AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – On Wednesday, the city of Augusta held their third Hurricane Helene Recovery town hall meeting at the Augusta Municipal Building.

During the meeting, officials announced that the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) has launched HEARTS Georgia, a temporary shelter program for Hurricane Helene survivors whose homes were significantly damaged, destroyed or deemed uninhabitable.

The program provides emergency shelter in hotels or motels for individuals and families unable to secure rental housing, officials say.

“That’s major because we have people living in homes that shouldn’t be but they can’t afford to go anywhere else or they may not have had any insurance but our governor has made sure to see fit to make sure there’s a program that those people can actually get help and stay somewhere in a nice place,” said Augusta City Administrator Tameka Allen.

HEARTS Georgia is temporary, with a duration of up to six months, offering a critical resource for those in need.

You can apply by visiting the HEARTS Georgia page on the GEMA website.

Also at the meeting, city officials announced…

• City officials also mentioned they have issued notices to all telecommunications providers, requesting the removal of non-utilized wires by January 10. The effort aims to streamline recovery and ensure safety across our community.
• There will be no debris pickups from December 22 through January 2 as contractors celebrate the holidays. Regular services will resume on January 3.
• The Augusta Canal towpath will be closed until May, according to Augusta Utilities.

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After Samara Rogers was killed by dogs, the owner was charged with manslaughter.

Woman Walking Killed by Dogs
Augusta, GA – A 21-year old woman is dead after being attacked by two dogs Wednesday in Augusta. At approximately 10:29 am, Richmond County sheriff’s deputies responded to the 3500 block of Ira Road in reference to a dog attack. Richmond County Coroner Mark Bowden said the victim, Samara Rogers, was walking on Ira Road when the dogs attacked her. Upon arrival, deputies located the severely injured victim. She was pronounced dead at the scene at 11:05 am, according to Bowden.

WRDW captured footage of an animal control officer and deputy removing the two large dogs from a nearby home with a catch pole. The first was white with a few dark spots and the second was tan with a darker muzzle and a white chest. Both are pit bull-type dogs. The white dog appears similar in size and structure as “Blade,” which killed baby Serenity Garnett in Martinez, a suburb of Augusta, in 2022. The baby’s great-grandmother, Migdelia Guadalupe, was sentenced to six years in prison.

Not long after the dogs were seized from the home on Ira Road, the sheriff’s office arrested Charles David Blackwell, 55, of Augusta, for involuntary manslaughter in connection to Rogers’ death. We believe we located the brown dog on Kimberly Blackwell’s Facebook page, his wife, who is asking for prayers for “Chuck Blackwell,” and “I’m doing everything I can. I love you thick and thin we will get through this.” One commenter asked, “What about the poor girl that was killed by your dogs?”

There are also unconfirmed comments on the Jail Report Facebook page stating that a person was bitten by one of these dogs as recently as yesterday. Typically (if not always), the criminal charge of manslaughter or higher is only filed if the dog(s) were involved in bites or acts of aggression prior to the deadly mauling. Authorities are expected to provide additional information as the investigation progresses. So far, we have not seen any comments from the victim’s family members or friends.

Two pit bull-type dogs being seized from a home on Ira Road after deadly dog mauling.

Samara Rogers, 21-years old, was killed by two dogs on Ira Road in Augusta, Georgia.

Unconfirmed reports of a previous bite by one of the two dogs as recently as yesterday.

Related articles:
04/27/23: 2022 Dog Bite Fatality: 7-Month Old Killed, Great-Grandmother Injured by Muscular…
08/07/20: Teenager Suffers Critical Injuries, Crushed Trachea, in Pit Bull Attack in Barrow County