Author: Submitted

Family members of former jail officer Sgt. Eric Dewayne Smith joined Sheriff Doyle Wooten and the staff of the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office Friday morning in remembrance of Smith’s contributions to the local community. Sgt. Smith lost his life in an automobile accident on May 2, 2007, while assisting Coffee County deputies. On Friday, CCSO staff hung Smith’s portrait in the lobby of the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office alongside those of other Coffee County fallen officers, Deputy Herman Edward Smith (Sept. 6, 1963) and Staff Sergeant Clyde Almond “Tub” Merritt (Jan. 3, 2000).

The eighth grade Art Club members at Coffee Middle School are pictured with their school project for the 2016-2017 school year. Mr. Suttles and the Art Club students create a project each year for CMS that adds school spirit and that special touch to campus. Amazing talents can be found on all around the CMS campus.

JoAnne Manning, Juice Plus, spoke at the Douglas Kiwanis Club meeting of Tuesday the 23rd of May at the Flyin’ Cowboy restaurant. She gave a presentation on the Juice Plus products which emphasized the importance of fruits and vegetables in our diets and showed how the products are processed into a food product and not into a vitamins product. The Kiwanis club members enjoyed and appreciated her presentation.

Get ready to cool off this summer with the annual Summer Beach Bash on June 6, 2017. The Beach Bash will be held from 4 pm – 8 pm in the vacant lot adjacent to City Hall on 441 South in downtown Douglas. With activities planned for all ages, this is sure to be one of the best beach parties away from the beach.“We are hoping to attract more visitors to the downtown area,” says Pattie Merritt, Main Street Coordinator. “We are looking for more community organizations to join us this year. The Summer Beach Bash is always lots of…

By: Kevin Tatum, County Extension Coordinator Over 250 people gathered at the First Baptist Church in Douglas on Monday evening, May 8, 2017, to recognize active Coffee County 4-H members and volunteers during the Annual 4-H Honors Night Program. 4‑H members were presented awards for their participation in District Project Achievement (DPA), Poultry Judging, livestock shows, target sports, and community service projects. The evening began with Anna Grace Grantham performing some violin music accompanied by her mother, Greta Grantham, on the piano. Willie Spence also sang a song as the Grantham’s provided the music. Recipients of the Outstanding 4-H Member…

Gracie Myers, a student at Coffee Middle School, successfully auditioned and was selected for the Georgia Music Educators Association All-State Band and All-State Chorus. She is the first Coffee Middle School student to ever be selected for either of the two very prestigious groups. For the All-State Chorus, she passed two auditions and was among the 400 selected out of the 2,700 auditioning 7th and 8th grade students in the state. She traveled to Athens Feb. 23-25 where she attended rehearsals that ended with the final concert at the Classic Center. For the All-State Band, she auditioned at both the district and state levels competing with well…

A 22-year-old Douglas man was charged with methamphetamine possession late Monday night after deputies discovered him napping in his car. Coffee County deputies responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle in the area of Oak Park Street just prior to midnight, May 22. Upon arriving in the area, authorities spotted a black 2004 Jeep Cherokee parked near the roadway and observed an individual later identified as Kenneth Weldon reclined in the vehicle with his head propped against the window. Deputies approached the vehicle, woke Weldon from his slumber, and requested him to exit. A small clear bag containing suspected…

A Douglas man has been arrested in Alma on suspicion of burglary. Tuesday, May 23, 2017, the Alma Police Department’s Criminal Investigative Division arrested Christopher Dean Dyal, 32 of Douglas, for the burglary of a home where Dyal is accused of taking property with an estimated value of $17,000. Dyal was also wanted for an outstanding probation violation warrant in Coffee County. He remains jailed as the investigation continues.

Wilton “Winkey” Taylor, age 71, of Nicholls, GA passed away on Friday, May 19, 2017, at his residence following an extended illness. Mr. Taylor was born on January 12, 1946, in Douglas, GA to the late William Tift Taylor and Mattie Music Taylor. Survivors include: his wife, Mary Frances Taylor of Nicholls, GA; two sons, Bobby Taylor of Douglas, GA and Sherman Taylor of Nicholls, GA; two daughters, Debra McClendon of West Green, GA and Theresa Salyer of Ft. Ogden, FL; three step daughters, Judy Moody of Douglas, GA, Annette Nipper of Wilsonville, GA, and Fran Adams of Wilsonville, GA;…

Robert “Bob” Eugene Harless, age 83, passed away on May 17, 2017 after a short illness. He was born December 19, 1933 to the late Walter and Louise Harless in Gauley Bridge, West Virginia. He attended Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, OK. He then flew for Southern Airways in Atlanta before moving to Hazlehurst where he was a corporate pilot for Cook & Company for 12 years. He went on to become the owner of Harless Aviation as well as the operator of the Douglas Municipal Airport. He was preceded in death by his wife, Jacqueline, daughter-in-law, Paula and brother,…