AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Ahead of possible impacts from Debby, some CSRA school districts are announcing closures.

Tropical Depression 4 became Tropical Storm Debby on Saturday night. It’s expected to make landfall Monday morning as a Category 1 hurricane, then move northeast into southeastern Georgia and southern South Carolina. This will bring the potential for lots of rain across the CSRA, but especially in southern and eastern counties.

MORE FROM NEWS 12:

School closures

• Jenkins County students in Millen will go to school on Monday, Aug. 5, but the school system will close on Tuesday, Aug. 6, and students will not report back until Thursday, Aug. 8. The school will be preparing a bag of meals for each student to take home Monday with breakfast and lunch for three days.

What’s ahead

Tropical Storm Debby strengthened rapidly Sunday and was expected to become a hurricane as it churned through the Gulf of Mexico toward Florida, bringing with it the threat of devastating floods to the southeast Atlantic coast later in the week.

The storm was likely to become a Category 1 hurricane before making landfall Monday in the Big Bend region of Florida, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said.

From there, the storm is expected to move eastward over northern Florida and then stall over the coastal regions of Georgia and South Carolina, thrashing the region with the potential of record-setting rains totaling up to 30 inches beginning Tuesday.

“There’s some really amazing rainfall totals being forecast and amazing in a bad way,” Michael Brennan, director of the National Hurricane Center in Miami, said at a briefing Sunday. “That would be record-breaking rainfall associated with a tropical cyclone for both the states of Georgia and South Carolina if we got up to the 30 inch level.”

The flooding impacts, which could last through Friday, are expected to be especially severe in low-lying areas near the coast, including Savannah, Georgia; Hilton Head, South Carolina; and Charleston, South Carolina.

Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Augusta Dream Center Back to School Bash

The back to bash was truly a selfless act but on by Augusta Dream Center that warmed so hearts today.

Before the door even opened there were 400 people already waiting, and the number of people attending just grew and grew.

With first day of classes is just days away.

Parents say they still have a few things to cross off the “to return to school” list.

“Clothes, shoes, back to school, supplies, you know, book bags, and even just a Bible, said” Danielle Ward.

Those at the Augusta Dream’ Center say their annual back to school bash is a way to take away the financial stress that comes with the first day.

“The vision is really to empower kids in our city. So now I feel like it’s even more important than ever, just because of the economic comment here with inflation and everything, everything is expensive,” said Kelly Newman Director of Augusta Dream Center.

Coming from a family with 6 children, Ava Grace Green, says she’s seen the struggle firsthand.

“Really helpful, because we have a super big family, like I have six siblings, so it’s super helpful to come and get some help with some of this stuff, especially going back to school, because it’s super successful,” said Ava Grace Green.

The rising 9th grader says the bash is more than a blessing.

“Think it’s a big blessing to be able to come here and just feel supported like by your community, like you do when you’re here, said Green.”

And to feel loved and supported by the community was the goal.

“So our hope is that we can just be kind and just resource our community and help kids start the school year off strong,” said Newman.

“Not only help us, but even, you know, help many families as well. Because, you know, you don’t know where your blessings come from,” said Ward.

There is another Back to School Bash on Sunday with kids at Olmstead Homes from 2 to 4.

Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – We’re learning new details on a missing Augusta woman who was last seen Wednesday near Diamond Lakes Park, according to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.

The missing person report states around 3:50 p.m., deputies were called to investigate the disappearance of 36-year-old Shekema Toran.

Once on scene, deputies met with Toran’s mother, who said Toran’s boyfriend of two months, Biarritz “Danate” Martin, and Toran were at her Hephzibah home.

After an argument started, Martin left the home after Toran’s mother asked him to leave. He returned two hours later to pick Toran up, according to the report.

According to her statement, Toran’s mother has not heard from her daughter since and reports receiving texts that “do not sound like her daughter”.

All of her phone calls to her daughter have also gone unanswered.

The report states that deputies contacted Martin’s roommates, who reported that Martin was at the home Tuesday night, but Toran was not with him.

According to the sheriff’s office, deputies made multiple attempts to contact Martin, but there was no answer.

After some time, the report states Martin returned the deputy’s call, who asked to speak with Toran multiple times.

Martin could be heard saying, “Wake up,” and smacking the dash or seat, according to deputies.

This repeated for around 10 minutes before Martin disconnected the call and did not answer on callback.

While deputies continue their search, friends and family were also out looking for Toran on Friday.

“I’m really lost. I don’t know what to do for real,” said Travoun West.

It’s been more than 48 hours since West has heard from his sister.

“We really just want my sister to come home. If anybody knows anything, really just say something for real. Bring my sister home,” said West.

West and other volunteers have been searching to find Toran, looking through the woods, knocking on doors and tracking her pin locations.

“We got to apply a little pressure as the people as the community because where there is a community there are people and we got power so it’s gonna take us to come together collectively to bring this baby home,” said a search volunteer, Ray Montana.

Home for Toran is two hours away from where her phone was last pinned in Atlanta.

But Montana says they will continue searching until they have answers.

“We not gonna rest until we find her and keep applying pressure. Hopefully, Richmond County will find the man,” said Montana.

She’s believed to be in a white 2004 Ford F-250 with Georgia tag RJW1158. They are believed to be heading to the Atlanta area, where the vehicle was last seen Wednesday.

Authorities released a photo of Toran and said she’s 6 feet tall and weighs 215 pounds.

Deputies also released a photo of Martin and said he’s 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighs 160 pounds.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office at 706-821-1020 or 706-821-1080.

The family will continue their search Saturday morning, starting at 9 a.m.

To join the search, you can message Ray Montana on Facebook.

Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.