TOWN NEWS · COLUMBIA COUNTY, GA
Martinez GA news
What is happening in Martinez: the new spots, the county decisions, and the stories that change daily life in the CSRA's established suburb.
MARTINEZ NEWS, THREE MORNINGS A WEEK
The established suburb, explained weekly.
Local news for Martinez and the CSRA, three mornings a week.
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THE NAME
Say MARTIN-EZNamed for Jose Antonio Martinez y Zaldivar, who bought the land in 1869.
THE FOOD
Creole, coming this fallMarie's Creole and Catering opens a takeout spot on Washington Road in fall 2026.
THE PARK
Savannah Rapids ParkThe headgates of the Augusta Canal sit at Martinez's northern edge.
What is happening in Martinez: the projects, the county decisions, and the stories that change daily life here. Every item below is dated and sourced.
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What's happening in Martinez right now
- A Creole takeout spot is opening. Marie's Creole & Catering, an established caterer and food truck operator, is opening a takeout restaurant this fall in the strip center on Washington Road across from McDonald's on Davis Road. The menu runs to handheld lunches like shrimp po'boys and jerk chicken tacos. (Augusta Business Daily, September 2026)
- The school tax rate fell again. The Columbia County Board of Education approved a 14.997-mill rollback for 2026, the sixth consecutive year of reductions. The district's 2025 graduation rate was 92.96 percent. (ccboe.net)
- The county partnered with Google on growth. On July 23, 2026, Columbia County announced a partnership with Google and Georgia Power to protect local ratepayers and structure growth around the data-center buildout, including Google's campus between Appling and Harlem. (columbiacountyga.gov)
- The county's first hospital opened nearby. The Wellstar Columbia County Medical Center in Grovetown opened to patients on August 26, 2026, a short drive west of Martinez. A 92,000-square-foot medical office building with 11 outpatient clinics was expected in November 2026. (Becker's Hospital Review)
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The longer story
Martinez is the CSRA's established suburb: an unincorporated community of 34,535 people (2020 Census) strung along Washington Road between Evans and the Richmond County line. It has no mayor and no city hall, but it has the county's oldest suburban identity, mature neighborhoods, and mid-century ranch streets under mature trees.
First, the pronunciation: it is MARTIN-EZ. The community is named for Jose Antonio Martinez y Zaldivar, who bought the land in 1869.
The northern edge runs to the Savannah River and the Augusta Canal, which is where the park life comes from: Savannah Rapids Park sits at the canal's headgates. Abilene Baptist Church, founded in 1774, celebrated its 250th anniversary in April 2024; its campus sits at Washington Road and Columbia Road.
Martinez trades Evans' newness for older lots and lower prices, with the same Columbia County schools for most addresses. HomeSnacks put the median home value at $282,175 in summer 2026, and BestPlaces put the average one-way commute at 24.2 minutes.
The full guide
The Martinez guide covers schools, housing, the commute, Savannah Rapids Park, and county services in full.
More town news: Grovetown GA news · Evans GA news · Harlem GA news · North Augusta SC news · Augusta GA news · CSRA news
FAQ
How do you pronounce Martinez, Georgia? MARTIN-EZ. It is named for Jose Antonio Martinez y Zaldivar, who bought the land in 1869.
Is Martinez a city? No. Martinez is an unincorporated community governed by Columbia County. Water, sewer, trash, and sheriff's functions are county services.
Which schools serve Martinez? The Columbia County School District. Most Martinez addresses feed Evans High, Lakeside High, or Greenbrier High, but zoning is by exact address, so confirm with the district.
What is there to do in Martinez? Savannah Rapids Park sits at the headgates of the Augusta Canal on the community's northern edge, and the Washington Road corridor holds the shopping and dining. Downtown Augusta is a short drive east.
MORE TOWN NEWS
What is happening in the other towns.
Grovetown GA news · Evans GA news · Harlem GA news · North Augusta SC news · Augusta GA news
KEEP THIS PAGE USEFUL
Stories move on and new ones break. Send corrections when you find something newer, and check the town's full guide for the evergreen details that do not change week to week.