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Columbia County and several fire and rescue employees have been named in a $15 million wrongful death lawsuit from the fatal fire at Marshall Square retirement community last year.
The suit was filed Thursday by Barbara Ellington, the last surviving daughter of Dorothy Carpenter, the lone resident who perished in the fire.
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Augusta officials reacted with shock and uncertainty about news of the city’s lone historically black college being recommended to lose its accreditation.
Many of Augusta’s black leaders attended Paine at some point or earned degrees there, including former mayor Ed McIntyre and former commissioners Betty Beard, Henry Brigham and J.R. Hatney. Current commissioners Bill Fennoy and Bill Lockett completed undergraduate degrees there.

Paine College will lose its accreditation unless it decides to appeal, which could delay action for months, an official with its accrediting body said today.

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The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public’s help in locating two unidentified men suspected in committing Forgery in the first degree at the Family Dollar, 3352 Deans Bridge Road.
Anyone with information may contact Investigator Wren (706) 821-1023 at the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office or (706) 821-1020 or (706) 821-1080.

 
A dozen people accused of taking part in a street brawl during which an Augusta teen was stabbed to death have been indicted on murder charges.
The Richmond County grand jury returned the indictment Tuesday against:
Demetrius Lamont Harris, 21
Michael Donnell Dean, 20
Eyvette Lashaun Byrd, 39
D’aciea Byrd, 15
Tyteanna Larosie Thomas, 18
Eddie Doneal Carter, 18
Ryheem M. Jobes, 19

Police said a 31-year-old father left his young child alone in a vehicle while shoplifting from Walmart.
Columbia County deputies were called to the Bobby Jones Expressway Walmart around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday after a passer-by notified a young child, whose age was not provided, alone in a vehicle. The witness told police the child had been alone for about 25 minutes. Deputies observed the child asleep on the backseat of a vehicle that was left unlocked and running.

Smoke and emergency responses might be seen in the Fort Gordon area this weekend during an exercise.
Fort Gordon will be conducting the aircraft response exercise 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. The exercise is for training purposes.

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Work resumes Monday on an estimated $147,500 upgrade at James Brown Plaza, although the Augusta Commission has yet to name a source for the remaining project funds.
City Engineering Director Abie Ladson said the removal of several large trees surrounding the statue of Brown will begin Monday. The trees shaded the plaza but were damaged when city workers cut through their root system while digging trenches for new irrigation lines.
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A reward amount of up to $5,000 is being offered for information on the theft of 55 guns from a Statesboro, Ga., business earlier this month.
According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, someone broke into Backwoods Armory on U.S. 80 East on June 6 and stole the guns. Security cameras captured an image of the person connected to the burglary.
The ATF is offering a reward up to $2,500 for information on the burglary. The National Shooting Sports Foundation will match the amount rewarded.

A teen missing since February returned to his Augusta home this week, police said.
On Friday, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office asked for help looking for Aaron Michael Walker, 15, who was last seen at his home on Feb. 27.
On Monday the teen’s mother notified police that he had returned home. Information on his whereabouts for the past three months was not released.