Author: Robert Preston

Early Wednesday afternoon, a train cut a tractor-trailer hauling peanuts in half just off Highway 32 West in Douglas. The driver of the truck, a Kenworth T-800 owned by Southern Ag of Albany, was leaving Premium Peanut and attempted to cross the railroad tracks at a small crossing on the back of Evans Trailer Park. The trailer’s landing gear hung on the tracks, stalling the truck. The driver jumped out of the cab and called 911 hoping the agency could place a call to the railroad to stop any train that might be heading for that crossing. There was a…

The Bellamy Brothers’ song “Old Hippie” describes a man in transition, a veteran who is facing an uncertain future as the times around him change. He knows he needs to adjust to a new way of life but he’s having a hard time figuring out exactly how to make that happen. In many ways, I feel like the protagonist of that song. I see things changing, almost daily, around me and I’m not sure what to do. I grew up in a world that I thought valued honesty and integrity, where the rule of law won the day. As I…

On Sunday, July 10, 2016, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Douglas Regional Office was requested by the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office to assist in a death investigation in Coffee County. On Sunday, July 10, 2016, at approximately 5:30 a.m., deputies with the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office responded to 6629 Hwy 32 West Lot 4 in reference to a Hispanic male found unresponsive outside the residence. Upon arrival, deputies found Domingo Ortiz, 51, dead from an apparent stab wound. After a search of the area, Miguel Hernandez Santos, 68, was arrested in connection with the death of Ortiz. Santos was transported…

Tuesday afternoon, Douglas police officer Tony Ward, who stands accused of illegally dumping trash at the Salvation Army, appeared in city court and pled not guilty. Ward requested a bench trial, which will be held in August. In May, surveillance cameras at the Salvation Army captured Ward in the act of what appeared to be dumping trash illegally in the charity’s dumpster. The City of Douglas was slow to act in the case, only releasing a statement when The Douglas Enterprise published a story outlining the allegations against Ward. The city’s statement noted that “an internal investigation was conducted, the…

According to a report first published by WALB, a preliminary report following the autopsies of a Douglas couple found dead in their home over the weekend shows no obvious signs of foul play. The WALB report stated that the couple, Donald and Linda Morris of a Trellis Drive residence, had been dead for some time – maybe as long as a week – before being discovered. The investigation is ongoing and more tests will be performed. Anyone with information that could assist authorities in this case is asked to contact the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office at 912-384-4227 or the GBI…

The summer didn’t start off very well for Keegan McGovern, who is playing for the Orleans Firebirds of the Cape Cod League. The Georgia Bulldog is spending the summer with the Firebirds, playing in one of the most competitive summer leagues in the country. The quality of the competition – particularly the pitching – took its toll on the Coffee High graduate early in the season. Despite an on-base percentage north of .300, McGovern was hitting below .200 his first couple of weeks in the league. He made a few adjustments and, thanks to a .340 average over his last…

At Monday night’s regular city commission meeting, commissioners discussed the possibility of implementing a weatherization program to assist qualified city homeowners make their homes more energy efficient. Among the improvements that would be included in the program are air conditioning/heating work, insulation, weather stripping, and caulking. If approved, the city would pay up to $5,000 for the weatherization improvements. Residents would be required to pay back half of the costs of improvements. The city would charge residents $44.66 on their bill ($41.66 plus a $3 administration fee) each month for 60 months or until the resident’s portion is paid back.…

“I’ve always wanted to open a clothing store. And I’ve always wanted to live at the beach. I graduated from Valdosta State in December and I started looking at my options. I came to St. Simons Island to look it over and immediately loved it here. Now I have a store and I live at the beach,” laughs Ariel Anderson, a Douglas native who has just ended her second week as an entrepreneur on St. Simons Island. Two weeks ago, she opened ARIEL, a women’s clothing store located at 257 Redfern Village on the island. A write-up in Elegant Island…

Diana Jacobs, who had been held in the Coffee County Jail since August 2014 on various charges (including malice murder) related to the death of Alexander Hunter, 67, whose body was found buried in a shed behind Rosewood Manor assisted living facility in Nicholls, was released on bond Wednesday afternoon. A local bondsman signed her bond. A spokesman from the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office stated that the CCSO had little information regarding the bond, only stating that she had been given a bond and was released as a result.Jacobs’s husband, James Jacobs, who was also charged with malice murder (among…

Once more, Douglas, Ga., has found its way onto a “most dangerous cities” list. Not everyone takes our place on the list seriously. The organization that compiles the list is affiliated with the home security industry; as such, many people believe its lists are simply a marketing tool designed to sell home security systems. I understand and respect the concerns people have about the credibility of this particular organization. Likewise, this group kicks out municipalities with fewer than 10,000 citizens. It also doesn’t – and can’t — take into account those communities that don’t report crime statistics to the FBI.…