Eight remarkable members of the West Virginia University Class of 2025 who have distinguished themselves through academic excellence and by making significant contributions on campus, across the Mountain State and beyond have been honored with the Order of Augusta the most prestigious University student award Most of these students are members of the Honors College and have maintained a 4.0 cumulative grade point average while working toward their undergraduate degrees in a range of disciplines and all of them are critical thinkers who are poised to address global challenges and drive positive change for a more prosperous society The Order of Augusta honorees, who are among 49 students named the WVU Foundation Outstanding Seniors will be recognized at a drop-in event from 12:30-4:30 p.m “Every year, I continue to be in awe of the WVU Outstanding Seniors,” Dean of Students Corey Farris said “They have made incredible contributions to WVU We’ll continue to see great accomplishments that make our world better from these outstanding graduates.” The following WVU Outstanding Seniors are members of the Honors College: animal and nutritional sciences and marketing  The remaining WVU Outstanding Seniors include the following: agribusiness management and applied economics political science and international studies Established in 1995 to mark the 40th anniversary of the WVU Foundation the Outstanding Senior award honors students for their contributions and achievements in scholarship The Order of Augusta further recognizes superior scholarship and a record of community and public service The award is named for its historical significance in the state Augusta was among the original names considered by the Legislature when what is now West Virginia seceded from Virginia in 1863 MEDIA CONTACT: Shauna JohnsonExecutive Director of Strategic CommunicationsWVU Strategic Communications and Marketing304-293-8302; sjohns13@mail.wvu.edu Call 1-855-WVU-NEWS for the latest West Virginia University news and information from WVUToday eventually working at the Masters and honing his game at the municipal course known as ‘The Patch’ He went on to become one of the PGA Tour’s longest hitters and one of the top Black golfers of his generation The PGA Tour said on its website that Dent suffered a stroke the day after Augusta National announced plans for Tiger Woods to design a par 3 course at The Patch “What I learned about playing golf has probably kept me all through life,” Dent told the USGA for a story in 2012 You just couldn’t pick up today and not come back ’til next week Dent worked hard enough on his game that he entered a few United Golfers Association tournaments moved to California and took lessons from former US Open champion Johnny Goodman He finally earned his PGA Tour card through qualifying school in 1970 he kept a full schedule of at least 22 tournaments for the next 16 years His best result was in the 1972 Walt Disney World Open Invitational when he trailed Jack Nicklaus by two shots going into the final round Dent won the Michelob-Chattanooga Gold Cup Classic in 1983 a Tournament Players Series event for players who were not fully exempt – the tour had gone to the all-exempt tour that year instead of the majority of the field going through Monday qualifying Dent never met any of the qualifying criteria to play in the Masters but he made the cut in eight of the 11 majors he played – six at the PGA Championship He was best known for his prodigious length and Dent won the inaugural World Long Drive Championship in 1974 Al Geiberger said after Dent shot 64 to win his first Champions event “Jim Dent ought to be outlawed (for) the way he can hit the ball.” “A lot of people will remember Jim Dent for how far he hit the ball proved Jim was more than just long off the tee.” Dent lost both parents by the time he was 12 and was raised by his aunt She was opposed to him caddying at The Patch and told him “Kids think they’re the smartest people in the world,” Dent said in the USGA story “Second thing I learned how to do when I learned how to caddie was shoot dice and play cards and Dent recalled how caddies could play if they were willing to cut crabgrass out of the greens Among the players he caddied for at Augusta National for the Masters were Bob Goalby and Bob Rosburg Augusta named the road leading into The Patch as Jim Dent Way in 2020 as a tribute Dent was inducted into the Caddie Hall of Fame Augusta National is pouring support into upgrading the municipal course under the work of architects Tom Fazio and Beau Welling conditioned course with a new short-game area and clubhouse Woods is designing a Par 3 course called the Loop at The Patch to honor Augusta National caddies who played there HELENA — The Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office is investigating two deaths connected to a fire northwest of Wolf Creek and south of Augusta Dispatch received a call reporting two deceased men at a residence north of Highway 200 near L&C Road at 6:50 p.m Lewis and Clark County Sheriff and Coroner Leo Dutton says the men were in their 60s and related “Detectives are still investigating and interviewing several persons We do not believe there is any threat to the public and this was an isolated incident,” said Dutton The names of the men have not been released at this time and Dutton says the investigation is ongoing We will provide updates as they become available UPDATE - the two men have been identified - click here GREAT FALLS — The Lewis & Clark County Sheriff’s Office is investigating two deaths connected to a fire northwest of Wolf Creek and south of Augusta dispatchers received a call reporting two deceased men at a residence north of Highway 200 near L&C Road Lewis & Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton says the men were in their 60s and were related; their names have not yet been released The bodies were taken to the State Crime Lab in Missoula for autopsies The medical examiner will determine the cause and manner of death No other details have released at this point We will update you when we get more information Report a typo HELENA — The Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office is investigating two deaths connected to a house fire northwest of Wolf Creek and south of Augusta dispatch received a call reporting two deceased men at a residence north of Highway 200 near L&C Road His office is investigating the deaths as potential homicides Editor's note: This article has been updated with additional information from Sheriff Dutton Here are some of our most read articles that might interest you Augusta authorities are hunting a man wanted for questioning in a deadly downtown shooting on Sunday Authorities described Wendarius Lytavious Harris noted the Richmond County Sheriff's Office Deputies seek him in reference to a shooting Sunday