On February 10, 2026, law enforcement officers conducted an investigation into suspected illegal drug activity in the area of North Madison Avenue. During the operation, officers identified a vehicle believed to be operated by Micheal Lamar Weldon, 34, of Douglas, and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. After initially stopping, Weldon allegedly fled at a high rate of speed, resulting in a brief pursuit that was safely terminated by deputies. Weldon was taken into custody without further incident. As a result of the investigation, deputies seized suspected methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana, and other illegal substances. Investigators also recovered a handgun during…
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By Representative James Burchett (176th District) It’s been another busy week up in Atlanta at the Georgia House of Representatives – the pace under the Gold Dome is at a full sprint right now. With Crossover Day approaching on March 6 – the deadline by which a bill must pass at least one chamber – we are working overtime. But no matter how chaotic it gets in Atlanta, my focus as your representative is first and foremost on families back home in South Georgia. Here is a quick look at what we’ve been working on to keep our state moving…
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College is honored to spotlight the incredible life story of Bill Slaughter, a proud GED graduate of the college (formerly Valdosta Tech), successful business owner, community advocate, and current Chairman of the Lowndes County Board of Commissioners. Slaughter also gives back to the institution that helped change his life, serving as a member of the Wiregrass Tech Foundation South Board of Trustees. Slaughter was raised in a hardworking blended family, the oldest of six children, and experienced profound hardship early in life. In the early 1970s, his family lost their home in a devastating fire. “We lost…
The Coffee track Trojans delivered an impressive season-opening performance at the Santa Fe High School Raider Open Classic meet in Alachua, Fla., ushering in the season with 56 new personal records and one new school record. Senior Ensley Crawford opened her season in outstanding fashion, earning two second-place finishes and setting a new school record in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:22.73. She broke the previous record of 2:25.18 set by Abbey Arnett on April 18, 2018, at the GHSA 5-A Sectional. Crawford also finished second overall in the meet and posted a strong 5:34.84 in the 1600-meter…
David Cox, age 88, of Douglas, GA passed away on Monday, February 16, 2026, at his residence following an extended illness. Mr. Cox was born on November 15, 1937, in Coffee County, GA to the late George Washington Cox and Mary Ann Floyd Cox. Survivors include: wife, Sue Cox of Douglas, GA; one daughter, Tracy (Billy) Smith of Douglas, GA; one son, David DeWayne (Bonnie) Cox of Douglas, GA; 10 grandchildren; 22 Great Grandchildren; one sister, Nancy Foskey of Destin, FL; and several nieces and nephews. A graveside memorial service, with military honors, will be held on Friday, February 20,…
Mrs. Shirley Ann Jewell Meeler, age 78, of Douglas, Georgia, passed away early Tuesday morning, February 17, 2026, at Vista Park Health and Rehabilitation following a lengthy illness. Mrs. Meeler, a lifelong resident of Coffee County, was born February 24, 1947, to the late Isom Jewell and the late Oneda Phillips Jewell. She was a homemaker who found great joy in maintaining a happy home for 58 years for her late husband, Billy Harrison Meeler, prior to his passing, and raising their three daughters. She loved her family dearly. In her later years her life revolved around her grandchildren. She…
Twenty-four contestants will compete in Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College’s 56th annual Ms. ABAC Pageant on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. The event, sponsored by the ABAC Agripreneurs, will begin at 7 p.m. in Howard Auditorium on the ABAC campus. Doors will open at 6:15 p.m., and admission is $10. Tickets will be available for purchase in Donaldson Dining Hall on Monday, Feb. 23, and Wednesday, Feb. 25 from noon-1:30 p.m. Attendees may also purchase tickets at the door before the event. The Ms. ABAC Pageant is an impactful event for both participants and organizers. “Each contestant competes for the crown that…
Ms. Donna Cheryl Clements King, age 65, of Douglas, Georgia, passed away Friday, February 13, 2026, at Coffee Regional Medical Center, following a lengthy illness. Donna was born July 5, 1960, in Jacksonville, Florida, to the late William Wallace Clements and the late Mary Elizabeth Floyd Clements. She was a school bus driver for the Coffee County School System for a number of years before her decline in health. She was of the Seventh Day Adventist faith. Along with her parents, Donna was preceded in death by four sisters, Ima Jene Cribb, Geraldine “Sissy” Trawick, Linda Ford, and Kathy Ford,…
Do you want to help make a difference in the city of Douglas? The City of Douglas is searching for motivated individuals who want to make a difference in the community to serve on the Airport Commission and Keep Douglas Beautiful Board. The City of Douglas is seeking one person to fill a vacancy on the Airport Commission. The Airport Commission acts as an advisory commission to the City Commission for recommendations regarding the safe operation and maintenance of the Douglas Municipal-Gene Chambers Airport. The volunteer should be interested in aviation and live in Douglas or Coffee County. The City…
Students from Coffee High School recently demonstrated innovation, teamwork, and engineering excellence at the Georgia VEX Robotics State Championship, where two school teams competed among the best robotics programs in the state. Their hard work paid off as one of the teams earned the highly respected Judges Award, recognizing outstanding effort, perseverance, and engineering achievement. The VEX Robotics State Championship brings together top qualifying teams to design, build, and program robots capable of completing complex, game-based engineering challenges. Throughout the competition, students must apply principles of mechanical design, coding, problem-solving, and strategic thinking while competing in both skills challenges and…