AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Federal Emergency Management Agency has given Augusta and other communities in Georgia and South Carolina 30 more days to clean up Helene debris and still get reimbursed 100% for the costs.

Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson announced Wednesday that the 100% reimbursement period for Hurricane Helene has been extended to 120 days.

Documents from FEMA showed the deadline was extended in both Georgia and South Carolina.

Previously, communities had a 90-day deadline to clean up the debris and get fully reimbursed for the costs.

The extension is crucial in Augusta, because with only a couple of weeks left under the original deadline, contractors haven’t even finished their first pass through the city.

Residents were asked to pile hurricane debris along the roadsides, and crews plan to make at least two and possibly three passes along every street in the city to pick up the debris.

On Tuesday night, Johnson updated the community at a town hall meeting on cleanup efforts in Richmond County.

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4. Pace of Helene cleanup frustrates many across the CSRA

The extension comes even as FEMA Director Deanne Criswell testified last month to senators that the money available to help communities like Augusta has shrunk after back-to-back hurricanes Helene and Milton.

She said the country’s emergency checkbook is down to less than $5 billion.

She and Sen. Jon Ossoff for an infusion of money during a hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations.

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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) -The Augusta town hall on recovery from Hurricane Helene is underway.

City leadership is gathering to provide an update on where we are, going on three months since the storm.

We were out in some of our harder-hit neighborhoods on Tuesday and there are many mixed emotions about how people feel about where the city stands after the hurricane.

People are bringing their questions with them and some even submitted them ahead of time.

All asking about debris pick up, wire and cable collection, recycling and construction debris.

And local leaders say they are ready to answer any questions people might have.

“This is going to last well into 2025, and I think we need to set realistic expectations with everybody on what’s going on,” said Sean Frantom, District 7 commissioner.

It has been more than 70 days since the hurricane and more than 70 days of people waiting for the city to get back to a new normal, but local leaders say it takes time.

“People have to understand that the resources are spread between Florida, Georgia and even Columbia County and that there’s only so many resources to go around,” said Frantom.

He thinks they’re making good progress and is hoping the meetings will help explain how.

“We just opened up a new site off Sand Bar Ferry Road for that,” said Frantom. “We’re getting about 11,000 cubic yards each day going there to try to lighten the load over at Eisenhower. As far as like, where we are as a community, I think we’re doing very well, but this is going to be a process that people just got to be patient with.”

All while also trying to clear confusion and relieve any stress.

“FEMA is the paying agency. These are contractors to the contractor that we’ve hired to come and do this,” said Frantom. “We have over 80 trucks right now moving through the community. They’re going to come back, but if things are not at the road, they’re not going to be picked up.”

While reminding everyone that those who are helping us are people too.

“We’ve picked up 1.8 million cubic yards. I think the only day they’ve taken off is Thanksgiving,” said Frantom. They’re going to take off some days around Christmas, and people are going to be like, ‘Where are they?’ ‘Why hasn’t this been picked up?’ people are having Christmas parties, and they think that the medians and everything is going to be clear, so people can park there. Unfortunately, just not going to happen. I mean, and I think when you have a little grace and appreciate these people, because they’ve been in our community for 80 days now, nonstop, and they’re doing an incredible job, but it’s just going to take time.”

Even though the FEMA deadline is approaching, they are trying to get it extended.

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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A Richmond County woman has been sentenced to federal prison and ordered to pay restitution for defrauding a COVID-19 small business relief program.

Kameka Bausley, 43, of Augusta, was sentenced to 32 months in prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen also ordered Bausley to pay $71,933 in restitution and to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of her prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

“Congress provided more than $600 billion in funding to help small businesses struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “Unfortunately, that level of funding also attracted scam artists. With our law enforcement partners, we will continue to hold accountable those who illegally profit from safety net programs.”

As described in court documents and at sentencing, Bausley, was a U.S. Postal Service employee collecting workers’ compensation benefits when she defrauded the Small Business Administration by using fabricated revenue and expense information about her catering business to apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan and Paycheck Protection Program funding, ultimately receiving deposits totaling $71,933 through the two Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act Programs.

“This sentencing underlines our dedication to holding people accountable who exploit federal relief programs for personal gain,” said Jonathan Ulrich, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG). “As proven in this case, our criminal investigators and the legal teams at the U.S. Attorney’s Office will diligently pursue anyone who attempts to commit COVID-19 fraud and exploit programs created to help legitimate people and businesses affected by the global pandemic.”

The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney George J.C. Jacobs III.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.

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