Here is another round of applause for people and organizations doing great things in our community.

Valdosta native Joyette Holmes was named Cobb County Judicial Circuit’s district attorney by Gov. Brian Kemp, the first woman and the first African-American to serve in the office. “Judge Holmes is a servant leader in her community, and I am very excited to select her as Cobb’s new district attorney,” Kemp said. “I am honored to have the opportunity to continue to serve the people of Cobb County, and I thank Gov. Kemp for the trust that he has placed in me. I look forward to ensuring Georgians within my jurisdiction remain safe and continue to prosper in our great state,” said Holmes, who graduated from Valdosta High School and attended the University of Georgia, where she earned dual bachelor’s degrees in psychology and criminal justice. She went on to earn her law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law in Maryland. Before her appointment as the chief magistrate judge for the Cobb County Judicial Circuit, Holmes served in numerous roles, including as a prosecutor under District Attorney D. Victor Reynolds and Solicitor Barry Morgan. Holmes’ professional memberships include the Georgia Bar Association, Cobb County Bar Association and the Northwest Georgia Bar Association. She has served as a board member for MUST Ministries and the Cobb Community Foundation. She is also a member of the Cobb County Branch of the NAACP, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated and Second St. John Full Gospel Church where she serves as the Scholarship Committee Chair. Holmes was featured as one of Cobb Life Magazine’s “20 Rising Stars Under 40” and named as a Woman of Achievement for the Cobb County NAACP.

The Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce received a five-star accreditation once again this spring. “The glittering accreditation is nothing short of an honor,” chamber officials said. “Accreditation from the U.S Chamber of Commerce recognizes chambers of distinction that meet and exceed organizational standards and exemplify superior service.” In order to receive accreditation, chambers must submit an extensive application through the U.S Chamber of Commerce. The chamber staff reviews each application to ensure that the chamber meets or exceeds the minimum requirements. Chambers seeking accreditation are judged in nine areas: governance, finance, human resources and staff, government affairs, program development, technology, communication, facilities and benchmarking. The status of accreditation depends on the number of criteria points scored in each area of requirement. A chamber that receives a five-star accreditation meets 90 percent or more of criteria. Maintaining accreditation requires chambers to reapply every five years. The Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce has maintained five-star accreditation for its 11th year, is one of only 125 five-star chambers in the country and is ranked in the top 1 percent of chambers nationally, chamber officials said. This five-star accreditation sets the Valdosta- Lowndes Chamber of Commerce apart as an organization that exceeds expectations and strives for excellence.

Bryce Jackson of Valdosta has been awarded the Stamps Scholarship and will attend the Georgia Institute of Technology beginning in the fall of 2019. The 14th class of Stamps Scholars includes 218 top students from across the country attending 28 partner universities. Selected from more than 254,000 applications, “these Scholars are passionate about tackling national and global challenges while making impacts on their campuses and for their communities,” organizers said. Jackson plans to study computer science, organizers said. Stamps Scholars are chosen for their academic excellence, leadership experience and exceptional character. The value of Stamps Scholarships for the new class of Scholars during their time in school is worth approximately $36 million.