Author: Robert Preston

Monday night’s Douglas City Commission meeting featured the normal smattering of relatively boring business items – and one not-so-boring exchange at the end of the meeting between commissioner Olivia Pearson and Bob Moore. Among the items commissioners approved were the design phase of t-hangars at the airport (Michael Baker International, $44,730), the first reading of a proposal to annex Satilla Industrial Park into the city, the filing of the 2016 CHIP application in the amount of $306,000, a bid from East Coast Asphalt to resurface portions of 20 streets inside the city ($365,440.29; the county will contribute $45,733.33 of those…

It took Tyreek Hill a little longer than expected but he finally had his breakout game as an NFL rookie. In yesterday’s Week 12 matchup between Hill’s Kansas City Chiefs and the defending Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos, Hill scored three touchdowns (one receiving, one rushing, and one kick return), including the game-tying score in the fourth quarter. The Chiefs won in overtime 30-27 to improve to 8-3 on the season. Hill has already had a solid year. He’s showcased his tremendous speed – Hill has got to be the fastest man in the NFL – and versatility as an…

Friday night’s quarterfinal playoff game between the Coffee Trojans and the Dalton High Catamounts, played in the North Georgia mountains on Dalton’s home field, came down to two sets of numbers: 23 and two. At one point, the Coffee trailed Dalton by 23 with just over one quarter left to play. The Trojans rallied to get within two points only to see their dream of a re-match with the Valdosta High Wildcats in the semifinals slip away when the Catamounts intercepted a pass with just a few seconds left in the game when Coffee was getting close to field goal…

The last two years, the second round of the playoffs has been the Coffee Trojans’ Achilles heel. After posting 9-1 regular season records both seasons, the Trojans won their first round game only to lose in the next round. Each year, they ended the season with 10-2 marks. In 2016, Coffee, playing in a new classification and region, posted a 5-5 regular season record with only one region win. In spite having a more road to the playoffs, the Trojans stand at 7-5 and are headed to the quarterfinals – territory they’ve only been in three previous times in the…

Tuesday night’s gathering of the Childhood Cancer Awareness Group of Coffee County at the courthouse was equal parts a celebration of life and a somber remembrance service. The group hosted its third annual Christmas tree lighting service at 6:30; however, the purpose of the event was much more than to simply light a tree. Shep Johnson, pastor of First Baptist Church, addressed the crowd first and referenced the story found in Mark 2 and Luke 5 of the paralytic whose friends lowered him through a roof to see Jesus for healing. Using this story as an illustration, Pastor Johnson admonished…

Get in the holiday spirit this weekend with the Community Thanksgiving Spectacular in downtown Douglas. The first-ever event is the vision of Mayor Tony Paulk, and he would like to invite everyone to the Martin Centre at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19. The spectacular will feature music, inspirational messages, and lots of fellowship. Around dark, the event will move around the corner to Atkinson Plaza, where the brand new community Christmas tree will be formally lighted. There is a cost to attend the event — $10 at the door or bring a new, unopened gift of a similar amount.…

When the Coffee Trojans fell behind 17-7 to the Heritage High Patriots in Conyers last night in the first round of the state playoffs, my first thought was, the we-don’t-play-well-when-we’re-out-of-school curse has reared its ugly head again. The Trojans missed a field goal and fumbled a punt, both of which helped the Patriots build a decent lead with just over six minutes to go in the second quarter. Coffee was struggling and didn’t seem to have it together. Then something clicked. Down by 10, the Trojan offense woke up. Coffee took advantage of a mishandled snap on a Heritage punt…

A couple of things are certain. Death. Taxes. And a one-term sheriff in Coffee County getting re-elected. Tuesday night, voters decided to give Sheriff Doyle Wooten, who is finishing his first four years as the county’s highest constitutional officer, another term in office. Voters in the city of Douglas also approved both local Sunday alcohol sales referendums (albeit by slim margins). Likewise, Brandon Musgrove is the new coroner and incumbent tax commissioner Shanda Henderson won her seat rather handily. Sheriff Wooten (D) faced stiff competition from challenger Rex Harper (R), who despite his relative youth has over two decades of…

The Coffee Trojans will live to fight another day despite losing 31-20 tonight to the Lee County Trojans – Coffee’s third consecutive loss. The defeat leaves Coffee with a 5-5 overall record (1-3 in region play) for the 2016 season. Coming into the final game of the regular season, Coffee could have finished anywhere from second in the region to dead last, depending on what happened against Lee County in Douglas and up in Warner Robins between Valdosta High and Houston County. To get the second seed, Coffee needed to beat Lee and hold that particular set of Trojans to…

The Coffee Trojans dropped to 5-4 on the season and 1-2 in the region after suffering a 15-10 defeat at the claws of the Valdosta High Wildcats last night at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium in Valdosta. The game featured a father-son showdown for the first time in their careers; Tucker Pruitt, son of Coffee High head coach Robby Pruitt, is Valdosta’s offensive coordinator. And right now, the younger Pruitt holds the advantage. As good as Valdosta’s offense is, however, it was the ‘Cats’ defense that ruled the day. Valdosta held the Trojans scoreless in the first half and allowed -1 yard rushing.…