Author: Submitted

The Ware County Gators will be GOING GOLD on Friday, Sept. 2, against Coffee County in Waycross and are asking the entire community to join them in paying tribute to those currently fighting childhood cancer and those who have won their battles. The football team will be wearing all gold uniforms, as well as the band and cheerleaders. Coffee fans attending the game are asked to join the effort that night by also wearing gold ribbons or a gold ribbon shirt. September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and the local community has been hit hard with this dreaded disease. The…

Satilla Elementary faculty and staff extend a special thanks to all the parents who came out to our first parent/family engagement event on Monday, August 29. A special thanks goes to Ms. Rebekah Beck for translating for our guest speaker, Mr. Archie Rish, Satilla School Governance Council Member, who shared with parents the importance of being involved and working with their child and their child’s teacher. Remember, make your days count… “Show Up, Communicate, and Support One Another.” We look forward to working with you this school year! Remember to make each day count. – Submitted

The City of Douglas Public Information Department will begin to accept registrations for the 53rd Annual Festival of Lights Christmas Parade on Sept. 1. This year’s theme will be “Peace On Earth,” and the parade will take place Saturday, December 3, at 6:30 p.m. “We chose a theme this year with hopes to see everyone join together to promote peace and unity in our community,” says Georgia Henderson, Public Information Director. “Entries are encouraged to build floats based upon peace, hope, compassion and charity, all of which are God-given gifts to mankind. We would like to see more involvement from…

September is Attendance Awareness Month in Coffee County Schools. We are emphasizing good attendance this month because it helps students with their achievement as well as their career readiness. Students who go to school regularly are more likely to feel connected to the school community, which means that they are more likely to get good grades, have a positive attitude about school, graduate from high school, and avoid risky behaviors, such as drug or alcohol use. Frequent absences can cause a student to fall behind in school. He or she may get poor grades, have low self-esteem, and feel isolated…

If you see a helicopter hovering over Indian Creek Elementary School and landing on the playground this Thursday, it will be State School Superintendent, Mr. Richard Woods, flying in from Atlanta to recognize the faculty, staff, students, and ICE parents for their recent award in the Parent Engagement Video Contest sponsored by the Ga Department of Education. To show his appreciation and officially recognize Indian Creek, Superintendent Woods will arrive on Thursday at 1 p.m. for a special assembly in the gym. After the assembly, he will hold an informal roundtable discussion with parents, staff, and community members in the…

Mrs. Patricia Gayle Stidham Thurston, age 66, passed away early Monday morning, August 29, 2016, at her residence, following an extended illness. She was born January 14, 1950 to the late Ed Harmon Stidham and the late Patricia Lewis Stidham. Mrs. Thurston, a native of Jacksonville, Florida, had lived in the Douglas area for many years. She was an Educator and the Assistant Principal of Satilla Elementary, West Side Elementary, and West Green Elementary Schools. She was also preceded in death by a Brother, Ed Stidham. Survivors include: Her Husband: Harry Thurston, III of Douglas, Ga.; 2 Sons: Hunter Thurston…

William Shane King, age 26, of Douglas, GA passed away on Sunday, August 28, 2016, at Medical Center in Macon, GA following a brief illness. Mr. King was born on June 20, 1990, in Ocilla, GA to Scott Bennett King and Vickie Jean Bohannon Barnhart. Survivors include: his mother, Vickie Barnhart of Douglas, GA; father, Scottie (Karen) King of Abbeville, GA; sister, Heather Barnhart of Warner Robins, GA; two brothers, Clay Pierce of Cocoa Beach, FL and Jeremy King of Abbeville, GA; maternal grandparents, Earl and Betty Braswell of Douglas, GA; paternal grandparents, Johnny and Nancy King of Rochelle, GA;…

The City of Douglas and Transwaste announced Monday a change in the collection of trash and recycling. Beginning the week of September 12, all trash service will be Monday –Thursday. Residentswho will be affected by no garbage pickup on Fridays will be notified by Transwaste of their new garbage pickup day prior to changes taking place. The new days for those affected residents will be either Tuesdays or Wednesdays. After several months of contamination of the recycling stream and confusion of the A/B pickup schedule, City of Douglas and Transwaste officials hope that going to a four day trash/garbage pickup…

What happens when you mix cotton candy, snow cones, a bouncy house, and pony rides at Indian Creek? The result is one exciting Back to School Bash for parents and students! Parents were also given the opportunity to visit classrooms where they could learn about grade level curricular and behavioral expectations for this school year. Principal, Mrs. Tamara Morgan, and everyone at ICE are looking forward to a wonderful 2016-17 school year! – Submitted

Tammy Alesia Floyd, age 53, of Wray, GA passed away on Friday, August 26, 2016, at her residence following an extended illness. Ms. Floyd was born on September 18, 1962, in Douglas, GA to Lottie Nell Chaney Russ and the late Kenneth Garland Russ. Survivors include: her mother, Lottie Nell Wooten of Wray, GA; two sons, Kenneth (CeCe) Brigmond of Wray, GA and Michael (Jessica) Brigmond of Smithdale, MS; daughter, Candace Floyd of Douglas, GA; eight grandchildren; three great grandchildren; nephew, Roman Merritt of Wray, GA. She was preceded in death by a sister, Nancy Merritt and a great nephew,…