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Two drug traffickers, including an illegal alien with ties to a Mexican drug cartel, will spend more than a decade in federal prison after sentencing in a methamphetamine conspiracy. Ricardo Santana-Hernandez, a/k/a “Richard Hernandez,” a/k/a “Armond,” a/k/a “Armani,” 32, of C’daltimairano, Guerroro, Mexico, was sentenced to 135 months in prison, and Ryon Bland, 32, of Douglas, was sentenced to 110 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lisa Godbey Wood, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Both were sentenced for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute large quantities of crystal methamphetamine. After completion…

Estelle Kolbeck, age 91, of Douglas, passed away on Monday evening August 5, 2019 at Vista Park. Mrs. Kolbeck was born on February 2, 1928 in Douglas, the daughter of the late Tommie John Harrell and Bell Bryant Harrell. She was a homemaker. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a daughter, Clara Worth; one great great grandson, Jacob Ansel; and seven siblings. Survivors include two sons, Leroy Reliford (wife Earnestine) of Willacoochee and Jimmy L. Reliford of Jacksonville, Fla.; eleven grandchildren, twenty-three great grandchildren and eighteen great great grandchildren. Funeral services were held on Thursday…

Ms. Debra Sue Williams Jewell, 60, passed away on August 4, 2019 in Douglas. She was born to the late James Williams and Dartha Mae Willaims on April 18, 1959 in Orlando, Florida. She is survived by daughters Lisa Kirkland of Westgreen and Latrisha Logan of Douglas; adopted daughters Jennifer Moore of Denton and Tasha Carroll; grandchildren Joe Carver Jr., Brittany Busby, Caleb Anderson, Katelynn Kirkland, Layton Anderson and Stanley Dalton Kirkland; great-grandchildren Braylin Busby, Ava Busby, Kayden Taft and Lakyn Taft; sisters Jimmielee Snoddy, Diane McDuffie and Patricia Hanes; brother Danny Williams Sr,; and several nieces, nephews and other…

Mary Elizabeth “Beth” Sumner, age 58, of Broxton, passed away on Tuesday August 6, 2019 at Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center in Athens. Mrs. Sumner was born on March 24, 1961 in Douglas, the daughter of the late Thomas Daniel Peterson and Nadine Walker Peterson. Beth was a retired RN, MSN, at Coffee Regional Medical Center after thirty-four years and was a member of Covenant Church. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by an aunt, Anna Jane Walker Smith. Survivors include her husband, Roy Daniel Sumner of Broxton; two daughters, Elizabeth Danielle Sumner of Broxton and AnnaMarie Nadine Sumner of…

Wiregrass Board of Directors announces meeting dates Wiregrass Georgia Technical College Board of Directors serves both in a community advisory capacity, and in a limited administrative capacity, performing certain oversight responsibilities as designated by state board policy. The local board is comprised of members from the business and industrial communities from the eleven-county service area. State board policy defines the role and responsibilities of the local board. The meeting dates for the fiscal year 2020 have been set. They are as follows: September 19 (Coffee Campus – Planning Room), October 27-30 (Leadership Summit – Hyatt Regency, 201 West Bay, Savannah),…

Coffee County Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers (YF&R) Committee Chairman Walt Pridgen was named the 2019 Georgia Farm Bureau YF&R Member of the Year. The award recognizes a member who has an impact on his/her local area and who encourages, educates and leads other young farmers and ranchers. Pridgen manages 11 poultry houses, grows hay and raises cattle. He is president of South Georgia Cattlemen, speaks to other organizations to promote agriculture and volunteers as a judge for area FFA events. “I realized how important it is to not only be involved, but to advocate, mentor and educate,” said…

Sims and Jaramillo Named Wiregrass Employees of the year Recently two Wiregrass employees were honored for their dedication, hard work, and leadership skills by the faculty and staff of the college. Wiregrass employees annually nominate a staff member and a supervisor for their exemplary performance on the job. The nominations are narrowed down by a committee and the finalists are interviewed by a panel of judges to decide who will be honored. Ronshekua Sims, Department Assistant for Academic Affairs, was awarded the eighth annual James A. Bridges Vanguard Award for the staff member of the year. Ronshekua is described by…

Issues and questions surround cotton production By John McLemore University of Georgia Extension ServiceAs we approach the middle of August growers statewide are experiencing problems with cotton growth. During Dr. Glen Harris’s county visit, he assessed cotton fields on the Deen (Coffee County grower) and Corbitt (Atkinson County grower) family farms. Dr. Harris is the, UGA Extension Agronomist for Environmental Soil and Fertilizer. During our visitations we saw reddening in the petioles and stems, stunted plants, and plants showing nutrient deficiency. Dr. Harris concluded that the issues we are seeing are related to extreme heat from mid-May to the beginning…

City announces motorized cart crossing areas The Douglas City Commission passed an ordinance pertaining to motorized carts within the city limits of Douglas in 2018. Recently, the Georgia Department of Transportation approved intersections in Douglas that motorized carts may cross. Anyone driving a motorized cart should know the proper areas of Douglas to cross intersections safely. According to Georgia Department of Transportation, city areas/streets that meet the minimum criterion for motorized cart crossings are as follows: State Route 135/US 221 at Gaskin Avenue, State Route 135/US 221 at McDonald Road, State Route 31/US 221/S. Peterson Ave.at College Park, State Route…

Blondale Thomas elected travel association president At the Magnolia Midlands Travel Association (MMTA) June monthly meeting, Blondale Thomas, Douglas Public Information Manager, was elected to serve as president of the travel association for 2019-2020. Blondale has been employed by the City of Douglas for 23 years and has served on the MMTA Executive Board since 2015. MMTA works with tourism partners in communities throughout the state to promote Douglas and Coffee County to Georgia visitors. MMTA Executive Officers for the 2019-2020 year are Blondale Thomas (President), Robin Davis (Vice President), Sonya Miller (Secretary), Georgia Henderson (Treasurer) and Franklin Dismuke (Past…