Augusta, GA

Site of Augusta’s old jail remains unclear more than 5 years later

Published

1 year ago

March 18, 2025

Press Room

Site of Augusta’s old jail remains unclear more than 5 years later

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A justice center, a movie set, or an innovation hub.

At one point, Augusta’s old jail could’ve become any one of these.

Instead, the site is now empty and a study ordered by the city found that developing the area is a low priority.

Discussions about what the old jail site should become are nothing new.

For more than five years the city has gone back and forth.

When The Suicide Squad was filmed at the old jail, there were hopes it could become a site for movie studios.

Advocates also fought for years to transform the site into a justice center.

Instead of revitalizing the building, city leaders voted to demolish it, leaving it in the current state you see.

The city ordered a firm to study and decide how the land should be used, either for commercial or residential use.

The study came back with neither, instead recommending an innovation hub or a park be built in an area the study acknowledges as historically underserved.

“We have to see unified city leadership in order to make anything happen here,” said Sara Patenaude, with the Urban Land Institue technical assistance panel. “So that means getting the elected leaders and the staff on the same page, getting the city ready to support a streamlined development process, thinking through the incentives that the city might have to offer, how the city can make it more viable for a developer.”

For a short-term solution, the study recommends using the empty space as soccer fields, a farmers market or mini-golf –saying there are a host of fun activities that would work well on the site and require little if anything beyond a grassy field.

City leaders did not take any action on what they’d like to see come next for the empty site.

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Augusta, GA

Augusta Fire to showcase progress on new Fire Station #3 construction

Published

4 hours ago

March 30, 2026

Press Room

Augusta Fire to showcase progress on new Fire Station #3 construction

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Augusta Fire is showcasing progress on its new Fire Station #3 construction site Monday with a public tour of the facility.

The tour is scheduled from 11 a.m. to noon at the construction site at 2075 Powell Road.

The approximately 12,500-square-foot facility will feature three apparatus bays, modern living quarters, administrative space and support areas designed to enhance firefighter readiness and emergency response.

“The progress we’ve made on this fire station reflects our commitment to public safety and community resilience,” said Fire Chief Antonio Burden. “We’re proud of what this station represents for our community: enhanced protection, improved readiness and continued investment in the future.”

Johnson Laschober Associates designed the station. Spratlin Construction is building it in coordination with the Augusta government and the Augusta Fire Department leadership.

Representatives from Spratlin Construction will also be on-site to provide project updates.

The only entrance to the site is on Powell Road. Parking is not permitted on the construction site. Visitors should park along Powell Road and follow all posted safety guidance.

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Augusta, GA

Local group holds 4th annual walk against autism

Published

16 hours ago

March 29, 2026

Press Room

Local group holds 4th annual walk against autism

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – April is Autism Awareness Month, and one local group raised awareness with a walk in Augusta on Sunday.

The fourth annual autism walk was hosted by Moving Over Mountains Against autism at Lake Olmstead Park.

All proceeds from the walk support autism awareness initiatives.

We spoke with the CEO and founder of the group, Deidre Roberson, who said this year they are dedicating the walk to their photographer, who died recently.

Roberson told us what she looks forward to the most.

“I look most forward to seeing the different people every year. We always meet different people, new people, and they come from all over the CSRA, so Washington, Wilkes, Carolina,” she said.

There were also several vendors providing resources to families.

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Augusta, GA

From Augusta roots to Nighthawks leader: Nolan Belcher comes home

Published

1 day ago

March 29, 2026

Press Room

From Augusta roots to Nighthawks leader: Nolan Belcher comes home

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF)- Augusta University baseball is in a three-game series matchup against the University of North Georgia.

AU is currently down in the series 0-2 after a close loss Friday and a loss Saturday.

But we aren’t focusing on the Jags, we’re going to take a look at North Georgia’s head coach, Nolan Belcher.

He is an Augusta native who began his career at Greenbrier and Augusta Christian.

He won three state championships, which then led him to play for the South Carolina Gamecocks.

There he won back-to-back national championships and finished runner up in 2012.

His coaching career began after that where he eventually joined the Peach belt Confrence, coaching at USCA and GCSU.

Now in his first season as head coach for the Nighthawks, he is happy to come home and coach in front of his friends and family.

“I’m very fortunate that I got family that, one is still around and they can come watch me do what I love. And, they’ve shown me, nothing but support throughout my whole coaching career and even back on my playing dates are very thankful and appreciative for everything they’ve done for me.”

AU and UNG will have their final series match on Sunday.

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