Augusta, GA

Vandals strike 3 historic monuments in downtown Augusta

Published

2 years ago

June 16, 2023

Vandals strike 3 historic monuments in downtown Augusta

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Once summer comes around and school is out, there’s often an uptick in vandalism hitting neighborhoods, parks and public spaces.

This year, one target is historic monuments in Augusta.

Within the past week, three monuments downtown have seen vandalism firsthand.

From Paine College to the Masonic Lodge, historical monuments and placards are disappearing or damaged.

From left: Augusta’s Spanish American War monument, Masonic monument and Paine College founding marker.(Contributed)

The Spanish American War monument’s bronze emblem is bent and falling off, as if someone is trying to pry it from the concrete. The bronze emblem could be seen shining in the summer sun, but now it’s just one tug away from facing the same damages as two other monuments in Augusta.

A peaceful walk ends with an unfortunate wake-up call.

“I was walking down here the other day, there was a dirty towel covering it up. And I stopped and looked at it and I realized that someone had tried to use a dirty towel to pry off this bronze monument of people who died for this country over 100 years ago. I mean, it just, you know, it is really heartbreaking,” said Kevin De L’Aigle, neighbor.

Less than 100 yards away is the Masonic monument. A Bible was on the top, but is gone now.

Steven Fishman, Worshipful Master of Webb Masonic Lodge, said: “Why in the world would anyone defame a Masonic Memorial? It’s kind of like grave robbing. It’s horrible. And what did they steal? They stole a Bible for goodness sake, a Bible.”

And then when you round the corner at Broad and 10th streets, the original Paine College founding marker is now on the ground.

It left a hefty price tag.

“There’s at least $2,000 worth of damage that has been done to this monument by vandals,” said Fishman.

It impacts more than just those who put them there.

Vandalism impacts everything it surrounds — businesses, economic growth, homes and more.

By one estimate, vandalism can decrease real estate value by 15%.

It also can affect the money coming into the city.

De L’Aigle said: “It affects all of us and affects property values, you know. It affects our safety. It affects our security down here, and it just creates the image that nobody cares. And that’s not something that’s good for anybody’s quality of life.”

They’re calling on the city.

“It is really heartbreaking. And it’s something that needs to stop. I mean, I really wish we would hear from our officials, like, you know, just to say, ‘Well, this has got to stop. This is not acceptable in our community,’” said De L’Aigle.

A Masonic Lodge member is beyond furious.

He said the culprits didn’t just steal an open Bible on a monument – they took something that cost years worth of saving money to place out here.

The lodge gives out tens of thousands of dollars a year in scholarships to children who need them for school, and now the lodge is going to have to cut back on some of them.

Fishman said: “We were getting ready to give out 14 $1,000 scholarships to young people going to college and professional institutions. But now the dissemble has been stolen. It’s just going to cost us a couple of scholarships for next year.”

At the end of the day, Fishman says, “This needs to be a walkway and a corridor for people all over the southeast to look and visit Augusta and see what has happened in the history of Augusta through the ages.”

The city says while they are sad to see this type of treatment to the monuments, they don’t own them. The organization that put it there is responsible for making repairs.

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Augusta, GA

‘We need help’: Ga. airport underfunding could hinder expansions

Published

2 hours ago

January 16, 2025

Press Room

‘We need help’: Ga. airport underfunding could hinder expansions

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) – Municipal airports across South Georgia could see improvements paused or canceled because of a lack of funding from federal and state officials.

Regional Airports need $83.5 million per year for improvement projects, but Albany, Valdosta, Savannah, Augusta, Macon, Brunswick, and Columbus only receive $16 million from the FAA and $2.8 million from the state.

Airports outside of Atlanta are receiving the shorter end of the stick when it comes to federal and state funding. Airport officials say that they hope that with more grant funding and the expansion of a few projects, it will increase more revenue right here in the Good Life City.

