Click here to hear the podcast with Deke Copenhaver
Augusta Mayor Deke Copenhaver stops by the radio version of the BUZZ to talk to Bill and John about his reflections on 2011, and about what he is looking forward to in 2012.
Click here to hear the podcast with Steven Kendrick
Steven Kendrick, recently named the Augusta Chamber of Commerce “Entrepreneur Of The Year” stops by the radio version of the BUZZ to talk to Bill and John about receiving the award, and about how business is doing.
WRDW 1630AM 12-2PM OR STREAMING LIVE AT WWW.WRDWAM.COM
12:20pm - – Amber Ramp will join us in the studio. She is about to open Levitate! It’ll be at the Fairway Square shopping center at 2835 Washington Road (the old Campbell’s Wallpaper store). Levitate is a small gym atmosphere with big gym options. Rising Above and conquering all that holds us down, Mentally, Spritually, and physically.Levitate offers a variety of classes beginning and ending our day with our indoor cycling classes. With over thirty spinning classes offered a week you are guaranteed to find the perfect one to fit into your daily life.
12:45pm – - (To be announced)
1:20pm – - Neil Gordon, president of the “Buzz on Biz” will join us to share the latest business happenings from his end.
1:45pm – - Jeff Asselin, on-line consultant for PowerServe International, joins us each Monday to do a website, branding, and social media check-up on area businesses. For more info on PowerServe, please visit them online at www.powerserve.net.
A new teacher supply store is coming to Augusta in January on Wrightsboro Rd. It will be located directly behind the Baldino’s restaurant and across from the New Life Christian Center Church.
It will be called AGC Training and Supply. This company currently provides training to daycare workers all over the state of GA. The owners are Herman and Bobbie Lee. Husband and wife.
The Brookings MetroMonitor for the third quarter listed Augusta as one of 20 weakest performing metro areas in the United States, a reversal of fortune for the area that was listed among the top for nearly two years throughout the recession and recovery.
This study looked at job growth, unemployment, GDP, house prices and other indicators to measure economic recovery across the country. With Augusta on the bottom of the list was Atlanta and Columbia, S.C. Cities on the strongest-performing list include Detroit, New Orleans and Dallas.
Howard Wial, economist and fellow with the Washington-based think tank, said it’s not immediately apparent what is keeping Augusta from recovering as quickly as other areas. “It’s hard to tell what the problem is,” he said.
Augusta’s house prices have risen to the national average and the gross metropolitan product is at a good level, but job growth and unemployment are lingering at bad levels.
“Your job growth during the recovery has been extremely slow, and unemployment has gone up,” Wial said.
It is unusual for an area’s GMP to be doing well while job growth is slack, he said, and the study did not discover what is keeping job numbers down.
“Generally the two go together, but that doesn’t seem to be the story here,” he said.
Augusta was on the MetroMonitor report’s 20 strongest-performing metropolitan areas list for two years before being listed on the second-strongest performing list in September’s report. Wial said Augusta’s stable economy is a strength while other areas are struggling, but that same quality makes growth slower during recovery times.
“You weren’t hurt as bad during the recession because of so many government and health care jobs,” he said. “Now that we’re in the recovery, those sectors aren’t growing like others.”
Augusta Mayor Deke Copenhaver said he is working to cultivate a technology sector within Augusta that aren’t so reliant on federal funding.
“We’re heavily reliant on the federal government in many ways, and that doesn’t allow for much growth,” he said. “What was a strength during the recession has become a drag during the recovery.”
Copenhaver said he believes that Augusta has all the necessary ingredients to attract high-tech companies to the area, and those companies are the ones who hire and grow.
“That’s the way we need to be heading,” he said.
20 WEAKEST-PERFORMING METRO AREAS
Atlanta
Augusta
Birmingham, Ala.
Chicago
Colorado Springs, Colo.
Columbia
El Paso, Texas
Fresno, Calif.
Greensboro, N.C.
Harrisburg, Pa.
Honolulu, Hawaii
Jackson, Miss.
Little Rock, Ark.
Memphis, Tenn.
Palm Bay, Fla.
Philadelphia
Portland, Maine
Richmond, Va.
Tucson, Ariz.
Virginia Beach, Va.
