Author: Jerry A. Hudson

The Georgia House District 169 race featuring political newcomers Republican Dominic LaRiccia and Democrat Larry Nesmith has garnered some national attention this week thanks to a recently posted article on examiner.com. The article begins by stating, “As of Friday, October 24, more than 2,000 voters had cast a ballot during the early voting period in Coffee County. For rural Democrat Larry Nesmith , he is determined to reclaim House District 169 and turn the district ‘blue’ which had been previously held by Republican Chuck Sims who had switched parties a decade ago, but has had a troubled tenure which involved…

An early morning fire on Thursday caused extensive damage to Lott’s True Value hardware store on West Bryan St., and the structure is being described as a complete loss. City of Douglas firefighters, along with assistance with county officials, were still working to contain the scene as daylight broke. The former local business, which has not been in operation for some time, is located in the city’s downtown district just off Peterson Ave. and only one block from the police department. The same building was hit by vandals back in July who smashed the store’s front windows and spilled roofing…

An internet website that markets home security systems has released a study naming Douglas as the tenth most dangerous city in the state, just behind major metropolitan areas such as Albany and Atlanta. Homesecurityshield.org released its findings on Wednesday, which the company says were based on statistics compiled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s most recent uniform crime report. In its release, Homesecurityshield.org states, “A crime is a crime, so we took both violent and property crimes into account when compiling our list of Georgia’s most dangerous cities. Our list of dangerous cities, however, are ranked according to violent crime…

Douglas Police Chief Gary Casteloes confirmed this morning that a robbery that took place late Tuesday ultimately resulted in a high-speed chase involving several law enforcement agencies, along with the arrest of one individual. Casteloes stated a Domino’s Pizza employee was making a delivery last night when he was robbed at gunpoint by three men. The alleged robbers took the victim’s money and fled the scene. A short time later, a deputy with the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office observed a vehicle matching the description of the offenders. The deputy attempted to initiate a traffic stop and the chase ensued. The…

A request for bond by James Jacobs, one of two individuals charged with concealing the death of a former nursing home resident, was denied Monday morning in Coffee County Superior Court by Judge Dwayne Gillis. Jacobs, along with his wife Diana, was arrested last month after authorities discovered the body of 67-year-old Alexander Hunter buried beneath a shed at Rosewood Manor assisted living facility in Nicholls where Mrs. Jacobs worked. Along with concealing a death, each party has also been charged with financial card transaction fraud. During Monday’s hearing, Jacobs’ attorney, Josh Larkey, aruged his client would not be a…

A Coffee County man suffered at least two gunshot wounds Saturday morning during an apparent domestic altercation. Officials with the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office responded to Bear Creek Mobile Home Park off the Willachoochee Highway after receiving a 911 call from a man stating he had been shot twice, once in the arm and once in the side. Authorities received a second call about the incident from a female who told dispatchers she had fired a gun four times at the male while they were engaged in a heated domestic fight. Unofficial sources have told DouglasNow.com that both individuals were…

Emergency responders have struggled for years with residents who fail to place visible numeric signage at their homes and businesses, and county officials believe they have the solution: they’re going to provide signs to anyone who wants one. County Code Enforcement Director Ray Parker states several hundred blank signs have already been purchased at a cost of $10 each and should be available to the public in a few weeks. The signs are blue in color and will be fitted with reflective adhesive numbers designating the address. The identifying marker is then attached to a small metal pole and driven…

Several streets in the Oak Park community of Coffee County will receive a facelift in the near future as the result of a $500 thousand grant recently awarded to the local government. The announcement of the award came during the regular meeting of the Coffee County Commissioners on Monday. According to information provided through the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Coffee County was one of 71 Georgia communities awarded a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for 2014. These awards are provided throught the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and are specifically issued to improve infrastructure and provide neighborhood…

The sign outside a Douglas nightclub reads, “What Happens at Club Rozay Stays at Club Rozay.” Apparently, owners and patrons of the facility take the statement to the extreme, even when it comes to armed robbery and aggravated assault. Early Sunday morning, Sept. 14, officers with the Douglas Police Department were dispatched to Coffee Regional Medical Center after an individual was admitted at the emergency room with a gunshot wound to the leg. The victim, 33-year-old Erik Favors, told authorities he was at Club Rozay on S. Gaskin Avenue earlier in the evening watching a sporting event with about 20…

Police and fire officials are investigating another residential arson in Douglas that occurred early Sunday morning after the home was initially burglarized. Authorities were dispatched to 616 N. Wheeler Avenue at around 7 a.m. Sunday morning. After making contact with the homeowner, officers discovered the residence had most likely been burglarized as a number of items were missing, including flat screen televisions and possibly other belongings. Officers noted damage to a rear door of the residence, which was most likely the point of entry for the burglars. No one was home at the time of the incident, and investigators were…