Author: Robert Preston

University of Georgia outfielder and former Coffee Trojan Keegan McGovern has made his way onto USA Baseball’s Golden Spikes Award midseason watch list. USA Baseball presents the Golden Spikes Award annually to the best amateur baseball player in the country. The list of past winners reads like a Who’s Who of Major League players. Two South Georgia natives – J.D. Drew and Buster Posey – have won the award. After a disappointing junior season, McGovern has ripped through Bulldogs’ opponents this year. He’s leading Georgia in just about every meaningful offensive category, including batting average (.344), home runs (12), and…

A line of severe thunderstorms has arrived in Southwest Georgia and are headed east toward Coffee County. Rain, winds approaching 60 mph, and a possibility of tornadoes are all components of this potentially dangerous system. Rain is expected to arrive in the Douglas area around 11 a.m. and continue through the afternoon. Coffee and Atkinson counties are currently under a significant weather advisory. According to WALB, tornado watches were in effect earlier this morning in the southwestern portion of the state, including Clay, Early, Miller, Randolph, and neighboring counties. Those watches expired at 8 a.m. The National Weather Service in…

At Monday morning’s regular county commission meeting, commissioners voted to approve a text amendment to the land development code specifically for Baymeadows subdivision. Commissioners unanimously approved an overlay exception for Baymeadows requiring a minimum of 1,400 square feet of heated floor space to build a home. According to Ray Parker, county code enforcement officer, there have been no minimum square footage requirements for homes at Baymeadows. County attorney Tony Rowell stated that in the early days of the subdivision, there were deed restrictions on each deed that stipulated a minimum of 1,400 square feet for homes. Those deed restrictions have…

C.J. Mizell, a former Coffee Trojan football star who also played at Washington State University and the University of Akron, has been arrested for the second time in less than six months. Trouble has followed the embattled former linebacker, who was expelled from Coffee High School in 2007 after assaulting then-head coach Jerry Odom. Mizell finished high school Leon County in Tallahassee, Fla,, where he was slated to play college football for the Florida State Seminoles. However, Mizell was unable to enroll at Florida State and ended up signing with Washington State. According to a story that appeared in the…

The Boy Scouts of America’s South Georgia Council named Coffee High School head football coach Robby Pruitt its Distinguished Citizen at its annual Distinguished Citizen Award Banquet Thursday night. Both Karl Zimmer, South Georgia Council Vice President, and Matt Hart, South Georgia Council Scout Executive/CEO, praised Coach Pruitt for instilling in his players the same values that scouting represents. Those values – hard work, determination, overcoming obstacles, perseverance, integrity, always giving your best – lead to success in all facets of life, whether it be scouting, football, education, or career. “Coach Pruitt constantly reminds the players that what you’re doing…

An auto accident at the intersection of Bowens Mill Road and Touchton Drive resulted in a rollover and traffic delays but, surprisingly, no injuries. The accident occurred a little after 9 a.m. when a vehicle came off Touchton Drive and clipped a silver Ford Ranger heading north on Bowens Mill Road. The collision sent the Ranger off the right side of the road where it went down into the ditch and came up a short but steep embankment. The Ranger went airborne for a short distance and, upon landing, rolled over on its roof. The driver of the Ranger, a…

Last night, Josh Peavy made his return to national television. He appeared on Showtime at the Apollo, hosted by Steve Harvey. Afterwards, Peavy appeared as a guest on The Steve Harvey Show. A year ago, in March 2017, FOX reached out to Peavy and asked him about singing onstage at the Apollo – a venue known for boo-happy audiences who have no problem letting a performer know if they are unhappy with him or her. Peavy flew to New York City in June of last year and sang at the Apollo. How did the crowd react? Watch this video and…

Former PGA touring pro Lyn Lott, 67, of Douglas, has passed away after complications following surgery on Oct. 25, 2017, at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta to remove a brain tumor. Doctors discovered the tumor on Oct. 23, 2017. Surgeons were able to remove nearly all of tumor; however, except for a few brief moments since the surgery, Lott had remained unconscious. A series of complications prevented Lott’s recovery and he passed quietly in the early morning hours of March 22, 2018. Lott attended the University of Georgia where he lettered four years in golf, was All SEC in…

Retail news isn’t very good these days. Sears. K-Mart. Toys R Us. And now Harveys. Southeastern Grocers, the parent company of Harveys, Winn-Dixie, BI-LO, and other grocery retailers, announced late last week that it has filed Chapter 11 cases as a part of a Restructuring Support Agreement in an effort to save the ailing company. As a result, 94 stores throughout the Southeast, including 19 in Georgia, will close. Most of the stores that will close are Harveys stores. Neither of the Harveys locations in Douglas are affected. However, several close to Coffee County will in fact close. Harveys stores…

A 69-year-old man was arrested and jailed on child cruelty charges after striking a 10-year-old victim in the face and spanking him with a wooden stick. Deputies responded to the area of First Avenue South around 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 14, in reference to a report of a child being hit in the face. Deputies observed red marks on the victim’s face and neck. The victim, along with other minors present at the location, told deputies the offender, identified as Wilbern Bremon Powell, had spanked the child with a wooden stick until it broke, before slapping him in the face.…