Author: Donna Wilcox

JESUP, Ga. — As communities across Georgia consider the arrival of large-scale data centers, a citizens group in neighboring Wayne County is inviting the public to learn more about the potential impacts of the rapidly growing industry. Wayne County Neighbors for Responsible Growth will host a public information session on Sunday, Sept. 13, at 2 p.m. at the Cracker Williams Recreation Center, 245 E. Bay Street in Jesup. The event is free and open to the public. For Jeff Davis County residents, the meeting comes at a particularly relevant time as local officials and citizens continue their own discussions about…

Jeff Davis High School Cross Country faced some of its toughest competition of the season at the Bob Blastow Invitational in Douglasville on Saturday, Aug. 29, with the Jackets competing against a field filled with some of Georgia’s larger schools. More than 70 high school teams were represented across the meet’s two race divisions. Jeff Davis competed in the Varsity #2 Race, the stronger of the two divisions, in what the team dubbed the “Battle with the Bigs.” The Jeff Davis boys finished 27th out of 36 teams, while the girls placed 21st out of 29 teams. Boys Senior Mario…

FITZGERALD, Ga. — Behind a $23.6 million jury verdict involving a South Georgia nursing home is the story of a man who spent much of his life in classrooms, gymnasiums and on ballfields — teaching and coaching generations of young people: John Owens Jr. was 76 years old when he died in 2021. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Owens was a longtime South Georgia educator who taught economics and coached baseball and basketball at Fitzgerald High School. He also coached in Wilcox and Dodge counties and spent time scouting for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Owens grew up near Abbeville and built…

Plans for four new pickleball courts in Jeff Davis County are moving forward, with work expected to begin in the coming weeks. The courts are planned for an area behind Fields 5 and 6 at the recreation complex, where the Jeff Davis County Road Department has already completed preliminary dirt work and prepared the site. An important part of the project is that the major grading and paving work will not come at a significant expense to the county. Oakley Perry, JDA Director explained that the project grew out of the Jeff Davis County Development Authority’s efforts to bring Georgia…

TATTNALL COUNTY, Ga. — Tattnall County High School is searching for new leadership for its football program after head coach Pat Collins resigned following an incident during a team practice last week. The Tattnall County Board of Education confirmed Collins’ resignation Sunday, bringing a quick end to a series of events that began during football practice Monday, Aug. 31. While the district has acknowledged that an incident occurred, officials have not publicly disclosed details about what happened. According to information released by the school district, school and district administrators became aware of the practice incident on Tuesday morning. An investigation…

EFFINGHAM COUNTY, Ga. — The debate surrounding data centers in Georgia has moved into the courtroom, with three Effingham County residents suing their county government over the process used to change zoning rules related to the massive developments. The lawsuit, filed Sept. 2 in Effingham County Superior Court, challenges a county ordinance that expanded provisions for data centers on industrially zoned property. At the heart of the case is a question that communities across Georgia are increasingly confronting as data center development expands: How much opportunity should the public have to participate before decisions are made? The lawsuit was filed…

Jeff Davis turned in a dominant performance on both sides of the ball Friday night, rolling past Metter 40-0 on the road. The Jackets piled up 326 yards of total offense, including 295 yards on the ground, while the Jeff Davis defense held Metter to 185 total yards and kept the Tigers off the scoreboard for the entire night. Jeff Davis struck first when Jacob Laney broke loose for a 32-yard touchdown run in the opening quarter. The Jackets then exploded for three more touchdowns in the second. Mark Durden connected with Jaiden West on a 31-yard touchdown pass before…

WILCOX COUNTY, Ga. — An investigation is underway following a deadly incident Thursday afternoon at Wilcox State Prison in Abbeville, where one inmate was killed and several others were reportedly injured. Wilcox County Coroner Janice Brown confirmed that an inmate died following what has been described as an altercation at the state prison. The identity of the inmate has not yet been publicly released. Details surrounding exactly what happened inside the facility remain limited. Initial reports indicated that multiple inmates may have been involved and that several people were injured. However, the exact number of injured inmates and the extent…

Jeff Davis Middle School Softball used a strong offensive performance and solid defense to pick up a 10-3 victory over Swainsboro Middle School on Thursday. After Swainsboro took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, the Jackets answered immediately. Harper Cravey singled home two runs in the bottom half of the inning to put JDMS ahead 2-1. Swainsboro tied the game at 2-2 in the second, but Jeff Davis quickly took control. Paxtan Felix delivered an RBI single before River Bruce tripled home two runs. Another run scored on an error as the Jackets built their lead. Sadie…

As Hazlehurst Now previously reported, Dublin City Schools has been navigating a major financial crisis that ultimately led to the suspension of the district’s entire seven-member Board of Education. Dublin City Schools now has an entirely new Board of Education following Gov. Brian Kemp’s appointment of seven temporary members to replace the board he suspended last month amid the district’s ongoing financial crisis. The appointments fill all seven seats and mark the next chapter for a school district facing significant financial challenges, accreditation concerns and the difficult task of rebuilding public confidence. Kemp suspended the previous board members on Aug.…