In today's Digest:
🗳️ Augusta's mayoral race is going to a June 16 runoff.
💵 SPLOST 9 and FLOST passed, moving Richmond County sales tax to 9%.
🚓 Operation Red Recoil brought 24 arrests and 29 recovered guns.
🦪 Abel Brown keeps oysters and Southern plates on the Surrey Center board.
🏒 Augusta Pro Hockey reveals its name and logo next week.
🦪 Oysters and Southern Plates in Surrey Center
Located in Surrey Center, Abel Brown Southern Kitchen & Oyster Bar keeps the menu anchored in oysters, seafood, and Southern plates, with raw bar service and dinner built around seasonal catches.
The room leans polished but not fussy, which is the right lane for a date night, client dinner, or a quiet glass of wine at the bar. The oyster list is the move when you want something specific to the night.
Read more here.
🗳️ Mayor's race heads to a Johnson-Kendrick runoff
The Gist: Augusta's mayoral race is headed to a runoff between incumbent Garnett Johnson and former tax commissioner Steven Kendrick. Late Tuesday totals had Johnson at 42.9% and Kendrick at 35.3%, with Eric Gaines taking 14.3% and Dr. Lori Myles taking 7.5%.
Why It Matters: No candidate cleared 50%, so Richmond County gets another vote on who leads the city through budget fights, arena construction, tax policy, and department accountability.
What's Next: The runoff is June 16. Johnson is trying to win voters who backed Gaines and Myles, while Kendrick is campaigning on an operational audit, better technology, more single-family homes, and less pressure on residents.
Read more here.
💵 Voters approve SPLOST 9 and FLOST
The Gist: Richmond County voters approved both local sales-tax measures on Tuesday: SPLOST 9 and FLOST. The SPLOST package was trimmed to $375 million before going to voters, and FLOST adds a 0.5% sales tax aimed at reducing property taxes.
Why It Matters: Approving both measures moves Richmond County's total sales tax to 9% and gives city leaders a new pot of capital money for projects while shifting part of the tax burden toward purchases.
What's Next: Residents should watch the final project list and oversight schedule, especially for parks, roads, sewer work, and public-safety spending that have drawn questions in past SPLOST cycles.
Read more here.
🚓 Operation Red Recoil brings arrests and seizures
The Gist: The Richmond County Sheriff's Office says Operation Red Recoil ran May 12-16 with local, state, and federal partners. Deputies reported 24 suspected gang-member arrests, 29 recovered guns, $33,520 in cash seized, and drug seizures including 5,124 grams of marijuana and 676 grams of fentanyl.
Why It Matters: The scale matters because guns, fentanyl, and gang-linked cases are the public-safety issues residents cite most often when they talk about downtown, neighborhoods, and youth violence.
What's Next: The cases now move into prosecution, and Sheriff Eugene Brantley says the operation is part of a broader push against gangs, firearms, narcotics, and violent crime.
Read more here.
🧾 Augusta caregiver accused of Medicaid fraud
The Gist: Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr says a Richmond County grand jury indicted Mikael Pettersend, 44, of Augusta, in an alleged Medicaid fraud case. Prosecutors say Pettersend worked for Prime Care Home Care Services and billed $4,871 for services to a patient who was no longer under his care.
Why It Matters: Home-care fraud drains public health dollars and can leave medically fragile patients harder to protect, especially when billing records do not match real care.
What's Next: The indictment includes four counts of identity fraud and one count of theft by taking. Prosecutors still have to prove the charges in court.
Read more here.
🛍️ The Augusta Market | 8th and Reynolds | Augusta | 05/23 | More
Fresh produce, makers, music, and Riverwalk browsing.
⚾ Augusta GreenJackets Home Game | SRP Park | North Augusta | 05/23 | More
A Saturday night ballpark reset across the river.
🚲 Blanchard Woods BMX Summer Series | Blanchard Woods BMX | Evans | 05/23 | More
Local racing under the lights in Evans.
🏃 wear blue: run to remember | Lake Olmstead | Augusta | 05/25 | More
A Memorial Day run honoring fallen service members.
⚾ Augusta University Baseball Camp | Augusta University | Augusta | 05/26-05/28 | More
A weekday skills camp for young players.
🏒 Augusta Pro Hockey Name & Logo Unveil | New Arena site | Augusta | 05/26 | More
The new ECHL club reveals its identity downtown.
🍕 Saturday Chef: Pizza Night | Helms College | Augusta | 05/23 | More
Hands-on dough, sauce, and topping work.
🎤 Karaoke Night at Top Dawg Tavern | Top Dawg Tavern | Augusta | 05/23 | More
Patio karaoke from 9 to 11 p.m.
☕ O&P Meet and Greet | Edgar's Bakehouse | Augusta | 05/23 | More
A casual community meetup over coffee and lunch.
🎶 Regina Belle & Keith Washington | Miller Theater | Augusta | 05/30 | More
Classic R&B lands downtown next weekend.
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