Author: Submitted

First Academy will be adding seventh grade for the 2017-18 school year. In addition, a half day Pre-K program to go along with its full day Pre-K program will be offered. Registration for the 2017-18 school year is ongoing at First Academy for preschool through middle school at the school’s new website, www.firstacademydouglas.org. Plans are in place to keep adding grades through the 12th grade over the next several years. One of the goals of First Academy is to educate the next generation of leaders with a Biblical worldview. The school reached its largest student population in its short history this current…

A local convicted felon wanted for violating the conditions of his parole faces drug distribution charges following an incident Wednesday. State parole officers arrived at the residence of 26-year-old Rashaan Cortez Sims off U.S. Highway 441 South to execute an arrest warrant for a parole violation. Once taken into custody, Sims requested officers to retrieve his cell phone from inside the home. Once inside, officers spotted a clear plastic bag containing suspected marijuana on top of a dresser in the master bedroom. Parole officials contacted the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office for assistance, and a further search of the home conducted…

Indian Creek Elementary School is proud to announce that Mr. David Miller is our 2017-2018 Teacher of the Year. Mr. Miller is a fifth grade Science/Social Studies teacher and has been in education for 16 years. He is a positive role model to students and a teacher leader among his peers. Congratulations, Mr. Miller!

The iPod winners for the 3rd nine weeks of school at Coffee Middle School recently received their rewards for character, most improved, and academics. Students were selected from names nominated by cluster and connections teachers. Congratulations to these winners! For character: Kayln Woods (6th grade), Veronica Grantham (7th grade), and Jacie McSwain (8th grade). Most improved: Contorria Colson (6th), Barry Miller (7th), and Dykerrian Smith (8th). Academic winners: Shaniya Stackhouse (6th), Viri Pinzon (7th), and Jeremiah Boatright (8th). We appreciate the efforts of all nominees! Keep up the good work.

Coffee County Sheriff’s Office representatives met Wednesday afternoon with other area agencies for an emergency preparedness session in regards to the threat of potentially dangerous weather occurring over the next several hours. Weather experts believe the worst of the storm will hit Coffee County between 6 p.m. tonight and 3 a.m. Thursday morning with varying intervals of severe thunderstorms. Damaging winds are very likely, with gusts up to 70 mph, along with the potential for large hail and tornadoes. Officials are encouraging mobile home residents to attempt to locate alternate accommodations during the storm. Report power outages directly to your…

Coffee County deputies have arrested a Douglas man on domestic violence charges after determining the offender beat his live-in girlfriend while she was sleeping. Deputies responded to a residence off First Avenue South in the Oak Park community around 10:30 Monday night in reference to a domestic dispute. The victim stated her boyfriend, 31-year-old Hilario Hernandez, jumped on her as she was sleeping, striking her several times on the head and other areas. Deputies observed injuries to the victim’s body consistent with her testimony, and Hernandez later admitted to striking the sleeping female. Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene…

Severe weather is expected to roll into Coffee County on Wednesday, April 5. As a result, school officials have decided to dismiss school early for Wednesday only. The early release schedule will be as follows: Elementary schools: 11:30 a.m. Coffee Middle School: 1:10 p.m. Freshman campus: 12: 30 p.m. Coffee High School: 1 p.m. Career academy: 12:30 p.m. Alternative school: 12 p.m. Classes will resume as normal on Thursday, April 6.

Eleven gold medalists from Wiregrass Georgia Technical College are headed to National SkillsUSA competition in Kentucky this June after winning top place at the state-wide competition was held in Atlanta. SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry representatives working together to ensure America has a skilled work force. It is a national nonprofit organization serving teachers, high school and college students who are preparing for careers in trade, technical and skills service occupations, including health occupations. The SkillsUSA program hosts local, state, and national competition for students to showcase their skills learned through hands-on training in the classroom. …

South Georgia State College pitcher Kaden Hack threw a no-hitter in the second game of a double-header against the Brewton-Parker College JV recently. His win capped a solid day for the Hawks; SGSC won game one 14-0 then took game two 12-0, thanks in large part to Hack’s effort on the mound. In game one, the Hawks did not allow a single run as they defeated Brewton Parker JV 14-0. Mason Parker earned the win for SGSC. He pitched five innings, surrendering zero runs, one hit, and striking out two. Zach Rafuse, Jake Bryan, and Jacob Schmidt led by collecting…

The student organization known as the National FFA Organization is known for its ability to develop agricultural leaders through various opportunities inside as well as outside the classroom. These opportunities can be as sophisticated as winning a state Career Development Event (CDE) to showing various species of livestock at fairs and shows across our state, to even simply helping out on the family farm or in the school garden. Each of these opportunities help these students develop their potential for “premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education.” One of the opportunities the FFA members at George Washington…