B2B Stories

B2B Stories

Arcade business thriving in the CSRA

Radioactive Pinball Arcade recently celebrated its first year in business at 113 Laurens Street in Aiken, SC. Owners, Eric and Erin Edwards are expanding faster than a flipper can travel the ball in an arcade game. When ABD interviewed them in January after their August 2023 opening, the arcade was already enjoying a loyal following, with customers coming in from across South Carolina and Georgia. At the time, the Edwards had their sights set on acquiring an extra 1,200 square feet of space from their next-door neighbor, 8 Count Dance

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B2B Stories

Cybersecurity protection for the insurance industry

Insurance Assurance, a look at how cybersecurity can impact the insurance industry, and what tools are available to protect against it, was held Wednesday at the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center. Sponsored by Augusta Technical College and Travelers Insurance Company, the program focused on cybersecurity insurance and threats. Dr. Jermaine Whirl, President of Augusta Tech told ABD the program is the result of a relationship he developed while at Gwinnett Technical College. “Dr. Jose de la Cruz reached out to me, he’s Senior VP of HR for Travelers Insurance,

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B2B Stories

$122 million in savings to Georgia Power customers

The Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) has voted unanimously to approve a motion to expedite the return of approximately $122 million in funds beginning January 2025. The money is available due to recent changes to state tax law which lowered the Georgia Power’s corporate tax rate. The estimated savings for the typical residential customer using an average of 1,000 kilowatt hours per month amounts to about $2.25 per month. This adjustment will partially offset the implementation of the third year of Georgia Power’s 2022 rate request. The move is the

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B2B Stories

Union workers in CSRA and across the South still on strike

The work stoppage pitting members of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) District 3 against AT&T continues for a third week. The walkout began when talks between the company and the union broke down after two months of negotiations. Both the company and the union have sometimes posted daily updates on their respective websites. Both say talks resumed over the weekend. That followed the union’s September 2nd decision to step away from talks that included the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. CWA District 3 Vice President, Richard Honeycutt called the

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B2B Stories

Opportunities ahead: Business growth in Augusta

As the second largest metro area in Georgia with more than 600,000 residents, Augusta continues to grow. In fact, Augusta has experienced a notable 26% population growth over the past two decades. There are several business trends and economic factors attracting more and more people to the area. One of the largest economic drivers in Augusta is the government. Fort Eisenhower has long played a significant role in spurring local growth as it brings military families, contractors, and other skilled workers to the area. Fort Eisenhower’s population has doubled over

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B2B Podcasting

When conflicts start at the top

Mediation isn’t always between management and employees. Sometimes, issues arise between owners or upper management. HR and Mediation expert, TeKay Brown Taylor says that’s the time to level the playing field. You can also catch the full radio program Saturday at 7:30 AM on 1230 AM.

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B2B Stories

New business guidelines for some Augusta businesses

Minority and women-owned businesses are encouraged to attend a public meeting to learn about the recently adopted Business Enterprise Program (M/WBE). Augusta commissioners approved an amendment to the city code to add the program. The meeting will include details on how to apply for certification to be part of the program. “It’s really an opportunity for us to let the community know what’s going on with this program, but more specifically, to let them know that the program now exists and has been approved and what the next steps would

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B2B Podcasting

Work it Out: Coming to the Mediation Table

So, what does a mediation session look like? In today’s “Work it out” video, certified mediation expert, TeKay Brown-Taylor says it could be the main people in a dispute or more. Also, watch the full radio program Saturday at 7:30 AM on 1230 AM.

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B2B Stories

Simon Says: Positive Labor News in CSRA

Last week, I reported that the unemployment rate in Augusta had risen to 4.1% in July, but what about other measures of the labor market? Employment increased by 500 to exceed 247,000 for the first time. Rising unemployment and more jobs are due to an increase in the labor force of a little over 700 people. Additionally, average weekly earnings were over $1,000 for the first time since December and average hours worked increased by 24 minutes in July from June. Overall, the three-month moving average Labor Market Index (LMI)

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B2B Podcasting

Conflict in the Workplace

Do you have someone at work you don’t get along with? Certified mediator, TeKay Brown-Taylor says you are not alone. In today’s video brief, she says there are two reasons why this occurs and how mediation can help. Be sure to listen to the entire program this Saturday morning at 7:30 on 1230 AM.

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