Augusta, GA

14 months later, upgrades still not started at Augusta park

Published

10 months ago

February 12, 2025

Press Room

14 months later, upgrades still not started at Augusta park

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Augusta’s Dyess Park is in desperate need of improvements – and city leaders agree.

In November of 2023, $6.5 million in sales tax money was set aside to revitalize the park.

The funds have been sitting on a shelf since then, and in the meantime, neighbors are paying the price.

While the city debates what to do with the community center, people who could be using this park are still stuck waiting.

At Dyess Park, playtime never stops.

“This should be their safe space,” said Mia Tate, Augusta resident, and parent.

It’s proof that joy can thrive in a place where promises fade.

“Can you be patient? You gotta be patient,” Tate said to her child.

Patience – something neighbors around Dyess Park are losing.

“I thought we did all the talking that we were going to do,” said Stanley Hawes, who lives near Dyess Park. ”All the talking over with, it’s time for action, that’s all.”

Standing in the way of progress is the locked community center.

“Literally and figuratively speaking, I weep,” said Hawes. “I weep because there are kids in my neighborhood that don’t have a chance.”

A historic building turned into an eyesore

“We can’t build communities with an empty building right there,” said Hawes.

For nearly 20 years, Hawes has lived next to the park.

“Some people got places to go, they can take their kids to the YMCA or whatever,” said Hawes. “Some of us here can’t do that, some of them got just what’s dealt to them.”

There is a playground, but other than that–

“Empty swimming pool,” said Hawes. “They have caught kids over there playing in a dangerous area because they had nothing else to do.”

It’s leaving some parents asking for change.

“If they have things that they’re able to exert their energy on versus what we will quote unquote say negative things, then we’ll see more impact on them having healthy and positive expressions on their faces and exerting of their energy there,” said Tate.

In return, they are hopeful a positive impact on the community could come about.

“If the government wants to help and the community takes it, take their part,” said Tate. “I think it would make a big impact and see everything flourish and go in the direction that everybody wants it to go.”

Commissioners say the talks about improving Dyess Park go back to 2004 and as you can see. some neighbors are tired of waiting.

“Hopefully they will decide to go ahead on and do this thing,” said Hawes.

Also Tuesday, Augusta Commission members:

Approved supplemental funding not to exceed $15.4 million for Hurricane Helene debris removal services with Ceres Environmental Services Inc. Also approved the use of general fund fund-balance to fund these services.
Approved supplemental funding in an amount not to exceed $1.272 million for Hurricane Helene debris removal monitoring services with Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood Inc. Also approved use of general fund fund-balance to fund these services.
Approved supplemental funding in an amount not to exceed $874,319 for Hurricane Helene debris removal coordination support services with Infrastructure Systems Management LLC. Also approved use of general fund-fund balance to fund these services.
Approved a motion to approve task order No. 1 with an amount not to exceed $500,000 for Hurricane Helene cost recovery services through Tetra Tech.
Agreed to have Troy Akers meet with city officials to come back with a plan for a sports facility including pickleball courts off Interstate 20 near Doctors Hospital. He’s proposing 18 championship-size tennis courts and 48 pickleball courts. He’d also like a 15,000-square-foot gym with a walking track. His goal is to bring back tennis to Richmond County and introduce and grow kickball here, which he said “would put us on the map in the state.” He said the location near I-20 would help.
Heard from Richard Skuse about paratransit services. He’s a blind veteran who moved here in 2009. “Over the last year, it’s gone downhill, specifically in the last several months,” he said of the service. He gave an example from around Christmas when he called paratransit and was told the service was booked up and he needed to call two weeks in advance. The director of paratransit says there are issues, one being vehicles being down in an accident and also there being a 24-hour notice. Skuse says it’s not just got him, but it’s those living check to check, and having to schedule two weeks out is hard. Commissioners decided to task the administrator and her team to work with transit and come up with a plan.
Approved purchase of video surveillance security systems for three locations along the Augusta Canal as a sole source procurement in the amount of $90,854.
Approved Augusta Utilities’ purchase of SmartWorks MDM for AMI data integration as a sole source procurement from systems and software in the amount of $607,000.
Approved continued funding of the current “on-call property appraisal and acquisition services for Augusta engineering” contract in the amount of $350,000.

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Augusta, GA

Investigators interviewing person of interest in acid attack in Savannah’s Forsyth Park, mayor says

Published

40 minutes ago

December 16, 2025

Press Room

Investigators interviewing person of interest in acid attack in Savannah’s Forsyth Park, mayor says

Savannah police and the FBI are continuing to follow any possible leads to find whoever is responsible for the acid attack in a local park that left a woman with severe burns.

During a media update on Tuesday, Savannah Mayor Van Johnson said a person of interest police were looking to identify is now being interviewed by investigators.

The person of interest, whom Johnson called “Bugs Bunny guy,” came in voluntarily and has not been identified as a suspect in the case at this time.

“He is not detained at this time. We are just asking questions of him,” Johnson said.

The mayor said that officers have interviewed dozens of individuals since the attack in Forsyth Park on Dec. 10.

In this photo provided by Connor Milam, her friend Ashley Wasielewski sits with bandages in a hospital bed in Augusta, Ga., on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, after witnesses she suffered severe burns when an unknown attacker poured a corrosive chemical over her head at a public park in Savannah. (Connor Milam via AP)

Connor Milam / AP

An unusual attack shocks Savannah

On that night, 46-year-old Ashley Wasielewski had gone for a walk after attending a Christmas program at a nearby church. She was walking laps at Forsyth Park when the attack happened. Her son, Westley Wasielewski, said he learned about what happened through a phone call from a bystander who stopped to help his mother. He said he could hear her screaming in pain over the phone.

