Author: Robert Preston

Seven years after a Coffee County woman disappeared on Edisto Island, South Carolina, investigators have few answers. But the search continues. On August 15, 2018, Tina Snipes, a Nicholls native, disappeared under suspicious circumstances after leaving a convenience store on Edisto Island. Not far from her home, authorities found some of her belongings. Based on what they found, investigators determined that Snipes had been killed. Lisa Lott, Snipes’s sister, stays in contact with South Carolina authorities in hopes there will finally be a break in the case. “I keep praying for answers and closure. I want justice but I’d rather…

The CCA Lady Patriots faced a brutal three games this weekend in Cordele, going 1-2 to some of the toughest competition they will face all season long. CCA defeated Camden County 10-6 on Friday then dropped two games on Saturday – one to Clinch (6-5) and the other to perennial power Westfield (5-0). Against Camden, the Lady Patriots were steady and consistent, scoring four in the first, two in the second, two in the third, and two in the fourth. The Wildcats scored once in the first then added five in the fifth. Emma Gourley and Abrah Harris had two…

The Grace Christian Academy Cougars in Bainbridge haven’t been kind to the CCA Patriots the last two years. In 2023, the Cougars defeated the Patriots by about three touchdowns. Last year, Grace defeated CCA 8-0 in Douglas. This season, the Patriots had their revenge. CCA bested Grace 44-6 on a soggy, rain-soaked night in Bainbridge. The Patriots established their dominance early and controlled the game on both sides of the ball and on special teams. Quarterback Sam Ables got CCA on the board early in the first quarter with a goal-line sneak for a touchdown. Ethan Duran made the extra…

I have heard about a pickleball group that meets regularly in town to play. I knew they gathered in the morning, and pre-Hurricane Helene, they would play at both Wheeler Park and Davis Wade Park. Since the storm, they have played at Davis Wade. I have jokingly referred to them as the pickleball illuminati — primarily because I’ve never been able to join them. I have played a little pickleball myself, although it has been a while since I took the court. I played regularly at the end of 2023. My work schedule changed in January of last year and…

The CCA Lady Patriots held their own against the 2024 GHSA Class 4A state runner-up Wayne County Lady Yellow Jackets for four innings on Friday. Then the fifth inning rolled around and that’s when the wheels came off. Wayne County left Patriot Field with an 11-5 win, dropping the Lady Patriots to 2-1 on the season. Wayne County score a run in the first and held a 1-0 lead for an inning. In the bottom of the second, CCA scored three runs to take a 3-1 advantage. An error scored two runs then a sacrifice fly plated the third run…

The Coffee County commission named a new vice chairman, road superintendent, and assistant road superintendent at Monday’s regular commission meeting, among other items of business. District 1 commissioner Oscar Paulk had been the commission’s vice chairman. His sudden passing in June left a vacancy for that position. Monday, the commission named AJ Dovers as new vice chair. Commissioners approved him unanimously. Next week, road superintendent Wendell Troupe is retiring after 53 years with the county. Commissioners named a new road superintendent effective upon Troupe’s retirement. The commission named current assistant road superintendent Buddy Jordan as Troupe’s replacement. With the assistant…

At Monday morning’s regular county commission meeting, commissioners presented a proclamation honoring the late Oscar Paulk, commissioner for District 1 who suddenly passed away on June 22, 2025. Several members of Commissioner Paulk’s family were at the meeting.   County attorney Tony Rowell read the proclamation, which can be seen in its entirety below. After he spoke, commissioners and members of Mr. Paulk’s family gathered for a photo.   “Mr. Paulk was a great man. Nobody will ever fill this seat by me again. We’ve been here the whole time together. He didn’t say a lot but he meant what…

A fire that broke out at the Diamond Builders modular plant on Thompson Drive Tuesday night has been extinguished and the facility is open for business on Wednesday. Tuesday around 9 p.m., firefighters from the Douglas Fire Department as well as officers from the Douglas Police Department and EMTs from Coffee Regional Medical Center responded to the fire. The blaze ignited in the foam room at the back of the plant. Sprinklers came on once smoke detectors went off, saving the building from significant damage. The sprinklers kept everything under control and contained until fire units arrived. Fire crews arrived…

Nearly 12 years after a juvenile albino eastern diamondback rattlesnake was found in western Coffee County near Lax, the snake is thriving in captivity, has produced one litter of babies, and is expecting another. The snake was found on October 28, 2013, off Highway 90 a couple miles south of Lax. While it’s not unheard of to find albino rattlesnakes (or albinos of other species) in the wild, it’s certainly not common. However, several albino rattlesnakes have been found in the Lax area over the years. The individuals who found the snake didn’t harm it. After making a few phone…

The CCA Lady Patriots scored early but they didn’t score often in their 8-0 win over Terrell Academy in their home opener Tuesday afternoon. Like Saturday’s season opener, this game only went five innings. The Lady Patriots only needed one inning to jump out front and stay there. They scored all eight of their runs in the bottom of the first and held Terrell scoreless for the remainder of the game to invoke the eight-run mercy rule after five. With nobody out and the bases loaded in the first, Mattie Lewis walked to score Brilynn Waldron. Klair Mercer singled to…