Author: Submitted

Virginia Willene Porter Bradford Clanton, age 88, of Douglas, formerly of Valdosta, passed away early Thursday morning, April 25, 2019, at Vista Park Health & Rehabilitation in Douglas, following an extended illness. She was born Dec. 30, 1930 to the late James Albert Porter and the late Gladys Dale Porter. Other than her parents, she was preceded in death by her two late husbands, Walter Oscar Bradford and Billy Lamar Clanton; and one brother, James Ralph “Pete” Porter.Mrs. Clanton, a native of Irwin County, was a retired supervisor and seamstress with Bayliner Boats. She was of the Baptist faith.Survivors include: Children…

Wiregrass Tech’s GOAL student named top state finalist Wiregrass’ 2019 GOAL winner Nikki Hinson, a Radiology Technology student, was recently named one of the top nine finalists in the Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL) in Atlanta. The announcement was made at the Technical College System of Georgia’s GOAL and Rick Perkins Award Conference held in Atlanta April 15-18. Hinson was one of 22 students named as a finalist from across the State of Georgia’s Technical Colleges. Hinson was named Wiregrass’ GOAL student in November. She was one of 24 students from Wiregrass nominated for GOAL. Each college winner competed…

SGSC announces 2019 Commencement events and speakers South Georgia State College is excited to announce its annual commencement ceremonies to honor graduates from summer 2018, fall 2018 and spring 2019. The Douglas Campus ceremony will be held Wednesday, May 8, 2019, at 8:30 a.m. on the lawn in front of Peterson Hall. The Waycross Campus ceremony will be held Thursday, May 9, 2019, at 7 p.m. in the gymnasium. The keynote speaker for the Douglas Campus ceremony is Ms. JoAnne Lewis. Ms. Lewis served as President of the Douglas-Coffee County Chamber of Commerce and Executive Director of the Douglas-Coffee Economic…

Retired teachers make donation to Satilla Regional Library The Coffee Atkinson Retired Educators Association (CAREA) presented Satilla Regional Library Interim Director, Stephen Whigman, a monetary donation in memory of their deceased members for 2017-2019. The donation will be used to purchase children’s books for the public libraries of Coffee and Atkinson counties. This is a project for the local unit of the Georgia Retired Educators Association. CAREA Library Chairman Leola Johnson presented the check to Director Stephen Whigman in memory of deceased members of 2017-2019. The deceased members for 2017-18 were Margaret Lie-Nielsen, Ginny Lockwood, Lorraine McGovern, Joyce Moore, Travis…

School will be out soon, 4-H summer camps will be in Kevin Tatum, County Extension Coordinator It’s only a few more weeks until schools will be out for summer break. That means it will be time for 4-H summer camp. This summer Coffee County 4-H will be taking our younger 4-H members to Cloverleaf 4-H Camp at Rock Eagle 4-H Center the week of July 1-5. 4-H members who are signed up to attend are asked to attend the Camp Orientation Meeting on Monday, May 13, at 6 PM, in the sanctuary of the Douglas First Baptist Church. We also…

A house fire last night in West Green claimed the life of Betty Clark, 69. According to a press release issued by the Safety Fire Commissioner’s Office, around 10:30 p.m. Sunday night, firefighters from the Coffee County Fire Department responded to a residential fire located at 150 Burkett Loop Road in West Green. Three adult individuals were able to escape the residence, but Clark, of West Green, was found deceased in the home after the fire was extinguished. “The origin of this fire is to believed to be in the bedroom of where the deceased was discovered. The…

A fire investigator with the Safety Fire Commissioner’s Office has determined that a house fire in Coffee County was intentionally set. The fire occurred around 11:30 p.m. on April 16, 2019. “The residence is located in a mobile home park off of Chaney Road in Coffee County. The home has been vacant since September of 2018. It was determined that the origin of the fire was under the carport in the area of a recliner chair,” said Safety Fire Commissioner Jim Beck. “The structure suffered major damage from the blaze and was not connected with utilities at the time…

Michael Keith Walters, age 47, of Douglas, passed away on Saturday April 20, 2019. Mr. Walters was born on May 25, 1971 in Macon, the son of Victor Walters Jr. and the late Betty Elaine Smith Walters. He worked as a carpenter and was a member of Cathedral of Praise. Survivors include his wife, Sherri Lynn Walters of Douglas; daughter, Mallory Laine Walters of Douglas; step-daughter, Breanna Lynn Wright of Douglas; step-son, Halen Mitchell Wright of Douglas; father, Victor Walters Jr. of Douglas; sister, Deborah Elaine Spell (Terry) of Loganville; two nephews, Gavin Charles Eckard of Loganville and…

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill will not be charged in an incident that occurred at his home in March. Police were called to Hill’s home twice – once on March 5 and again on March 14. Both incidents allegedly involved a child; the March 14 incident was in reference to allegations of battery involving a child. This week, the Johnson County (Kansas) District Attorney’s Office announced that it won’t file any charges against Hill or his fiancée, Crystal Espinal. According to a report posted on ESPN.com, District Attorney Stephen Howe stated that he believes a crime did…

Ellie Layne Bryson, age 18 months, of Brunswick, passed away Saturday, April 20, 2019, in Douglas. Ellie was born October 13, 2017, in Brunswick to parents Aaron Bryson and Kady Young. She was loving, smart, funny and adventurous. She loved her three sisters Charli, Emrie, and Everleigh. She also is survived by her grandparents, Cliff and Tammy Young, Sandy Vann, Tony and Gina Bryson, and Angie Bryson; her great grandparents Emory Young Sr., Tommy Vann, Eddie and Bettie Anderson, Micky and Elaine Brinson, Allen and Joan Bryson, and Grace Baisden; her cousins Brayden, Jaxon, Hadley and Ryleigh; and her…