Tuesday, April 9, 2019
Multiple sources tonight confirm that Savannah City Manager Rob Hernandez has submitted his resignation, with indications that he will take a job in South Florida, site of his last job before coming to Savannah.
An official statement is expected later this week, City officials say.
Hernandez's two and a half year tenure here, while notable for a long overdue professional reorganization of City bureaucracy and budgeting, was also marked by controversy from the beginning.
An initial budget meeting went awry when Hernandez suggested cutting all City funds to the arts, culture, and some popular social programs.
He didn't prevail in that effort, nor in the year-long, futile campaign to institute a "Fire Fee" on all properties in the City, in an attempt to safeguard funding for Savannah Fire & Emergency Services.
An unusual alliance of churches, nonprofits, homeowners and businesses combined to make the Fire Fee so politically untenable that Mayor DeLoach was forced to backtrack on it completely.
The news doesn't come as that much of a surprise to many observers, since news leaked last year that Hernandez was a finalist in at least one other job search elsewhere.
Hernandez specifically cited the controversial reaction to his Fire Fee as one reason he sought employment elsewhere at the time.
An official statement is expected later this week, City officials say.
Hernandez's two and a half year tenure here, while notable for a long overdue professional reorganization of City bureaucracy and budgeting, was also marked by controversy from the beginning.
An initial budget meeting went awry when Hernandez suggested cutting all City funds to the arts, culture, and some popular social programs.
He didn't prevail in that effort, nor in the year-long, futile campaign to institute a "Fire Fee" on all properties in the City, in an attempt to safeguard funding for Savannah Fire & Emergency Services.
An unusual alliance of churches, nonprofits, homeowners and businesses combined to make the Fire Fee so politically untenable that Mayor DeLoach was forced to backtrack on it completely.
The news doesn't come as that much of a surprise to many observers, since news leaked last year that Hernandez was a finalist in at least one other job search elsewhere.
Hernandez specifically cited the controversial reaction to his Fire Fee as one reason he sought employment elsewhere at the time.
Thursday, April 4, 2019
The controversial, long-awaited Savannah Cultural Arts Center will have its grand opening on Friday, April 12 and Saturday, April 13, the City has announced.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony and the theater dedication in honor of Ben Tucker will take place Friday, April 12, 5-8 p.m. The Grand Opening celebration will be held on Saturday, April 13 from 10 a.m-3 p.m.
"The grand opening will include live performances from local arts organizations on the hour every hour, artist demonstrations and hands-on art sessions. The public is encouraged to attend both events," a City spokesperson says.
The Savannah Cultural Arts Center, located at 201 Montgomery Street, includes a 464-seat performing arts theater, dance studio, art gallery, as well as specially designed studios for ceramics, metal and glass art.
"It will serve as a creative and inspirational space connecting residents, the local arts community and organizations, who will not only be able to experience art, but engage with and create art," the City says.
The facility is funded through voter-approved Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST). A series of cost overruns and construction delays plagued the project nearly from the beginning.
Friday, April 12
5 p.m. New Beginning Art Exhibit, performances and Center tours
6 p.m. 18th Annual New Beginning Reception and Gala
6:30 p.m. Ribbon Cutting Ceremony (outside the Center on MLK, Jr. Blvd. side)
7 p.m. Ben Tucker Theater Dedication
Saturday, April 13
10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Grand Opening Celebration
A ribbon-cutting ceremony and the theater dedication in honor of Ben Tucker will take place Friday, April 12, 5-8 p.m. The Grand Opening celebration will be held on Saturday, April 13 from 10 a.m-3 p.m.
"The grand opening will include live performances from local arts organizations on the hour every hour, artist demonstrations and hands-on art sessions. The public is encouraged to attend both events," a City spokesperson says.
The Savannah Cultural Arts Center, located at 201 Montgomery Street, includes a 464-seat performing arts theater, dance studio, art gallery, as well as specially designed studios for ceramics, metal and glass art.
"It will serve as a creative and inspirational space connecting residents, the local arts community and organizations, who will not only be able to experience art, but engage with and create art," the City says.
The facility is funded through voter-approved Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST). A series of cost overruns and construction delays plagued the project nearly from the beginning.
Friday, April 12
5 p.m. New Beginning Art Exhibit, performances and Center tours
6 p.m. 18th Annual New Beginning Reception and Gala
6:30 p.m. Ribbon Cutting Ceremony (outside the Center on MLK, Jr. Blvd. side)
7 p.m. Ben Tucker Theater Dedication
Saturday, April 13
10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Grand Opening Celebration
Tuesday, April 2, 2019
The Chatham County Police Department has released the names of two people found deceased in a home around noon on Monday.
