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Mayor Pro-tem Gowen receives certificate from GMA Elected officials from Douglas were among hundreds of city officials to attend the Georgia Municipal Association’s Annual Conference in Savannah June 21-June 25, 2019. The annual conference provides city officials with an opportunity to learn more about legislation under consideration, attend training sessions, and hear from state leaders. Commissioner Mike Gowen received GMA’s Certificate of Achievement from the Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute. To receive a Certificate of Achievement, a city official must complete a minimum of 72 units of credit, including at least 36 hours from a list of required courses.…

4-H’ers enjoy June day trips Kevin D. Tatum, County Extension Coordinator, Coffee County Coffee County 4-H enjoyed three summer activities during the month of June. On Friday, June 7, 4-H members traveled to Macon to enjoy an evening at the Macon Bacon baseball game. While at the ballpark, they enjoyed unlimited hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, and soft drinks. Some almost made themselves sick eating so much. The Macon Bacon team won the game and the weather was perfect following a brief rain. On Tuesday, June 25, the 4-H members traveled to Savannah, GA, to tour the Ronald McDonald House…

On June 14, 2019, Coffee County Sheriff’s Office detectives arrested Tyrone Lamar Alexander after an investigation revealed that Alexander had failed to report information required by his status as a sex offender to the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office. Alexander is required to keep his address, employment information and other information such as phone numbers of any phone he has. Alexander had moved from his last address and did not report that move to the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office prior to moving as required by law and then did not report address change even after moving. Alexander had been working…

On June 14, 2019, detectives with the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into the theft of an ATV in the Green Acres community. This investigation resulted in the recovery of the ATV in a wooded area on the Old Axon Road. Two individuals were arrested in connection to this theft. The individuals are identified as Cody Smith of Douglas and Jeffery Hall of Pearson. Additionally, another incident in the Green Acres community was reported where someone had attempted to enter a storage building causing damage to the lock on the building. Detectives determined that Smith and Hall…

Kevin Tatum University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service June 17-21 was a busy week for seventh and eighth grade 4-H members who attended junior 4-H camp at Camp Jekyll. Over 220 students and 20 adults from 35 counties took part in the week’s activities. During the week, the students enjoyed workshops at the camp facility such as the herpetology/maritime forest class, as well as canoeing, a boat tour, bicycle rides around Jekyll Island, seining in the Atlantic Ocean, visiting the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, and beach ecology on driftwood beach. They also went swimming at the beach and at…

Mr. Jimmy Dale Wooten, age 71 of Nicholls, passed Tuesday afternoon, June 18, 2019 at his residence following a short illness. Mr. Wooten was born April 23, 1948 to the late John E. Wooten and the late Mary Emma Highsmith Wooten. Other than his parents, he was preceded in death by a daughter, Krystal Wooten Wynn; brothers Kenneth Wooten and Johnny Wooten; sister-in-law Virginia Wooten; and grandchild Gregory “Bubba” Harrell, Jr.Mr. Wooten was a native of Ben Hill County but grew up in Pierce County. He was retired from CSX Railroad as a machinist where he had worked for 28 years. He…

Sgt. Earnest Lee Smith, Jr. was born on December 19, 1964 in Coffee County to the late Earnest Lee Smith Sr., and Allene Facison Smith, who preceded him in death. At an early age he attended Broxton Deliverance Center under the leadership of the late Apostle Charles Wilkerson. Sgt. Smith graduated from Broxton High School, where he played basketball and baseball. He was voted Senior Superlative as Most Athletic. Sgt. Smith was employed with Coffee County Sheriff’s Office for the past 30 years of service where he was known as C-29. He also was employed with Handy Foods Grocery of…

Linton “L.D.” Sapp, age 82, of Douglas, passed away on Wednesday, June 19, 2019 at his residence. Mr. Sapp was born on December 8, 1936 in Baxley, the son of the late Ralph Waldo Sapp and Rosa Lee Wilson Sapp. Mr. Sapp was a retired post commander of the Georgia State Patrol and later retired as an agent with Georgia Bureau of Investigation. He was a veteran of the United States Air Force and a member of Mt. Vernon Missionary Baptist Church in Baxley. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Bernon Sapp. Survivors include his…

Mr. Jimmy Lewis Smith, age 73 of Douglas, passed away early Tuesday morning, June 18, 2019 at his residence following an extended illness. Mr. Smith was born May 25, 1946 to the late Noyd Smith and the late Juanita Ellis Smith.Mr. Smith, a native of Jeff Davis County, was a truck driver with R. W. Griffin. He also had served in the National Guard. He was a member of Providence Baptist Church. Survivors include: Children: Stacy Harper of Douglas, Sophia Carver of Madison, and Lee Gray of Waycross; grandchildren Aaron Patton and Ashley Patton, both of Douglas, Emily Jackson, Haley Price, Joshua Carver…

Mr. Denton Eugene Holton, Jr., age 84 of Douglas, passed away Monday afternoon, June 17, 2019 at Pruitt Health in Ocilla, following an extended illness. Mr. Holton was born January 1, 1935 to the late Denton Eugene Holton, Sr. and the late Ruby Spivey Holton. Other than his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Lt. Leon Gershon Holton and a sister, Pixie Nelwanda Holton Wooten.Mr. Holton was a retired US Army veteran. He served during the Vietnam War and was a member of the American Legion and VFW. He attended West Ward Street Church of God.Survivors include: His wife Ingeburg Schlaefer Holton of…