evening at 105 Riverfront Dr of Augusta was fatally shot and pronounced dead on the scene at about 9:15 p.m. Two others were shot and taken to area hospitals for treatment The shooting occurred at what the sheriff's office described as "a large unpermitted gathering" at about 8:30 p.m Anyone with information as to Harris' whereabouts or about the shooting should call (706) 432-5281 or (706) 821-1020 you can send video or other information anonymously to PIO@augustaga.gov More: Help pours in for family of slain Columbia County deputy. Here's how you can give. Crime & Courts, News a total of 492 crimes were tracked by The Augusta Press from the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office Violent crimes included 166 cases of simple assault and 11 cases of aggravated assault in addition to 11 cases of criminal trespassing and 171 cases of larceny were reported Letters to the Editor | Opinion News Briefs General News | News | Politics & Government Health, Science & Technology | News Education | News The Augusta Press encourages and welcomes reader comments; however we request this be done in a respectful manner and we retain the discretion to determine which comments violate our comment policy remove and/or not allow your comments to be posted The types of comments not allowed on our site include: Forgot your password? website@theaugustapress.com Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Editorials, Opinion Widely acclaimed Sheriff Eugene Brantley is being hampered in his law enforcement efforts by none other then the Augusta Commission Ben Harbin – whose 20 years in the Georgia General Assembly gave a growing Columbia County a stronger voice in Atlanta – died Wednesday at age 61 Harbin was pronounced dead at the Fairfield Inn in Augusta according to Richmond County Coroner Mark Bowen Foul play has not been suggested as a cause of death after he missed a gathering where he was expected family and friends found him at his hotel," said Jim Cox in a social media post Cox sits on the Economic Development Authority of Columbia County and had chaired the Columbia County Planning Commission Cox noted that Harbin had been facing some health challenges "Ben Harbin was one of the good guys," he wrote Don Balfour was the longest-serving Republican in the Georgia Senate until he lost a primary challenge in 2014 Harbin "was thoughtful and kind – traits not always associated with the Legislature," he said Benjie Lewis Harbin was born in 1963 in Lyons worked for Georgia Power at the Plant Hatch nuclear power facility 20 miles south of the city When a new work assignment brought the senior Harbin to Plant Vogtle where young Ben graduated from Hephzibah High School His jobs in the years after after graduation included being a State Farm insurance agent in Harlem He was working there in 1989 when he married a young teacher with whom they reared a son and a daughter his interest in conservative politics led him to lead the Richmond County Republican Party for two terms he earned his associate of science degree in business administration from Georgia Military College Harbin unseated incumbent Martha Moore to represent District 113 in the Georgia House of Representatives Harbin represented a state House district covering much of Columbia County Redistricting over the years changed his constituency from District 113 to 118 to 122 His many committee assignments under four Georgia governors and five House speakers included six years chairing the powerful House Appropriations Committee Harbin's pull on that committee has been credited with securing funding to construct the 269,000-square-foot building now housing the Dental College of Georgia in Augusta He also spearheaded the legislative effort to bring an Augusta Tech satellite campus to Grovetown remembered Harbin as a dedicated colleague in the Legislature "During my freshman term as a state senator he and I worked together on the Fix The Debt initiative to raise awareness about the national debt," he said "He was passionate about public policy and cared deeply for his fellow Georgians." Citing him as a champion of small business the Georgia Chamber of Commerce named Harbin Legislator of the Year in 2009 He also received the Association of County Commissioners’ Legislative Award three times Harbin resigned mid-term in July 2015 to become a lobbyist His seat was filled in a November 2015 election by Jodi Lott The district changed to District 131 in 2023 "My wife and I have talked a lot about what we need to do and it was a difficult decision but it is for the best," Harbin said in 2015 In May 2007, Harbin faced a DUI charge after the Nissan he was driving hit a utility pole on Atlanta's Memorial Drive about 1 a.m on a pleaded-down charge of reckless driving a judge ordered Harbin to pay a $1,000 fine and perform 100 hours of community service "Everybody's entitled to one mistake," Augusta University political science professor Dr Ralph Walker said shortly after the arrest "He's had an outstanding record in the Legislature Since 2019 he had been a senior advisor at the Atlanta offices of Baker Hostetler After 20 years in the General Assembly, Harbin told The Augusta Chronicle in 2015 What have I done?' There's a lot of little things that wouldn't matter and a lot of big things that I'm proud of." The Augusta area looks like it's getting its fourth Chipotle restaurant Plans held by a general contractor in Villa Rica Georgia show renovation details for a former EchoPark Automotive location at 2999 Washington Road to become a Chipotle It's the last building on the right on westbound Washington Road before you take the on-ramp for I-20 East Augusta's first Chipotle opened in 2018 at Augusta Exchange Other Chipotles include 710 Province Way in Evans and 362 E A location opened in Aiken in 2016 but closed in 2018 The big push: Chipotle restaurant coming to Columbia County as part of national expansion but operated only about as long as the address' previous tenant Chipotle opened its first restaurant in 1993 in Denver It has since grown to more than 3,300 locations in the continental United States Opinion, Scott Hudson It is sorta like the crew of the Titanic backing the ship up to run over the iceberg a second time Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInAUGUSTA (WRDW/WAGT) - A 23-year-old man is wanted for questioning in a deadly shooting that left a 26-year-old man dead at the intersection of Riverfront Drive and Prep Phillips Drive on Sunday night The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office says Wendarius Harris is wanted for questioning in reference to a murder on the 100 block of Riverfront Drive Harris is known to frequent the East Boundary area and Batesburg He is described as 6 feet tall and weighs 155 pounds with black hair and brown eyes The Richmond County Coroner’s Office says