Augusta, GA

Gates locked at Augusta cemeteries nearly 3 months after Helene

Published

1 year ago

December 16, 2024

Gates locked at Augusta cemeteries nearly 3 months after Helene

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Gates are locked at Augusta city cemeteries nearly three months after Hurricane Helene hit our area.

Families have not been able to visit the final resting places of their loved ones because of the devastation.

However, the process for cleaning these cemeteries is a very delicate thing.

City leaders are dealing with large amounts of debris inside Augusta’s city-owned cemeteries including Magnolia, Cedar Grove and Westview.

Leaders want you to know they are working to clean things up as delicately as they can.

Beyond the locked gates at Magnolia Cemetery, the place looks anything but peaceful.

“Cemeteries and historic properties have a different process,” said Steve Cassell, ISM Engineering. “They have to go through a review first.”

Which comes from FEMA and the state historic preservation office.

“What we’ve gotten approval to do right now is just remove the debris off of the graves without disturbing the root balls, you know, the uprooted trees,” said Cassell.

The next step is where things can get tricky.

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“We have to then come in with an archaeologist to come in and sift through that stuff and figure out what’s been there and how to rebury it,” said Cassell.

A delicate process for all involved.

“We don’t want to actually pull up any remains or anything else that could be under there, but so far it looks like there are some underground bricks and stuff like that, but we haven’t discovered anything yet,” he said.

Because the last thing workers want is to disrupt these final resting spots even more.

“The last thing we want to do is do more damage,” said Cassell. “It’s already been done. The cemetery is over 200 years old and we want to at least get it back to as close to normal as it was.”

Fort Eisenhower went on lockdown the morning of Dec. 14, 2024.

And as far as costs go –

“All this is reimbursable from my standpoint, but you know, to be reimbursable, you have to follow the process to make sure that you do everything that you know within the guidelines,” he said.

Doing so with the goal of preserving and protecting.

“They had to do the evaluation before we could even come in here,” said Cassell.”So letting the general public in here before the officials that come in here and see it would have been not proper.”

Cassell says they don’t have a date right now as to when the cemeteries will open, but they are working with FEMA on the clean-up.

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Augusta, GA

Abercrombie Becomes a Leader On and Off the Court – Augusta University

Published

3 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Abercrombie Becomes a Leader On and Off the Court – Augusta University

Augusta, Ga. – A year ago when Quinasia Abercrombie was a freshman, she let her work on the court do the talking as she became one of the top players in the Peach Belt Conference. Abercrombie didn’t have to be a vocal leader since the Jaguars had several upper classmen that handled that role. This year, her sophomore season, Abercrombie is still one of the best players around, but now has become the vocal leader of the team, something that didn’t come naturally.

“I’m just leading my team by voice now, not just leading by example,” Abercrombie said. “Since I don’t really talk, I think they (my teammates) were really surprised, but they’re listening.”

She leads the Augusta women in several offensive categories and has proven to be a major asset to the program.

From Greenville, S.C., Abercrombie was an all-state high school player. She gives part of that credit to her siblings, one older brother and three younger brothers. She had to scratch and claw on the basketball court with them and she’s the first to give them credit for helping make her the player she is today. Abercrombie went as fas as saying she enjoys playing against guys since they’ll push her hard to become better, and she likes the competition.

Now, she’s also being pushed by coach Celeste Stewart. So much so, it’s taking Abercrombie out of her comfort zone. But it’s all for the betterment of her.

“She’s put me in multiple, uncomfortable situations, like talking, being more verbal, and just putting me in positions I wouldn’t normally put myself in,” added Abercrombie.

With the Peach Belt Conference tournament up next for the Jaguars, Abercrombie thinks this team can find another gear and make a run. While she has elevated her game, she knows her teammates can do the same.

Even going forward as a player, Abercrombie knows there’s plenty of room for improvement. One of the most notable for her, her ball handling skills.

“I know I like to pick up my dribble a lot and give it to my point guards,” said Abercrombie. “But I know I can bring it down the court, I just need to work on my ball handling and just being confident handling the ball.”

Fans of Jaguar Athletics can subscribe to the email listserve by clicking here. Fans can follow Augusta University at www.augustajags.com and receive short updates on Facebook at Augusta University Athletics and on Twitter at @AugustaJags.

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Augusta, GA

Peach Belt tournament: Augusta misses out for the first time in Metress era

Published

15 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Peach Belt tournament: Augusta misses out for the first time in Metress era

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The 2025-2026 Peach Belt Conference brackets are set, and there is plenty of shakeup this year.

Starting with the women’s bracket, Augusta University secured the #4 overall seed and will face #5 seed Middle Georgia in round one.

USCA’s women’s team did not fair as well, finishing in last place of this season’s standings.

On the men’s side, USCA’s men’s team secured the eighth and final spot in the conference tournament.

In a shocking turn of events, AU’s men’s team did not qualify for the tournament.

This marks the first time the program has missed the PBC tournament since Dip Metress took over the program in 2004.

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Augusta, GA

Augusta Falls to Georgia Southwestern in Final Game of the Series – Augusta University

Published

1 day ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Augusta Falls to Georgia Southwestern in Final Game of the Series – Augusta University

Augusta, Ga. – Augusta managed just five hits and one run and fell to Georgia Southwestern 12-1 Sunday as the Hurricanes win two of the three games of the series. The Jaguars are now 7-2 in Peach Belt Conference play and 11-8 overall. The Canes improve to 7-2 in conference play and 12-7 overall.

Georgia Southwestern scored runs in all but one inning including four runs in the first two innings and plated five runs in the fifth, highlighted by a grand slam.

The only Augusta run would come in the fourth inning. Landon Leonard would reach on an error and would come around when Kent Moon reached on a fielder’s choice that would plate Leonard.

Leonard, Moon, Davis Newman, Harris Bachelder and Jakob Cowart would collect the hits for the Jaguars.

Augusta will next be in action on Friday when the open up a three game series with Lander at Jaguar Field. First pitch on Friday is set for 6:00 p.m.

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