Augusta, GA

Teeing up for Augusta: The Pattons make it to the Masters – Storm Lake Times Pilot

Published

2 years ago

April 20, 2024

Teeing up for Augusta: The Pattons make it to the Masters – Storm Lake Times Pilot

Dave and LeAnn Patton joined Dave’s brother Scott and his wife Angie in soaking up the Augusta magic at the Masters earlier this month.

Dave and LeAnn Patton have long been avid golf enthusiasts. The Lake Creek couple realized a decades-long dream earlier this month when they joined Dave’s brother Scott and his wife Angie on a trip to the prestigious Masters Tournament in Augusta, Ga.

With their 30th wedding anniversary approaching later this year, the couple’s shared passion for golf has been a constant throughout their marriage. Dave, who has been a golf fan and player for years, attributes his deeper appreciation for the game to marrying into a family of golf enthusiasts.

“I married into a big golf family, the Lockins from Aurelia,” Dave Patton explains.

LeAnn played collegiate level golf at Iowa State while the couple’s daughters Lexie and Annika have followed suit, leaving their own marks on the fairways.

“Our daughter Lexie played golf for Central College and Annika for UNI,” Dave says, reflecting on his family’s golf legacy. He jokes that he has “learned in the last 33 years to be the best golf supporter and cheerleader around.”

During their trip to the Masters Storm Lakers Dave and LeAnn Patton took a moment to snap a pic of the Amen corner on the historic golf course.

A family tradition?

The 2024 Masters Tournament is the first one that Dave has attended. However, it seems trips to the Masters are becoming a slow-developing tradition for LeAnn.

In 2010, LeAnn attended the Masters with her three siblings. And, Dave says, it is an experience she has been talking about ever since. LeAnn’s stories were enough for Dave to quickly decide that any future Masters Tournaments needed to be on his bucket list.

“We started putting our names into the lottery drawing every year since,” he says with a laugh.

“My brother Scott, who lives in Woodstock, Ga., has been doing the same,” he continues. And the hard work has paid off.

Late last year, Scott gave Dave a call asking if he and LeAnn would be up for visiting in April. As it turns out, Scott and his wife Angie had secured four coveted tickets to the practice round on Monday, April 8. Of course, neither Dave nor LeAnn were going to turn down this incredible opportunity. They soon began planning to attend the event.

Among the stars the Pattons caught sight of at Augusta National was the legendary Tiger Woods.

Xander Schauffele unleashes his precision swing as his caddy observes closely, navigating the greens with calculated precision at Augusta National.

The journey began on Friday night, April 5

“We flew to Atlanta, Ga. on Friday night (April 5) and spent a few days with Scott and Angie,” Dave says. By Sunday, the group took off for Augusta to explore the iconic golf course, soaking in the atmosphere. Their time watching the tournament started at 6:15 a.m. – five miles from where they were staying to ensure they would be in line before the gates opened at 8 a.m. When the group went through the security and bag checks, they were inside the grounds at the famous Augusta course at 7:45 a.m.

“We walked the famous back nine first to see the famous AMEN corner, and holes 15, 16, where practice round days they try to skip across the par 3 water,” Dave recalls.

With around 24,000 steps ticked off on each of their smartwatches by the end of the day, the couples were exhausted after 11 hours of Masters excitement. Plus, they enjoyed some delicious treats along with this once-in-a-lifetime golf experience.

One famous component of the Masters is the famously delicious and well-priced food available at the event. The couple feasted on the famous pimento cheese sandwich, which cost $1.50 as well as the equally delightful Georgia Pecan caramel which also went for $1.50.

The 16th hole at Augusta National is another well-known spot on the historic course.

Of course, Dave and LeAnn made sure to bring home a dozen souvenir cups – which means they enjoyed just as many cold drinks during their visit to the tournament.

An awesome experience

As Dave and LeAnn returned home on Tuesday afternoon, the memories of their Masters adventure remained etched in their minds.

Reflecting on their visit to the Masters, both Dave and LeAnn expressed awe at the immaculate condition of the course and the generosity of the patrons.

“The way the golf course is groomed and prepared is beyond anything I had ever seen,” Dave remarked. “This bucket list of mine did not disappoint one bit.”

Inspired by their experience, Dave and LeAnn are already envisioning a future trip with their daughters Lexie (Christian Messick) and Annika (Joe Powell) and their husbands, eager to share Augusta’s magic with their loved ones.

“Everyone needs to experience this at least once,” he says.

Augusta National’s 12th hole –– a par three challenge.

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Augusta, GA

Augusta 911 call center earns statewide honor

Published

8 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Augusta 911 call center earns statewide honor

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Augusta 911 center has been named 2025 Communications Center of the Year at the Georgia Emergency Communications Conference in Athens.

The award recognizes excellence in public safety communications, innovation, leadership and service.

The award recognizes a center that demonstrates strong performance in emergency response coordination, training, technology and community engagement.

The Augusta center was selected among agencies statewide for its consistent service, professional standards and coordination with public safety partners.