Wasielewski suffered burns that covered about half of her body, including her scalp, face, and legs.

From her hospital bed, Wasielewski told family and friends that she was walking along the sidewalk near the edge of the park when she noticed a shadow coming up behind her, said close friend Connor Milam. As she turned around, the person poured a liquid over her head.

“She was instantly like, ‘Why are you pouring water on me?’ And then her skin started to burn,” Milam told the Associated Press. “She looked down, and her pants were starting to burn off her body. She started screaming.”

Investigators later determined that the substance was acid.

Ashley Wasielewski was left with severe burns over half her body after what appeared to be a random acid attack while she was walking in a Savannah park.

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Courtesy of GoFundMe

Investigation into acid attack continues

Johnson called the attack a “horrific incident” that shocked him and other Savannah residents “to the core.”

“In all of the time that I have been in law enforcement here and engaged in public service – over 30 years – I can not remember anything like this involving acid. And there are just so many questions,” Johnson said.

The Savannah Police Department took to social media to ask for the public’s help identifying a man seen on security footage near the park and the driver of a white SUV/Crossover that was spotted traveling on Whitaker Street. Both have since made contact with investigators.

The department is working with the FBI, which set up $5,000 reward on Monday for any information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for the attack.

Police have increased patrols in city parks out of an abundance of caution and urged residents to stay aware of their surroundings and report suspicious activity. Officials do not believe there is any indication of an ongoing threat.

“We’re not going to let people scare us out of our parks,” Johnson said.

The FBI and the Savannah Police Department have established a digital tip line for photos and videos that may aid in the investigation here.

Anyone with information about the attack is urged to contact the Savannah Police Department at (912) 234-2020 or the FBI’s toll-free tip line at 1-800-225-5324.

Burn victim continues slow recovery

A GoFundMe page created by friends of Wasielewski has raised more than $170,000 to help cover her medical bills and long-term recovery costs. According to the page, the money will go toward burn unit care, surgeries, rehabilitation, wound care, skin grafts, and adaptive needs.

A friend provided a medical update saying most of Wasielewski’s burns have been diagnosed as third-degree and cover more than 50% of her body. The friend said it is unlikely hair will grow back on her scalp and that doctors are closely monitoring whether her body will accept cadaver skin following recent surgery before moving forward with skin grafting procedures.

Despite the attack, Johnson said that Wasielewski “has had a remarkable attitude.”

“The city will continue to be supportive to her on that end, and we’ll be very interested in justice and accountability on the other end,” he said. “Because I think what will make her feel best is to make sure that whoever did this is off of our streets.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Augusta, GA

Augusta Stars hosts Christmas bowling event with Fort Gordon soldiers

Published

13 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Press Room

Augusta Stars hosts Christmas bowling event with Fort Gordon soldiers

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Augusta Stars Special Olympics team hosted their annual Bowl with Soldiers Christmas party.

The goal was to bring together local athletes and military personnel from Fort Gordon for an evening of bowling at Bowlero.

The Augusta Stars is a Special Olympics team that offers bowling and basketball programs. The team is currently preparing for the Winter Special Olympics, which begin Jan. 30 in Marietta.

“I like the bowls because it’s fun and I like to get to play,” said Victoria Valootton, an Augusta Stars athlete.

The annual event allows soldiers to join the Special Olympics athletes for bowling and community connection.

“Personally, it’s important because Jeff Keating is one of our teammates and we want to support them,” said Sapriya McLendon, U.S. Army. “Secondly, just for the community in general, just coming out here and being part of the team that cares about us and supports us, and we’re here to serve you today.”

The Winter Special Olympics will be held in Marietta, Georgia, starting Jan. 30.

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Augusta, GA

Through pain, acid victim still smiling as she recovers in Augusta

Published

1 day ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

Through pain, acid victim still smiling as she recovers in Augusta

AUGUSTA, Ga. – A Savannah woman faces a long road to recovery after a stranger attacked her with acid that ate through her clothes and covered 50% of her body with burns.

Ashley Wasielewski is trying to recover after receiving a first round of emergency surgery at the Joseph M. Still Burn Center at Doctors Hospital in Augusta.

The attack happened last Wednesday at Savannah’s iconic Forsyth Park when a man stepped out of the shadows and poured acid all over Wasielewski.

The recovery has been extremely difficult, according to her friend Kristen Oddi, of Marietta.

Most of the burns have been diagnosed as third-degree, covering over 50% of her body, Oddi wrote on a GoFundMe page.

She said it’s unlikely one burned area of Wasielewski’s scalp will ever grow hair again.

She added that the most crucial next step is to see if Ashley’s body will accept the cadaver skin from a recent surgery.

If that happens, skin graft surgeries will proceed, Oddi said.

Plastic surgery is ahead for her, but there’s no timetable yet.

Beyond that, Wasielewski faces rehabilitation, occupational therapy, wound management, long-term support and follow-up.

For now, she’s stable, according to Oddi.

Women suffers third-degree burns in Forsyth Park acid attack; Community concerned(WTOC)

And despite the hardship she’s been through and that lies ahead, she’s smiling in a photo from her hospital bed, with little other than her eyes and mouth visible through openings in gauze that covers her face.

“She will come back so much stronger,” Oddi said. “That, I don’t have a single doubt about.”