The Baxley News-Banner

Andrea D. Minor and James E. Harris are pleased to announce the birth of their son, Semaj Draw’de Harris Jr. He was born at 5:55 p.m. on January 19, 2011 at Appling Healthcare System. Semaj weighed five pounds, 12 ounces and was 17.44 inches long at birth. Dr. Catherine Jackson-Evans was the attending physician. [Full Story »] 

Brenda and Johny Morales are proud to announce the birth of their daughter, Yazmin Skye Morales. [Full Story »] 

Sarah Ann and Billy Dean White are proud to announce the birth of their son, Gabriel Alexander White. Gabriel was born February 7,2011 at Appling HealthCare System. He weighed five pounds, 10 ounces and was 18-1/2 inches long at birth. Dr. Catherine Jackson-Evans was the attending physician. [Full Story »] 

Bobbie Sue and Jason Kauger are pleased to announce the birth of their daughter, Mahle Elaine Kauger. [Full Story »] 

Lu’Chera Rayner and Terry Jerome Williams are proud to announce the birth of their son, Terryon Jeromiah Le’Tyson Rayner. [Full Story »] 

Kelly Otto and James Durrance are proud to announce the birth of their son, Christian Jamison. [Full Story »] 

Maria de Lourdes Vega-Rubio and Mario Franco are proud to announce the birth of their daughter, Jade Franco-Vega. Jade was born January 12, 2011 at Appling Healthcare System. She weighed seven pounds, four ounces and was 19-1/2 inches long at birth. Dr. Catherine Jackson-Evans was the attending physician. [Full Story »] 

Yuridsi Lizardo and Isain Aguilar are proud to announce the birth of their son, Jose Fernando Remirez-Lizardo. Jose was born February 19, 2011 at Appling Healthcare System. He weighed six pounds, 2.9 ounces and was 19 inches long at birth. Dr. Catherine Jackson-Evans was the attending physician. [Full Story »] 

According to a report the newspaper received this week from a reader, an extremist Muslim cleric is planning a March rally at the White House in hopes of sparking a revolution that would turn the United States into an Islamic state. According to the Daily Mail newspaper, Anjem Choudary told a reporter that “The event is a rally, a call for the Sharia, a call for the Muslims to rise up and establish the Islamic state in America.” [Full Story »] 

Dear Editor,

Like most folks in this country, I have a job. I work, they pay me. I pay my taxes and the government distributes my taxes as it sees fit. In order to get that paycheck, in my case, I am required to pass a random urine test (with which I have no problem). [Full Story »] 

This weekend a former foster dog of ours came back to spend three days with us, and we were delighted to have him. Larry and I were delighted, and Bentley, our big Chocolate Lab, was part of the time. Bentley romped and played with him, obviously glad to see him, but the problems started when Roscoe found one of Bentley’s rawhide bones. Bentley whined and complained about the bone, following Roscoe around and whining. He’d come to me and whine, asking me in Bentley language to take his bone away from the interloper. He hadn’t even wanted it until Roscoe found it. And Roscoe walked around the house with it in his mouth, parading it in front of Bentley. He looked as if he were smoking a cigar. [Full Story »] 

B. J. and I had not made specific Valentine’s Day plans. We were in the sack chit chatting about this and that when I abruptly said, “Hey, it’s Valentine’s Day; what are we going to do to celebrate?”

We kicked it around a little and B. J. said, “Let’s do breakfast at the Cracker Barrel, a walk on the beach and dinner at Coastal Kitchen.” [Full Story »] 

Mary F. Gurley, 80, died Sunday, February 13, 2011 in the Appling Healthcare System. Ms. Gurley was a native and life long resident of Appling County. She was a homemaker and a member of Midway Baptist Church. Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Olen Gurley. [Full Story »] 

Betty Jean Holton, 71, of Alma, died Tuesday, February 15, 2011 at her residence after an extended illness. She was a native of Appling County but had lived in Bacon County most of her life. Betty Jean was daughter of the late Joseph Bazine Bowen and Nora Beatrice Kersey. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Raymond and Jimmy Bowen, sister, Eileen (Pet) Reynolds and a grandchild, Donovan David Anderson. [Full Story »]