Augusta, GA
Augusta Mayor’s Chief of Staff resigns
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – The Augusta Mayor’s right-hand has stepped down.
Chief of Staff, Jasmine Sims, submitted a resignation letter to Mayor Garnett Johnson Tuesday.
It’s dated April 2nd, 2026 and states:
Dear Mayor Johnson,
Please accept this letter as formal notice of my resignation from my position as Chief of Staff,
effective April 14, 2026. After thoughtful consideration, I have decided to move forward to pursue other professional opportunities. Serving this administration and the City of Augusta over the past three years has been both a privilege and an honor, and I am proud of the work we have accomplished together. I am committed to ensuring a smooth and orderly transition and will assist in any way possible prior to my departure. Thank you for the opportunity to serve.Jasmine Chavous Sims
Last June, Mrs. Sims filed a grievance against Mayor Johnson in a letter to the City of Augusta Human Resources Department Office of Employee Relations.
The letter stated that Mrs. Sims was denied access to work after she allegedly did not share a personal appointment in the work group chat. She said she did inform other member’s of the staff in addition to adding it to the office calendar. At the time of the filing, Sims says nothing had been communicated to her.
No word yet on who will replace Mrs. Sims as the Mayor’s Chief of Staff.
Mrs. Sims said her good-bye’s during the Commission meeting Tuesday. In part, she states,
“It’s been an honor to be with you, ‘Mister G.’ We’re like sister and brother, and we fight and we argue, but we found common ground where it mattered. And I couldn’t be more proud of the things that we’ve accomplished – and am praying that everything that happens from this point will be ordained in your favor.”
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The South Augusta YMCA will not renew its lease at the Tobacco Road location, the Y confirmed.
The shopping center is being sold, and the current lease ends in October.
The Y has not announced a final day at the current location. Officials said they plan to announce that date and next steps for South Augusta later this month.
The YMCA said it still plans to serve South Augusta after the lease expires.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A man who was previously wanted for questioning in an Augusta deadly shooting has now been charged with murder in the case, according to authorities.
The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office says Kemfton Quewanaki Kenon, 27, was arrested on Friday in connection to the shooting death of Khyla Rodriguez, of Augusta.
Kenon is booked into the Charles B. Webster Detention Center and charged with murder and possession of a firearm during a crime, according to jail bookings.
Rodriguez, 25, was found dead after deputies received a call about a shooting on May 15 at 1:11 a.m. on Cameron Drive.
The Richmond County Coroner’s Office said Rodriguez was pronounced dead at 2:27 a.m.
Kenon was previously wanted for questioning in the case and was located in Miami-Dade County, Florida. He was interviewed and arrested on an unrelated warrant.
Deputies were also interviewed two other subjects in the case. They were not arrested in the case.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – People who live in South Augusta are raising concerns about the future of the Family Y on Tobacco Road.
Officials say the facility has been operating at a loss for years, and have had a low number of memberships. The location also has a new owner. The cost of the lease is too high and the facility is also in need of renovations, which are said to be costly.
“The reality is we couldn’t afford the current lease that we were in,” said Catie McCauley, president and CEO of Family Y of Greater Augusta. “Over the last 10 years we’ve been subsidizing this lot. So we got to look at a model that we can sustain for the next several generations not just the next couple years.”
The location is set to close in October, but officials say they are working with community members and contractors for a new building that they can move into and are committed to staying in South Augusta.
Photojournalist credit: Gary Hipps
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