Author: Donna Wilcox

A proposal Hazlehurst Now first reported on a few weeks ago has taken a major step toward becoming reality. The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia approved Georgia Southern University on Tuesday, Oct. 6, to establish a Doctor of Optometry degree program, clearing the way for the creation of what would be Georgia’s first college of optometry. The approval is significant because Georgia currently does not have an optometry school. Georgia students pursuing a Doctor of Optometry degree have had to look outside the state; the University System currently participates in a regional program that provides a…

Student achievement, school attendance and technology improvements were among the highlights of the Jeff Davis County Board of Education’s regular meeting Monday, Oct. 5th. The meeting began with a student spotlight recognizing the Jeff Davis Middle School boys and girls cross country teams, both of which won their conference championships this season. JDMS Principal Dr. Brent Coleman recognized members of both teams for their accomplishments. The girls team members recognized were Valerie Porras, Dakota Mincey, Rayleigh Pierce, Zaylee Dukes, Jasmine Reynolds, Amy Miller, Winry Clark, Maria Aleman, Breyzi Trejo, Kamila Barragan, Jackie Lara, Brooklyn Andrews and Zoe Odum. Members of…

ATLANTA, Ga. — Georgia Power is notifying approximately 300,000 customers after an unauthorized party gained access to information through the company’s online customer portal. The utility says it discovered the suspicious activity through ongoing monitoring and took steps to stop the unauthorized access. Law enforcement was contacted, and Georgia Power says its investigation found no evidence that the unauthorized access is continuing. The incident also affected approximately 100,000 customers of Southern Company utilities in Alabama and Mississippi, bringing the total number of affected accounts across the three states to roughly 400,000. According to Georgia Power, the unauthorized party gained access…

Jeff Davis came out swinging Monday, using a pair of first-inning home runs and a strong complete-game performance from Anna Grace Alligood to defeat Effingham County 7-2. The Jackets wasted no time getting on the board. Senior Ava Bohannon homered in the top of the first, and Savanna Robinette followed with a home run to center field. Mikelynn Jones added an RBI double to left, helping Jeff Davis jump out to an early 3-0 advantage. Jeff Davis added another run in the third when senior Madison Joyce brought a runner home on a groundout and continued building its lead on…

COFFEE COUNTY, Ga. — Last week, Hazlehurst Now shared the news that an arrest had finally been made in the nearly 28-year-old murder of Christy Dawn Myers, a young Coffee County mother whose death had remained unsolved since 1998. Now, newly released details provide a closer look at what happened that September night—and how investigators who refused to give up on the case ultimately used advances in forensic science to make an arrest nearly three decades later. Christy was just 20 years old in September 1998. She lived in Broxton with her common-law husband and their young daughter.  Late on…

The Jeff Davis Middle School cross country program made history this week, turning in a dominant performance at the Southeast Georgia Middle School Athletic League Championship and sweeping all four races. Jeff Davis won the Top 7 Boys, Top 7 Girls, JV Boys and JV Girls team championships — marking the first time in program history that the JDMS boys and girls have captured their league championships in the same season. The achievement came in Jeff Davis’ first year competing in the Southeast Georgia Middle School Athletic League, which includes middle schools from Jeff Davis, Toombs, Vidalia, Tattnall, Metter and…

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but for Dr. Cecelia McLoon, the pink ribbons and reminders carry a meaning far more personal than they once did. A breast cancer survivor, McLoon knows firsthand the importance of knowing your body, asking questions and advocating for yourself when something doesn’t feel right. She graciously agreed to share her story with Hazlehurst Now in hopes that her experience might encourage another woman to schedule a screening, seek a second opinion or simply listen to that quiet voice telling her not to wait. We are honored to share her words. October is Breast Cancer…

VIENNA, Ga. — Authorities have identified the two young men killed in Sunday morning’s mass shooting in Vienna as investigators continue working to determine who was responsible for the gunfire that left dozens of others injured. Dooly County Sheriff Craig Peavy, identifies the two men killed as 21-year-old Jaquevion Jackson of Cordele and 23-year-old Macaleb Jackson of Hawkinsville. The shooting happened at approximately 1:25 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 4, during a large neighborhood block party on Pine Street. Dooly County sheriff’s deputies were already patrolling the gathering when gunfire erupted. Sheriff Craig Peavy said more than 1,000 people were gathered in…

VIENNA, Ga. — Two people are dead and 35 others were injured after gunfire erupted during a large neighborhood block party in Vienna early Sunday morning, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The shooting happened at approximately 1:25 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 4, while Dooly County Sheriff’s Office deputies were already patrolling the gathering on Pine Street. Investigators say shots were fired from the 900 block of Pine Street, prompting deputies to immediately respond. Deputies discovered multiple people who had been shot. Two victims were found in the 600 block of Pine Street and were pronounced dead at the scene.…

The debate over data centers is continuing to spread across Southeast Georgia, with local governments considering everything from new ordinances and conditional-use requirements to temporary moratoriums as they try to establish rules before large-scale facilities arrive. In Jesup, a packed public meeting Tuesday night, Sept. 29, ended with the City Council voting 4-2 to approve the first reading of an ordinance regulating data centers and cryptocurrency operations. The proposed ordinance would define data centers and allow them as a conditional use in light-industrial zoning districts, meaning a data center would not automatically be permitted simply because a property has the…