Apparently Christmas in July is a real thing; it’s time to start thinking about Christmas even though it’s the middle of the summer. The Douglas-Coffee County Chamber of Commerce is hosting a contest to choose the theme for the 62nd Annual Festival of Lights Christmas Parade in downtown Douglas. The parade takes place on Friday, December 11, at 7 p.m. The contest is open to all children ages 12 and under. The deadline for submissions is August 14. If your theme is chosen, there is neat gift that goes along with it. You can find more information at the Visit…
Author: Staff Reports
A 35-year-old woman was arrested and hit with multiple charges after she allegedly slipped out of her handcuffs and accessed the front seat of a Broxton Police Department patrol vehicle because she was trying to get her phone. The Broxton Police Department issued a press release on its Facebook page describing the alleged incident. According to BPD, on the evening of July 2, 2026, a BPD officer made a traffic stop for failure to maintain lane. The driver, identified as Erin Christine Newell, 35, of Douglas, was allegedly intoxicated and arrested for driving under the influence. While Newell was handcuffed…
A deputy stopped a vehicle in the early morning hours of July 4, 2026, on West Green Road and found a small amount of marijuana and a handgun in the vehicle. The driver, identified as Eric Jaron Parker, 36, of Jacksonville, Fla., was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The report says that at 1:15 a.m. on July 4, a deputy saw a Nissan SUV with a Florida license plate in front of him. The report also states that the deputy could smell marijuana coming from the vehicle. The officer stopped the Nissan on…
A welfare check on July 4, 2026, turned into an arrest on family violence and other charges, according to a sheriff’s office report. The report states that a deputy responded to a welfare check on Miller Road. In the background of the 911 call, dispatchers could hear arguing. When the deputy arrived, a male and a female were coming out of the back door of the residence arguing. The female stated that the argument had started the day before and involved throwing pictures and a PS5. The male, identified as Montayvious Daniel, 28, admitted to throwing the PS5 and putting…
Earlier this year, when the Coffee Trojan football schedule was released, fans and school system employees noticed a peculiarity with this year’s football season: Homecoming was scheduled for the September 4 game against Zephyr Hills Christian Academy (Florida). The peculiarity? That is the Labor Day holiday weekend, an unusual – and, as it turned out, controversial – choice for Homecoming. Despite several pleas to change the date, Homecoming remained on Labor Day. Last week, a petition was posted on change.org seeking enough signatures to change the Homecoming date. Friday morning, DouglasNow reached out to the school system asking for a…
Most people celebrate freedom and liberty on July 4. This year, however, a 21-year-old lost his freedom when he was arrested for his alleged involvement in one burglary and another attempted burglary at two local businesses. A Douglas Police Department report states that an attempted burglary was reported around 12:40 a.m. on July 4 at The Smoke Shop on South Peterson Avenue. The owner stated that he was watching the cameras and could hear someone attempting to break down the door at the rear of the building. Several officers responded to the area. When they arrived, they did not see…
This week, local agencies will be participating in Operation Southern Slow Down, a regional traffic safety campaign focused on reducing speed-related crashes and making Georgia’s roadways safer for all motorists. Georgia isn’t the only state participating in the operation. Officers in Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, and Tennessee will also be taking part in the traffic enforcement initiative. During the week, officers will conduct increased traffic enforcement with a focus on speeding and other dangerous driving behaviors. Last year’s operation ended with nearly 53,000 citations and warnings for speeding, 2,230 for reckless driving, and over 3,000 for violating distracted driving laws.…
A 31-year-old was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of an accident and obstruction after he allegedly abandoned his vehicle on Highway 158 West when he ran off the road and got stuck. According to a report from the sheriff’s office, on June 20, 2026, a deputy responded to an accident call on Highway 158 West at mile marker 8. When the officer arrived, he found a white Ford pickup on the side of the road. The truck was abandoned, the passenger’s side window was down, and the hazard lights were on. The report says the truck was stuck…
The GBI has arrested and charged John David Anderson, age 50, of Fitzgerald, with Child Molestation, Enticing a Child for Indecent Purposes, and Grooming of a Minor. On Thursday, June 25, 2026, the Cordele Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office requested the GBI to investigate allegations regarding an adult having inappropriate contact with a minor. On July 10, 2026, search warrants were executed at Anderson’s home and business office. Anderson owns CAAA Security, a private security company that had clients throughout South Georgia, including several in Coffee County. Many of CAA’s clients were schools. As a result of the investigation, Anderson…
The GRPA Class B state swim meet in Moultrie has been a record-setting meet for the Douglas Stingrays. Douglas swimmers have set three new state records in Moultrie, one of which has stood for 12 years. The mixed 15-18 200-yard medley relay team, consisting of Caleb Gooden, Patrick Lenzo, Leighton Leavens, and Arabelle Roberts, posted a time of 1:47.24, beating the old record of 1:47.72. The same relay team also set a state record in the 200-yard freestyle with a 1:36.57, beating the old record — which they set last year — of 1:37.28. Caleb also broke the state 50-yard…