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Historic Savannah Foundation is now accepting nominations for the 2014 HSF Preservation Awards, "which recognize individuals and organizations demonstrating excellence in historic preservation," the Foundation says.

The deadline for HSF Preservation Award nominations is Friday, February 14. All entries must be postmarked by this date. Award winners will be announced at the HSF Preservation Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, April 30.

“Each year, the HSF Preservation Awards offer the opportunity to recognize outstanding achievements in preservation in our community,” said Daniel Carey, president and CEO of Historic Savannah Foundation. “The winners serve as role models for excellence in preservation.”

Historic Savannah Foundation Preservation Awards recognize "projects or individual achievements falling within the areas of restoration, rehabilitation, new construction, stewardship, craftsmanship and archaeology." Projects must have been completed within the last three years and may include projects previously nominated but not selected. Nominations are open only to Historic Savannah Foundation members. Self-nominations are acceptable.

HSF Preservation Awards "will be judged for the success they have achieved in the preservation, rehabilitation, restoration and interpretation of architectural and cultural heritage." The general evaluation criteria include: quality and degree of difficulty; degree to which the nominee’s project or effort is unusual or pioneering; and the ultimate positive impact the project or effort has on the community.

A jury of local professionals is invited each year to review the nominations and to select the winners for the HSF Preservation Awards.

The nomination form and full details on eligibility, submission criteria and key dates can be accessed online at http://www.myhsf.org/advocacy-education/awards/ .

Savannah/Chatham Metro officers today charged "the owner/operator of a group rooming units with multiple charges after serving a search warrant this afternoon," a spokesman says.

Russell Stephen Varnedoe, 66, was charged with possession of methamphetamines, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of firearms by a convicted felon after the 12:45 p.m. raid on Ogeechee Road.

"Officers found items to substantiate those charges as well as electronics that are being investigated when they served the search warrant," police say.

"Arbor Cottages had been the subject of numerous court cases after the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department’s Crime Free Housing Unit found it in violation of various code sections," the spokesman continues.

"Varnedoe had been given multiple chances to bring the units up to code requirements by a Recorder’s Court Judge who cited concerns for the tenants who had few other places to move."

The units will be allowed to remain in use as information from today’s action is reviewed. The investigation into the case continues.

Detectives from the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department are investigating the shooting death of a 15-year-old found in west Savannah this morning.

William Elijah Norman who had lived on the 1400 block of Staley Avenue was found dead in front of a house on the 900 block of West Victory Drive about 7:30 a.m. after residents called police and Emergency Services to an unresponsive person.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Crimestoppers at (912) 234-2020 or text CRIMES (274637) using the keyword CSTOP2020. Tipsters remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward. A confidential Tip Line also is open directly to investigators at (912) 525-3124.

A 35-year-old Savannah man has been charged with murder and arrested by a federal and local police officers.

Lashannon Jabar Green was arrested on the 2200 block of Ogeechee Road for the murder of Randy Brown on Jan. 15.

Green was arrested by officers of he U.S. Marshals Service and members of the Central Precinct Tactical Investigation Unit, Canine Unit, and Violent Crimes detectives from the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department.

Randy Brown was found with gunshot wounds at 2:07 a.m. in the roadway at East 34th Street and Waters Avenue by Central Precinct officers responding to a “shots fired” call. He died at Memorial University Medical Center.

Green has been charged with murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He had been released from prison in 2010 after serving most of a 10-year term for armed robbery.

Victims of two recent shootings have died, prompting homicide investigations by the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department.

Just after 2a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 15, a critically injured Randy Brown, 39, was transported to Memorial University Medical Center where he died from gunshot wounds sustained during an incident on the 1000 block of East 34th Street.

Twenty-four-year-old Marvin Hills succumbed to injuries sustained during an early morning shooting on Friday, Jan. 17 on Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and West Victory Drive.

Anyone with information on these cases is asked to call Crimestoppers at (912) 234-2020 or text CRIMES (274637) using the keyword CSTOP2020. Tipsters remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward. A confidential Tip Line also is open directly to investigators at (912) 525-3124.

We just got word that free General Admission tickets for "Flyin' West" the Ballet, performed by the Ballethnic Dance Company on Tuesday, February 4, as part of the 25th Annual Savannah Black Heritage Festival, are available now at the following locations: Savannah Civic Center Box Office; Lester's Florist, 2100 Bull St., & Cumulus Broadcasting, 214 Television Circle. Limit, 4 tickets per patron.

On the evening of the performance: Priority Seating for Ticket-holders until 10 minutes prior to curtain call at which time, all unclaimed seats become available.

The Festival is presented by the City of Savannah and Savannah State University.

Detectives from the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department are investigating a shooting of a Savannah man this morning.

Marvin Hills, 24, of the 1700 block of East 31st Street was found with a gunshot wound in a car that had stopped on the 2700 block of MLK Boulevard about 3:11 a.m. when off-duty officers investigated shots they had heard.

Hills was transported to Memorial University Medical.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Crimestoppers at (912) 234-2020 or text CRIMES (274637) using the keyword CSTOP2020. Tipsters remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward.

A confidential Tip Line also is open directly to investigators at (912) 525-3124.

Downtown traffic will be rerouted for several hours Monday as Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police close down streets and intersections for the Martin Luther King Day Parade, scheduled for 10 a.m.

Road closures throughout the staging area will begin at 6:30 a.m. The staging area runs from East Broad Street to Price Street and Liberty Street to Gwinnett Street.

The parade route begins at East Broad and Liberty streets then travels north on East Broad to Broughton Street, west on Broughton to MLK Boulevard, and south on MLK to Anderson Street to disband. Roads along the staging area and parade route will remain closed throughout the parade’s duration.

“No Parking Zone” notices will be posted along Broughton and MLK Sunday morning between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. Vehicles remaining in the no parking zone after 7 a.m. Monday will be towed at the owners expense.

Delivery vehicles with Bay Street destinations should take Interstate 516 at DeRenne Avenue to northbound Truman Parkway at Presidents Street to access Bay Street.

Traffic will be impacted until approximately 3 p.m.

A dedication ceremony is planned to signal the completion of the Chatham County Detention Center expansion project.

In 2004 Sheriff St Lawrence "issued a needs assessment to the county," a county spokesperson says. "In 2006 voters approved a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax to fund a jail expansion. In December 2010 County Commissioners awarded a $71 million dollar construction contract."

The expansion project added 400,000 square feet and brought the total number of inmates beds to 2,300, nearly double the previous capacity. Major renovations were also done to the administration building, medical, kitchen, laundry and warehouse facilities, as well as new security and fire alarm system.

The dedication ceremony is open to the public and will be held Tuesday, January 21, 11 a.m. at the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, 1050 Carl Griffin Drive. Sheriff Al St Lawrence and Chatham County Commissioners will be present.

Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police are investigating a shooting that left a 39-year-old man in critical condition this morning.

Randy Brown was transported to Memorial University Medical Center after the 2:07 a.m. shooting on the 1000 block of East 34th Street.

Central Precinct Patrol officers found him injured when they responded to a “shots fired” call.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Crimestoppers at (912) 234-2020 or text CRIMES (274637) using the keyword CSTOP2020. Tipsters remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward.

A confidential Tip Line also is open directly to investigators at (912) 525-3124.