Author: Donna Wilcox

The Jeff Davis Middle School cross country teams made it a clean sweep Thursday afternoon, with both the boys and girls bringing home first-place finishes from the Frazier-Hite Invitational in Statesboro. The JD boys turned in a dominant team performance, finishing with 33 points and beating runner-up Richmond Hill by 38 points. Jeff Davis placed five scoring runners among the top 13 overall. Cason Roberson led the Jackets with a second-place finish, completing the two-mile course in 13:51.11. Abel Cabrera was right behind him in third at 13:53.78, giving Jeff Davis two individual medalists. Rhett Wilkerson added a seventh-place finish…

JESUP, Ga. — Multiple employees at the Federal Correctional Institution in Jesup were taken to a local hospital Friday following a possible exposure to an unknown substance, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The Board Of Prisons reported that employees began feeling unwell after the possible exposure. Emergency medical services responded and transported the affected employees to a local hospital for further treatment and observation. Officials have not released the number of employees affected, their current conditions or the identity of the substance. The circumstances surrounding the possible exposure also have not been released. According to the BOP, the…

The Hazlehurst Now team was honored to attend the Second Annual Shane’s Crib Discipleship and Recovery Gala, “An Evening of Hope: Planting Seeds of Hope for the Next Generation,” an evening centered on recovery, restoration, faith and a vision to help mothers rebuild their lives alongside their children. Held in Douglas, the gala brought together supporters, graduates, residents, ministry leaders, churches, businesses and volunteers to celebrate the work of Shane’s Crib and support its next major project — Grace Harbor Transitional Sober Living & Children’s Home. The ministry has set a 2026 campaign goal of $239,000 to transform an existing…

Georgia has adopted a temporary federal fuel waiver aimed at increasing gasoline supply, reducing the risk of distribution disruptions and easing pressure on prices at the pump. Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper announced Thursday that the Georgia Department of Agriculture has adopted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s national fuel waiver issued Aug. 20. The federal action was approved in response to what the EPA described as “extreme and unusual” fuel supply disruptions affecting refining capacity and energy distribution across the country. “As high fuel prices persist, we’re taking action to give Georgians a break at the gas pump,” Harper…

The Jeff Davis High School softball team came up just short in a tightly contested matchup against Berrien, falling 3-2 after a late rally Tuesday. Jeff Davis carried a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the fifth inning, but Berrien’s Hutto delivered a two-run single that put the home team in front for good. The Jackets got their offense going in the second inning when Mikelynn Jones launched a home run to left field, driving in both of Jeff Davis’ runs. Pitching kept the game close throughout. Anna Grace Alligood went the full six innings for Jeff Davis, allowing three…

From Ray Charles and Gladys Knight to Charlie Daniels and OutKast, some unmistakably Georgia sounds are coming to the field this fall as the Jeff Davis High School Pride of the Pinelands presents its 2026 marching production, “Tales of the Peach State.” The production is built entirely around songs that tell a story — or “tale” — connected to Georgia, giving the Pride of the Pinelands a show rooted in the music and culture of the Peach State. The show opens appropriately with Georgia’s official state song, “Georgia on My Mind,” made famous by Ray Charles, before transitioning into the…

Long before Jeff Davis County students arrive at school each morning, another school day is already underway inside the district’s cafeterias. Breakfast has to be prepared. Lunch preparations are beginning. Food temperatures must be monitored. Serving areas have to be ready. Supplies must be stocked. And before the day is over, hundreds of students will make their way through those cafeterias — twice. Then everything has to be cleaned, organized and prepared to happen all over again the next day. It’s a side of the school day most people rarely see, and it’s the daily work of the Jeff Davis…

Jeff Davis Middle School Softball put together a big third inning and backed it up with strong pitching and error-free defense Wednesday, shutting out Swainsboro Middle School 10-0. The Jackets were led offensively by Sadie Williams, who went 3-for-3 at the plate. Williams recorded three singles and drove in two runs as part of a 10-hit day for JDMS. Jeff Davis took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when a run scored on a passed ball, but the Jackets broke the game open in the third. JDMS plated seven runs in the third inning, with contributions throughout the…

Hazlehurst city officials and local animal rescue volunteers came together for a lengthy special meeting focused on the temporary closure of the Hazlehurst Animal Shelter, the relocation of animals following state action, and concerns over communication between the city and volunteers who have worked with the shelter for years. Officials emphasized at the beginning of the meeting that the gathering was intended as an informational session and that no votes would be taken. The shelter is currently unable to accept animals following action by the Georgia Department of Agriculture. City officials said two violations — involving structural and drainage issues…

For more than a century, Rotary clubs around the world have brought people together around a simple idea: building relationships while finding ways to serve others. Here in Hazlehurst, that mission is carried out through projects that directly touch local children, families and organizations. August is recognized by Rotary as Membership and New Club Development Month, making it a fitting time to take a closer look at what the Hazlehurst Rotary Club does — and why its members say there is always room at the table for others who want to serve. The club meets each Wednesday at lunchtime at…