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Savannah City Hall will go dark for an hour this Saturday night as part of Earth Hour, a global event to promote energy conservation.

From 8:30-9:30 p.m. March 23, "all of the interior and exterior lights at City Hall will be turned off, including the lights that illuminate the iconic gold dome and clock face," says a City spokesperson. "The City encourages our residents, businesses and fellow government organizations to participate in Earth Hour by also going dark for the hour.

The City of Savannah is participating in Earth Hour as part of its Thrive initiative, which promotes environmental sustainability within the organization with the goal of reducing City Government’s carbon footprint by 15 percent by the year 2020.

Earth Hour is the largest voluntary action for the environment in the world, with almost 7,000 cities and towns across 152 countries and territories taking part. Check it out at www.earthhour.org

The Savannah area’s economy continued to grow in the fourth quarter of 2012, according to Armstrong Atlantic State University’s latest Coastal Empire Economic Monitor.

"While the relatively slow nature of that growth dampened some of the third-quarter buoyancy, record tourism and strengthening housing market activity powered the economy along as the year closed," says a spokesperson.

"Overall, the Coastal Empire economic index capped off the end of last year with fourth-quarter improvements, and the region is poised to see this continued upswing in economic activity in 2013."

“The tourism industry was responsible for much of the upward lift in the economy, otherwise boosting modest gains and offsetting lackluster activity elsewhere,” explained Michael Toma, director of the Center for Regional Analysis and Armstrong’s Fuller E. Callaway professorial chair and the brains behind the AASU quarterly economic monitor. “This is further evidence that our regional economy enjoys an enviable foundation in the form of a well diversified structure that affords insulation against weakness in any given sector.”

Highlights of the increases include:

— Tourism gave the index its biggest boost, buttressed by modest growth in employment and retail and electricity sales.

— Tourism tax revenue hit an all-time high in the last quarter of 2012—hotel and motel tax receipts rose to a total of $1.3 million per month, a gain of 11 percent over the previous quarter and 14.3 percent over the last quarter of 2011.

— The fourth quarter gains offset flat performance by the ports.

— The December jobs figure—155,000—was the highest level of recorded employment in the last four years, despite slower hiring at the end of the year.

— The seasonally adjusted number of new residential home permits closed the year out 40 percent higher than the data from one year ago.

— For all of 2012, housing permits were the highest they have been in the area since 2008 and 21 percent higher than 2011.

The board of directors of the Savannah Bicycle Campaign has selected John R. Bennett — who also writes Connect's bi-weekly "The News Cycle" column — to serve as its full-time executive director.

Bennett is a cofounder of the organization and previously served as vice chairman.

“From the earliest days of our organization, John has been a driving force behind many of the initiatives SBC has begun,” noted Drew Wade, Savannah Bicycle Campaign board chairman, “His volunteer efforts have already been critical to our success, probably most importantly his Connect Savannah column about bicycling. We know that with his dedication to our mission, John’s compelling leadership will continue to propel Savannah Bicycle Campaign forward.”

“I’m excited to begin my new role with the Savannah Bicycle Campaign and grateful for the opportunity,” Bennett said. “I’m eager to continue the good work of Frank McIntosh, the previous executive director, and our dedicated volunteers.

Bennett will be responsible for coordinating the Savannah Bicycle Campaign’s events, including the annual Earth Day Wheelie ride and the Midnight Garden Ride. He will also oversee the establishment and operation of the organization’s Bicycle Reclamation and Education Center.

The facility, which will open later this year, will rehabilitate donated bicycles, which will be distributed to underserved
populations to be used as dependable transportation to work and other destinations. It will also provide a space in which to offer cycling education programs and other services.

“Bicycling and livable communities have been the focus of my academic research and my civic involvement,” Bennett said. “I believe that bicycling can play a critical role in creating healthy, economically resilient and culturally vibrant communities. Savannah is poised to become a model for how bicycles make cities better.”

Bennett will begin his new full-time role with the SBC on April 16.

Bennett currently manages web content and social media at Valdosta State University, where he also serves as a part-time instructor in the public administration department. He previously spent more than 15 years at the Savannah College of Art and Design and 11 years as director of student media. He holds a master of science degree in higher education from Florida State University and a master of arts degree in historic preservation from SCAD. In May 2012 he eared a doctorate in public administration from Valdosta State. He is a League of American Bicyclists cycling instructor.

Homicide investigators from the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department are seeking a 28-year-old man in a shooting death Saturday morning.

John Antonio Smith is wanted for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and fleeing to elude after Sidney Grant was shot to death outside Club Frozen on Indian Street.

• John Antonio Smith

Grant was found dead in the street by officers responding to a shooting call about 2 a.m.

Smith is 5-6, about 200 pounds with short to medium hair and may or may not have a slight moustache. In addition to the charges above, detectives would like to talk to him about the shooting of Grant.

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

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

Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police have arrested and charged a 23-year-old Savannah man in the shooting death of his father Sunday evening.

Murder warrants were served on Torres Antwan Burroughs after his father Frank Torres Burroughs, 46, was shot about 6 p.m. The younger man was arrested about 9 p.m.

