Augusta, GA
Future of Augusta Historic Preservation Commission still on hold
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The future of the Augusta Historic Preservation Commission remains uncertain after months of back-and-forth between city leaders.
Commissioners met on Wednesday to discuss possible changes to the ordinance.
This comes after the panel came under fire from city leaders over the decaying Old First Baptist Church.
Some leaders want to do away with the ordinance, while others are fighting for it to stay.
We caught up with Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson and Augusta Commission member Catherine Smith-Rice after the meeting.
“Decisions made, especially as it relates to homeowners, that it be brought before the commission before going to arbitration,” said Johnson. “No homeowner who’s bearing the costs of renovating a property that’s potentially hundreds of years old should have to bear the costs of an attorney if they are just trying to bring their house up to standard, so I would hope that decision would be brought before the governing body.”
“Augusta is an old city, and with what we have in Summerville, we’ve got a lot of old structures, so no, I don’t believe in doing away with the historic preservation,” said Smith-Rice. “They’ve been here for a while, we continue to keep them, and we need to work together.”
Commissioners talked about the guidelines within each district, the impact of downtown blight, and tax credits.
Johnson also says leaders are working on plans to help work on vacant buildings in the city.
“We had one of the best leadership organizations visiting our city and wanted to take a picture of the beautiful James Brown statue, but unfortunately, behind the James Brown statue is an eyesore. So, we are continuing to have conversations about how we could perhaps bring these buildings that are vacant to some level of decorum.”
Commissioners are expected to make a decision at the next committee meeting.
Copyright 2025 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Golden Harvest Food Bank is partnering with local legal organizations for the 15th Annual Georgia Food Frenzy.
The fundraising competition is held in partnership with Feeding Georgia, the Office of the Georgia Attorney General, the State Bar of Georgia, and the Young Lawyers Division of the State Bar of Georgia.
The two-week competition runs from April 20th through May 1st, and every dollar raised stays local, supporting Golden Harvest’s work across the state of Georgia.
Groups can register at www.galegalfoodfrenzy.org/sign-up, and registration will remain open throughout the competition.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Georgia gubernatorial candidate Geoff Duncan campaigned in Augusta ahead of Election Day, making stops at two churches and meeting with local faith leaders.
The former lieutenant governor visited Good Hope Baptist Church on Cedar Street, where he spoke with the Greater Augusta Interfaith Coalition’s “Music to the Polls” group.
Duncan told us that, if elected governor, he wants to expand Medicaid, pass what he called “common-sense gun legislation,” and create more economic opportunities statewide. He also pointed to affordability concerns impacting families and businesses.
“I want to take $1.7 billion of our state’s fund and wrap it around the axle of poverty,” Duncan said, adding that he wants to lower child care costs and improve temporary assistance programs.
Duncan also stopped at Miles Memorial Church on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
NJ apartment dwellers, renters have these options for help with rent
State and local officials say several programs are designed to help low and moderate-income households stay housed in the face of financial distress.
As rent prices continue to strain budgets, a new study is highlighting where Georgians can save the most by splitting housing costs.
According to a report from SmartAsset, some cities in Georgia offer major savings for renters who choose to live with a roommate.
Here’s what to know.
Where can you save the most in Georgia?
The study ranks Augusta as the top city in Georgia for roommate savings, and No. 6 in the country.
Renters there can save about 45% on monthly rent, or roughly $450 per month, by sharing an apartment.
Here’s how the costs compare in Augusta:
- One-bedroom rent: $1,000
- Two-bedroom rent: $1,100
- Estimated monthly savings with a roommate: $450
Why are roommate savings so high?
With rent prices rising, splitting costs has become one of the easiest ways to cut monthly expenses.
The study shows that sharing rent can significantly reduce housing costs, especially in cities where prices have climbed in recent years.
How does Georgia compare to the rest of the country?
Here’s the top 10 cities in the US for saving with a roomate:
- Cleveland, OH
- Baton Rouge, LA
- Jersey City, NJ
- Memphis, TN
- Boise, ID
- Augusta, GA
- New Haven, CT
- Chattanooga, TN
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Shreveport, LA
Methodology
The study analyzed 100 U.S. cities using rental data from March 2025 to March 2026 from Zumper, comparing one-bedroom rents to half the cost of two-bedroom apartments to estimate savings from sharing with a roommate.
For more information, visit smartasset.com/data-studies/roommate-savings-2026.
Vanessa Johns is the Trending Topics Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team Georgia. Email her at Vcountryman@gannett.com.
-
Science1 minute agoVideo: This Parrot Has No Beak, But Is at the Top of the Pecking Order
-
Culture19 minutes agoPoetry Challenge Day 2: Love, How It Works and What It Means
-
Lifestyle25 minutes agoThe 11 most challenged books of 2025, according to the American Library Association
-
Education31 minutes agoA Time of Growth for Museums for Children
-
Technology37 minutes agoTim Cook will still be Apple’s Trump whisperer
-
World43 minutes agoDeadly shooting at historic tourist site leaves one dead, several injured as motive unclear
-
Politics49 minutes agoSoros-linked dark money network fuels Virginia redistricting push backed by national Democrats
-
Health55 minutes agoDeaths from one type of cancer are surging among younger adults without college degrees