Augusta, GA
Downtown businesses see increase in sales after busy month
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Downtown Augusta businesses are seeing an economic boost after a busy few weekends.
It comes nearly three weeks after a gunman opened fire into a crowd on Broad Street.
Just a few weeks after downtown was shattered by the shooting, the garden city is rebounding with Juneteenth and Pride — all of which are having a positive impact on business.
And with temperatures shooting up, there’s been a concern business would wilt in the hot weather.
“Of course, the weather is not helping with it being so incredibly hot,” said Hope Trujillo, manager at Pineapple Ink.
But the events downtown these past two weekends have helped move things in the right direction.
“We were way busier than normal we had a lot of high numbers we had a lot of visitors from out of town stop in,” said Trujillo.
Pride and Juneteenth both created foot traffic in downtown Augusta.
“But that Saturday when it was complete Pride events downtown, the parade at the commons, we did 200 plus cover the whole day which is really phenomenal for a small place like ourselves,” said Trujillo.
Whether a business has been downtown for three weeks or two years, everyone saw the increase.
“We’ve been here three weeks. This Friday will be one month. I can say with the festival that happened I saw some new faces we were a little bit busier than usual,” said Anna Chavez, manager of El Paso.
Trujillo said: “We were absolutely surprised we were way busier than normal.”
Hitting just the right note at just the right time.
“Well, you do have that little slow time it’s the end of school families are going on vacation we have that little slump, so Pride and Juneteenth helped downtown get passed that little slump,” said Trujillo.
Businesses hope to see more people find their way downtown as summer goes on. They just hope the heat doesn’t keep people at home.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The South Augusta YMCA will not renew its lease at the Tobacco Road location, the Y confirmed.
The shopping center is being sold, and the current lease ends in October.
The Y has not announced a final day at the current location. Officials said they plan to announce that date and next steps for South Augusta later this month.
The YMCA said it still plans to serve South Augusta after the lease expires.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A man who was previously wanted for questioning in an Augusta deadly shooting has now been charged with murder in the case, according to authorities.
The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office says Kemfton Quewanaki Kenon, 27, was arrested on Friday in connection to the shooting death of Khyla Rodriguez, of Augusta.
Kenon is booked into the Charles B. Webster Detention Center and charged with murder and possession of a firearm during a crime, according to jail bookings.
Rodriguez, 25, was found dead after deputies received a call about a shooting on May 15 at 1:11 a.m. on Cameron Drive.
The Richmond County Coroner’s Office said Rodriguez was pronounced dead at 2:27 a.m.
Kenon was previously wanted for questioning in the case and was located in Miami-Dade County, Florida. He was interviewed and arrested on an unrelated warrant.
Deputies were also interviewed two other subjects in the case. They were not arrested in the case.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – People who live in South Augusta are raising concerns about the future of the Family Y on Tobacco Road.
Officials say the facility has been operating at a loss for years, and have had a low number of memberships. The location also has a new owner. The cost of the lease is too high and the facility is also in need of renovations, which are said to be costly.
“The reality is we couldn’t afford the current lease that we were in,” said Catie McCauley, president and CEO of Family Y of Greater Augusta. “Over the last 10 years we’ve been subsidizing this lot. So we got to look at a model that we can sustain for the next several generations not just the next couple years.”
The location is set to close in October, but officials say they are working with community members and contractors for a new building that they can move into and are committed to staying in South Augusta.
Photojournalist credit: Gary Hipps
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