Augusta, GA

More money approved for Diamond Lakes, boat house repairs

Published

2 years ago

February 21, 2024

More money approved for Diamond Lakes, boat house repairs

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Getting the long-troubled restrooms up and running at Diamond Lakes Regional Park was a rocky journey.

Even rockier than we knew.

Almost $155,000 was approved Tuesday by the Augusta Commission to pay for more work than was originally planned for the restroom and concession building at the park.

The work was needed to correct a few problems uncovered after the last round of repairs and improvements.

The problems included vandalism and graffiti, ceiling tiles, pressure washing, painting and a plumbing issue with some drain lines.

The city asked the contractor to go ahead and make the fixes back before the improvements debuted in September. The additional money was approved Tuesday to pay the contractor for that extra work.

A week after the sudden and immediate resignation of Parks and Recreation Director Maurice McDowell – along with his request for three months of “severance” pay – parks and recreation facilities were prominent on Tuesday’s agenda of the commission.

Among them were plans for the troubled Augusta Boat House.

After water pipes broke during a freeze, water gushed out and created damage and a mold infestation that’s brought months of discussion over whether to salvage the building or demolish it and start fresh.

The commission on Tuesday approved $400,000 to help fix the Augusta Rowing Club’s space and start to renovate parts of the building that need help.

The commission also received options on what the two entryway gates of the Riverwalk may look like with Ed McIntyre’s name on it. The commission recently voted to name the Riverwalk for the former mayor.

Ultimately the commission approved this design Tuesday:

The Augusta Commission approved thsi design for the new Riverwalk signs.(Contributed)

Meanwhile the city’s interim administrator, Takiyah Douse, addressed a mass email sent out by the operator of the Fifth Street Marina.

The marina operator claims the city had the water and power service shut off to the docks, forcing many boat owners to relocate.

She said a lot of conversation still needs to be had before service is completely shut off. But if that must happen, there would be considerable notice.

She also negated the marina operator’s claim of lack of maintenance.

At Diamond Lakes

The Diamond Lakes repairs and improvements have been welcome to many.

The building has been plagued for years by faulty plumbing, repair delays and vandalism.

The city says the facilities have been an issue for Diamond Lakes going back to when they opened in 2012. Back then, it was just water leakage, but since 2019 leading up to the beginning of 2023, more than $900,000 had already gone into fixing up these buildings that keep on having issues.

Last February, the Augusta Commission approved another $850,000 in SPLOST 7 and 8 funds as a final fix, bringing that final price tag fix to around $1.75 million.

City officials said from there, the facilities would initially be completed by spring but continued to see delays into the summer. On top of construction delays and piping issues, there was vandalism.

The restrooms opened just in time for the USSSA Military Worlds softball tournament which brought in thousands of veterans from across the country and overseas.

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Augusta, GA

Augusta’s Turpin neighborhood to get affordable homes with $1.85M federal grant

Published

11 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Augusta’s Turpin neighborhood to get affordable homes with .85M federal grant

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The historic Turpin neighborhood will soon welcome more affordable homes after Augusta Habitat for Humanity was awarded $1.85 million in federal funding this week.

The grant will fund the construction of at least 12 homes in the area.

“Habitat for Humanity applied for federal funding, and they were awarded the funding,” said District 2 Commissioner Stacy Pulliam.

Reviving a historic community

The Turpin neighborhood was once home to professionals, including educators, doctors, and lawyers.

“These big professionals that lived mostly over this way,” one resident said of the neighborhood’s history.

Pulliam described the area’s former prominence as “its grand days of glory, when it was the place.”

The project brings together city organizers and community partners through the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing, or GICH.

“We have so many partners. We have the Housing Authority on board. We have a representative from the Hub on board,” Pulliam said. “There’s so many great partners at the table that’s helping pull all of this together.”

Federal support and future plans

The project received backing from Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock.

Habitat for Humanity, with support from GICH, focused its application on Turpin Hill intentionally, as officials say the community had been needing to be addressed for years.

With Habitat for Humanity continuing to advocate for more funds, Pulliam said their motivation could lead to additional housing development in the future.

“We keep going and going and going,” she said. “Now we can do 20. Now we can do multifamily. So it’s fueling our fire to get more housing, but not just housing, to clean up the area.”

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Augusta, GA

Trump to sign emergency order to pay TSA agents as Augusta airport preps for golf week

Published

24 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Trump to sign emergency order to pay TSA agents as Augusta airport preps for golf week

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – President Donald Trump said he will sign an emergency declaration to pay TSA agents, as nearly 500 have quit since the shutdown began.

More than 40 percent of Atlanta’s TSA agents did not show up on Wednesday, leading to long lines at Atlanta’s airport and across the country. It is unclear when President Trump will sign the emergency order. TSA workers will miss their second paycheck Friday.

In a statement on Truth Social, President Trump said, “I am going to sign an Order instructing the Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, to immediately pay our TSA Agents in order to address this Emergency Situation.”

The president thanked TSA agents. The Department of Homeland Security as a whole will not be funded at this time. The Coast Guard and FEMA are among the agencies still impacted.

If senators do not reach a deal to fund the department on Friday, they are set for a two-week recess.

Augusta airport prepares for tournament week

TSA workers are a concern as tournament week approaches in Augusta. Security and safety are also concerns after a plane collided with a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport.

Augusta Regional Airport and its fire department are working to keep visitors safe as they fly in for tournament week.

William Kovalchuk, a sergeant with the Augusta Airport Fire Department, operates an airport-specific fire truck.

“There’s a ton of traffic and a ton of congestion. This whole ramp area where I showed you guys a little bit ago, it’ll be completely filled with aircraft,” Kovalchuk said.

Tournament week sees the regional airport become a global hub, with flights in from 13 extra cities and more than 200 private planes parked on the tarmac.

Lauren Smith, deputy director of Augusta Regional Airport, said the airport works closely with the FAA during tournament week.

“During that time, we actually work very closely with the FAA to bring in additional controllers,” Smith said.

Extra controllers keep the airspace and runway safe. Enhanced safety measures are in place inside the terminal as well.

“Overall, everyone brings in more staff. The tenants, the rental car agencies, the airlines, the airport itself,” Smith said.

The fire department stages a second station across the airport to cover every flight.

“The manning will be stepped up quite a bit,” Kovalchuk said. “We don’t want to see anything happen, but we’re prepared for it.”

The airport said the average wait time is still less than an hour to get through security during tournament week.

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Augusta, GA

Jefferson County library director named Georgia Library Director of the Year

Published

1 day ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Jefferson County library director named Georgia Library Director of the Year

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Georgia Library Director of the Year was honored at a ceremony in Jefferson County.

Christina Shepherd received the award and a county proclamation. Jefferson County officials also honored the library board during the ceremony.

“I’m very thankful. I think it’s great for Jefferson County to have this award brought here and bringing light to us,” Shepherd said. “I don’t think I do anything extraordinary that any librarian wouldn’t do, but I just keep doing it. I appreciate it. I’m thankful.”

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