Author: Robert Preston

The Coffee Trojans had a tough weekend, falling 3-2 to Toombs County in Lyons on Friday then dropping the first game they’ve played this year at Charles Wilson Field to Ware County 7-3. On Friday, Toombs County had a no-hitter against Coffee until the top of the seventh when Jimmy Timothy singled on a 2-2 pitch to right field. Michael Strickland followed with a bunt and reached on an error. A single by Connor Stewart scored Timothy and moved Strickland to third. The run tied the score at one apiece. Eli Wood hit a sacrifice fly to left that scored…

A protest for immigrants in the United States took place in Douglas on Monday afternoon in the median between Longhorn Steakhouse and Arby’s. The goal of the protest, organized by Lawton Hurst and Hailey Beasley, is to raise awareness regarding the mistreatment of immigrants across the country, stated Hurst. “We believe immigrants are being mistreated by [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and they’re being mistreated in general. And they have been for the past few years,” said Hurst. Hurst says he is interested in the plight of native and immigrant rights. By highlighting what immigrants are facing, he believes he can…

Because of damage from Hurricane Helene, the Coffee Trojans’ home baseball field, Charles Wilson Field, remains unplayable for games. Until the damage is repaired (which should be by next week), home games will be played on Crider Field at George Cook Stadium on the campus of South Georgia State College. As such, for most of the Trojans, Wednesday afternoon’s home opener probably didn’t feel much like a home game. Unless your name was Jimmy Timothy. Coffee’s freshman second baseman’s father, Jeff Timothy, came to the SGSC campus 22 years ago as an assistant baseball coach. Now Jeff is the head…

The Coffee Trojans opened the 2025 season against the Ware County Gators in Waycross on Tuesday night. The Gators were not gracious hosts; they defeated the Trojans 8-3 courtesy of a solid offensive performance that saw them score runs in four of their six innings. The Trojans drew first blood and jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. Gavin McElroy reached base after being hit by a pitch. Connor Stewart followed with a double that moved McElroy to third. Jimmy Timothy, a freshman, hit a grounder to short that scored McElroy for his first high…

The South Georgia State College Hawks are 2-4 after the first week of the 2025 season. The Hawks have split with Santa Fe College and dropped three out of four to the NJCAA Division II national runner-up St. Johns River State College Vikings. The four-game series against the Vikings are the most recent games SGSC has played. Friday afternoon, the Hawks and Vikings squared off in a double header in Douglas. St. Johns River took both, winning game one 8-0 and game two 5-4. Sunday, SGSC traveled to Palatka, Fla., for two more against the Vikings. Game one went to…

An alleged shoplifting incident at Ollie’s turned into an illegal drug investigation after the suspect, identified as Michelle Drury, 41, of Douglas, was found to be in possession of suspected methamphetamine. According to the incident report from the Douglas Police Department, on January 11, 2025, just after 4 p.m., an officer responded to a shoplifting call at Ollie’s. When he arrived, he spoke with the Ollie’s regional asset protection manager, who had Drury in the office. The report states that Drury had allowed to individuals to leave the store with $570 in merchandise. According to the report, Drury scanned one…

At last week’s city commission meeting, commissioners voted to rezone just over 13 acres at 2002 Ocilla Road from General Commercial to M-1 Light Industrial. The property is formerly the site of Mid-South Trailers and, for the last six years, has been the site of a cargo trailer manufacturing facility. Despite opposition from nearby property owners, notably Louis and Ruby Harper, who own the property directly east of the cargo trailer plant, commissioners voted 4-1 to approve the request. The Harper family plans to appeal the decision. The city conducted the first reading of the rezoning request at the December…

Earlier this week, a Coffee County Grand Jury handed down a 66-count indictment against Chris Johnson, the former funeral director who stands accused of numerous felonies in connection with the discovery of 18 decomposing bodies in his funeral home, Johnson Funeral & Cremation Services, in October. Johnson was arrested and charged for 17 of the 18 bodies found. The 66 counts include four indictments in another case involving the operations of the funeral home, this one for allegedly changing the cause of death for an individual back in 2022. The reason for the alleged forgery was to obtain a greater…

Douglas police officers arrested Naja Boler, 46, of Douglas, on active warrants after they saw him standing under the carport of a residence on East College Park Drive on January 2, 2025. According to a report from the sheriff’s office, two officers noticed three people standing under the carport of the home while they were patrolling the area. The officers passed the home then came back and got out. They approached the suspect and asked him what his name was and he initially said “Chris Troupe.” Officers asked for his ID and, the report says, he quickly moved toward the…

I have always heard that if you read a poem or hear a song for the first time and you can guess the next line or verse based on word choice or rhyme scheme, it’s not a very good poem or song. So it did not bode well for me when, as I was watching the trailer for Phil Blattenberger’s Cold War thriller Laws of Man and the words “When Anyone’s a Target” popped up on the screen, I correctly stated that the next line would be “Everyone’s a Suspect.” Note: Minor spoilers will follow. I must confess that as…