Author: Staff Reports

Thursday night, another candidate entered the 2024 sheriff’s race. Kenneth Merritt, a local business owner, has announced that he plans to run for sheriff. On Thursday night, Merritt released a lengthy statement via Facebook. Here is his announcement: “Today marks a new chapter in the journey of our community as I proudly announce my candidacy for Sheriff of Coffee County. I am a man who is committed to our safety and well-being as a community, and I have been for decades. It is with great honor and excitement that I introduce myself, a devoted family man,…

State Sen. Colton Moore (SD 53) has called for an emergency session of the state legislature to review the actions of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. Earlier this week, Willis, whose office had conducted a two-year investigation into alleged attempts of former President Donald Trump and his allies to change the outcome of the 2020 presidential election, announced the indictments of 18 individuals. Among those indicted were Trump, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Coffee County elections supervisor Misty Hampton, and former chair of the Coffee County Republican Party Cathy Latham. Sen. Moore sent a…

Today, ALDI and Fresco Retail Group LLC agreed to purchase Southeastern Grocers Inc. (SEG), the parent company of Fresco y Mas, Harveys Supermarkets, and Winn-Dixie. That transaction is going to have far-reaching effects in Douglas. Because of the purchase, ALDI, which had planned to build a store on the property directly south of Tractor Supply, will not be building in Douglas. The two Harveys, which had they remained under SEG, were transitioning to Winn-Dixie stores, will remain open. However, it remains unclear under which badge they will operate. They could remain Harveys, become Winn-Dixie stores as planned, or operate as…

Former Coffee County elections supervisor Misty Hampton and former chair of the Coffee County Republican Party Cathy Latham have been indicted in Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’s investigation into former President Donald Trump’s alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Additionally, Trump has also been indicted — his fourth indictment this year. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has reported that those who have been indicted, in addition to Trump, Hampton, and Latham, include a host of others. Among them are former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, one of Trump’s closest advisors; Mark Meadows, former White House Chief…

Kellah Smith, 12, a seventh grader at Coffee Middle School, just staked her claim as one of the best 12-year-old distance runners in the country. At the recent AAU Junior Olympic Games at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, Kellah finished on the podium in the 3000 meters (1.86 miles) and narrowly missed the podium in the 1500 meters (.93 miles or sometimes called the metric mile). Kellah turned in an 11:18.06 in the 3000 meters, fast enough for a fourth place finish in her age group. In the 1500 meters, she came in ninth with…

Officers from the Douglas Police Department have made an arrest in connection with a non-fatal shooting that took place on Monday, August 7, 2023. On Wednesday, August 9, 2023, officers arrested Shelton Burdette Johnson, 59, of Douglas, for allegedly shooting his brother, Sedrick Dion Johnson, on August 7. The shooting took place at 910 South Madison Avenue — directly behind the Dairy Queen. Officers arrived on scene and spoke with the victim, who advised that a family member had shot him. The victim sustained a gunshot wound to the abdomen. The victim was flown out for further treatment…

On Monday, July 24, officers responded to a residence in response to a 911 call about a possible domestic dispute. Upon arrival, the officer spoke with a witness who claimed they heard 21-year-old Pascual James Guerrero arguing with another individual about some missing money. According to the report, the witness stated that Guerrero then came out of his bedroom yelling and cussing about being accused of taking things that weren’t his. The witness stated that after Guerrero got in the individual’s face and threatened him, he went back to his room and she heard what she believed to…

Monday morning, county commissioners discussed a proposed solar panel ordinance that would protect the interests of citizens as well as those who wish to have a solar farm on their property. Coffee County’s neighbor to the north, Jeff Davis County, has had some trouble with solar farms — to the point that many citizens are upset with number of solar farms in the county, the damage to county roads that the construction has caused, and the sheer number of acres of farmland that solar panels now occupy. “Our solar ordinance was virtually non-existent. Our objective here…

Officers from the Douglas Police Department are investigating a shooting that took place on Monday, August 7, 2023, in which one family member allegedly shot another family member. According to a press release from the police department, the shooting took place at 910 South Madison Avenue — directly behind the Dairy Queen. Officers arrived on scene and spoke with the victim, who advised that a family member had shot him. The victim sustained a gunshot wound to the abdomen. The victim was flown out for further treatment due to his injuries and is in ICU in critical condition. The…

Antonio DeJesus Andrade, 25, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault after an alleged fight that occurred around 10 p.m. on July 24. According to a report from the sheriff’s office, the alleged incident took place at Bear Creek Mobile Home Park. The officers arrived, they spoke to three individuals, one of whom was the victim. He had a large cut on his head and a visible injury on one of his arms. The victim reported that he went to a friend’s home in the park to pick him up. While he was there, Andrade came out of…