AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Augusta commissioners this week took a first step toward potentially bringing paid parking downtown, approving the hiring of a parking management firm to study the idea.

It is not the first time the city has considered a paid parking plan.

In 2015, the idea drew opposition from downtown business owners, and commissioners backed off, according to prior reporting.

In 2019, prior reporting showed a private company proposed a system with $1.375 million in costs and $1.3 million in projected revenue. That raised concerns that if parking did not generate enough money, taxpayers would cover the shortfall.

This week’s vote to hire a firm launches a new look at paid parking, but key questions remain, including whether it will work, who would pay if it does not and whether downtown business owners support it.

On Thursday, we’re talking to downtown business owners and people who live downtown to see what their thoughts are.

We’ll also look at how other Georgia cities — including Athens, Macon and Savannah — handle paid parking and what safeguards those systems have in place.

The D.C. government’s website is getting a complete revamp, a step city leaders hope will make it easier for residents, visitors and business owners to access the help they need.

The District unveiled a beta version of the new DC.gov — beta.dc.gov — and plans to have the redesigned site ready to launch before the end of the year.

The website’s overhaul is the first in more than a decade. It comes in response to feedback that it’s hard to find information on the current site without being efficient at using Google or other search tools.

“This website, it’s really going to eliminate the alphabet soup that you have to remember every day,” said Stephen Miller, the District’s chief technology officer. “So, do you need to know that it’s DPW that’s picking up your trash, or you just need to know that it’s dc.gov?”

The site is built on Drupal 11, which the city said has stronger built-in security features. It includes an integrated calendar and sections for seasonal government services.

Popular searches, based on site traffic data, will also be featured prominently on the main page.

“It’s going to show you, here’s popular services today, based on being a resident, based on being a new resident, based on being a job seeker, based on being a business owner, or based on just being a general resident of the city,” Miller said.

The project cost about $500,000 in dedicated funds.

“We’re setting this up so that you can just go in, say, ‘My trash was missed,’ and it’s going to tell you exactly how to fix that problem,” Miller said.

D.C.’s Office of the Chief Technology Officer is collecting feedback. Residents can leave comments on the beta site and at events at Haynes Senior Wellness Center and Eastern Market, among others, in the coming weeks.

An artificial intelligence-powered search tool, built using Google’s AI technology, will be included on the new DC.gov site after its official launch.

The District, Miller said, is “trying to clean up our content, because what we want to make sure is when we put AI into this site, it’s giving you the right information.”

“We see a lot of future use with AI,” Miller said. “I’d love to get to a point where it’s, ‘Hey Siri, renew my driver’s license,’ and we’ve laid out the foundation for something like that to happen in the future.”

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AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Fourth of July is just around the corner, and with it being America’s 250th birthday this year, celebrations will be big. But before you stop at your local fireworks stand, you should be familiar with the laws surrounding fireworks.

In Austin, fireworks are illegal to possess or use within city limits, unless a permit has been issued for a professional display, according to the city. Requests for aerial fireworks must be submitted at least 30 days ahead of the event.

Most major cities in Texas have similar fireworks bans in city limits, too.

At the state level, Texas only allows the sale and use of consumer fireworks under specific conditions. The Texas Occupations Code § 2154 outlines the laws surrounding who can sell fireworks, when sales are permitted, and what types of fireworks are allowed.

According to the Texas Association of Counties, the state allows the sale of fireworks during nine periods annually.

Those times are Fourth of July, December holidays (Christmas through New Year’s), Lunar New Year, Texas Independence Day, San Jacinto Day, Cinco de Mayo (only counties not more than 150 miles from Texas-Mexico border), Memorial Day, Juneteenth and Diwali.

Commissioners’ courts typically have to approve the regulation of fireworks within a certain timeframe ahead of each holiday.

The 2026 fireworks calendar can be found here.

According to Daly & Black P.C. Trial Lawyers, violations of fireworks laws can result in fines of up to $2,000 per incident and, in certain cases, criminal charges.

When Texas does allow the sale of fireworks, it only includes “consumer fireworks,” which are things like:

• Roman candles
• Sparklers
• Ground spinners
• Aerial shells (under specific size limits)

However, Texas law outright prohibits certain fireworks, which are considered too dangerous for consumer use. Those typically include:

• Sky rockets and bottle rockets
• Missiles with fins or rudders for aerodynamic flight
• Explosive fireworks exceeding 200 grams of pyrotechnic composition

Always check local burn bans and fireworks restrictions before popping fireworks.