In today's Digest:
🏛️ West Augusta's $10M community center pledge is still waiting on a site and timeline
💾 QTS told Haynes Station neighbors the data center would bring 45 permanent on-site jobs
🏠 Richmond County's 2026 property assessment notices start a 45-day appeal window
🎆 Boom in the Park is sold out, and Augusta riverfront closures start July 4
🚧 A lawn-care worker was seriously injured in a Lumpkin Road hit-and-run
🍕 Pizza Pie and Greek Chicken Since 1949
At 590 Broad Street, Luigi's is Augusta's oldest family-owned Italian restaurant, opened in 1949 by Nicholas "Papou Nick" Ballas. The Greek family behind it built a menu around Italian plates and Augusta's original pizza pie.
The room still leans into family history and Masters golf memorabilia, with regulars coming for Greek chicken, pork chops, baked lasagna, chicken parmigiana, and the Greek combination pizza.
Read more here.
🏛️ West Augusta Center Still Lacks a Site
The Gist: Augusta officials confirmed Tuesday that a proposed West Augusta community center is part of SPLOST 9, with $10 million intended for the project inside a broader $21.7 million category for new facilities and revitalization. Parks and Recreation Director Tameka Williams said the project is approved, but the site, land acquisition, construction timeline and SPLOST priority order are still not set.
Why It Matters: West Augusta is one of the city's fastest-growing areas and still lacks a community center, so the question is whether voter-approved sales tax money turns into actual recreation, youth and senior programming space.
What's Next: City staff still have to identify a site, work through land acquisition and place the project in the SPLOST delivery order before construction can move.
Read more here.
💾 Haynes Station Presses QTS for Answers
The Gist: QTS and Georgia Power representatives met with residents at Belair Elementary School to answer questions about the planned Haynes Station data center near Gordon Highway. QTS said the site was already zoned for industrial use, expects hundreds of construction workers and about 45 permanent on-site QTS jobs, and uses a closed-loop cooling system rather than evaporative cooling.
Why It Matters: Neighbors say they learned too late that a major data center would sit near their homes, and their questions now reach into property values, water use, stormwater, emergency response, noise, lighting and who benefits from the tax revenue.
What's Next: QTS said it will post meeting questions and answers on a project landing page and is taking community feedback at qtscommunityfeedback@q.com.
Read more here.
🏠 Assessment Notices Start Appeal Clock
The Gist: Richmond County's 2026 property assessment notices were approved by the Board of Assessors on June 22 and were scheduled to start mailing Monday. The notices are not tax bills, but they set the value placed on real and personal property and begin the state-required 45-day appeal period.
Why It Matters: This is the document homeowners need to read closely, especially because new state notice formatting and Augusta's local floating homestead exemption change how tax savings and appeal instructions show up.
What's Next: Property owners who have never applied for homestead exemption must act within the 45-day assessment appeal window, and appeals can be filed online through the property record page or by mail, fax or in person.
Read more here.
🚧 Lumpkin Road Hit-and-Run Injures Worker
The Gist: A person doing lawn-care work was seriously injured Tuesday afternoon after a vehicle left the roadway and struck them near Lumpkin Road and Jennifer Court, according to the Richmond County Sheriff's Office. Deputies responded around 3:47 p.m., later located the suspected driver using Flock camera technology and took the driver into custody.
Why It Matters: A crash that leaves the road and hits someone working nearby is a public-safety warning for a busy South Augusta corridor, and the use of license-plate camera technology will likely draw attention too.
What's Next: The victim was taken to Wellstar MCG Health Center with serious injuries, and the crash remains under investigation.
Read more here.
🍤 WA6 Geter Foundation Flavor Street Festival: Seafood & Soul Food Edition | 4103 Madeline Drive at McHenry Square | Augusta | Friday, July 3, 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM | More
Seafood, soul food, live music, a petting zoo, kids zone, and local vendors.
🎆 Meet Us At The River: America's 250 & Augusta's 290 | Augusta Riverfront | Augusta | Saturday, July 4, 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM | More
Riverfront celebration with entertainment, vendors, family activities, and fireworks.
🎇 Boom! In the Park 2026 | Evans Towne Center Park | Evans | Saturday, July 4, 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM | More
Free ticketed celebration with live music, a drone show, and an enhanced fireworks display.
🌼 Artrageous! Family Sunday: Forever Flowers | Morris Museum of Art | Augusta | Sunday, July 5, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM | More
Free family art workshop making year-round bouquets from pipe cleaners and fabric.
🍅 Evans Market Farm Fresh Edition | The Market | Evans | Tuesday, July 7, 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM | More
Tuesday evening market focused on local growers, peak-season produce, honey, and farm-straight goods.
📚 Author Talk and Signing with Tom Lin | The Book Tavern | Augusta | Thursday, July 9, 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM | More
Tom Lin discusses Babylon, South Dakota, then signs books.
🎬 Films on Friday: Johnny Tremain | Morris Museum of Art | Augusta | Friday, July 3, 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM | More
Free museum screening of a 1957 Revolutionary War film.
🖼️ Modern Americana Exhibit Reception | Augusta & Co. | Augusta | Friday, July 3, 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM | More
Opening reception for CSRA artists reimagining Americana, with wine and light hors d'oeuvres.
🏀 Clash of the Classes | Tutt Middle School | Augusta | Friday, July 3 to Sunday, July 5, starts 6:00 PM Friday | More
Alumni basketball tournament with local school teams and a Sunday championship.
🛶 Guided Kayak Tour: America 250 Fireworks Viewing | Paddle Augusta | Augusta | Saturday, July 4, 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM | More
Beginner-friendly Savannah River paddle to a fireworks viewing spot near downtown.
If you want to read any of our previous issues, check them out HERE on our website.
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