AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Ten men were honored by Bethel AME Church at the Bell Auditorium on Friday evening.

This year’s honorees were selected for being leaders in Augusta, including state Rep. Karlton Howard, Westside High School boys basketball head coach coach Jerry Hunter, Augusta Commission member Alvin Mason and others.

More than 300 guests were there.

We heard from a committee member about what led to the honorees this year.

“We decided to honor 10 distinct men here in Augusta, Ga. that have impacted our community through the years,” said Lynwood Holmes. “So we decided our theme for this year is Men’s Day is ‘Men Leading and Standing on Faith.’ So we decided to bring in 10 men to have led in some capacity in our community.”

News 12 First Alert Meteorologist Mikel Hannah-Harding was the emcee.

Copyright 2025 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A man has been by a jury of his peers on Thursday in connection with a string of armed robberies, according to authorities.

A Richmond County judge sentenced Dmond Jackson, 31, to seven consecutive life in prison sentences, followed by 280 years in the Georgia Department of Corrections.

The District Attorney’s Office says Dmond Jackson, 31, “terrorized the entire city of Augusta with various armed robberies, kidnappings, carjackings and shootings.”

Jackson was arrested on June 3, 2024.

The District Attorney’s Office says Jackson’s crime spree spanned from April 1 to May 30 of 2024.

Officials say he was wanted for several armed robberies that occurred along Kissingbower Road, Deans Bridge Road and Gordon Highway.

Authorities say Jackson is accused of robbing TJ Mart located on the 1900 block of Kissingbower Road on March 24, 25, 28 and April 10. Each time running toward Haynie Drive.

Jackson is also accused of robbing the BP station located at 2161 Gordon Highway on March 31 and the Dollar General located at 2549 Deans Bridge Road on April 8, according to authorities.

In each incident, officials say Jackson pulled out a gun, jumped over the counter and demanded money from the victims.

Authorities say at least $2,000 has been stolen in these robberies.

Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – In December, we told you that the city-owned Augusta cemeteries were locked, and fam ilies have not been able to visit their loved ones.

Now, two months later and five months after Hurricane Helene, leaders spoke at a forum to discuss an audit of the parks and recreation department and progress on restoring the cemeteries.

Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson and new parks and recreation leader Tameka Williams gave updates.

Williams said she visited the Cedar Grove, West View and Magnolia cemeteries that the city owns.

She said the debris had been removed, but areas deemed unsafe are still blocked off.

Williams also offered a new time frame when the cemeteries may reopen.

“We are looking to within the next couple of weeks,” said Williams. “Our biggest work was getting the debris removed once we hit one cemetery, then we moved to another, and we finished with Magnolia Cemetery.”

Williams said staff would be on site to help people when the cemeteries reopen.

Johnson gave his thoughts on the cleanup as well.

“Most of the roads are clear, a lot of the debris have been removed, it’s the spring time of year and everyone wants to go visit their loved ones,” said Johnson. “Our ceemteries were severely damaged as a result of the hurricane and we’ve asked that they just give us some patience as our primary focus was cleaning up our cities.”

Regarding the audit for the parks and recreation department, leaders gave an update saying they will have to choose a new firm to perform a new audit no later than April 15.

We will keep you updated on that process.

Copyright 2025 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.