Zyshawn Franklin He was shot at least once and pronounced dead on the scene at 9:15 p.m. The sheriff’s office says it happened on the 100 block of Riverfront Drive near the Augusta boathouse Deputies say a large unpermitted gathering resulted in a shooting around 8:30 p.m The sheriff’s office says two other people were taking to the hospital after being shot There is blood drive hosted by Burke County this week providing another opportunity for the community to support Deputy White Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 706-821-1020 or email pio@augustaga.gov to stay anonymous The shooting happened amid a surge in violent crime that’s claimed about 200 lives across the CSRA in the past three years Communities large and small have been affected Doctors Hospital will be the Augusta area's newest medical facility to become a teaching hospital to help overcome Georgia's continuing shortage of health professionals The $6.7 million to develop new Graduate Medical Education programs is part of more than $150 million in renovations and improvements to the HCA Healthcare facility the expansions are expected to employ more than 110 people “Doctors Hospital is committed to meeting the healthcare needs of our rapidly growing community,” Joanna Conley chief executive officer of Doctors Hospital so does the demand for high-quality healthcare These initiatives will allow us to better serve our patients now and in the years to come.” Approved: State OKs Doctors Hospital’s ER in Evans Georgia is projected to be short more than 8,000 physicians according to the nonpartisan public policy Cicero Institute One-third of students who gobble up the small number of residency slots end up practicing medicine out-of-state Other planned improvements announced by Doctors include $86.5 million for a two-floor vertical expansion and renovation specifically the third floor of the Burn Tower and the fourth floor of the South Tower Construction also is continuing on Doctors' free-standing emergency room Belair Road in Evans on the former site of Fatz Southern Kitchen The new 10,860-square-foot facility will feature 11 treatment rooms; advanced CT and X-ray capabilities; and laboratory and pharmacy services Doctors also is spending $41.8 million on equipment upgrades and onsite building improvements updates to the main hospital cafeteria and a hybrid operating room Hybrid ORs integrate medical imaging technology into conventional surgical environments Equipment upgrades will include new imaging technology endoscopic instruments and surgical enhancements A witness photo shows the sheriff's response to the deadly shooting Sunday night at 105 Riverfront Drive in Augusta A Sunday night celebration in Augusta turned tragic when gunfire erupted at a large leaving one person dead and two others injured of Augusta was shot at least one time and pronounced dead on the scene at 9:15 p.m The incident occurred after dark at Reserve and Ride Water Sports According to Chief of Staff Lewis Blanchard the gathering had no official permit to operate despite promotional material circulating online An online flyer advertised the event as a family-friendly pre-Cinco de Mayo celebration hosted by an organization called Stunt Sunday Augusta Activities listed included jet ski rentals with vendor and tent fees ranging from $25 to $50 shooting drew multiple sheriff’s deputies and the county coroner The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office is actively investigating and encourages anyone with information or video footage to come forward. Tips can be submitted to the Criminal Investigation Division at 706-821-1020 or sent anonymously via email to PIO@augustaga.gov A witness video posted online shows the activity at the event before the shootings Timberlake x Nike shoe collab early access Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride recently became the highest paid player in NFL history for his position but there are still some things on McBride’s to-do list that money alone can’t buy — like scoring a tee time at Augusta National Still, the idea of teeing it up on Augusta’s hallowed ground may not be too far out of reach. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is a member, and one of McBride’s retired NFL peers, J.J. Watt, recently played the course for the first time. On this week’s episode of Subpar. McBride discussed Watt’s game with hosts Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz Everyone was impressed with Watt’s reported score of 103 — especially given the physical limitations of his current swing it’s violent,” Stoltz said of Watt’s move “But apparently the over/under by his buddies was 140 and Tracy Wolfson and the president of CBS Sports Watt’s round was apparently not without some humorous adversity “Matt was describing some of the shots he hit though trying to explain where he hit it,” Knost said he was in the bushes short right on 10 down there all you could see was his big muscles and his head popping up and then and all this stuff goes everywhere and the ball goes on the green to like 15 feet.” “He’s too big to play,” Stoltz remarked there’s a point I think where you’re just like too big.” “We were on the range at Whisper Rock You’re gonna have to aim left and hit a big slice.” including McBride’s favorite course he’s played As a four-year member of Columbia’s inaugural class of female varsity golfers Jessica can out-birdie everyone on the masthead where she’s primarily responsible for producing both print and online features such as GOLF’s inaugural Style Is­sue “A Round With,” debuted in November of 2015 and appeared in both in the magazine and in video form on GOLF.com All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team known as one of the best Black golfers of his era after going from the caddie yard at Augusta National Golf Club to winning a dozen times on PGA Tour Champions Dent grew up caddying at both storied Augusta National who went on to win the 1959 PGA Championship and become best known as a TV commentator after his playing days “We shot 41 on the back nine or we might have won,'' Dent recalled drove a pulpwood truck and owned wooded farmland not far from Augusta Country Club Dent’s job on the farm was to make the fire in the morning “I was big enough to do that,” Dent told the USGA “I was still real young when my parents died a housekeeper at one of Augusta’s big houses raised Jim and three of his siblings with a firm hand I got a whuppin','' Dent told USA Today in 1990 a lot of those guys had those brown paper bags in their back pockets If your mother tells you not to cross the street every loop was an opportunity to closely study elite players and apply their techniques to his own swing He and his buddies would sneak on the back nine of Augusta Country Club late in the afternoon and play until dark he would be allowed to play