Author: Jerry A. Hudson

An officer with the Douglas Police Department was shot in the line of duty early this morning after attempting to initiate a traffic stop on subjects suspected of a robbery which occurred just moments earlier. According to sources with the DPD, an armed robbery occurred at the Flash Foods store on the north end of Douglas at around 1:00 a.m. A short time later, Officer Larry Carter spotted a Chrysler convertible that matched the description of the robbery suspects travelling at a high rate of speed southbound through the city. When the officer attempted to conduct a stop in the…

Several fires which occurred overnight in Douglas are suspected to have been caused at the hands of arsonists, sources close to DouglasNow.com are reporting. Firefighters responded to at least five incidents, which included four standing buildings and one trash receptacle. DouglasNow.com is currently in the process of gathering information on the exact location of each fire, though one has been confirmed as taking place at Eagle Mark Properties, located at 618 North Madison Avenue. Another was a residence on West Franklin Street located directly across from where another home burned to the ground just last week. At approximately 11 a.m.…

Road resurfacing and paving topped the agenda Monday during the regular meeting of the Coffee County Commission, with a number of projects being expedited and others being placed temporarily on the back burner. County Administrator Wesley Vickers went before the commission, requesting an amendment to the SPLOST V priority list of roads slated for resurfacing and/or paving. Vickers stated since the original consideration for priority projects was established, other findings have necessitated the alteration. Vickers specifically mentioned Mark Mobley Road in West Green, which, upon completion, will account for nearly five miles of resurfacing. “That one is just in pretty…

At least three businesses in Douglas’ downtown district were targeted overnight by vandals, causing extensive damage to storefronts and thousands of dollars in clean-up costs and repairs. Business owner Steve Gentry, who operates Douglas Peddlers on South Peterson Avenue, stated someone had evidently used a ceramic statue outside his store to smash the front window. “Nothing was taken from the store,” Gentry said, “but it’s obviously going to cost us to have to replace the window.” Just two shops over from Douglas Peddlers, another business, Tater Bugs, had also been vandalized in the same manner. The perpatrator(s) also struck several…

A high speed chase that occurred late Tuesday night in the southern region of the county ended abruptly with the wreck of one motorcycle and the arrest of a Coffee County man. According to Sheriff Doyle Wooten, law enforcement officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a silver-colored motorcycle, driven by Tommy Hancock of Douglas, in the Green Acres community of Coffee County, when Hancock allegedly took off, attempting to outrun the officers. A pursuit ensued, leading officials up U.S. 441 North and weaving through a number of small county roads, reaching speeds of up to 130 miles per…

Chef Roman Coley Davis will making an appearance this Sunday, June 29, on the popular Food Network program “Cutthroat Kitchen.” Born in Douglas and raised in Denton, Georgia, Davis is a veteran of the U.S. Army and a graduate of the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu school with a degree in classical French culinary arts. In addition to his career in the culinary world, Davis works tirelessly as an advocate to eliminate childhood hunger through his efforts with the No Kid Hungry campaign. The all-new episode of “Cutthroat Kitchen” featuring Chef Davis will air Sunday, June 29, at 10 p.m. and…

Summer events and ongoing activities through the City of Douglas were the focal point of an otherwise humdrum regular meeting of the city commission on Thursday. Main Street Coordinator Patti Merritt addressed the commission following the business portion of the meeting, noting several continuing programs along with major events scheduled in the near future. The annual 4th of July Freedom Fest is slated for next Friday at Jardine Stadium/J.C. Adams Municipal Park. Gates will open at 5:00p.m. Parking and entertainment is free, and the fireworks disply will begin shortly after dark. In August, the South Georgia Outdoor Expo returns to…

Coffee County Sheriff Doyle Wooten confirmed this week that a pedestrian was tragically killed after being hit by a moving vehicle shortly after the individual had bonded out of the Coffee County Jail. Sixty-year-old Gary Wayne Smith left the jail on foot during the early morning hours of Saturday, June 21, after being released on a charge of disorderly conduct. Sheriff Wooten stated law enforcement officials initially came in contact with Smith Friday evening when an officer with the Douglas Police Department stopped him on suspicion of a traffic violation. “The officer thought (Smith) might have been having some mental…

Twenty-eight-year-old Douglas native Joshua Peavy showed the country what he was made of Sunday, June 22, during his debut performance on ABC-TV’s new interactive performance competition show “Rising Star.” Peavy belted out an emotional rendition of the Bryan Adams tune “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You,” earning him a standing ovation from both the audience and judges, country music superstar Brad Paisley, pop sensation Kesha, and hip-hop artist Ludacris. Peavy’s performance was one of the hightest ranking vote getters of the evening, guaranteeing advancement to the next stage. “Rising Star” presents a new, completely interactive method of deciding…

Douglas native Joshua Peavy will be performing live this Sunday, June 22, at 9:00 p.m. on ABC TV’s. newest competitive music show, ‘Rising Star.’ Go to abc.tv/RisingStarApp to download the show’s app and vote for Josh.