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B2B Stories

A boost is coming to businesses seeking Georgia employees

Georgia’s nationally recognized workforce development programs are now offering a direct link between job seekers and employers. The Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) has launched an online Labor Exchange Platform (LEP) as part of the state’s WorkSource Georgia program, which is administered by TCSG’s Office of Workforce Development. “By seamlessly connecting job seekers with employers, we are not just filling job vacancies, but are building a robust, skilled community ready to drive Georgia’s economic growth,” said TCSG Deputy Commissioner of Workforce Development, Karen Kirchler. Georgia’s ability to provide a

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Dana Lynn McIntyre November 28, 2023 No Comments
Awards/Celebrations

Local leaders among top in Georgia

Last year, Georgia Trend magazine introduced the inaugural GEORGIA 500, a comprehensive publication of leaders around the state driving our successful economy to new heights year after year, and once again, Chamber President, Sue Parr has been named to this list. The Augusta Metro Chamber serves as the voice of the business community and represents over 1,200 members. Under Parr’s leadership, the Chamber’s policy work has included advocating for local excise tax-free industrial energy costs and abundant transportation infrastructure, supporting the state’s second back-to-back 10-year, 13-county Transportation Investment Act (TIA)

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Staff Report November 27, 2023 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Hotels revive popular pet supply program

The rooms at Best Western, 452 Park West Drive in Grovetown, and Baymont by Wyndham Augusta Riverwatch, 2905 Riverwest Drive are not pet friendly, but the staff at both hotels are pet lovers and they are hoping guests will be also. Kim Gibbons is the sales and marketing manager for both properties. Her own cat, Owen, served as the inspiration for what became a community service project for the hotels in 2008 and ran through 2014. Now it’s back. “Originally, the program benefitted the CSRA Humane Society. Over the years,

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Mitzi Oxford November 26, 2023 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Help from Augusta & Palmetto expert on Cyber Monday

Fire up your computers and grab your credit cards. Today is Cyber Monday, a day when your Christmas shopping can be done from your couch while wearing your jammies. Cyber Monday was coined in Nov. 2005 by the National Retail Federation, a time when online shopping was still in its infancy. Since then, it has grown into one of the biggest shopping days of the holiday season. According to the website, www.blackfriday.com, in 2022, shoppers spent an estimated 11.3 billion on Cyber Monday. That compared to $9.12 billion. Bloomberg, in

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Dana Lynn McIntyre November 26, 2023 No Comments
B2B Stories

Small businesses hope shoppers think local for Christmas joy

CSRA small businesses hope shoppers will remember the old saying, “Home is where the heart is,” and support local merchants this season. The biggest shopping day of the year is Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving when the Christmas shopping season officially begins. Traditionally, shoppers head to the big box stores to score bargains. But a day later, the spotlight turns to small, local businesses for Small Business Saturday. More than a dozen businesses in downtown Augusta will participate in the third annual Small Business Saturday (SBS) Crawl, sponsored by

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Dana Lynn McIntyre November 21, 2023 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Where to find the holiday shopping magic

Editor’s note: I’m showing my age here but when my three sisters and I were growing up, the arrival of the Sears Wish Book was a highlight for us. It was 600+ pages of Christmas magic. We earmarked the pages of the gifts we hoped to receive. My how times have changed! In today’s world, producing a Sears catalog and mailing it to the masses would cost a fortune. There are a scant 13 Sears remaining today because of increased competition from other big-box retailers, so no need for a

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Mitzi Oxford November 21, 2023 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Remote or return? That is the question facing employers and employees alike

In recent weeks, we have seen a steady increase in the percentage of workers returning to the office.   Workers are returning to the office at the highest rates since early 2020, as companies increase their efforts to bring back their employees from remote work.  According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, office use is up to 47.5 percent in 10 major metropolitan areas, the highest it has been since late March 2020. I am encouraged by this because I think there are many benefits to being back

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Dr. Richard Franza November 21, 2023 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Simon Says: Thankful for Decorah

I will be spending Thanksgiving with my son in beautiful Decorah, Iowa. In this season of glutinous overeating, Decorah has several gastronomic delights worth importing to Augusta Georgia. (If I use the word importing, then it makes this an economic column, right?!?!) Decorah, and much of the upper mid-west, was settled by Scandinavian immigrants and that culture is still strong. One of the best legacies is Lefsa, a traditional flatbread made with potatoes. It can be used as naan bread for curries, a wrap for hotdogs, or like a tortilla

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Dr. Simon Medcalfe November 20, 2023 No Comments
B2B Stories

New athleisure brand opens to the pickleball-loving public

Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in the CSRA and America. It’s easy to learn and fun to play. It’s a racquet sport and a cross between tennis, badminton, and ping pong, but played on a smaller court. Pickleball is also good for your health which is what brought brothers, Dan and Jon Lawson and David Pope together to form the athleisure company Good Get Apparel. Jon is a pulmonologist, Dan and David were in the technology side of healthcare. “We all understood the health benefits of playing pickleball,

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Mitzi Oxford November 16, 2023 No Comments
B2B Stories

Dividing the tax pie following huge event successes

It’s been a banner year for events in the CSRA and with that comes a healthy chunk of money collected through accommodation taxes. Building on those success stories and creating a new event resulted in requests for dividing up the bounty. The funds are collected through the state’s 2% accommodations tax (ATAX) from visitors staying in hotels and similar lodgings. North Augusta’s pot has grown steadily. In 2021, the city had $76,065 to distribute. That climbed to $140,450 last year. Members of the North Augusta Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee reviewed

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Dana Lynn McIntyre November 15, 2023 No Comments
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