Congratualtions to the following that are celebrating a business anniversary:

Connie Ward celebrating her 25th anniversary in business as owner of Ward Realty!

Connie Ward has been a Real Estate Professional for over 30 years.  After starting in real estate in California, she worked in the Midwest and now permanently resides in Augusta Georgia.  She has owned her own Real Estate company for 25 years.  “My goal every day is to satisfy the needs of my clients – banks, asset managers, buyers, and sellers – promptly and efficiently.”

Please visit her website at:  www.wardrealtyllc.com or call her at: 706-869-7313

Fleet Feet of North Augusta owned by Michael McCauley is celebrating their 2nd anniversary!!

Fleet Feet Sports is dedicated to ensuring that runners and walkers of all abilities are fit with the proper footwear and technical apparel to meet their individual needs.

Michael is a graduate of Gardner-Webb University. He ran cross-country and track while studying International business and French. Michael and successfully co-owned and operated Fleet Feet Sports in Greenville for 3 years.  Michael is currently training for some half marathons in 2011 and maybe a return to marathoning in 2012.  He recently married in March of 2011 and is enjoying married life!

Fleet Feet of North Augusta is located at 616 Edgefield Rd # 180.  For more information, please visit their website at: www.fleetfeetnaugusta.com or call them at: 803-426-1474

In May, the Augusta LEI decreased 0.7% percent from April. The index is up 4.0% from May 2010.

Sources of strength this month included residential housing permits, unemployment insurance claims and job openings.

Two hundred and eighteen (218) residential permits were issued for the Augusta MSA, the highest number for the month of May since 2006, before the housing market collapse.

While initial unemployment insurance claims were higher, they were not up as much as normal for May. Job openings for the South, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, were also up from a revised lower April figure.

The index is down overall because it is a three month moving average which means February’s data, which was good, dropped out of the index. The index uses a three month moving average to smooth out the volatile nature of many local indicators.

WRDW 1630AM 12-2PM OR STREAMING LIVE AT WWW.WRDWAM.COM

12:20pm – – Regina Manimalethu from Kumon Learning Centers joins the Boyz in the studio.  She is opening a new center in the Columbia Towne Center next to the Anytime Fitness. Here daughter, Reena Thomas owns the current Kumon located at 502 Fury’s Ferry Road in the Bi-Lo shopping complex and has been operating now for 3 years.  For more information on Kumon, please visit the website at: www.kumon.com, or call the Fury’s Ferry location at: (706) 993-2232

12:30pm – – Each day at this time we welcome in a staffing professional from either the Augusta or Aiken branch of Job Shop or Augusta/Aiken Staffing.  They’ll share tips on hiring/getting hired and give us the Job Shop’s “Job ff The Day”  For more info, please visit: www.jobshopstaffing.com

12:45pm – – Our weekly travel segment with Margaret Centers of www.margaretstravel.com focuses on unique and exciting places for companies and individuals to travel to. She is also booking the “Buzz on Biz” Cruise in mid-March of 2012.  For info on the cruise call Bob Centers at 706.830.2500. To reach Margaret Centers , call 706.396.3769

1:20pm - – Joseph Levy will join us in the studio.  Levy is the president of Bell Ranger Outdoor Apparel and is located at 1538 Crescent Drive in Augusta.

1:45pm – – Savannah Lakes Village and Golf Head Pro, Sam Adams,  joins the Boyz to discuss the sport and business of golf. No holds barred with avid golfers Sam, John, and Bill.  He’ll also share specials that are available at www.playthelake.com on either the Tara or Monticello courses. For more info call 1-800-332-0013

Local business owner, Molly Meek, of Neapolitan Cupcake & Gift Shoppe has announced (via a recent posting on her business Facebook page) that the biz will be expanding and opening  its second shop in Aiken, SC this September.  They will be located downtown Aiken at 126 Laurens Street, NW.   Until they open, they will be offering FREE delivery to Aiken on all orders of $50+ and 15% off in-store for all customers with an Aiken zip code.

