Stories from surrounding communities, closest first.
Valdosta Daily Times · Valdosta, GA
Nearby: Valdosta, GAVALDOSTA — The Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce is proud to recognize Enay Coaching, LLC as its Leading Business of the Week, highlighting the company’s commitment to education, workforce development, and strengthening communities. Based in Valdosta since 2014, Enay Coaching is an education and workforce development consultancy that partners with thought leaders and organizations to develop and implement sustainable, evidence-based practices that help communities thrive, the chamber said in a press release. Its services include strategic planning, executive coaching, support for education and community mentoring programs, and education and workforce solutions for the foster care community across Georgia. Over the years, Enay Coaching has made a meaningful impact through several accomplishments. Most recently, the company provided workforce training to nearly 300 youth in foster care through the Georgia CREW program.
Valdosta Daily Times · Valdosta, GA
Nearby: Valdosta, GAVALDOSTA — Below are a list of organizations and businesses that will hold free Thanksgiving meals in our community: • Community Thanksgiving Meal, 12-4 p.m. Nov. 21, First Antioch Baptist Church, 517 N. Oak St. To donate or volunteer, contact: Angela Haddin (229) 269-9346 or Joyce Jeff (229) 548-3119. • 100 Black Men Thanksgiving Food Fest, 9 a.m. Nov. 21, Salvation Army, 320 Smithland Place. To donate or volunteer, contact: Lymas Johnson: (229) 251-1349. • Sam’s BBQ Annual Feeding the Community, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Nov. 26, Sam’s BBQ & Catering, 414 E. Hill Ave. To donate, contact: Sam Watts: (229) 237-2187.
Valdosta Daily Times · Valdosta, GA
Nearby: Valdosta, GAVALDOSTA — The Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce joined Coldwell Banker Premier Real Estate for a ribbon cutting at the company’s new storefront at 1616 Norman Drive, Suite E. The celebration gave community members a chance to meet Mark, Tara and Bryce Ocepek, whose family purchased the business in 2025. Coldwell Banker Premier first opened its doors in Valdosta in 1972. Today, its agents help clients buy and sell homes, commercial properties, multifamily properties, land and farms. The new office includes a dedicated space where agents can film videos to highlight local listings and answer questions from buyers and sellers. For the Ocepek family, serving veterans is personal. Mark is a U.S. Navy veteran, and the family established the Veterans Advantage program to connect veterans with a lender who can guide them through the homebuying process. Visit Coldwell Banker Premier Real Estate at 1616 Norman Drive, Suite E, Valdosta or call (904) 583-8415.
Thomasville Times Enterprise · Valdosta, GA
Nearby: Valdosta, GATHOMASVILLE — The John B. Gordon 383 UDC® chapter welcomed Renate Milner as its guest speaker during a recent meeting. Chapter President Sheila Tucker introduced Milner and shared highlights of her educational and professional background. Milner was born in Germany and moved to the United States in 1991 with her husband and children. She earned an associate degree from Georgia Military College, followed by a bachelor’s degree in history from Valdosta State University in 1998 and a master’s degree in 2000. While attending VSU, Milner interned at the Lowndes County Historical Society, where she conducted groundbreaking research on German prisoners of war held in Georgia during World War II. Following graduation, she joined the Historical Society’s staff. In 2007, Milner became a Georgia state archivist at the state archives in Morrow. In 2024, she returned to the Lowndes County Historical Society as executive director, a position she continues to hold.
The Moultrie Observer · Moultrie, GA
Nearby: Moultrie, GAMOULTRIE — Veterans: “They’ve been there and they’ve done that.” The Rev. Matt Peek of First Baptist Church of Moultrie addressed residents who attended the annual Veterans Day program in downtown Moultrie using that well-known phrase as it related to veterans. He said he had a confession. He said he was not a veteran but had the honor of speaking and bringing a word that he hoped would encourage everyone to be thankful for the men and women who served the country as veterans. “The more we know someone and the more we know their story, the more we can celebrate who they are, he said and added, that was why holidays meant so much. He said everyone knew the story of Thanksgiving and how the Pilgrims came over and settled the nation. Then, he said, everyone also knew about Christmas and how it was a celebration of Jesus every year. “So, what is it about Veterans Day?” Peek asked. “If we’re gonna celebrate Veterans Day, here’s what we need to do.
The Moultrie Observer · Moultrie, GA
Nearby: Moultrie, GAWayne Grandy was sports editor of The Moultrie Observer when I came to Moultrie at the end of 1997 as news editor. When Dwain Walden moved from being editor of the newspaper to being both editor and publisher in 2001, he moved into the former publisher’s office. Wayne got Dwain’s corner office and I moved into Wayne’s. When Wayne covered out-of-town football games and had to email the story back — or dictate it over the telephone — I was the one that got it into the Saturday morning paper. I wrote the story about Wayne’s retirement in 2016. He never really left, of course — he was still writing a column and covering the stories he wanted to cover — and when Covid-19 cost us our sports editor, he stepped up and has carried the load ever since. You might say he and I go back a ways. Connie Southwell mostly worked with Wayne, shooting photos to go with his sports stories. I saw her coming and going and spoke as she walked by. Sixteen years or so later, she’s my friend too.
The Tifton Gazette · Tifton, GA
Nearby: Tifton, GATIFTON — Tifton residents promised to not only honor their veterans, but show them kindness, care, and remembrance this past Wednesday. Local officials, veterans and their families, other community members convened at the Jack Stone Memorial Park the morning of Nov. 11 to pay their respects to the veterans and fallen service members who fought in service of them and their country. Welcoming her fellow community members to the morning ceremony, mayor Julie Smith thanked them for showing their support for their heroes in the Armed Forces. She spoke to the importance of Veterans Day in recognizing and remembering the sacrifices made by the nation’s service members, and asked those in attendance to renew their commitment to recognizing and remembering those who served and upholding that which they fought for as a tribute to the service of their veterans, both local and nationwide.
The Moultrie Observer · Doerun, GA
Nearby: Doerun, GADOERUN — Doerun City Council will meet at 2 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16, at Doerun City Hall, 223 W. Broad Ave. The council will immediately go into a closed session for personnel matters that is expected to last about 30 minutes. The council will return to open session about 2:30 p.m. for a public hearing, also regarding a personnel matter. Any action taken will be in open session.
Thomasville Times Enterprise · Thomasville, GA
Nearby: Thomasville, GADear Editor: Students at Thomas County Central High School have been preparing a one-act performance of Matilda Jr., a show that gives young people a chance to bring music, movement, and storytelling together. Local reporting on the production is a reminder that school arts programs do more than fill an auditorium for an evening. They give students another way to discover that their work matters. The spotlight naturally settles on the child standing at center stage. Yet a successful production also needs people moving scenery, managing costumes, arranging music, helping with rehearsals, and solving last-minute problems without expecting an audience to know their names. Some students gain confidence by performing. Others find it by learning that a team depends on their patient work. Those contributions deserve attention. Thomasville and the communities across Thomas County have many forms of school pride, from athletic contests to academic achievements and performances.