Author: Robert Preston

Friday night, my family and I attended A Night to Shine with my 14-year-old son, Montgomery. I was unsure of what to expect. I had no idea what the event would entail. I had my reservations about going, as did the rest of my family. Even Montgomery himself didn’t really want to go. “I want to stay at home,” he said every time we asked him about going. “Force” isn’t really the right word to use but we, ah, strongly encouraged him to attend. After all, events like this will only succeed if people participate. I remained uneasy all week.…

Earlier today, Dalton Wilkes, a junior at Citizens Christian Academy, scored his 1000th career point. Wilkes reached the milestone during the Patriots’ regular season finale against CAN Academy of Savannah. The Patriots routed CAN 82-46 to finish out the regular season play. Wilkes is the son of John and Brandy Wilkes of Douglas.Dalton Wilkes scores his 1000th point on an easy lay-up in the final game of the regular season this afternoon in Douglas. Suzanne Ray/Special to DouglasNow.com

According to a story posted on the Waycross and Ware County, Georgia Facebook page that apparently also ran in the Waycross Journal-Herald, Circle K has purchased Flash Foods and will locate its new South Atlantic Division in Waycross. The headquarters will be at the Phoenix Hotel in downtown Waycross and will be a part of a revitalization project for the downtown Waycross area. Circle K is one of the largest convenience store chains in the country. Flash Foods, long a South Georgia fixture, began in the 1950s and has grown steadily under the leadership of the J. Carl Jones family.…

Earlier today, a body was discovered in the woods in the Green Acres community. Authorities responded and immediately launched an investigation. According to Sheriff Doyle Wooten, the area is where deputies have been searching for Shawn Brooker, a Coffee County resident who has been missing for several weeks. Sheriff Wooten, however, wouldn’t say whether or not the body found Monday was Brooker. “The body of the deceased male has been sent to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s crime lab for an autopsy to determine a positive identity,” stated Sheriff Wooten in a press release. Brooker has been missing since Jan.…

The individual who was killed Tuesday morning in a collision with a train in Coffee County has been identified as Alana Lyons, 17, of Atkinson County. Law enforcement has not released any details of the accident. However, Lyons was killed when a train struck the car she was driving at the Wendell Sears Road railroad tracks. Wendell Sears Road is a heavily traveled two-lane road that connects Highway 32 East and Highway 158 East. Lyons was a junior at Atkinson County High School and a joint enrollment student at South Georgia State College’s Douglas campus. Tuesday afternoon, the Atkinson County…

Douglas City Commissioner Olivia Pearson was supposed to finally go to trial this week on felony voter fraud charges. The trial, however, has been continued yet again. The earliest possible date for her to go to court now moves to March. Pearson has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Pearson faces two counts of improper assistance in casting a ballot and two counts of false swearing after being indicted by a Coffee County grand jury last year. She was jailed on May 31, 2016, but was quickly released on a preset bond. The charges stem from her alleged role in…

Brandon Levi Williams is set to face trial this week for the February 2016 murder of Kavozia Walker. After the killing, Williams fled the state and was eventually arrested in Hollywood, Florida, in April of 2016. Officers from the Douglas Police Department responded to 120 McNeal Drive in Douglas on Feb. 19, 2016 to investigate the shooting death of Kavozia Walker, who suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the neck. The subsequent investigation found the individual responsible for the death was then-30-year-old Brandon Levi Williams. Investigators from the Douglas Police Department obtained warrants for the arrest of Williams on charges…

Adam Smith, who holds the position of Chair of Job Development, presented an award of special recognition to a leader in the community. This year’s award went to Douglas National Bank’s Stuart Smith. Adam explained that the recognition comes from a valiant effort to “make jobs happen in Coffee County.” Stuart could not attend the event this year. Former Chamber of Commerce Chairman Michael Lott accepted the award on Stuart’s behalf. – Stephens Preston contributed to this report

Gabby Munoz is the Chamber of Commerce’s Ambassador of the Year. She received the award at the annual Chamber of Commerce banquet Thursday night. Munoz thanked the Chamber of Commerce as well as the ambassador program as she “strongly believes in the vision of the Chamber.” Munoz added, “Be proud of where you live and where you come from.” The Chamber thanked Gabby for her continued support and attendance to many ribbon cuttings and events in the past years. – Stephens Preston contributed to this report

Elixir Extrusions is the Industry of the Year, named as such by the Chamber of Commerce at Thursday night’s annual Chamber banquet. Elixir Extrusions came to Douglas over 30 years ago and recently expanded, purchasing an existing 72,000 square foot building in the Southwest Industrial Park. Initially with just a handful of employees, Elixir Extrusions now employs over 200. Elixir Extrusions continues to supply the metal framework for the Elixir Door & Metals plant on Pope Drive. They also continue to produce aluminum extrusions for the Club Car Precedent golf vehicles, utility and four wheel-drive vehicles, medical equipment, the food…