Author: Submitted

Marvie Reliford, age 69, of Broxton, Georgia passed away on Sunday November 15, 2020. Mrs. Reliford was born on June 10, 1951 in Live Oak, Florida, the daughter to the late Rufus and Doris Murray. Mrs. Reliford worked for Campbell’s Foods and was of the Baptist faith. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Lonnie E. Reliford Sr. and a daughter, Patricia Reliford. Survivors include two sons, Lonnie E. Reliford (Donna) of Tifton, GA and Charles E. Reliford (Karen) of Douglas, GA; sister, Elizabeth Blackmon of Winter Haven, FL; two brothers, Kenneth…

Mrs. Betty Ruth Spell Long, age 77 of Nicholls, GA, passed away Monday afternoon, November 16, 2020 at Tift Regional Medical Center in Tifton following a short illness. She was born March 10, 1943 to the late Josh Thomas Spell and the late Ethel Wright Spell. Mrs. Long was preceded in death by a son, Anthony Long, and a grandchild, Morgan Royals. Mrs. Long, a native of Coffee County, was self-employed as the owner/operator of Betty Florist. She was a member of Chatterton Holiness Baptist Church. Survivors include: Husband: John W. Long of Nicholls, GA Children: Tina Royals and husband…

The Coffee Regional Medical Center (CRMC) Foundation Fall Golf Classic was held on Friday, November 6, at the Douglas Golf and Country Club with twenty-one teams competing in the 18-hole, four-man scramble. Proceeds will be used to cover ongoing expenses from COVID-19 and provide support for equipment and supplies to ensure safe and high-quality healthcare and wellness for our community. The CRMC Foundation would like to thank all of our sponsors who made the tournament possible. A very special thank you goes out to our Premier Sponsors Access ATC and First National Bank of Coffee County as well as…

Kevin Tatum, County Extension Coordinator 4-H and FFA members as well as pre-club students interested in showing a hog in the 2020 County Market Hog Show in February need to bring their pigs to Coffee Middle School by the Animal Science Building on Tuesday, December 1, between the hours of 4 PM and 5:30 PM to be tagged. All pigs in line by 5:30 PM will be tagged. There will not be a veterinarian available for drawing blood work on either date this year. Exhibitors will be responsible for getting this done on their own. For more information, please…

Wiregrass Regional College and Career Academy is excited to announce the establishment of a Personal Financial Literacy Curriculum that will be sponsored by First National Bank of Coffee County. The curriculum comes through Ramsey Solutions, founded by Dave Ramsey. Ramsey is well known for his consumer financial counseling and training. This program will make it possible for students to start off on the right foot by providing them with the tools necessary to help them plan their finances and avoid the financial pitfalls that plague so many people today. FNBCC has generously agreed to sponsor the yearly cost of…

Tuesday, Georgia’s leading water advocacy organizations released their “Dirty Dozen” for 2020 in a 30-page report highlighting 12 of the worst offenses to Georgia’s waters (https://www.gawater.org/resources/dirty-dozen). Rather than identifying the “most polluted places” in Georgia, the Georgia Water Coalition’s (GWC) Dirty Dozen report instead highlights the politics, policies and issues that threaten the health of Georgia’s water and the well being of 10 million Georgians. This year the report is notable for what’s not in it. Earlier this month, Georgia voters approved a constitutional amendment that addresses an issue that has made multiple appearances in the report: the…

The Douglas-Coffee County Chamber of Commerce held its first-ever clay shooting competition on Saturday, November 14 at Top Shots Sporting Clays Club located at 1020 Elmer Grantham Road in Douglas. Congratulations to the following: Individual Top Shooter – Blake Tanner. Prize $500 Gas Grill from Tractor Supply of Douglas 1st place Highest Scoring Team of 4 – Premium Peanut: Nic Denny, Grant Grantham, Ronnie Myers, Travis Purvis. Each 1st Place team member received: $100 Jerry’s Sport Shop Gift Certificate, $25 Tractor Supply Gift Certificate, $25 McKinnon Meats Gift Certificate, Jerry’s Sport Shop Hat and a plaque for business…

Long-time supporter and friend Sidney Morris and his wife Sharon were honored at a special Renaming Ceremony of Lowndes Hall to the Sidney and Sharon Morris Hall on the Valdosta Campus of Wiregrass along with a Topping Off Ceremony for the new Health Sciences Building. Thanks to a generous donation to the college by the Morris’, the college honored them with the renaming of Lowndes Hall. The building houses the President’s Suite and administrative offices, Business and Computer Information Systems programs, Printing and Graphics lab, Esthetics classroom and lab, Neuromuscular classroom and lab, Early Childhood classroom, and the library. …

Mr. Arlie Ervin Ruis, age 68 of Alma, passed away Friday, November 13, 2020 at Ascension St. Vincent’s Hospital in Jacksonville, FL, following an extended illness. Mr. Ruis was born April 8, 1952 to the late Bertice Lee Ruis and the late Ada Wilma Walkup Ruis. Mr. Ruis, a native of Coffee County, was a tile setter by trade. He was of the Pentecoastal faith. Survivors include a brother, Roy Earl Ruis of Norcross, GA; and several nieces and nephews, including Donald Vaughn of Villa Rica, GA. The graveside service and interment will be Wednesday morning November 18, 2020 at…

The City of Douglas has been awarded a Roadside Enhancement and Beautification Council (REBC) grant. The REBC Grant Program provides funding for roadside enhancement and beautification projects along Georgia’s right-of-way roadsides. The funding comes from fees paid by outdoor advertising companies to Georgia DOT for vegetation removal at outdoor advertising signs. “We appreciate the REBC and Georgia Department of Transportation offering grants such as this to assist with roadside beautification projects,” says Georgia Henderson, Community Development Director. According to REBC guidelines, the funds may be used for landscape plant material, sod, topsoil, mulch, and other approved costs. The REBC…