Consumer Stories

B2B Stories

Ready to join the workforce

A fresh group of more than 70 trained professionals marked their graduation on Thursday at the Snelling Center on Goodwill’s campus on Washington Road. The Augusta Career Education graduation was for individuals who have completed their studies in fields ranging from future business leaders to logistics professionals. “We’re here to celebrate students who have finished some of our short-term certificate programs,” explained Leah Pontani, Senior Vice President of Career Development. “So, we have a variety of students who have gone through Goodwill Career Education, short-term programs like EKG, phlebotomy, Certified

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Consumer Stories

One of the area’s largest employers to host small business fair

Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) is sponsoring “Thriving in a Changing Market: Adaptability and Innovation” on May 29. It is ideal for businesses and individuals, including local startups and investors. “The SRNS Small Business Fair is basically designed to foster connections between small businesses, whether veteran-owned, women-owned, or disadvantaged,” Rachel Boyd, Advocate for SRNS Small Business Program, explained for ABD. “The fair is going to help support many of the government’s small business goals by promoting awareness for upcoming contract opportunities, offering guidance on how to do business with SRS,

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B2B Stories

$100k donation to benefit education and workforce development

Kia Georgia has announced a $100,000 donation to the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) Foundation, reinforcing its commitment to advancing workforce development and technical education in Georgia. The contribution will benefit Augusta Technical College students, among others, across the state. The contribution was presented by Kia Georgia President and CEO, Stuart Countess, during TCSG’s annual Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL) and Rick Perkins Awards banquet, which honors the state’s top technical college students and instructors. “We are proud to continue our partnership with the Technical College System of

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Consumer Stories

Mullins Colony mystery solved as restaurant chain competes with Augusta favorite

Two sources (including a Columbia County government official and one of the construction leaders on the project) confirm what’s been a hot restaurant rumor in our community for several months. National franchise, CAVA, is coming and will be 50 feet from the entrance to Diablo’s Southwest Grill; adjacent to Chipotle in a 1.3-acre outparcel in front of Mullins Colony Shopping Center. Chipotle’s property is subdivided with Mattress Firm, and CAVA will share its building with an undisclosed tenant as well. CAVA’s fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant theme is very similar to Chipotle,

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Consumer Stories

A new home for hope

Demolition has begun on an abandoned warehouse near the Augusta Fairgrounds. The Salvation Army of Augusta wants to build a new Center of Hope on the tract that city records say is 3.32 acres. Major Jonathan Raymer, Area Commander for The Salvation Army, told ABD the site was chosen for a few reasons. First, some of their partner agencies are in that general area. “It’s also right near the Sheriff’s Office, right out there, which is good. We have to get shelter clearance cards in order for people to stay

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Consumer Stories

New CSRA BBQ restaurant set to open in former one

Former financial planner Kurt Mueller, who started Ironhead Barbecue with a food truck and catering orders, is opening his first restaurant in the former Pot Smoker BBQ location at 340 Edgefield Road (Highway 25) in North Augusta. Mueller expects to open in August or September and tells ABD he has plans for his food truck as well. “The food truck will still operate a normal schedule until we open. After opening, the food truck will still run, but probably not as frequently. Ideally, I would hire someone to run the

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B2B Stories

Another local transportation group asking for public input

The organization tasked with identifying transportation issues wants to hear what people see as challenges today and for the future. The Augusta Regional Transportation Study (ARTS) focuses on Richmond and Columbia Counties in Georgia and the South Carolina counties of Aiken and Edgefield. It is updating the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) through 2055 with a focus on multimodal transportation projects and priorities. Kaycee Mertz, Vice President and Georgia Planning Lead at engineering company WSP, told members of the Rotary Club of Aiken that they will use data from traffic counts,

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B2B Stories

Putting STEM into action for Augusta’s future

One of Augusta’s selling points is the burgeoning Cyber industry and the development of high-paying jobs in the CSRA. Both buildings of the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center were abuzz with students learning about the ever-growing field of cybersecurity. Cyber Georgia STEMfest brought together 100 students from elementary schools in Georgia and South Carolina. The bi-annual event is a partnership of the Cyber Fusion Innovation Center and the Georgia Cyber Center with sponsors Parsons, Booz Allen Hamilton, SRS Community Reuse Organization, and SteelGate, LLC. Armond Rouillard, SteelGate’s Chief Operating

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B2B Stories

Simon Says: Healthcare and Education Jobs

Employment in the Augusta Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) fell by 100 in March from February. With such a small change in overall employment, it is no surprise that employment changes in different industries were also mostly small. Triple-digit changes in employment were seen in only four industries. Education and health services grew by 262 employees, while mining, logging, and construction grew by 180. Manufacturing employment grew by 105 workers, but since this is March data, it would be hard to suggest the increase is the result of tariff policy. The

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Consumer Stories

New take on training for CSRA jobs

Representatives from educational institutions and metro Augusta businesses, and nonprofit organizations came together for the 2025 Best and Brightest Career and College Expo. Organized by Augusta Business Daily with presenting sponsors Spherion Staffing and Recruiting and Augusta University’s Hull College of Business, it was held in the Snelling Center at the Goodwill of Middle Georgia and the CSRA campus on Washington Road. While the primary goal was to help individuals seeking employment, it also gave participating vendors the opportunity to explain how they can assist prospective job seekers. Melanie McGee,

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