Augusta, GA
‘Very upsetting’: Families locked out of city-owned cemeteries
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Debris clean-up isn’t just causing issues in our front yards.
Families hoping to visit loved ones at local cemeteries are greeted with chained-up front gates and no answers.
Many have been closed since Helene hit, but there’s no word on when they’ll reopen.
Chained and locked gates are the reality for people with loved ones buried at any of the city-owned cemeteries in Augusta.
“There’s a certain amount of peace in this cemetery,” said Thomasine Deer.
Cemeteries are a place meant to bring comfort.
“We grew up coming down to the cemetery, placing flowers on the loved one’s graves. And that comes naturally to us,” said Mary Gill.
Deer said: “It’s something that we do. I know a lot of people don’t do it.”
But no one can get in right now.
“My mother’s birthday was November 3. My father’s birthday was October 11. I like to come down and just bring some flowers. And, of course, you can’t come in,” said Deer.
Gill said: “My sister-in-law passed away, and her funeral was scheduled for October 12. We have no idea when we’re gonna be able to bury Joan. It’s very upsetting.”

You can look across the city and see the progress with debris pickup. But at local cemeteries, it seems like time is at a standstill.
“Every time I ask, it’s, ‘We don’t know,’” said Deer. “There are a lot of families in here that don’t have any family. And we’re speaking for them as well.”
Because for some, coming to this peaceful place is their way of coping with what they’ve already lost.
“One post I read; a lady said it was the first holiday without her mother. She was just very upset about it. And it just means a lot to a lot of people,” said Deer.
Officials say they will be getting to work on parks and cemeteries soon and they have made provisions for burials.
But their focus is completing first passes in neighborhoods and hard-affected areas.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
Augusta, GA
Peach Belt tournament: Augusta misses out for the first time in Metress era
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The 2025-2026 Peach Belt Conference brackets are set, and there is plenty of shakeup this year.
Starting with the women’s bracket, Augusta University secured the #4 overall seed and will face #5 seed Middle Georgia in round one.
USCA’s women’s team did not fair as well, finishing in last place of this season’s standings.
On the men’s side, USCA’s men’s team secured the eighth and final spot in the conference tournament.
In a shocking turn of events, AU’s men’s team did not qualify for the tournament.
This marks the first time the program has missed the PBC tournament since Dip Metress took over the program in 2004.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
Augusta, GA
Augusta Falls to Georgia Southwestern in Final Game of the Series – Augusta University
Augusta, Ga. – Augusta managed just five hits and one run and fell to Georgia Southwestern 12-1 Sunday as the Hurricanes win two of the three games of the series. The Jaguars are now 7-2 in Peach Belt Conference play and 11-8 overall. The Canes improve to 7-2 in conference play and 12-7 overall.
Georgia Southwestern scored runs in all but one inning including four runs in the first two innings and plated five runs in the fifth, highlighted by a grand slam.
The only Augusta run would come in the fourth inning. Landon Leonard would reach on an error and would come around when Kent Moon reached on a fielder’s choice that would plate Leonard.
Leonard, Moon, Davis Newman, Harris Bachelder and Jakob Cowart would collect the hits for the Jaguars.
Augusta will next be in action on Friday when the open up a three game series with Lander at Jaguar Field. First pitch on Friday is set for 6:00 p.m.
Fans of Jaguar Athletics can subscribe to the email listserve by clicking here. Fans can follow Augusta University at www.augustajags.com and receive short updates on Facebook at Augusta University Athletics and on Twitter at @AugustaJags.
Augusta, GA
Protestors in downtown Augusta speak out after strikes on Iran
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Local protestors made their voices heard after Israel and the U.S. announced strikes on Iran Saturday, ones that killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, reports say.
Protesters lined 13th Street in Downtown Augusta and walked across the river to North Augusta to make sure as many people as possible heard them.
50501 CSRA already had a march planned for Saturday, but in light of the strikes on Iran, decided to expand its focus.
Local leaders spoke about their concerns for the strikes, and roughly 60 people showed up to share theirs as well.
One of the event organizers said to make your voice heard your voice heard.
“Just call your people, call your representatives, if you don’t like that Iran was bombed, I don’t either. But call people and let them know, email them. Let it be relentless. Congress did not approve this. They have a say in this,” Zee Cook said.
The strike is being called “Operation Epic Fury,” with Iran responding with multiple missile and drone strikes across the Middle East.
In a social media post, President Trump said the bombing of the country will continue “as long as necessary.”
People across the world began lining the streets as well in support and against the decision.
Leaders across the world reacted to the news, including those in Georgia and South Carolina.
There’s a protest planned in Charleston and other regional cities this week.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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