Augusta, GA

Augusta business owner aims to fill your bowl and soul

Published

2 years ago

April 30, 2024

Augusta business owner aims to fill your bowl and soul

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A downtown business is following through with its pledge to feed those who need it most on the last business day of the month for the next two years.

Toaste of Augusta has partnered with the Project Refresh Shower Day at the Department of Public Health.

Adding Toaste to the community line-up offers a real ‘restaurant’ experience and helps connect with those who are often overlooked.

“I just wanted to make sure that I had food. Now I have Dom, so I don’t even have to think about it. I used to have to think, I need volunteers here, but that’s a lot to take on. This is what Dom does,” said Rev. Lisa Ann Wheeler with the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Wheeler is talking about Dominik Cartrel, who owns Toaste of Augusta. It’s his second time working with the other community partners for this particular event.

“We just want folks to come down and enjoy themselves, no judgment whatsoever. If you know somebody that’s in need of a good meal, sit down, and we’ll take care of them,” said Cartrel.

Cartrel also provides a service called “God’s Grits,” where every month he opens his restaurant up to whoever needs a plate of food at no cost and no questions asked.

“My events are normally averaged about, say, right at 100 was my most. The last event we had here was 250 people. So I saw the need. It was very eye-opening, simply because it was word of mouth. There are a lot more people that actually need our assistance. Not so much as homeless but so many that people are in different situations,” said Cartrel.

He’s giving his community an experience many take for granted.

“We wanted folks to have a nice dining experience,” he said.

He compared the experience to buying a car.

“They didn’t know if I had a million dollars in the bank or if I had $10 in the bank. They treated me like an individual. And that’s how I treat folks, when they come inside my restaurant, no matter what dollar amount, I still want to provide the same experience,” said Cartrel.

Cartrel said the experience is a gift.

“I didn’t know so many folks had kids weren’t eating a hot meal, or just a meal in general,” he said.

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Augusta, GA

Ga. gubernatorial candidate Geoff Duncan visits Augusta

Published

2 hours ago

December 19, 2025

Press Room

Ga. gubernatorial candidate Geoff Duncan visits Augusta

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan hosted a community conversation in Augusta on Friday.

The event at the HUB for Community Innovation was the final stop of a statewide tour highlighting his fight to bring down housing costs.

Duncan heard from local experts in the housing space and discussed how he says he can expand these efforts and lower costs for families as governor.

Duncan is running as a Democrat, but was a Republican when he served as lieutenant governor.

The former professional baseball player is a fierce opponent of Republican President Donald Trump.

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Augusta, GA

Richmond County school board recommendations spark community reaction

Published

14 hours ago

December 19, 2025

Press Room

Richmond County school board recommendations spark community reaction

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Richmond County School Board’s recommendation to close three schools and build a new college and career academy has drawn reaction from across the community.

The board announced its recommendation on Tuesday to close Jenkins White Elementary and transition the T.W. Josey High and Murphy Middle school site into a college and career academy.

Board member Monique Braswell, speaking as an individual and not on behalf of the board, said she opposes the plan despite acknowledging that that schools need to close due to low attendance.

“I will go on to see glory and I will still never accept it. I will never accept the fact that we are displacing children. I will never accept the fact that if T.W. Josey goes away,” Braswell said. “I will take that to the grave with me.”

Braswell said the district needs to examine underlying causes before making changes.

“We need to figure out why the kids are not going to here, there, and there,” she said. “And we need to take the communities and all the alumni along with us on this ride.”

Sheffie Robinson, president of the T.W. Josey High School Alumni Association, said the proposed changes would disrupt an already affected community. According to the presentation, students would be redistributed to Butler, Laney and Richmond Academy.

“So it’s like you disrupt a community that was built around this that has already had significant disruption over the last 30 years,” Robinson said.

We’re taking a bigger look at the Richmond County School System’s plan for several historic schools.

Under the recommendation, the Josey-Murphy site would close and construction of the college and career academy would start after this school year. Jenkins White Elementary School would also close.

Barton Chapel would be demolished, with a new building constructed for fall 2028.

Michael Thurman, who has three children in Richmond County Schools, questioned the district’s financial management.

“They really need to do a better job of being stewards of our money when they keep building left and right, school after school after school, and tearing down the others,” Thurman said.

Thurman said the district’s past spending raises concerns about the current plan.

“They definitely need to also take in mind that you’re just really wasting a lot of money building these buildings,” he said.

The district said alumni and community members will have opportunities to voice their opinions before the board votes. Public meetings are planned for January.

Braswell emphasized the importance of community engagement in the process.

“The public has to be more engaged. I don’t care if people push you away. You just have to stay engaged as the public,” she said.

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Augusta, GA

Another portion of Augusta Canal towpath is reopening to public

Published

1 day ago

December 18, 2025

Press Room

Another portion of Augusta Canal towpath is reopening to public

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Another section of the Augusta Canal towpath is reopening after being closed since Hurricane Helene.

The storm on Sept. 27, 2024, left the path strewn with debris as broken branches hung precarously overhead.

On Friday, the path will reopen between the raw water pump station and the Interstate 20 bridge.

In preparation, crews have made safety improvements along the previously closed section of the trail.

Visitors are asked to observe all posted signs and stay behind safety barriers.

Embankment repairs have been delayed, but will take place in the future.

Once repair work begins, portions of the towpath will be temporarily closed at various times. Advance notice will be shared with the public before any closures.

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