Author: Robert Preston

Satilla Elementary would like to say a big thank you to its wonderful community partners from Ameris Bank who visited on Aug. 26 to teach third graders a lesson about bartering.

The Coffee Trojans scored touchdowns on seven of their first eight possessions and added another score on a fumble recovery late in the first half to trounce the Savannah Blue Jackets 54-21 in their home opener Friday night at Jardine Stadium. Seven Trojans – Tyree Paulk, Demetrius Davis (two), Jeremiah Ashley, Kenterrius Walker, Lecarvius Sears, Chris Swinson, and Jalen Wilkerson – scored for Coffee. “You like to have a game where everybody gets to play. Tonight was one of those games,” aid Coffee High head coach Robbie Pruitt. “Our starters played hard tonight and never let up on their intensity.…

At Monday night’s regular meeting of the Douglas City Commission, commissioners voted to raise the per diem rate for city employees by $6, bringing the rate up to $41. During the pre-meeting work session, city finance director Charlie Davis stated that the city’s per diem is $35, broken down as follows: $7 for breakfast, $10 for lunch, and $18 for dinner. According to Davis, the state has two per diem rates, depending on where employees are staying: $28 and $36. The federal government has three rates: $41, $46, and $51. “Do we need to adjust the rate for employees?” asked…

Football teams from the South Georgia area did pretty well on the opening weekend of Georgia’s high school football season. The perennial powers all won their games and there was a surprising outcome in a state championship rematch from last year. All of the area Region 1-6A schools won: Valdosta trounced Brookwood 31-0, Camden rolled over Lincoln (Tallahassee, Fla.) 49-27, Lowndes took care of Roswell 37-14, Colquitt beat Mill Creek 31-14, and Tift handled Henry County 45-8. Ware County beat Brooks County 31-6 and Brunswick defeated McIntosh County 41-6. Statesboro, which took on Burke County immediately following Coffee’s win over…

Sophomore running back Demetrius Davis scored three touchdowns and a two-point conversion in the Coffee Trojans’ 27-14 win over the North Oconee Titans in the Erk Russell Classic at Georgia Southern University’s Paulson Stadium in Statesboro Saturday night. While never really tested, the Trojans had to deal with a game-time temperature of over 100 degrees, far too many penalties, and special teams struggles to hold off the 4A Titans. North Oconee showed early on they were ready for the challenge of facing the Trojans. The Titans launched a 70-yard drive on their opening possession that ended with a short touchdown…

Saturday morning, five multisport enthusiasts with ties to Coffee County competed in the Heels n’ Wheels for Megan’s House Triathlon/Duathlon in Waycross. Four individuals – Ashley Graves, Janet Bell, Angela Booth, and the writer of this story – raced the triathlon (.25 mile swim/13 mile bike/3 mile run) while Allison Bell participated in the duathlon (2 mile run/13 mile bike/3 mile run). Four of the five participants won age group awards while Janet Bell, competing in her first triathlon, missed placing in the top three by just 24 seconds. Booth and Graves, competing in the same age group, finished second…

Thursday afternoon, retired Coffee Regional Medical Center CFO Don Lewis said farewell to Douglas and Coffee County by delivering the program at the Douglas Rotary Club meeting. Lewis, who was accompanied by his wife, Rosemary, has been very involved in Rotary since he arrived in Coffee County. A member since 1996, he served as president of the club during 2003-2004, when the club earned its second consecutive Presidential Citation. Locally, Lewis serves on the finance committee of St. Paul’s Catholic Church. He previously served as a director of the Douglas-Coffee County Chamber of Commerce and the South Georgia College Foundation.…

Joshua Peavy, who made it to the semifinal round on ABC’s “Rising Star” reality talent show, saw his run come to an end last night. Peavy, who sang “What Hurts the Most,” a former #1 hit by Rascal Flatts, was one of three contestants voted off the show during the live broadcast. However, West Coast viewers watched a tape-delayed broadcast and had the chance to save one of the three. During the live East Coast broadcast, Peavy, along with fellow competitors Maneepat Malloy and Audrey Kate Geiger, did not receive enough votes to automatically advance to next week’s finals. Peavy…

It is five hours until show time for ABC’s “Rising Star.” Joshua Peavy has already been through hair and makeup twice and is about to go to wardrobe for the second time. Soon, he will be in his second dress rehearsal of the day. The calm before the storm really isn’t that calm at all. But he has a few minutes and he agrees to do one more interview. I catch him during a 20 minute window he has before he’s back in front of mirrors and lights. “Right now, I’ve already practiced all I need to practice. I don’t…

The Coffee Trojans managed just one score – and it came on special teams at that – against the Colquitt County Packers Thursday night in a pre-season scrimmage in Douglas. The Packers, who are one of the favorites to contend for a 6A state championship this year, outlasted the Trojans 24-7 on a humid, muggy South Georgia night between the hedges at Jardine Stadium. Colquitt took the opening kick-off and drove 71 yards before stalling just shy of the end zone. Sophomore kicker Baudilio Martinez converted a short field goal to give the Pack a 3-0 lead. On Coffee’s ensuing…