Augusta, GA

Helene damage removal continues in the Augusta Canal

Published

4 months ago

January 15, 2026

Helene damage removal continues in the Augusta Canal

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Dudley Stulb has been walking the canal trail for years, but he’s never seen it look this.

“No, had no idea two big trees there and others down, down the ways towards the pumping station, so that’s going to be difficult to get out,” he said.

But that’s the plan for the Utilities Department.

The canal has been drained, allowing access to several trees knocked into the waterway by Hurricane Helene.

Heavy equipment is now on site to grab and cut the the trees.

“I think everybody in town has seen these big green big track-hoe machines, they’ll grab that, work it to a more manageable size and then haul that off,” said Chad Hendrix Assistant Director of the Utilities Department.

It’s expected to take two to three weeks to remove trees.

They need to come out because the canal provides 65 percent of the city’s drinking water.

“We know we pull a lot of water out of the canal there at the Raw Water Pump Station, so obviously any of that clog up those intakes, that’s our raw water,” said Hendrix.

This is just the first phase of what will be a $32 million-dollar repair job on the canal.

This year, the city is raising water rates six and a half percent. Repairing Helene damage is not the only reason for it, but a big part it.

“There’s no question Helene cause a lot of things to be exposed, a lot of things that had to be repaired. We have a lot of big plants, an industrial base we have to provide treatment and water supply to all of these entities,” said Utility Department Director Wes Byne.

After being closed for more than a year, this section of the canal path just reopened last month. However, officials say they don’t plan to close it again while the tree removal is underway.

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Augusta, GA

Historic Masters landmark purchased and renovated by local resident

Published

8 hours ago

May 9, 2026

Press Room

Historic Masters landmark purchased and renovated by local resident | News | wfxg.com

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Augusta, GA

Georgia governor candidate Olu Brown campaigns in Augusta

Published

20 hours ago

May 9, 2026

Press Room

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.

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Augusta, GA

Augusta Prep student arrested over picture of LEGO gun, threat he called a joke

Published

1 day ago

May 8, 2026

Press Room

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.