Author: Submitted

Martin Dane Thomas, age 52, of Nicholls, Georgia passed away on Thursday, January 20, 2022, at St. Vincent’s Riverside Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida . Mr. Thomas was born on October 22, 1969, in Alma, GA to Ottis Harold Thomas and Jackie Jean Gatis Thomas. Survivors include: Daughter, Shannon Brooke Thomas of Jacksonville, FL, Niece, Caitlyn Whidden of Nicholls, GA, Nephew, Cameron Whidden of Japan. Mr Thomas was preceded in death by: Father, Ottis Harold Thomas and Mother, Jackie Jean Gatis Thomas. A private service will be held on Monday, January 24, 2022 at Moore Cemetery. Due to COVID-19, Sims…

A series of sentencings and the guilty plea of a key defendant brings to 36 the number of defendants admitting guilt in Operation Sandy Bottom, the investigation and prosecution of violent criminal street gang members distributing methamphetamine and other drugs in the Coffee County, Ga., area. Of the 48 defendants indicted in the operation in U.S.A. v. McMillan et al. in January 2021, just nine await trial and are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty; 14 have been sentenced to federal prison terms of up to 286 months, while 22 others have pled guilty to felony charges and await sentencing.…

A Coffee County jury today convicted Antonio Lopez Smith for a residential burglary that occurred on April 6, 2017. Assistant District Attorney John Rumker prosecuted the case and Judge Andy Spivey presided over the proceedings. The evidence presented at trial showed that a nearby pastor spotted Smith removing a refrigerator from a residence with a dolly. The pastor knew the owner of the home, contacted her, and called law enforcement. Officers took Smith into custody and photographed the trail left by the dolly from the back of the residence as well as the damage to the window in the…

Students in Coffee County now have access to all library resources through the PLAY card. PLAY cards stand for Pines Library Access for Youth cards. Coffee County students can use their lunch card number instead of a library card. The card gives access to any public library in the Pines System and not just in Coffee County. Students can check out online and print materials. Another plus for students: they don’t have to worry about fines, because the card is fine free. PLAY cards allow Coffee County students access to all Satilla Regional Library electronic resources, as well…

Mr. James Carroll “Jimmy” Brown, 82 of Patterson, passed away early Saturday morning, January 22, 2022, at Memorial Satilla Health Center. Born in Patterson, GA on October 23, 1939, he had lived in Pierce County all of his life. Mr. Brown was a 1956 graduate of Patterson High School. He retired from CSX Transportation as a Yard Master but had also enjoyed farming and tending to his cattle over the years. Mr. Brown was member of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church where he served as a deacon and was in the Harmony Sunday school class. He was a fun-loving man…

Ellianos Coffee is ready to celebrate Valentine’s Day all February long with their Valentine’s Special menu! The Raspberry White Mocha latte is an annual customer favorite, and it’s back again this year, available starting February 1. The tangy taste of raspberry pairs perfectly with the creamy, rich sweetness of white mocha in this irresistibly tasty treat. It’s available hot, iced, or frozen and is, of course, always better when shared with a friend or that special someone! Date night wouldn’t be complete without dessert! Ellianos is also featuring their delectable White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie this February. This sweet,…

Jeff Davis County Sheriff Preston Bohannon releases the following: On Thursday, January 20, 2022, at approximately 11:15 a.m. the Jeff Davis County Sheriff’s Office in coordination with the Jeff Davis County Drug Unit initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle operated by Allen Demond Bennett of Lumber City for a traffic violation. During the stop, it was discovered that the driver was in possession of drugs and two firearms, one of which was stolen. Further investigation of this incident led investigators to execute a search warrant later that day at his residence in Lumber City. During the search,…

Calvin Jerome Dowling, age 68, of Nicholls, Georgia, passed away on Thursday, January 20, 2022 following a brief illness. Mr. Dowling was born on December 15, 1953, in Douglas, Georgia, to the late Perry Calvin Dowling and Mary Lou Merrier Dowling. Survivors include: Sons Dustin Dowling and DeWayne Dowling (Amber), both of Douglas, GA, and three Grandchildren, Clara Dowling, Clayton Dowling, and Jo Ella Dowling. He is also survived by several nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife, Lynde Sue Dowling. A memorial service will be held at a later date. …

The prevalence of COVID-19 variants remains dynamic across the U.S. and South Georgia. Coffee Regional Medical Center actively assesses data on a continuous basis and adjusts COVID-19 therapeutic guidelines according to guidance from the FDA. CRMC continues to offer a Monoclonal Antibody Clinic for high-risk individuals recently diagnosed with COVID-19; however, the medications used have changed effective today, January 25, 2022. The clinic will administer those monoclonal antibody medications approved and recommended by the FDA and clinically shown to block the Omicron variant of the virus from attaching to cells and reproducing. Omicron is currently the overwhelmingly dominant variant of concern in…

James Curtis Hollinger was convicted today by a Coffee County jury for two counts of aggravated child molestation and one count of child molestation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Jacob Kirkland and Judge Andy Spivey presided over the proceedings. The evidence presented at trial showed that the abuse of the child victim occurred over a period of approximately two years. After deliberating for just over 20 minutes, the jury convicted Hollinger of all charges. Judge Spivey then sentenced Hollinger to two life sentences followed by a consecutive term of prison for 19 years. “It’s an…