Good morning, Augusta! In today’s edition: Massive data center plan, $50 million children’s hospital donation, axe throwing tournament, and more. Let’s get to it!

— Cait Baker

🏆 Most popular this week

Curated by popular demand — here are this week’s most-clicked events, local spots, and stories.

New venues, roads, and jobs: Augusta wrapped 2025 with major progress. Beacon Bluff is finished, the I-20 project is set to open this year, and Wellstar Hospital is about 85% complete — get all the project details.

Major build faces questions: Plans for a proposed Augusta data center have doubled, with a new developer seeking six two-story buildings the size of two Augusta Malls, raising questions about jobs and water use — get all the details.

Half-penny project gains steam: Construction on Augusta Arena is moving ahead downtown, with crews building suites and upper concourses, as Broad Street businesses anticipate a venue with over 10,000 seats to revitalize the area — get the latest construction update.

New era for kids’ care: $50 million from Paychex founder Tom Golisano will rename Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia and fund a pediatric cardiac intensive care unit, as it joins a 12-hospital alliance — get all the details.

Holiday lifeline for neighbors: Project Refresh held its largest giveaway at May Park, distributing 1,000 meals, toys, and bikes during its monthly shower day. The next event will take place Jan. 11 — get all the details.

Small business big heart: Augusta’s Orange Hand Vintage gave away toys despite a delayed holiday opening and helped pay bills. The shop is expected to open in late January or early February — learn about their efforts.

Are you overpaying? The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. I was paying over $300 for ONE car until I checked out various quotes, switched providers, and ultimately cut my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably losing money too — this free comparison tool makes it easy.

Gold & silver are hot: Gold just had it’s best year since 1979. Silver did even better, climbing nearly 150% in 2025… and analysts expect the momentum to continue. If you’re curious about adding precious metals to your portfolio as a market hedge, American Hartford has a helpful guide that covers everything you need to know. It’s free — and definitely worth a read.

A new haircare solution: My hair’s been thinning and I’ve been quietly ignoring it, hoping it’ll fix itself. Plot twist… it hasn’t. When I finally started looking into what I should do, there were so many options I didn’t know where to start. I stumbled on Keranique, and its simplicity really sold me. One kit, no pills, no choosing products, and no confusion whatsoever. It’s also on sale with a money-back guarantee (although I doubt you’ll need it).

📆 Sneak peek at next week

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🍕 Community Night @ Grovetown YMCA | Monday (1/12) at 5:00 PM – January 12 is cheat night with a conscience at Your Pie Grovetown, where a slice supports the Grovetown YMCA Steiner Branch. Dine in, carry out, or order online, and call it community service. Every pie fuels their youth programs and your sanity.

⛳ Pints & Puts @ Savannah River Brewing Co. | Monday (1/12) at 6:00 PM – Beer and putting, minus the membership fees. Savannah River Brewing’s Pints & Puts lets you sink a few between sips, talk smack with friends, and pretend your short game is back, all with a fresh pint, and zero clubhouse dress code.

🎉 Solé Spirit Night @ Solé | Tuesday (1/13) at 4:00 PM – Skip cooking, support Belvedere, and call it philanthropy with a fork. Head to Solé, tell your server you’re there for Belvedere, and 10% goes back to the school. Finally, a fundraiser where seconds, dessert, and an extra glass are encouraged.

🎤 Redd & The Paper Flowers @ Soul Bar | Tuesday (1/13) at 6:30 PM – Slide into Soul Bar for Redd & The Paper Flowers, making their first Augusta stop. Appalachian soul, tight harmonies, and a tidy crowd, help them hit that 20, hear the words, and still get home at a decent hour.

🪓 Masters of Axes: 4th Annual Tournament @ Broad Axe Throwing | Friday (1/16) at 10:00 AM – Augusta’s three-day Masters of Axes is back at Broad Axe Throwing on Broad Street with hatchet, big axe, duals, and now knives, because why not. Whether you’re chasing points or love that thud, watch someone earn the plaid jacket, bragging rights, and custom hardware.

🛍 Inside Market @ Bargain Merchandise | Friday (1/16) at 11:00 AM – If you like your bargains with a side of common sense, Inside Market is now at King Mill, bay 1H. Better digs mean better deals, quality goods for wholesalers and civilians alike, and aisles wide enough for your cart and your dignity.

🧸 Gabby’s Dollhouse Live @ Columbia County Performing Arts Center | Friday (1/16) at 6:00 PM – Gabby’s Dollhouse Live turns your kid’s binge into a stage adventure, with puppets, songs you know by osmosis, and a rainbow rescue across Cat-O-Sphere and Mermaid-Lantis after CatRat breaks it. Not the TV actors, but the magic, music, and earwormy favorites absolutely are.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

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📻 Augusta report

Weather forecast

Today – High: 79°F – Low: 49°F – Precip: 40%

Patchy fog between 7am and 9am, then a chance of rain between 1pm and 3pm, then a chance of rain and a slight chance of thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 79. South wind 6 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible. Later: Rain and a slight chance of thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49. Southwest wind 6 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

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Tomorrow – High: 57°F – Low: 29°F – Precip: 12%

Mostly sunny, with a high near 57. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph. Later: Mostly clear, with a low around 29. North wind 2 to 8 mph.

Most popular house this week

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Minutes from Augusta National, dining, shopping, and major routes, the address makes tournament week and day to day life simple. It offers strong Masters rental appeal, functions as an easy second home, and stands as a solid long term hold, all in a prime Augusta location.

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