Augusta, GA

‘A lot is at stake’: Local voters weigh in on presidential race

Published

1 year ago

October 18, 2024

‘A lot is at stake’: Local voters weigh in on presidential race

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – We are just 18 days away from election day, and Georgia has already seen record-breaking numbers at the polls in early voting.

In Richmond County so far, more than 11,000 voters have shown up at the polls.

In Columbia County so far, more than 12,000 voters have shown up at the polls.

Election officials say the numbers speak for themselves about the urgency voters are having right now with this election.

Voters say it’s now or never for the next four years if they don’t act now.

“There’s a lot at stake, a lot of rights at stake, a lot of what could happen depending on who gets in office,” said Richmond County voter, Amaya Swafford.

A look at Helene’s impact on mail-in voting

Add mail-in voting to the growing list of things Helene has impacted as we’re just 19 days out from election day. A major backlog of mail means there are concerns absentee ballots won’t make it in on time.

Voters like Swafford are making sure their voice is represented.

“It’s nice that so many people care. So that makes me happy, but it also makes me nervous, because the race is so tight,” she said.

The presidential race remains neck and neck with national polls favoring Harris.

But in key battleground states like Georgia, Trump is taking the edge.

Richmond County’s Board of Elections Executive Director Travis Doss says the urgency with voters is being reflected in the turnout.

“Georgia, of course, after 2020, has been now classified as a battleground state, and I think just with the media attention on that, is what’s driving people to make sure that their choice is made, as far as voting for which candidate they want for president,” said Doss.

Election officials say they haven’t seen turnout this high before.

FILE - A sale sign stands outside a home in Wyndmoor, Pa., Wednesday, June 22, 2022. The...

Columbia County Board of Elections Executive Director Nancy Gay said: “The lines have been out the door pretty much the entire time. 24 years that I’ve been here, I don’t know that we’ve voted over 12,000 people in three days.”

Columbia and Richmond counties are already seeing close to 11% voter turnout in three days – an uptick officials hope to stay strong.

Doss said: “We’re hoping it would be great if we would get between 40% to 45% of early votes. So, if we could get something around that, then I could see, you know, well, up into the 70% for a total with election day.”

Your choice is just 18 days away to decide on your vote.

Swafford said: “Now is the time to participate, because whether you like it or not, you will be governed by one of these candidates, so you have to make the choice.”

If you missed the past three days, you have until November 1 to vote early.

To find your polling location in Richmond County, visit https://www.augustaga.gov/2836/Advance-Voting-Location-Information.

To find your polling location in Columbia County, visit https://www.columbiacountyga.gov/318/Board-of-Elections.

Source link

Click to comment

Augusta, GA

Finding Solutions: Augusta Juvenile Court receives grant for gang prevention

Published

35 minutes ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Finding Solutions: Augusta Juvenile Court receives grant for gang prevention

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Augusta Juvenile Court received a grant of more than $1 million to prevent youth from joining gangs by addressing underlying factors that lead to criminal behavior.

The grant from the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council will allow the court to expand services beyond its current programs and serve a broader population of at-risk youth.

“This allows us to build on the work we are currently doing. It also allows us to serve a different population of youth that we have not been able to serve on such an extended level, so we have additional funds that will serve even more kids and to hopefully assist the sheriff and district attorney in not having youthful offenders become adult offenders that they have to obtain and prosecute,” said Chief Judge Tianna Bias.

Addressing root causes

The funding will target factors that make youth vulnerable to gang recruitment, including poor school attendance and reading difficulties.

“Whether it’s that they have poor school attendance, not reading on grade level. One thing we’ve seen is that when you are not reading on grade level that has an impact on many other areas of your life. It’s really just an opportunity to offer wrap-around support for these kids so we can prevent them from getting into unfortunate situations that they may not end up in front of a juvenile court judge later,” Bias said.

Dr. Audrey Armistad, chief intake officer for the juvenile court, said the court’s goal is rehabilitation rather than detention.

“We put them in programs and services that help them to be able to develop mentally, socially and physically when it comes to kids involved with the juvenile court,” Armistad said.

Expanding services

The juvenile court currently serves at-risk youth through the THRIVE program. The court is also expanding services with a new computer lab set to open next month.

“It helps us to be able to provide instruction to kids getting GEDs, parents wanting GEDs, as well as we provide learning loss instruction to kids enrolled in Richmond County who may need remediation in math and reading,” Armistad said.

A gang prevention expert will meet with the juvenile court team to provide recommendations on how the grant money should be spent.

Bias said success will be measured by fewer teens in courtrooms and more in classrooms.

“We are meant to rehabilitate not to punish and we want to help these parents get kids on track so we can see a better Augusta for everyone,” Bias said.

Source link

Augusta, GA

AU to cut ribbon on new Student Health Services building

Published

13 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

AU to cut ribbon on new Student Health Services building

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Augusta University is set to cut the ribbon on a new Student Health Services building on Friday.

The ribbon cutting will be held at 2:30 p.m. at 1465 Laney Walker Boulevard in Augusta.

The event will showcase the field of college health and the role the services have on students’ personal development and academic success.

The clinic relocated to the new space last month to make way for AU’s advanced research and clinical innovation, according to officials.

At the event, there will also be snacks, interactive games and clinic tours.

Source link

Augusta, GA

Law enforcement converges on home in west Augusta

Published

1 day ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Law enforcement converges on home in west Augusta

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – There was a large law enforcement presence Thursday morning at a home in west Augusta near Fort Gordon.

The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force were in the area attempting to find a suspect, according to deputies.

Witnesses said around 11:25 a.m. that officers had been surrounding a home at Harper-Franklin Avenue and Covington Court.

That’s in a neighborhood of mostly two-story brick-fronted homes built in the past three or four years just east of Jimmie Dyess Parkway and a couple of blocks north of Gordon Highway.

As noon approached, law enforcement had left.

But a Facebook post from earlier did show a large presence,including marked and unmarked cars, and officers all around the house. A witness said police dogs were on the scene, as well.

News 12 has reached out to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office for information.

Source link