Author: Robert Preston

The National Guard descended upon Douglas Monday in response to the COVID-19 quarantine – as a part of a cleaning operation. A 15-member team from Guard units all over the state, led by SMSgt. Genell Wright (an assistant principal from Atlanta with over 30 years’ experience in public education in civilian life), spent a few hours at Lakeside Senior Living sanitizing the facility in an effort to stop the coronavirus, the bug that causes the dangerous COVID-19 illness, from infecting residents and staff. Retirement and nursing homes have been hit especially hard by COVID-19, and many facilities throughout the country…

By Cal Powell for CAES News Overeating is a normal reaction to being bored or anxious, but in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the phenomenon has taken on a new dimension. With many Americans now rapidly adjusting to working or studying from home – often within arm’s reach of the refrigerator or pantry – the temptation to overeat is a real one, and it can have real consequences. A recent study in the University of Georgia’s College of Family and Consumer Sciences showed that occasional overeating can have long-lasting health effects. The study found that adults going on a one- to three-week…

A severe storm system ripped through Coffee County in the pre-dawn hours of Monday morning, downing trees, damaging property, and leaving thousands without power throughout the county. The storm was part of a larger system that left a swath of destruction from Mississippi across Alabama and into Georgia. Coffee County received about an inch of rainfall and tremendous winds. Reports of tornadoes touching down in the county and even in downtown Douglas started showing up on social media right after daylight. Thankfully the storm didn’t last long but it made its presence felt in the short time it took to…

The Wednesday, April 1 announcement from Gov. Brian Kemp had all the makings of an epic April Fool’s Day prank. This, however, was no joking matter. Wednesday, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Kemp stated that all K-12 public schools in Georgia will remain closed for the remainder of the year. He also said he was signing a 10-day shelter in place order that would go into effect on Friday, April 3 and last until Monday, April 13. Those businesses deemed essential will remain open to the public, Kemp stated. Citizens whose jobs are considered non-essential should remain at home…

COVID-19 has arrived in Coffee County. According to a statement posted this morning on Coffee Regional Medical Center’s Web site, there is one confirmed COVID-19 case in Coffee County. The statement reads as follows: “Today, the Georgia Department of Public Health will report that Coffee County has one confirmed COVID-19 positive individual. This individual is being cared for at Coffee Regional Medical Center by our team of outstanding, compassionate caregivers and physicians. Due to our obligation to assure patient privacy, other details will not be reported. “CRMC urges the public to continue to be vigilant in washing…

The City of Douglas has announced that over 7,000 gallons of wastewater has spilled into an unnamed tributary of the Seventeen Mile River. The city’s statement says that the spill occurred between 6:40 a.m. and 7:15 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2020. Heavy rains caused the spill, according to the city. The spill occurred at the Lift Station located inside the wastewater treatment plant at 622 Iron Road. Approximately 7,875 gallons were reported. As a precaution, it is recommended that there be no contact with the affected stream water until after March 10, 2020. Samplings of the waterway both upstream…

Ward 3 commissioner Olivia Pearson served Mayor Tony Paulk, the five other city commissioners, and City Manager Charlie Davis with an ante litem notice advising them that she intends to sue the City of Douglas for $1.5 million. According to the notice, Commissioner Pearson intends to sue for “multiple violations of free speech/multiple violations of the Open Meetings Act/multiple violations of the city charter.” She further maintains that she is doing so because of “the unlawful acts of Mayor Tony Paulk, creating a dictatorship, by willful interruption of a city council member, by not allowing her to continue to address…

Sheila Hughes, 61, has passed away as a result of injuries she sustained when a vehicle struck her and her husband, Dave Hughes, as they crossed Bryan Street on Friday, Feb. 7, 2020. Hughes had been transferred to a Jacksonville, Fla., trauma center following the accident. She passed at Community Hospice in Jacksonville on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020. According to an accident report obtained from the Georgia State Patrol, a blue 2019 Jeep Compass driven by Kim Dupree of Denton struck the Hughes. Dave Hughes was unhurt in the accident while Sheila Hughes suffered serious head injuries. The…

Thomas George “T.G.” Noel of Nicholls has been arrested and charged in connection with the hit-and-run death of Amanda Kay Floyd Wynn, which happened on Feb. 23, 2019, on Highway 158 East. Noel was arrested by a Coffee County deputy during a traffic stop. While conducting the stop, the deputy discovered that Noel had warrants for his arrest as a result of the accident that claimed Wynn’s life. According to the report from the accident, Noel was driving a blue 2008 Cadillac Escalade when the vehicle struck Wynn. The report’s narrative states that two deputies were monitoring traffic on Highway…

Wednesday, the case against former city employee Britt Leverette, who had been arrested in June of last year and subsequently dismissed after a fellow employee filed a complaint against him, was dismissed at the request of the victim. Leverette had been charged with one count of exploitation of a disabled adult, a felony. The victim appeared in court and stated he would like the case dismissed. He also stated that he had not been harassed or otherwise coerced to seek dismissal. The court complied and dismissed the charges. Greg Nugent, also a city employee, was arrested at the same time…