Augusta, GA

Dream center to offer free clothes, school supplies to community

Published

1 year ago

August 2, 2024

Dream center to offer free clothes, school supplies to community

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – If you haven’t finished back-to-school shopping, this weekend would be the time to do it.

While many South Carolina stores will be filled with shoppers, we can’t forget about the local organizations holding back-to-school drives for families who may need a little support.

Clothes, backpacks, pens, pencils, paper, shoes and even haircuts can all add up.

We spoke with one group working to lessen the financial stress as kids head back to the classroom.

The Augusta Dream Center is a non-profit organization that works to help underserved communities in the CSRA.

“A lot of people were finding themselves without childcare, without food resources, availability to get to where the resources were. So, it was very important to us to have this location in south Augusta to be present with the people who seem to need it the most,” said Meagan Slusser, missions pastor at Stevens Creek Church.

They provide food, clothes, health care resources, an adult computer literacy course and a hot meal every Sunday to those who need it.

Fundraising Coordinator Hallie Dickens said: “We’re seeing upwards to 250-350 families weekly. This is not people just families, so when it comes to people over the last 12 months. We’ve impacted over 30,000 people with just feeding alone.”

The Dream Center is now gearing up to help even more people on Saturday through what they call Serve Day.

They’ll be providing free haircuts, clothes, shoes, dental screenings and backpacks filled with supplies.

Slusser said: “So, if there are multiple colors or styles, they get to pick from them and really make it personal, and that just changes a kid’s world for starting out school and gives them the confidence they probably need to let them know they can do it this year, you can get through it.”

Slusser says events like this happen because of the community.

“Many companies have chipped in, and many churches have chipped in, and we love to see that grow. We never want it to be one name that’s championed, but the whole community coming together to serve our people,” she said.

To learn more about the Augusta Dream Center, visit https://www.augustadreamcenter.org/.

Source link

Augusta, GA

Law enforcement converges on home in west Augusta

Published

8 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Law enforcement converges on home in west Augusta

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – There was a large law enforcement presence Thursday morning at a home in west Augusta near Fort Gordon.

The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force were in the area attempting to find a suspect, according to deputies.

Witnesses said around 11:25 a.m. that officers had been surrounding a home at Harper-Franklin Avenue and Covington Court.

That’s in a neighborhood of mostly two-story brick-fronted homes built in the past three or four years just east of Jimmie Dyess Parkway and a couple of blocks north of Gordon Highway.

As noon approached, law enforcement had left.

But a Facebook post from earlier did show a large presence,including marked and unmarked cars, and officers all around the house. A witness said police dogs were on the scene, as well.

News 12 has reached out to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office for information.

Source link

Augusta, GA

Augusta mayoral candidate holds town hall as election season begins

Published

21 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Augusta mayoral candidate holds town hall as election season begins

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Steven Kendrick held a town hall on Wednesday at the Henry Brigham Community Center as he prepares to challenge Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson.

Kendrick, who serves as chief deputy tax commissioner for Richmond County, previously ran against Johnson in 2022. The town hall was part of Kendrick’s campaign tour as he seeks to unseat the incumbent mayor.

“Some of the people felt as though we really needed to dig a little deeper and we dug a little deeper,” Kendrick said after the meeting. “But that’s how you gain understanding, where everybody’s not going to agree about everything. Some of them we didn’t agree on. I certainly enjoyed the interaction. I learned some things, and I hope they learned some things as well.”

Multiple Commission seats up for election

The mayoral race is not the only contest facing Richmond County voters. Several Augusta Commission seats are up for election across multiple districts.

District 8 will have a new commissioner because Commissioner Brandon Garrett is term-limited and cannot run again. Michael Cioffi and Evett Williams have filed to run for the District 8 seat.

Districts 2, 4, 6 and 10 are also up for election. Stacy Pulliam currently serves in District 2.

Source link

Augusta, GA

2026 is off to a deadly start, but what’s ahead for Augusta?

Published

1 day ago

January 7, 2026

Press Room

2026 is off to a deadly start, but what’s ahead for Augusta?

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Richmond County deputies are investigating their first homicide of 2026, which occurred early Monday morning on Hines Street just off Laney Walker Boulevard.

The victim was 21-year-old Thaddeus Kirkland. He was found bleeding on scene around 2 a.m. and died a short time later.

Suspect wanted for questioning

Deputies are seeking 24-year-old Bruce Wesby for questioning in connection to the incident. Wesby is known to frequent the Waynesboro area. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call the sheriff’s office.

Crime data shows progress in 2025

The first homicide of 2026 happened five days into the new year, two days sooner than the first homicide of 2025.

According to the sheriff’s office data, violent crime decreased significantly in 2025 under Sheriff Eugene Brantley’s leadership. Homicides dropped 35% year-over-year from 2024 to 2025 to their lowest level since 2021.

Aggravated assaults also dropped 35% to their lowest mark since 2018. Armed robberies fell 36% year-over-year to their lowest mark since crime data for Richmond County was first recorded in 2011.

Law enforcement focused on high-risk areas, including downtown Augusta, to lower response times and keep people safe.

“What they really want is for their families that they’re raising in this area to have safe lives, just like the citizens of Augusta that vote them in,” said M. Steven Fishman, president of Sidney’s Department Store & Uniforms. “They want to be able to go to work, come home, and enjoy their lives with their children, knowing that they’re safe.”

As 2026 gets underway, the sheriff’s office is continuing upgrades for technology and equipment to continue its goal of reducing violent crime. The office sent a statement saying the progress is in large part due to the community and deputies working together.

Source link