Augusta, GA
đ± New Non-Profit For Veterans + 2020 Murder Cold Case Seeks Tips
Morning, friends. It’s me, Michelle Paul, your host of the Augusta Patch newsletter â back in your inbox with all the most important things happening in town.
But first, your local weather:
- Saturday: Partly sunny. High: 89 Low: 68.
- Sunday: Times of clouds and sun. High: 91 Low: 70.
Here are the top three stories today in Augusta:
- Guitars for Vets, a non-profit organization, has expanded its mission to Augusta to aid struggling veterans in the area. By offering free guitars and music lessons, they provide therapeutic support and a sense of community to veterans like David Morerro, who found solace and regained control through learning to play the guitar. The program in Augusta spans 12 weeks and includes an advanced class, ensuring that graduates receive ongoing support and a free guitar to continue their musical journey. (WTVM 9 News)
- During the first year of the pandemic, Carl Collins Jr. relocated back to Augusta from Atlanta, only to be tragically murdered soon after. His family is determined to seek justice for his murder, which occurred on Old Barton Chapel Road in September 2020. If you have any information regarding the murder of Carl Collins Jr., please reach out to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office at 706-821-1080. (WJBF 6 News)
- Former Augusta Mayor Deke Copenhaver, who launched the “Crush Cancer with Copenhaver” campaign, has completed his chemotherapy and radiation treatments at Doctors Hospital in Augusta. The five-and-a-half-week journey was made more comfortable with the support of the medical community and his faith in God. Copenhaver plans to undergo scans in Texas and surgery in the future, but he remains grateful and hopeful, aiming to inspire others facing similar challenges with his message of resilience and offering a listening ear and support to those in need. (WFXG)
Today and tomorrow in Augusta:
Saturday, June 17
Now you’re in the loop and ready to start this Saturday off right! See you soon for another update.
â Michelle Paul
About me: Michelle Paul is a Utah-based writer and photographer with a professional background in content management and registered nursing. When not working on projects ranging from photo editing to copywriting, they enjoy traveling, video games, and expanding their skills.
Augusta, GA
âWe need helpâ: 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.
âIf we donât 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 weâre getting around 19 to support 7 airports outside of Atlanta and thatâs a challenge,â 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.
âWeâre 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,â 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.
Copyright 2025 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
Augusta, GA
North Augusta Baseball gets one last swing at Riverview Park
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Weâre just under two months away from baseball season and this year will be a bittersweet one for North Augustaâs 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.
Youâve 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.
âItâs a chance to have something that is ours,â said Lynn. âOur own atmosphere at school. Itâs going to be exciting.â
The over $8 million project was slated to be completed ahead of this yearâs 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.
âI donât want to have summer ball starting there, I want our kids to start a regular season there,â said Lynn. I want them to open the season up and have a true home opener.â
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 theyâll get one more chance to send it out with a grand slam.âI grew up watching my brother play here and many people before him, so being able to play here one last time feels really good.â
âIâd 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. Itâd be nice to accomplish those goals in our last season.â
Lynnâs team will open up on the road against Strom Thurmond on Feb. 11.
The Yellowjackets are 40 and 40 under Lynn as head coach.
Itâs hard to believe weâre almost to baseball season, before we know it weâll be talking about the Masters.
Copyright 2025 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
Augusta, GA
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 Sheriffâs 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.
âAfter an extensive 5-hour search, in 46-degree water, the bodies of the remaining two young males were located in the pond,â 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 Sheriffâs 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.
Copyright 2025 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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