Entries by Staff Writer

By David Miller

The Pirates traveled to Eastman Tuesday afternoon to play region 3AA’s #1 seeded Dodge County Indians. The games would live up to their billing. Two good baseball teams would battle it out to the end. After 14 tough innings of baseball the Pirates move on to the elite eight. The Pirates swept the Indians in the best of three series two games to none. The Pirates won the first game 3-2 and they took the late game 8-6. [Full Story »] 

Maegan Ryles has attended Appling Christian Academy for five years. She was a member of the ACA chapter of the Georgia Association of Christian Schools Honor Society for four years and served as vice-president in her senior year. She was a member of the Eagle cheer squad, the basketball and the softball programs. Maegan has received the following academic and character awards: “A” Honor Roll all four years of high school while maintaining a 4.0 grade point average. Most recently, Maegan won the Highest Academic Average Awards in English and World History, and had a special recognition in Pre Calculus. In addition, She received the Senior Class Highest Academic Average Award. She has been recognized for her cheerleading ability with awards for “Best All Around Cheerleader,” The Base Award and The Outstanding Cheerleader Award. [Full Story »] 

Benny R. Douglas of Alma and Mr. and Mrs. Henry (Donna) Morris of Baxley announce the engagement and forthcoming marriage of their daughter, Lindsay JoAnn Douglas, to Justin Wade Orvin, son of Mr. and Mrs. Mickey (Barbara) Orvin of Baxley. [Full Story »] 

Phyllis and Robert Westberry and the late Jerry “Jabo” Aycock of Surrency would like to announce the forthcoming marriage of their daughter, Jodi Brooke Aycock, to Daniel Rickey Hunter, son of Rickey and Annette Hunter of Baxley and Allison and Mike Flory of Broxton. [Full Story »] 

Sheila Thompson of Guyton and Roderick Jefferson of Atlanta are pleased to announce the engagement and forthcoming marriage of their daughter, LaToya Mignon Jefferson, to Anthony Marc Jones, son of Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Jones of Surrency. [Full Story »] 

Krystal Nichole Willbanks-Caine of Hazlehurst proudly announces the birth of her son, Hayden Laine Caine. [Full Story »] 

Jason and Tiffany Lommel of Braselton are pleased to announce the birth of their son, Rafe Sellers Lommel. He was born at 3:04 p.m. on February 2, 2011 at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville. Rafe weighed seven pounds, ten ounces and was 21 inches long at birth. Suzanne (Suzy) Jackson was the attending midwife. [Full Story »] 

Every once in a while I receive a story that is just too good not to share with our readers. A good friend sent this to me a few weeks ago and this story has a great message. The story is lengthy, but trust me, well worth the read. [Full Story »] 

On Friday night, May 20, 2011, yet another class will don red and black caps and gowns and march across the field in Jimmy Swain Stadium to accept diplomas and become Appling County High School’s newest alumni. Families and friends sit proudly in the bleachers, waiting to hug and congratulate them. Teachers smile as graduates march by. We’ve nurtured and taught them for four years now. The time has come round for them to move on. The ritual happens every year at this time. As “Pomp and Circumstance” floats on the evening air, every class marches in, each different, yet all very much the same. [Full Story »] 

Back in the day, the preachers I had to listen to, for the most part, preached Hell (pronounced Hay-yell-huh) and Damnation and preached that if you were not saved you would go to Hell and in order to be saved from this awful place you must first repent and then not sin again, ever. [Full Story »] 

Amber Nicole and Ricky Allen Mock, Jr. are proud to announce the birth of their daughter, Jayden Neasyie Mock. Jayden was born at 2:36 a.m. on April 12, 2011 at Appling Healthcare System. She weighed seven pounds, four ounces and was 19-3/4 inches long at birth. Dr. Catherine Jackson-Evans was the attending physician. [Full Story »] 

Anthony Jerome Clark, 52, a native of Washington, D.C. and resident of Jesup, passed away on Monday, May 9, 2011 at Wayne Memorial Hospital following a lengthy illness. He was born on July 21, 1958 to the late James R. Clark and Alberta Edmondson-Clark. Affectionately known as “Lard” and “Cool Breeze”, Anthony was a delight to his family and friends. He attended the public schools of Washington, D.C. and graduated from McKinley Tech Senior High School, after which he served honorably in the U.S. Army and he was a former employee of Liberty County Sheriff Department where he worked as a jailer until his health began to fail. [Full Story »] 

James Alfonso Hendrix, Jr., 57, of Jesup, died Friday, May 6, 2011 at Wayne Memorial Hospital in Jesup. James was born May 19, 1953 in Dade County to Mary Jane Hamker Hendrix and the late James Alfonso Hendrix, Sr. He was a member of Piney Grove Free Will Baptist Church. He had previously attended the Appling County Sunshine Center and has been a resident of Wayne County for the past 15 years. [Full Story »]