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Infant Ismael Hidalgo Villagomez, age 20 days, passed away on June 27, 2021 at Memorial Hospital, Savannah, Georgia. Ismael was born on June 7, 2021 in Savannah, Georgia. Survivors include his parents, Jesus Villagomez & Edna Hidalgo of Douglas, GA; grandparents, Jenny Hidalgo of Douglas, GA, Rigeverto Villagomez of Nicholls, GA and, Maria Villagomez of Nicholls, GA; several aunts, uncles and cousins. Graveside service will be held on Thursday, July 1, 2021 at 4:00 p.m. at Douglas City Cemetery with Father Rafael Estrada officiating. Sims Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Shirley Elizabeth Sheffield Cato, age 84, of Broxton, Georgia passed away on Monday, June 27, 2021 in Broxton, Georgia. Mrs. Cato was born on August 19, 1936 in Smithville, Mississippi the daughter of the late Samuel Addison & Willie Bell Sheffield. Mrs. Cato was a retired store manager with Bills Dollar Store and was a member of Providence Baptist Church. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Dennis Cato, sister, Virginia Hutcheson and 2 brothers, Norris Sheffield and Doug Sheffield. Survivors include children, Angie Scott of Broxton, GA, Denise (Walter) Whitaker of…

J. W. Hicks, age 65, of Douglas, Georgia passed away on Saturday, June 26, 2021 at St. Vincent’s Medical Center, Jacksonville, Florida. Mr. Hicks was born on October 18, 1955 in Coffee County, Georgia the son of the late Louise Herrington Hicks. Mr. Hicks was a lifelong resident of Coffee County. He had many business adventures through the years, but the last 20 years was escorting extra wide & tall loads throughout the county. Survivors include his wife, Ruth McKinnon Hicks of Douglas, GA; son, Michael Hicks (Brandy) of Broxton, GA; 2 daughters, Becky Edens (Steven) of Douglas,…

Coffee Regional Medical Center’s new Pulmonary Rehabilitation program will help patients experiencing chronic lung problems. The program targets patients with lung conditions such as emphysema, COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, chronic bronchitis, and other conditions causing reduced lung volume. This program was designed under the guidance of local Pulmonologist Bhavdip Patel, M.D., to help patients improve their quality of life. The program will focus on education to provide patients knowledge of their medications, proper use of oxygen therapy, breathing techniques, and when to seek medical intervention. Patients are also offered supervised exercise classes,as well as education about the patient’s specific lung…

Dr. Justin Peterson of CRH Women’s Center is now a board-certified OB/GYN by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Seeing patients in both Douglas and Waycross, Dr. Peterson specializes in general obstetrics and gynecology, high-risk obstetrics, infertility, birth control, menopause, urogynecology including urinary leakage, as well as vaginal and uterine prolapse. In order to be board eligible, a physician must complete a strenuous pathway that includes 4 years of undergraduate studies, 4 years of medical school where detailed testing is required to obtain Medical Doctorate status, and then an additional 4 years of medical residency. After completing residency,…

Dr. Morris Leis, Superintendent of Coffee County Schools in Douglas, Georgia, was recently elected to serve on the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) Governing Board. Dr. Leis will be one of three superintendents representing Georgia in Washington DC at the Annual AASA Governing Board meeting in July with AASA covering traveling costs for all participating superintendents. AASA, the School Superintendents Association, founded in 1865, is the professional organization for more than 13,000 educational leaders in the United States and throughout the world. AASA members are the chief education advocates for children. AASA members advance the goals of public…

On a worldwide tour Leonid & Friends, a Russian band which has captured the spirit and sound of the American supergroup Chicago, will perform at The Martin Center in Douglas on Saturday, September 25 at 8 p.m. The concert in Douglas will be a part of a national tour which begins July 15 in Milwaukee. Leonid & Friends, comprised of 11 of the finest musicians in Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, and Belarus, haven’t seen Chicago perform life, yet replicates the band’s complex arrangements amazingly note for note. “Chicago has never been in Russia, and none of us have attended their concerts,” said Leonid Vorobyev, the…

During the week of June 21-27, Georgia 4-H held its annual officer election virtually. Candidates for the state board had to present a one minute speech/skit on Monday evening through a virtual format. On Tuesday and Wednesday, they had to be online for a question/answer session. Voting delegates cast their ballots on Thursday for five statewide officers out of the nine that would become board members. These five officers were announced on Thursday evening. The president and vice-president would be named out of these five at a later time. On Friday, the voting delegates again went back to the…

Wiregrass Georgia Technical College is proud to announce four students who medaled at the 56th Annual National SkillsUSA Competition. In past years, the college’s SkillsUSA team that earned gold at the state level traveled to Kentucky for the National competition. This year the competition at both state and national level was held virtually with competitions in 103 different trade, technical, and leadership fields. Students performed their skills at their colleges while being filmed against the clock and each other, proving their expertise in occupations such as electronics, auto collision, precision machining, medical assisting, and culinary arts. All competitions are designed, run, and judged…

Thanks to support from Whitehead Industrial Hardware of Valdosta, Wiregrass students who are preparing to graduate now have the tools needed to go to work. Recipients of the Whitehead Distinguished Tradesman Award received a plaque and a $250 credit to purchase tools for their new jobs. “It’s a great honor to have the opportunity to present each of these deserving individuals with the Whitehead Distinguished Tradesman Award,” shared Jonathan Miller, Whitehead Industrial Hardware Principal. “All of us here at Whitehead salute the modern tradesman and believe in the importance of recognizing the hard work and success of these students. Skilled…