Augusta, GA
Crime-ridden Augusta businesses could be punished soon
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Augusta leaders are trying to send a message to crime-ridden businesses: nearby violence can lead to a lost alcohol license.
It was a topic of discussion at Tuesday’s meeting of the Augusta Commission.
In the news for weeks has been Smart Grocery on Wrightsboro Road.
Although it may not be the owner’s fault, there’s been a rash of shootings at the store – at least nine in recent years with two of them fatal.
The store happens to be near a cluster of high-crime apartment complexes.
Just this past weekend, there was one right around the corner from the store at Fox Trace.
Despite years of working together with the sheriff’s office and recently hiring extra deputies to guard three days a week, shootings continue around Smart Grocery.
A 24/7 solution is too expensive for them to stay afloat.
Smart Grocery property owner, Sae Pak, cited this past weekend’s shooting as an example of how the problem is the apartments, not the store. He said Little Caesars is leaving the small shopping center because of the violence.
“There are more problems happening around the property, not just our property, surrounding properties. Please. I would challenge any of the commissioners to come down to where we’re at. Spend the day with us. You’ll see exactly what we see. And then tell us how we can fix it,” said Pak.
CSRA CRIME COVERAGE:
The store owner and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office say they’ve been working together to tame the violence, but the Augusta Commission wants to send a message and hold the business owner accountable.
Because the Smart Grocery item was labeled as “discussion” at Tuesday’s meeting and the store owners need to be given a longer notice for action, the matter is coming back before the commission in two weeks with a recommendation for six months of probation.
This wave of accountability is also coming to the Olive Road convenience store in the Glendale community, as well as Club Rain, owned by Allen Voncelillies, who also owns L9, and he got into trouble over crime there.
Commissioner Jordan Johnson said: “If you take their license away for a year, I mean, that’s his livelihood, that’s his family’s livelihood. Just like we said with the other folks. It’s their livelihood, it’s family’s livelihood. We need to make this decision off of some type of equal standard.”
At Tuesday’s meeting of the commission, deputies and Voncelillies discussed the revocation of the alcohol license for Club Climax. Deputies are even pressing to potentially close their doors altogether.
While Voncelillies was already on probation for the Level 9 club, he says he was not on Probation for Club Rain and was given no warning about the accusations against his business about a fatal shooting that happened there.
There was a heated back-and-forth discussion in which each side accused the other of not stating facts correctly, such as where the shooting took place.
Commissioners are now looking at 6-month probations for all three of these spots.
We caught up with Smart Grocery after today’s meeting and they say they’re even willing to offer a sheriff’s office substation next door to combat the shootings.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Students showcased drones they built during a two-week summer camp at Augusta Regional Airport on Friday.
12 junior and high school students attended the camp, where they learned to fly and build drones designed to help others.
Anderson Puryear, a student, said the camp focused on delivering small medical supplies.
“It was focused on delivering small medical supplies like an EPI pen or glucose packet for like diabetics and for people with allergies in need in the real world that could obviously help save lives, and if people are like in a place in a boat or like in the desert or in the forest where they can’t easily access those supplies it can save their lives,” Puryear said.
The airport partnered with Georgia Tech, state troopers and the Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting Department for the Air Edu Summer Camp.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The 10th annual Juneteenth Augusta Festival brought families to the Augusta Fairgrounds on Friday despite the muggy heat.
Cultural and community-focused events, live music performances and food trucks were available at the celebration.
Tonia Hill, attending the Juneteenth celebration, said she loves the holiday and is supporting the community, though she acknowledged the weather conditions.
“I love Juneteenth. And I’m supporting everybody. It’s hot. It’s hot. It’s hot,” Hill said.
The festival runs until 10 p.m.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Augusta Dream Center is seeing more families turn to its food pantry this summer as children lose access to school lunches.
Organizations like the Augusta Dream Center see a surge in families who relied on school lunches during the academic year, according to Hallie Kohan, assistant director.
“We see a lot more families that have young kids who are in need that simply don’t have those meals they are normally getting,” Kohan said. “We see an influx of families that come through.”
Demand is up, but the food supply is not keeping pace.
“Right now we are having some food distribution issues so while we are seeing an increase in families, we are seeing a decrease in the amount of food coming through our doors,” Kohan said.
The center is asking the community to host food drives or donate kid-friendly items such as mac and cheese and oatmeal.
Every Sunday the Dream Center opens its doors for a hot meal, serving as many as 120 people.
“Families can come in and get their hot meal. They sit down, it’s dignified, it’s a diner,” Kohan said. “It’s a welcoming experience for kids to come in and not feel like they are in need.”
No paperwork is required to receive help.
“Just because you think someone is in a great situation, in today’s economy you never know,” Kohan said. “It could be your neighbor, mom, or best friend.”
The Augusta Dream Center food pantry is open Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to noon and Thursdays from 5 to 6 p.m. Hot meals are served Sundays from 5 to 6 p.m.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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