Author: Robert Preston

What is an acceptable amount of money for city officials to spend on meals and other expenses while out of town on official city business? It’s a question that has thus far remained unanswered. But after several city commissioners have turned in some fairly large expenditures recently, the city fathers are discussing a solution. For the last several years, more than a few people have mentioned this to me. In a number of conversations I’ve had – all off the record, of course – I have been asked to request the expense reports officials have turned in after returning from…

Home security surveillance and a little social network ingenuity led to the arrest of a thief Wednesday when local homeowners refused to be victimized. A surveillance camera caught Dalton Culbreth, 20, of Douglas, stealing a package containing approximately $200 worth of clothes from the front porch of a local residence. Subsequently, the victims took to Facebook, plastering the offender’s image to social media in an attempt to identify him. It didn’t take long. A number of Facebook users identified Culbreth and Coffee County deputies responded to his home where they located the items taken during the theft. Culbreth was not…

Indian Creek Elementary School’s Greta Grantham is the Coffee County School System’s 2018-2019 Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Grantham was named Teacher of the Year at the school system’s annual convocation meeting, which took place on Thursday, Aug. 9 at Coffee Middle School. The system announced teachers of the year from each individual school at the end of last school year. A short press release issued by Indian Creek at the end of last school year had this to say about Mrs. Grantham: “Mrs. Grantham teaches kindergarten and is always willing to go the extra mile not only for her…

When school starts on Friday, armed police officers will be on campus at each school in the Coffee County School System. The board of education took care of that at its most recent meeting, approving a resolution that allows the system to employ post certified officers by contracting with individual officers, private firms, or existing law enforcement agencies. The resolution also allows for the creation of a Department of Safety within the school system. What that will eventually entail remains up in the air; however, it gives the system the option of creating its own police force – something…

Ace Harris’s golf career started innocently enough. His father, Jason, started taking him to the golf course when Ace was 18 months old. Jason wanted to play. Jason and Brandi have two other children, both daughters, with activities of their own. Brandi shuttled them to their practices, leaving Ace with Jason. He has a choice — stay at home with Ace or carry him to the course. Off to the links it was. Now, four and a half years later, Ace is playing in the U.S. Kids Golf World Championships in Pinehurst, N.C. “He started swinging a driver before he…

A Douglas police officer has been terminated after receiving a driving under the influence (DUI) citation last Saturday. According to a press release issued by the Douglas Police Department, Jose Granados, a police officer, was arrested at the intersection of Highway 206 and Highway 32. The press release states that the traffic stop took place at 8:15 a.m. on July 21. Granados was charged with DUI – alcohol and open container violation. After the incident, the police officials immediately placed Granados on administrative leave. After an investigation, officials terminated Granados’s employment.

It was supposed to be a close race. It was anything but. Tuesday night, Secretary of State Brian Kemp throttled Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle in the Republican run-off for governor. Kemp won easily in Coffee County — 1,323 to 627 — and just as easily statewide. Very early in the evening, and with a lot of votes still to be counted, Cagle saw the writing on the wall and conceded the race to Kemp. The weeks between the primary and the run-off were punishing for both candidates. Cagle seemingly had the advantage until Clay Tippins, a candidate in the Republican…

In case you missed it, there is an election today. And it’s an important one. Today is the run-off that will officially bring Georgia’s primary races to an end. Both the Democratic and Republican parties have contested races on the ballot. Though there aren’t a lot of featured races, the ones that are on the ballot are significant. The flagship race in the run-off is for the Republican nomination for governor. With Gov. Nathan Deal wrapping up his second term this year, the race attracted a lot of attention from both parties. A host of Republicans went after Deal’s seat.…

State Rep. Dominic Lariccia, who represents all of Coffee, Bacon, and Jeff Davis counties, has endorsed Brian Kemp for governor of Georgia. Kemp and Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle face off today in a run-off election to decide who will be the Republican candidate for governor. The winner of the race will face Stacy Abrams, the Democratic nominee, in November. Rep. Lariccia and Kemp, who has served Georgia as a senator and secretary of state, are good friends. Lariccia and Kemp go back 15 years and he calls Kemp “one of the hardest working, honest, and faithful men that I’ve…

For the third time in the last five years, the Douglas Stingrays are GRPA Class B and C state champions. The Stingrays won the state title Saturday afternoon in Tifton after two days of swimming. The ‘Rays won the championship by 182 points; they defeated second place Oconee County 656-474. Calhoun finished third with 406.5 poings. The Stingrays made it to the state meet after winning their 15th consecutive district championship in Douglas nearly two weeks ago. The Douglas team had multiple individual state champions and even more podium finishes to carry them to the top of the state swimming…