B2B Stories

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that jobless rates were up in 218 of the 389 Metropolitan Statistical Areas in January. Augusta bucked the trend with the unemployment rate falling from 3.8% in December to 3.7% in January. Unfortunately, payroll jobs also fell, but by just 200. Despite the small change in overall employment in Augusta, some sectors saw large changes in employment for the first month of the year. The largest increase was in retail with jobs increasing by 180, followed by leisure and hospitality, up about 150. Government

In November, Aiken County residents will be asked to vote on the county’s fifth Capital Project Sales Tax (CPST). The one-cent tax will be collected on goods and services purchased within the county. The money will be shared with each municipality within Aiken County. The municipalities must provide a list of projects and the amount requested. Monday night, North Augusta City Council voted unanimously to approve its request list with a more than $48.6 million price tag. City Administrator, Jim Clifford said after the initial list presented in a work