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Countdown to retirement: Brooks Keel’s final days at AU

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Countdown to retirement: Brooks Keel’s final days at AU


AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – After nine years of improvements, Augusta University President Dr. Brooks Keel is just days away from retirement.

He’s seen improvements like an increase in enrollment every year since 2015 and seeing thousands of students graduate.

The board of regents is set to vote Friday to decide if the sole finalist, Dr. Russell Keen, will take over the role.

Before saying goodbye to the university, Dr. Keel sat down for one final interview.

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His last day is June 28.

He says the achievements over the last nine years are ones he didn’t do alone.

While it’s definitely a bittersweet moment, he says he’s truly in the “sweet spot.”

“I always wanted to retire on my own terms,” said Keel.

After spending 40 years in research and higher education administration, Keel says it’s time he “cut the cord.”

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“People have asked me, are you gonna consult or whatever? Why would I want to quit the best job in the world just to do another job? So we’re giving it all up and hitting the (Florida) Keys and start starting fresh,” said Keel.

With his eyes set on the retirement state, he can’t help but reflect on the last nine years as the leader of the Jaguar pack.

Savannah River Mission Completion

“We broke the 10,000 students glass ceiling — 10,546. We had like a seven or eight percent increase in enrollment this past fall versus the fall before that, and a 27% increase in enrollment since 2015. One of the most exciting things is that greater than 50% of our freshman class comes from outside of the CSRA,” said Keel.

And he’s counting down the days until he passes the torch.

“So right now we have 18 days, seven hours, seven minutes and four seconds,” said Keel.

After June 28, the only place you’ll be able to catch him is the water.

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“We want to be able to spend as much time as we can, either in the water or on top of the water. Tammy is an avid scuba diver,” said Keel.

The McGhee Block in Aiken added to National Register of Historic Places

He’s sailing into the next chapter, without a cell phone controlling his schedule.

“I have taken up saltwater fly fishing several years ago. So we have a house where we can get in the boat go either up to the Gulf or out to the Atlantic and, be able to fish, dive, and catch your own dinner, those sorts of things,” said Keel.

News 12 got to meet Dr. Russell Keen on Wednesday as we walked out of Keel’s office. While they do not want to jump to conclusions just yet, they are both very confident and excited about the future of AU.

If voted in, Keel says he can’t think of anyone more qualified for the job than Keen.

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Augusta, GA

Augusta Jaguars preparing to host cross-town rival USC Aiken Pacers

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Augusta Jaguars preparing to host cross-town rival USC Aiken Pacers


AUGUSTA, GA (WJBF)- The Augusta men’s basketball team is gearing up to host cross-town rival the USC Aiken Pacers Wednesday night in a Peach Belt Conference matchup.

The Jags held their last full day of practice at Christenberry Fieldhouse before they take the court against the Pacers. Augusta holds a 54-33 lead in the overall series, but the Pacers swept the Jags last season.

Both teams this year off to a slower start in conference play, with just five wins combined between the two programs. So, this matchup will serve as a strong evaluation on where the teams are at now, and what they can improve on moving forward.

“We started the season off a little slow. But each game you can see the progress that we’re making in practice, the progress that we’re making. As a team we’re starting to click and understand what it takes,” said AU point guard Kyndon Wilburg.

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“Rebounding the basketball is probably the most important thing, getting back in transition. This would be a huge win for us, coming off a tough loss from lander. I think it would be a great way to kick start what we’re about to do,” Wilburg said.

Tip-off for the men is set for 7:30 p.m. at Christenberry Fieldhouse.



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Augusta, GA

We the People: Augusta Museum showcases new America’s 250th exhibit

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We the People: Augusta Museum showcases new America’s 250th exhibit


AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Augusta Museum of History is launching a new America’s 250th exhibit that showcases the area’s Revolutionary War, Civil War and modern-day connections.

“When people think of the Revolutionary War, a lot of times they think of up north, you know, New England and Paul Revere, but there’s just as much history down here,” Krystal Lyons, head of education, said.

The exhibit is a chronological journey through Augusta’s past

The exhibit moves chronologically through Augusta’s history, telling specific stories through objects that have not been displayed before or in a long time.

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The display starts with Native Americans and the Stallings Island community, progresses through the Revolutionary period and into the Civil War and antebellum period before arriving at the modern day.

Visitors should plan multiple visits to see all the historical stories the artifacts tell, as the exhibit will change every three months.

“These stories that each of these artifacts has, it has a little story that we can connect to people today, so it might feel like a long time ago, 250 years ago, but there’s a lot of things that we do that are just the same today as they were 250 years ago.”

You can also visit the Augusta Museum of History’s social media pages as they deep dive into one artifact per week throughout the year.



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Augusta, GA

GameStop to close 16 Georgia locations, including 1 in Augusta

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GameStop to close 16 Georgia locations, including 1 in Augusta


AUGUSTA, Ga. — Video game retailer GameStop is reportedly closing 16 stores in Georgia, including one Augusta location, as part of its “comprehensive store portfolio optimization.”

The store in Augusta is located in the Southpointe Plaza at 3209 Deans Bridge Road.

The retailer announced in an SEC filing that it plans to close “a significant number of additional stores in fiscal 2025.”

While an official list is not available, emails sent to customers and notices sent to employees indicate 16 stores in Georgia are on the chopping block.

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All Georgia locations closing include:

  • North Point Mall, 1198 North Point Circle, Alpharetta
  • Lenox Square Mall, 3393 Peachtree Rd. NE Suite 2027, Atlanta
  • Howell Mill, 1801 Howell Mill Rd. NW, Atlanta
  • Southpointe Plaza, 3209 Deans Bridge Rd., Augusta
  • Shops @ Main Street, 455 Cherokee Pl., Cartersville
  • Chamblee Village, 1841 Chamblee-Tucker Rd., Chamblee
  • Peachtree Mall, 3131 Manchester Expwy. #34B, Columbus
  • Cumming Marketplace, 1060 Market Place Blvd., Cumming
  • Dublin Commons, 2421 Hwy. 80 W, Dublin
  • Hartwell Station, 115 Walmart Dr., Hartwell
  • 4959 Bill Gardner Pkwy., Locust Grove
  • McDonough Square, 1144 Hwy. 20-81, McDonough
  • Pharrs Village, 1830 Scenic Hwy. N, Snellville
  • Stone Mountain Festival, 1825 Rockbridge Rd., Stone Mountain
  • Cofer Crossing, 4363 Lawrenceville Hwy., Tucker

GameStop’s board of directors recently approved $35 billion in performance-based stock options for CEO Ryan Cohen, should the company’s market cap hit $100 billion. The company’s market cap is $9.3 billion.



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