Author: Submitted

Father John Commins, St. Andrews Anglican Church, was the speaker at the Douglas Kiwanis Club meeting of Tuesday the 1st of August at the Flyin’ Cowboy restaurant. He spoke about his earlier career for AT&T Universal Card in Jacksonville as the AVP of Voice Response. He discussed his role in speech recognition technology and sequential query language (SQL) during his time working for them. He worked for AT&T for 26 years and worked for AT&T Universal Card from 1994-2002. He talked about how voice technology has evolved over the years and discussed voice recognition systems. The Kiwanis Club members enjoyed…

Dr. Clay Montague was named Conservationist of the Year at the Satilla Riverkeeper’s 13th Annual Gala on July 29th at the Stricklands’ Lodge in Brantley County. Montague’s tireless efforts on behalf of the health and vitality of the Satilla River began as soon as he relocated to Camden County upon his retirement from the University of Florida’s Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences. Since then, he has contributed countless hours to protecting this watershed. Montague recognizes that one of the people he most depends on in his work, is his wife, Wendy Montague. She has encouraged, supported, and assisted in all…

Wiregrass Georgia Technical College graduate Jamie Grady has definitely made a name for herself in the world of Esthetics. This summer the Esthetician graduate took top honors winning gold at the National SkillsUSA competition representing the State of Georgia and Wiregrass after winning gold at the state competition earlier in the spring. More than 6,000 students competed in 100 different trade, technical, and leadership fields. Students worked against the clock and each other, proving their expertise in occupations such as electronics, computer-aided drafting, precision machining, medical assisting and culinary arts. All competitions are designed, run and judged with the help…

Tuesday morning, August 1, the Alma Police Department arrested Derron Watson, 23 of Alma, for aggravated assault. Watson’s arrest stemmed from an incident last Tuesday, July 25, which occurred at D.L. Lee & Sons when Watson reportedly pointed a handgun at the head of another employee.

The Coffee Atkinson Retired Educators Association (CAREA) presented Satilla Regional Library Director Mark Cole a monetary donation in memory of their deceased members for 2016-17. The donation will be used to purchase children’s books for the public libraries of Coffee and Atkinson counties. This is a yearly project for the local unit of the Georgia Retired Educators Association. CAREA Library Chairman Leola Johnson and CAREA President Elizabeth White presented the check to Director Cole in memory of: Anna Anderson, Elizabeth “Libba” Burch, Louella Cartwright, Willie Cooper, Shirley Raper Luke, Clayton Mathis, Nellorene McCallum, GeorgePryor, Elaine Jardine Ricketson, Gayle Thurston, and…

Mary McCook , age 84, of Douglas, Ga. formally of Gloucester Point, Va. passed away on Saturday, July 29, 2017, at Coffee Regional Medical Center following an extended illness. Mrs. McCook was born on March 12, 1933 in Mustoe, Va. to the late Harry Tate Hiner and Mary Catherine Harris Hiner. Survivors include: her son, Charles (Karen) McCook of Gloucester, Va.; daughters: Mary K. (Daniel) LaCross of Gloucester Point, Va., Betty Jean Hosack of St. Marys, Ga., Jo Ann (Jimmy) Williams of Douglas, Ga., and Shannon (Antonio) McCook of Gloucester, Va.; sisters: Pearl Buzzard of Hot Springs, Va. and Charlotte…

Thomas Lee Davis, age 37, of Yulee, FL. passed away on Thursday, July 27, 2017, at Shands Hospital following an extended illness. Mr. Davis was born on December 8, 1978, in Douglas, Ga. to Charles Davis and Bonita May Harris. Survivors include: his children: Taylor Jarvis of Washington State, Dillon Davis, Christian Davis both of Americus, Ga., and Riley Stormant of Douglas, Ga.; father, Charles (Peggy) Davis of Broxton, Ga.; mother, Bonnie Harris of Yulee, FL.; brothers: Charles (Stacey) Davis, II, of Yulee, FL., Tim (Leslie) Davis of Douglas, Ga., and Jason (Jordan) Hutchison of Live Oak, Fla.; sisters: Bridgett…

Colon Eli Smith, Sr., age 90, of Axson, GA. passed away on Wednesday, July 26, 2017, at his residence following an extended illness. Mr. Smith was born on August 13, 1926, in Hahira, Ga. to the late Charles Smith and Elizabeth Arnold Smith. Survivors include: his wife, Arlene Smith of Axson, GA.; daughter, Betty (Ronnie) Hall of Ona, FL.; sons: Bobbie (Lynn) Smith of Murphy, NC, Wayne (Angie) Smith of Broxton, GA., and Billy (Rygene) Smith of Boston, GA.; sisters: Irene Courson of NC., and Pauline Smith of Ft. Myers, FL.; 11 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; several nieces, nephews, and other…

Mrs. Winnie Agnes Wooten Smith, age 89, of Broxton, GA passed away Thursday afternoon, July 27, 2017, at Coffee Regional Medical Center following a short illness. Mrs. Smith was born July 27, 1928 to the late Charlie Wooten and the late Dora Lillian Cliett Wooten. Other than her parents, she was preceded in death by her Husband, Lonnie Smith, Sr. and her daughter, Marilyn Smith Wooten. Mrs. Smith, a native of Coffee County, was a homemaker. She loved her family and she also enjoyed cooking for her family, her church family and friends. Mrs. Smith was a member of Providence…

The cargo trailer business is currently booming in Douglas-Coffee County. There is no better proof of this fact than the recent opening of Rock Solid Cargo, located on Thompson Drive. The company started with a few employees and quickly ramped up to 100 employees currently. The company recently purchased 20 acres of land from the Douglas-Coffee County Economic Development Authority (EDA) in Perimeter West Extension Industrial Park on Thompson Drive and moved quickly to construct the necessary facilities to produce cargo trailers. “Our first trailer came off the line on June 12 of this year,” says Tony Wright, General Manager…