college built…
A Coffee County man whose body was found floating in a pond in the Oak Park community in April was determined to have died accidentally, sheriff’s officials reported Wednesday morning. Jose Mendez Diaz was the center of a missing person investigation that expanded over a two week period in the Oak Park Community and involved a large scale ground and aerial search. His body was discovered on April 6 in a small pond off Mahogany Rd. Coffee County Sheriff’s officials stated Mendez’s body was sent to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Crime Lab where an autopsy was performed and a…
A recent complaint relayed to authorities through 911 led to the arrest of a Douglas woman who drug agents say was caught red-handed near a local park. Agents with the Douglas – Coffee Drug Unit (DCDU) reported Monday that on July 21 Douglas police officers encountered two individuals sitting in a public park on S. Gaskin Ave. after Coffee 911 received a complaint of these individuals possibly selling narcotics. Following a brief investigation, 40-year-old Amy Lynn Dotter was allegedly found to be in possession of cocaine and OxyContin tablets, and she was subsequently arrested for possession of cocaine and…
Ma’s Pre-Loved Closet & More hosted a ribbon cutting led by the Chamber of Commerce Thursday morning. Natasha Kazan of the Chamber of Commerce spoke of how the owner, Ammie Espitia, is working hard to provide affordable and fashionable clothing for the people of Douglas and all of Coffee County. When Ms. Espitia was looking into starting the business, she had come into contact with the former owner of a consignment shop at the same location. The owner was in the process of moving out of the building and Espitia was able to open her own store, which she named…