there on Friday morning in exchange for cutting crabgrass out of the greens “There was also Augusta Municipal Golf Course “And I had a friend of mine who would take me to Fort Gordon his urge to play golf led him to Atlantic City where he made ends meet caddying at local clubs and as a waiter because I didn't have to be to work until 4:30 (p.m.)," Dent said working inside and looking out the window," he says we'd go to Compton College's football field and hit balls until school started.'' Dent cut his teeth playing in events hosted by the United Golfers Association a tour that attracted the top Black golfers from across the country before the Tour integrated He failed qualifying school four times before making it in 1970 at age 31 Only once ($55,095 in 1982) did he win more than $50,000 or finish among the top 60 money-winners and one thing alone: driving the golf ball,” wrote Jeff Williams in Newsday You came to see Jim Dent hit it a mile and see if the ball was in one piece.” Dent hung around for more than 16 years without a victory while earning more than $560,000 “To have caddied and now be out playing with these guys you don't think that's a big thrill?'' he once said Despite facing racial barriers that limited opportunities for Black golfers during his early career Dent said he faced little discrimination on the Tour I never had any problems because Charlie Sifford those guys just kind of paved the way,” he said the first Black golfer to win a PGA-sanctioned event at the 1964 Waco Turner Open "Pete kind of took me around the first six weeks when I was on Tour, you know," Dent told The Augusta Chronicle Here was a man already established and he can let me hang around and learn some of the ropes there." Dent was reborn at age 50 when he became eligible for the Champions Tour winning 12 tournaments between 1989 and 1998 He finished in the top 10 on the season-long money list seven times on the senior circuit "I didn't work on what it took to beat 'em back then," said Dent In 2020, the road leading to Augusta Municipal Golf Course, aka “The Patch,” was renamed Jim Dent Way in his honor Dent also was inducted into the Caddie Hall of Fame in 2022 as well as the African-American Golfers Hall of Fame His journey in the game was a testament to what’s possible when passion meets persistence The Augusta-Richmond County Municipal Building in July 2024 The number of top-level vacancies in Augusta’s city government continues to grow with the recent resignation of Planning Director Carla Delaney bringing the total to 12 A two-vehicle crash in Augusta County resulted in serious injuries May 2 a 2006 Chevy Silverado pickup truck was traveling southbound toward Interstate 81 when it crossed the median and the northbound lanes before going up an embankment The Silverado then came back into the northbound lanes and struck a 2023 Hyundai Sonata The driver and the two passengers in the Sonata all suffered serious injuries and were taken to UVA Medical Center in Charlottesville The driver of the pickup was taken to Augusta Health Virginia State Police are still investigating the crash More: Staunton City Schools purchases former Eavers property for new operations center More: Fishersville man's trespassing charges won't be prosecuted — Patrick Hite is a reporter at The News Leader. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Connect with Patrick (he/him/his) at phite@newsleader.com and on Instagram @hitepatrick. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com when Augusta National closed its gates to patrons because of inclement weather golf fans still found a historic site to pay homage to golf history Just a mile from Augusta's iconic Magnolia Lane head east on Washington Road and orient toward Augusta National Golf Club you're first greeted by another tradition unlike any other "COME SEE JOHN DALY TODAY," reads a sign outside Hooters the large -- and larger than life -- peanut M&M-eatin' Diet Coke-swiggin' legend sets up all week to sell his wares and take pictures with his people with a Marlboro Red dangling above his wooly beard who hasn't played in the Masters since 2006 offering a stark contrast to the sanctity of the world's most famous golf course down the street the touchstone for fans to get up close with an everyman icon at a place where he can do what he needs to do Daly sold about $780,000 of goods on the Hooters patio he may exceed that due to Monday's rainout and the line that stretched farther than one of Daly's bombs off the tee box The hats -- some with an illustration of Daly's face others encouraging us to grip it and rip it -- at $40 "full of cinnamon earth and elegant floral notes," sell for $250 says daily rental prices in town average $656 per night on nearly 4,000 listings during the week of the Masters as opposed to $219 with about 1,500 offerings the rest of the year 292 private jets arrived at Augusta Regional Airport Most of Long John's fans aren't in the billionaire set given to him by "Dale from Vidalia," an annual gift for the past decade A fan from the Midwest brought him their state's most famous export as well "My Wisconsin guy always brings the cheese," Daly said "I eat the s--- out of the cheese and onions who began painting pet portraits after he retired brought Daly a 16-inch by 20-inch acrylic painting of him and a dog a fan who gifted Daly one of his paintings. Dave Wilson"That "All I wanted was to have myself in a picture with John and the painting," Stelow said Daly sells signed golf balls for $10 -- "$1 for the ball $9 for the signature," one of his staffers said shirts and replica pin flags from his 1991 PGA Championship win at Crooked Stick in Carmel He'll sign anything anyone buys and takes a picture with them Daly tees off on the 18th hole at the Old Course in 1995 He would go on to win that Open Championship. Anton Want/ALLSPORTDaly's legend began at Crooked Stick in 1991 when the unknown 25-year-old slipped into the PGA Championship as the ninth alternate and then won the whole thing despite never having seen the course before Everyman golfers were in awe of his grip-it-and-rip-it style He became the first player to average more than 300 yards off the tee in 1997 and led the PGA Tour in driving distance 11 times between 1991 and 2002 It was a shock to the system for the sport Daly was more Jack Black than Jack Nicklaus an eccentric character with a mullet who ripped cigs ate at Hooters -- his favorite restaurant -- and never took himself too seriously he pushed the limits of golf fashion from argyle to anarchy said she has taken off work to come see Daly for the past five years paint splatters -- or any combination of the above Legendary golf writer Dan Jenkins once described Daly's pants at an Open Championship appearance: "A Motel 6 called from the states -- they want their shower curtain returned." "He's my favorite