“This recognition reflects the work our team does every single day,” said Daniel R. Dunlap, 911 director. “Our communications officers are the first point of contact during some of the most difficult moments in a person’s life. They provide reassurance, direction and critical coordination until help arrives. I am incredibly proud of the dedication and strength they show.”

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Augusta, GA

Popn’ Off Gourmet Popcorn opens on Broad Street in Augusta

Published

20 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Popn’ Off Gourmet Popcorn opens on Broad Street in Augusta

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A new gourmet popcorn shop has opened on Broad Street, bringing a Chicago-style twist to downtown Augusta.

Popn’ Off Gourmet Popcorn and Nuts, located at 716 Broad Street next to the Miller Theater, opened late last year. Owner Sheila Jones moved to Augusta from Chicago, where she said gourmet popcorn has a strong following.

“I’m from Chicago where gourmet popcorn is kind of a big deal,” Jones said.

Specialty flavors made in house

The shop offers specialty flavors including caramel, strawberry drizzle, peppermint, Oreo, green apple, and peanut butter — all made in house. Jones said the experience starts before customers even reach the counter.

“The smell is part of the experience. Green apple, strawberry, strawberry drizzle with chocolate. We have a new peanut butter flavor I just did,” Jones said.

A business built for family

Jones said her move to Augusta and her decision to open the business were driven by her son, who is on the autism spectrum. She said she believed he would be more comfortable in Augusta and wanted to build something that would benefit him long-term.

“I wanted him to have something when he gets older. He has a job already if he wants one. He already has a business,” Jones said.

Jones said starting the business has been harder than she expected. She handles most operations herself, with some help from family. She said the purpose behind the shop keeps her motivated.

“Coming into this every day is fulfilling because I built it. I’m building it and I just wanna see how high we’ll go,” Jones said.

Popn’ Off Gourmet Popcorn and Nuts is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The shop is also holding a pop-up Saturday at noon on Gordon Highway.

Here’s a link to their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61584084467886#

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Augusta, GA

Deputy fired over on-duty sex with co-worker’s wife, documents show

Published

1 day ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Deputy fired over on-duty sex with co-worker’s wife, documents show

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A deputy was fired for having sex with another deputy’s wife while on duty, according to personnel documents from the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.

And it’s not the first time his love life has raised questions − he left a job in Aiken County after a similar problem.

Sgt. Christopher Chavous was dismissed after the matter was reported by the deputy whose wife was allegedly having the relations with now-fired deputy, according to the documents.

Chavous admitted it when confronted by an investigator on Feb. 16, according to the documents.

He said he first slept with her before Christmas and had continued doing so at least one or two times a week, according to the documents.

He also admitted that he’d done so at least once while on duty, according to the documents.

The husband said he’d suspected for some time that his wife had been sleeping with another deputy, but he initially didn’t know who it was.

Eventually, the husband tracked his wife on his phone to an apartment he knew belonged to Chavous, according to the documents.

Additionally, the husband showed Sgt. Walter McNeil, who was investigating the allegations, a video he’d obtained that showed his wife standing in the doorway of the apartment while kissing Chavous.

The husband also provided additional images of his wife’s car at the complex, as well as Chavous’ unmarked patrol car there.

The husband “advised that he doesn’t feel comfortable with the fact that Sgt. Chavous is in a peer support role with the agency, and he sleeps around with other Deputies wives,” McNeil wrote.

When confronted by internal affairs, Chavous admitted he’d been sleeping with the other deputy’s wife for about a month and a half, according to the documents. Chavous said he was going through a divorce of his own, according to the documents.

“It is imperative for all employees of this agency to always demonstrate sound judgment, both on and off duty,” McNeil wrote in the report. “Additionally, staff members must conduct themselves in a manner that upholds the integrity and reputation of the Sheriff’s Office. The actions of Sgt. Chavous fell short of these established standards.”

The personnel documents state the final disposition for Chavous, who also runs the Support 1 charity: “Termination.”

In response to the action, Chavous told News 12:

“I will have to refer to this to my counsel. I am appealing the decision.”

He faces certain investigation by the state.

Anytime a law enforcement officer is fired in the state, it automatically triggers an investigation by the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council.

Here’s a look at his POST records so far:

News 12 learned that before he came to Richmond County, Chavous retired from the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office in 2023 after a complaint of an inappropriate relationship with a confidential informant.

These sex scandals seem to be a recurring problem for law enforcement agencies across the CSRA:

In January, we reported that Aiken County Sheriff Marty Sawyer took action to demote two employees for allegedly engaging in an inappropriate sexual relationship while on duty, according to officials.
In December, we reported that deputy Diana Santiago was arrested after admitting to an “intimate relationship” with a member of a gang and using Richmond County Sheriff’s Office databases to look up information for that member while on duty.
In 2023, we reported that an open microphone in a patrol car revealed that two supervisors had sex during working hours. They were demoted.
Two other Richmond County deputies were fired after their relationship was uncovered. They were fired not for the relationship but for lying about it.
In 2023, we reported that a deputy had sex with a woman who’d called 911. He was put on probation for one year.
In addition, Burke County Sheriff Alfonzo Williams has been involved in a lawsuit by a former employee who alleges he was involved in sexual harassment.