Augusta, GA
Augusta Parks and Rec audit decision sent back to full commission
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The full Augusta Commission will make the decision on a firm to conduct an audit of the Parks and Recreation Department.
It’s been bouncing back and forth from the committee level to the commission level for a few weeks.
Commissioners met at the committee level Tuesday and sent the decision to the full commission.
The question drew a heated discussion during last week’s commission meeting.
There are lingering questions about how and when UHY Advisors Mid-Atlantic was chosen by the city procurement department.
Before UHY was picked, Marcum LLP had been awarded the bid.
That was before city officials say they realized UHY had met the deadline to submit a bid.
City Interim Administrator Takiyah Douse says the UHY bid was delivered by UPS on May 7 at 8:02 a.m.
Because the procurement department hadn’t opened, UPS took the package back to its warehouse and delivered it the next day on May 8.
Officials say the evaluation committee was not aware of the UHY bid when it discussed which company to pick.
The committee met again May 10, and ultimately picked UHY as the winner of the bid.
UHY’s bid was around half the cost of Marcum LLP’s cost.
Some commissioners are suspicious, and when they asked to see the UHY timestamps, they were refused, with the city staff citing state law and the fact that it’s still an open bid.
When Maurice McDowell resigned as parks and recreation director, Augusta leaders said they wanted to check every corner of a department riddled with internal and external investigations before the next director stepped in.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Golden Harvest Food Bank is partnering with local legal organizations for the 15th Annual Georgia Food Frenzy.
The fundraising competition is held in partnership with Feeding Georgia, the Office of the Georgia Attorney General, the State Bar of Georgia, and the Young Lawyers Division of the State Bar of Georgia.
The two-week competition runs from April 20th through May 1st, and every dollar raised stays local, supporting Golden Harvest’s work across the state of Georgia.
Groups can register at www.galegalfoodfrenzy.org/sign-up, and registration will remain open throughout the competition.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Georgia gubernatorial candidate Geoff Duncan campaigned in Augusta ahead of Election Day, making stops at two churches and meeting with local faith leaders.
The former lieutenant governor visited Good Hope Baptist Church on Cedar Street, where he spoke with the Greater Augusta Interfaith Coalition’s “Music to the Polls” group.
Duncan told us that, if elected governor, he wants to expand Medicaid, pass what he called “common-sense gun legislation,” and create more economic opportunities statewide. He also pointed to affordability concerns impacting families and businesses.
“I want to take $1.7 billion of our state’s fund and wrap it around the axle of poverty,” Duncan said, adding that he wants to lower child care costs and improve temporary assistance programs.
Duncan also stopped at Miles Memorial Church on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
NJ apartment dwellers, renters have these options for help with rent
State and local officials say several programs are designed to help low and moderate-income households stay housed in the face of financial distress.
As rent prices continue to strain budgets, a new study is highlighting where Georgians can save the most by splitting housing costs.
According to a report from SmartAsset, some cities in Georgia offer major savings for renters who choose to live with a roommate.
Here’s what to know.
Where can you save the most in Georgia?
The study ranks Augusta as the top city in Georgia for roommate savings, and No. 6 in the country.
Renters there can save about 45% on monthly rent, or roughly $450 per month, by sharing an apartment.
Here’s how the costs compare in Augusta:
- One-bedroom rent: $1,000
- Two-bedroom rent: $1,100
- Estimated monthly savings with a roommate: $450
Why are roommate savings so high?
With rent prices rising, splitting costs has become one of the easiest ways to cut monthly expenses.
The study shows that sharing rent can significantly reduce housing costs, especially in cities where prices have climbed in recent years.
How does Georgia compare to the rest of the country?
Here’s the top 10 cities in the US for saving with a roomate:
- Cleveland, OH
- Baton Rouge, LA
- Jersey City, NJ
- Memphis, TN
- Boise, ID
- Augusta, GA
- New Haven, CT
- Chattanooga, TN
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Shreveport, LA
Methodology
The study analyzed 100 U.S. cities using rental data from March 2025 to March 2026 from Zumper, comparing one-bedroom rents to half the cost of two-bedroom apartments to estimate savings from sharing with a roommate.
For more information, visit smartasset.com/data-studies/roommate-savings-2026.
Vanessa Johns is the Trending Topics Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team Georgia. Email her at Vcountryman@gannett.com.
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