Area News

At Monday night’s meeting of the Jeff Davis County Board of Education, Middle School Principal Dr. Brent Coleman recognized the middle school boys and girls cross country teams for winning the conference championship this season. The following students were recognized: Girls Team: Valerie Porras, Dakota Mincey, Rayleigh Pierce, Zaylee Dukes, Jasmine Reynolds, Amy Miller, Winry…

The City of Hazlehurst has scheduled a series of public hearings to allow the public an opportunity to express their opinions on the city’s proposed property tax increase, which is 30.09% above the rollback millage rate which would have brought in the same amount of tax revenue levied by the City in 2025. Two hearings…

The Jeff Davis County Sheriff’s Office has upgraded its communication system to enable citizens to text 911 for emergencies. Sheriff Preston Bohannon explained that if anyone is ever in an emergency and cannot safely make a voice call, they can reach the Sheriff’s Department by text. When someone sends a text to 911, it goes…

Hazlehurst-Jeff Davis County Board of Tourism announced that visitors to Jeff Davis County spent $12.2 million in calendar year 2025, according to newly released data from Tourism Economics and the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD). This constitutes an 8.8% increase in spending as compared to 2024. “Tourism is a vital part of the Georgia…

The following indictments were filed by 2026 March Term Jeff Davis Grand Jury on Sept. 21: David Dence Floyd, Failure to Register as Sex Offender. Vance Fernell Williams, Failure to Register as Sex Offender. Joheem Tootle, Cruelty to Children in the First Degree. Donnie E. Deen, Count 1: Terroristic Threats; Count 2: Pointing Gun or…

By TOMMY PURSER Editor-Publisher At their meeting last Thursday, the Hazlehurst City Council voted to raise property taxes in the city by more than 30%. And by Tuesday of this week, at least one council member had come to the realization that such a move might be a mistake. The council has a budget meeting…

By MARY ANN ANDERSON No bones about it. Cemetery business was anything but dead at last Thursday’s regular meeting of the Hazlehurst City Council. City Clerk Vernice Thompson explained that the map for the city cemetery on Lumber City Highway is deteriorating badly, with Ward 3 Councilman Chris Jones joking that it looks like a…

The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA/HS) has announced the opening of the application period for the State of Georgia Gang Activity Prosecution (GAP) Grant. The State of Georgia set aside $1,250,000 from the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 state budget for a competitive grant to facilitate gang activity prosecutions in the state. The…

The September meeting of the Joint Development Authority will be held this Thursday at 3 p.m. at The Big House. Following is the meeting agenda: 1. Call to Order 2. Prayer & Pledge 3. Approval of Agenda 4. Comments from Guests, limited to no more than 5 minutes. 5. Consent Calendar A. Minutes (August 20…