AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A state budget cut is reducing the number of children Mach Academy can serve.

Faith Henderson, a coach at MACH Academy, said the program offers students more than athletic training.

“It’s not just the physical aspect. It’s the mental, it’s the character, the education. We have so much to offer to these kids and they need it,” Henderson said.

Henderson said she works with students individually through an educational enrichment component of the program.

“I come in with our educational enrichment program so I can give attention to individual students one at a time each day to help get to where they need to be” she said.

Funding cuts reduce enrollment

Michael Harden, president and CEO of MACH Academy, said the budget reduction has cut summer enrollment nearly in half.

“We have served in the past 60 to 70 kids. That reduction has limited us to maybe 30 to 40 kids this summer,” Harden said.

Helen Thomas-Pope, operations manager at MACH Academy, said the cuts are also affecting the program’s ability to prepare students for the upcoming school year.

“What we try to do is help them be prepared when they go back to school. We would like to do that as best we can. But I’m not sure that we’ll be able to be as successful as we have been in the past,” Thomas-Pope said.

Thomas-Pope said the four-day-a-week schedule may also need to change.

“Unfortunately, some kids may not have the opportunity to come out. Currently, our program is four days a week. And we may have to do more of a rotation where not all kids are able to come for the four days,” she said.

Staff commitment

Despite the reduced funding, Henderson said staff remain committed to the program’s mission.

“I grew up here. All of the coaches here, we grew up here or we started with MACH Academy and have come back to give back to MACH Academy because we believe in what MACH Academy does,” she said.

Augusta Grass Masters Announces July Lawn Disease Management Focus Summer Heat And Humidity Bring Turf Disease Reviews Forward

AUGUSTA, GA — Augusta Grass Masters has announced a July lawn disease management focus for Augusta, Evans, Grovetown, North Augusta, Martinez, Richmond County, Columbia County, Aiken County, and surrounding communities. The company reports that summer heat, humidity, warm nights, irrigation patterns, and turf stress can increase the risk of brown patch, dollar spot, and other fungal disease concerns.

The announcement comes as lawns across the Augusta area move through one of the most demanding parts of the growing season. High humidity, intense heat, afternoon storms, and stressed turf can create conditions where fungal disease becomes visible quickly. Augusta Grass Masters notes that early identification helps property owners avoid mistaking disease for drought, insects, or mowing stress.

“July is a key time to evaluate disease pressure before small turf problems spread,” said an Augusta Grass Masters representative. “The right plan depends on weather, grass type, watering, mowing, soil, and the specific symptoms showing in the lawn.”

Augusta Grass Masters notes that homeowners should look for circular patches, thinning turf, yellowing areas, gray or brown lesions, irregular decline, wet thatch, and areas that do not respond to normal watering. These symptoms should be reviewed carefully before treatment decisions are made.

The company’s lawn care services include fertilization, weed control, disease management, insect control, mosquito control, aeration, and customized turf health support for Augusta area properties.

Augusta Grass Masters also provides disease and turf evaluations for property owners who need help identifying whether summer decline is related to fungus, irrigation, insects, compaction, mowing, or nutrient stress.

The company reports that warm-season lawns in Georgia can be affected by overlapping stress factors. Heavy rain can increase leaf wetness, while intense heat can weaken turf. Improper watering or mowing can make disease symptoms worse when conditions are already favorable for fungal activity.

July planning can help homeowners distinguish between brown patch, dollar spot, drought stress, armyworm damage, chinch bug pressure, poor drainage, and fertilizer imbalance. Correct diagnosis helps prevent wasted treatments and supports better turf recovery.

Augusta Grass Masters encourages property owners to document recurring disease areas during summer. Lawns that decline in the same shaded, wet, or high-traffic sections each year may need a broader care plan rather than only a reactive treatment.

The company’s approach connects fertilization and weed control with disease monitoring, mowing practices, watering guidance, aeration, and insect awareness. Healthy turf is better positioned to recover when pressure increases.

Augusta Grass Masters notes that watering habits deserve attention during disease season. Frequent evening irrigation can keep leaf blades wet overnight, while under-watering during heat can weaken turf and increase stress. Timing and volume both matter.

The company also encourages homeowners to review mowing practices. Cutting too short, mowing wet turf, or using dull blades can increase stress and create conditions where disease symptoms become more noticeable.

A July consultation can clarify whether a property needs disease treatment, watering adjustments, mowing guidance, fertilization review, insect inspection, aeration planning, or a broader turf health program. This sequencing helps property owners prioritize practical steps before damage spreads.

Augusta Grass Masters reports that disease planning should also consider property use. Children, pets, sports, shade, foot traffic, and irrigation coverage can all influence how turf responds during humid summer conditions.

The company also notes that summer disease pressure can change quickly after storms. A lawn that appears stable one week may show expanded symptoms after several wet nights, making ongoing monitoring important through July and August.

Augusta Grass Masters is making lawn disease evaluation appointments available during July for Augusta area homeowners. The company reviews turf symptoms, moisture patterns, grass condition, mowing, soil, disease history, and maintenance expectations before recommending a direction.

The announcement was prompted by July disease pressure and the need to protect lawns before fungal damage becomes harder to reverse. Reviewing disease concerns in midsummer gives property owners a clearer path for preserving turf health and curb appeal.

Augusta Grass Masters also reports that disease planning should include transitions between lawn, beds, sidewalks, driveways, shaded areas, and irrigation zones. These areas often reveal stress first because moisture, heat, mowing turns, and traffic concentrate along borders.

The company encourages homeowners to document recurring turf problems during July. Spots that thin every summer, stay wet overnight, develop patches after storms, or fail to recover after watering may need closer inspection before another treatment is selected.

