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Underprivileged kids across the Savannah region will soon be zipping up new winter gear thanks to the inaugural Canady’s Coats for Kids charity drive, resulting in boxes of donated outerwear being delivered to the United Way of the Coastal Empire on Wednesday, Jan. 13.

Two work vans belonging to Canady’s Heating Air Plumbing were repurposed into coat-delivery vehicles and parked in front of the United Way’s headquarters on Savannah’s Monterey Square to drop off the cold-weather clothing Wednesday afternoon.

Between Nov. 30 and Jan. 8, Canady’s organized its first-ever coat drive by providing varied drop-off locations for donations of new jackets, parkas, fleeces, and other wearable charitable gifts for kids from infancy to age 17.

“We started Canady’s Coats for Kids as a way to help children in need stay warm this winter. The community really came together to help make this a success,” said Fred Canady, president and owner of his namesake company. “We look forward to making the next Canady’s Coats for Kids drive even better.”

The United Way will be distributing the coats to varied organizations that work with children in need, with the first shipment of donated coats presented to representatives of Savannah’s Frank Callen Boys & Girls Club right after they were unloaded from the Canady’s vans.

“We are so thankful that Canady’s chose the United Way of the Coastal Empire as a partner for its first Canady’s Coats for Kids. So many generous people helped to make a difference,” said Brynn Grant, chair and CEO of the United Way of the Coastal Empire. “I look forward to our organizations partnering again next year.”

Canady’s is continuing to collect children’s coats at their locations at 211-B Johnny Mercer Blvd. on Wilmington Island and at 504 Scott Court in Richmond Hill.

Don Caskey spends every weekend staked out in a tattoo shop lobby, getting to know each and every person who comes through the door. Every inch of his arms is covered with tattoos of stars, aliens, flowers, and first names.

Within a few days, half the people he’s met have the name “Don” tattooed on them. Then, he packs his bags and hits the road to do it all over again in a new city. In the first week of 2021, it was Savannah’s turn.

It all started when Caskey was diagnosed with stage 4 kidney cancer in December of 2019 in Toledo, Ohio. He had one kidney removed, but the cancer had already spread to his lymph nodes. So, he accepted that his cancer was not going away and decided to make the most of the time he had left.

After he recovered from surgery, Caskey started exercising regularly. Then, he got a tattoo in honor of his cancer fight.

On his right arm is the image of a dying pine tree, covered with the kidney-cancer ribbon. Underneath is the message “I’m still standing.”

“In July, I looked down at my tattoo and I realized that the only thing I can take with me when I die is memories,” Caskey said.

Caskey decided right then to start asking people to get matching tattoos with him in the spirit of making memories. It started with friends and family, then turned into something bigger.

“After four or five weeks of asking people, I went into this little restaurant-bar in Ohio and this girl, it was her first day of working, I asked her to get a tattoo with me, and she said ‘sure!’”

The very next day, Caskey and the woman got matching butterfly tattoos. Two days later, another woman asked about Caskey’s fresh ink, heard his story, and got one with him too.

After his twelfth tattoo, Caskey’s story was shared on Facebook, where it went viral. Caskey received hundreds of messages from people across the country wanting to get involved. He decided to leave home, head to Lima, Ohio, and see what happened.

“I said ‘Hey Facebook! Lima, here I come!’” Caskey said. “I got 30 tattoos in one weekend with people I had never met.”

Since then, Caskey has been tattooed in dozens of cities with hundreds of people. Both his arms and parts of his legs are now covered with everything from astrological signs and roses to mushrooms and dragons.

“I kind of drive around, post where I’m going, and people show up for tattoos,” he said.

On New Year’s Eve, Caskey landed right here in Savannah. He says Tramp Art Studios welcomed him with open arms, giving him a total of 14 tattoos before he left town. Artists Billy and Kirsten Cassat, Taylor Keel, Dre Edwards, and Josh White all joined his journey, either tattooing him or getting matching ink themselves.

Whitney Taylor and Alex Hornick also got tattoos with Caskey, and say it was incredible to be a part of his journey.

