Augusta, GA
Commissioners discuss ARP funding for parks in Augusta
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Some commissioners are cut up on how one can spend one million {dollars} of American Rescue Plan funds meant for Augusta’s parks.
We’ve heard concepts to make use of the cash for Riverwalk as a result of it’s considered one of our greatest vacationer sights.
Others argue the cash is required extra at parks like Diamond Lakes, that are in good situation however wants upgrades to their bogs and rec areas.
Proper now, it’s not a accomplished deal on the place this cash will go. Augusta Parks and Rec Director Maurice McDowell debated forwards and backwards with commissioners on the place the precedence lies for this cash.
One of many points is the restroom services at Diamond Lakes. There are lots of porta-potties.
Ben Hasan, commissioner for District 6 mentioned: “We’re speaking about how Riverwalk is used. To neglect it’s a disservice.”
It was forwards and backwards Tuesday with totally different tasks however the identical cash.
McDowell mentioned: “One which involves thoughts is the ‘Saturday Market’ mission we bidded that out; these funds are quick there, in addition to the bbq pit.”
McDowell will current a cash breakdown on the place his division thinks the cash ought to go between tasks at Diamond Lakes Park and the Riverwalk.
Brandon Garrett, commissioner for District 8 mentioned: “When guests do come to city, they’ve the chance to stroll alongside the river, and so they see the situation that it’s in at the moment. It’s been disrepaired in lots of locations.
Within the meantime, residents are weighing in.
Daryl Walker mentioned: “I feel the commissioners have been placing in lots of good work for south Augusta.”
Walker has come to Diamond Lakes Park for the previous ten years. He says it’s good and that the Riverwalk wants extra consideration.
“That’s underutilized. There’s not sufficient promotion. I don’t suppose there’s sufficient emphasis on beautifying that for vacationers and locals alike,” he mentioned.
Jrhn Brinson has additionally been coming to Diamond Lakes for the previous ten years, and whereas he loves this park and its workers, he says the general public restrooms must be a precedence.
“You’ve bought bogs over right here, and also you’re going to shut them to the general public? That’s silly,” he mentioned.
The place will we go from right here?
The cash was authorised within the Public Service Committee Tuesday, however commissioners need McDowell to come back again to fee with a breakdown of the place his priorities are between these two parks.
Copyright 2022 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
Augusta, GA
Harris heads to a hard-hit Augusta reeling from Helene water and power outages
This story was updated on Wednesday, Oct. 2 at 1:54 p.m.
In Augusta, Georgia, a line wrapped around a massive shopping center, past the shuttered Waffle House and at least a half mile down the road to get water Tuesday.
At 11 a.m. it still hadn’t moved. Kristie Nelson arrived with her daughter three hours earlier. It was a muggy morning for October but they had their windows down and the car turned off because gas is a precious commodity too.
“It’s been rough,” said Nelson, who still hasn’t gotten a firm date from the power company for her electricity to be restored. “I’m just dying for a hot shower.”
The city — along with Valdosta — was one of the hardest-hit in Georgia by Hurricane Helene on Friday. Vice President Kamala Harris will arrive there Wednesday afternoon to survey the damage, meet with local officials and provide updates on federal actions being taken to support recovery efforts.
President Joe Biden will visit Georgia and Florida on Thursday to tour impacted areas and meet with affected communities. Former President Donald Trump was in Valdosta on Monday.
Augusta and Richmond County have five centers for water set up for its more than 200,000 people. The city hasn’t provided specifics on the durations of outages for both water and power.
Local resident Sherry Brown was converting power from the alternator of her car to keep her refrigerator running and taking “bird baths” with water she collected in coolers. In another part of the city, people waited in line for more than three hours to try to get water from one of five water centers.
All around the city, trees are snapped in half and power poles are leaning. Traffic lights are out — and some are just gone from the winds that hit in the dark early Friday morning from Hurricane Helene.
“It’s miserable here,” said David Reese who was probably looking at spending his entire day in a line for water, then for gas. “But I’m still feeling blessed. I’ve heard it’s a lot worse other places.”
Some 350,000 people are still without power in Georgia as of Wednesday afternoon, according to poweroutage.us. The storm killed at least 166 people across six states, including 25 in Georgia.
President Joe Biden, who is set to survey the devastation in North and South Carolina Wednesday, estimated the recovery could cost billions.
“We have to jump start this recovery process,” he said Tuesday. “People are scared to death. This is urgent.”
Vice President Harris will make remarks about the recovery efforts from Augusta at 4 p.m. Wednesday.
WABE’s Patrick Saunders contributed to this report.
Augusta, GA
Trees Crush Roof of Home in Georgia After Hurricane Helene
The roof of a home in Augusta, Georgia, was crushed by fallen trees after Hurricane Helene caused widespread destruction, video from October 1 shows.
X user @j_wieberdink said she filmed this video of her husband’s home in Augusta and said “thousands of homes look like this.”
“Five days later, we don’t have power. Power lines down. The roads that have been cleared were cleared by citizens with chainsaws … our power grid has been destroyed by this storm,” she wrote in a caption on the post. Credit: @j_wieberdink via Storyful
Video transcript
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Augusta, GA
Kamala Harris coming to Augusta to see hurricane damage
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Vice President Kamala Harris will visit Georgia to tour the damage Hurricane Helene left across the Peach State.
The vice president will be in Augusta on Wednesday, where she will be briefed on recovery efforts.
Harris will also give updates on federal actions that are being taken to support emergency response and recovery efforts in Georgia and several other states.
RESOURCES FOR YOU:
On Monday, Harris visited Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters where she received a follow-up briefing on the ongoing impacts of Hurricane Helene and thanked federal personnel and first responders for their work to support impacted communities.
During her remarks, she made it clear that the Biden-Harris administration “will continue to do everything we can to help you recover and to help you rebuild – no matter how long it takes.”
President Joe Biden, meanwhile, will visit storm-hit areas of North Carolina on Wednesday. He’ll “engage with first responders and state and local officials in South Carolina en route to North Carolina.”
Early Friday, the Category 1 storm hit Augusta, knocking out power to most of the city, toppling trees onto homes, killing nearly 25 people across the CSRA and leading to a more than two-day shutdown of Augusta’s water system.
Harris’ visit will come just a day after President Joe Biden approved a major disaster declaration for Richmond, Columbia and Jefferson counties.
The White House said Harris has spoken with Georgia leaders, including Gov. Brian Kemp and Savannah Mayor Van Johnson, ahead of her planned visit to the state.
The Augusta visit comes after ones Monday by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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