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Consumer Stories
Consumer Stories

Home-based vegan bakery opens in Evans

Kim Schortinghuis’s passion for baking vegan desserts was born out of necessity. Schortinghuis’ 3-year-old son Camden, suffers from severe allergies to both eggs and dairy products, so she needed a way to serve him treats that don’t include those ingredients. “I couldn’t get him a cake pop from Starbucks or cupcakes from a bakery,” says Schortinghuis. “I began reevaluating food in general.” Using her experience baking for him, she launched her own vegan and allergy-friendly bakery, The Vegan Turtle, on Sunday, Jan. 30 and quickly received her first order for

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Josh Heath February 3, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

SIMON SAYS: Poor job outlook in the CSRA

Editor’s Note: Despite hearing companies are willing to hire, the numbers in the CSRA don’t bear that out. Since June, the local economy has struggled to add jobs. With fewer job openings the outlook, at least in terms of overall employment, for the beginning of 2022 isn’t any better. The A.U. and ABD economist, Dr. Simon Medcalfe shares the numbers with some perspective on outside influences. Job openings in Georgia fell by 8.0% to 379,000 and by 6.6% to 170,000 in South Carolina in November 2021 according to data just

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Dr. Simon Medcalfe, AU Economics Professor February 2, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Aiken couple celebrates anniversary of their sweet business

Valentine’s Day is less than two weeks away. What are you planning for your sweetheart? Some say it with flowers, others with candy. If you are thinking sweet stuff, Aikenites swear by Cyndi’s Sweet Shoppe. Today begins their 10th year in business. That’s when Dick and Cindy Rudisill opened their downtown shop in Aiken. Business has been booming ever since. Dick worked in the food and grocery industry. Cindy was in the medical field. The Syracuse, New York natives fell in love with Aiken. “Dick suggested opening a candy store

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Mitzi Oxford February 2, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Q&A with three female, millennial State Farm agency owners

There are many State Farm Insurance agencies throughout the CSRA (see photo above story), but three of these local agencies, all owned by women in their 20s, opened within the last year. ABD interviewed these agents to learn about the joys and challenges of being a small business owner in the insurance industry. State Farm agents offer a variety of products, such as car, home, health, and small business insurance policies, as well as investments. Morgan Brinson, 28, became an agent in January 2021, and her office is located at

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Josh Heath February 2, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Airport takes flight with new event

The Augusta Regional Airport is inviting members of the local community to get some exercise while also supporting a worthy cause. The airport – located at 1501 Aviation Way – will host the Run the Runway 5K (see photo above story) on Saturday, March 19 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., and all proceeds will go to ForcesUnited. Registration is $30 for teens and adults, $25 for children 8-12, and free for children 7 and under. Founded in 2007 as the CSRA Wounded Warrior Care Project, ForcesUnited connects veterans to

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Josh Heath February 2, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

New restaurant to open for Valentine’s Day

Nothing says, “I love you” like Hibachi Steak & Shrimp… to go! Hibachi Express’s second CSRA location is expected to open in time for Valentine’s Day in the former Taco Bell located on Washington Road near the Bobby Jones Expressway. A construction worker was doing some work in the ample parking lot over the weekend. Restaurants like Taco Bell and Wendy’s had challenges getting its customers in and out of their parking lots in a timely manner and eventually closed. Hibachi Express on 1815 Walton Way in Augusta offers half

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Neil Gordon February 1, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Therapy program makes horse sense

A partnership between two local companies is providing equine therapy for senior citizens in the CSRA. Steven Gay – owner and President of Augusta Aviation, Inc. is providing horses for residents of Thrive at Augusta (see photo above story). Thrive, an assisted living facility located at 313 Furys Ferry Road in Martinez, began the therapy program in November. “I am proud to be able to offer this program to the residents at Thrive at Augusta,” says Gay, who needed help caring for the horses. “It’s a joy to see residents

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Josh Heath February 1, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

The Cost of Cutting Corners

  Don MacNeil is the former Marketing Director of Windsor Jewelers and long-time on-air radio professional.   Is it just me, or… The Cost of Cutting Corners Have you had groceries delivered to your home lately? If you have, have you also come to the conclusion that home delivery – especially to the house-bound – has become a dumping ground for expired, near-expired and damaged goods? When free grocery delivery suddenly swept the supermarket industry not long ago, I immediately imagined a CEO rolling his eyes when first advised that

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Don MacNeil February 1, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Mondays with Rick: Co-Founder of Mailchimp

Editor’s Note:   Recently, Rick Franza, Dean of AU’s Hull College of Business attended a meet-and-greet with Ben Chestnut, the co-founder of the marketing platform Mailchimp. External media was not allowed to the meet-and-greet or Chestnut’s “fireside chat” (Click here to watch the video) with nearly 100 AU students and faculty. ABD: I know he spent some time with AU President Brooks Keel and AU’s Scott Thorp, faculty coordinator of Innovation Project (see photo above). What were your impressions of him at the meet-and-greet? Rick: He’s proud of his roots

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Neil Gordon January 31, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Local teens need businesses to support March event

For many high school girls, the prom is an exciting event, but not everyone can afford to go. A local event provides everything teen girls need to enjoy the evening in style. Cinderella Day (see photo above story) is a free event hosted by the Augusta Dream Center – a nonprofit that provides a variety of services for those in need in the CSRA. The fifth annual Cinderella Day will be held on Saturday, March 12 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the center located at 3364 Peach Orchard

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Josh Heath January 31, 2022 No Comments
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