because of his clothes," she said "That's the reason I was attracted to him." Daly's caddie, Lance Odom, met him a few years ago while he was caddying for David Duval on the Champions Tour who helps Daly keep the line moving and snaps photos with fans and autograph seekers says he's never seen anything like the attention Daly commands "The people come here and it's like the first time to Disney with him," Odom said You can't go to the gas station without people coming up." He's on his lunch break from work and wanted to make it count I had two heroes: Pete Rose and John Daly," he said an Englishman from Liverpool who lives in Toronto admires the sense of populism and Americana that Daly brought to the buttoned-up sport who are part of a big golf group on WhatsApp stopped by Wednesday before going to the Masters He's just a lot better," Gamble said alongside his friend but it doesn't necessarily translate to golf So when you see somebody that makes the game look as easy as John does it's easy to appreciate that type of talent "That's the name of our golf group: Drunk By the Turn he even salvaged what could have been a Masters-week disaster booked an Airbnb and drove three hours to meet a friend who promised her passes "It was as expensive as you might imagine," she said and if we can see John Daly and get a picture with him it will make all this worth it," Duvall said "My children put in their orders for what they wanted me to get them at the Masters I got them signed merchandise by John Daly Daly has had his share of health struggles over the past few years He was diagnosed with bladder cancer in September 2020 one of 16 he estimates that he's had in the past eight years "I got more metal in me than the bionic man Lee Majors does," he said I just keep coming back from the f---ing dead." So Daly says he hopes to continue showing up at Hooters every year as long as they'll have him but it's a mutually beneficial arrangement for the two parties and just won his first collegiate tournament this week at the Columbia Spring Invitational with the proud papa bragging about "Little John's" resilience down the stretch birdie finish and got in a playoff at 1-under "He's going to concentrate on the golf," Daly said The party has changed in the past couple of years for Daly in Augusta he would pull up in a bus or RV in the parking lot and spend the week there with people knocking on his door at all hours of night Odom recalls a couple of years ago when someone was banging on the door before realizing it was Michael Phelps The tent in the parking lot that turned into a big party is no more after Augusta National bought the strip mall where Hooters is located and started to use it as parking for fans his own little dominion where his fans can eat It seems like I'll always have the fans," Daly said Blue-collar people are supposed to connect." an Augusta resident who's a waitress at Hooters said it's her favorite week of the year because of the cross-section of fans that Daly attracts they bring in a different kind of energy," she said they're ready to go to the Masters or they're coming back from the Masters and they're telling me all their stories." She said Daly is a perfect conduit to bring together the fun-loving and buttoned-up sides of golf And his more famous friends stop by as well: Ken Griffey Jr. Matt Damon and Joey Fatone of NSYNC mingled with the Wednesday crowds but you also can let loose and still enjoy yourself." "If you're going to the Masters and you ain't coming to Hooters after After a perfect opening to the 89th Masters some wind and possible rain could affect play Friday Here’s the the weather forecast for Augusta A Division of NBCUniversal DISCLAIMER: This site and the products offered are for entertainment purposes only and there is no gambling offered on this site This service is intended for adult audiences No guarantees are made for any specific outcome If you or someone you know has a gambling problem Jay Busbee Senior writerApril 8 — The moment Cindy Kuhlke knew something was very wrong was the moment the sound of the baby monitors in her bedroom winked out Cindy and her daughter Chesley had tucked Chesley’s two daughters — ages 2 years and 5 weeks — in their cribs at 7 on the night of Thursday There was a storm pulsing outside Chesley’s home near Walton Way Extension in Augusta but that wasn’t unusual; storms roll through Augusta dozens of times a year Only … there was something different about this particular storm the leading edge of a hurricane far to the south The outer bands of Hurricane Helene had already dumped as much as 10 inches of rain on Augusta in the previous day The wind had continued to increase throughout the night “I truly can't explain the sounds that I heard,” Cindy says “I did not know what was happening outside because it was pitch black dark.” And then They gathered the children and took refuge in Chesley’s first-floor bedroom another flash: Cindy looked at her daughter and said The four of them moved next to the next room over and huddled on the couch in the back of the house and that was when they heard a sound Cindy had never heard before and never wants to hear again: the horrific crash of a tree falling tearing its way through their house — through the nursery through the bedroom where they’d been just minutes before we could hear the rain coming into her bedroom which was right next to us,” Cindy recalls which had formed in the Gulf of Mexico four days earlier was the strongest hurricane on record to strike Florida’s Big Bend region — so strong that it caught Augusta and other nearby communities unaware The storm’s projections had it on a track directly over Atlanta but when Helene reached land — still at Category 4 status — it slid much farther east than expected That took the path of its more violent eastern wall straight over Augusta which had no reason to expect it would ever face the threat of a hurricane Augusta is more than 120 miles from the Atlantic coast and more than 300 miles from the Big Bend of Florida It’s the place where hurricane refugees go to wait out storms It’s not the place that gets hit with hurricanes itself Gusts of up to 100 miles per hour devastated Augusta the way they devastated communities in a scar that ran from Florida and up to the Appalachian mountains in North Carolina Cindy and the rest of Augusta awoke Friday morning to an utterly shattered landscape The heavy rainfall the day before had softened the ground so much that the high winds toppled thousands of trees all over the city massive root balls heaving out of the earth their trunks pointing like spears at the now-blue skies Augusta’s tree canopy is one of its signature beauties lush stands of trees don’t just enclose the home of the Masters; they decorate the entire city … or they did Helene reduced the city’s tree canopy by anywhere