AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Despite the hot weather expected on July 4th, celebration events will continue this week throughout the CSRA.

Wednesday, July 3rd

Fort Eisenhower is doing its Independence Day celebration from 6 to 11 p.m. Fireworks start around 9:45 p.m. that evening.

The Barton Field Independence Day celebration includes a kiddie carnival, shopping, food, live entertainment and so much more. The night ends with a firework extravaganza unrivaled by anyone in the CSRA from 5 to 11 p.m.

Burke County Recreation Department Complex is having an community celebration with a fireworks show, vendors, concessions, yard games, inflatables and more. Bring a chair and tailgate from your car starting at 6 p.m.

Thursday, July 4th

On Walton Way at the home of George Walton there is an Independence Day event at Meadow Garden from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

In North Augusta, head over to the Living History Park celebration where there will be hot dogs, watermelon, water, and all free cool pops. Come dressed in red, white, and blue with children and pets. The event will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Grovetown is having a Bar-be-que in Liberty Park starting at 11 a.m.

Gates open for Boom in the Park at Evans Towne Center Park at 5 p.m.

The Augusta Greenjackets will be having fireworks after the July 4th game at SRP Park.

The City of Augusta invites all citizens, visitors, and guests to join us for the annual Independence Day Celebration in Downtown Augusta. The celebration begins at 5 p.m. with live music, food trucks, vendors, a kid’s zone, and much more.

The fireworks show launches from right across the Augusta Common on the top levee of the Augusta Riverwalk at 9:15 p.m.

Join The Village at Woodside in Aiken for a free community event featuring live music, food trucks, and a firework finale you don’t want to miss. Make sure to bring a chair and a blanket for this spectacular evening celebration from 7 to 10 p.m.

Friday, July 5th

Join the Thomson-McDuffie Government Center for an unforgettable celebration of freedom at Freedom Blast. This event will include a day filled with music, food, and exciting activities for the whole family starting at 7 p.m.

For those who are wanting some small-town Independence Day charm without giving up a big show can head to The Hephzibah Agricultural Center. The annual Fireworks Extravaganza will start around 9:30p.m.

Saturday, July 6th

Friends of Clark’s Hill Lake Fireworks show will begin at 9 p.m. for people on land or in a boat at Raysville Marina in Thomson.

Sunday, July 7th

Join the Story Mill Road Baptist Church in Hephzibah for a community picnic and fireworks with Providence Baptist Church, Landscape Wizard, and The Masters Transport Ministry. Free meal including ribs, pulled pork, hamburgers, hotdogs, and all the sides. Games and events start at 6 p.m., food is ready at 7 and fireworks at dark will be around 9 p.m. Everyone is welcome.

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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Monday marked the start of a new era at Augusta University: It was Dr. Russell Keen’s first day as president.

Longtime President Dr. Brooks Keel retired last week, and Keen, an internal candidate to be his successor, has taken over.

Keen is no stranger to the area. He is a graduate of Lakeside High School. He received a bachelor’s degree in finance and a master’s degree in higher education administration from Georgia Southern University and a Doctor of Higher Education from the University of Georgia.

Keen has more than 20 years in higher education.

Prior to becoming AU’s president, Keen served as executive vice president of administration and chief of staff to the president.

Out of all the job candidates that applied for the role, regents say Keen’s knowledge of Augusta University and the community really made him stand out.

We sat down with Keen to talk about his plans for the university.

“We have some of the most productive research faculty in the country for our size. The only limiting factor we have is space and infrastructure,” said Keen.

He says creating more space is a top priority.

“We need new infrastructure, new space for researchers to really go through and tackle disease and break some of the chains of cardiovascular disease, cancer, brain health,” said Keen.

The goal is to make AU the top university for research in the country.

“We want to grow our enrollment at Augusta University. We want to continue to provide programs that are competitive, and that will meet the workforce challenges that we have in the state and beyond,” he said. “Our goals are to enhance and increase our research. We want to be one of the top 60, then top 50, 40 30, 20, 10 five and one. That’s our goal.”

Above all, Keen wants everyone on campus to feel a sense of place — starting now.

In his first few hours on the job, Keen spoke with first-generation college students.

He says he wants them to see that having an education can make positive contributions to the community.

“If you’re a first-generation college student, and you’re trying to figure it out, you might hear voices in your own head or from other people saying you can’t do it and it doesn’t matter. But I’m living proof that an education can change your life. And that education can contribute to the community and the state of humanity,” said Keen.

Keen says he wants to really emphasize community engagement while president.

He says he wants the community to connect with the university that bears the same name.

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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – In May, voters decided to to change the charter by voting yes to giving the mayor a vote on the Augusta commission.

Monday is the first day the vote takes effect.

In May’s election, 74% of voters said yes to the referendum question, compared to 26% who said no.

Up until the election, the mayor was only able to vote to break a tie. But frustrated with political maneuvers that avoided a tie and kept him from voting, Mayor Garnett Johnson proposed a change giving him a full vote.

How did we get to this point?

The charter was created when Richmond County and the city of Augusta became one government nearly three decades ago.

Think of it as the game rules for the Augusta government — game rules are very different than any other consolidated government in the state of Georgia.

Politics is like tennis.

It’s your play when the ball is in your court. But Augusta-Richmond County consolidated government rules of the game are like no other in Georgia.

Players can skip a match to delay the game.

In January 2023, Commissioner Bobby Williams chose not to vote.

Voting no would have given an even split, giving the mayor the tie-breaking vote. A yes vote would have approved the contract but since he abstained, he stopped dead in the water.

In 2023, a standstill over naming an ambulance provider last year.

In 2024, there was a standstill over naming a city administrator.

“We went through the process of hiring an administrator through the process that’s in the charter, and we followed it to a T,” said Commissioner Sean Frantom.

The charter: A legal playbook of power born from a marriage between city and county 27 years ago.

In a May commission meeting, Commissioner Bobby Williams said: “You had basically five white districts and five Black districts, and to get the sixth vote, someone had to work across the aisle.”

Augusta-Richmond County is one of eight consolidated governments in Georgia — one of the four with a mayor.

The balance of power varies.

The mayors of Athens-Clark and Macon-Bibb have veto powers over the commission.

Mayors of Augusta-Richmond and Columbus-Muscogee have limited power, but Columbus has a county manager responsible for the hiring, firing and management of department heads.

That power falls on our commissioners, meaning each department head answers to ten bosses.

Meaning commissioners only answer to commissioners.

For more than two years, an interim administrator has led the city. For more than two years, an interim director has led Central Services in her absence.

The longer time goes by, the longer the line of dominoes.

In the beginning of May, another resignation — the city attorney.

Four of the city’s top leadership positions are now empty, left to commissioners to fill.

The Carl Vinson Institute of Government presented information to commissioners about changing the role of administrator to county manager in the charter.

A year later, there’s been no movement by commissioners.

Now, there’s a new idea and a new game rule.

“This allows the voters of Richmond County to decide what’s best for their government, not the Commission,” said Mayor Johnson.

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