Neapolitan Cupcake & Gift Shoppe is the only bakery in the Augusta area to exclusively offer gourmet cupcakes.  They are located on the corner of Washington and Pleasant Home Road in Le Pavilion shopping plaza.  They bake deliciously sweet cupcakes, brew Jittery Joe’s fresh roasted coffee and offer a unique selection of gifts and accessories.

In addition, they design cupcake towers for weddings and events, as well as custom design cupcakes for birthday parties and other special occasions.  For more information, please call Molly Meek at 706-814-8959 or visit them on the web at: www.neapolitangifts.com

Molly Meek is the founder and CEO of M.C. Meek Boutiques, LLC, which currently owns and operates Neapolitan Sweet Treats for the Home & Body, Creme de la Creme Dessert & Candy Tablescapes and the recently created Neapolitan Cupcake Shoppe.

The Bryton Entertainment team, and the HBA Group, Intl.,  has arranged for WJBF Channel 6 to air the documentary film, Graniteville: Past, Present, Future. This compelling documentary about the tragic train wreck in Graniteville, South Carolina back in January of 2005, recently debuted at the Imperial Theater in Downtown Augusta, and the support has been outstanding.

Channel 6 has agreed to air the documentary twice – once during Saturday prime time, and again mid-week (dates to be announced for July and August airing).  There are a few :30 second commercial spots available and are a great opportunity for business exposure.  Because of time restraints, commercial spots would need to be already produced.  Each :30 second commercial with be shown twice and the cost is $300 for the sponsorship.

For those who may be interested, please contact Helen Blocker-Adams at: hba@hbagroup-intl.com

“Don Bailey has worked with our company for over 20 years in many different jobs and served as the president of The Chronicle since 2004. He has grown in skill and ability and has done outstanding work in each job,” said Chronicle Publisher and Morris Communications Chairman William S. Morris III. “We wish him well.”
Bailey is active in various community roles, including the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce, Augusta Exchange Club and Augusta Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, which he serves as vice chairman.
He arrived in Augusta in 1992 as The Chronicle’s classified advertising director.
He left in 1996 to become the advertising director at the Savannah Morning News and returned in 2002 as The Chronicle’s general manager.
“I have enjoyed my relationship with the Morris family over the past 20 years. This company has given me the unique opportunity to learn thoroughly the multimedia industry, to enhance my leadership skills, and to serve the Augusta community,” Bailey said. “I wish the Morrises continued success in future endeavors.”
The president oversees The Chronicle’s daily operations and a portfolio of news and information online and in print, including Augusta Magazine and several weekly newspapers in South Carolina and Georgia.  Don Bailey became the president of The Augusta Chronicle in 2004.

Borders, unable to find a buyer willing to get it out of bankruptcy, plans to close its remaining 399 stores and go out of business by the end of September.

“Following the best efforts of all parties, we are saddened by this development,” Borders Group President Mike Edwards said in a written statement late Monday. “We were all working hard towards a different outcome, but the headwinds we have been facing for quite some time, including the rapidly changing book industry, eReader revolution, and turbulent economy, have brought us to where we are now.”

The nation’s second-largest bookseller, which employs about 10,700 employees, said it will begin liquidating stores as early as Friday. The only two bidders for the company were two liquidation firms, Hilco Merchant Resources and Gordon Brothers Group.

Borders said it would ask the court Thursday to approve the bid by the companies to purchase Borders’ assets and administer the liquidation process.

The move came after a bid fell through from private-equity firm Najafi Cos. that could have kept the chain operating. Creditors and landlords said liquidation was a better deal.

Borders Group, which helped pioneer the big-box bookseller concept, once operated more than 1,200 stores, including some under the Waldenbooks name. It was already down to about 600 locations when it filed for bankruptcy protection in February and announced the closure of another 228 stores.

Simba Information senior trade analyst Michael Norris, speaking before the official announcment, said the end of Borders would be a “sad day in book publishing’s history and will do severe and lasting damage to the industry’s ecosystem.”

