Author: Submitted

Effective March 1, the hours of operation at the Douglas Veterans Field Service Office are changing. The office, located at 70 Lockwood Drive, will begin opening to the public at 9 a.m. on weekdays. Closing time (4:30 p.m.) is not changing. The office is closed on weekends. The new schedule is part of a policy change affecting Georgia Department of Veterans Service offices statewide. The later opening is designed to give the department’s service officers more time to focus on administrative duties. George Canavaggio, GDVS Assistant Commissioner for Field Operations & Appeals, proposed the change to the Veterans Service Board…

Douglas City Clerk Wynetta J. Bolder was sworn in as the 2016 President Elect for the Georgia Municipal Clerks and Finance Officers Association in Macon on Feb. 8. The Georgia Municipal Clerks and Finance Officers Association (GMC/FOA) is a professional association comprised of city clerks and finance officers from across Georgia. As president elect, Ms. Bolder will preside at membership and board of directors meetings in the absence of the president and will work with the president on association affairs such as membership, finance, budgets, public relations, projects and committee activities. She will also serve as chairman of the budget…

Congratulations to Ms. Glenda Newton, who was recently named Coffee Middle School’s January Teacher of the Month. Pictured above are Mr. Drew, Ms. Newton, and Mrs. Barnes. – Submitted

Sandra Spivey was the speaker at the Douglas Kiwanis Club meeting Tuesday, Feb. 9 at the Flyin’ Cowboy restaurant. Sandra spoke about honey bees and their uses in agriculture and in making honey. The Kiwanis Club members enjoyed and appreciated her talk. – Submitted

Brittany Paulk is the Spring Semester 2016 winner and first recipient of the Gene Chambers Memorial Scholarship. She is a student in the Business Administrative Technology program. Gene Chambers was a Coffee County resident and Trustee for the Wiregrass Foundation North. Chambers lost his battle to cancer and the Foundation Trustees raised funds to create a scholarship in his memory. The memorial scholarship will award $250 per semester. For more information on the Wiregrass Foundation North and ways to give, contact Mona Paulk at 229-468-2102. – Submitted

Congratulation to Ms. Branch and the horse judging team for placing second in the state at the FFA Horse Judging competition last Saturday! The 2016 state FFA Horse Evaluation CDE was held at Ft. Valley State University. The Coffee Middle School team members are Abbi Vaughn, Alex Vaughn, Leana Atkinson, and Maleah Martin. – Submitted

Calli Hobbs was recognized at the regular Douglas City Commission meeting Monday night by Mayor Tony L. Paulk and the city commission for her vocal talent. In September 2015, Calli won Entertainer of the Year and Vocalist of the Year in the New Country category for ages 7-12 at the Georgia Gospel, Country and Bluegrass Association State Awards Show. She will be competing on the national/international level at the North American Country Music Associations International Music Competition in Pigeon Forge, TN in March . Calli is the daughter of Tracie Hobbs and Rubin Sills. Her vocal coach and music manager…

Students who earned perfect attendance for December and January got to party in style recently with Mrs. Tamara Morgan, principal at Indian Creek Elementary! Students played on an enormous blow-up slide and enjoyed a mouth-watering nachos and cheese snack. Our Cardinals are learning that Indian Creek is the place to be and that school attendance matters! – Submitted

The Douglas Lions Club has donated money to create a scholarship in honor of Francis Lott to be awarded to Coffee County residents. The club members donated $10,000 so the Wiregrass Foundation could endow the scholarship. Wiregrass Georgia Technical College will award $500 annually. This year’s recipient is Bruce Bassett of Coffee County. He is a student in the Air Conditioning Technology program. For more information on the Wiregrass Foundation North and ways to give, contact Mona Paulk at 229-468-2102. – Submitted

Mrs. Elmarie Davis Lott, age 77, of Willacoochee, GA passed away on Monday, February 8, 2016 at Coffee Regional Medical Center, Douglas GA. Mrs. Lott was born on August 30, 1938, Atkinson County, GA to the late Rubin Davis III and Beadie McKinnon Davis. Survivors include: Her husband: Herman “Bugg” Lott of Willacoochee, GA; Her three daughters, Vicki Heath of Willacoochee (Mora) , GA; Lynn Royal of Willacoochee, (Mora) GA and Gina (Ray) Smith of Nahunta, GA; son, Rickey Lott, Willacoochee (Mora), GA; eleven grandchildren: Kevin Heath, Cliff (Renee’) Heath, Hope (Heather) Rockefeller, Misty (Chris) McCollum, Brad Lott, Grant (Amanda)…