Police have identified the deceased as 74-year-old Thomas Burnett and 78-year-old Susan Burnett.
"Police were called to do a welfare check at a home on Myrtlewood Drive on April 1, 2019. Upon entering the home, police found two residents deceased. Preliminary findings indicated the deaths were the result of a murder-suicide," police report.
Police have identified the deceased as 74-year-old Thomas Burnett and 78-year-old Susan Burnett.
"Police were called to do a welfare check at a home on Myrtlewood Drive on April 1, 2019. Upon entering the home, police found two residents deceased. Preliminary findings indicated the deaths were the result of a murder-suicide," police report.
Friday, March 29, 2019
The City of Savannah has been named a finalist in the transportation/Infrastructure category for its partnership with the company Roadbotics.
It’s a recognition bestowed by International Data Corporation’s (IDC) 2019 Smart Cities North America Awards. Roadbotics worked with the City to create a database of road infrastructure conditions through machine learning technology that grades every mile of the Savannah road network.
Voting is open to the public for the final round through April 3. The City encourages the public to go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/IDCSCNA-2019Finalists and cast their vote. The winners in each category will be announced on Monday, April 8.
Thursday, March 28, 2019
A controversial decision to bar white media from an African American political meeting has garnered negative national media attention for Savannah, and thrown a new twist into what was already going to be a contentious mayoral campaign this year.
The Trigon Group, headed by Rev. Clarence Teddy Williams, organized the event for March 27 at the Bolton Street Baptist Church, with the stated intent that it was about "supporting ONE candidate from the African American community for Mayor 2019."
Currently there are three African American candidates, Alderman Van Johnson, Louis Wilson, and former Georgia Rep. and State Sen. Regina Thomas.
Johnson and Wilson attended the meeting; Thomas said she had Bible study that night at her own church.
The sign on the door said "Black Media ONLY," and at least one white reporter from local media, leading TV station WTOC, was barred from entering.
In a lengthy statement on Facebook he posted Thursday morning, Johnson said: "I accepted this invitation as an opportunity to share my vision for a progressive Savannah, as I have with business, civic, labor, neighborhood, veteran, political, Latino/Hispanic and LGBTQ groups in private and public settings.
"I did not coordinate or schedule this event and did not participate in any of the discussions beyond giving my statement. I was made aware that the organizers restricted this event to "Black Media" only. I chose to give my statement as scheduled and afterwards made myself available to the media gathered outside," he wrote.
"I have expressed my concerns to the organizers of this event as my history of service in this community has ALWAYS been one of inclusion, of partnership and of communication. While this decision of this group is unfortunate, I work toward the day when we trust each other enough to be inclusive in all of our gatherings."
Judging by social media reaction, however, the fallout from the incident is unlikely to disappear anytime soon.
Incumbent Mayor Eddie DeLoach, who is white, is running for re-election. He was the first white mayor of Savannah elected in two decades when he defeated Edna Jackson in 2015 in a contentious race which came down to a runoff.
The Trigon Group, headed by Rev. Clarence Teddy Williams, organized the event for March 27 at the Bolton Street Baptist Church, with the stated intent that it was about "supporting ONE candidate from the African American community for Mayor 2019."
Currently there are three African American candidates, Alderman Van Johnson, Louis Wilson, and former Georgia Rep. and State Sen. Regina Thomas.
Johnson and Wilson attended the meeting; Thomas said she had Bible study that night at her own church.
The sign on the door said "Black Media ONLY," and at least one white reporter from local media, leading TV station WTOC, was barred from entering.
In a lengthy statement on Facebook he posted Thursday morning, Johnson said: "I accepted this invitation as an opportunity to share my vision for a progressive Savannah, as I have with business, civic, labor, neighborhood, veteran, political, Latino/Hispanic and LGBTQ groups in private and public settings.
"I did not coordinate or schedule this event and did not participate in any of the discussions beyond giving my statement. I was made aware that the organizers restricted this event to "Black Media" only. I chose to give my statement as scheduled and afterwards made myself available to the media gathered outside," he wrote.
"I have expressed my concerns to the organizers of this event as my history of service in this community has ALWAYS been one of inclusion, of partnership and of communication. While this decision of this group is unfortunate, I work toward the day when we trust each other enough to be inclusive in all of our gatherings."
Judging by social media reaction, however, the fallout from the incident is unlikely to disappear anytime soon.
Incumbent Mayor Eddie DeLoach, who is white, is running for re-election. He was the first white mayor of Savannah elected in two decades when he defeated Edna Jackson in 2015 in a contentious race which came down to a runoff.
