Author: Submitted

Mr. William Henry McClendon, aged 84, of Douglas, Georgia, passed away on Tuesday, November 23, 2021 at Coffee Regional Medical Center following a brief illness. Mr. McClendon was born on June 21, 1937, in Douglas, GA, to Henry McClendon and Blanche Wright McClendon. Survivors include two daughters; Ann Clayton (Thad) of Ocilla GA, Joyce Cyr (Miles) of Palmetto, FL, Grandchildren; Maggie, Hanna, and Corbin, Sister; Patricia Fussell (Bobby) of Douglas, GA, and Brother-In-Law; Johnny Ward of Douglas, GA, along with several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by a Sister, Betty Jean Ward. The family will…

Julian Hernandez-Acuna, age 61, of Nicholls, Georgia passed away on Saturday, November 20, 2021 at Piedmont Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia. Mr. Hernandez-Acuna was born on February 9, 1960 in Mexico. Mr. Hernandez-Acuna worked as a farmer with McCollum Farms, was a member of the Mexican Army and was a member of St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Douglas, Georgia. Survivors include his wife, Maria Ines Hernandez-Bustos of Nicholls, GA; 2 sons, Julian Hernandez Jr. (Kayla) of Savannah, Ga and Steven Hernandez (Erika) of Nicholls, GA; 2 daughters, Cynthia Hernandez (Julian Ochoa) of Brunswick, GA and Diana Hernandez (Jasiel Ochoa) of Brunswick,…

Christopher Hernandez, age 23, of Douglas, Georgia passed away on Thursday, November 18, 2021 from injuries sustain in an auto accident. Mr. Hernandez was born on June 10, 1998 in Nashville, Tennessee the son of Fernando and Irma Gomez Hernandez. Christopher worked in construction and was a member of St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Douglas, Georgia. Survivors include parents, Fernando & Irma Hernandez of Douglas, GA; daughter, Adalynn Hernandez of Douglas, GA; brother, Christian Hernandez of Douglas, GA; paternal grandmother, Lourdes Alcala of Mexico; maternal grandparents, Isabel Banda & J. Ascension Gomez of Mexico; mother of his child, Tierany…

Glen Jerrell Peterson, age 46, of Nicholls, Georgia passed away on Thursday, November 18, 2021 at his residence. Mr. Peterson was born on June 3, 1975 in Alma, Georgia the son of Walker Peterson and Kay Rigdon Peterson. Mr. Peterson worked as a truck driver with J.A. Long Company and was a member of Pine Level Freewill Baptist Church, Alma, Georgia. Survivors include 3 sons, Dillon Anderson of Nicholls, GA, Dalton Anderson of Nicholls, GA and Daniel Anderson (Angel) of Douglas, GA; father, Glen J. Worth of Nicholls, GA; adopted mother, Kay Peterson of Alma, GA; adopted father,…

An Ellabell man will spend Thanksgiving in jail after allegedly opening fire at the Circle K on the north end of Douglas because he believed two individuals at the gas pumps were insulting his dog. According to officers, Anthony Tyrone Hudson of an Ellabell address allegedly overheard two individuals talking and making jokes while pumping gas. They were in a vehicle near Hudson, who had his dog in his vehicle. One of the individuals made a comment about Hudson’s dog, which he took as an insult. Hudson allegedly pulled out a .22 rifle and began shooting at the individuals…

A Telfair County man faces up to life in federal prison after a jury convicted him on 36 counts related to a conspiracy to possess and distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. A U.S. District Court jury found James Lamount Graham, 48, of Jacksonville, Ga., guilty of all 36 charges after a three-day trial, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Graham faces a minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, and three of the charges in the case carry a statutory penalty of up to life in prison. There is no parole in the…

The City of Douglas has been allocated $4.6 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding from the federal government. At the regular City Commission meeting on Monday, November 22, 2021, Mayor Tony Paulk and the City Commission approved the application process and guidelines for residents of the city of Douglas to receive ARPA assistance for COVID-19 relief. Based upon the survey that was conducted and public meetings, the city is allowing utility credit grants and monetary grants to be issued through ARPA funds to assist individuals, nonprofits, businesses, and tourism related entities in the city limits of Douglas. The…

Two dozen defendants have been indicted on federal conspiracy charges after a transnational, multi-year investigation into a human smuggling and labor trafficking operation that illegally imported Mexican and Central American workers into brutal conditions on South Georgia farms. The newly unsealed, 54-count indictment in USA v. Patricio et al. details felony charges resulting from Operation Blooming Onion, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. The multi-agency investigation, led by Homeland Security Investigations and other federal agencies, spans at least three years, and the 53-page indictment documents dozens of victims of modern-day slavery while spelling out the illegal acts that…

The school district leadership team consisting of principals, directors, assistant superintendents and Dr. Morris Leis, Superintendent, gathered at the Board of Education ion November 16 to virtually receive an award from the Georgia Charter System Foundation. The Foundation represents the 48 charter school systems in Georgia. Coffee County Schools was selected from a group of three other school systems: Baldwin, Barrow and Calhoun City School Systems. The district was selected from their work in the areas of Leadership, Educator Development, Governance, and Partnerships. Dr. Leis serves as an executive board member on the Charter Foundation and participates in…

During the monthly school board meeting of the Coffee County Board of Education, Jack Lingenfelter, a junior from Coffee High, was recognized by the Board for his recent selection to serve on the 2021-2022 Student Advisory Council with State School Superintendent Richard Woods. Jack is one of 66 high school students selected from a pool of 1,000 throughout the state of Georgia, who were selected to meet several times throughout the school year to discuss state policies in the classroom. “Year after year, my Student Advisory Council is an invaluable resource as I make decisions that impact students…