“A random decision to go get a tattoo turned into meeting such an amazing person,” Hornick said. “I think that everything happens for a reason, and here we are.”

That reason, Caskey believes, is to spread hope across the country.

“At first I was gaining memories, but it’s gotten to be much more than that,” Caskey said. “I get people from around the world, every day reaching out to me, telling me how I’m inspiring them to get through whatever difficulties they’re going through that day. That’s a very humbling, but overwhelming in a good way, experience.”

When asked which tattoo is his favorite, he said it would be impossible to choose.

“Every one of these, somebody gave a part of their body for me and they supported me by doing so,” Caskey said. “I don’t have a favorite. Each one is their own story.”

Caskey documents each story on Facebook in a photo album titled “Celebration of Life.” He says he stays in contact with almost everyone he meets and has gained a new outlook on humanity.

“I believe that there’s more good in the world than bad,” he said. “You see all the negative on TV, on the news, but I truly believe that most people in this world are inherently good. They want to raise a family, have a roof over their heads, and be good to other people.”

Caskey says he plans to continue his travels until he runs out of room on his body.

“I’m going to go until I get filled up,” he said. “As long as my health is good enough, I’m going to still meet people. I feel better than I’ve felt in 20 years, but the cancer is still there. Eventually, it’s going to cause a tumor somewhere. But right now, I feel good.”

Caskey says that no matter where his journey takes him, he’s happy to have a piece, or 14 pieces, of Savannah with him forever.

The wonders of Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary are being brought to shore, expanding the potential of greater community engagement with Georgia’s own natural underwater park.

Gray’s Reef, an undersea habitat located 19 miles east of Sapelo Island on Georgia’s coastline, was designated as a National Marine Sanctuary on Jan. 16, 1981, as one of the last official acts by President Jimmy Carter. To honor that day 40 years ago, Savannah Mayor Van Johnson designated this upcoming Jan. 16 as the city’s inaugural Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary Day.

Looking ahead, Gray’s Reef administrators have received approval to open a marine-sanctuary visitor center in downtown Savannah to provide the community with an onshore location to learn more about the oceanic landmark and find out how to embark upon underwater adventures there.

The leadership of Gray’s Reef considers Savannah’s official celebration of the sanctuary’s 40th anniversary and the new visitor center as important steps.

“It’s a look back of where we’ve been, and where we’re going,” said Stan Rogers, the sanctuary’s superintendent. “We want more and more people to get involved and engaged.”

Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary is the only natural protected reef off the coast of Georgia, and it is one of the largest near-shore “live bottom” reefs of the southeastern U.S. It is one of only 14 protected marine areas that make up the National Marine Sanctuary System. The approximately 22-square-mile sanctuary of Gray's Reef is just a small part of the U.S. territorial Atlantic Ocean, yet its value as a natural marine habitat is recognized nationally and internationally.

“Gray’s Reef is 19 miles off the coast. It requires a boat and/or the ability to scuba dive to actually see the reef, so we do a lot to interpret that to bring that to the people so that they can experience it virtually even if they can’t go out to the sanctuary,” said Rogers.

Since most people will never get to visit the reef in person, staffers have been working to bring the experience of its bountiful maritime life on land. Rogers says that some prospective plans include the incorporation of free educational classes taught by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientists, as well as volunteer opportunities and public Advisory Council meetings to engage the community.

The visitor center experience may include digital multimedia galleries equipped with touch-tables and virtual-reality headsets that simulate an actual reef visit. The site will feature appropriate materials for the education and enjoyment of all ages. Rogers anticipates opening the center by fall of 2021.

In November 2020, former President Carter wrote a special letter to the director of the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, John Armor, honoring the reef’s 40th anniversary. In the letter, he also acknowledged the other three marine sanctuaries that he designated on that day: Channel Islands, Looe Key, and Point Reyes - Farallon Islands.

“What we want is to engage more people and get more people involved by letting them know how they can be involved and support the sanctuary,” Rogers said. “Everyone holds value in Georgia’s coast and all of the great resources it provides. Whether they visit the coast or not, everyone benefits from it and its resources.”