from 10 to 25 percent There’s sunlight where there once was shade the people of Augusta didn’t have time to focus on the skyline; they had troubles on the ground Fallen trees blocked roads all over the area; drives that would have taken 10 minutes the day before now took hours because of all the necessary detours and backups “When you woke up the next morning and looked around the city and saw that it wasn’t just one neighborhood that it was the whole city that was destroyed it was shock across the city,” says Derek Dugan director of development for the Salvation Army “There was probably a week or five days of shock “I don’t think the country in general understands the scale of the disaster that we experienced,” says Amy Breitmann one pathway to aid already existed: the HUB for Community Innovation a two-building facility designed to offer essential needs to underprivileged and impoverished residents the HUB is a joint creation of the Medical College of Georgia Foundation the Community Foundation for the Central Savannah River area and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Augusta and was funded by a joint contribution from Augusta National received a call from a friend who’s a member of Augusta National and involved with the club’s community impact efforts we have this absolutely horrible situation in Augusta,” the member said “People have desperate needs … How do we make [the HUB] a beacon of hope How do we make this a safe haven for folks?” Augusta National wasn’t the only organization helping with relief efforts but its resources helped grease some wheels and streamline initiatives that otherwise could have become bogged down in financial needs or turf wars that has national and international reach,” Mercier says “they can make phone calls and deploy resources in ways that most of us mere mortals can’t.” “One of the first calls that I made was to Augusta National because they’ve been incredible partners with us over the years,” Breitmann says We’ve got to take emergency food to all of our neighbors Some were in really desperate shape in some of our rural counties [Augusta National] came over within an hour with 15,000 bags that they typically use for merch and continued to supply those bags for several weeks.” (Courtesy Golden Harvest)Over the next few days and weeks Augusta National officials joined in an effort that included the Red Cross Augusta University and a range of local churches As donations flowed in from across the state and across the country Augusta National officials offered up their logistics center — which handles merchandise during the Masters — as a staging area for distribution “Augusta National got on the phone very quickly with vendors across the country and said and then they would distribute it to the agencies that needed it.” The HUB served as a gathering spot for the distribution of fresh fruits and vegetables as well as a gathering place where volunteers could meet and get assignments for the day — delivering medication to shut-in or rural residents “Because Augusta does not have hurricanes hit us we don't have significant natural disasters the emergency management agency was not up to snuff,” Dugan says “So The HUB served essentially as the central point of communications for all agencies It became a communication center and a distribution center for everybody looking to give help from the communication side receiving everything from vegetables to diapers to dog food to baby formula They were not a behind-the-scenes partner as they had traditionally been where they still provided the same amount of support but they never wanted the credit,” Dugan says They were part of the solution and part of the strategy Augusta National and the Community Foundation invested about $10 million into a Hurricane Helene Recovery Fund money that will help the city and the region get back on its feet after the unexpected devastation “I think what I’m the most proud of is the response of our entire organization to that natural disaster,” Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley said at the Latin American Championship in January “And not only what they did to get Augusta National back in shape how they pitched in with the Augusta community and really helped out.” Satellite imagery from Eureka Earth showed the extent of the devastation — pine trees were scattered all over the course most notably in a line roughly from the 16th hole to the first green (Images via Eureka Earth, comparison via The Quadrilateral)A YouTube short posted soon after the storm showed damage to the legendary trees that line Magnolia Lane. From a hill in the Sand Hill neighborhood south of Augusta National, the lower-income, primarily minority neighborhood that once was home to most of the club’s Black caddies, the clubhouse — once hidden behind a blanket of trees — is now clearly visible in the distance. “We have not quite as many trees as we did a year ago,” Ridley said in January. “As far as the golf course goes, it’s in spectacular condition. I think we had minor damage to the course, the playing surfaces themselves, but we were able to get that back in shape, but I don’t think you’re going to see any difference in the condition for the Masters this year.” Initial reports from players who have visited the course — as well as patrons who attended Saturday’s Augusta National Women’s Amateur — indicate that there’s a noticeable difference in the feel of some sections of the course, but not enough to substantially alter the tournament. "Behind 11, the Hogan bridge just absolutely pops now when you're playing that second shot with them having lost those couple trees behind the 11th green," 2008 champion Trevor Immelman said recently during a CBS media call. "Behind 15 as well, there's a couple less trees … Then, to the right of the 9th, seemed to be thinned out because of the devastation from the storm.” "The loss of a few trees is definitely noticeable,” Rory McIlroy said before the Texas Children’s Houston Open. “Maybe a few less shadows on the [16th] green late in the day because of a couple of trees that were lost, but apart from that, it's pretty much the same." “It almost felt like I was playing the back nine for the first time,” Xander Schauffele said Monday. “When you're walking down 10, you can see half the course … It's sad, too, to see how many trees have fallen.” Homes throughout Augusta are still haven't recovered from Hurricane Helene. (Yahoo Sports)Outside the club’s high hedges, the last remnants of the storm are still visible all over the city. Within just a few blocks of Augusta National, blue tarps still cover the roofs of both mansions and ranch homes. Although county governments have engaged in a massive cleanup effort, enormous fallen trees and root balls still dot the landscape. Yards are still scarred, power lines still dangle. “What we're