Author: Robert Preston

Hurricane Florence is barreling toward the eastern United States and has citizens and officials in three states – Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina – on edge. While Florence isn’t supposed to hit Georgia directly, the state could still feel some of the effects from the storm. Wednesday afternoon, Gov. Nathan Deal issued a state of emergency for the entire state. Based on the a late-morning forecast for Hurricane Florence and acting on a recommendation from Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA/HS) officials, Gov. Deal has issued an emergency declaration for all 159 counties in Georgia. “The state…

The Coffee County Commission rolled back the millage rate at Monday’s regular county commission. However, due to a strong economy, the county is expecting to generate more money despite fewer mills. County administrator Wesley Vickers brought the proposed millage rate of 8.256 mills before the county commission, which is down from last year’s rate. The county gives a half a mill to the Economic Development Authority, which means the county’s actual rate is 7.756 mills. Because of economic growth, the lower millage rate will result in greater revenue for the county. “We’ve got some growth in the digest. There is…

Kansas City Chiefs receiver and kick returner Tyreek Hill got the 2018 season off to a pretty good start Sunday afternoon against the Los Angeles Chargers. Hill scored three touchdowns, including one on a 91-yard punt return, as the Chiefs defeated the Chargers 38-28. In addition to the punt return for a score, Hill scored on receptions of 58 yards and one yard. His total for the day was seven receptions for 169 yards and three touchdowns. According to pro-football-reference.com, today’s scores bring Hill’s NFL touchdown total to 16. Hill was born in Pearson and played for the Coffee Trojans.…

The #2-ranked Coffee Trojans weren’t very hospitable hosts to the visiting Taravella High Trojans Friday night. Taravella traveled nearly 450 miles from Coral Springs, Fla., to play Coffee at Jardine Stadium. Coffee defeated Taravella 54-6 to improve to 4-0 on the season. Coffee came out of the gate scoring. They scored on their first five possessions to take a 35-6 lead early in the second quarter. A Coffee fumble broke the scoring streak, which promptly started again on the drive following the miscue. Coffee carried a 41-6 lead into halftime; Taravella’s only score came with 10:25 left in the second…

Earlier today, legendary actor Burt Reynolds died at age 82. In July, several Coffee Countians had the opportunity to spend a few minutes with Reynolds at the RKDS Film Festival in Valdosta, where Reynolds’ films were prominently featured. The festival took place on July 12-14. On July 12, Reynolds, a Golden Globe winner and Academy Award nominee, was given a key to the city of Valdosta by Mayor John Gayle and a commendation from the Georgia General Assembly by Rep. John Lahood. Several of the over 200 films in which Reynolds acted were shot in Georgia. Three of Reynolds’ movies…

At a special called meeting of the Douglas City Commission Wednesday night, the commission reversed two decisions it made at its last regular meeting. First, the commission voted in a travel policy that defined a number of issues regarding commissioners’ official travel, including meal expenses; and second, commissioners voted to reverse a decision made to combine two city positions in the Community Development department. This proved to be a more controversial decision, at least for one commissioner, than the travel policy. Commissioners handled the travel policy issue quickly. Five commissioners attended the meeting – Olivia Pearson was not present –…

An unidentified individual shot a large bull elk in Coffee County Sunday afternoon but for reasons that remain unknown didn’t recover his trophy. The owner of an adjacent piece of property found the dead elk and is processing the meat and mounting the head. Elk are primarily found in western states, particularly in mountainous regions. At one time, however, they were established in nearly all of the continental United States. Over the years, though, they died out in the eastern portion of the country. There have been attempts to re-introduce elk to the eastern U.S., primarily in the Appalachian…

During Friday night’s game between the Coffee Trojans and the Ware County Gators in Waycross, there was one moment when the stadium was silent. It came at the end of the game with no time left as officials determined whether or not Chris Jones, who had caught a 67-yard Hail Mary from freshman quarterback Thomas Castellanos as time expired, made it into the end zone to make it a one-point game. Both teams and their fans waited almost silently for what seemed like an eternity on the officiating crew to make the call. Eventually, the officials ruled that Coffee’s Azi…

What appears to be an attempt by more than one unnamed city commissioner to micromanage the Douglas Police Department failed Monday night when the commission voted down several proposed changes to the chief of police’s job description and qualifications. After police chief Gary Casteloes retired earlier this year, the commission appointed deputy chief Brannen Pruette as interim police chief. The city commission is preparing to hire a permanent police chief and in so doing has prepared a job description outlining the requirements and duties of the position. At Monday night’s meeting, the commission discussed a few proposed changes to…

At Monday night’s regular city commission meeting, a few commissioners offered an explanation as to why their meal expenses were so high at the Georgia Municipal Authority annual conference in Savannah during June. A DouglasNow.com story that appeared on the site over two weeks ago listed the expenses incurred by the commissioners who attended the conference. Two officials – Commissioner Bob Moore and Mayor Tony Paulk – did not attend. Monday, Mayor Paulk presented the commission with 10 items that, if passed, would, among other things, limit the amount of money an elected official could spend on meals during an…