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Planning to ride your bike to the St. Patrick's Day festivities? Good idea!

Bike Walk Savannah's New Standard Cycles crew will offer free safety inspections and minor services such as tire inflation, brake adjustment and chain lubrication.

Bring your bike down to 1301 Lincoln St. on Thursday, March 14 from 7-9:30 p.m. and make sure it’s ready to roll. They'll have some free light sets available to light up your ride, and there will be some refurbished bikes available for sale at reasonable prices!

Proceeds from sales fund Bike Walk Savannah's New Standard Cycles program. When you buy a bike, you help provide dependable and affordable transportation for deserving people in our community.

Visitors to the Dunbrody Emigrant Experience Center, a world-class visitor center in the historic river port of New Ross County, Wexford, Ireland, will soon be able to experience a taste of Savannah, thanks to several Georgia Southern University students. The students conducted primary-source research at archives in Savannah and in Ireland, and a permanent exhibition based on their discoveries is now being developed for the Dunbrody Center. The facility’s principal attraction is a full-scale reproduction of a three-mast, transatlantic sailing ship, the Dunbrody, which operated out of New Ross between 1845 and 1869.

The students determined that the Dunbrody’s first ever commercial voyage was to Savannah, seeking Georgia timber and that following voyages brought immigrants from southeastern Ireland to the Hostess City.

Seán Connick, director of the Dunbrody Emigrant Experience Center, is thrilled with the detailed work conducted and curated by the student-researchers from Georgia Southern. While over here Howard Keeley, Ph.D., director of Georgia Southern’s Center for Irish Research and Teaching (C.I.R.T.), says the new student research will bring tourism, economic development and further bridge a gap between Savannah and Ireland.

Fort Pulaski National Monument is proud to announce the installation of a new temporary art exhibit in historic Fort Pulaski entitled “Picking up the Pieces.” This art installation, completed in partnership with the International Fiber Collaborative (IFC), encouraged students throughout Georgia to create artwork highlighting the challenges Fort Pulaski has faced during its vast history. The exhibition will be on display inside historic Fort Pulaski through Tuesday, April 2, 2019.

More than 600 student artists from 16 different Georgia schools created art for this exhibition.

The IFC was formed to create deeper learning experiences through art, collaboration, and cross-curricular-themed programming for individuals and their communities.

Fort Pulaski National Monument is located on U.S. Highway 80, 15 miles east of Savannah. Hours of operation are from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. seven days a week. An entrance fee of $10.00 per person is charged for visitors 16 years old and older.

Savannah Technical College Cosmetology and Barbering students are hosting a ShamRockin’ Special for hair and nail design as a fundraiser for student professional development opportunities. Services will be offered from 9 a.m - 1:30 p.m. and 6 - 8 p.m., on Tuesdays through Thursdays, March 5-7 and 12-14 at the Savannah and Liberty Campuses. The Effingham Campus will offer services from 9 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. only during the same days.

Hair and nail design services include:

· Shamrock Green or gold hair tinsel $5 per accent piece or $15 per head

· Shamrock Green hair chalk: $5 per accent piece or $10 for a full head

· Shamrock Hair Art: $7 per design

· Shamrock nail foil: $3 per nail

· Raw glitter nail: $2 per nail

· Bling nail: $5 per nail

Cash or cards will be accepted as payment. A $5 minimum will be required for card purchases and will include an additional $.50 processing fee.

For more information please visit: www.savannahtech.edu/ShamRockin.

Savannah State University’s (SSU) Model African Union team competed in the 17th Annual International Model African Union Conference held in Washington, D.C., February 21-24, 2019, hosted by Howard University.

The Model African Union is a simulation of diplomatic proceedings, augmented by pre-conference study at home institutions. SSU’s team members served as delegates from the states of Algeria and Angola.

The team consisted of: Schönn Franklin, a junior political science major; Elainie Alix, a sophomore political science major; Henry Dennard, a sophomore homeland security and emergency management major; Traynearious Dillard, a senior computer information systems major; Shykeria Edwards, a senior political science major; Shaakira Ferron, a senior accounting major; Itunu Ilesanmi, a public administration graduate student; Ashia Manning, a senior mass communications major; Naomi McGee, a senior mass communications major; Danielle Porter, a junior political science major; Nigel Smith, dual-enrolled through Savannah Early College; and, Reauna Talton, dual-enrolled through Savannah Early College.

Savannah City Council today voted 6-3 in favor of a controversial compromise plan that would save about 20 percent of the historic Seaboard Freight Station from demolition.

The so-called "head house," or office space, would be preserved and moved to one corner of the new Gateway Project at 703 Louisville Rd.

The warehouse section would be demolished as originally planned.

The plan originally called for the demolition of the entire historic train depot to be replaced by a seven-story luxury apartment complex, the first major private investment in the new "Canal District."

