Economics

B2B Stories

Apprenticeship training program at Augusta Tech gets financial boost

Augusta Technical College is receiving a $264,000 grant from the state of Georgia’s Office of Workforce Development. The funds are through the office’s “Apprenticeships for Economic Recovery Grant,” also called the “Apprenticeship Grant.” It provides funding for eligible Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs) across the state. The goal is to support post-pandemic economic recovery. Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) has accepted the role of apprenticeship sponsor. “The SRS apprenticeship School is excited to expand our existing technical school partnerships to include Augusta Technical College,” stated Dr. Dorian G. Newton, Deputy Director

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B2B Stories

Banner month predicted for economic impact in Augusta’s River Region

More than 6 million dollars are expected to flow into the Augusta area in November. Destination Augusta and the Augusta Sports Council say visitors attending meetings, reunions, events, and sporting events in Augusta’s River Region will generate at least $6,259,939 in total estimated economic impact (EEI) in November 2023. Both organizations agree that recruiting and hosting these various activities play a critical role in sustaining the nearly 27,000 jobs that are part of the Leisure and Hospitality Industry, the fourth largest employment sector in the metro area. Total EEI is

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B2B Stories

Final push is on for the new JBA funding vote

Representatives from big businesses, small business owners, and economic development experts filled Augusta & Co. on Broad Street with a common goal: Support the Nov. 7 vote to pay for a new James Brown arena. A Nov. 3 news conference coordinated by the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce brought together leaders of The Augusta Economic Development Authority (AEDA, Augusta Sports Council, Augusta Tomorrow, the Downtown Development Authority (DDA), and Destination Augusta. Dennis Trotter of Jordan Trotter Commercial Real Estate and current chairman of the Augusta Chamber, said approving the referendum

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B2B Stories

Festival brings food, fun, and an economic boost to the CSRA

The Foodees Food & Cultural Festival kicks off this afternoon at 1 p.m., making it the first event to take place at the Freedom Bridge in downtown Augusta. The bridge and part of Reynolds Street will be filled with more than 50 food trucks and tents showcasing the best of local and international cuisine including foods from Germany, Honduras, Japan, and Africa. “November is a good time of the year to generate new business like the addition of the Foodees Food & Cultural Festival,” said VP of Destination Development &

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B2B Stories

Augusta Tech gives a sneak peek of its next big project

A multi-million dollar renovation will bring one of Augusta Technical College’s in-demand training programs to Walton Way and 12th Street. The former Johnson Motor Company is being re-purposed to house the automotive training programs available at Augusta Tech. On Wednesday, the college issued an invitation to attend a soft launch and unveiled renderings, showing how it will look. Augusta Tech was able to purchase the former dealership, thanks to $1 million donations from The Knox Foundation, The Augusta National Golf Club, and Jim Hudson Automotive Group. The campus will be

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B2B Stories

Business startup facilitator unveils new AI platform

Make Startups, the Augusta-based startup facilitator, officially unveiled its new AI software platform, CofounderOS, at the Fall 2023 Startup Champions Network Summit in Phoenix, Arizona, on Oct. 24. “Through our certification and other programs, Make Startups has more than a decade of experience in coaching entrepreneurs, teaching classes, leading accelerator programs, and working with investors,” said Eric Parker, CEO of Make Startups, who has testified before a U.S. congressional committee on the critical need for entrepreneurship support. “CofounderOS takes those 10 years of experience, allowing us the ability, through AI, to predict a

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B2B Stories

Final week of early voting on JBA funding referendum

The fate of the James Brown Arena’s future is in the hands of Richmond County voters, and it is coming down to the wire. Today through Friday, November 3 are the final days registered voters can advance vote on the referendum to create a Construction Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (C-SPLOST). If approved, it will create a half-penny sales tax to fund the $250 million project to build a new JBA. Members of the Augusta-Richmond County Coliseum Authority continue meeting with individuals and groups of voters to explain the

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B2B Stories

Simon Says: Is Halloween a trick or a treat?

When my children were younger, they loved Halloween. We live in a great trick-or-treat neighborhood which allowed them to collect a ton of candy. My wife still enjoys providing candy to the neighborhood kids on Halloween night. As an economist, I don’t understand Halloween. My wife goes and buys what to her is the best candy, usually a Mars or Hershey mix of chocolate such as Twix, Marathon, or Milky Way. We provide this to the neighborhood kids. When my own children went trick or treating, they would often come

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