Latest news with #GarnettJohnson
ABC News
a day ago
- General
- ABC News
Don James tells of his scary encounter with a flood-stressed roo
Facebook X Reddit Pinterest WhatsApp AUGUSTA, Ga () – Operation City Clean-Up is designed to offer meaningful service opportunities for people with court ordered community service. There have been community clean ups in the past, but this will be the first consistent one in the Augusta area. It will focus on high-traffic areas such as parks, streets and vacant lots. The clean-up started in the Harrisburg corridor but they will be going around to different areas that need to be cleaned. 'We're going to move this around to every single district throughout the county. Some Saturdays we'll be out in South Richmond County, others we may be downtown, we may be over in the Turpin Hill area, it just depends on the area that needs the most help,' said Garnett L. Johnson, Mayor of Augusta. For the city clean-ups, they are offering a 2 for 1 ratio to ensure accountability and encourage participation. One of the participants of the clean-up, Syntavous Smith, says he believes it will do just that, and he is happy to be serving his community. 'He came out here and surprised us, two for one you can't beat that! Four hours and you get four extra hours, so yeah, I think it's a good purpose and a good way to get people to actually do it. We're serving the purpose of cleaning up the community and helping the community out, anything for the community.' Mayor Johnson says he is looking forward to the future clean ups, and is hoping more people join. 'What's most important is hopefully we're gaining ambassadors to tell others as they're driving along the roadways not to throw litter out on the side of the road. As I have always said, I don't see this as punishment, keeping Augusta clean and having a sense of pride where we call home is very important and I'm just glad to have these individuals that are helping today and will be helping moving forward,' said Johnson. Operation City Clean-Up will happen every Saturday from 8am-12p. Facebook X Reddit Pinterest WhatsApp
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
The city of Augusta officially launching Operation City Clean-Up
AUGUSTA, Ga (WJBF) – Operation City Clean-Up is designed to offer meaningful service opportunities for people with court ordered community service. There have been community clean ups in the past, but this will be the first consistent one in the Augusta area. It will focus on high-traffic areas such as parks, streets and vacant lots. The clean-up started in the Harrisburg corridor but they will be going around to different areas that need to be cleaned. 'We're going to move this around to every single district throughout the county. Some Saturdays we'll be out in South Richmond County, others we may be downtown, we may be over in the Turpin Hill area, it just depends on the area that needs the most help,' said Garnett L. Johnson, Mayor of Augusta. For the city clean-ups, they are offering a 2 for 1 ratio to ensure accountability and encourage participation. One of the participants of the clean-up, Syntavous Smith, says he believes it will do just that, and he is happy to be serving his community. 'He came out here and surprised us, two for one you can't beat that! Four hours and you get four extra hours, so yeah, I think it's a good purpose and a good way to get people to actually do it. We're serving the purpose of cleaning up the community and helping the community out, anything for the community.' Mayor Johnson says he is looking forward to the future clean ups, and is hoping more people join. 'What's most important is hopefully we're gaining ambassadors to tell others as they're driving along the roadways not to throw litter out on the side of the road. As I have always said, I don't see this as punishment, keeping Augusta clean and having a sense of pride where we call home is very important and I'm just glad to have these individuals that are helping today and will be helping moving forward,' said Johnson. Operation City Clean-Up will happen every Saturday from 8am-12p. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Operation City Clean Up program to target litter in Augusta
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Litter is unsightly, and Mayor Garnett Johnson says leaving it on the ground can be costly to Augusta. 'It's important to economic development, you know, when people are riding around should they invest their dollars either from a business standpoint from an industrial standpoint. It's important that we show that we care enough about this community to keep it clean,' said Mayor Johnson. That's why Augusta is preparing to launch a new approach to clean up litter, called Operation City plan is to work with the courts and law enforcement to use those sentenced to community service hours to boost city forces picking up litter. 'A more focused effort on cleaning up the city with more attention to our right of ways. You're going to see a focused effort on enforcement through our Marshal's Department and we so glad not only is the Sheriff's Office helping us the state court, as well as the solicitor General. We can't wait to present it to the general public tomorrow,' said Mayor Garnett Johnson. 'It's been the Marshal's Office mission the whole time. It's great that the mayor sees we need it too and to have his support and have the city's support to just make Augusta cleaner and better,' said Marshal Ramone Lamkin. The mayor says the target areas will be highly visible areas, like tourists spots, parks and community centers. 'High traffic areas throughout the city, it will not only be focused downtown, it's going to be out in South Richmond County – it's going to be all over the county areas that really need help,' said Mayor Johnson. Operation city cleanup plan goes to commissioners Tuesday, with the mayor saying this anti-litter effort will come with no extra cost to taxpayers. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Augusta approves new funds for cutting medians
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – The median off Meadowbrook Drive is not cut by the city, but by Venessa Saford's husband. So she's keen on keeping them cut in the city. 'Yes, especially on the south side of Augusta. It looks really bad. They need to go ahead and fix it. I don't appreciate living over here and seeing it crazy,' she said. The city is targeting medians like Windsor Spring, Greene Street and Fleming. In all, more than three dozen medians approved to be cut every two weeks at a cost of $350-thousand dollars. 'Now that we're kind of recovering from Hurricane Helene, it's time to get back to the normal business, making sure the appearance of our city is taken care of,' said Mayor Garnett Johnson. The city first started this program of cutting the medians for two years and using federal Rescue Act funds, but those dollars are all spent, and the program wasn't budgeted this year, so the city is now using its own tax dollars, including $250-thousand dollars out of contingency. 'So, the money is coming out of contingency, what I mentioned. I'm not happy with that, I believe there is certainly the opportunity to create more efficiencies with the grass cutting,' said the mayor. The city could end the grass cutting in the medians, and keep the money in contingency, the mayor says that's not an option but says streamlining all city mowing under one roof is. 'We have to have a call for the reestablishment of some form of public works department, so all the grass cutting is centralized under one area. You will see that push come soon,' Johnson said. The city's push now though is cut these highly visible medians, even though the money was not included in the 2025 budget. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mayor Garnett Johnson pushes for Hurricane Helene relief funds at state capitol
ATLANTA (WJBF) – Augusta's Mayor Garnett Johnson met with leaders in the Georgia State Capitol to push for funds to help the CSRA. Mayor Johnson said it's now been more than 160 days since Hurricane Helene ravaged through the state and many are still reeling from the devastation. He met with Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, the state's GEMA director and the department of community affairs to get around $200 million dollars to help with clean up and recovery efforts. Johnson said the goal is to build Augusta back bigger and better, but did say the city may look a little different this year as it gets ready to welcome thousands of visitors for Masters Week. He says many were underinsured or uninsured and still need help with housing. 'Our crucial need is along our Augusta Canal where 70% of our drinking water is derived through the canal. Many folks know that the canal was greatly damaged by Hurricane Helene through downed trees and it potentially creates and our canal failing. Our first ask is to fix our critical infrastructure and that is drinking water,' said Mayor Johnson. This week, Governor Kemp signed the 2025 amended fiscal budget and allocated $867 million dollars for response costs, relief, grants to rural areas and critical access hospitals and disaster relief assistance to impacted farmers and timber producers who were impacted by Hurricane Helene. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