“If we don’t improve our infrastructure and our facilities, we will continue to lose our business aviation to other states. Some of the other states are receiving anywhere from 30 to 80 million dollars worth of funds, where we’re getting around 19 to support 7 airports outside of Atlanta and that’s a challenge,” officials say.

In Albany, the airport has upcoming projects to bring bigger planes, more commercial flights, and Cargo airplanes to the city. But with the lack of funding, the completion of that project is at risk.

“We’re looking at a runway extension which will be a huge project over 100 million dollars and funding has not been identified for that project. So where would we get that money? Well, we need the Federal Administration and the State of Georgia to give us more support,” officials say.

While officials say the airport needs some improvements, passengers say they love the convenience of being able to travel right outside their backyard.

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Augusta, GA

North Augusta Baseball gets one last swing at Riverview Park

Published

10 hours ago

January 16, 2025

Press Room

North Augusta Baseball gets one last swing at Riverview Park

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – We’re just under two months away from baseball season and this year will be a bittersweet one for North Augusta’s baseball and softball teams.

While many players would much rather play at a brand-new facility, Riverview Park has been home to the Yellowjackets for a long time now.

After this season, however, North Augusta will finally have a new place to call home.

But, they will have one more chance to close out a phenomenal season before transitioning to the new stadium next year.

You’ve seen the construction and you can see the vision.

In just a few more months, across the street from North Augusta High School will be two brand-new facilities.

The newest home of the Yellowjackets baseball and softball teams.

“It’s a chance to have something that is ours,” said Lynn. “Our own atmosphere at school. It’s going to be exciting.”

The over $8 million project was slated to be completed ahead of this year’s season, but after multiple delays like the impact of Hurricane Helene and just how big of a project it truly is, the facilities are still several months from being ready for play.

In the event construction concludes as originally planned, Head Coach Kevin Lynn says the team has no plans to move fields in the middle of their 2025 season.

“I don’t want to have summer ball starting there, I want our kids to start a regular season there,” said Lynn. I want them to open the season up and have a true home opener.”

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) looks on during pre-game warm-ups before an...

The good news is, nothing about this year will feel different for the team.

The Yellowjackets have called Riverview Park home for over 40 years and they’ll get one more chance to send it out with a grand slam.”I grew up watching my brother play here and many people before him, so being able to play here one last time feels really good.”

“I’d like to go out on a high note and finish up strong here. Our goal is to win all of our games at home since we play here all the time and know the layout more than anybody else. It’d be nice to accomplish those goals in our last season.”

Lynn’s team will open up on the road against Strom Thurmond on Feb. 11.

The Yellowjackets are 40 and 40 under Lynn as head coach.

It’s hard to believe we’re almost to baseball season, before we know it we’ll be talking about the Masters.

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Augusta, GA

2 young males dead after boat overturns in Screven County

Published

18 hours ago

January 15, 2025

Press Room

2 young males dead after boat overturns in Screven County

SYLVANIA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Two young males are dead after their boat overturned while fishing, according to the Screven County Sheriff’s Office.

According to a press release, around 12:45 p.m. on Wednesday, emergency services received a call about a boat overturning in a pond off Poor Robin Road.

Upon arrival, deputies spoke with a young adult male who was located at the scene. The male reported he had been in a boat with two other young males fishing when their boat overturned.

The young male was treated for his injuries and released, according to officials.

Additional agencies arrived on the scene including the Screven County Marine Rescue Squadron and several local scuba divers.

“After an extensive 5-hour search, in 46-degree water, the bodies of the remaining two young males were located in the pond,” said Sheriff Norman Royal.

The investigation into the circumstances that led up to these deaths is still ongoing, but no foul play is suspected at this time, according to officials.

Screven County EMS, Screven County Fire, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Effingham County Fire and Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office, also assisted in the response.

Sheriff Royal sends his thoughts and prayers to the families of these two young men and thanks all agencies that assisted and made their recovery possible.

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