Author: Submitted

Tuesday marked the grand opening for two new vocational schools here in Georgia, but the setting might not be what you expect. CoreCivic’s Wheeler County and Coffee County Correctional Facilities are now home to brand new centers offering courses in gas metal arc welding and diesel truck maintenance. Inmate students can earn certificates from nearby Wiregrass Georgia Technical College and Oconee Fall Line Technical College, which are running the programs and supplying the instructors. Courses will begin in early January, and inmate students have already signed up for classes. Studies have shown that graduates of programs like these are 43…

Mr. Alfred Eugene “Al” Hobby, age 82, of Broxton, GA passed away early Tuesday morning, December 13, 2016 at his residence following a brief illness. Mr. Hobby, a native of Tift County, was born August 13, 1934 to the late Roy Lee Hobby and the late Willa Mae Cox Hobby. Survivors: His Wife: Frances Cato Hobby of Broxton, GA; 1 Son: Douglas (Sherry) Hobby of Madison, OK; 4 Sisters: Dorothy Lankford and Leitha Bush both of Douglas, Ga, Thelma Wooten of Broxton, GA and Jan Johnson of Hampton, GA; 3 Grandchildren. 14 Great Grandchildren. Several Nieces, Nephews, Friends and Other…

South Georgia State College’s Zaquavian Smith has been named the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association’s (GCAA) Division I Player of the Week for the second time this season. A 6’0” redshirt sophomore from Statesboro, Ga., Smith leads the GCAA in scoring, averaging 20.1 points per game. He has averaged shooting 49 percent from the field, 40 percent from the three-point line, and 74 percent from the free throw line. For his Player of the Week honor, Smith had 27 points, four rebounds, four assists, and two steals in a win over Combine Academy-Orlando Dec. 10. Smith recently signed a letter of…

Shirley Dianne Harper, age 65, of Broxton, Ga. passed away on Sunday, December 11, 2016, at Mayo Clinic in Waycross, Ga following an extended illness. Mrs. Harper was born on January 30, 1951, in Alma, Ga. to Mildred Louise Harrison and the late Julian Wesley Teston. Survivors include: her mother, Mildred Louise Harrison of Douglas, Ga.; brother, Tony Teston of Douglas, Ga.; former husband, Ottis Harper of Douglas, Ga.; stepdaughter, Pam Corsa of Douglas, Ga. and Jerri Ann Johnson of Douglas, Ga.; five step grandchildren; one step great-grandchild; several nieces, nephews; and several great nieces and nephews. The family will…

The Coffee Middle School 2016 Spelling Bee Champion is Shaley Spivey! Other winners include: 2nd place, Cailey Martinez; 3rd place, Carson Neeley; and Alternate Matthew Cliett. Congratulations to all of our participants. These winners did an amazing job today! – Submitted

As their December service project, Coffee Middle School’s National Junior Honor Society members chose to serve the Douglas community by participating in the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Drive. Before students took their posts outside Harvey’s on Ward Street, the director of the local Salvation Army, Mrs. Perette Morris, prepared the NJHS members by providing them with insight about the history of the red kettle and proper etiquette when ringing the bell. – Submitted

SALVATION ARMY BELL RINGING We would like to remind 4-H members who have signed up to take a turn ringing the bell for the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Drive on Monday, December 19, to be at the Walmart store at your assigned time. Be sure to add this to your calendar. If you have forgotten your time slot, please contact the 4-H office at (912) 384-1402. JR/SR DPA PORTFOLIO DEADLINE Final copies of the Junior/Senior District Project Achievement Portfolios are due in the 4-H office by Friday, December 16. Remember that all information should be from the 2016 calendar year…

Zaquavian Smith had 27 points, three other players scored in double digits, and a late first half run that broke the game open allowed the South Georgia State College Hawks to roll to a 103-63 win over Combine Academy-Orlando Saturday. It was a defensive struggle in the first 11 minutes, as the Hawks (8-2) found themselves in a 15-15 tie with nine minutes left until halftime. A 16-2 run over the next 4:30 broke the game open, giving the Hawks a 31-17 lead. SGSC would eventually outscore Combine Academy 26-8 over the final nine minutes of the half to take…

Jessie “Goldman” Harper, age 76, of Broxton, Ga. passed away on Thursday, December 8, 2016, at his residence following an extended illness. Mr. Harper was born on January 11, 1940, in Douglas, Ga. to the late Hubert Harper and Eva Kate Rawlins Harper. Survivors include: his wife, Teresa Harper of Broxton, Ga.; daughter, Donn (Bud) Drew of Douglas, Ga.; four grandchildren, Reed Harper, Randy (Alison) Drew, Dr. Stuart Drew, and Aaron Drew; four great-grandchildren, Dillon Drew, Alyssa Drew, Addison Drew, and Ansley Drew; several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by a son, Jesse Harper. The family will…

Representatives from the Douglas Area Employer Committee recently presented donations to each of the eight elementary school principals in Coffee County for the Reading Counts program. This is one of the many projects that the DAEC does for the community. Other projects the group are involved in include the “Coats for Kids”, REACH Scholarship Program, and many more. The DAEC will also be making donations to Atkinson and Bacon Counties for the Reading Counts Program. Douglas Area Employer Committee members pictured above are Stanley Lott, GA Department of Labor, Business Services Unit; Sandy Sharp, Southwire; Brad Riner, Coffee County Schools…