Make sure you're signed up for the next Augusta Digest Dinner Club!
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If you have no idea what the event I’m talking about is:
We pair tables of 6 strangers together at a great local restaurant as a way to meet new people in the city specifically tailored to your vibe.
How it works:
Take a short personality quiz
Get matched with 5 compatible guests
We pick the restaurant, handle the details, and provide conversation starters
You just show up.
NEXT DATE: Tuesday, November 3rd at 6:30 PM
If you've been craving conversations with substance (the kind that remind you why community matters) then this is for you. If you want to reserve your limited spot (or read about it more), just click below:
In today's Digest:
🏫 Columbia County school board moves data center tax relief forward, 4-0
🏠 Waitlist opens for 47 vouchers at The Villages at Meadowbrook
🔑 Merry Street village opens Oct. 14 for young adults leaving foster care
🚧 Seventh Street closes between Broad and Reynolds through Oct. 31
🏛️ Augusta's zoning rewrite gets a public hearing Oct. 21
🥖 French Bistro Fare in North Augusta's Hammond's Ferry
At 505 Railroad Avenue in Hammond's Ferry, Manuel's Bread Café serves French bistro fare for lunch and dinner, plus Sunday brunch. It also opens for breakfast on Fridays and Saturdays.
Chef Manuel Verney-Carron says the kitchen brings herbs and vegetables in from its garden. A recent lunch board listed French onion soup and a sweet apple chicken salad sandwich.
Read more here.
Thank you to our local sponsors who help make this publication possible!
🏫 School board moves data center tax relief forward
The Gist: Columbia County's school board voted 4-0, with Katie Allen abstaining, to keep developing a plan to return Google data center revenue to homeowners through school property tax relief. The board did not approve a tax cut or final legislation.
Why It Matters: The school levy makes up more than half of a Columbia County property tax bill; relief on that portion would reach beyond the county tax measure on November's ballot.
What's Next: The district will work on proposed state legislation; Rep. Gary Richardson was mentioned as a possible advocate.
Read more here.
🏠 Waitlist opens for 47 Meadowbrook housing vouchers
The Gist: The Augusta Housing Authority opened the project-based voucher waitlist for The Villages at Meadowbrook on Deans Bridge Road. The newly built complex has 47 vouchers for one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments.
Why It Matters: People can apply for these South Augusta apartments while the authority's general Housing Choice Voucher waitlist remains closed.
What's Next: Apply online at augusta.myhousing.com by January 31, 2027.
Read more here.
🔑 Merry Street tiny-home village opens Oct. 14
The Gist: Bridge Builder Communities scheduled an October 14 opening for its tiny-home village on Merry Street, built for young adults aging out of foster care. Families 4 Families says 725 children are in foster care across the CSRA counties it serves.
Why It Matters: In Richmond and Columbia counties alone, more than 430 children are in foster care, and fewer than 100 foster families are available, according to Families 4 Families area director Eric Lairsey.
What's Next: Families 4 Families and Bridge Builder Communities are asking people interested in fostering, volunteering, or life-skills training to contact them.
Read more here.
🚧 Seventh Street closes for Broad Street drainage work
The Gist: Seventh Street between Broad and Reynolds closed to through traffic October 14 for drainage installation and exploratory work tied to the Broad Street project.
Why It Matters: Drivers need another route through downtown, but customers can still reach businesses on the block from Reynolds Street.
What's Next: The city expects this closure to end by October 31.
Read more here.
🏛️ Augusta sets October 21st hearing on zoning rewrite
The Gist: The Augusta Planning Commission will review a proposed overhaul of zoning rules and take public comment. The draft changes zoning districts, permitted uses and development standards across Augusta-Richmond County, excluding Hephzibah and Blythe.
Why It Matters: The rules would affect what property owners can build, and which projects need special approval across much of the county.
What's Next: The hearing is at 2 p.m. October 21 in the Municipal Building, 535 Telfair St. Anyone wishing to speak must disclose campaign contributions to Planning and Development five days beforehand.
Read more here.
Thank you to our local sponsors who help make this publication possible!
🏃 TROT or TREAT Family Fall Festival | Gateway Park | Grovetown | Saturday, Oct. 17, 9 a.m.-noon | More
The costumed fun run starts at 9 a.m.; trunk-or-treat opens at 10 a.m.
🎪 Columbia County Fall Thing | Evans Towne Center Park | Evans | Saturday, Oct. 17, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | More
Free rides, inflatables, face painting and candy for toddlers through fifth graders.
🍂 Augusta GICH Fall Festival & Resource Fair | Carrie J. Mays Family Life Center | Augusta | Saturday, Oct. 17, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | More
Turpin Hill's community resource fair takes place at the Carrie J. Mays center.
🎃 BlueSprig Fall Festival | BlueSprig Augusta | Augusta | Saturday, Oct. 17, noon-2 p.m. | More
A sensory-friendly afternoon with trunk-or-treat, a petting zoo and a fire truck.
👻 Casper | Movies at the Miller | Miller Theater | Augusta | Sunday, Oct. 18, 2 p.m.; doors 1 p.m. | More
The free Casper screening has general-admission seating; reserve tickets ahead.
🍖 AU Brew-N-Que | D. Douglas Barnard, Jr. Amphitheatre | Augusta | Friday, Oct. 16, 5:30-8 p.m. | More
Sconyers Bar-B-Que, Bell Tower Blonde Ale and the Brandon Henson Trio fund scholarships.
🎸 Rock for Rescue | Sharon Jones Riverfront Amphitheater | North Augusta | Friday, Oct. 16, 6:30-9 p.m. | More
The free Johnathan Wilson Band concert supports North Augusta Pound Dogs.
🎤 Jay Leno | Bell Auditorium | Augusta | Saturday, Oct. 17, 8 p.m.; doors 7 p.m. | More
The former Tonight Show host brings his stand-up act to the Bell.
🎭 Karlous Miller and Friends | Miller Theater | Augusta | Saturday, Oct. 17, 8 p.m.; doors 7 p.m. | More
Karlous Miller performs stand-up with Nod Ross and Spencer Neal.
💼 Women in Business Signature Event | Bell Auditorium | Augusta | Wednesday, Oct. 21, 6-9 p.m. | More
Georgia Power CEO Kimberly S. Greene speaks at the Augusta Metro Chamber event.
If you want to read any of our previous issues, check them out HERE on our website.
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