Augusta area lawns can also be affected by rapid weather shifts. Heavy rain can increase leaf wetness and humidity, while several hot days can expose stressed turf that is more vulnerable to fungal activity.

The company notes that disease management should be coordinated with responsible lawn care rather than treated as a standalone concern. Fertility, mowing height, watering timing, aeration, soil, weed pressure, and insect activity all influence how turf responds to disease pressure.

Augusta Grass Masters reports that homeowners often wait until patches expand before requesting help. Earlier review can reduce avoidable damage before disease symptoms spread across larger turf areas and affect curb appeal.

Augusta Grass Masters notes that July reviews can support both immediate intervention and long-term turf planning. Some lawns may need targeted disease treatment, while others may require adjustments to watering, mowing, soil health, or maintenance timing.

The company also reports that disease reviews can help preserve property appearance during peak summer use. Front yards, pool areas, pet zones, and gathering spaces may need timely attention because visible turf decline can affect the entire landscape.

This review supports healthier turf and clearer recovery planning for Augusta area lawns during July heat and humidity for homeowners this season in Georgia.

Property owners can contact Augusta Grass Masters at (706) 916-3799 or visit the company contact page to schedule a consultation.

July lawn disease planning gives Augusta area property owners a practical way to connect turf health with local heat, humidity, watering, mowing, soil, and treatment timing. When these factors are reviewed together, lawns can be better prepared for summer disease pressure.

About Augusta Grass Masters Augusta Grass Masters is a Georgia lawn care, fertilization, weed control, disease management, insect control, mosquito control, aeration, and turf health company serving Augusta, Evans, Grovetown, North Augusta, Martinez, Richmond County, Columbia County, Aiken County, and surrounding communities. The company provides customized lawn care services built around local heat, humidity, clay soils, warm-season turf, seasonal pest pressure, and year-round lawn health needs.

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Meeting at the committee level Tuesday, Augusta commissioners took no action on proposed data center rules.

Instead, they sent the issue to the full commission with a deadline looming.

The current moratorium on new data centers expires July 21. If the full commission does not act by then, the freeze ends automatically.

The debate comes after months of complaints from neighbors about a proposed data center near Haynes Station, where residents have raised concerns about noise, lighting, and property values.

Planning Director Lisa Cameron said the proposed ordinance would place future data centers exclusively in heavy industrial zoning districts. She described it as a “living document” that can be updated over time as technology and community concerns change.

The Planning Commission did not recommend adopting the ordinance. Instead, it suggested the Augusta Commission consider extending the moratorium to allow more public discussion.

Commissioners debated whether to extend the moratorium by 30 or 60 days but could not agree. Both options would push a final decision to the August 18 commission meeting.

Cameron said staff’s recommendation remained adoption of the ordinance but said staff would support whatever direction the commission chooses.

Commissioners indicated they want any final ordinance to remain comprehensive — covering emergency management, utilities, fire, and engineering — rather than narrowed to zoning alone.

The proposed rules would apply only to future projects. The QTS data center already under construction on Gordon Highway would not be affected.

The full commission meets July 21 at 2 p.m. at the Municipal Building.

Zoning ordinance rewrite

Also as commissioners met Tuesday, Augusta’s Planning and Development Department asked for up to $68,368 more to finish the city’s comprehensive zoning ordinance rewrite, along with a deadline extension pushing final adoption to November or December 2026.

The request moves to the full Augusta Commission next week. The additional funding would extend the contract with consultant White and Smith, LLC through the end of the year.

Cameron told commissioners Augusta’s current zoning ordinance dates to 1963 and has been amended piecemeal over the decades rather than comprehensively rewritten. She said after reviewing the consultant’s work, staff realized much of the existing language was simply being carried over rather than tailored to Augusta’s current needs.

Public outreach had been more limited than expected. Feedback from a recent meeting at Diamond Lakes showed many residents were unaware the zoning ordinance was even being rewritten.

The bulk of the additional funding — more than $34,000 — would go toward community engagement, including two more public workshops and a community survey.

The rest would cover an official zoning map and a future land use map, which were cut when the original contract was negotiated down from roughly $450,000 to about $327,000.

Planning and Development has since determined it does not have the staffing resources to complete that work internally.

Commissioner Wayne Guilfoyle urged the department to include the Home Builders Association, commercial builders, and developers in the upcoming workshops, saying zoning changes can ultimately increase costs for homebuyers.

Adoption hearings are scheduled for Nov. 2 before the Planning Commission and Nov. 17 before the Augusta Commission.

Other items moved to full commission

Several additional items passed out of committee Tuesday without discussion and are set to go before the full Augusta Commission next week.

Augusta’s Housing and Community Development Department received approval to submit its FY2026 Annual Action Plan to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, representing $3,852,829.39 in federal investment in housing and services for low- and moderate-income residents. The plan is due to HUD by Aug. 16. Approval also authorizes the Mayor to sign all required federal documents to finalize the submission.

Commissioners also approved a change order under RFP 25-242 to purchase an additional 50 light fixtures and accessories for the Charles B. Webster Detention Center in the amount of $54,400.

A request from Sheriff Eugene Brantley to purchase a $47,995 solar-powered mobile surveillance trailer for downtown Augusta also moved forward. The trailer is intended to fill coverage gaps in parking lots, side streets, and areas where permanent cameras are not in place as part of the Downtown Camera Project. The unit is mobile and can be relocated as needed. It includes three PTZ dome cameras, military-grade encryption, and is certified to operate on both Verizon and FirstNet/AT&T networks.