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Mailchimp CEO and co-founder, Ben Chestnut is a native Augustan who stopped by recently to deliver a talk to Augusta University students and faculty-centered on innovation. Thanks to the AU Communications department—here is a 3-minute clip of some of the highlights.

Ed Felton has worked for Southern Industries for 35 years, but he will soon take on a new role with the company: co-owner. Southern Industries owns several other companies, including Southern Siding & Window Company. Felton currently serves as vice president of operations for one of those companies – Southern Wholesale, Inc. – located at 1823 Gordon Highway in Augusta. The company sells building materials, such as siding and windows, primarily to homeowners and contractors. He, along with Corporate Manager Fran Felton and President Derek Thexton, is buying Southern Industries

A longtime Augusta businessman is retiring and selling his company to his president and two family members, after a 2021 deal fell through with a private equity firm. ABD has learned Jim Felton – founder and Chief Executive Officer of Southern Industries – is turning his home remodeling company over to his son Ed Felton, Vice President of Operations for Southern Wholesale with 35 years’ experience; his niece Fran Felton, Corporate Manager with 29 years’ experience; and President Derek Thexton with 14 years working for Mr. Felton. Founded in 1967,

We won’t know how the Omicron variant affects employment in the Augusta area until March 18th, when the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases the data for January. Unfortunately, government statistics, particularly at the local level, lag real activity by several weeks if not months. This makes their use for business planning less useful. Fortunately, several organizations have started to produce real time data during the pandemic that provides useful information. For example, Google releases COVID-19 Community Mobility Reports for counties, based on information gathered from products such as Google Maps.

Editor’s Note: This story is an update to a story ABD brought you about a dine-and-dash incident that occurred at Taqueria El Rey – a local Mexican restaurant – on Tuesday, Jan. 18. Two female diners left the restaurant without paying their $55 bill, even after a video posted on Facebook showed they were chased to the parking lot by an employee. ABD has learned the identity of the second suspect in the Columbia County dine-and-dash case. According to Maj. Steve Morris with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect’s

An alleged dine-and-dash incident at a local Mexican restaurant landed one woman in jail for free-loading on the main course, but this story has a sweeter ending. According to The Jail Report www.augustacrime.com, Chondrea Mayfield (see photo above story), of Grovetown, was arrested on Thursday, Jan. 20 for theft of services for allegedly leaving a restaurant without paying her bill. Mayfield – a drill instructor at Fort Gordon – will be required to appear in court to answer to the misdemeanor charge. The next day, Ramiro Galvan – owner of