Augusta, GA

Parker’s Kitchen foes lose their fight against Augusta store

Published

1 year ago

September 20, 2023

Parker’s Kitchen foes lose their fight against Augusta store

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – About 30 people showed up Tuesday’s Augusta Commission meeting to fight the opening of a Parker’s Kitchen, but they lost the battle.

The crowd of opponents claimed to have a 400-person petition in hand, fighting rezoning of 2.54 acres at 3645 Wheeler Road from agricultural to a neighborhood business.

Parker’s Kitchen wants to build a store there – where there’s a McDonald’s, a Walgreens and several other businesses that apparently haven’t drawn this sort of opposition.

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The Savannah-based convenience store chain that sells made-from-scratch meals has been expanding locally but has run into some unpredicted opposition in some other places, including Columbia County and Aiken.

Augusta residents have been more somewhat welcoming until now.

Although there was a little discussion about pedestrian safety if a Parker’s Kitchen were built on Gordon Highway, there’s been no opposition to one that’s being built at Windsor Spring and Tobacco roads.

The Wheeler Road store was apparently another matter.

“I’m over there everyday, and it is a nightmare,” said Catherine Smith-McKnight, District 3 Commissioner.

Sharon Kaminer, Hill Creek neighbor, said: “Crime is a concern of neighbors. Convenience stores are known to attract loitering, drug sales in parking lots and even murder.”

The Sept. 19, 2023, meeting of the Augusta Commission drew a relatively large audience.(WRDW/WAGT)

Augusta traffic and engineering officials admit the Wheeler Road intersection is already fairly busy, but say they were planning on a traffic study to add two left turns to calm the traffic.

“We’re going to add, instead of a single left turn lane on medical center drive and Augusta West Parkway, we’re going to add a second left turn lane on both of those approaches. So we’re essentially doubling the capacity,” said John Ussery with Augusta Traffic and Engineering.

So despite the 30 or so opponents, the Augusta Commission approved the rezoning 6-1.

Parker’s says the seven months of construction could start in April or May 2024.

Renamings delayed

Also on the agenda was the renaming of the Riverwalk for Edward M. McIntyre.

There has been much back-and-forth on naming the Riverwalk for Augusta’s first Black mayor, the man who started the idea for it.

But he was also convicted of extortion.

At least two people went before the commission to support the renaming, while one spoke against it.

Former Augusta Mayor Edward M. McIntyre(WRDW/WAGT)

Other renamings were also on the agenda. This included naming a baseball field at Diamond Lakes Regional Park for former Commissioner Andy Cheek and the utility building after former Utilities Director Tom Weidemeier.

All the renamings were delayed until the next commission meeting.

Also on the agenda

Leaders pulled from the agenda a plan to give $50,000 to the Garden City Rescue Mission. The mission faced a deadline last week to raise almost $500,000 to keep from closing, but met and surpassed that goal, so it doesn’t need the city’s money.
A special called meeting took place at which third-party hiring company Developmental Associates LLC laid out its process for finding candidates to become Augusta-Richmond County’s permanent city administrator.
City leadership aims to hire VitalCore Health Strategies as the new jail medical services provider, after sticking with Wellpath since December of 2010.
A discussion will take place on a new policy for employees physically clocking into work.
Leadership wants to look into applying for a $1.7 million grant to update Augusta Transit’s Broad Street Transfer facility,

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Related Topics:Featured Parker's Kitchen Parker's Kitchen Augusta GA Parker's Kitchen Wheeler Road

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Augusta, GA

The Major Rager Sets 2025 Lineup: Greensky Bluegrass, Eggy, Easy Honey

Published

9 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Press Room

The Major Rager Sets 2025 Lineup: Greensky Bluegrass, Eggy, Easy Honey

The Major Rager has announced the artist lineup for its 11th annual event, set to take place in Augusta, GA on April 12th, 2025 during The Masters. The long-running event takes its name from the professional golf tournament with which it coincides—one of four tournaments known collectively as “the majors.”

