🌱 Gov. Kemp Appoints New Commissioners + $10K Fine After Shooting

Hi all. I'm back with your new edition of the Douglasville Patch newsletter. Let's get this Saturday started off right with a quick dive into the most important things happening in town, including updates on:

• Governor Brian Kemp appoints a new county commissioner and commission chair
• A family faces steep fines after a deadly shooting
• A Douglasville man was fatally shot in Wisconsin

But first, today's weather:

A heavy t-storm in the p.m. High: 77 Low: 62.

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Here are the top five stories today in Douglasville:

1. Governor Brian Kemp has appointed a new commissioner and interim commission chair to the Douglas County Commission after he suspended former Commission Chair Dr. Romona Jackson and Commissioner Henry Mitchell last month. Retired Sheriff Phil Miller will temporarily take over as the commission chair and Navy veteran Ricky Dobbs has been named to the open commissioner position. The two former commissioners were suspended after being indicted for allegedly rigging a county contract for a campaign supporter. Miller and Dobbs will remain in office until the criminal cases are resolved, or until a special election can be held if the two former commissioners are convicted. (Fox 5 Atlanta)
2. A Douglasville family is facing steep fines after a deadly shooting at a Sweet 16 party on Mar. 4. Chrystal Walker-Cherry hosted the party for her daughter at a home she rents, but it ended in tragedy with two teenagers fatally shot and seven others wounded. Weeks after the shooting, she received a notice from her landlord that the neighborhood's HOA was giving "notice of a firearms violation and fines of $10,000." The notice said that the HOA prohibits the use of firearms, and home owners and tenants are responsible for their guests. However, Walker-Cherry asserts that the shooting suspects were not guests at her home and were not invited to the party. (11 Alive)
3. Police in Milwaukee, Wisconsin are investigating after a man from Douglasville was the victim of a fatal shooting. Investigators say he was shot while in a Dodge Charger, then continued driving for about a half mile before crashing into a traffic light. Police have only identified him as a 44-year-old from Douglasville. Investigators have not released any other details, including why the victim was in Milwaukee. (WSBTV)
4. A Douglas County man has been convicted on several charges relating to an incident that occurred on Dec. 21, 2021. Devario Cooper, 25, called the daughter he shares with his ex and was threatening to come to their home and damage their vehicles. Cooper's ex called the police who arrived at the scene and spoke to Cooper on his daughter's cell phone. Cooper continued to make threats and arrived at the scene shortly after brandishing a knife. Officers used a Taser to subdue Cooper, and on Thursday, he was convicted of aggravated stalking, terroristic threats, criminal damage to property, and obstruction of an officer. (WSBTV)
5. Douglas County Parks and Recreation announced that several parks will soon be getting new playgrounds! Updated play areas will be coming to Bill Arp Park, Fairplay Park, Deer Lick Park, and Woodrow Wilson Park. (Douglas County Parks and Recreation via Facebook)

Today in Douglasville:

• Kids To Parks Day At Hunter Memorial Park (10:00 AM)
• Yoga With Lisa At Alpaca Haven Farm (10:00 AM)
• MAES Farmer's Market At Robert S. Alexander High School (11:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• The Taste of Douglasville is happening today! Head into downtown from 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. to browse a showcase of the area's best restaurants and businesses. There will also be vendor booths, live performances, and a free children's play area. To learn more, click here. (Cultural Arts Council Douglasville / Douglas County via Facebook)
• As temperatures rise, the Douglasville Police Department has issued a reminder for drivers to look twice for motorcyclists. They also advise motorcyclists to make themselves as visible as possible. (Douglasville Police Department via Facebook)
• The Douglasville Cultural Arts Council has several upcoming Summer Art Classes. Options include sewing, acting, and a DIY bracelet bar workshop. To learn more or register for classes, click here. (Cultural Arts Council Douglasville / Douglas County via Facebook)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Saturday! I'll see you soon.

— Sean Peek

About me: Sean Peek is a writer and entrepreneur with a degree in English Literature from Weber State University. Over the years, he has worked as a copywriter, editor, SEO specialist, and marketing director for various digital media companies. He currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.