DDDA receives national Main Street accreditation

DALTON, Ga. —  The Downtown Dalton Development Authority (DDDA) has been designated as one of 829 nationally accredited Main Street America programs for meeting rigorous performance standards set by the National Main Street Center. Each year, the National Main Street Center and its coordinating program partners announce the list of accredited Main Street America programs in recognition of their exemplary commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach. In 2017, Main Street America programs generated $4.48 billion in local reinvestment, helped open 6,211 net new businesses, generated 30,294 net new jobs, catalyzed the rehabilitation of 8,737 historic buildings and clocked 2.7 million volunteer hours. The Downtown Dalton Main Street program is annually evaluated by the DDDA, which works in partnership with the National Main Street Center to identify the local programs that meet 10 national performance standards. Evaluation criteria determine the communities that are building comprehensive and sustainable revitalization efforts and include standards such as fostering strong public-private partnerships, documenting programmatic progress and actively preserving historic buildings. DDDA interim director George Woodward added “Most of the credit goes to Main Street manager Kristi Watson. She is the one who maintains that our preservation-based economic development efforts are indeed aligned with Main Street America programs and standards.”

Kerwin Bell to speak at Live Oak Church of God

LIVE OAK, Fla. — Former Lafayette High and University of Florida great Kerwin Bell will speak in Live Oak on Monday night.

Bell, now the head football coach at Valdosta State, is the featured speaker at the Live Oak Church of God’s “Iron Sharpens Iron” event. The 7 p.m. program is presented by the church’s Men’s Ministry.

The event is free and there is limited seating.

Bell led Lafayette to its first state championship and lone football state title in 1981 before becoming the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year at Florida after walking on.

He played professionally in the National Football League, Canadian Football League and the World League of American Football.

Following stints as the offensive coordinator for the Toronto Argonauts and the head coach at Trinity Catholic High School in Ocala, Bell took over the reigns at Jacksonville University, where he spent nine seasons. During that time, he led the non-scholarship Dolphin football program to three Pioneer Football League championships at the Division I Football Championship Subdivision level.

Bell has spent the past two seasons as the head coach of the Division II Blazers, leading VSU to a playoff berth in his first season.

Live Oak Church of God is located at 9828 U.S. Highway 129 South in Live Oak.

Probationers give to Moultrie pregnancy center

MOULTRIE, Ga. — The Southeast Corrections Probation Office through its probationers collected and donated baby items to Hope House under the guidance of State Court Judge Richard T. Kent. Hope House is a pregnancy counseling center that started almost 30 years ago in Moultrie. Its services include a “Mommy Mall” that provides baby items to participants in its parenting classes and other activities. This is one of three campaigns that allow probationers to convert their community service hours by turning in certain items with a receipt to aid persons in need in Colquitt County. The Hope House community service campaign resulted in the collection and donation of $2,610 in needed items.