seeing is that many people, some for the first time, are turning towards the charitable food system for assistance,” Breitmann says. “When you've got to absorb the cost of repairs on your home or loss of your car … those kind of financial blows are very long-lasting for families.” Augusta will take years to return to anything approaching normalcy. But this week is a sign that the community can celebrate the event for which it’s famous. “I do think that devastation and tragedy like this does bring communities together,” Cindy says. “We can survive it, and we can come back.” Rain could disrupt play on Saturday afternoon I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The start of Masters week was impacted by inclement weather at Augusta National with Monday’s practice round suspended after thunderstorms However, the rain had cleared by the time the Masters began on Thursday with Rory McIlroy renewing his bid to win a first green jacket and complete golf’s career grand slam. After initially announcing a delay to the start of the practice session on Monday, organisers confirmed a suspension and evacuation of Augusta. A statement from the tournament said: “Due to inclement weather conditions, Augusta National Golf Club was forced to suspended Monday’s practice round and evacuate the grounds at 11.25am.” However, the weather improved by Tuesday and Wednesday for the remainder of the practice rounds and a chance of delays to the actual tournament appears unlikely. The weather improved ahead of the start of the Masters on Thursday, and it looks set fair for the final round. Sunday: Mostly sunny; Low: 8°C; High:21°C; Winds: Variable 3-7 in the morning becoming NW 5-10 Sky Sports has the rights for the Masters in the UK and will be broadcasting all four rounds from Augusta on Sky Sports Golf or Sky Sports Main Event. If you’re not a Sky customer, you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription. On the weekend, full coverage starts at 5pm until close of play - with the Masters champion crowned on Sunday evening. Round Four, Sunday 13 April: build-up from 3pm, full coverage from 5:00pm Last year, Scottie Scheffler won $3.6m for winning the Masters as part of a record $20m prize purse. The total prize money for the 2025 edition is still to be confirmed and is usually announced later in the week, but last year’s breakdown was as follows with the $20m total purse offering an increase from $18m in 2023. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker This week, golf's greatest stars descend on the tiny city of Augusta, Georgia, in pursuit of the famous green jacket awarded to winners of the Masters Tournament "I'm one of the rare locals who says I love Masters week I just want visitors to see how amazing it is here," Boykin told Business Insider Boykin and other locals rent out their properties to golfers and visitors directly the number of rentals jumped from 725 in March 2024 to 1,700 in April 2024 data from the short-term-rental analytics site AirDNA shows The average revenue for rentals in the city jumped from $2,700 in March 2024 to $5,300 in April 2024 homes similar to Boykin's listed on Airbnb were available to rent from about $9,000 a week to $28,000 a week one week of sleeping in a camper with her husband Take a look inside the home they rent out during the Masters and a large outdoor space designed for entertaining Boykin said she passes the Augusta National Golf Club when she drives her kids to school it's just not that big of a deal," she said Area schools typically schedule spring break to sync up with the tournament "Everyone looks forward to this because it's great money," Boykin told BI Boykin has used Airbnb and Vrbo to rent out the home There is even a local rental agency dedicated to the event called the Masters Housing Bureau Boykin was connected with the company through a local friend Preparations include pressure-washing the facade and getting the home professionally deep-cleaned and golf supplies with the Masters logo locked away for most the year "My kids know which sheets are Masters ones Local schools have an extended spring break with kids returning to the classroom on the Tuesday after the tournament Boykin said cleaning visits are more for her peace of mind because they've rarely had issues Visitors in town for the Masters often try to maximize their time at the golf course "They're not spending a lot of time in our home," Boykin said "They take care of our things better than we do." the family plans to park the RV at a local equestrian facility that has dozens of walking trails Out-of-towners rented their house for a youth basketball tournament called Peach Jam Even though the family had no plans to rent out their house for any time other than Masters week Boykin said her husband felt it was worth it He drove to Myrtle Beach to pick up an RV he found online so the family could honor the booking Boykin added that he told her it would allow them to take "an extra vacation." playStephen A.: Tiger Woods is now a recreational golfer (1:41)Stephen A Smith and Chris "Mad Dog" Russo react to Tiger Woods' season-ending Achilles injury will include more than the five green jackets he won at the Masters in his career Augusta National Golf Club chairman Fred Ridley announced Monday that Woods and his TGR Design firm are designing a new nine-hole short course at the Patch which is where many of the caddies who worked the Masters learned to play golf Woods' TGR Foundation will open its fourth TGR Learning Lab in Augusta arts and math (STEAM) education and other opportunities for students in Richmond County Augusta National will provide funding for construction and ongoing operations of the learning lab "We recognize the importance of deepening Tiger's legacy in Augusta and with the Masters and this we felt was an enduring way that we could be forever connected with Tiger and all he's done at the Masters and now all that he's going to be doing in this community," Ridley said in a news conference Monday announcing the partnership Ridley said he was playing golf with Woods at Augusta National before the 2024 Masters when he told him about the club's plan to renovate the Patch "It was clear when I shared the concept that it sort of piqued his interest and that was sort of the beginning of a conversation a dialogue that took place between our organizations and the idea just sort of grew from what we were doing to how Tiger and TGR could be involved," Ridley said "He then sort of moved into discussing the big idea of the TGR Learning Lab announced on May 11 that he had had surgery after rupturing his left Achilles tendon while ramping up training and practice at home to play in the Masters It would have been his 27th start in the Masters "Partnering with Augusta National Golf Club to serve its surrounding community is truly special," Woods