Augusta, GA
Over 70 days later, here’s where Augusta stands with debris cleanup
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – It’s been nearly 2½ months since Hurricane Helene tore through the Southeast, and debris is still a major concern for many people.
For many, this winter is going to look and feel different as damage is still being uncovered.
Augusta is still hard at work clearing away debris ahead of FEMA’s deadline.
City leaders say they are working to get Augusta back to a new normal and are even having meetings this month to prove it.
The first one is on Tuesday.
“I realize there’s a lot of anxiety happening now, as we get ready to enter the holiday season and some people still have piles in their yards or on their streets,” said Garnett Johnson, Augusta Mayor.
Johnson says so far they have picked up 1.8 million cubic yards of debris.
“We are still, I don’t want to say struggling but keep in mind, this storm was so large it affected not only Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas,” said Johnson. “There are only so many debris companies that are out there.”
The damage that we still see isn’t just on homes and piled up on roadways.
“It’s that time of year when many loved ones are concerned about the final rest and pace place of their loved ones, so we’re out doing an assessment of the city-owned cemeteries,” he said.
What Johnson is talking about is the fallen trees, broken headstones and damage all across the cemeteries.
He is looking to solve that problem while also seeing how else he can help out the city.
As the city works to get back to a new normal he says he understands that people are worried about their loved ones both in and outside of these gates.
“This storm recovery is going to go far beyond just cleaning up the debris,” said Johnson. “There’s so many different aspects from a long-term recovery perspective that we’re already starting to address. So we’re going to ask people to continue to be patient and continue to remind yourselves of where we were on Sept. 27 compared to where we are now.”
The city is having two meetings this month to answer questions about cleanup and where the city stands.
“We want to make sure that they’re aware of the process and the work that we’re doing,” he said. “We’re also going to have our debris contractors there, as well as many city departments that are going to educate our citizens on the process and what to expect.”
Everything is still a work in process and will have more answers at the meetings this month.
Johnson and other officials will hold two town hall meetings on recovery efforts this week and next week.
The first one is on Tuesday at the Warren Road Community Center from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
The second one is Tuesday, Dec. 17 at Diamond Lakes from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
There will be a question and answer session at both meetings.
If you are unable to attend, both events will be live-streamed.
Questions can be submitted by emailing mayorforms@augustaga.gov
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Augusta Juvenile Court received a grant of more than $1 million to prevent youth from joining gangs by addressing underlying factors that lead to criminal behavior.
The grant from the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council will allow the court to expand services beyond its current programs and serve a broader population of at-risk youth.
“This allows us to build on the work we are currently doing. It also allows us to serve a different population of youth that we have not been able to serve on such an extended level, so we have additional funds that will serve even more kids and to hopefully assist the sheriff and district attorney in not having youthful offenders become adult offenders that they have to obtain and prosecute,” said Chief Judge Tianna Bias.
Addressing root causes
The funding will target factors that make youth vulnerable to gang recruitment, including poor school attendance and reading difficulties.
“Whether it’s that they have poor school attendance, not reading on grade level. One thing we’ve seen is that when you are not reading on grade level that has an impact on many other areas of your life. It’s really just an opportunity to offer wrap-around support for these kids so we can prevent them from getting into unfortunate situations that they may not end up in front of a juvenile court judge later,” Bias said.
Dr. Audrey Armistad, chief intake officer for the juvenile court, said the court’s goal is rehabilitation rather than detention.
“We put them in programs and services that help them to be able to develop mentally, socially and physically when it comes to kids involved with the juvenile court,” Armistad said.
Expanding services
The juvenile court currently serves at-risk youth through the THRIVE program. The court is also expanding services with a new computer lab set to open next month.
“It helps us to be able to provide instruction to kids getting GEDs, parents wanting GEDs, as well as we provide learning loss instruction to kids enrolled in Richmond County who may need remediation in math and reading,” Armistad said.
A gang prevention expert will meet with the juvenile court team to provide recommendations on how the grant money should be spent.
Bias said success will be measured by fewer teens in courtrooms and more in classrooms.
“We are meant to rehabilitate not to punish and we want to help these parents get kids on track so we can see a better Augusta for everyone,” Bias said.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Augusta University is set to cut the ribbon on a new Student Health Services building on Friday.
The ribbon cutting will be held at 2:30 p.m. at 1465 Laney Walker Boulevard in Augusta.
The event will showcase the field of college health and the role the services have on students’ personal development and academic success.
The clinic relocated to the new space last month to make way for AU’s advanced research and clinical innovation, according to officials.
At the event, there will also be snacks, interactive games and clinic tours.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – There was a large law enforcement presence Thursday morning at a home in west Augusta near Fort Gordon.
The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force were in the area attempting to find a suspect, according to deputies.
Witnesses said around 11:25 a.m. that officers had been surrounding a home at Harper-Franklin Avenue and Covington Court.
That’s in a neighborhood of mostly two-story brick-fronted homes built in the past three or four years just east of Jimmie Dyess Parkway and a couple of blocks north of Gordon Highway.
As noon approached, law enforcement had left.
But a Facebook post from earlier did show a large presence,including marked and unmarked cars, and officers all around the house. A witness said police dogs were on the scene, as well.
News 12 has reached out to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office for information.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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