Entries by Staff Writer

Mr. and Mrs. Larry Wade Lewis of Baxley, announce the engagement and forthcoming marriage of their daughter, Jenny Luann Lewis to Brian Douglas Register, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Douglas Register of Cary, NC. [Full Story »] 

Mr. and Mrs. Marvin B. Williams of Rockmart are pleased to announce the engagement and forthcoming marriage of their daughter, Mya Nicole Williams, to R. Gregory Wooten of Rome, son of Alretta Wooten of Baxley and the late Rufus Wooten. [Full Story »] 

Mr. and Mrs. Mike Crummey of Baxley are pleased to announce the engagement and forthcoming marriage of their daughter, Ashley Marie Crummey, to David Andrew Bowen of Alma, son of Dirce Bowen and the late Charles Bowen. [Full Story »] 

Dear Editor,

This plant closing in Appling County is a good example of what is wrong with this one-horse county! The first thing this county should do is close the tax office for starters, then look at the management level as number two. [Full Story »] 

Dear Jamie,

Our congressman, Jack Kingston, has the power and ability to deliver massive economic stimulus to our district. Yet, for a bizarre calculation of political currents, he seems to be willing to let his district lose jobs, money, and position in world trade to appease the national Republican Party. [Full Story »] 

The headline above describes a man that is indeed going to be missed. Mr. Lorace Dyal was truly a kind and gentle man. He could also be described as a family man. Lorace was a devout husband, loving father and grandfather. [Full Story »] 

I heard last week that this newspaper, and in particular this editor, were wrongly accused around some of the local morning coffee tables. It was noted that the newspaper was unfairly playing up one side of the Fourth District Elementary School closure issue over the other. Let me assure the readers of this newspaper that our stance has been neutral on the issue and will remain neutral. [Full Story »] 

Barring chicken pox or a monster storm, Sunday mornings of my childhood found my family driving the long winding clay roads of Jeff Davis County to my maternal grandparents’ farmhouse out close to Union Springs Church. Not only my grandparents awaited us there; my cousins were everywhere. Very rarely did my mothers’ nine siblings and their offspring show up at the same time, but some combination was always there. Cousins galore came in droves every Sunday. Several of them lived within walking distance and always arrived before we did. After all, eleven miles separated our Hazlehurst home from Grandpa’s country one. By the time we arrived, cousins were everywhere. [Full Story »] 

Waikiki is called by many “The Playground Capital of the World.” In all of our travels, the closest thing to it that we have seen is the island of Capri in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the coast of Naples, Italy. [Full Story »] 

George Lorace Dyal, 82, died Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at Appling Healthcare System. Mr. Dyal was born August 31, 1928 in Appling County to the late Albert Wayne and Nina Gussie Dyal. Lorace was a member of Midway Baptist Church. He was Georgia Sportsman of the Year in 2007. Dyal was employed by the Appling County Board of Education as a bus driver where he received numerous awards. He was an active church member, hunter, fisherman and encourager. [Full Story »] 

Kimberly “Kim” Thomas Griffin, 33, died Saturday, February 19, 2011 at her residence. Kim was born Sept. 28, 1977 in Appling County and had resided here all of her life. She was an EMT and had been employed with Pierce County. Kim was serving with the Appling County Emergency Agency as an EMA Technician. She was active in the band boosters and had served as President of the Appling County Middle School Band Boosters. Kim was a member of Baxley Freewill Baptist Church. [Full Story »] 

Estelle Beecher McLain, 80, died February 18, 2011 at her residence. Mrs. McLain was a member of Pine Ridge Baptist Church in Brunswick and had lived in Baxley for two years. She was married to the late Hubert McLain. Estelle was the daughter of the late Collis and Alma Beecher. She was also preceded in death by a sister, Zula Branch. [Full Story »] 

Brent Leroy Yawn and Brittani Geneva Hipps were married in a private ceremony, along with the groom’s daughter, Kaylee Brooke Yawn of Hazlehurst, at 4 o’clock in the afternoon on Valentine’s Day (February 14, 2011) in Baxley. [Full Story »] 

Mrs. Willie Lee Pendarvis, 80, died Friday, February 18, 2011 at her residence. Willie Lee was born in Appling County on Sept. 25, 1930 and had resided here all of her life. She was preceded in death by two sisters, Pearl Baxley and Annie Merle Medders. She was the daughter of the late Mark Leon King and the late Emma Lou Barnes. [Full Story »]