AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Augusta commissioners took another step toward auditing the Parks and Recreation Department, following the departure of former director Maurice McDowell.

On Tuesday, a committee approved the audit. Now, it’s up to the full commission to decide next week.

They’re trying to clean the slate, following a controversial departure.

“What we want to make sure we’re doing is adding in processes that will make our city more transparent,” said Commissioner Jordan Johnson.

Right now, they’ve narrowed the field down to 16 candidates to fill the Parks and Rec head position. While they look to the future of that position, they’re also looking to make sure there are no lingering issues from the past.

Some areas they are interested in exploring in the audit include Riverwalk expenditures, park expenditures, hotel stays with locations by employees, an IT search if any documents were deleted, community center dollars and more.

The auditing firm they selected, UHY, would charge a little more than $70,000 to explore this and more, within 90 days of commissioners’ approval.

Commissioners also tossed around the idea of tacking on audits for other issues they came across, like a new furniture request for a little more than $150,000 for the new Henry Brigham Center.

Commissioner Catherine Smith-McKnight said: “Ya’ll ain’t gonna wanna hear this, but it is beginning to smell fishier than a fish market.”

Commissioner Brandon Garrett responded: “I’m not even sure where to pick up on this one. Well, you know, apparently they stink.”

In every instance, commissioners brought up the need for more audits and oversight.

But a $300,000 to $400,000 full government operational audit failed to pass months ago.

“Again, more accountability has got to be put in place in this government that is just not there currently,” said Commissioner Sean Frantom.

Also at Commission…

• SPLOST 9 work session scheduled is scheduled for June 20. Infrastructure and Facilities Work and FY25 Budget Retreat is scheduled for June 26.
• Three Flock Cameras will be placed at the three entrances to Goshen Plantation for one year, with a total cost of $10,500.
• Commissioners approved 17 Dodge police chargers and a Dodge Durango for the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office for $840,749.26.

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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – An Augusta native and Paine College alum will walk across the stage at Meharry Medical College in Nashville for her Master of Science in Data Science.

Charleston Lee, 18, will be the youngest to do so in the School of Applied Computational Science.

At 16, she became the youngest SGA President in Paine College’s history, according to the news release.

“II Corinthians 5:7, “for we walk by faith and not by sight”, and Proverbs 31:26, “she opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue” are two scriptures that helped me on this journey to completing my degree,” Lee said. 

Family and friends will travel to Tennessee to witness this milestone.

“Charleston has always been focused and determined, even as a young girl. She knew what she wanted, and she made sure she did all she could to accomplish her goals” her mom Kimberly Baxter-Lee said.

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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The $40,000 John F. Beard Award at Augusta University has been presented to a graduate who’s described as a compassionate caregiver who puts patients first.

The honor went to Kendrick De Castro at AU’s May 9 commencement ceremony.

“Kendrick anticipates patients’ needs and goes above and beyond to make their medical care as comfortable as possible. He shows sincere care and interest, and holds the patient as the priority,” said Melania Velasquez, a physician assistant at Wellstar MCG Health who taught De Castro and worked alongside him during his OB/GYN rotation.

The $40,000 Beard Award, funded by philanthropists William Porter “Billy” Payne and his wife, Martha, is presented annually to a graduating College of Allied Health Sciences, Medical College of Georgia, College of Nursing or Graduate School student who exemplifies caring and compassion in health care.

“Kendrick’s friendly, genuine bedside manner has earned him the adoration of many patients, and his professional and caring connection to patients has eased patient reservations and also comforted children through traumatic procedures,” said Elizabeth Prince-Coleman, program director and assistant professor in the Physician Assistant Department in the College of Allied Health Sciences. “He goes beyond the expectations of a student in clinical services, offering help with patient transport; ensuring routine care like IV removal does not interfere with quality-of-life needs such as meal time; and writing down medication names for patients – unsolicited – to help them navigate the pharmacy.”

De Castro, who is from the metro Atlanta area, earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology from Georgia State University before coming to AU. He is a licensed pharmacy technician and is proficient in English, Spanish and Tagolog, a Filipino language.

“Kendrick works diligently with the student volunteer clinics to serve populations often marginalized in our society and health care system. He works to understand the challenges patients face not only with medical symptoms, but also the barriers to better health from other aspects of their lives,” said Prince-Coleman.

De Castro can often be found volunteering at those clinics, including the Equality Clinic, Faithcare Clinic and Clı́nica Latina.

“Kendrick’s actions and interactions with patients reflect a genuine concern for their physical, social and emotional well-being,” said Tiana Brown, Clinica Latina coordinator. “He has a unique gift for making patients feel heard and valued in the medical decision-making process, and he connects with them on a personal level.”

Beyond his interactions with patients, De Castro has created a culture of care and compassion among his cohort.

“Kendrick emerged as the light and the compass of our class,” said classmate Ellie Pontiakos. “He would go out of his way to send uplifting messages each day to the group. He provided positivity and comfort in a period of newness and anxiety.”

Amber A. Garrett, another classmate in the PA program, agreed.

“From the start, Kendrick embodied extraordinary character, marked by authenticity, compassion and kindness. Within the first week of knowing him, our cohort made the unanimous decision to appoint him as our class president, a role he has embraced with unwavering dedication,” Garrett said.

As class president, De Castro served as the liaison between faculty and his classmates and provided support to his cohort. From his daily messages to his ability to relate to anyone, De Castro has been a pillar of support for his patients and classmates alike.

“His ability to prioritize the needs of others above his own, even in the midst of adversity, speaks volumes about his character and commitment to compassionate service,” said Amanda Breeden, an assistant professor and De Castro’s academic adviser.

“Kendrick will be a great blessing to his future patients, not only in the care and compassion he provides directly to them, but also in the care and compassion I know he will invest in the entire team around him,” said Prince-Coleman, who was recognized with the Beard award in 2015.

The Beard Award was established in 1998 by Payne, the immediate past chairman of the Augusta National Golf Club, in memory of his father-in-law, who died of cancer in 1997. The award honors President Emeritus Francis J. Tedesco, MD, and Beard’s physician, Mark F. Williams, MD, a 1988 MCG graduate who treated Beard during his hospitalization.

This is the second consecutive year that a graduate in the College of Allied Health Sciences has earned this prestigious recognition.

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