Augusta, GA

A look at burial processes after remains go missing in Augusta

Published

2 years ago

January 23, 2024

A look at burial processes after remains go missing in Augusta

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Kamaron Hickman and Fatima Nettles are still searching for answers as to why Hillcrest Memorial Park can’t find the casket or remains of their six-month-old daughter, Jada.

The couple no longer has ties to Augusta and wanted to exhume Jada’s body to have her closer to them. When the groundskeeper at Hillcrest went to dig, they did not find anything in the ground.

The case is gaining attention across the state and is raising questions about standard protocols for burials.

The process of burying your loved one is overwhelming, to say the least.

Walker Posey with Posey Funeral Directors has been in the funeral business for more than two decades. His funeral home did not perform Jada Hickman’s service, but he knows a thing or two about the process.

“You get one chance to do this right, you don’t get a second opportunity,” said Posey. “As a profession, there’s definitely a chain of custody to take care of someone’s loved one, whether it’s from the time they pass away in a hospital or their home to the time that they come into our care to the time it takes to the cemetery.”

The process itself is almost like a paper trail.

“There should be checks and balances, both at the funeral home and at the cemetery side,” said Posey.

It’s a step-by-step process that starts immediately when your loved one passes.

“We take the loved one into our care, and then we meet with the family to discuss arrangements and funeral plans,” said Posey.

Once that step is completed, Posey says that is when the cemetery gets involved.

“They go to the cemetery and most cemeteries require that the family identifies the location of the plot, even if they purchase it before they walk out. They say ‘Yes, this is correct’, they sign an authorization for the grave to be open and then deal with all the cemetery paperwork at that time,” he said.

Posey says, for him, transparency is key.

“Many times whether it’s burial or cremation, just knowing the process itself, what’s going to happen in the timeline can give families a lot of peace of mind,” he said. “And for us, peace of mind is critical to those who are serving.”

We reached out to Hillcrest Memorial and Dignity Memorial, which owns Hillcrest Memorial Park.

“We respect the privacy of the families we are honored to serve and, as a result, we are unable to discuss this matter with the media. However, we can say that we are working closely with the family,” they said in a statement.

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Augusta, GA

Augusta’s Turpin neighborhood to get affordable homes with $1.85M federal grant

Published

2 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Augusta’s Turpin neighborhood to get affordable homes with .85M federal grant

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The historic Turpin neighborhood will soon welcome more affordable homes after Augusta Habitat for Humanity was awarded $1.85 million in federal funding this week.

The grant will fund the construction of at least 12 homes in the area.

“Habitat for Humanity applied for federal funding, and they were awarded the funding,” said District 2 Commissioner Stacy Pulliam.

Reviving a historic community

The Turpin neighborhood was once home to professionals, including educators, doctors, and lawyers.

“These big professionals that lived mostly over this way,” one resident said of the neighborhood’s history.

Pulliam described the area’s former prominence as “its grand days of glory, when it was the place.”

The project brings together city organizers and community partners through the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing, or GICH.

“We have so many partners. We have the Housing Authority on board. We have a representative from the Hub on board,” Pulliam said. “There’s so many great partners at the table that’s helping pull all of this together.”

Federal support and future plans

The project received backing from Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock.

Habitat for Humanity, with support from GICH, focused its application on Turpin Hill intentionally, as officials say the community had been needing to be addressed for years.

With Habitat for Humanity continuing to advocate for more funds, Pulliam said their motivation could lead to additional housing development in the future.

“We keep going and going and going,” she said. “Now we can do 20. Now we can do multifamily. So it’s fueling our fire to get more housing, but not just housing, to clean up the area.”

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Augusta, GA

Trump to sign emergency order to pay TSA agents as Augusta airport preps for golf week

Published

14 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Trump to sign emergency order to pay TSA agents as Augusta airport preps for golf week

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – President Donald Trump said he will sign an emergency declaration to pay TSA agents, as nearly 500 have quit since the shutdown began.

More than 40 percent of Atlanta’s TSA agents did not show up on Wednesday, leading to long lines at Atlanta’s airport and across the country. It is unclear when President Trump will sign the emergency order. TSA workers will miss their second paycheck Friday.

In a statement on Truth Social, President Trump said, “I am going to sign an Order instructing the Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, to immediately pay our TSA Agents in order to address this Emergency Situation.”

The president thanked TSA agents. The Department of Homeland Security as a whole will not be funded at this time. The Coast Guard and FEMA are among the agencies still impacted.

If senators do not reach a deal to fund the department on Friday, they are set for a two-week recess.

Augusta airport prepares for tournament week

TSA workers are a concern as tournament week approaches in Augusta. Security and safety are also concerns after a plane collided with a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport.

Augusta Regional Airport and its fire department are working to keep visitors safe as they fly in for tournament week.

William Kovalchuk, a sergeant with the Augusta Airport Fire Department, operates an airport-specific fire truck.

“There’s a ton of traffic and a ton of congestion. This whole ramp area where I showed you guys a little bit ago, it’ll be completely filled with aircraft,” Kovalchuk said.

Tournament week sees the regional airport become a global hub, with flights in from 13 extra cities and more than 200 private planes parked on the tarmac.

Lauren Smith, deputy director of Augusta Regional Airport, said the airport works closely with the FAA during tournament week.

“During that time, we actually work very closely with the FAA to bring in additional controllers,” Smith said.

Extra controllers keep the airspace and runway safe. Enhanced safety measures are in place inside the terminal as well.

“Overall, everyone brings in more staff. The tenants, the rental car agencies, the airlines, the airport itself,” Smith said.

The fire department stages a second station across the airport to cover every flight.

“The manning will be stepped up quite a bit,” Kovalchuk said. “We don’t want to see anything happen, but we’re prepared for it.”

The airport said the average wait time is still less than an hour to get through security during tournament week.

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Augusta, GA

Jefferson County library director named Georgia Library Director of the Year

Published

1 day ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Jefferson County library director named Georgia Library Director of the Year

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Georgia Library Director of the Year was honored at a ceremony in Jefferson County.

Christina Shepherd received the award and a county proclamation. Jefferson County officials also honored the library board during the ceremony.

“I’m very thankful. I think it’s great for Jefferson County to have this award brought here and bringing light to us,” Shepherd said. “I don’t think I do anything extraordinary that any librarian wouldn’t do, but I just keep doing it. I appreciate it. I’m thankful.”

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