Author: Robert Preston

Last week, the first individuals from Coffee County successfully completed mental health court. Paul Cook and Curtis McCrae graduated from the local mental health court program in a ceremony held at the Coffee County Courthouse with Superior Court Judge Dwayne Gillis presiding. A third person, Matthew Cauley, graduated from drug court. Mental health court began several years ago as an alternative to incarceration. The program is a minimum of 18 months and can last no longer than the sentence of the potential crime for which an offender has been placed in the program. The court is an effort to bring…

Actually, several people had bad days as a result of this two-car accident on West Ward Street today. Details are a little sketchy, but according to individuals on the scene, the vehicle in the foreground allegedly struck the other vehicle from behind as it was turning into one of the doctors’ buildings that front that section of West Ward. Both vehicles were headed east. The impact knocked the first vehicle across the road and on its side, where it stopped against a tree. The second vehicle also rolled on its side in the middle of West Ward. There were complaints…

For the first time in the history of Coffee High Homecoming, the CHS student body named three Homecoming princesses instead of the customary two. Along with the queen, that gives the school a total of four winners from the pool of Homecoming court nominees. The Homecoming princesses are Donna Leigh Harper, Mariah Hutchison, and London LaCoste. The 2016 Homecoming queen is Tiffany White. The winners were named last night during halftime of the Trojans’ game against the Warner Robins Demons. Coffee won the contest 56-22. The annual Homecoming dance takes place tonight at the Coffee High School gym.

Warner Robins may be the center of aviation in Georgia but last night, it was Coffee quarterback Max Hughes who ruled the air. Hughes threw three touchdown passes, ran for another touchdown, and used long throws to set up two more scores in the Trojans’ 56-22 victory over the Demons on Homecoming. The Jefferson twins accounted for four interceptions (three by Jarquavious, one by Marquavious) and Demetrius Davis and Tywone Brewton each had a pair of rushing touchdowns as well. Last week against Tift County, the Trojans played one of their worst games of the year. Friday, it almost looked…

The possibility of a retail business moving to the property upon which the old high school and the board of education central office sits took one step closer to becoming a reality Monday night when the city commission approved a recommendation from the planning commission to rezone the property from Residential Professional to Commercial General. The tract is nearly 26 acres and is considered to be one of the most valuable pieces of property in the county. The property is being marketed for retail and there is not a specific business ready to purchase the tract. City attorney Jerome Adams…

A Monday night fire at an apartment complex in Douglas displaced nine individuals and caused extensive damage. Thankfully, authorities reported no injuries. The fire broke out in an upstairs unit at East Woods Apartments on North McDonald Avenue, nearly directly across the street from Eastside Elementary School. Authorities believe the fire began in the kitchen. Douglas firefighters responded to the blaze between 10:30 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. Monday. Their quick response kept the fire from spreading throughout the building. People in the other three apartments in the building were evacuated due to smoke. All told, the American Red Cross helped…

Here are the remarks made by Chamber of Commerce president Andrea Taylor at Monday’s monthly luncheon. Unfortunately, my technology cut off right as Carol Williford, Director of the Child Advocacy Center, came to the podium. She shared some great information with the audience regarding the Child Advocacy Center. Maybe we need to do a follow up with the center to further discuss what she talked about. In fact, that sounds like a great idea. At any rate, here’s is just over five minutes of Taylor’s comments. Robert Preston Jr./DouglasNow.com

Big changes are coming to the Douglas-Coffee County Humane Society. Beginning Jan. 1, 2017, the Humane Society will transition from sheltering animals at the Iron Road facility in Douglas to housing animals in a home-based fostering setting. At that time, the Humane Society will become a no-kill organization. Under the current arrangement, the City of Douglas owns the shelter on Iron Road. The local Humane Society contracts with the city’s animal control department to operate the shelter. It’s important to note that the Humane Society and animal control are not the same organization or agency. The Humane Society is transitioning…

At last Thursday’s meeting of the Douglas Rotary Club, the club presented a check for $1,500 to Camp 151 in memory of long-time Rotarian Earl Brice. Members of Mr. Brice’s family were at the meeting to accept the check. Chris Calhoun, Mr. Brice’s son-in-law, heads Camp 151, which is a Christian organization that conducts building projects for needy families in Coffee County. At the camps, which last a week, youth from Coffee and surrounding areas, repair and renovate homes throughout the community. The camps provide opportunities for youth to strengthen their relationship with Christ while showing others His love through…

It may be more frustrating to lose a game that you had a legitimate chance to win than it is to simply get blown out. The Coffee Trojans had one of those games Friday night against the Region 1-7A Tift County Blue Devils. Tift and Coffee squared off for the first time in three years at Jardine Stadium, and the Blue Devils left town with a 31-20 win. The Trojans never led at all in the game but they definitely had their chances. Turnovers and penalties stalled any progress Coffee made and kept the Trojans on their heels all night.…