Tags: Eddie DeLoach , Edna Jackson , Van Johnson
Monday, March 25, 2019
Georgia Southern University’s latest Economic Monitor, which analyzes Q4 2018 data and identifies trends affecting the regional economy, reports that Savannah's metro economy "closed out 2018 with across-the-board gains in all eight key economic indicators monitored. Port activity, consumer spending and electricity sales provided the most lift to the index, with improving consumer expectations, overall employment and tourism playing supporting roles."
During the fourth quarter, the Savannah metro economy expanded at a rate of 0.8 percent, or 3.2 percent annualized, which is an increase from the previous quarter, the Monitor reports.
"In general, the Savannah metro economy appears to have strengthened substantially during the final quarter of 2018," it says.
"While the eight key indicators of economic activity in the Savannah metro region all improved, modest employment gains and the uptick in the unemployment rate warrant continued close monitoring of regional economic data in the near term. With this shift, improving regional economic conditions throughout much of 2019 is anticipated."
Friday, March 22, 2019
This week, the City of Savannah began demolitions of blighted property that it obtained through the use of eminent domain laws.
"The process took over two years and included Superior Court hearings, changing a State law and holding special council meetings, but City leaders agreed the effort was worth turning “blight to bright” for residents in the West Savannah neighborhood," a City spokesperson says.
Of the 37 properties on Cumming Street, located between Augusta Avenue and Love Street, 21 are abandoned or blighted.
The first to be demolished was 226 Cumming Street. There are plans to demolish six more properties on Cumming Street after Superior Court hearings in June.
“One of the reasons I ran for office was the neglect the neighborhoods had in the City of Savannah,” said Mayor Eddie DeLoach “We are revitalizing our communities in Savannah.”
There are three qualifications that a property must meet for the City to take a blighted property using eminent domain:
1. Property is uninhabitable, unsafe and abandoned.
2. Property has failed to comply with municipal/county maintenance codes for at least one year.
3. Property contributes to crime in the immediate area. (112 Part-1 and Part-2 crimes committed on Cumming Street over the past 10 years.)
Alderman Van Johnson, whose district covers the West Savannah neighborhood, said, “We are here today to signal the growth and redevelopment that the City of Savannah has demonstrated over time and that we can do that responsibly under the laws of eminent domain.”
The City’s Housing & Neighborhood Services Department plans to build eight new single family homes on Cumming Street that will be sold to modest-waged first-time home buyers.
"The process took over two years and included Superior Court hearings, changing a State law and holding special council meetings, but City leaders agreed the effort was worth turning “blight to bright” for residents in the West Savannah neighborhood," a City spokesperson says.
Of the 37 properties on Cumming Street, located between Augusta Avenue and Love Street, 21 are abandoned or blighted.
The first to be demolished was 226 Cumming Street. There are plans to demolish six more properties on Cumming Street after Superior Court hearings in June.
“One of the reasons I ran for office was the neglect the neighborhoods had in the City of Savannah,” said Mayor Eddie DeLoach “We are revitalizing our communities in Savannah.”
There are three qualifications that a property must meet for the City to take a blighted property using eminent domain:
1. Property is uninhabitable, unsafe and abandoned.
2. Property has failed to comply with municipal/county maintenance codes for at least one year.
3. Property contributes to crime in the immediate area. (112 Part-1 and Part-2 crimes committed on Cumming Street over the past 10 years.)
Alderman Van Johnson, whose district covers the West Savannah neighborhood, said, “We are here today to signal the growth and redevelopment that the City of Savannah has demonstrated over time and that we can do that responsibly under the laws of eminent domain.”
The City’s Housing & Neighborhood Services Department plans to build eight new single family homes on Cumming Street that will be sold to modest-waged first-time home buyers.
Savannah Police’s Traffic Investigation Unit is investigating a crash involving three vehicles on DeRenne Avenue that resulted in one serious injury.
About 2:15 p.m. on Thursday March 21, "Janice Talley, 87, of Savannah, was traveling west on DeRenne Avenue in a Mercury Grand Marquis and entered the intersection at Paulsen Street. At the same time, Marsha Miller, 40, of Savannah, was traveling south on Paulsen Street in a Honda CRV and also entered the intersection. Both vehicles collided," police say.
"This resulted in the Honda striking a Mazda 3 that was stopped in the left turn lane of eastbound DeRenne Avenue. The Mazda was driven by Teresa Cullina, 66, of Tybee Island. The collision also resulted in the Mercury crashing into a power pole," police say.
Talley was transported to a hospital with serious injuries. Miller was treated at the scene for minor injuries. Cullina was not injured.
