AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The VA of Augusta held a hiring fair Saturday to recruit health care workers as part of efforts to improve veteran care.

Leaders said staffing has improved over the last two years, with the vacancy rate now down to 12%.

The hiring fair comes as medical students are graduating and the VA of Augusta works to rebuild trust and its workforce.

“So we want to afford them an opportunity to join our team, you know, as they enhance or start their new, embark on their new careers,” said James Doelling, interim executive director at VA Augusta Healthcare System. “But we’re also looking for seasoned people, somebody that’s looking for a change. And to me, be part of the most noble mission there is, caring for our nation’s heroes. Those people that have served us, it’s time for them to be served and get the best care anywhere.”

The Augusta VA has a four-star rating from Medicare.

Join us Monday, May 18, in Washington, DC and states across the nation for a Moral Monday Peace and Nonviolence Rally outside the White House.

Repairers of the Breach is organizing clergy, impacted people, faith leaders, advocates, and people of moral conscience to gather in prophetic public witness against war, systemic racism, militarism, poverty, voter suppression, environmental injustice, attacks on immigrants and LGBTQ people, and the false moral narrative of religious nationalism.

This Moral Monday action comes one day after the White House’s planned “Rededicate 250: A National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise, & Thanksgiving” gathering. During Monday’s action, nationally recognized clergy and moral leaders will publicly challenge the distorted theology being used to justify war, attacks on democracy, and policy violence against poor and vulnerable people.

Grounded in the prophetic traditions of justice, truth-telling, nonviolence, and solidarity with the poor, clergy leaders will preach publicly in the streets near the White House before hundreds gathered in person and thousands more joining online across more than 20 livestream and social media platforms.

Bishop William J. Barber II, President & Senior Lecturer of Repairers of the Breach, will lead the gathering alongside nationally recognized bishops, rabbis, pastors, imams, faith organizers, impacted people, and moral advocates from across the country.

We gather because our nation continues to spend billions on war while communities struggle for healthcare, housing, education, living wages, environmental protection, and voting rights. We believe faith must never be used to sanctify destruction, injustice, or extremism.

Join us for public prayer, testimony, preaching, songs, and disciplined nonviolent moral witness.

The Texas Longhorns have continued to take care of business as they attempt to defend their national championship, beginning the NCAA Tournament in commanding fashion. 

The Longhorns hit the field for the first game of the Austin Regional on Friday and rolled, taking down Wagner 9-1. And now Texas is into the regional final after a decisive victory on Saturday afternoon. 

With a ticket on the line to the regional final the Longhorns would face off against the No. 8-seeded Wisconsin Badgers. And the Longhorns would make quick work of the matchup winning with another run rule game taking down the Badgers 9-0 in six innings. 

Texas Gets Off to Quick Start and Doesn’t Look Back

While the Longhorns got through their first game on Friday it was without a bit of struggle having a slow start to begin the ballgame. However, Texas would not have any time struggling to settle into the game against Wisconsin dominating from the first inning. 

Texas would get out to an early lead from the jump scoring in the first inning and would not slow down for the rest of the afternoon. The Longhorns would start the game with a three run first inning with junior Viviana Martinez batting in her third run of the Austin Regional. 

Getting her bat hot again would be senior Reese Atwood who broke out of a slump of being without a home run for the last seven games. Atwood would break out of the cold streak with a two run blast giving Texas a 3-0 lead they would not look back from. 

“It felt good to finally have one leave the yard,” Atwood said. “My confidence comes from my preparation, not my performance or my batting average, so just having confidence that I’m working as hard as I can.”

The Longhorns would score runs in the first three innings of the ballgame putting the contest out of reach before it really had a chance to start. Texas would lead 7-0 from the third inning and would threaten the run rule for the rest of the game. 

And the run rule would come into effect in the sixth inning courtesy of a two run home run from junior Kayden Henry. The junior would homer to left field as she ended the game 3-4 from the plate and four RBI. 

Just like the Longhorns dominated from inside the batters box they did the same from the circle. Getting her first action of the Austin Regional junior Teagan Kavan would toss five shutout innings allowing just a single hit and struck out eight batters. 

The Longhorns now are a game away from hosting a Super Regional on their home field at Red and Charline McCombs Field. While the opponent for Texas in the regional final is still to be determined the game will be on Sunday May 17 at 12:00 p.m. CT. 

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