Augusta, GA
Green racket: DC mayor took ‘economic development’ trip to Masters on taxpayers’ dime
District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser may want a mulligan on this one.
The Democrat took a taxpayer-funded “sports and economic development” trip to last week’s Masters golf tournament in Augusta, Ga.
Bowser, 51, announced the jaunt on her public schedule and a spokeswoman for the mayor’s office confirmed that DC residents paid for all related travel expenses to get inside the gates at the fabled Augusta National Golf Club, DC News Now reported.
Susana Castillo, Bowser’s communications director, told the outlet that the mayor was invited by Jodie McLean and Deborah Ratner Salzberg, who are co-chairs of a city task force “to revitalize the Gallery Place and Chinatown Neighborhood.”
The spokeswoman did not disclose the total cost of the more than 500-mile flight south, nor did she immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
“No matter where I am, my team is working and always in touch with me at a moment’s notice,” Bowser added in a statement of her own to DC News Now.
The mayor has faced sharp criticism for her handling of a crime spike in the nation’s capital before pivoting last fall amid mass resignations by city police — including former chief Robert Contee III.
Violent crime surged 39% in the nation’s capital from 2022 to 2023, with homicides rising 35% and robberies up a whopping 67%.
In two recent high-profile incidents, armed carjackers stole the vehicles of an FBI agent and Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), while a former federal official in the Trump administration was shot and killed by another car thief in February.
Bowser embraced the Black Lives Matter movement during the riots that followed the police killing of George Floyd in 2020, but reversed course in 2023 to fight the city council over a radical crime bill that lightened sentencing for robberies, carjackings and other gun-related felonies.
Last year, she also opposed a progressive policing law that hampered officers’ ability to apprehend suspects and increased disciplinary measures, making them “scared to do their job,” according to Bowser.
The crime spike had briefly threatened a $515 million deal with Washington Wizards and Capitals owner Ted Leonsis, who entertained moving the NBA and NHL teams to a new northern Virginia arena before reaching an agreement with Bowser to stay in the nation’s capital.
It’s unclear what other projects Bowser may be pursuing in Chinatown.
“As mayor, I frequently attended meetings and events to foster economic development, strengthen partnerships, and build rapport with people interested in investing in our city,” DC councilman Vincent Gray, who served a single term as mayor before being unseated by Bowser in the 2014 Democratic primary, told DC News Now.
“I met with people in countless venues, be they overseas, in downtown DC conference rooms, or sometimes at high-profile gatherings,” he said. “I see no controversy in travel that is intended to promote the District in furtherance of opportunity that benefits residents and local businesses.”
Augusta, GA
Historic Masters landmark purchased and renovated by local resident
We recognize you are attempting to access this website from a country belonging to the European Economic Area (EEA) including the EU which
enforces the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and therefore access cannot be granted at this time.
For any issues, contact enews@wfxg.com or call 706-650-5400.
Augusta, GA
Georgia governor candidate Olu Brown campaigns in Augusta
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Democratic candidate for Georgia governor Olu Brown visited Augusta on Friday evening, stopping near the Sand Hills Community Center as early voting continues.
Brown is one of six candidates in the Democratic primary.
Campaign priorities
Brown said his vision as governor would focus on three main areas.
“One, it’s affordability around health care and making sure we expand Medicaid and expand Peach Care and make sure we continue to make our rural health care systems healthy and vital,” Brown said. “Number two, we’ve got to address education in all of Georgia, making sure every kid in Georgia gets an excellent education, and we’re paying our teachers more. And number 3, we’re protecting the rights of all women. Folks in the Gold Dome shouldn’t be making decisions about their bodies or the choices that they make.”
Brown is running against Amanda Duffy, Derrick Jackson, Geoff Duncan, Jason Esteves, Keisha Lance Bottoms and Mike Thurmond.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
Augusta, GA
Augusta Prep student arrested over picture of LEGO gun, threat he called a joke
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – An Augusta Prep student was arrested on a charge of terroristic threats over a picture of a LEGO gun he posted on social media.
It happened Wednesday, according to an incident report from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.
Eric Hedinger, the principal of Augusta Preparatory Day School, told deputies a student had uploaded a picture to Snapchat of a “pistol” with the caption “shooting up the school so I don`t have to take the stats exam tomorrow. Don`t come yall!”
The principal said he spoke to the student and his father about the photo.
The principal also provided deputies with the student’s address in Grovetown.
A deputy went there and was told by the student that the “pistol” was a LEGO set that he had built.

He also said the comment he made was supposed to be a joke because he was not looking forward to taking his Advanced Placement statistics test this week.
The student showed the deputy the box that the LEGO set came in, and how the set was already disassembled.
The deputy also looked in the boy’s room to make sure he was not in possession of any weapons.
The mother advised that there was one firearm in the residence but it was locked up.

The deputy contacted Judge Leslie Morgan and she issued a warrant for terroristic threats.
The student, age 18, was taken into custody and transported to the Columbia County Detention Center.
News 12 is not reporting his name or publishing his photo since the LEGO gun could not have actually harmed anyone.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
-
News3 minutes agoBobby Cox, Hall of Fame manager of Atlanta Braves, dies at age 84
-
New York2 hours agoRail tickets to New Jersey World Cup matches will be $105, not $150.
-
Detroit, MI2 hours agoDetroit Tigers lose fifth straight, Kerry Carpenter injured
-
San Francisco, CA2 hours agoFallen tree downs powerlines in SF, delays Muni line
-
Dallas, TX2 hours agoFC Dallas vs Real Salt Lake: Lineup notes 📝
-
Miami, FL2 hours agoYour 2026 Miami Dolphins Draft Picks Expectations
-
Boston, MA3 hours ago
Texas A&M SS Boston Kellner suffers orbital bone fracture
-
Denver, CO3 hours agoPedestrian fatally hit by Frontier airplane departing Denver for Los Angeles, flight canceled after