Author: Robert Preston

Wednesday afternoon, the Coffee County Board of Education awarded the new Nicholls Elementary School project to Charles E. Lewis Construction of Douglas. The construction company submitted the low bid of $7.1 million and stated that it could finish the new school in 365 days. Seven companies sent in bids. The highest came from Meja Construction of Peachtree City at $10.6 million. The board of education will break ground on the site of the new school this coming Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. Construction will begin shortly afterward. Superintendent Dr. Morris Leis said that he expects the school to be completed in…

Thursday afternoon, Richard Woods, state school superintendent, landed on the grounds of Indian Creek Elementary School in a helicopter and spent a couple of hours at the school, presenting an award to principal Tamara Morgan and speaking with parents, staff, and community members. Earlier in the year, Indian Creek won first place in a parent engagement video contest sponsored by the Georgia Department of Education. Wood delivered a certificate recognizing the school’s win in the competition. “This is a very special day not only for Coffee County but for the state of Georgia. This is something that’s never been done…

The Coffee County School System has decided to close school on Friday, Oct. 7. Hurricane Matthew, a potentially deadly hurricane, is moving its way up the Florida coast and some predicted tracks have the storm making landfall anywhere from Jacksonville, Fla., to Brunswick. In a statement Thursday morning, Dr. Morris Leis, school superintendent, stated the following: “Coffee County Schools will be closed for students and staff on Friday, Oct. 7, 2016. Although Coffee County may not feel the full effects of the approaching storm, it is in the best interest of our students and employees. Our thoughts and prayers go…

Last week, the first individuals from Coffee County successfully completed mental health court. Paul Cook and Curtis McCrae graduated from the local mental health court program in a ceremony held at the Coffee County Courthouse with Superior Court Judge Dwayne Gillis presiding. A third person, Matthew Cauley, graduated from drug court. Mental health court began several years ago as an alternative to incarceration. The program is a minimum of 18 months and can last no longer than the sentence of the potential crime for which an offender has been placed in the program. The court is an effort to bring…

Actually, several people had bad days as a result of this two-car accident on West Ward Street today. Details are a little sketchy, but according to individuals on the scene, the vehicle in the foreground allegedly struck the other vehicle from behind as it was turning into one of the doctors’ buildings that front that section of West Ward. Both vehicles were headed east. The impact knocked the first vehicle across the road and on its side, where it stopped against a tree. The second vehicle also rolled on its side in the middle of West Ward. There were complaints…

For the first time in the history of Coffee High Homecoming, the CHS student body named three Homecoming princesses instead of the customary two. Along with the queen, that gives the school a total of four winners from the pool of Homecoming court nominees. The Homecoming princesses are Donna Leigh Harper, Mariah Hutchison, and London LaCoste. The 2016 Homecoming queen is Tiffany White. The winners were named last night during halftime of the Trojans’ game against the Warner Robins Demons. Coffee won the contest 56-22. The annual Homecoming dance takes place tonight at the Coffee High School gym.

Warner Robins may be the center of aviation in Georgia but last night, it was Coffee quarterback Max Hughes who ruled the air. Hughes threw three touchdown passes, ran for another touchdown, and used long throws to set up two more scores in the Trojans’ 56-22 victory over the Demons on Homecoming. The Jefferson twins accounted for four interceptions (three by Jarquavious, one by Marquavious) and Demetrius Davis and Tywone Brewton each had a pair of rushing touchdowns as well. Last week against Tift County, the Trojans played one of their worst games of the year. Friday, it almost looked…

The possibility of a retail business moving to the property upon which the old high school and the board of education central office sits took one step closer to becoming a reality Monday night when the city commission approved a recommendation from the planning commission to rezone the property from Residential Professional to Commercial General. The tract is nearly 26 acres and is considered to be one of the most valuable pieces of property in the county. The property is being marketed for retail and there is not a specific business ready to purchase the tract. City attorney Jerome Adams…

A Monday night fire at an apartment complex in Douglas displaced nine individuals and caused extensive damage. Thankfully, authorities reported no injuries. The fire broke out in an upstairs unit at East Woods Apartments on North McDonald Avenue, nearly directly across the street from Eastside Elementary School. Authorities believe the fire began in the kitchen. Douglas firefighters responded to the blaze between 10:30 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. Monday. Their quick response kept the fire from spreading throughout the building. People in the other three apartments in the building were evacuated due to smoke. All told, the American Red Cross helped…

Here are the remarks made by Chamber of Commerce president Andrea Taylor at Monday’s monthly luncheon. Unfortunately, my technology cut off right as Carol Williford, Director of the Child Advocacy Center, came to the podium. She shared some great information with the audience regarding the Child Advocacy Center. Maybe we need to do a follow up with the center to further discuss what she talked about. In fact, that sounds like a great idea. At any rate, here’s is just over five minutes of Taylor’s comments. Robert Preston Jr./DouglasNow.com