Daily editionSaturday, August 29th, 2026
Good morning, Aiken.
The 5AM Aiken Team
Here’s your local news at a glance for Saturday, the 29th of August.
Community
Aiken nonprofit ACTS celebrated 40 years of service with a new logo (featuring a multicolored starburst and the number 40) revealed on Aug. 27 at First Presbyterian Church, and its website will soon launch a virtual merchandise shop to support community aid.
The Aiken StandardRead more
Business
The Savannah River National Laboratory and Rock Hill-based 3DSystems signed an agreement on Aug. 27 at the SRNL Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative on the USC Aiken campus — the deal will accelerate 3D printing innovation for advanced energy and national security applications.
The Aiken StandardRead more
Michele Warren opened a second boutique in Aiken fewer than a year after her first, launching Salty Hyena—a coastal-themed store on Hayne Avenue.
Her original Urban Hyena now expands menswear on Laurens Street as both shops benefit from strong community support.
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Culture
The Western Carolina State Fair will run from Oct. 16 to 25 and include competitions in art, table setting, agriculture, and floral design.
Registration is open online (LetsRideAiken.com) with drop-off times on Oct. 9, Oct. 10, and Oct. 12.
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To mark its 15th anniversary, the Aiken Civic Orchestra has rebranded as the Aiken Philharmonic.
The new name ushers in a season of concerts (including 'A New Era Begins' on Sept. 3 at the Aiken High School Auditorium) and community outreach programs with local and international musicians.
Aiken StandardRead more
Education
Senior Gage Cagle from Horse Creek Academy will perform at the national FFA convention in Indianapolis from Oct. 21 to Oct. 24.
He will compete in talent rounds and help mark the school’s first FFA chapter attendance as the community supports fundraising to cover travel costs.
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Government
Aiken city leaders will hold a drop-in session on Sept. 1 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Frederick B. Cavanaugh, Jr. Municipal Building lobby to explain upcoming traffic, parking & pedestrian changes tied to renovations at the former Hotel Aiken site.
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Health
HopeHealth and Rural Health Services plan to merge their operations pending HRSA approval to expand access to high-quality primary and specialty care in Aiken County.
The merger will serve about 100,000 patients across 24 clinical sites if approved.
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Sports
High school football scores for August 28 show final results from Georgia contests and ongoing games in South Carolina; locally, Aiken leads Swansea 31+14 in the third quarter while fans can track live updates on 95.1/580 WGACS.
WGACRead more
Under the Lights Week 2 recap from last Friday featured local high school games with Midland Valley beating Lakeside 42-7 and ARC edging Thomson 41-40 (with previews of rivalries like Greenbrier vs Evans), while full highlights air every Friday at 11 on News 12.
WRDW/WAGTRead more
Under the Lights brought high school football highlights and scores from South Carolina and Georgia in Week 2.
Local viewers can watch updates on News 12 at 11 every Friday.
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