Augusta, GA

Georgia restoring 30 cent gas tax, but there’s a silver lining

Published

2 years ago

January 11, 2023

Georgia restoring 30 cent gas tax, but there’s a silver lining

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Gasoline costs stay beneath $3 per gallon throughout the state, however that would all change Tuesday evening.

The fuel tax suspension that has been protecting Georgia’s costs low is ending, that means fuel costs ought to rise by about 30 cents a gallon.

Even then, Georgia’s value is anticipated to remain beneath the nationwide common.

On Tuesday, Georgia’s common value was $2.81, whereas Augusta’s common value was $2.88. Add 30 cents and that will be $3.11 for Georgia and $3.18 for Augusta.

Each of these costs are nonetheless nicely beneath Tuesday’s nationwide common of $3.27.

Right here’s some extra excellent news in at the very least the quick time period: AAA expects an finish to the current surge in fuel costs blamed on chilly climate and vacation journey. Whereas the nationwide common value rose day by day beginning on Christmas Eve, costs flattened and fell by a penny over the weekend.

“As we head towards February, pump costs will seemingly dip, barring any jolt within the international oil market,” mentioned Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson.

Don’t get too used to it, although. Gross says they’ll seemingly rise later.

In March, the Georgia Common Meeting handed laws to droop the tax that the state collects on every gallon of gasoline. It was a transfer lawmakers made after gasoline costs spiked drastically throughout the nation after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Gov. Brian Kemp stored extending that suspension month after month, doing it one final time in December to assist households offset the price of vacation spending.

Although Georgia missed out on $1.7 billion in revenues, the state ended the 12 months with a $6.6 billion surplus.

Dr. Michael Toma, an economics professor from Georgia Southern College, says he doesn’t anticipate any impacts on the state’s financial system as a result of misplaced income from the fuel tax suspension lasting so lengthy.

“It has a reasonably sturdy wet day or reserve fund, and I don’t anticipate that the state authorities would expertise a budgetary downside all through 2023, so I feel the state is on very sound fiscal floor. I don’t anticipate any headwinds from the financial system on that,” Toma mentioned.

We spoke with two native companies about what this might imply for them.

Onnie Sanford has lived in Augusta for almost 17 years. For her small companies, Opp Kitchen and Paleo Num Yums, the suspension means studying to pivot and in the reduction of.

“It’s important to take into consideration the place you’ll be able to reduce costs as a result of it goes all the way in which again to, you understand, you don’t have the meals, you’ll be able to’t have the enterprise, and that every one depends on fuel costs,” she mentioned.

Brent Slagle is the proprietor of Flowers on Broad. He says deliveries make up 70% of their revenue. The fuel tax suspension gave them some reduction on the rising prices of every part, however he tells us he worries they could have to boost their costs.

“Our enterprise can solely take up a lot earlier than now we have to move them to the purchasers. We hope that that doesn’t come to that, however with this now, you by no means know,” mentioned Slagle.

Sanford says she hopes for stability within the costs of products and fuel.

“I like consistency in my enterprise. I don’t need to preserve flip-flopping backwards and forwards. I’d like to say, ‘oh, we’re doing deliveries.’ However now fuel costs are going again up. Now we have to take deliveries away,” she mentioned.

Slagle will take further steps to get cheaper fuel from right here on out.

“We’ll be having to analysis and discover out precisely the place the most affordable fuel is the place now we have to go,” he mentioned.

The excellent news, Augusta’s common fuel value with the added tax continues to be a lot decrease than the nationwide common.

From experiences by WRDW, WANF, and WTOC

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Augusta, GA

Local organization raising money to honor MLK with statue

Published

3 hours ago

January 21, 2025

Press Room

Local organization raising money to honor MLK with statue

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – To honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., one local organization is raising money to install a statue in his honor.

Global Race Unity has spent the past few years fundraising, including Monday during a Martin Luther King Day celebration.

We spoke with some of the leaders there on why this statue is so important.

“We want to keep the life and legacy of Dr. King alive,” said Reverend Dr. Larry Fryer/CEO of Global Race Unity Inc.

Getting closer to their goal, but not quite close enough – yet.

“We’ve been awhile at it, but we are hoping now as we continue to pick up momentum to see that we get this done,” said Fryer.

So far they have $183,000 raised of their $250,000 goal.

It’s been a long process. Gaining traction and giving hope they could have the memorial done in the next few years.

“It’s been over 10 years. It’s slow,” said Fryer. “It shouldn’t be and we are encouraging people to please donate.”

So they offer opportunities to donate at events and celebrations across the CSRA like the one at Abeline Church.

Once all of the money is raised, Global Race Unity plans on placing the Martin Luther King Jr. statue close to 10th and broad near the Augusta welcome sign.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is known to be a day of service and a time to come together in the...

