On the beautiful morning of Wednesday, February 5, 2025, the Douglas-Coffee County Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with the Coffee County School System, hosted a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the beginning of a new chapter for West Green Elementary School. Chelsea Preston Graham, Member Relations Director at the Chamber of Commerce, warmly welcomed attendees and opened the ceremony before passing the floor to Superintendent, Dr. Morris Leis. Dr. Leis captivated the audience with a fascinating history of the West Green community—how it was founded, how it received its name, and the origins of West Green Elementary’s beloved mascot, inspired by…
Author: Submitted
In late 2024, sheriff’s deputies identified a rising trend of criminal activity in the Green Acres area, prompting multiple calls regarding prowlers, suspicious individuals, and other unwanted behaviors. Situated in the southernmost region of the county, Green Acres has increasingly become a focal point for concerns related to drug-related offenses and theft. This uptick in incidents not only poses a threat to community safety but also necessitates a strategic and systematic response from local law enforcement agencies. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the sheriff’s office initiated measures aimed at curbing these patterns of criminal behavior in the area. In…
As of Friday Feb 7, 2025 the FBI has confirmed to have in custody 35 of the 37 criminals indicted on federal charges in a sweeping raid last Thursday. As of today, the two remaining wanted criminals are Christopher Brockington, also known as Chris Brock, 44, of Douglas, and Reginald Powell, also known as Yetti Glock, 36, of Douglas. On Thursday, January 30, 2025, an unsealed federal indictment was released alleging dozens of defendants, many of them in prison, participated in an extensive drug trafficking operation spanning several South Georgia communities. The indictment in USA v. Brinson, et al., names…
The Coffee Middle School Trojans baseball A-Team won over Lowndes Middle 10-2 on Tuesday at home. The Trojans got on the board first when Carver Ricketson doubled to score one run. RBI singles by Ryder Elston and Ishawn Turner gave Coffee a 3-0 lead after two innings of play. Conley McDaniel’s double in the fourth gave the Trojans a 5-1 lead. Coffee garnered ten hits in the game, with Elston, Ricketson, and McDaniel each collecting two hits in the game. Other Trojans with a hit included Cole Deems, Jonah Squires, Turner and Dalton Rish. Deems earned the win for Coffee on…
The GBI has arrested and charged Pearson Mayor Robert “Buster” Johnson, age 49, of Pearson, Atkinson County, GA, with the following charges: The investigation began when the Alapaha Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office received complaints of Mayor Johnson participating in fraudulent activities. The District Attorney subsequently requested the GBI to look into these allegations. During the investigation, agents uncovered a scheme to have an incarcerated person released from jail through fraudulent documentation, obtaining kickbacks from city contracts, theft of municipal land, and bribery of city employees. Johnson was booked into the Atkinson County Jail and is currently being housed in…
On Tuesday, February 4, 2025, the sun was shining as the Douglas-Coffee County Chamber of Commerce gathered with community members to celebrate the ribbon cutting of P&F Products. This momentous occasion honored the locally owned and operated business founded by Pat Patry and Jason Floyd. Specializing in distributing enclosed cargo trailer manufacturing products and fabrication services, P&F Products has quickly established itself as a vital contributor to the region’s manufacturing industry. Chelsea Preston Graham, Member Relations Director for the Chamber, opened the ceremony by sharing a brief background on the business and its rapid growth. She then invited Paulette Brown,…
By: Stan Popovich Do you find yourself worrying about everything that is going on around you? It can be very tiring and depressing to constantly worry about your family, your job, your health, and everything else that is happening. Having things out of your control is very scary. As a result, here are seven tips on how to overcome the cycle of worry and fear in your life. 1. Focus on the facts of your situation; not your thoughts: When people are stressed out, they rely on their fearful and depressing thoughts. Your fearful thoughts are exaggerated and are not based…
The City of Douglas has been notified by CSX contractors of upcoming rail closures expected in March. CSX Transportation will have a rail team, a surfacing team, and two tie teams working between Ware Co. and Ben Hill Co., starting March 3rd to March 28th to provide necessary maintenance and/or emergency repairs. This will require a total closure of the railroad crossings which means no traffic will be allowed across the track until the work is complete. The following crossings in the City of Douglas and Coffee County will be affected in some way on various dates and times during the estimated repair…
The Georgia WWII Heritage Trail, a network of museums and historic sites across Georgia dedicated to preserving the stories of the Greatest Generation, will reach a new milestone by marking its fourth anniversary on February 21, 2025. This statewide initiative offers a mix of aviation history, military training sites, and home front contributions and emphasizes collective remembrance. Each site offers unique exhibits, programs, and experiences that delve into various aspects of Georgia’s involvement in World War II. “The Trail serves as an educational and tourism initiative,” said Ed Coleman, Georgia WWII Heritage Trail Chair. “Our mission is to encourage visitors…
An extensive investigation lasting over a month has wrapped up involving a chaotic New Year’s Eve party that saw more than 30 juveniles in attendance alongside a limited number of adults. The evening spiraled out of control when a physical altercation broke out between two juveniles, leading one of them to call her mother for assistance. However, the situation escalated further when the mother arrived, resulting in her being physically attacked by several juveniles present at the party. This alarming turn of events led to the arrest of Jazmin Cruz, an 18-year-old from Douglas, who was taken into custody for…