Author: Robert Preston

Saturday night, authorities discovered what they believe to be the body of Ruben Barboza, 20, in the creek that runs behind Hebron Baptist Church. A statement posted on the Coffee County Ga. Police Scanner Facebook page from Sheriff Doyle Wooten describes what led investigators to the body. Barboza had been reported missing from Atkinson County on Friday. A Coffee County deputy on patrol in the area noticed vehicle parts on the roadway and damage to the bridge that spans the creek. He stopped for further investigation and saw the body floating in the water. A vehicle that matched the description…

Once again, the story of Saturday night’s Coffee Trojan football game was senior linebacker/running back Jameon Gaskin. Known primarily as an elite defensive player, Gaskin has dominated on the offensive side of the ball in the young 2017 season. Against the Brunswick High Pirates, Gaskin led the Trojans to a 30-13 win with 173 yards on 26 carries. He scored three more touchdowns to bring his total on the year to six. The game took place on Saturday evening after a late-afternoon thunderstorm postponed the contest Friday. Brunswick had to go back to the coast then return again less than…

For the third time this year, the city has experienced a wastewater spill at the water treatment plant. Thursday afternoon, the city released a statement announcing the spill. It’s the largest spill this year (but not the largest the city has experienced). This spill involved 720,000 gallons and occurred at 6 p.m. on Aug. 23. The largest such spill took place in early 2015 when 4.4 million gallons flowed in the Seventeen Mile River. The city’s statement reads as follows: “The City of Douglas Wastewater Collections System experienced a major spill of wastewater, which occurred directly into the Seventeen Mile…

Back in April, Rue 21 released a statement announcing the closing of 12 of its stores in Georgia. You can add one more to that list. The Douglas Rue 21 is closing its doors. There is a large banner over the front entrance of the store announcing the bad news. This latest development is but one of many such closings that signal a tremendous shift in retail in the United States. Almost weekly, news hits of another retail giant shuttering its brick and mortar locations. Most notably, K-Mart announced that its Douglas store was closing as well. As more and…

The last few weeks, nearly all of the talk around the Coffee Trojans football team has been about the running back position. That was the area that was of most concern heading into the season opener tonight against Effingham County at the Erk Russell Classic in Statesboro. The perceived running back woes have been solved. Jameon Gaskin, one of the state’s best linebackers, has shown that could also be one of the best ball carriers as well. A career defensive player, Gaskin has been called into duty on the offensive side of the ball this year. Those same great football instincts that made him an elite-level linebacker…

A new policy for Coffee High School students, approved and passed by the board of education two months ago, gives the school system permission to randomly drug test all students who drive to campus and those who play sports. The policy outlines detailed procedures for the testing and the consequences for failed tests. A synopsis of those guidelines can be found below, along with a link to the policy on the school system’s Web site. Coffee High administration includes consent to test forms in athletic registration packets for student-athletes and in the parking permission registration information for student drivers. According…

A shoplifting call Thursday night at the Douglas Wal-Mart escalated into a high speed chase that spanned two counties and five different agencies. The call came from Wal-Mart that a suspect, identified as Devon Michael Boyd, 19 of Florida, had allegedly taken items from the store. Douglas police tried to apprehend Boyd but he had other plans. Driving a black Ford pick-up, Boyd fled the scene. Once the chase entered the county, deputies took over. Troopers from the Georgia State Patrol picked up the chase at the Jeff Davis County line. Boyd was headed for Hazlehurst when troopers performed a…

Embattled city commissioner Olivia Pearson is set to stand trial again on charges of felony voter fraud in October. Pearson was tried in March on the same charges; however, Superior Court Judge Andy Spivey declared a mistrial after jurors could not reach a verdict. The jury deadlocked at 11-1. Pearson’s second trial has been continued twice since March. Her trial, which was on the June and August calendars, has been continued twice. Since the first trial, Pearson has a new legal team. The continuances have been granted to allow her new counsel to familiarize themselves with the case. Commissioner Pearson’s…

Quarterback Wade Sumner and running back Marquavious Jefferson each scored touchdowns in the Coffee Trojans’ preseason scrimmage Thursday night against the Colquitt County Packers in Moultrie. The Trojans also saw something they haven’t seen in quite a while – a field goal in excess of 30 yards – courtesy of Pancho Rivas’s leg in the third quarter. Despite the bright spots, the Trojans fell to the Packers 42-17 on a hot, muggy night in Moultrie. The Packers, who have won two of the last three state titles in Georgia’s highest classification, scored early and often against Coffee. Colquitt found the…

Monday morning, Superior Court Judge Andy Spivey issued a bench warrant for the arrest of George Darryl Harper after Harper failed to show up for a bond revocation hearing. Harper was arrested in February 2016 after officers discovered 325 pounds of marijuana near his residence. He had been charged with trafficking and manufacturing marijuana. Following his arrest, Harper had been released on $100,000 bond. According to the district attorney’s office, Harper’s revocation hearing was taking place for non-compliance, although officials didn’t say exactly how he wasn’t complying. Harper didn’t show up in court Monday and further investigation revealed that he…