As Augusta starts to get back to normal, or as normal as Augusta can get, already our citizens are complaining about debris not being picked up from in front of their houses.
If you will remember way back when the ice storm hit Augusta, we spent several months cleaning up from that. I can tell you that we are way ahead of the game now compared to then.
When it was safe to travel, I drove to every area in our city to see for myself the devastation that had taken place. It was and is truly heartbreaking. So let me ask those of you who have piles of limbs and cut tree portions still not picked up, stay patient. It will be picked up.
I still drive around the districts to see what is taking place, and the heaviest hit are the areas that are being cleared first. There are still sections of trees that are still on the side of roadways, and there are still wires down and laying across roadways. Yes, these are dead wires, but they still have to be removed.
From what I see, I can say with clarity of seeing first hand, Steve Cassell and the for hire-crews are doing an excellent job of restoring our city. Also to the power companies and line crew personal, excellent job.
Augusta has a mayor who believes in keeping citizens informed. Mayor Johnson has had an almost daily scheduled press briefing. So, hold strong and hold on to patience, it will get cleaned.
This is directed to Augusta’s Engineering Department, “What are you all doing?” As I drive down Broad Street, I can see where the trees have been cut out of the roadway. However, the debris and the tree stumps remain. The stumps stick out to the edge of the roadway. That’s very dangerous. The sidewalks being lifted and broken with exposed roots are a serious safety factor. What is the plan for this mess?
To get a bird’s eye view of the tree logs, limbs and debris and how it’s being handled, go to YouTube and pull up “Lee Powell Drones.” Lee has recorded and posted videos of the process taking place. Lee is a very involved Augusta citizen who attends as many city meetings as he can. Lee is also, as you will be able to tell, a skilled and licensed drone pilot. Lee also used that skill to locate the blockage that was helping cause flooding in District 6.
TAP has a loyal and devoted reader who enjoys replying to many of the articles printed. He seems to especially enjoy posting replies to the articles and columns written by Joe Edge, Scott Hudson and myself. He seems to believe us to be astute in yellow journalism and misinformation. Now in my opinion, I believe his reading skills to be quite adequate, but his comprehension skills needs just a wee bit of work.
I stated that I was very disappointed in the fact that it took the current federal administration five days to respond to Hurricane Helene and declare the resulting damage to be a disaster. Why were citizens being denied monetary relief while our government handed out billions in foreign aid and monetary, medical and housing support to illegal aliens? Or maybe I should have been politically correct and said undocumented foreign visitors.
His response seemed to somehow relate to asking the question about if I supported Israel? Well, okay, if that’s what he got out of the statement I’ll answer. Yes, I do support Israel.
The part about the foreign aid money has a lot to do with who and how much the United States sends. America has a listing of nearly 150 countries that qualify for aid. Among just a few of the countries that receive aid are: Egypt, $1.4 billion, India $150 million, Jordon $1.2 billion, Iraq $570 million, Botswana $52 million and Argentina $8.9 billion.
Israel receives $3.3 billion, while Ukraine receives $12 billion. Even the Bahamas receives $6.6 million a year from America. Guess the ship loads of tourist the United States sends every year just isn’t enough. You can find more countries and amounts at foreignassistance.gov/cd.
I made the statements and showed just a few countries and amounts to state the following. Here in America, there are people who are homeless for a number of varied reasons. Businesses and companies are closing their doors and closing down their operations on a daily basis. Jobs are being lost, but according to government figures the unemployment rate is going down. Ask yourself, how is that possible? If you have a solid answer, please let the rest of us know what it is.
Senior citizens who are on fixed incomes that do not keep up with the cost of living have to make very hard decisions about where and how their money is spent. Many have lived in the same home most of their lives and have gotten the home paid in full. Still they have to eat, pay utility costs, medical costs and prescription medicine costs and insurance.
When it gets down to the point of not being able to buy groceries and prescription drugs, something has to be cut. For many seniors, it has been the house insurance. With many, it has become insure the house or eat Alpo on a Ritz. So the gamble is made and the home owner’s insurance is dropped. Then a disaster like Helene destroys their house and most everything in it. How do they start over at their age? Most don’t or can’t. What is to become of them?
Maybe, just maybe, some of that foreign aid money should be spent here at home on these citizens. You know, the ones who have paid into the system all of their lives.
This past week 125 enlisted National Guard left the Armory on Milledge Road for the southern border. They will be deployed along the border until November of 2025. We wish them Godspeed, a safe deployment and return home safe.
Also a happy retirement for a long time trusted television News Anchor Richard Rogers. You deserve it our friend. Thank you for the many years you have kept us informed.
Folks, as always, you just can’t make this stuff up.
