Faith

Faith Friday: Mourning Joy

Much of what we learn, growing up is “caught” rather than “taught.” Without a doubt, one of the most powerful and lasting influences and models for us is our mothers. There is also no question that we embrace stories: fiction, non-fiction, historical and biographical. Our world is full of libraries and they are filled with stories. One example, the 223-year-old Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. has over 32 million books in its collection. There is power in words and stories often carry lasting impact. We learn and grow through

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B2B Podcasting

New shop to get your morning jolt!

A new coffee bar offers a place to chat, socialize, or work while getting your coffee fix. Mike Petchenik has the scoop in today’s Biz Bits.

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Darin Myers

Coach Darin: Happy employees, happy business: Boosting morale

Employee morale has a massive impact on the overall success of your business. When employees are happy, engaged, and thriving they are more productive, less likely to call in sick, and much less apt to quit their jobs. According to a recent Gallup poll, “highly engaged business units realize an 81% difference in absenteeism and a 14% difference in productivity.” Quantitative data is important in understanding employee morale and workplace wellness dynamics. Many business owners mistakenly assess their employee morale on a feeling or general sense of their team’s perceived well-being

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Consumer Stories

Have We Given Up on Superheroes?

Lately, there have been quite a few headlines in major entertainment publications signaling a phenomenon that, just a few years ago, would’ve seemed unimaginable. The gist of those headlines is that superhero movies are losing money. It’s true. Marvel Studios’ newest release, the Brie Larson-led Marvels, (a sequel to 2019’s Captain Marvel) is expected to gross $60 Million on its opening weekend. Its predecessor earned a whopping $154 Million after its premiere. This comes after another box office flop for the studio, Ant Man & The Wasp: Quantumania. D.C. Studios

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B2B Stories

First Lady Jill Biden’s visit praises economic and workforce development

For the second time this year, Augusta has welcomed First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden to tout economic growth and workforce development. In July, she visited Augusta Technical College. Wednesday’s visit brought her to the Aurubis Richmond, LLC plant under construction in the Augusta Corporate Park. Biden was first given a tour of several sections of the facility and was briefed by Aurubis COO, Inge Hofkens on what the plant will do when operational. Also on the tour were Aurubis CEO, Roland Harings, Superintendent Kenneth Bradshaw, Richmond County School System (RCSS),

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Consumer Stories

New take on a grocery option downtown

On Broad Street, that great street, lies the heart of downtown, with restaurants, shops, recreational opportunities, businesses, and hotels. Now comes a grocery store, The Earth Pantry, to complete the picture of a place to benefit living, working, and playing downtown. The new shop, at 1026 Broad Street, is a step in the right direction for food goods. They not only offer bulk foods, but also home and body care items and a refrigerated section and will continue to expand food, beverage, wellness, and cleaning supply offerings. “Partnering with local

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B2B Stories

North Augusta finalizes 2024 budget, upgrades bond rating

One local government is increasing taxes and salaries. North Augusta City Council members voted on Nov. 6 on a series of ordinances, including the final budget for FY 2024, the tax millage rate, and the water and wastewater fees. The city’s consolidated budget for 2024 is just over $54.5 million, an increase of 8.14% from this year’s almost $50.3 million spending package. Mayor Britton Williams said the budget is the outgrowth of a council retreat held earlier this year. Department heads were asked to submit growth expectations over the next

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B2B Stories

Putting our country’s financial house in order

The week of Oct. 30 through Nov. 3 provided a significant amount of good news on the economic front for those of us in the United States. After a poor three-month run from August through most of October, all major U.S. equity indices (Dow Industrials, S&P 500, NASDAQ) were up between five and seven percent for the week. In addition, the Labor Department’s latest job report for October showed an increase of 150,000 jobs for the month, a less-than-expected increase and a much slower increase than in recent months, showing

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