Augusta, GA
At Augusta event, vets get help filing PACT Act claims
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Department of Veterans Affairs Augusta Health Care System joined with the Warrior Alliance and the Georgia Department of Veterans Service on Friday.
They were at the Augusta Tech campus to offer screenings and help veterans file their PACT Act claims.
Those claims involve benefits for veterans exposed to Agent Orange and other toxic substances.
“I do what I do because I love helping fellow veterans. I was in the military myself for 25 years. What we’re seeing today is a lot of folks that may have never started the claim process, they have been out since the Vietnam era or even, more recently, post 9/11 That do need to get that process started,” said Patricia Ross, commissioner for the Georgia Department of Veterans Service.
Supervisor Yolanda Gibson said: “It’s very important to get those benefits out to veterans. We have a lot of veterans. Georgia is a big state, so we have veterans who have never filed for benefits before. Sometimes it’s from a lack of information. They may not know what benefits are available to them. We’re here to spread the word that the Department of Veterans Affairs is available to assist them in any questions they have.”
For years, our I-TEAM has been following the story of Agent Orange being tested at Fort Eisenhower and its impact there.
On information to file a claim, click here.
FROM OUR I-TEAM:
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Augusta, GA
Historic Masters landmark purchased and renovated by local resident
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Augusta, GA
Georgia governor candidate Olu Brown campaigns in Augusta
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Democratic candidate for Georgia governor Olu Brown visited Augusta on Friday evening, stopping near the Sand Hills Community Center as early voting continues.
Brown is one of six candidates in the Democratic primary.
Campaign priorities
Brown said his vision as governor would focus on three main areas.
“One, it’s affordability around health care and making sure we expand Medicaid and expand Peach Care and make sure we continue to make our rural health care systems healthy and vital,” Brown said. “Number two, we’ve got to address education in all of Georgia, making sure every kid in Georgia gets an excellent education, and we’re paying our teachers more. And number 3, we’re protecting the rights of all women. Folks in the Gold Dome shouldn’t be making decisions about their bodies or the choices that they make.”
Brown is running against Amanda Duffy, Derrick Jackson, Geoff Duncan, Jason Esteves, Keisha Lance Bottoms and Mike Thurmond.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
Augusta, GA
Augusta Prep student arrested over picture of LEGO gun, threat he called a joke
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – An Augusta Prep student was arrested on a charge of terroristic threats over a picture of a LEGO gun he posted on social media.
It happened Wednesday, according to an incident report from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.
Eric Hedinger, the principal of Augusta Preparatory Day School, told deputies a student had uploaded a picture to Snapchat of a “pistol” with the caption “shooting up the school so I don`t have to take the stats exam tomorrow. Don`t come yall!”
The principal said he spoke to the student and his father about the photo.
The principal also provided deputies with the student’s address in Grovetown.
A deputy went there and was told by the student that the “pistol” was a LEGO set that he had built.

He also said the comment he made was supposed to be a joke because he was not looking forward to taking his Advanced Placement statistics test this week.
The student showed the deputy the box that the LEGO set came in, and how the set was already disassembled.
The deputy also looked in the boy’s room to make sure he was not in possession of any weapons.
The mother advised that there was one firearm in the residence but it was locked up.

The deputy contacted Judge Leslie Morgan and she issued a warrant for terroristic threats.
The student, age 18, was taken into custody and transported to the Columbia County Detention Center.
News 12 is not reporting his name or publishing his photo since the LEGO gun could not have actually harmed anyone.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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