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Awards

CSRA “C” Store Owner wins national award in midst of legal battles

Greg Parker, owner of several CSRA Parkers Kitchen stores and more than 100 regional stores, just won a national industry award. At the same time, he’s involved in several legal issues related to the Murdaugh family in the Low Country of South Carolina. Earlier in December, Parker was in Austin, Texas, to accept the 2025 Retailer Executive of the Year award by Convenience Store News. The award coincided with Parkers Kitchen’s 50th year in business, while surpassing 100 stores in Georgia and South Carolina. Parker is routinely lauded for his

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B2B Stories

A look back and ahead for economic growth

ABD spoke with the leaders of the Richmond, Columbia, and Burke County economic development offices, as well as Western SC and the SRS Community Reuse Organization (SRSCRO), about their favorite accomplishments of the past 12 months and what is anticipated in the next 12. At the Augusta Economic Development Authority (AEDA), President and CEO Cal Wray said supporting the county’s existing industries topped his list. “With all of the tariff conversation and uncertainty, with the administration change and with politics, and with this last excise tax that the Commission looked at

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Consumer Stories

Simon Says: Job Outlook

In the first local economic news release since September 19th, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that employment in the Augusta Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) rose in September from August. The largest gains were seen in leisure and hospitality, up 500. Employment in this sector now stands at a seasonally adjusted 28,715, a record high for Augusta. Education and health services employment increased by 250, and government employment increased by 175. In the government sector, federal jobs continued to decline and are down 500 since February. Local government jobs

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Consumer Stories

Five-star awards for Doctors Hospital

AUGUSTA (12/22/2025): Doctors Hospital today announced it has earned fourteen specialty care honors from Healthgrades, the #1 site Americans use when searching for a doctor or hospital. These distinctions reflect Doctors Hospital’s ongoing commitment to delivering high-quality, patient-centered care across a broad range of clinical specialties. Among its 2026 recognitions, Doctors Hospital earned one Specialty Excellence Award, placing the hospital among the top 10% nationwide for Surgical Care. The hospital also received five-star ratings for seven services, including Cardiac, Orthopedics, Vascular, Gastrointestinal, Critical Care, Surgical Care, and Outpatient Services. 2026

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B2B Stories

Chamber leaders reflect on past and plan for the future

ABD spoke with the leaders of the Richmond, Columbia, and Burke County Chambers of Commerce, as well as those in Aiken and North Augusta. They looked at accomplishments in 2025 and set their sights on 2026. At the region’s largest Chamber of Commerce, Angie Cox, President and CEO of the Augusta Metro Chamber, said 2025 kicked off with a fresh start after recovering from Hurricane Helene. “I think a reenergized approach to engage our members, and we tweaked some programming,” she said. “We were able to change some timing on

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B2B Stories

Construction underway for training facility at SRS

The first phase of construction of a non-nuclear operations training facility has started at the Savannah River Site (SRS). A news release from Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) said the High-Fidelity Training and Operations Center (HFTOC) is a component of the plutonium pit production mission on-site. “The SRPPF Project team has now started work to transform the existing HFTOC building into a key asset for the pit production mission. SRNS is collaborating with NNSA and our partners as we work with a sense of urgency to deliver on this national

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B2B Stories

Veterans’ cemetery in Augusta is closer to reality

Just a week before Christmas, the Georgia Department of Veterans Service (GDVS) announced a significant milestone in the decades-long effort to create a state veterans cemetery in Augusta, since the closest one is (pictured) in Milledgeville. A news release from GDVS has learned from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that there is now an opportunity for grant funding to support building a state veterans cemetery near Gracewood State School and Hospital. “Augusta has applied before, but we were too far down the priority list for the available funding

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B2B Stories

Cuts to major tourism engine in Augusta

Publisher’s Note: As part of the City of Augusta’s $21 million shortfall, non-profits are expected to lose discretionary funding in 2026. For Arts in the Heart, ABD’s learned it will mean the loss of $85,000 used to pay for security fees like sheriff’s department officers. The following is a guest column from M. Denise Tucker, Executive Director. While my priority is to get to work, find solutions, stabilize services, and support the communities that will feel the impact of the City’s decision, as Director of the Arts Council, I could

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B2B Stories

Updated Plan: How H20 use is affecting CSRA Economic Development

One of the highest-ranking leaders in the two-state area just released the updated state water and plan. The purpose is the long-term protection of water resources to keep the dollars flowing for decades to come. A former Augusta Mayor also reflected on similar issues from more than 20 years ago. SC Governor Henry McMaster was flanked by South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) Director Myra Reece and Rob Devlin, SCDES Assistant Chief of the Bureau of Water. They were joined by Rep. Bill Hixon (R-District 83 encompassing parts of

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Consumer Stories

New Hair Salon in Evans

Folks inside of about 23,000 cars per day will have a chance to grab a quick haircut soon as they drive by the corner of Furys Ferry Road and Evans to Locks Road. Great Clips is opening its 3rd location, that is within 10-15 minutes of the other two locations in Evans. This one will be in the Villages at Furys Ferry to the left of the newly remodeled Neighborhood Walmart, https://augustabusinessdaily.com/grand-re-opening-of-34000-square-foot-walmart-completes-remodel-of-martinez-store/?doing_wp_cron=1765651525.4494230747222900390625. Great Clips has been increasing its social media presence in the last several months to offer $9.99 haircuts

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