Happy Friday, Augusta. In today’s edition: Holiday Craft and Artisan Market, Home for the Holidays, Very Merry Morris family Sunday, and more. Let’s get to it!

— Cait Baker

📰 In the news

Transparency and tough choices: Mayor Johnson outlined options to close a $7 million 2026 budget gap, weighing layoffs, a 15% tax hike, and an auditor, with city leaders set to try again December 16 — get all the details.

Eight-story launch on hold: Augusta’s planned zip line over the Savannah faces delays as the state Historic Preservation Office reviews adverse effects, despite Army Corps approval. Local commissioners backed the project with a letter — read the full story.

Honoring a legacy with opportunity: Augusta Technical College introduced the Robert Fields Annual Scholarship, created by Adrian Arnold to honor her cousin, to support construction trades students, following a Dec. 5 event announcing it — read the full story.

Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.

Identity theft is up 25%: Last year, Americans lost $12.5 billion to ID theft & fraud, and the stories behind those numbers are brutal. My friend just told me his dad’s on his fourth replacement credit card. Other folks have woken up to empty bank accounts or their personal info dumped online after a breach. Aura catches these kinds of attacks early by monitoring for new accounts, weird money movements, leaked data, and other red flags so you’re alerted before things blow up — learn more about it here.

Highlights this week

• Help maintain Phinizy Swamp Nature Park
• Snap photos and read with Santa
• Holiday opera and dinner in the forest
• Enjoy candlelit Christmas carols on strings
• Families craft creative gingerbread libraries for this festive contest
• This pet insurance plan reimburses up to 90%
• A tiny hearing aid is taking the US by storm

🫶 We got your back

Holiday kindness fills aisles: Earlier this week, doctors and law enforcement helped kids shop for Christmas in twin events: Shop with a Doc in Evans and Shop with a Cop in Aiken. Each served about 150 children, giving burn patients and crash-impacted kids a joyful break from recovery and a chance to just be kids. Read the full story.

Student publications raise the bar: Augusta University’s student-run The Phoenix Magazine and The Bell Ringer scored big at the 2025 Pinnacle College Media Awards in D.C. Senior Sydney Highfield won two first-place cover awards and third for a spread. The Phoenix snagged honorable mention for Literary Magazine of the Year. Recent grad CM Wahl earned nods for investigative work and a documentary. See who was recognized.

Low-key hair glow-up: When the mirror hints it’s time, Studio 285 delivers expert color, seamless extensions, and a signature head spa that dissolves stress. Pop in for a subtle refresh or go all-in for a transformation, then leave with hair that finally got the memo.

Thinning hair? Same: I’ve been shedding a lot, and recently noticed my ponytail feeling thinner. After way too much panic-Googling, I decided to take Hers’ online quiz. They recommended a Biotin + Minoxidil green-apple gummy for regrowth and overall hair health. The whole thing was surprisingly easy: just verify who you are and a licensed provider signs off. Here’s the quiz if you want to check it out.

Makeup that actually works: My sister and I were talking the other day about how the makeup we used in our 20s… just doesn’t work now that we’re in our 30s and 40s. Laura Geller’s entire makeup line addresses this shift, with formulas that smooth, brighten, and actually stay put. If you’re in the same boat, their curated kits are worth a look.

📆 Around town this weekend

All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.

Today

🎤 Teen Movie Sing-A-Long: Anastasia @ Jeff Maxwell Branch Library | Friday (12/12) at 3 pm – Warm up those vocal cords and belt out every nostalgic note as the library screens the classic animated musical Anastasia. Follow the lost princess, dodge a cranky Rasputin, and relive the magic with a room full of fellow fans. Perfect for teens who love a little drama, a little history, and a lot of singing.

🏠 Home For The Holidays @ The Etherredge Center | Friday (12/12) at 7:30pm – Skip the canned carols and hear the annual Home for the Holidays, a symphonic mix of Strauss, Mozart, Vivaldi’s Winter with Associate Concertmaster Holly Workman, and a touch of The Sound of Music. Got kids? The abbreviated matinee adds refreshments, lobby fun, and maybe Santa.

This weekend

🛒 Holiday Craft and Artisan Market @ Back To Nature Garden Center | Saturday (12/13) at 10:00am – Holiday Craft and Artisan Market is taking over Back to Nature with around 40 locals slinging handmade goods, from jewelry and art to small-batch snacks. It’s free, family friendly, and dangerously charming. Come for the gifts, stay to flirt with the goats, and feel virtuous.

