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Two people died in what Columbia County police believe was an alcohol-related crash Monday evening.
Columbia County sheriff’s deputies were called to the crash on Scotts Ferry Road near Yelton Road about 8:50 p.m. According to a news release, a white Ford F-150 left the road for unknown reasons Police believe the driver attempted to re-enter the road but lost control. The vehicle slid sideways down an embankment before flipping multiple times, ejecting both occupants. The vehicle came to a final rest after striking several trees.

With the election less than a month away, Richmond County school board attorney Pete Fletcher is doing everything in his power to ensure a 1 percent sales tax for educational purposes passes – including going door-to-door with a hammer.
“I’ve probably asked 100 people if I could hammer a sign in their yard,” Fletcher said. “I think every person has agreed so far, except one.”
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Augusta Commission members will get a first glimpse at a consultant’s operational analysis of Augusta Public Transit during a meeting Tuesday.
In July, the commission approved hiring Nelson/Nygaard Consulting Associates to perform a comprehensive analysis of city bus and paratransit service, looking at route usage, performance, ridership and other data to develop ways to improve the service.
Transit used federal grant funds to cover 80 percent of the project’s $115,123 cost.

The Development Authority of Richmond County celebrated a unique groundbreaking ceremony Monday for the new road into the Augusta Corporate Park.
The improvement will allow workers access to the EdenCrete site on the far end of the park, and boost future job growth for the region. EdenCrete, the Australian concrete additives company, is building a manufacturing plant in south Richmond County that aims to employ up to 200 people within four years.

With the Cancer Research Center expansion project underway, traffic detours are planned for Laney-Walker Boulevard that could last through next year.

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The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office plans two citizen’s community forums to meet with the sheriff and his to discuss issues, as well as the future law enforcement goals.
The first meeting starts at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Carrie J. Mays Community Center located, 1014 11th Ave.
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Lines were moving quickly early Monday on the first day of early voting in the General Primary Election at the new Columbia County early and advanced voting precinct in Evans.
Early and advanced voting only will be held at the new location and not at the county elections office as in years past.
Early and advanced voting at the new precinct will be held through November 4 from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. weekdays at 610 Ronald Reagan Dr. in the old Rhodes-Murphy building G3.

Employees told police a masked man robbed an Evans Dollar Tree Friday evening.
Columbia County sheriff’s deputies were called to the store at 4435 Washington Road about 10:30 p.m. after the crime was reported. A manager at the store said a man in a black mask and blue hoodie produced a handgun and demanded cash from the office. The man grabbed the woman by her shirt collar and pulled her to the office to open the safe. Once the safe was open, the bandit demanded she lay face down while he collected the money and left the scene.

The Georgia Supreme Court has overturned an Augusta’s man murder conviction.
In an opinion released Monday, the state’s highest court found Erick A. Williams Jr. was entitled to a new trial on charges that included murder for the July 18, 2010, fatal shooting of DeAngelo Hudgins, 24, and the wounding of Hudgins’ friend Albert Gilbert, military police officers assigned to Fort Gordon.
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Associated Press
MACON, Ga.  — Authorities say a Macon man accused of killing his brother earlier this year has died before going to trial.
Macon-Bibb County Coroner Leon Jones tells news outlets that 63-year-old Alton Williams was pronounced dead Friday night. Jones says Williams had pneumonia and respiratory complications.
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