Augusta, GA
Augusta lays out road map for new grounds management department
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Augusta’s city administrator presented commissioners Tuesday with a four-step plan to establish a new grounds management system with a target launch date of Jan. 1.
The administrator told commissioners the first phase of the plan — preparation — is already complete. That step included gathering budget information from involved departments, meeting with department heads, drafting job descriptions for new positions, and building a draft budget based on existing city spending.
Five-month evaluation phase begins this spring
Starting in March, the administrator’s team will begin a service model evaluation running through July. That phase includes hiring a new department director, appointing a temporary transition lead, mapping mowing routes using GIS technology, and meeting with city crews, contractors, and community members.
Transition phase set for fall
By August, the focus shifts to a transition period that includes re-bidding contracts, finalizing staff assignments, and developing a public education campaign. The goal is to have new contracts in place by Jan. 1.
New department set to launch Jan. 1
That is when the Augusta Grounds Management Department officially opens, with new personnel, new equipment, and new contracts in place.
Commissioners received the update on Tuesday. The administrator’s team is expected to move into phase two next month.
City leaders have said overgrown grass is among the top complaints they receive.
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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. (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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