AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The USDA has granted $500,000 to Augusta Locally Grown for a CSRA-wide farmer business program that will help them expand their operations.

Augusta Locally Grown (ALG) partners with the Augusta Metro Chamber, the Richmond County Extension, and Gateway Business Services to offer robust programming to CSRA small business farmers.

This project provides tiered agricultural and entrepreneurial services tailored to beginning farmers, to help them improve and sustain farming operations.

Agricultural activities include the Homesteading Conference, individual farm plots, farm training workshops, extension classes, farmer planning meetings, farmer forums and mentorship. Entrepreneurship activities include business training/coaching in three formats (self-paced, small group, one-on-one) and general business workshops.

“This robust program and its unique partnerships stand out on a nationwide platform to strengthen to serve 200 local farmers at a time when farmers are struggling to feed themselves and the community,” Rebecca van Loenen, Executive Director of Augusta Locally Grown, says.

Classes will provide individual farm plots, mentorship, climate-smart agricultural training, business plan development, and more to help beginning farmers improve and sustain farming operations.

Program workshops will start as early as December 2024 and continue through December 2027.

For more information regarding the program, you can contact Chuck Simpson, Program Manager at chuck@augustalocallygrown.org.

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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Just before Veterans Day a concert in North Augusta was held to celebrate veterans.

The concert at the Grace Methodist Church honored those who served and are currently serving our country.

The event was sponsored by the North Augusta Cultural Arts Council and helps give back to the Wounded Warrior Project and the Music Therapy department at the local VA hospital.

Our former News 12 anchor Richard Rogers served as emcee.

Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A second suspect has been arrested in connection to a shooting at the Augusta Mall in April.

Kaysean Quashar Nealy, 21, was arrested on Wednesday, according to jail bookings.

Arrest warrants state on April 28, around 1:30 p.m., Nealy assaulted the victim with a deadly weapon by firing at least one bullet from a gun into the victim’s back and right hand.

We previously reported that authorities were still looking for Samoney Tanksley, 26, in relation to the incident. We have reached out to learn if Tanksley is still being sought.

Days after the shooting, deputies announced the arrest of Tybrea Elester Nicole Nelson, 24, of Martinez, on two counts of aggravated assault for her role in the shooting.

She’s not accused of being the shooter but of being present during the shooting and driving the getaway vehicle.

Arrest warrants also accuse Nealy of assaulting another victim by firing at least one bullet from the gun towards the area of the victim.

The victim did not have any visible injuries, according to the warrants.

Nealy is charged with two counts of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm or knife during the commission of a crime.

Records show Nealy is being held in the Richmond County Detention Center.

On the possession of a firearm or knife during the commission of a crime charge, bond was set at $5,700, according to jail bookings. For the two counts of aggravated assault, bond was not set.

“It was surreal. The whole thing’s surreal,” said Oscar Maldonado, who was at the mall when the drama erupted. “It’s kind of like when you see that happen in a movie – it kind of felt like what you see in a movie.”

This incident comes amid an outbreak of violent crime that’s claimed more than 150 lives across the CSRA in two years. It’s affected communities large and small on both sides of the Savannah River. But as the largest city in the region, Augusta has been hit especially hard.

Authorities have blamed much of the problem on gangs, and many of the victims as well as the suspects have been young men.

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