Consumer Stories

Consumer Stories

Piedmont Augusta satisfies promise to non-profit groups

Atlanta-based Piedmont Healthcare has fulfilled a promise it made to the Augusta community four years ago when they absorbed University Hospital Health Care into their system. Piedmont’s Augusta Hub on Wednesday distributed $2 million to 44 not-for-profit organizations in Augusta and surrounding communities. As part of the merger in 2021, Piedmont committed to spending $1 billion to improve the facility. It included the promise to provide $2 million a year for ten years to support community organizations. “Last year was the first year that we did that. Thanks to a

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Consumer Stories

Decoding your confusing healthcare benefits

Publisher’s Note: Former Cleveland Indians pitcher, Tom Mastny, formed The Pennant Group in July of 2021. The Pennant Group, an Augusta independent healthcare consultant agency, has grown from 4 employer clients and 0 individual clients, to nearly 75 group clients and 300 individual & Medicare clients since then. The Pennant Group specializes in Health insurance benefits for every stage of an individual’s life. They offer employer-sponsored group coverage, individual coverage, and Medicare services. In this wide-ranging interview, he shares important deadlines, industry insight, and how his clients benefit from Tom

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Consumer Stories

Medical Business just outside of Augusta/Aiken

The Medical College of Georgia (MCG) is continuing its more than 200-year mission to train doctors, now targeting the need for physicians in rural Georgia. Some of Georgia’s 159 counties in rural areas have no physicians or lack specialties such as pediatricians and OB/GYNs. Of that, 143 counties are designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). Dr. David Hess, Dean of MCG, said those areas are known as health deserts or physician deserts. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates 20 percent of Americans, that’s more than 50 million people,

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Consumer Stories

Fat Man’s Wins Awards & Prepares for Expansion

Monday night in Atlanta, the Usry’s came home to Augusta with the Hero Award as they plan for another restaurant and event space in the CSRA. Brad Usry and his son Hav won the prestigious Hero Restaurant community service award at the Georgia Restaurant Association annual event at the Aquarium in Atlanta. The Fat Man’s Hospitality Group is made up of (2) current restaurants and an event center connected to Fat Man’s. The Usry’s competed against much larger food service operations in Georgia, like Parker’s Kitchen. Construction is underway at

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B2B Stories

Employers needed to grow tomorrow’s workforce

Businesses in Metro Augusta are invited to participate in a program designed to show high school students career possibilities right at home. The Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce is calling on businesses to sign up for a job shadowing opportunity. The annual event, set for Groundhog Day on Feb. 2, is coordinated by the Richmond County School System (RCSS). “There are so many jobs and job opportunities right here in the CSRA where we can keep our talent right here with us,” Dr. Stacey Mabray, Director of High School Programming

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B2B Stories

Simon Says: Tariffs and Effects on Jobs

Manufacturing employment in the United States has fallen by 58,000 since April, when President Trump announced his tariffs on “liberation day” to stand at 12.7 million in September. Five straight months of losses in an industry that tariffs were supposed to protect. A week ago, at the economic forecast breakfast, we analyzed the impact of tariffs on manufacturing, as well as the agriculture and service sectors. Using data from 2012-2023 on all metro areas of Georgia, we find that tariffs do have a positive impact on manufacturing employment, but it

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B2B Stories

8th and 9th location opens in Columbia County

Benchmark Physical Therapy is opening locations in two new Columbia County shopping centers. They are opening in The Commons at West Lake on Furys Ferry Road, and Greenpoint Commercial Retail in Appling. Here are the following services Benchmark offers: Physical Therapy Telehealth Physical Therapy Work & Industry Headaches Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) Manual Therapy Orthopedics Geriatric Therapy Arthritis Management Pre/Post Surgical Back Pain Neck Pain Shoulder Pain Elbow Pain Hand & Wrist Pain Ankle Pain Knee Pain Chronic Pain Generalized Weakness   Benchmark accepts insurance and typically suggests 3x’s

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Consumer Stories

On track for record-breaking holiday shopping

If you felt crowded over the five days of the holiday shopping this year, there is a good reason for that. A new report says a record 202.9 million consumers were out in force from Thanksgiving Day to Black Friday, Shop Small Saturday, through Sunday, and on into Cyber Monday. That number is based on a consumer survey released by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Prosper Insights & Analytics. That broke the previous record of 200.4 million, set in 2023. NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay, during a virtual

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Consumer Stories

Learning from National Signing Day (Recruiting) and the Transfer Portal (Retention)

Publisher’s Note: Yes, Georgia is squaring off against Alabama this Saturday. It’s a busy week for College Football, including what is happening tomorrow. It’s “National Signing Day,” when this year’s star high school football seniors officially sign a commitment to the college of their choice. It’s tied in to the job market in Augusta as well! While there is another such signing day on February 4, 2026, a large majority will sign tomorrow to get an early start, including potentially enrolling at their college for the Spring Semester.  This National

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Consumer Stories

CSRA businesses hope to raise $200k plus this holiday season

You may have noticed the iconic red kettles out over Black Friday weekend. Recently, the Salvation Army of Augusta kicked off its annual campaign at an area business event. Volunteers are set up outside area stores like Walmart, Sam’s Club, Hobby Lobby, Bass Pro Shop, Food Lion, and others. Last year’s campaign collected more than $200,000. “All that money stays here local, and that helps support the Center of Hope, where, over the last three years, we’ve been able to move 400 people from homelessness into housing,” Major Jonathan Raymer,

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