Gray’s Reef staffers are enthused about engaging the community in future endeavors.

“We are super-excited, because most people will never go to Gray's Reef, so it’s our job to bring the wonders of Gray’s Reef to them on land,” said Michelle Riley, the sanctuary’s communications and public outreach coordinator. “After all, the sanctuary belongs to all Americans!”

Visit graysreef.noaa.gov to learn more about the Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary.

The Savannah-Chatham County Public School System is receiving a donation of over $4 million from T-Mobile’s Project 10Million to support students with free resources for online learning, according to SCCPSS administrators.

During a Jan. 12 press conference, representatives from the SCCPSS and T-Mobile announced that T-Mobile’s Project 10Million initiative would be donating funds to deliver free wireless hotspots and high-speed data to Savannah Chatham-County students. Each device and line of service is worth a minimum value of $500 per year. The SCCPSS will receive an initial allotment of 5,685 devices, with an additional 4,000 devices to be added in July.

Project 10Million was launched prior to the pandemic to address issues of digital inequality, according to T-Mobile representatives. In an effort to bridge the digital divide, T-Mobile has been working to provide discounted internet services to schools that, in turn, provide the tools needed for success in online classes.

“This new partnership will open new opportunities for my students in need,” said SCCPSS Chief of Data and Accountability David Feliciano.

According to Feliciano, to support students and teachers the school district has already distributed over 25,000 devices, purchased online instructional software, and rolled out WiFi on Wheels in Savannah and Chatham County for online learning.

“We are grateful to T-Mobile for their generous support of our students,” said Dr. Ann Levett, SCCPSS Superintendent. “Internet connectivity is as necessary as electricity to our students. These devices mean our students can access digital learning in a timely and appropriate manner.”

Households will be eligible for the devices if they have at least one child receiving free and/or reduced school lunches. All hotspots and other devices will be provided to eligible households by their school.

A long-smoldering problem is threatening the Chatham Emergency Services nonprofit firefighting agency, with the potential to soon engulf its ability to effectively provide varied public-safety functions countywide: a $3 million operating deficit.

According to CES leadership, the deficit is caused by some 25% of property owners within its coverage area – comprising approximately 242 square miles of unincorporated Chatham County – who are declining to pay for fire-service subscriptions. To address this shortfall, CES is asking the Chatham County Commission to take action, either by passing an ordinance requiring unincorporated-area residents to pony up for fire service or coming up with another solution that will get their books out of the red.

However, some commissioners are reporting that many unincorporated-area constituents who do pay for CES subscriptions feel they are being overcharged and taken advantage of, as the agency’s current subscription-fee structure is based on the assessed value of their homes, no matter how large or small they may be. Meanwhile, CES is using their fee revenue to put out fires at the homes of non-subscribers.

In response, CES Chief Operating Officer Phil Koster says that the agency is open to changing its fee structure to whatever methodology would be most agreeable for unincorporated-area residents, as long as concrete steps are taken soon to boost its endangered firefighting capabilities – or else some extremely difficult decisions may lie ahead when the homes of non-subscribers go up in smoke.

“We need to know where the county is for their unincorporated citizens relative to should we stop responding to non-subscribers,” Koster said. “Should we say, ‘Hey, look, y’know, they didn’t pay their bill, their house is on fire, we’re just not going to go’? That is a very difficult pill to swallow, and we don’t want to make that decision alone, so we’re asking the county to help us answer that question.”

To learn what Chatham residents believe may be the best solution to that question, county staff has created an online survey soliciting public opinion about the county’s fire-services options that will be active through Jan. 15, and planning is underway to host a series of virtual town-hall meetings to discuss this burning issue.

A crisis fueled by rapid growth

Chatham County’s fire services are provided by nine separate agencies, with seven belonging to different municipalities while two nonprofit agencies – CES and the much smaller Isle of Hope Volunteer Fire Department – cover the brunt of the unincorporated-area communities, according to Assistant County Manager Linda Kramer.

