Author: Robert Preston

For the second week in a row, and for the fourth time in five games, the Coffee Trojans shut out their opponents. This time, Coffee defeated the Jenkins Warriors 34-0 at Jardine Stadium on Homecoming. The Trojans are now 8-0 overall and 3-0 in region play. And in another streak spanning consecutive weeks, a Trojan running back scored three touchdowns. Senior ATH Anthony Paulk, who scored twice last week in Statesboro, added three more touchdowns to give him nine on the season. Homecoming games are always special but this particular game had several different plot lines…

Running back Fred Brown may have had the most rushing yards with 166 in Friday night’s 51-0 win over the Statesboro Blue Devils but senior ATH Anthony Paulk had the most complete game. Paulk has been on the fringes of breaking out all year long. Primarily a defensive player, he would get an opportunity or two each game on the offensive side of the ball. When he did, he showed that he had the ability to break a game wide open. Friday night, Paulk finally showed what he really can do with the ball in his…

For the second week in a row, Coffee Trojans’ senior running back Fred Brown scored three touchdowns and the Trojans routed their opponent, this time beating the Statesboro Blue Devils 51-0 on a wet, nasty night in Statesboro. The #1 ranked Trojans are now 7-0 overall and 2-0 in region play. As you might expect, the weather was a factor early on. In the first half, both teams had trouble at times handling snaps. Coffee, however, was able to limit the damage from their miscues. The Blue Devils weren’t as lucky. One such snap went through the…

Most city commission meetings are pretty mundane. They start the same way, with very little fanfare, and cover the standard agenda items. The October 9 meeting, however, was different. Commissioners and city employees were still in shock over the tragic death of Michael Stull, 57, a long-time employee of the city’s Customer Care department. Stull was shot and killed near Washington, D.C., over the weekend. His 25-year-old son, Nicholas Stull, was arrested and charged in connection with the shooting. As the meeting began, City Manager Charlie Davis asked that everyone in attendance observe a moment of silence for…

One of Coffee High School’s most talented athletes has passed away at the age of 59. George Smith passed away on Saturday, October 7, 2023, following an extended illness. Smith graduated from Coffee High School in 1982. He was a member of the 1981 Trojans football team that went 12-2, ultimately losing 31-6 to Warner Robins in the state semi-finals. Smith was named First Team All State by the Atlanta Journal that year. Statistics for Smith’s career at Coffee High have been lost over the years. However, according to a 1988 story in the Atlanta Constitution,…

Coffee County is on solid ground financially according to its annual audit. At the October 2 county commission meeting, Parker Borland with Hurst and Hurst CPAs presented the county with its annual audit report. According to Borland, the county received a clean opinion on the audit. The county has $23 million in the general fund, $5.5 million of which it added this year. “But $4.5 million of that is ARPA money. We don’t anticipate that increase to continue in perpetuity,” said Borland. “You guys are in great shape.” The commission heard the first reading of ordinances…

This one was over 30 seconds after the opening kick. The #1-ranked Coffee Trojans defeated the Bradwell Institute Tigers 62-6 at Jardine Stadium in the first region game of the season, improving their record to 6-0 overall and 1-0 in region play. It was as thorough a beatdown as the Trojans have handed to any region opponent in a long time. Coffee scored its first touchdown 30 seconds in the game and never looked back. The Trojans led 28-0 at the end of the first quarter and 56-0 at halftime. There was a running clock in…

Barney Fife has a facelift. Early last month, Coffee County’s iconic mural of Barney Fife, along with a scene or two from The Andy Griffith Show, that adorns an old house on Highway 441 north of Broxton, was vandalized. Kayson Smalley, 18, was eventually arrested and charged in connection with the incident. The mural, painted by local artist Dylan Ross in 2016, is being restored. Ross visited the mural this weekend and began the laborious task of returning Barney to his original condition. Ross documented the work on his Facebook page. “I am not…

“If you’re struggling with dyslexia, know you’re not alone. Don’t feel defeated. It’s challenging but it does get easier when you begin to cope with the symptoms,” says Rhianna Lewis, a junior at Coffee High School. Rhianna is a 4.0 student who has been diagnosed with dyslexia. Rhianna spoke to the Douglas City Commission at the September 11 commission meeting asking the city to recognize National Dyslexia Day in the city. Her goal is to raise awareness regarding dyslexia, which affects one out of every five students. October 8 is National Dyslexia Day; however, the city of Douglas…

The Coffee County Courthouse is closed for the rest of today — Tuesday, September 26, 2023. The courthouse has been hit with an electrical issue and has no power. Crews are at the courthouse working to restore power. However, it’s a lengthy process and while the work is being completed, operations stalled. Most county employees with offices in the courthouse have been sent home for the afternoon. The issue should be completed today and the courthouse will reopen on Wednesday, September 27.