Mr. James “Dewey” Scott, Jr., age 86, of Douglas, Georgia, passed away peacefully at his home following a courageous battle with cancer. Dewey was born September 18, 1939, in McRae, Georgia, to the late James Dewey Scott, Sr. and the late Audrey Towns Scott. He was a proud veteran of the United States Army Reserve, and he retired from CSX Railroad following many years as a supervisor. He was a devoted husband to Mrs. Othell Cliett Scott for 64 years and together they raised a loving son. He loved fishing, hunting, and gardening, but his greatest joy was in his…
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Coffee Regional Medical Center and the South Georgia State College Foundation have entered into an updated Gift Acceptance Agreement that enhances the impact of a longstanding endowment established by the hospital to support South Georgia State College students. The revised agreement updates the scholarship criteria for the existing endowment, ensuring that the fund continues to address the evolving needs of students while advancing the shared commitment of both organizations to higher education and workforce development in South Georgia. Under the updated agreement, allocated gains and earnings from Coffee Regional Medical Center’s endowment will support: Two annual scholarships of $5,000 each…
A Georgia Department of Transportation contractor plans to start a traffic signal upgrade project next week in Douglas. The $3.4 million construction contract was awarded earlier this year for signal upgrades at six locations along US 441/State Route 31 and five locations along SR 206. They will be starting on US 441 South at West Ward Street. Other streets will be East Ashley Street and Bryan Street. Work will be done in the evenings and overnight from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. and will begin Monday, July 27, 2026. Please watch for contractors on US 441 South, slow down in…
Three students from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College’s TRIO Student Support Services program will return to campus with an impressive accomplishment under their belts. As members of the TRIO SSS debate team, they secured second place at the Southeastern Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel (SAEOPP) Regional Academic Competition held April 17-18 in Atlanta. Evelin Del Angel of Sparks received top honors for overall speaker points, while Josiah Marshall of Irwin County placed second in the same category. Speaker rankings were based on performance in the first four of five debate rounds. The ABAC team included Del Angel and Marshall as…
“Son, go home,” his brother Willie would always say. On Wednesday, July 22, 2026, Johnny finally did, go home to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. While our hearts grieve his absence, we find comfort knowing he is at peace in his heavenly home. Johnny Burch, 85, of Douglas, Georgia, passed away peacefully on Wednesday evening, July 22, 2026. He was born on December 19, 1940, in Pearson, Georgia, to the late Dennis Burch Sr. and the late Beadie Varndore Burch. Johnny faithfully served his country in the United States Air Force before returning home to build a…
At the request of the Georgia State Patrol and the Appling County Sheriff’s Office, GBI agents are investigating an officer involved shooting in Appling County. Terrick Barice Griggs, age 37, of Savannah, was shot and injured during the incident. No troopers or deputies were injured. Preliminary information indicates that on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, a Hazlehurst Police Department officer and a Jeff Davis County Sheriff’s Office deputy attempted to stop a car on U.S. Highway 341. The car was reportedly connected to a kidnapping in Hinesville. The driver, later identified as Griggs, refused to stop, and the HPD officer and…
The Wiregrass Georgia Technical College Foundation is proud to announce scholarships made possible through the generous support of the Coffee Regional Medical Center. Beginning Fall Semester, these scholarships will provide financial assistance to students pursuing careers in Registered Nursing and Paramedicine, helping prepare the next generation of healthcare professionals to serve communities across South Georgia. The inaugural Coffee Regional Medical Center Foundation Scholarships were awarded to four Registered Nursing students and one Paramedic student. The scholarships will assist recipients with educational expenses as they work toward completing their programs and entering Georgia’s healthcare workforce. “Developing a strong local healthcare workforce…
Jonathan Alan Vaughn, age 62, of Douglas, GA, passed away suddenly on Tuesday, July 21, 2026. He was born on December 14, 1963, the son of the late Mr. Henry Frank Vaughn and Mrs. Laura Vaughn. His survivors include two sons, Nathaniel (Allison) Vaughn of Douglas, GA, and Jordan (Kalynn) Vaughn of Pearson, GA; one daughter, Brooke (Layne) White of Broxton, GA; mother, Laura Vaughn; six grandchildren: Emily Vaughn, Trent Vaughn, Greenlee Vaughn, Layklyn White, Case Vaughn, and Ava Vaughn; four brothers: Tim Vaughn, Greg Vaughn, Louis Vaughn, and Rex Vaughn; three sisters: Wanda Peacock, Lynn Brown, and Jane Kight;…
The Georgia Department of Transportation is seeking input from citizens in east-central Georgia on the draft Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) during the public comment period open through Aug. 15. Every three years, Georgia DOT works closely with the citizens of Georgia, local governments, and interested stakeholders to develop the STIP—a four-year plan outlining transportation and capital improvements across the state. The STIP includes federally funded projects statewide, except for those within Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) boundaries—generally areas with big cities. Projects are chosen through a process that considers state and federal priorities, available funding, technical analysis, and input from…
The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday that unemployment rates increased in all regional commissions in June even as the labor force grew in half of them. Coffee and Atkinson counties are in the Southern Georgia Regional Commission. “June brings the temporary seasonal changes we see every year as schools let out for the summer, but as Georgia’s workforce continues to grow, our year-over-year trends remain stable,” said Georgia Labor Commissioner Bárbara Rivera Holmes. “Short-term fluctuations are normal in a resilient economy, and the bigger picture is clear: Georgia remains a state where opportunity is within reach, hard work is…