👗 Augusta Fashion Week ’25 | Vultures of Culture Fashion Show @ The Warehaus @ King Mill Park | Saturday (12/13) at 5:00pm – Augusta Fashion Week’s official show is swooping in with high drama, local designers, and people watching worth the price of parking. Think bold looks, sharper elbows, and cocktails, all under the banner of Vultures of Culture. Wear black, bring opinions, enjoy the spectacle.

🕵️ Garden City Noir at the Bar @ Le Chat Noir | Saturday (12/13) at 7:00pm – Swap Netflix for the Garden City version of storytime. A crew of crime and lit heavyweights will spin dark tales at Le Chat Noir, it’s free, the bar is open, and you can get books signed, back The Book Tavern, and feel delightfully cultured.

🎃 The Nightmare Before Christmas | Movies at the Miller @ Miller Theater | Sunday (12/14) at 2:00pm – Movie night at the Miller means one thing, a free screening of The Nightmare Before Christmas. The old palace charms, the popcorn squeaks, and the debate lives on, Halloween or Christmas. It’s general admission, so channel your younger self and show up early.

🎨 Artrageous! Family Sunday: Very Merry Morris! @ Morris Museum of Art | Sunday (12/14) at 2:00pm – Round up the crew and swing by the annual Very Merry Morris party, a cheerful craft spree with live music. Paint salt dough gingerbread men, twist pipe cleaners into winter trees, then refuel with cocoa, sweet treats, and nostalgia. Free, obviously.

🏆 A Celebration of Champions @ Hyatt House Augusta | Sunday (12/14) at 6 pm – Honor the legendary 1995 T.W. Josey Eagles as they celebrate 30 years since their flawless 15–0 state championship season. This tribute-packed evening highlights community leaders, former players, and the premiere of The Mighty Eagles documentary. It’s a night built on pride, perseverance, and the kind of history that still echoes through the CSRA.

Next week

🎲 Page Turner BINGO @ Jeff Maxwell Branch Library | Monday (12/15) at 11:00am – Nothing beats yelling bingo among folks who can also argue Austen vs. Atwood. Page Turner BINGO pairs classic cards, prizes like books and library swag, and friendly competition with fellow readers. Low stakes, high laughs, and maybe your TBR pile gets dangerously longer.

🎄 DIY Ornaments @ Friedman Branch Library | Monday (12/15) at 3:30pm – Give your inner kid a field trip and swing by the Friedman Branch Library for DIY Christmas ornaments. They supply the stuff, you bring the creativity, patience, and maybe reading glasses. Leave with tree flair that beats store-bought, and glittery bragging rights.

🐝 Adult Spelling Bee @ Friedman Branch Library | Tuesday (12/16) at 10:00am – Sharpen your wits at an adult spelling bee where you face off with fellow patrons, and yes, the librarians. Dust off those Scrabble skills, revel in some good-natured rivalry, and earn bragging rights, smug satisfaction, and maybe overdue respect.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🎶 Live music & entertainment

• 12/12 Bryan Bielanski @ Highlander – 10 pm
• 12/13 Bike Night @ Garden City Cycles – 6 pm
• 12/14 I’ll Be Home for Christmas @ The Etherredge Center – 3 pm
• 12/15 Eyehategod and more @ Grantski Records – 6:30 pm
• 12/17 Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland @ Miller Theater – 5 pm
• 12/19 Praise with the Stars Christmas Tour @ Transforming Lives Bible Church – 7 pm
• 12/19 The Dinner Detective @ The River Golf Club – 7 pm
• 12/20 Candlelight (Queen tribute) @ Sacred Heart Cultural Center – 6:30 pm
• 12/20 A Very Funky Christmas! @ Le Chat Noir – 7 pm

🏠️ Price is right – Augusta edition

How it works: We’re going to give you some facts about a home for sale, including a picture of the outside, the kitchen, and one additional room. Your job? Guess how much it’s listed for (preferably before you click to find out).

Listed by: Joshua Scelsi (EXP Realty, LLC)

Less than a mile from the Masters gate, this luxury two-story townhouse offers 3 beds, 2.5 baths, hardwood floors, and a modern kitchen with stainless appliances. The main level opens to a fenced backyard with a rose garden, plus a two-car garage.

Upstairs features all bedrooms and a large loft, and a primary suite with soaking tub, walk-in shower, private water closet, double vanity, and a walk-in closet. Quiet, low maintenance community with a private dog park, minutes to I-20, shopping, and dining. Fully furnished with proven Masters rental history, ready for short-term rental or easy ownership.

Make your guess, then (and only then)… see how much it costs →