The State Forester Burn Ban in South Georgia has been amended, reducing the area to 17 counties. The original ban was implemented on April 22, covering 91 counties in southern Georgia where exceptional drought levels and increasing wildfire activity prompted emergency action. “Crews have made significant progress in containing the South Georgia wildfires,” said Georgia Forestry Commission Director Johnny Sabo. “Scattered rainfall has helped, but the majority of the state remains in extreme to exceptional drought. The area now under a burn ban still has two large fires that need constant monitoring and mop-up to reduce the chance of reburn,…
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Eugenio Santana-Bahena, de 62 años, de Douglas, GA, falleció pacíficamente el sábado 2 de mayo de 2026 en el Hospital Emory en Atlanta, GA. Nació el 8 de julio de 1963 en Alpixafia, México, hijo del fallecido Guilibaldo Santana y la fallecida Cleta Bahena Osorio. Le sobreviven: Tres hijas; Verónica (Juan) Santana de Douglas, GA, María (Eli) Santana de Douglas, GA, y Reyna (Camerino) Santana de FL, Un hijo; Jesús Santana de Douglas, GA, Dos hermanos; Rey (María Pérez) Santana de Washington, e Isidro Santana, Seis hermanas; María Santana-Bahena de México, Carmen Santana-Bahena de WA, Anastasia Santana-Bahena de México, Catilina…
Tuesday afternoon, a former Coffee County Sheriff’s Office deputy turned himself in to the Coffee County Jail after being indicted by a Coffee County grand jury. Chris Ashley Rozar, 49, of Douglas, faces the following charges: Four counts of violation of oath by a public officer, two counts of computer invasion of privacy, and one count each of prohibited use of captured license plate data and stalking. The charges are the result of a two-year investigation conducted by the GBI that began under former Sheriff Doyle Wooten. Rozar was booked into the Coffee County Jail and later released.
Exciting improvements are on the way at Eastside Park, located at 605 E. Franklin Street. While the rehabilitation is taking place, the park will be closed. The park will soon undergo a series of much‑needed upgrades designed to better serve visitors of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds, while also meeting modern accessibility standards. Planned enhancements include:• Rehabilitation of the existing shelter• Installation of new grills• ADA‑compliant basketball courts and an updated playground system• Ballfield rehabilitation• Pickleball courts• New sidewalks and a walking trail• ADA‑accessible restrooms at the shelter The City of Douglas remains committed to improving the quality of life…
South Georgia State College (SGSC) is pleased to announce its annual commencement ceremonies honoring graduates from summer 2025, fall 2025 and spring 2026. The Douglas Campus ceremony will be held Thursday, May 14, 2026, at 8:30 am on the Peterson Hall front lawn. The Waycross Campus ceremonies will be held Friday, May 15, 2026. The first ceremony will be at 8:30 am, and the second at 12:00 noon, both in the Waycross Campus Gymnasium. A livestream of each event will be available for those unable to attend to share in the celebration. A link to the livestream will be found…
Debra Morgan Carpenter, age 66, of Jacksonville, Florida passed away on Saturday, May 2, 2026 at her home. She was born on October 16, 1959 in Douglas, GA to the late J.C. Morgan and the late Merlene Taylor. Her survivors include: her beloved husband, Robert Carpenter of Jacksonville, FL: one daughter, Amanda M. Laster of Brunswick, GA; a great nephew and niece, Devin Lee Deen of Jacksonville, FL and Ashlyn Jordan Deen of Douglas, GA; one sister, Brenda Dale (Rodney) Deen; one brother, Johnny C. Morgan of Nicholls, GA; and one grandchild, Nicholas Laster. She was preceded in death by…
Mrs. Leila Ellen Banks Morgan, age 91, of Douglas, Georgia, formally of Barnesville, Georgia, passed away peacefully at her home on May 1, 2026. She was born on April 10, 1935, the daughter of the late Mr. James Louis Banks and the late Katherine Gordy Banks.. She was a homemaker for several years and a dedicated teacher for most of her career. She adored her children and their spouses, grandchildren, great grandchildren and her extended family and friends. She found no greater joy than conversing, laughing, and spending time with them. She was loved and adored by many. Instead of…
What began as a casual conversation among colleagues has evolved into a landmark achievement for emergency medical services education in Georgia. The creation of a new Emergency Services concentration at South Georgia State College stands as a testament to the power of networking, collaboration, and forward-thinking leadership. In 2021, Jason Hurst joined 26 other professionals from across the state in the Georgia EMS Association Leadership Course. Spanning four weeks over the course of a year, the program highlighted EMS agencies statewide, showcasing innovative practices and organizational excellence. Yet amid these insights, one critical gap became clear. Georgia lacked a dedicated higher education…
Jenna Williams, ABAC’s 2026 J.G. Woodroof Scholar, earned the college’s highest academic honor with a perfect 4.0 GPA while graduating Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. A dedicated leader across campus, she served as Student Government Association President, ABAC Ambassador President for two years, a Stallion Society Orientation Leader, and founding captain of the Golden Girls Cheer and Dance Team. Jenna will continue her journey at Mercer University School of Medicine as a recipient of the prestigious Nathan Deal Scholarship. Jenna, a native of Douglas, is a 2022 graduate of Citizens Christian Academy.
Frank Byrd, age 76, of Douglas, GA, passed away on Thursday, April 30, 2026 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Savannah, GA following an extended illness. Mr. Byrd was born on September 24, 1949 to the late Frank Byrd Sr. and Kally Byrd. Survivors include: two sons, Damon Byrd and David Brandon Byrd of Douglas, GA; one stepson, Tommy Royals of Douglas, GA; two sisters, Demitra Cunningham of Mississippi and Kitty Courson of Douglas, GA; one grandchild, Kaylei Chaney; one great grandchild, Grayson Arnold; former spouse, Debbie Byrd Bray of Douglas, GA; and three special family friends, Roy Swann, Pennie Francis,…