said in a statement "My passion for education and golf dates back a long time as does my relationship with Augusta National and the city of Augusta This is a transformational opportunity to empower the next generation and deliver meaningful educational programming and access to fun and affordable golf I am excited to work alongside Augusta National and see both projects become a reality." Augusta National Golf Club hired architects Tom Fazio and Beau Welling to redesign the 18-hole course at the Patch The new club's logo will include a head of cabbage; locals fondly called the course the Patch because longtime course manager Red Douglas had a vegetable garden planted behind the 14th green and later near the 10th tee The new layout will pay homage to 11 original holes The Patch renovation has already started and will include a new driving range outdoor pavilion space and classroom space for educational programs which is located on the newly named Jim Dent Way Dent was a caddie at Augusta National and won 12 times on the Senior PGA Tour in the 1980s and 1990s "The caddies at Augusta are part of our legacy and we certainly intend to continue to honor them at the Patch," Ridley said I know that those that are still around are very excited about the project." Augusta National hopes to open the Patch to the public around next year's Masters and the TGR Learning Lab is scheduled to open at the site of a closed elementary school in 2028 Chris Louis was charged with deprivation of a minor for allegedly leaving three kids at McDonald's in Augusta An Augusta man was arrested last week after leaving three young children unattended at a McDonald’s restaurant while he attended a job interview was charged on March 22 with deprivation of a minor The incident occurred that day at the McDonald’s located at 2902 Washington Road in Augusta Authorities were called after a concerned customer noticed the children A responding deputy found the children unattended A witness reported seeing Louis with the children around 4:30 p.m The witness also observed Louis leave the restaurant Louis arrived back at McDonald’s around 6:18 p.m He explained that he had walked to the restaurant with his children from his apartment and didn’t want to make them walk back while he attended a nearby job interview The children’s mother arrived shortly after and took the children from the restaurant Attention kids of all ages: What's being billed as the biggest bouncy castle in the world is coming to the Hephzibah Agricultural Center on May 2-4 Big Bounce America is deemed the biggest touring inflatable event in the world and features seven massive inflatable attractions according to a news release from the touring amusement Big Bounce America All-access tickets are available online and include a three-hour pass to the event, including a timed session on The World’s Largest Bounce House, as well as unlimited access the other attractions. Tickets start at $22. For tickets and pricing, go to thebigbounceamerica.com/tour-dates The Hephzibah Agricultural Center is located at 4425 Wilson Road in Hephzibah News, Politics & Government in downtown Augusta is credited with the start of a weekend fight caught on a viral video The Augusta Commission will again take up the license status of Tiffany’s Eatery recommended for suspension by the Richmond County sheriff and a few other debated items at its regular meeting Tuesday Business, News North Augusta food vendor Ironhead BBQ is gearing up to open its first brick-and-mortar location owner Kurt Mueller announced late last week (WRDW/WAGT) - A child is dead after a two-vehicle crash on Peach Orchard Road according to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office deputies say they responded to the intersection of Peach Road and Tobacco Road for a crash Deputies say the first car was traveling south on Peach Orchard Road toward Tobacco Road and the second car was traveling north on Peach Orchard Road in the left turn lane at the intersection of Tobacco Road when the crash happened Whether they were directly or indirectly impacted by Deputy Sikes’ death community members lifted up their local law enforcement officers There were two adults and one child in the first car Deputies say all three passengers in the first car were taken to the hospital Richmond County Coroner Mark Bowen has identified the victim as Camden Poole Potentially thousands of law enforcement officers and dignitaries from across the state are expected at today’s funeral for slain Columbia County Deputy Brandon Sikes The Traffic Division is still investigating and no other information is available at this time Education The Columbia County School District hosted a breakfast presentation on Friday morning offering a taste of current district data and news. Staff photo by Erin Weeks The Columbia County School District’s Superintendent Dr Steven Flynt shared district data including enrollment and graduation projections Becky Dearden while they have lunch at the Frog and the Hen Market and Eatery in Augusta conducts regular restaurant inspections to help keep residents and visitors safe The following is a list of restaurants in Richmond and Columbia counties that were inspected between April 25 and May 2 the health infractions that lowered those scores an establishment may have fewer or more violations than noted in their most recent inspection An inspection conducted on any given day may not be representative of the overall follow-up inspections may not be included here Augusta Eats: Roasted alligator is on the buffet at this popular Surrey Center restaurant Here are food and drink establishments in Richmond and Columbia counties that passed recent food-service inspections between April 25-May 2 without a single health violation: Restaurant scores: See which Augusta chicken joint was storing ready-to-eat food with raw meat Getting WarmerHere are restaurants in Richmond and Columbia counties that passed with "A" scores in recent food-service inspections between April 25-May 2 Not quite doneHere is the restaurant in Richmond and Columbia counties that posted the lowest recent food-service inspections between April 25-May 2 Scores of 70 and below are considered failing: Note: A failing score of 60 was noted on April 25 A follow-up inspection on May 1 resulted in a score of 83 (WRDW/WAGT) - The Candlelight Music Series is back at Augusta Common The series brings the area’s most popular local and regional artists for anyone to enjoy The weekly event is held on Sundays until the end of September Two-time defending Peach Belt cross country runner of the year is preparing for his senior season on the AU track The first musicians were Tara & the Snacks You can bring your lawn chairs and blankets beginning at 7:30 p.m Tickets are $10 and kids 13 and under are free but you are asked to leave your furry friend at home