Author: Robert Preston

The 2017 legislative session has begun and State Rep. Dominic LaRiccia (R-169) has announced his committee appointments. LaRiccia will serve as Deputy Majority Caucus Whip. He will also serve on the House Appropriations Transportation Sub-Committee; the Education Committee; Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee; Game, Fish, and Parks Committee; and Special Rules Committee. LaRiccia made the announcement on his Facebook page, after which he wrote the following: “I look forward to taking on more responsibility as we continue to keep Georgia the number one state in the nation to do business. I would also like to make sure Georgia is the…

On Tuesday, Jan. 10, a Coffee County school bus was involved in a one vehicle accident during its morning route near Ambrose. There were two students on the bus at the time of the accident. Neither of the students had any visible injuries; however, one did go to the emergency room after school. The Coffee County School System released the following statement Wednesday morning regarding the accident: “A veteran driver for the district had just dropped off students at Ambrose Elementary and picked up two students for the middle school and G.W. Carver Freshman Campus. While traveling on Earl Day…

It’s happened again. Just a few days after a bomb threat was reported at Pilgrim’s Pride in Douglas, the plant received another bomb threat – this one more ominous than the first one. Friday, the initial bomb threat referenced an explosive in a car in the parking lot. Monday, the threat involved a bomb in the plant and firearms. Police and firemen had McNeal Drive blocked from 441 North to North Gaskin Avenue, causing traffic problems in that heavily-traveled area. As of 3:30 p.m. Monday, officers were still searching the grounds. All this is happening while police are still investigating…

Friday night, four individuals led troopers from the Georgia State Patrol on a high speed chase, according to the Coffee County Georgia Police Scanner Facebook page. The pursuit began on 441 South. From there, it went to Rebecca Waldron Road and Waldron Road before ending with four arrests on Greenfield Circle in the Green Acres community. Officers led the individuals away in handcuffs. There were two males and two females. Their identities, however, have not been released. Neither have any charges. Officers from the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department and the HEAT Unit assisted in the chase. The investigation is ongoing.…

A Friday morning bomb threat at Pilgrim’s Pride turned out be – as usual – a false alarm. Authorities responded to Pilgrim’s Pride about 9:30 a.m. Friday after someone called in and reported a bomb on the premises. Supposedly, the bomb was in a car in the parking lot not inside the plant itself. Police and fire arrived on the scene and searched the McNeal Drive facility. Scent dogs combed the area and didn’t find anything. It wasn’t long before things returned to normal at the plant. However, an auto accident about 10 a.m. on North Madison Avenue – not…

The 2017 county officials have been sworn in and are, hopefully, ready to go to work. Last week, those individuals took their oaths of office at the Coffee County Courthouse. Following remarks from retired Probate Judge Sylvia Stone, Superior Court Judge Dwayne Gillis administered the oaths to Beverly Johns, Probate Judge; Bob Preston, State Court Judge; Julie Phillips, Magistrate Judge; D.W. Burkhalter, Assistant Magistrate Judge; and Kema Fussell, Assistant Magistrate Judge. Probate Judge Johns then administered the oaths to the following individuals: Doyle Wooten, Sheriff; Jimmy Kitchens, County Commission #2; Johnny Wayne Jowers, County Commission #4; Scooter Bill Dean, County…

It’s hard to put into words exactly what the 2016-2017 football season has meant for rookie wide receiver/return specialist Tyreek Hill and the Kansas City Chiefs. Both have had banner years. Both have exceeded expectations. And neither are done just yet. Kansas City seems like a million miles away from us here in Douglas. I dare say that prior to this year, you couldn’t find a Chiefs fan in Coffee County. But this season, I’d wager that most of the local NFL fans will be paying close attention to what the Chiefs do in the coming playoffs. Sunday, the Chiefs…

When I began considering the most significant stories of the year for 2016, a number of criteria bounced through my brain. I know what I think is the biggest story of the year. I have a pretty good idea what the biggest story of the year was in terms of Facebook discussion. There is, however, another way to determine the biggest story of the year. It’s pretty cut and dried with little room for debate. This is the Internet age and, with the click of a button, we can generate all kinds of data regarding our content. The easiest and…

At the 2017 Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 17, 2017, Douglas resident Maureen “Moe” Tucker will receive one of the Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Awards. Tucker, a drummer with the iconic punk band Velvet Underground, will join her surviving bandmates onstage to accept the award. If you’re not familiar with Velvet Underground, it’s hard to put into words just how influential the band has been. Though the Underground enjoyed limited financial success, the band in general, and Tucker’s drumming in particular, has influenced scores of musicians across every genre since the 1960s. The band’s debut album, The Velvet Underground and…

When Cady Ray was a little girl, she would play dress up with her sister’s Homecoming crown. She would crown her friends as queen and she would put it on herself. Now, in what Cady herself calls a very surreal moment, she has her own crown. On Friday, Dec. 9, Cady was crowned Homecoming queen at Citizens Christian Academy – 20 years to the day that her sister, Mandy Ray, received the same honor. Cady, the daughter of Juran and Suzanne Ray, is a senior at CCA where she is involved in a number of activities. Among them are president…