Economics

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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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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Augusta could see a visit from First Lady Jill Biden today

According to a Nov. 3 press release from the office of the mayor, First Lady Jill Biden is expected to visit Augusta today as part of the Investing in America Workforce Hub tour. She is scheduled to fly into Augusta Regional Airport with the interim Labor Secretary at 10 A.M. Though it is not yet confirmed which location she will visit, if any, the current presidential administration has recognized initiatives led by the City of Augusta, Mayor Garnet Johnson, Augusta Technical College, Aiken Technical College, the Richmond County School System,

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Simon Says: Cultural differences may impact the economy

There is a perception that cultural differences between different groups in society are growing larger. Rich and poor, black and white, male and female, conservative and liberal, and more or less educated have different attitudes, consumer behavior, media diet, time use, and give their newborns different names. However, a new paper by Marianne Bertrand and Emir Kamenica finds little support for this perception. Across the five groups and five cultural components, they find little change over time in 21 categories. That is not to say that people of different income

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Child Enrichment to receive grant support and leadership training from Bank of America

Bank of America has announced Child Enrichment as the 2023 Neighborhood Champion awardee for their work advancing economic mobility and building up underserved neighborhoods in Augusta. Through this multi-year grant funding and leadership training for the nonprofit’s leadership, programs, and services addressing child abuse and neglect will be able to help more children and families. The program will provide leadership training delivered by experts in the nonprofit sector on topics like human capital management, increasing financial sustainability, and storytelling and a $50,000 grant over two years. Child Enrichment provides a

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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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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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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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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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