Author: Robert Preston

Republican candidates swept Coffee County elections Tuesday night, winning every single race on the ballot and most by wide margins. The first numbers that came in were from early voting; in those initial results, GOP candidates established a sizeable lead that only grew as more precincts reported. By the time the final numbers came in, most Republicans held two-to-one margins over their Democratic opponents. Locally, Dominic LaRiccia defeated Larry NeSmith 4,869 to 2,142 in the race for the state House of Representatives District 169 seat. LaRiccia also carried Jeff Davis and Bacon counties. Incumbent Katy Peters and challenger Mike Gowen…

As I write this, Election Day is less than 24 hours away. I love elections. It doesn’t matter what’s on the ballot. I have always felt that one of the greatest responsibilities we have as Americans is to cast our ballot. I know many people have grown weary and distrustful of the political process. I understand that, and I myself have grown increasingly cynical regarding how our leaders govern our country. My cynicism, however, will not keep me from voting. The way in which we choose our leaders differentiates us from most other countries in the world. We truly have…

Quarterback Tyree Paulk threw three touchdown passes and rushed for one more while kicker Austin Lord was perfect on both extra points and field goals in the Coffee Trojans’ 34-0 win over the Richmond Hill Wildcats in Richmond Hill Friday night. The win moved the Trojans to 8-1 on the season (6-1 in region play) and secures a home playoff game for at least the first round when the postseason begins. The Trojans were efficient and calculating as they methodically dismantled the Wildcats from the moment the game began. The Coffee offense scored on five of six first-half possessions while…

Robert Bledsoe (sophomore, Irwin County) came within 12 seconds of breaking the South Georgia State College school record Saturday at the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association’s cross country conference finals in Macon. Bledsoe ran the second-fastest time in school history, 27:16, en route to a fifth place overall finish and a spot on the All-Conference First Team. The SGSC men took second in the conference, had three All Conference runners, and saw four runners break 30:00 at the 8K race. The women finished fourth and one runner, Madison Smith of Ashburn, made All Conference. The Macon course, which sits on the…

It took a little while tonight but the Coffee Trojans finally figured out the Brunswick Pirates’ spread offense. Along the way, the Trojans defeated the Pirates 35-20 in a scoring barrage that included touchdowns on offense, defense, and special teams. By beating Brunswick, Coffee clinched home field advantage for the playoffs and still has a chance to win the region should the Pirates upset the Ware County Gators in a few weeks. The first quarter was all Brunswick. The Pirates’ John Grant scored on their first possession to give Brunswick a 7-0 lead. Coffee ended up punting on its next…

“Today we are going to focus on two aspects of the response to Ebola: First, what we are doing to improve the safety in our healthcare settings, and second, what’s going on with contact tracing in Dallas.” With those words, Dr. Tom Frieden, Director for the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, began an event that I never – not in a million years – thought would ever take place on U.S. soil: a press conference discussing what was being done to ensure the safety and protection of citizens and medical personnel alike in Dallas, Texas, the site of the…

Joshua Peavy is coming home. After his strong showing on ABC’s Rising Star earlier this year, Peavy is will entertain local fans at the Martin Centre on Friday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m. The concert will feature the Coffee High School show choir as the opening act, a live band, and a duet with Ansley Moore. Peavy will perform all the songs from Rising Star along with other classic and current hits. He will also sing one original composition. Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at the door, and VIP packages – which include a meet and greet with Peavy…

It was supposed to be an easy game. The South Effingham Mustangs were 2-3 overall and 1-2 in region play. The Trojans had only one loss and, with the exception of Ware County, had steamrolled everyone they had played. Coffee, however, doesn’t have a good track record in games played when the kids are out of school. Tonight, it was that perfect storm that spells troubles for a lot of teams: A road game, a holiday, a hungry region foe, and maybe the Trojans were looking ahead to next week’s showdown against Brunswick. Whatever the reason, with just about three…

“As I have sat here and listened to everyone speak, I keep thinking about two things: Vision and leadership. That is what I see here today. The future isn’t a place we’re going; it’s a place we’re creating. And I applaud the city for being an innovator in this area,” said JoAnne Lewis, president of the Douglas-Coffee County Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Authority, at the City of Douglas’s ribbon cutting celebrating the opening of the compressed natural gas (CNG) facility Wednesday morning. The ribbon cutting marked the grand opening for the facility, which has actually been fueling vehicles…

At Monday morning’s regular meeting of the Coffee County Commission, commissioners signed a proclamation designating the week of Oct. 5-11 as Coffee County 4-H Week. Mark von Waldner, a county agent with the local extension office, addressed the commission prior to the proclamation signing. During his remarks, he covered some of the accomplishments of the Coffee County 4-H program, which he called one of the top 4-H programs in the state. Following von Waldner’s comments, the 4-H members in attendance joined commissioners behind the commission desk for the signing. After signing the proclamation, the commission approved contracts for Statewide Surveying…