Author: Submitted

At the September 19, 2023, the Douglas Mayor’s Youth Council (DMYC) recognized Jr. Commissioner Jeremiah Bazell as the Outstanding Jr. Commissioner and Mrs. Delores McRae as the Outstanding Community Leader for the month of September. Rhianna Lewis, an 11th grader at Coffee High School and advocate for Dyslexia Awareness was the guest speaker for the September meeting. The Youth Council’s Jr. Commissioner, Jeremiah Bazell, was recognized for this month’s Youth Council spotlight. Jeremiah is the son of Gerald Bazell and Cynthia Lloyd. He attends George Washington Carver Freshman Campus where he is an all “A”s student and has…

At the Coffee County School System Board meeting on Thursday, September 28,2023, the Finance Department was recognized for receiving the prestigious Award of Distinction for Excellent Financial Reporting by the Department of Audits. Under the direction of Dr. Morris Leis, Superintendent of Schools and Ms. Tracy Bradford, Director of Finance, this is the fifth time this recognition has been received. The award encourages the local Board of Education to go beyond the minimum requirements of generally accepted accounting principles and recognize school systems that are successful in achieving this goal.

The GBI is conducting a homicide investigation in connection to the death of Markevios D. Jenkins, age 31, of Fitzgerald, GA. On Sunday, October 1, 2023, at  2:55 p.m., the Fitzgerald Police Department requested the GBI for assistance with the investigation. Preliminary information indicates that at approximately 2:30 p.m., the Fitzgerald Police Department responded to a “shots fired” call at 600 East Sultana Drive in Fitzgerald. When officers arrived on the scene, they located a White Kia Sportage stopped at a stop sign. Officers checked the car since it was not moving or preceding to move forward. Jenkins was found unresponsive…

The Gopher Tortoise Festival is just around the corner, and we’ve got a burrow-load of exciting event details for you! Visit beautiful downtown Douglas on Saturday, October 7and enjoy a full day of live music, arts & crafts, fun activities, delicious food and so much more. The festival is located outdoors, behind the Central Square Gym Complex at 216 S. Madison Ave. in Douglas, Georgia. Admission is free. The Gopher Tortoise Festival is a handmade, homemade arts and crafts festival featuring 80+ amazing artists selling everything from candles to wooden bowls and boards, bath soaps to custom cups and…

The Douglas-Coffee County Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the selection of ten outstanding students, aged 16-19, from the Coffee County area to represent the Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Authority throughout the 2023-2024 school year. These young leaders were carefully chosen for their dedication and commitment to community and economic development. The selected students are as follows: Gabrielle Burns – Citizens Christian Academy Keasia Gaskin – Coffee High School Addy Harris – Citizens Christian Academy Aniyah Howard – Coffee High School Rhianna Lewis – Coffee High School London O’Steen – Citizens Christian Academy…

Coffee Regional Medical Center announced that it has received the Surgical Quality Partner distinction from the American College of Surgeons (ACS). Being a Surgical Quality Partner signifies an institution’s dedication to consistently improving procedures and approaches, while maintaining a critical eye on the process at every step. The Surgical Quality Partner designation lets patients know that Coffee Regional is dedicated to quality and relentless self-improvement and has been verified or accredited by the ACS. Patients can trust that the care they receive at Surgical Quality Partner hospitals adheres to the most rigorous standards in surgical quality. …

The Douglas Utilities Natural Gas Division will observe Natural Gas Month in October and Public Natural Gas Week from October 1-7, 2023. This annual nationwide event is intended to build public awareness about the value of having a community-owned natural gas utility. To celebrate Public Natural Gas Week during the entire month of October, Douglas Utilities will offer free piloting for customers. There are approximately 1,000 public natural gas systems serving more than 6 million customers. These public natural gas utilities are not-for-profit retail distribution entities that are owned by and accountable to the citizens they serve. They…

The historic air base and the WWII Flight Training Museum, located on the Douglas Municipal Gene Chambers Airport grounds, will be a part of the Georgia WWII Heritage Trail Tour with the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force that is scheduled to take place October 23 – 26, 2023. Visitors will arrive in Douglas for an overnight stay on October 24, 2023. “We are very excited to be a stop on the Mighty Eighth’s Georgia WWII Heritage Trail Tour,” says Ed Coleman, Air Base Preservation and Development Committee Chairman. “Our Air Base is a historic treasure…

Mrs. Letrelle Jowers Spires, age 81 of Douglas, passed away unexpectedly on September 21, 2023. Mrs. Spires was born August 24, 1942 to the late Willie Jowers and the late Fronnie Adams Jowers. Other than her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband: Herbert Spires, 1 Son: Robert W. Musgrove, 2 Sisters: Ruby Smith and Jeanette Swails and 2 Brothers: Bill Jowers and Edward Jowers. Mrs. Spires, a native of Coffee County, had previously lived in Echols County. She had been employed with the Echols County Board of Education as the school lunchroom nutritionist.…

Mr. Walter Herman Hawse, Sr. age 84 of Douglas, GA passed away Wednesday morning, September 20, 2023 at his residence following an extended illness. Mr. Hawse was born August 6, 1939 to the late Herman Stacey Hawse and the late Ruby Sonifrank Hawse. Mr. Hawse, Sr. was a native of Hagerstown, MD where he worked in construction. He was a member of Church of the Brethren in Hagerstown, MD Survivors include: His wife: Rose Mary Keesecker Hawse of Douglas, GA 5 Children: Cindy Smith of Waynesboro, PA Kevin Hawse of West Virginia …