Richmond County, GA | featured news

Augusta’s mayor and commission are at odds again over a policy, approved in June, that requires a commission vote for the city law office to draft code amendments or new ordinances.
Mayor Hardie Davis, who has refused to sign the policy, said the requirement “impedes government operations, hinders legislative process and essentially nullifies representative democracy.”
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Two years after a run-in with the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the HP Pelzer auto parts plant in Thomson is again facing penalties for workplace safety violations. And so is its former staffing agency, Augusta-based Sizemore Inc.
On Monday, the U.S. Department of Labor’s OSHA Atlanta-East office said the two companies face a total of $704,610 in penalties for 24 safety violations stemming from an inspection in March.

The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office asked for the public’s help Monday in identifying two suspects sought on fraud charges from almost two months ago.
In late July, two females entered Sprint Food Store, located in the 3400 block of Mike Padgett Highway, and purchased 17 cartons of cigarettes with three different credit cards. According to an incident report, the cards were found to be “no good” but the employee did not realize that was the case until after the suspects had left.
The total amount of cigarettes stolen was $886.55.

In an opinion released Monday, the Georgia Supreme Court ruled a mentally ill, disabled veteran knew what he was doing when he left more than half a million dollars to his custodian and the owners of the personal care home where he lived.
Judith Webb appealed a July 23 decision by a Richmond County probate court judge who found in favor of Dale Groenenboom and Charles and Jerry Reeves.
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Paine College presented a “very strong case” to keep its accreditation at a hearing Monday but the decision to uphold its appeal could turn on whether a committee agrees with its long-term outlook, the chair-elect of Paine’s Board of Trustees said.
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Two convenience store clerks are facing felony charges of commercial gambling following an undercover operation.
According to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, an investigator received a cash payout from Sadhula Babu Vivek, 34, of Hephzibah, at Amex Mark, 2579 Tobacco Road, on six occasions between June 21 and Aug. 29.
He also received cash payouts on three occasions between Aug. 17 and 25 from Anand Bhati, 28, of Augusta, at BP, 2701 Washington Road.
Warrants were issued last week.

Bills hit the mail Tuesday for the property taxes and fees that support Richmond County schools, Augusta government and sanitation.
Richmond County Tax Commissioner Steven Kendrick said his office is sending out 80,770 real estate tax bills for land and buildings and 9,396 personal property tax bills for inventory, furniture and fixtures.
The bills are expected to raise some $167.6 million, according to a statement from Kendrick’s office.

An upstart Evans team faces another difficult task as a unique opponent will visit Friday night.
The Knights will play host to Washington County at 7:30 p.m. in The Augusta Chronicle’s Game of the Week.
The two teams haven’t faced each other since 1975 when Evans shut out the Golden Hawks 19-0 at home. The all-time series has spanned just four meetings between 1968-75 and is split at 2-2.
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Police are seeking a couple who stole birth control pills from the Grovetown Walmart.
According to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, the couple picked up morning after contraception at the store Aug. 31 and then went to the hardware section where they picked up a box cutter. The man took both items into the restroom.
Afterward, a clerk found the empty contraception package in the restroom. The item was valued at $34.78.

The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a body discovered on Washington Road late Sunday.
Deputies were called to Washington Road near Woodbridge Drive just before midnight for a man on the side of the road who had possibly been struck by a vehicle, according to an incident report.
The scene was turned over to the Criminal Investigations Division.