Courtesy: Larry Miller Realty
The 2011 CSRA HOME CONNECTIONS Christmas Food Drive is over and the results are in. “The CSRA Home Connections Preferred Providers and the folks at all three offices of CENTURY 21 Larry Miller Realty collected 1,244 pounds of food and $260 in cash, which will help us provide 3,052 meals this holiday season,” reports Ashlee Brewer, Public Information Coordinator at Golden Harvest Food Bank. “We are so happy that Larry Miller and his people decided to select us as the beneficiary of this year’s charitable holiday effort,” adds Mike Firmin, longtime Golden Harvest Food Bank Executive Director. “We – more – 2 deeply appreciate the contributions of media messages, public relations efforts, and the ‘boots on the ground’—the dozens upon dozens of caring citizens from the CSRA HOME CONNECTIONS organization and CENTURY 21 Larry Miller Realty associates who are helping us reach our goal of ‘Feeding Lives Together’ here in the CSRA.”
Golden Harvest Food Bank Special Events Coordinator Carrie Jones and Ms. Brewer coordinated this event for their organization, while CENTURY 21 Larry Miller Realty Marketing Director Lindsey Folley and CSRA HOME CONNECTIONS Director of Membership Develop Sherrie Prince orchestrated the campaign for their respective groups.
CENTURY 21 Larry Miller Realty owner-broker Larry Miller, who also serves as the CEO of the CSRA HOME CONNECTIONS Local Alliance Co-op Marketing Program, is obviously proud of everyone who participated. “We enjoyed complimentary hot chicken ‘n dumplings and iced tea from WifeSaver Restaurants, a delicious cake from Piece of Cake Bakery—one of our Preferred Providers—and a great deal of camaraderie as we wound up this special event,” explains Mr. Miller. “We did indeed have the privilege of helping Golden Harvest Food Bank ‘Nourish Our Neighbors’ by feeding lives together. But the most important accomplishment was making sure that those less-fortunate folks in our community know, without a doubt, that we really care.
And as far as I’m concerned, that’s what Christmas is all about.” ClarionSouth Communications president Bert Dean coordinated media and public relations for the event. Mr. Dean is also the Executive Director of the CSRA Home Connections Local Alliance Co-op Marketing Program.
Click here to hear the podcast with Kevin Wade
Kevin Wade, the CEO of Intellisystems stops by the radio version of the BUZZ for his weekly visit with Bill and John. This week Kevin talks about the issues with Intel, and continues his look at some of the best “gadget gifts” for the holidays.
Click here to hear the podcast with Lori Brittingham
Lori Brittingham from Hissy Fits stops by the radio version of the BUZZ to talk to Bill and John about her new business venture. Hissy Fits is an upper scale children’s consignment shop.
WRDW 1630AM 12-2PM OR STREAMING LIVE AT WWW.WRDWAM.COM
12:20pm – - Tammy Shepherd, President / CEO), Columbia County Chamber of Commerce, will be joining us in the studio to chat about things going on in and with the Columbia County Chamber. www.columbiacountychamber.com
12:45pm – - Stephen Kendrick, from Kendrick Paint and Body will be coming to you to chat his recent award being named the 2011 Entrepreneur of the Year by the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce. www.kendrickbodyshop.com
1:20pm – - Mayor Deke Copenhaver will be joining us over the phone to chat about all things Augusta.
1:30pm –David Jones from the Gerald Jones Dealer Group shares with us what is new on the lot on Washington Road and a “Deal of the Day”
1:45pm – - Many of our listeners have senior citizen parents or are seniors themselves. Kathleen Ernce from the Senior Citizens Council stops in each week to warn folks of scams, share volunteer opportunities, and discuss business opportunities. For more info please visit www.seniorcitizenscouncil.org
Courtesy: Augusta Chronicle
Augusta Ice Sports Center will reopen this season, possibly as early as Friday, according to its Web site.
Answering machines at the center instruct callers to check its Web site, www.augustaicesports.com, for updates.
The future of the skating rink, 1249 Augusta West Parkway, has been in doubt because of financial troubles. Alice Crerar, the widow of former rink owner John Crerar, appealed a trial court’s decision over a disputed $2 million promissory note that her husband signed before his death in 2006.
The note was to refinance a Bank of America loan on the rink, which was purchased in 2001 by BCC Management Group, a company owned by John Crerar and his son, Duncan.
BCC became delinquent on the note in 2007. In June 2011, the South Carolina Court of Appeals ruled in favor of creditor ITC Commercial Funding.