Author: Submitted

Keep Douglas Beautiful has received the prestigious 2023 Governor’s Circle Award for Outstanding Community Beautification and Environmental Sustainability Achievements. The Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation (KGBF) presented the award for exemplary performance in litter reduction, waste minimization, and community greening. To qualify for the Governor’s Circle Award, affiliates must be certified and in good standing with Keep America Beautiful (KAB), the national nonprofit that oversees state and local programming. Additionally, the affiliate must be an active member of the KGBF network. Certified KAB affiliates must effect meaningful, positive, and lasting change by directly addressing community needs in litter prevention,…

On Monday, February 5, 2024, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes (CEACC) Unit arrested and charged Lonnie Smith, age 32, of Coffee County, Georgia, with one count of Sexual Exploitation of Children. The GBI CEACC Unit began an investigation into Smith’s online activity after receiving a Cyber Tipline Report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding the possible online possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material. This investigation led to a search warrant at Smith’s home and his subsequent arrest. The GBI CEACC unit was aided in the execution…

Peak Wooten McDaniel & Colwell LLP’s Brandon Peak and Chris McDaniel and Mabra Law’s Ronnie Mabra recently settled a disputed liability wrongful death case pre-trial for a record $32.5 million. The case centers on an early-morning tractor-trailer wreck that claimed the life of a young husband, father of four, and U.S. Army veteran. Gwinnett County State Court Judge Ronda S. Colvin presided over the case. Before sunrise on December 7, 2021, Christopher Crump was driving to work in Camilla, Georgia. At the same time, the driver of a tractor-trailer who was leaving a food processing plant failed to…

Ronnie Anderson, 79, of Hahira passed away on Friday, February 2, 2024, at South Georgia Medical Center following a brief illness. He was born on October 31, 1944, in Douglas, GA, to the late Joe and Robinell Anderson. Ronnie was a veteran of the United States Army, having served one tour of duty in the Vietnam War. Ronnie lived the majority of his life as a resident of Douglas, GA, where he proudly served as City Commissioner of Ward 5 for twenty-seven years. He was also a successful sales associate and business owner who had been retired since 2006. Ronnie…

On January 25, 2024, after receiving a tip, Douglas police officers apprehended a wanted fugitive. The caller said that Dillon Steven Krosecky, 32, of Ocala, Fla., was in a silver Buick Envision at a Bowens Mill Road location, a report from the Douglas police department states. Krosecky had a failure to appear warrant out of Florida for a trafficking methamphetamine charge. An officer found the vehicle but Krosecky wasn’t inside. The Envision was running and had a cat in it so the officer waited to see if he returned. According to the report, Krosecky eventually came…

City of Douglas officials would like to alert residents that a phone scam is targeting Douglas Utility customers. If a customer receives a phone call from someone impersonating a City of Douglas employee write the phone number down and report the incident to local law enforcement authorities. Although the City of Douglas does have an automatic calling system that alerts customers their account is past due, the system does not attempt to collect funds over the telephone. Citizens should call the Customer Care Center by dialing 3-1-1 or (912) 384-3302 to verify the call is legitimate. The…

Staff members from the Southern District of Georgia received recognition today as Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced the recipients of the 70th and 71st Attorney General’s Awards, honoring Justice Department employees and others for extraordinary contributions to the enforcement of our nation’s laws. Recipients from both 2022 and 2023 were selected from a group of more than 800 nominees. “Each of today’s recipients has served with distinction, and in so doing, they have enabled the Justice Department to advance its work on behalf of the American people,” said Attorney General Garland. “Their exceptional leadership, heroism, and dedication…

Mayor Tony Paulk has signed a proclamation officially declaring March 1, 2024 as World Teen Mental Wellness Day in Douglas and Coffee County. This proclamation sets the stage for a powerful initiative led by Coffee High School senior Ethan Kramer, who is thrilled to once again promote his “Today Will Be Better” campaign in the local community. Observing World Teen Mental Wellness Day highlights the community’s commitment to raising awareness, breaking down stigmas and actively contributing to the well-being of teenagers facing mental health challenges in Douglas and Coffee County. Kramer expresses gratitude for the strong…

When Jared Swain first connected with the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center (UGA SBDC), he had recently made a career transition from agriculture to pharmacy. After completing pharmacy school, Swain knew he could turn to Alyssa Foskey, area director at UGA SBDC at Valdosta State University, to help him develop a business plan to achieve his goal of owning his own pharmacy. Through a continued relationship with the UGA SBDC, Swain’s Pharmacy in Douglas has seen significant growth and now fills 6,000 prescriptions a month. Swain has always had a genuine love for people and knew he wanted a career…

According to a report from the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, a Yorkshire terrier ended up in the middle of an alleged domestic dispute. As a result, a Douglas man was arrested on animal cruelty charges. The alleged incident occurred on January 28, 2024, at a home on Sioux Trail. However, officers responded to a store on the Willacoochee Highway. At the store, the complainant told officers that she and Quinterrious Pace, 27, had gotten into an argument at the Sioux Trail home. As the two continued arguing, the report says, Pace got angrier and eventually grabbed the Yorkie…