Jamgrass favorites Greensky Bluegrass will headline the 2025 edition of The Major Rager. The single-day event, produced by Friends With Benefits Productions, will also feature performances by ever-rising jam quartet Eggy and Charleston, SC-native rock outfit Easy Honey. Tickets for The Major Rager 2025 are now on sale here.

On Tour With Eggy: Waiting Game [Feature]

Greensky Bluegrass’ Major Rager headlining slow will follow an extensive run of early-2025 headlining tour dates across the country. Find a full list of upcoming Greensky Bluegrass tour dates here. Eggy, still riding the momentum of the band’s long-awaited sophomore album, 2024’s Waiting Game, will arrive in Augusta on April 12th fresh off a run of spring festival appearances at Live Oak, FL’s Suwannee Amp Jam #1, Phoenix, AZ’s M3F, Miramar Beach, FL’s My Morning Jacket-hosted One Big Holiday, and Atlanta, GA’s Mental Awakening Festival. Find a full list of upcoming Eggy tour dates here. For Easy Honey, the Major Rager marks the first announced date on the band’s 2025 tour schedule. Find a full list of upcoming Easy Honey tour dates here.

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Augusta, GA

34-year-old and 32-year-old ID’d in related Augusta fatal shootings

Published

18 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Press Room

34-year-old and 32-year-old ID’d in related Augusta fatal shootings

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Richmond County Coroner has identified two victims after two related shooting incidents in Augusta, we learned on Friday.

The Richmond County Coroner’s Office responded to Wellstar/MCG about a shooting death.

Jeremy Dontavious McGahee, 34, of Augsuta was transported to Wellstar/MCG by EMS from the 2100 block of C Street with at least one gunshot wound, Coroner Mark Bowen said.

He was pronounced dead at 8:28 p.m., Bowen says. An autopsy has been scheduled.

The Coroner’s Office also responded to the 2100 block of C Street about a possible suicide.

Zyquan Jamarcus Franklin, 32, of Augusta, was found inside a residence with at least one gunshot wound and pronounced dead on the scene at 12:15 a.m. Bowen said. An autopsy has been scheduled.

Bowen says these cases are connected and in the early stages of investigation. Once the next of kin has been notified, the victim’s identification will be released.

The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office says deputies responded to C Street around 9:34 p.m. about shots fired with two people down.

Deputies say upon arrival, they located one male and one female subject who had been shot at least one time.

Both victims were transported to a local hospital for treatment, where the male victim succumbed to his injuries.

The sheriff’s office says investigators are still on scene as of 11 p.m.

Also on Thursday, 50-year-old Chavious Kimmerlin was shot dead in his home on Highland Avenue.

The shooting comes amid a two-year outbreak of violent crime that’s claimed more than 180 lives across the CSRA.

Cities large and small have been affected on both sides of the Savannah River. But as the largest community in the region, Augusta has been hit especially hard.

Authorities have blamed much of the problem on gangs.

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Augusta, GA

1 dead, another injured in shooting on C Street in Augusta

Published

1 day ago

November 22, 2024

Press Room

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – One person has died and another has been injured after a shooting on the 2100 block of C Street on Thursday night.

The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office says deputies responded to C Street around 9:34 p.m. in reference to shots fired with two people down.

Deputies says upon arrival, they located one male and one female subject had been shot at least one time.

Both victims were transported to a local hospital for treatment, where the male victim succumbed to his injuries.

The sheriff’s office says investigators are still on scene as of 11 p.m.

Also on Thursday, 50-year-old Chavious Kimmerlin was shot dead in his home on Highland Avenue.

The shooting comes amid a two-year outbreak of violent crime that’s claimed more than 180 lives across the CSRA.

Cities large and small have been affected on both sides of the Savannah River. But as the largest community in the region, Augusta has been hit especially hard.

Authorities have blamed much of the problem on gangs.

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