Consumer Stories

Sports / Entertainment

Will Hollywood return to Georgia any time soon?

Every October, Hollywood’s elite arrives in Savannah, Georgia, for the SCAD Savannah Film Festival. And, while the star power brings fans — and their disposable income — from far and wide, key players in the entertainment industry see it as something more for our state. Walker Dalton, Executive Director of the Savannah Regional Film Commission: “Historically, the film industry is in Los Angeles. But around 2006, they implemented the incentives program here — which at the time was the most robust incentive program to come out, and which has been

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Sports / Entertainment

Working for the Weekend: Sara’s Farm Adventure

There are only two weekends left to experience the CSRA’s newest spot for fall family fun – Sara’s Farm Adventure. Sara’s has long been known in our area for quality produce (especially those sweet South Carolina peaches) but it won’t take long for folks to know that this is a high-quality weekend outing for the entire family. Sara’s has taken the farm fun that we’ve seen in other places and stepped it up a notch. They have a lot of open space to work with, so the entire experience feels

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Residential Real Estate

Real Talk Real Estate: Buying or Selling in the Next 6 Months? Here’s the Necessary Advice You Need!

So, you’ve decided to either buy or sell a home in the next six months. Congratulations! Or should I say, welcome to the jungle? The housing market can be a wild ride, full of ups, downs, and a few plot twists. Whether you’re scouring Zillow at 3 a.m. or putting out freshly baked cookies for prospective buyers, navigating the market can feel like a full-time job. But don’t worry—I’ve got you covered with some essential advice to keep your sanity intact. Dear Buyers, be ready to fall in love. First

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B2B Stories

Businesses pitch in to help students impacted by Helene

Hurricane Helene prompted the cancellation of an in-person fundraiser, but organizers converted it to an online event to help students. The Aiken Technical College Foundation sponsors an annual scholarship and fundraiser. It had been set for Oct. 17, but the event was transformed to raising money for the Student Emergency Support Fund. The original event included a raffle. “So what we decided to do is we had these wonderful items donated to our raffle that we said, ‘Well, hey, we can still go ahead and have an online raffle and

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Consumer Stories

CSRA businesses create opportunities for support after Helene

As if Helene wasn’t scary enough on so many levels, now it’s time to flip the script and provide some frightening fun and support for small businesses. The Aiken Downtown Development Association (ADDA) is sponsoring two events in advance of Halloween. First up is the #DowntownAiken Scarecrow Contest where you can walk the streets of Downtown Aiken and vote on your favorite Scarecrow up until October 26th. Voting Instructions: Find your favorite Scarecrow(s) from these pictures and give it a LIKE to cast your vote. Walk the streets of downtown

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B2B Stories

Sustaining students with food post-Helene

An organization known for job training, education, and food preparation is combining its strengths to nourish students at a school in Augusta’s Olde Town neighborhood. Helms College, part of Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia and the CSRA, is providing meals to students at Heritage Academy. Haley Wesley, Associate Vice President of Marketing and Brand Advancement, told ABD it is a win-win partnership for the college and the school. “These are our Helms College culinary students preparing these meals, being supervised by our faculty, who are chefs. It also was such

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Consumer Stories

CSRA Fall Job Opportunities

More than 40 area employers will be looking for employees at an upcoming job fair. The event is free and open to the public. Aiken Technical College will host its fall Community Job Fair on Tuesday, October 29, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Building B in the gymnasium. The event is free and open to the public. To date, the list of employers seeking workers includes: Aflac Aiken County Public Schools Aiken County Sheriff’s Office Aiken Regional Medical Centers Aiken Rehabilitation and Care Center Aiken Staffing / Job

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B2B Stories

Sometimes A New Voice is Needed

Shortly after the Atlanta Braves ended their 2024 season by losing to the San Diego Padres in the Wild Card round of the Major League Baseball (MLB) playoffs, the team decided not to bring back three of their coaches for the 2025 season. (Note:  All three coaches are under contract for 2025 and will be paid their contracted salaries.) The most notable of those coaches was their primary hitting coach, Kevin Seitzer. Seitzer has been a major league hitting coach for most of the past eighteen years, with the last

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B2B Stories

Retail predictions for Halloween and Christmas

An industry group has released its predictions for retail spending through the upcoming holiday season. The National Retail Federation (NRF) is predicting a steady growth in sales through November and December. It defines the holiday season as Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, six days shorter than the 2023 holiday period. ABD sat in on a virtual briefing NRF provided for reporters on Tuesday. It included NRF President and CEO, Matthew Shay, and NRF Chief Economist, Jack Kleinhenz. NRF predicts winter holiday spending will increase between 2.5% and 3.5% over last

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B2B Stories

CSRA Facebook groups kept everyone connected post-Helene

During a disaster, social media provides up-to-the-minute news information – power outage alerts, road closure updates, designated help areas, shelter locations, and more. Of all the social media platforms, the CSRA benefitted most via Facebook. Like many businesses and residents, our Augusta Business Daily staff was also impacted by Helene’s 100+ mph wind gusts and 8’ to 12” of rain. Like many of you, most of us had no power, we were running on fumes in our cars and lost food in our refrigerators and freezers. When we found limited gas

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