Douglas County Sentinel

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Douglas County Coroner Renee Godwin acknowledged Tuesday that at least some of her deputies managed cases without first ...
06/10/2026

Douglas County Coroner Renee Godwin acknowledged Tuesday that at least some of her deputies managed cases without first being sworn into office as required by state law.

Godwin told the Georgia Coroners Training Council at its monthly meeting that some of her deputies operated without taking an oath from a superior court judge.
Godwin told council members that she and all of her deputies have since taken the oath of office after she learned of the requirement.

During Tuesday’s meeting, council members questioned Godwin about several possible violations, including claims that she allowed an uncertified deputy coroner to manage death cases. The council also asked about possible overstaffing and pay scales.
Godwin said she did not have records documenting compensation paid by her office for death investigations. Council members gave her 10 days to provide those records.

Douglas County Coroner Renee Godwin acknowledged Tuesday that at least some of her deputies managed cases without first being sworn into office as required by state law.

Congratulations to Robert S Alexander High School graduate Morgan Willingham, who played a pivotal role on the Universit...
06/09/2026

Congratulations to Robert S Alexander High School graduate Morgan Willingham, who played a pivotal role on the University of Oregon’s acrobatics and tumbling team.

And, at age 19, she’s pretty good at it.

Willingham won two national titles — one in the aerial tumbling pass and another as part of a synchronized trio — helping the Ducks finish third nationally at the National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association Championships.

“It felt really good to be recognized for all of our hard work,” Willingham said.

If you haven’t heard of acrobatics and tumbling, you’re in good company.

The sport has been around for only about 15 years and recently completed its first season as an NCAA-sanctioned sport.

So what exactly is acrobatics and tumbling?

“It’s a combination of cheerleading and gymnastics,” said Willingham, who cheered in high school and has been involved in gymnastics since age 5.

For Morgan Willingham, taking a tumble has a whole different meaning.

Douglas County’s parks and recreation employees are getting CERPified.Under a partnership with the American Heart Associ...
06/08/2026

Douglas County’s parks and recreation employees are getting CERPified.

Under a partnership with the American Heart Association, the county is developing Cardiac Emergency Response Plans, or CERPs, for its eight major parks and recreation sites throughout the county.

Most of those sites include multiple amenities, such as sports fields, playgrounds and recreation facilities.

There is no cost associated with the planning process, and Red Cross officials will assist with developing the plan and provide training for county employees.

“Cardiac arrest can happen suddenly and anywhere, and immediate action — particularly CPR and the use of an AED — can dramatically increase survival rates,” said Chad Griffin, the county’s director of parks and recreation. “Implementing a CERP ensures that staff are prepared, equipment is accessible and response protocols are clear, ultimately helping to save lives.”

Douglas County’s parks and recreation employees are getting CERPified.

A Florida woman remained jailed Monday after police say she threatened to kill a Douglasville couple while trying to ext...
06/08/2026

A Florida woman remained jailed Monday after police say she threatened to kill a Douglasville couple while trying to extort money from them.

Tykerria Nacole Everett, 33, of Miami, is charged with two counts of theft by extortion and two counts of making terroristic threats. She was arrested Friday and made her first appearance Monday at a bond hearing, where Chief Magistrate Judge Zaine Hedge set bond at $4,000.

A Florida woman remained jailed Monday after police say she threatened to kill a Douglasville couple while trying to extort money from them.

A man wanted for shooting another man just for making eye contact at the Midtown MARTA station was arrested in Douglas C...
06/08/2026

A man wanted for shooting another man just for making eye contact at the Midtown MARTA station was arrested in Douglas County Sunday.
Anthony Tyrone Gresham, 42, was being held Monday at the Douglas County Jail on a violation of probation charge.
Gresham was arrested by Douglas County sheriff's investigators in July 2012 after he struck another man in the face with a baseball bat while robbing him of $900 in cash. He was charged with armed robbery, aggravated assault and criminal damage to property for breaking a car window with the bat.

Gresham pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 30 years in prison, with 12 to serve and the remainder to be served on probation.

