Author: Staff Reports

Wyatt Miller isn’t giving up on his NFL dream just yet. On Dec. 15, the San Francisco 49ers announced that Miller has signed with their practice squad. Miller (6-5, 302) originally entered the NFL after signing with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent on May 10, 2019. He has spent time with the Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks, and Kansas City Chiefs. He was on Dallas’s active roster for the final game of the 2019-2020 season but did not play.

Douglas City Commissioner Olivia Pearson is one of six individuals The Anti-Defamation League will recognize for their extraordinary courage and compassion when confronted with bigotry and hate as part of the 27th annual ADL In Concert Against Hate. Commissioner Pearson is the only Georgia resident to receive this recognition and will be presented with the ADL Kay Family Award. Here is here bio according to the ADL press release: Olivia Coley-Pearson of Douglas, a small town in Coffee County, GA, has for decades led the fight there for voter rights. She was criminally charged with voter fraud in 2012 for legally helping one Black voter cast a ballot,…

Harvey Gainey, a well-known humanitarian, businessman, and Nicholls native, has passed away. He was 79. Harvey went to be with his Heavenly Father on Sunday November 28, 2021. He was born in Nicholls, Georgia to the late Lloyd and Rita Gainey. Harvey will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 59 years Annie Ereveene Gainey, daughter Angela (Brent) Jordan, son Buddy (Michelle) Gainey, grandchildren Devon (Ashley) Gainey, Chelsey (Tyler) Chambers, Mason (Meredith) Gainey, Haley (Cody) Herbruck, Cayman Gainey, Spencer Jordan, Quincy (fiance Tyler Baker) Gainey, great grandchildren, Declan, Ashton, Kipton Gainey, Harvey Newton Gainey IV, Kinsley and Emery Chambers.…

Misdemeanor charges against one defendant in the Vann Brown death case have been dropped, according to documents obtained from the Coffee County Courthouse. On Nov. 17, 2021, the reckless conduct charge against Jay Turk was dropped. The reason stated was “prosecutorial discretion. Insufficient evidence to prosecute beyond a reasonable doubt,” according to documents. Turk was one of eight individuals indicted by a Coffee County Grand Jury on Aug. 19, 2020 in connection with Brown’s death, which happened as a result of an altercation that took place at a wedding reception in Ambrose on Jan. 1, 2020. Three…

For the first time in program history, the South Georgia College Lady Hawks soccer team won the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Conference championship, defeating Gordon State College on penalty kicks at SGSC’s home pitch in Douglas. The match took place on Saturday, October 30. The journey for the championship began on August 8 when they began their play during fall semester. After finishing the regular season 10-1-1, the Lady Hawks secured their second consecutive regular season championship and the #1 overall seed in the conference tournament. For the semifinal match, SGSC hosted Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College on October 27, 2021. …

Oregon’s two U.S. Senators, Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, have announced that seven Oregonians, one of whom is a former Douglas resident and Citizens Christian Academy graduate, will be interviewed by the selection committee assembled by the senators to be the next U.S. Attorney for Oregon. Vamshi Reddy, formerly of Douglas, is one of the seven candidates under consideration by the selection committee. The other candidates are as follows in alphabetical order: Craig Gabriel, John Hummel, Joseph Huynh, Vivek Kothari, Rachel Sowray, and Natalie Wight. Reddy graduated from Citizens Christian Academy in 1992. She was the valedictorian of her…

Jury selection in the Larue Sheffield trial has begun. Sheffield is accused of the murder of his wife, Edith Sheffield, who was killed in a house fire that took place on Jan. 18, 2013. Edith Sheffield’s body was found in the home the following day during the investigation of the fire. Officers determined that Edith had been shot with a shotgun before the fire erupted. Attorneys will spend today selecting a jury. After a jury is seated, opening arguments will begin. The trial is expected to take two to three days. Sheffield’s defense team filed a motion requesting…

For the first time in Martin Centre history, mixed martial arts fighters took to the cage inside the theater when Combat Night rolled into town. Featuring bouts for two vacant titles as well as four local fighters on the card, MMA fans were treated to an exciting card filled with talented fighters. The locals went 2-2 in their bouts. Organizers plan to bring another event to the Martin Centre in early 2022. Here are the results from Saturday night’s card: Main Event Angel Mercado vs Will Banks (Mercado wins by unanimous decision) Co Main Event Cam Graham…

According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, two additional individuals have been charged in the shooting death of Alamo police officer Dylan Harrison. Officer Harrison was shot and killed in Alamo early Saturday morning. Damien Ferguson has been charged with murder in connection with the incident. He has also been hit with additional charges, the GBI stated. On Tuesday, October 12, 2021, Charlotte Ferguson, age 45, of Alamo, GA, was arrested and charged with Hindering the Apprehension or Punishment of a Criminal. Charlotte Ferguson is the sister of Damien Anthony Ferguson, who also goes by Luke Ferguson. On…

Andre Larron Benjamin, 19, has been charged with felony murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime in connection with the shooting death of Joshua Lashawn Brown, 21. Brown was killed on July 15, 2021, at Georgian Woods Apartments on McNeil Drive. The investigation has been ongoing since the shooting. With the assistance of the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, the GBI, Georgia State Patrol, and other agencies, officers were able to charge Benjamin with the crime. Evidence in this case indicates that there are additional offenders and more charges are expected. Anyone with any…