The circumstances leading to the crash remain under investigation.
Wednesday, March 20, 2019
The Olde Pink House, plans to re-open the first-floor dining rooms, Planter’s Tavern and Arches Bar on Monday, April 8, a spokesperson says.
The iconic restaurant, originally built in 1771, has been temporarily closed following a fire in the upstairs ballroom in late December.
"We’re thrilled to welcome guests back to this important piece of Savannah history, beginning on April 8,” said Olde Pink House General Manager Craig Jeffress.
From April 8-14, guests will be seated on a walk-in basis. Reservations are currently being accepted for April 15th and beyond. To make a reservation, please call 912.232.4286 or visit opentable.com.
“Our goal is to restore the interiors exactly as people remember," Jeffress said. "Some of the finishing touches will still be completed through the month of April, but we want to get our treasured staff back to work as soon as possible and to help our loyal customers make incredible memories once again.”
Since January, The Pinyan Company has been restoring the restaurant in the wake of the fire. "Much of the restoration involves custom pieces that take time to manufacture," they say.
“We will open with five dining rooms initially, but in the weeks to follow, more of the original home will be available to our guests for dining,” said Jeffress.
"Based on the current restoration timeline," the Pinyan group reports, "The Olde Pink House is expected to open daily at 5 p.m. and seat diners until 10:30 p.m., beginning April 8. The Planters Tavern featuring live music and the Arches Bar with indoor and outdoor seating will be open later into the evening."
Thursday, March 14, 2019
Seven people have been indicted in connection to five homicides and other violent crimes in the Savannah area, including robbery and multiple aggravated assaults.
"In June 2018, the Savannah Police Department began linking a series of individuals that resulted in a 108-count indictment that resulted in the arrest of Osha Dunham, Nelaunte Grant, Cordell and Donnell Richardson, Malik McKenzie and Jevon Williams. Jahonne Manigo is still wanted," police report.
"These individuals were indicted in connection to five homicides stretching back to 2013. These homicide victims include Arderian Jefferson in July 2013, Shawntray “Puff” Grant in June 2018, Eric Cooley in July 2018, Robert Lee in July 2018 and Jernard Burton in August 2018," police say.
These individuals face charges including murder, the street gang and terrorism act, robbery, aggravated assault and other felonies.
“We could not have done this without the support of our community members,” Chief Roy Minter said in a press conference today. “While we work diligently on all our investigation, we also realize we need the community to continually support us with tips and other information to help us resolve investigations such as this.”
Minter also acknowledged the partnerships of the Violent Crimes Unit, the Forensics Unit, the Gang Unit, the District Attorney’s Office and our federal partners that worked together in these cases.
“As the Chief, I can tell you I am extremely proud of the outstanding work these investigators accomplished during this investigation, and I sincerely hope that this sends a clear message throughout our community that we will not tolerate illegal gang, guns or drugs activity in our community,” Minter said. “We want people to understand that if you commit these crimes in our community, no matter how long it takes, we will continue to relentlessly pursue you and continue to work as hard as we can and do whatever we can to keep these cases moving forward and move forward with prosecuting these cases.”
"In June 2018, the Savannah Police Department began linking a series of individuals that resulted in a 108-count indictment that resulted in the arrest of Osha Dunham, Nelaunte Grant, Cordell and Donnell Richardson, Malik McKenzie and Jevon Williams. Jahonne Manigo is still wanted," police report.
"These individuals were indicted in connection to five homicides stretching back to 2013. These homicide victims include Arderian Jefferson in July 2013, Shawntray “Puff” Grant in June 2018, Eric Cooley in July 2018, Robert Lee in July 2018 and Jernard Burton in August 2018," police say.
These individuals face charges including murder, the street gang and terrorism act, robbery, aggravated assault and other felonies.
“We could not have done this without the support of our community members,” Chief Roy Minter said in a press conference today. “While we work diligently on all our investigation, we also realize we need the community to continually support us with tips and other information to help us resolve investigations such as this.”
Minter also acknowledged the partnerships of the Violent Crimes Unit, the Forensics Unit, the Gang Unit, the District Attorney’s Office and our federal partners that worked together in these cases.
“As the Chief, I can tell you I am extremely proud of the outstanding work these investigators accomplished during this investigation, and I sincerely hope that this sends a clear message throughout our community that we will not tolerate illegal gang, guns or drugs activity in our community,” Minter said. “We want people to understand that if you commit these crimes in our community, no matter how long it takes, we will continue to relentlessly pursue you and continue to work as hard as we can and do whatever we can to keep these cases moving forward and move forward with prosecuting these cases.”
