Augusta, GA

Hurricane Helene debris removal gets started early in Augusta

Published

1 year ago

October 7, 2024

Hurricane Helene debris removal gets started early in Augusta

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Hurricane debris removal has gotten underway early.

It was scheduled to start Monday, but officials said they decided to start Sunday night, when crews moved about 20 loads.

Augusta officials gave an update on the process Monday afternoon during a news conference.

They said they’re starting with about 15 trucks that will visit every street in the city to pick up debris scattered by Hurricane Helene on Sept. 27.

In some areas, they’ll pass two, three or four times in an effort to pick up all the debris people have left for them to pick up.

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The city has a deadline of 90 days to make a good-faith effort to get the mess cleaned up. In return, the federal government will reimburse Augusta for 100% of the cost.

City officials say it took 47 days to clean up the 870,000 cubic yards of debris from an infamous ice storm a decade ago.

Right now, the crews are starting in areas south of Gordon Highway and in heavily hit areas, then they’ll radiate outward from there.

One priority will be clearing routes that lead to hospitals. Also on the list are trees leaning over a road.

Heavily treed central parts of Augusta could be a challenge.

“It’s hit hard, and we’re gonna be busy,” said Steve Castle with contractor ISM.

Officials say there are two debris management sides, and they want folks to stay away from them because of the number of trucks going in and out.

Officials say the debris pickup is free.

You’ll need to leave it by the curb, on the right-of-way but not in the street.

And make sure you leave space for your garbage and recycling carts.

Don’t mix household garbage or construction debris with the vegetation waste from the storm, officials say.

And officials say not to burn the debris – not just for safety reasons but also for air quality.

The contractor will make multiple passes through the city, and GPS tracking will ensure every street is driven.

So if they don’t get everything on the first pass in front of your house, don’t worry.

If it wasn’t for the kindness of neighbors, Augusta resident Paulette Edery and her family would still be trapped in their home.

“You couldn’t get out,” said Edery.

This left Edery stopped in her tracks

“We had all these trees on the street here, then all the trees of the other house on the street and the one across was horrible. You couldn’t see anything, absolutely nothing. Just trees, one on top of the other,” she said.

The same story is told street after street.

“We were trapped from right, left, back and front,” said Edery. “Thankfully our neighbor and his wife had been helping us the next morning to start chopping just to be able to get out.”

There’s a lot to clean up, but Edery says that is the least of her worries.

“Listen, I’m a fighter. I’m not a quitter. At this point, we cannot let Mother Nature put us down, and we need to keep on going and moving and make the best of what happened to us,” she said.

Even with all of the devastation, Edery says she’s thankful.

“I say, thank you, God, the most important for me. Even if my house had got damaged, as long as I’m alive with my family the next morning, I’m very thankful,” she said.

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Augusta, GA

Local woman sentenced for stealing $1M using checks swiped from mail

Published

1 hour ago

February 6, 2026

Press Room

Local woman sentenced for stealing M using checks swiped from mail

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A Columbia County woman was sentenced to federal prison for using stolen and counterfeit business checks to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.

Dechanta Benning, 35, was sentenced to 70 months in prison, along with substantial financial penalties and five years of supervised release upon completion of any prison term, according to prosecutors.

U.S. District Court Judge Randall Hall also ordered Benning to pay a $2,500 fine and $300 in special assessments.

Benning obtained business checks stolen from the U.S. Postal Service, altered them, deposited the altered checks into the bank accounts of co-conspirators as well as her own accounts, then withdrew the money, according to prosecutors.

The money was withdrawn before the banks were able to recognize the checks as fraudulent.

Benning stole approximately $1 million through this scheme, according to prosecutors.

There were hundreds of victims.

“Financial fraud schemes like this don’t just impact banks — they devastate small businesses, families, and entire communities,” said Matthew Ploskunak of the FBI’s Augusta office.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the FBI.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting and defending the nation’s mail system from theft and aggressively pursuing those who would commit fraud in this district,” U.S. Attorney Margaret Heap said.

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Augusta, GA

New judge, public defender take oaths in Augusta

Published

13 hours ago

February 6, 2026

Press Room

New judge, public defender take oaths in Augusta

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Kristi Goodwin Connell has been sworn in as the new Superior Court judge of the Augusta Judicial Court by Gov. Brian Kemp.

Connell was an assistant district attorney for Columbia Judicial Court and has been practicing law in the Augusta area for 25 years.

She worked as assistant district attorney and chief assistant district attorney at the Augusta Judicial Court.

Also in the courts

Katherine “Kate” Mason, a longtime public defender and former statewide leader with the Georgia Public Defender Council was honored at a retirement celebration Thursday.

The event also included the swearing-in of Lee Prescott as circuit public defender of the Augusta Judicial Circuit.

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Augusta, GA

Ossoff seeks update on child care programs at Augusta VA

Published

1 day ago

February 5, 2026

Press Room

Ossoff seeks update on child care programs at Augusta VA

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is aiming to implement child care programs at the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center in Augusta.

In 2021, Congress passed the Johnny Isakson and David P. Row Act, which mandated that each VA Medical Center implement a child care assistance program by Jan. 4, 2026.

Now, Sen. Ossoff says he is seeking updates on the program at the Augusta VA Medical Center.

“This program will help Georgia veterans access VA medical care without having to find child care during their appointments. With the deadline for implementation having now passed, I am interested in learning what your facility has done to support this effort,” Ossoff wrote to Augusta VAMC Acting Executive Director Lovetta Ford.

The Veterans Child Care Assistance Program is a program aimed at making it easier for Georgia veterans to access health care by reducing the difficulty of finding child care during medical appointments.

A 2024 study found that more than 75% of veterans indicated that they needed child care assistance during health care appointments, with 73% reporting barriers to finding child care.

In 2024, Sen. Ossoff’s bipartisan Gold Star Children Education Act was signed into law to support the education of children after the loss of a parent who served.

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