Alderpersons Johnson, Thomas and Shabazz voted in dissent.

Mayor DeLoach said when public outcry spread about the demolition, he called project architect Pat Shay and said, "What we had planned for here and what is planned now are two different things."

DeLoach said that after the conversation and some changes to the general development plan, "we've got a direction to go in."

Alderman Brian Foster said of developer WEDP, "They came back with a new proposal that I think is going to be positively received. We feel like they have listened."

Alderman Van Johnson, however, wanted to clarify for the public that only about 20 percent of the entire structure would be preserved under the new plan. "The rest is going to go... I think it's important for the public to be aware of that."

Developers attorney John Northup told Council that the Seaboard Freight Station "was already somewhat dilapidated" when purchased by local investors back in the mid-'80s.

He claimed "there is a lot of debate" about whether the building is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, saying that "Even if it were found to be eligible that doesn't trigger any additional protection."

There is disagreement on this point; the developer's consultant study says the building is likely ineligible. However, the Historic Savannah Foundation's study says that it is eligible.

Alderman Tony Thomas said, "There's a history lesson in what we just did. When you chop 80 percent of the building and say you protected it, I have a problem with that... it's hypocrisy."

Alderman John Hall expressed thanks to citizens who led opposition to the full demolition of the building.

"It was very vocal to us, and I admire them for doing that," Hall said.

Thomas said it was inappropriate for Mayor DeLoach to hold meetings with the developer without the input of the district alderman, Van Johnson, who concurred that he hadn't been invited to any recent meetings other than an email on Feb. 26.

"There's been an outpouring of community outreach about saving this building," Thomas said. "I'm curious when I hear about all the different aldermen that are involved in a project, and the district alderman hasn't been involved, I have to question that. I don't think that's proper protocol."

When asked if there's a reason why he waited so long to contact Johnson, Shay said, "I wasn't able to reach every single one of you... finally when I knew we were going to live with it, I sent it out... through email. If it feels like a slight, I apologize."

The general development plan approved by Council will have to go back before the Metropolitan Planning Commission.

Johnson urged Council to work with the City Manager to have a protocol in place to protect historic buildings outside the Landmark District so that "we don't have to go through this every single time."

Telfair Museums announced today that its 39th Annual Telfair Ball on February 23, 2019, held for the first time in Forsyth Park, raised a record-breaking $1 million. Proceeds directly fund the museum’s educational programs, outreach, operations, and related activities, bringing the benefits of art to more than 234,000 people each year both onsite and in the community.

As the city’s hub for arts education, Telfair Museums provides more than 6,500 fourth-graders, Head Start, and Title 1 school students with free tours of major exhibitions, free art workshops, and free passes for their families. In 2019, eighth-graders will tour the Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters with a new American history curriculum.

Telfair Museums is the only visual arts institution in the city to provide consistent, onsite arts outreach to all of Savannah’s districts. All programs are free of charge and use art as a way to empower individuals who may be struggling with obstacles such as generational poverty. This ensures that all individuals, regardless of their age or socioeconomic backgrounds, have access to the cognitive benefits and enriching power of art.

The City of Savannah held a “green” ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday to open the first of three tree nursery’s on vacant City-owned lots.

The City will seed and nurture 500 trees over the next three years using funding from a $233,244 grant received from the Southeast Sustainable Communities Fund. Followed by, Loop it Up Savannah, a grassroots arts organization, that has partnered with the City and contributed artistic elements to the neighborhood tree nurseries.

The Gwinnett Street site is the first of three nurseries the apprentices plan to build and maintain. The others sites are located on Augusta Avenue in the City’s 1st Aldermanic District and on Mills B. Lane Boulevard in the City’s 5th Aldermanic District.

Savannah Police’s Traffic Investigation Unit is investigating a vehicle versus pedestrian crash that occurred on February 27.

The accident occurred at 1:40 p.m. when, Joseph Barry, 50, in a Nissan crossover, was traveling on White Bluff Road, approaching Hampstead Avenue. He observed the pedestrian, identified as Linda Williams, 72, standing by the side of the road, not in a crosswalk. A preliminary investigation revealed that Williams walked out in front of Barry's vehicle, which did not give Barry the opportunity to stop. His vehicle struck Williams, and she was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries.

The TIU continues to investigate this crash.

Renowned classical pianist Benjamin Warsaw, DMA, assistant professor of music on Georgia Southern University's Armstrong Campus, and jazz pianist virtuoso, Joe Alterman, will join for a mixed-genre Piano in the Arts concert series performance, “Crossroads, Jazz Meets Classical.” The event will be on March 3, at 3 p.m. in the Fine Arts Auditorium on the Armstrong Campus in Savannah.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit georgiasouthern.edu/armstrongtickets.