A man wanted for shooting another man just for making eye contact at the Midtown MARTA station was arrested in Douglas County Sunday as federal officials investigate the safety of

Residents served by Douglas County’s three senior centers will soon have an ally in monitoring their blood pressure unde...
06/08/2026

Residents served by Douglas County’s three senior centers will soon have an ally in monitoring their blood pressure under a new partnership between the county and the American Heart Association.

Douglas County Government commissioners approved an agreement Tuesday that would place free monitoring stations at the Woodie Fite Senior Center on Dorris Road, the Fairburn Road Senior Center and the Lithia Springs Senior Center on Grooves Lake Road. Together, the three centers serve more than 3,600 seniors.

The program comes at no cost to the county.

“By placing accessible stations in senior centers, we are empowering residents to take a proactive role in managing their health and catching potential concerns early,” said Dr. Konswella Gilchrist, the county’s managing director of community services.

Nearly half of all American adults have high blood pressure, according to the Red Cross. That number increases to 70% for people age 65 and older.

Residents served by Douglas County’s three senior centers will soon have an ally in monitoring their blood pressure under a new partnership between the county and the American Red Cross.

It’s time to start reading.In collaboration with the City of Douglasville - Government, Douglas County Government, and ...
06/07/2026

It’s time to start reading.

In collaboration with the City of Douglasville - Government, Douglas County Government, and the West Georgia Regional Library System System, the Douglas County Georgia Schools has launched its Douglas Loves Literacy Summer Reading Challenge.

The first summer reading pop-up will be Monday at the DCSS central office on Veterans Memorial Highway. The event runs from 6-7 p.m.

The challenge is for all participants to read a total of 3 million minutes by July 31.

Keeping with the district’s theme “Greatness Grows Here,” the initiative is open to all students and residents to join a community-wide effort to increase reading.

It’s time to start reading.

A Douglasville man will remain jailed after a judge denied him bond Thursday on charges of sexual exploitation of childr...
06/05/2026

A Douglasville man will remain jailed after a judge denied him bond Thursday on charges of sexual exploitation of children.

Wilton Pierce Allen, 57, faces three counts of sexual exploitation of children. He made his first court appearance Thursday, when Douglas County Chief Magistrate Judge Zaine Hedge denied bond based on the nature of the charges.

According to arrest warrants from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, investigators with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that Allen had videos of children engaged in sexual activity stored in a Google Drive folder.

A Douglasville man will remain jailed after a judge denied him bond Thursday on charges of sexual exploitation of children.

A Douglas County couple faces a long list of charges after police say they allegedly manufactured fake identification do...
06/05/2026

A Douglas County couple faces a long list of charges after police say they allegedly manufactured fake identification documents and vehicle registration tags at their home.

Police searched the Langdale Chase home of Mario Andre Barber, 46, and Brittany Amber Baker, 42, for four days last week, prompting concern from neighbors in the southern Douglas County community.

Barber and Baker are charged with eight counts of unlawful sale of a government ID bearing a government logo, six counts of possession of a false ID, four counts of identity fraud, and two counts each of manufacturing a false ID, unlawful possession of a state logo, fourth-degree forgery and possession of ma*****na.

Both were arrested at their home on May 26 and made their first court appearances Friday, when Magistrate Court Judge Zaine Hedge denied bond because of the seriousness of the charges.

A Douglas County couple faces a long list of charges after police say they allegedly manufactured fake identification documents and vehicle registration tags at their home.

Douglas County high schools seem to be making the grade when it comes to advanced placement courses.State School Superin...
06/04/2026

Douglas County high schools seem to be making the grade when it comes to advanced placement courses.

State School Superintendent Richard Woods named all five district high schools Advanced Placement Honor Schools in at least one of the eight categories.

Alexander High received AP Honors in four categories, the most among the schools.

The 2026 AP Honor Schools are named based on the results of 2025 AP courses and exams. A list of categories is below, and a complete list of schools in each category is linked in the description.

AP exams are administered by the College Board, which also administers the SAT. AP courses are one of several ways Georgia students can access college-level learning while in high school. Students who earn a score of 3, 4, or 5 on an AP exam may receive college credit.

Overall, Woods named 316 AP Honor Schools from 110 school districts for 2026 across the state.

Douglas County high schools seem to be making the grade when it comes to advanced placement courses.

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