“There are so many people who buy a small number of books in a given year that the absence of a nearby store that they like can really curb how much they buy,” he said. “They won’t go to another store or online like flicking a switch.”

The disappearance of Borders likely will hurt e-book sales as well, since some e-book readers visit bookstores to see what books they might like to read before buying the electronic version, Norris added.

Owners of the Kobo e-reader will still be able use Kobo software to buy and read books. And Kobo officials said users of Borders e-book accounts, which began transitioning to Kobo in June, will be able to access their e-books uninterrupted.

Borders was slow to adapt to the changing industry and lost book, music and video sales to the Internet and other competition. Sales began to fall, leading to a revolving door of CEOs. By the time Borders’ current CEO, financier Bennett LeBow, came aboard in May 2010 after investing $25 million in the company, bankruptcy was already looking like a strong possibility.

WRDW 1630AM 12-2PM OR STREAMING LIVE AT WWW.WRDWAM.COM

12:20pm – - Aaron Clements from C&C Automotive will join you in the studio to chat about their new 2nd location.

Visit them on the web at: www.ccautomotive.com

12:30pm – - Each day at this time we welcome in a staffing professional from either the Augusta or Aiken branch of Job Shop or Augusta/Aiken Staffing. They’ll share tips on hiring/getting hired and give us the Job Shop’s “Job of the Day”.  Visit them on the web at: www.jobshopstaffing.com

12:45pm – - Kimberly Lee will join you in the studio to chat about “A Touch of Elegance” - a new salon at 2541 D Peach Orchard Road.  For more more information, visit their website at: www.atouchofelegance.org

1:20pm – - Helen McVicker, President of  “When Help Can’t Wait” will join you over the phone to chat about her fundraiser coming up on Friday and Saturday.
Fund Raiser Details:
“Women’s Boutique”
Offering Women’s clothes for work and play. Previously loved and new.  Designer labels, shoes, accessories, and purses.
When: Friday and Saturday, July 22nd & 23rd / 1:00 am ’til 4:00 pm both days
Where: WHCW Offices / 3822 Commercial Court – Ste D
Martinez, GA
Relaxed, Quiet, Cool shopping experience with all proceeds benefiting our Nursing Home Residents.  Prices are the BEST anywhere!!
For more info call: 706-855-0715 or visit their website at: www.whenhelpcantwait.com

1:30pm – - Shepeard Community Blood Center PR and Marketing folks like Linda Petersen and Shannon Jones help our listeners understand the need for blood donations and shares a variety of special blood drives and special events.  Please visit their website at: www.shepeardblood.org or call them at: 706.737.4551

1:45pm – - We welcome a different member of the Augusta Technical College staff to help our listeners look for some new training options or to plan a new future with studies that will yield a new career.  Today”s guest will be Bonita Jenkins who will discuss registration for the first  semester that starts today!  For more information, log on to www.augustatech.edu

“Ready.Set.Relaxx” is a new day spa and tanning salon that will be having their Grand Opening, Monday, July 25th in Louisville, Georgia.

They offer 30, 60 and 90 minute massage sessions in Swedish, Myofacial, Deep Tissue, Pre-Natal and Aromatherapy, as well as four  commercial Wolff tanning units.  They are also the only one of their kind in all of Jefferson County!

The business is located at 117 West Broad Street in Louisville, Ga.

For more information, contact Krystina Morris at 478-625-8855 or visit their website at:

ready-set-relaxx.massagetherapy.com

MAU Workforce Solutions will hold a job fair Wednesday, July 2oth,  to fill more than 45 openings at local industrial sites. The positions will pay up to $15 per hour.

The job fair will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Jameson Suites, 1062 Claussen Road. Attendees will be interviewed on a first-come, first-served basis. A variety of shift models and shift schedules are available.

MAU is seeking applicants to fill the following positions:

Aiken: machine operators, diesel mechanics, quality techs

Augusta: slab plumber, warehouse tech/stand-up forklift

Beech Island: stackers/packers

North Augusta: MIG flux core welders (welding students)

Applicants must submit to a background check and drug screening.