The elder Burroughs was transported to Memorial University Medical Center after the shooting at a residence on on Mossy Court off of Quacco Road during a domestic dispute. He was declared dead at the hospital.

Through Saturday's parade, Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police had only arrested 15 people in the St. Patrick's Day festival area. However, a spike on Saturday night ended up bringing the holiday total up to 79 arrests.

Most arrests took place between 4 p.m. Saturday and 4 a.m. Sunday. Police filed 46 charges between 4 a.m. and midnight Saturday and an additional 18 Sunday morning.

Forty-four arrests were processed in the command center overseeing the festivities on River Street and the other 35 were processed in the center at St. Julian and MLK Jr. Boulevard, police say.

Charges included:

Disorderly conduct 33

Public urination 17

Possession of controlled substance 7

Obstruction 6

Public intoxication 2 (!!!!)

Simple assault 2

Dog with no shots 1

Open container 1 (!!!!!)

Swimming in river 1

DUI 1 (!!!!)

Providing false name 1

Underage drinking 1

Criminal damage second degree 1

Public indecency 1

Battery (domestic violence act) 1

Carrying a concealed weapon 1

Criminal trespass 1

Theft of services 1

Seventy charges were misdemeanors, two were felonies and seven were city ordinance violations.

Sixty-eight suspects were transported to the Chatham County Detention Center, six taken to court and three released on subpoena. Those charged included one juvenile and two were military.

Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police are using this temporary "asset," a 30-foot observation tower, in Ellis Square throughout the St. Patrick’s Day festivities. Here it is earlier before, uh, full erection.

The portable Skywatch Tower is being loaned to the department by Integrated Systems of Alpharetta for test and evaluation.

The tower has been used by used by many 140 law enforcement agencies including New York, Miami and New Orleans to provide additional observation during large events. It will be removed Sunday.

“This gives us just one more opportunity to observe the actions during the celebration as we deal with such a large increase in people in the downtown area,” says Police Chief Willie Lovett.

Hanging out inside the SkyWatch is a pretty cush gig. It's equipped with air conditioning, thermal and day cameras, tinted windows, flood lights, diesel generator, shore power, 98-gallon fuel tank, and electrical outlets.

# # #

Chatham Area Transit provides an easy $5 round-trip park 'n' ride option for tomorrow's festivities.

Locations:

Westside - Pickup at Westside Shopping Center (located on Hwy 80 in Garden City), Drop off at the Visitors Center

Eastside - Pickup at Island Towne Centre (Hwy 80 on Whitemarsh Island), Drop off at Oglethorpe & Houston

Southside - Pickup at Savannah Mall (on the Apache Ave side by Dillard's), Drop off at the Visitors Center

Times:

7-11 AM To downtown

11 AM-4 PM From downtown*

Shuttle Passes can be purchased in advance at the General Store in the Oglethorpe Mall or on Saturday at the shuttle locations using cash only.

Additional Departure Options:

Anyone taking a shuttle downtown who does not want to return on the afternoon shuttle can use the St. Patrick's Day pass to ride regular routes.

To Westside Shopping Center - 3A and 3B Augusta Ave routes each stop about a block away
To Island Towne Centre - 10 East Savannah
To Savannah Mall - 114X Abercorn Express from downtown, or take numerous other routes to the Oglethorpe Mall and then transfer to the 114X.

Hutchinson Island shuttle is being provided this year in addition to the Savannah Belles Ferry for customers parking on Hutchinson Island. It will run 7 AM-4 AM across the Talmadge Bridge.

From 7 AM-8 PM travel will be between Bryan Square (between the Trade Center and the Westin) and Fahm & Indian (downtown).

From 8 PM-4 AM travel will be between 2 locations on Hutchinson Island: Bryan Square (between the Trade Center and the Westin) and Paddock Parking (by the racetrack), and Fahm & Indian (downtown).

The City of Savannah will have parking available on Hutchinson Island for $15.

Former Savannah City Manager Rochelle Small-Toney, whose resignation was accepted by City Council this past fall after a series of financial and personnel scandals which dominated local headlines, has been hired by the city of Fayetteville, North Carolina.

She will serve as deputy city manager "to oversee community investment departments, including special projects, human relations, community development, development services and engineering and infrastructure," according to the hometown paper, the Fayetteville Observer.

Interestingly, the official Fayetteville announcement mentions that while in Savannah Small-Toney "oversaw a redevelopment plan, bike lane project, drainage improvements, the creation of two new critical response centers and the city's first dog park," with no mention of the easily Google-able, year-plus controversy here which resulted in her dismissal and a pending audit of City finances.

Small-Toney's new salary in Fayetteville? $158,500 a year.

Good luck, Fayettevillle! You're gonna need it...

The victim of yesterday's shooting on West Bay Street has been identified. 33-year-old William Bass of Savannah was found after Downtown Precinct patrol officers responded to a report of a shooting in the 1300 block about 1:03 a.m. and found the victim had expired.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Crimestoppers at (912) 234-2020 or text CRIMES (274637). In the body type, include “CStop2020” plus the tip. Tipsters remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward.

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