“Not only are we looking to keep his life and legacy alive, but we also want to encourage people about the importance of being there for each other, about being educated about the things that are positive in our community where we have had a lot of death and violence,” said Fryer.

Having a consistent reminder of where we came from and who we could be.

“By having Dr. King’s life and legacy before all of us, it keeps it alive, even for young people who don’t even know who he was,” said Fryer.

For more information on how to donate to Global Race Unity visit their website here.

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Augusta, GA

Lucy C. Laney Museum teaching MLK’s ties to Augusta

Published

11 hours ago

January 20, 2025

Press Room

Lucy C. Laney Museum teaching MLK’s ties to Augusta

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. are once again being celebrated across the nation today.

The civil rights icon is the only non-president with a federal holiday named in his honor.

On Monday, we learned the Lucy Craft Laney Museum is working to teach that history.

King was assassinated in April of 1968 when he was just 39 years old. He would be turning 96 this month.

King’s home congregation was in Atlanta – and just a few hours away, Augusta is full of history and ties to MLK as well.

History – we’re surrounded by it.

“One of the great things about Augusta is that we have a long legacy of civil rights here,” said Corey Rogers, a historian at the Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History.

Names like reverend C.S. Hamilton and Lucy Craft Laney. Then there’s one name connected to Augusta in more ways than one.

“His entire family would often come here to Augusta for different Baptist conventions and different conferences that were being held here,” said Rogers.

Growing up, Dr. King and his family would stay at the Bohler House on Phillips Steet.

Far from his last stay here.

“Dr. King came here in 1962 with other civil rights leaders like Wyatt Walker, and they came here to talk about voter registration and voter education,” said Rogers.

Fast forward six years later.

“His return trip was geared around the second march on Washington, which was being framed as the poor people’s march,” said Rogers. “So he was crisscrossing Georgia, rallying people. Rallying the grassroots, getting them ready for this second march on Washington. Unfortunately, about a week and a half after leaving Augusta, he would be assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee.”

Times have changed since – but one thing remains constant.

“Connecting people with their civil rights roots, telling them about the richness of Augusta and how the students at Paine College, the preachers in Augusta, the students from Augusta, came together and affected change in our city,” said Rogers.

Ensuring generations to come remember those who came before.

“It’s incumbent upon us to dig a little bit deeper,” said Corey Rogers, a historian at the Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History. “Find out those connections between Dr. King and other civil rights leaders in those respective towns and share those stories because everybody, every town, every city has a very unique story to tell as it relates to civil rights and Dr. King.

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Augusta, GA

Winter Storm Watch across Georgia beginning Tuesday. How much snow is in the forecast?

Published

19 hours ago

January 20, 2025

Press Room

Winter Storm Watch across Georgia beginning Tuesday. How much snow is in the forecast?

Ever since earlier this month, Georgians have been worried about another winter storm coming in. The forecasts are not looking favorable in this respect.

The National Weather Service issued a Winter Storm Watch on Monday for most of the central and southern Georgia areas. It will go into effect Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday morning.

How much snow will Georgia get?

Snowfall projections are varied depending on where you live. In the Atlanta and Athens area, there’s a 40% chance of snow Tuesday after 1 p.m. with less than half an inch accumulation.

In Macon, there’s a chance of flurries before 11 a.m. Tuesday then snow is likely after 4 p.m. The chance of precipitation is 60% with less than half an inch of snow accumulation.

Savannah is looking at snow and sleet Tuesday, becoming all snow after 1 a.m. The chance of precipitation is 90% with 1-2 inches of snow accumulation. There’s also a 30% chance of snow showers on Wednesday before 10 a.m.

Will Georgia get ice?

Current ice accumulation maps by NWS indicate the major concern is in the south with less than one-tenth inch in the Albany area, up to 0.25 inches in the Valdosta and Savannah areas.

Will it freeze in Georgia?

While areas like Augusta have not been issued a winter storm watch, whether snow or ice is expected, freezing or near-freezing conditions are practically everywhere. Here’s a look at some of the incoming temperatures:

Athens: Tuesday high of 37 degrees, low of 17 degrees. Wednesday high of 38, low of 18.
Atlanta: Tuesday high of 34 degrees, low of 16 degrees. Wednesday high of 36, low of 21.
Augusta: Tuesday high of 40 degrees, low of 22 degrees. Wednesday high of 38, low of 20.
Macon: Tuesday high of 40 degrees, low of 19 degrees. Wednesday high of 41, low of 19.
Savannah: Tuesday high of 40 degrees, low of 27 degrees. Wednesday high of 37, low of 25.

Miguel Legoas is a Deep South Connect Team Reporter for Gannett/USA Today. Find him on X and Instagram @miguelegoas and email at mlegoas@gannett.com.

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