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Consumer Stories

Business owner wants to feed you Super Bowl Sunday

A few hours before this weekend’s big game, Kurt Mueller will participate in a fundraiser for a cause that affects him on a personal level. Mueller, a certified financial planner with Apollon Wealth Management in Augusta, and his competition barbecue team, Atomic City Smokers will be at Aquinas High School from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. for Smokin’ Butts for LLS on Super Bowl Sunday to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. He’s currently selling Boston butts, which will feed 12-15 people, for $50 each. His brother, Aleki Fualau, who’s

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B2B Stories

Business leaders honored at Columbia County Chamber annual banquet

Alison Couch’s Harlem accounting firm just won a major award, but she doesn’t take all the credit. Couch, a new Columbia County commissioner, owns Ignite Accounting & Business Advisors (formerly Couch Consulting, LLC). Her firm was named the 2022 Small Business of the Year by the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce at its annual banquet, Thursday evening. “Winning the Chamber’s Small Business of the Year Award is one of the greatest honors of my life,” she said. “I hope it highlights the hard work of my team members; their dedication

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B2B Stories

Tracking Aurubis’ progress

As ABD has reported, the addition of Aurubis, one of the world’s largest state-of-the-art multi-metal recycling facilities to Augusta is a boon for the local economy. At a recent panel discussion hosted by ABD, Cal Wray, President of the Augusta Economic Development Authority, addressed the company’s investment, the largest single investment by a German company in the state, and the creation of up to 1,000 jobs with a 1 Billion dollar impact. Aurubis’ promise of sustainable development and raw material security will also play a role in expanding Georgia’s electromobility

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Consumer Stories

Harlem ice cream shop to host fundraiser for injured boy

Mark Whitaker’s daughter knows Justin Gilstrap, the 11-year-old Grovetown boy who was severely injured by three pit bulls last month, which is why one of his Harlem businesses is holding a fundraiser to benefit Gilstrap and his family. Whitaker owns Main Street Treats, a family ice cream shop located at 170 North Louisville St. The shop will host Scoops for Justin today from 3:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. He said the business will donate at least 10 percent of its proceeds from that fundraiser to the family. “My daughter is

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Housing/Construction Industry

North Augusta woman lands first federal construction job

Some CSRA businesses are dominated by women, like education, childcare and employment services, nursing, and social services. Construction is not one of the industries where you typically find women in charge. Don’t tell that to Debra Pearson. She started G & P Construction in 2015 and can wear all the hats in day-to-day operations, from operating heavy equipment to demolition. “It’s not easy for a woman in this business. I’ll be honest it’s been a struggle. Many jobs already have a contractor and it’s usually a man. Even though I’ve been

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B2B Stories

Evans restaurateurs to launch second location with drive-thru in Augusta

Wilkes Goolsby and his family are expanding their local restaurant by opening a second location, but for him, the most exciting part of the expansion is having a drive-thru. Goolsby, along with his mom and sister, own Goolsby’s located at 4460 Washington Road, Suite 9 across the street from the Evans Walmart. Founded in 2005, the eatery serves a variety of Southern favorites, including fried chicken, sliced ham, and barbecue ribs. The new location will be at 3122 Wrightsboro Road, across the street from Forest Hills Golf Club in Augusta.

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Closings

Food prep entrepreneur announces closing of her Martinez business

After six years, Onnie Sanford is closing her food preparation business, but her shared kitchen space isn’t going anywhere. On Wednesday, Sanford, owner of OPP Kitchen located at 359 Furys Ferry Road in Martinez, announced in a Facebook video that she has decided to close Paleo Num Yums, which offers a variety of healthy, high-protein/low-carb meals. She has accepted a job offer from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Sanford said this weekend will be customers’ last chance to pre-order meals, and Tuesday will be Paleo’s last pick-up day. She’s currently

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Financial/Investing

JA returns to Augusta with new business model

Some Savannah middle school students aren’t even teenagers yet, but they’re already married with children, jobs, and bills. While that may sound impossible, it’s all part of the JA Discovery Center, which is housed on Georgia Southern University’s Armstrong Campus. Yesterday, nearly 30 local educators, school representatives, business leaders, and nonprofit directors traveled from Evans to Savannah to tour the city’s JA Discovery Center, which offers programs for sixth, seventh and eighth-grade students. As part of the tour, they were able to observe students participating in JA Finance Park, which

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B2B Stories

Simon Says: LEI heading in wrong direction

What a difference one month makes in economic data. In my economic forecast for 2023 which I gave in December, four of the five indicators in the Augusta Leading Economic Index (LEI) saw improvements in the October data. In the November data, three indicators moved in a positive direction, but two indicators saw big adverse movements. Inflation in the south fell by 0.1 percent in the month to November but remains at 7.7% on an annual basis. The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased to the end of November at over

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Consumer Stories

Local businesses continue to raise funds for injured Columbia County boy

The family of Justin Gilstrap has already received more than $2,700 in donations, thanks to a team of local businesses. But the fundraiser isn’t over yet, according to Michelle Finn, co-owner of Sol Himalayan Salt Cave & Spa in Evans. On Thursday, Sol and several other businesses, including The Herbal Soap Co. and The Salty Beaver Fine Bath Products, held a fundraiser for the 11-year-old boy, who has undergone multiple surgeries after being attacked by pit bulls earlier this month. Finn said the family visited Sol to pick up the

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