Although Georgia law requires municipalities to provide fire services for their residents, county governments are under no such obligation, former Chatham County Commission Chairman Al Scott said during a workshop addressing the CES cash crunch on Nov. 5. At this meeting, Kramer noted that when Chatham’s Special Service District tax structure was formed in 1973 to provide municipal resources for the county’s unincorporated areas, their total population was considerably smaller at just over 24,000 residents, so establishing a new firefighting force was then seen as unnecessary.

“We have had substantial growth in the unincorporated county,” Kramer said, estimating that well over 90,000 people live in Chatham’s unincorporated areas today, drastically increasing the burden on CES to fight fires and provide other emergency operations ranging from ambulance service to water rescues to motor-vehicle-accident response.

The history of CES dates back much farther than Chatham’s Special Service District. According to Koster, the agency took root in the 1930s as a cluster of different volunteer firefighting squads tasked with extinguishing blazes in then-rural swaths of unincorporated Chatham. In 1961 those units consolidated to form Southside Communities Fire Protection, Inc., a name the agency retained (and is still frequently called) until rebranding itself as CES in 2017.

And while CES has expanded over the years to keep up with unincorporated Chatham’s rapid growth, its nonprofit-agency status leaves it with few means to collect payment for its services beyond depending on the goodwill of unincorporated residents who dutifully pay their subscription fees. Koster says that the CES operating budget for fiscal year 2020-2021 is $10.5 million, while its subscription income is only $7.5 million.

“Our biggest issue is the uncompensated services,” Koster said. “We provide a lot of services that are needed and requested, to which we receive no reimbursement for; 25% of our properties are non-subscribers. That is across the board. That is residences, we have hotels, we have businesses, large properties that choose not to become subscribers.”

‘If you call, we’re coming anyways’

An uncompensated board of directors governs CES, which maintains 159 full-time personnel spread out across 14 fire stations, some of them being dilapidated facilities that have been in constant use for 80 years, Koster said. Other CES facilities have awkward shortcomings, such as Station 13 on Quacco Road, a rented shack that is so small the front bumper of the fire truck stationed there had to be removed so that it would just barely fit inside.

While the CES directors have taken actions to address the agency’s financial shortages in recent years, including saving money by purchasing used fire trucks and erecting cell-phone towers at stations to earn additional revenue, needs of the ballooning unincorporated-area population are outpacing the ability of CES to maintain its current service levels, according to Koster.

In 2019, CES fielded 4,838 fire calls for an average of 13 each day, while simultaneously responding to just under 70,000 emergency medical service calls, or about 191 daily, Koster said – and these are only the agency’s run-of-the-mill tasks, excluding the need of CES to be constantly ready for major disasters.

“It is not always what you do each day, it’s what you’re prepared to do when the phone rings or when the alarm drops, and that can be very expensive,” Koster said. “We have to provide the same level of service whether you live on Skidaway Island or whether you live on the far reaches of Fort Argyle Road, and that’s where it can be very costly.”

And while it remains the CES policy to put out fires at homes of non-subscribers, this situation is becoming increasingly untenable, according to Koster.

“If you call, we’re coming anyways. At this point, we don’t decide you’re a subscriber or not; your life and safety of that property is more important to us,” Koster said, noting that non-subscribers can be charged up to $20,000 for CES firefighting services, and that a fire report needed for insurance claims can be withheld as an incentive for payment.

“After a fire, even if they’re not a subscriber, yes, we can try to bill them or hold onto the fire report, but that is also not successful. That leads to the deficit.”

Debating the subscription-fee structure

While none of the Chatham County Commissioners have expressed a willingness to let the homes of non-subscribers burn to the ground, some have said that the current situation is unfair to those who duly pay their subscription fees − especially after CES reassessed its rates in autumn of 2019 to reflect updated property values, resulting in higher bills.

“Our subscription program was antiquated. There was a huge honor system, whereas if you bought your house in 1993 and you said it was worth this much, we took you at your word and your subscription rate was carried forward,” Koster explained. “We have been able to get information by going to the Board of Assessors to actually get the true value of the properties, and we’ve done that, which helped us increase our income.”

However, according to Commissioner Helen Stone of District 1, this reassessment has caused rates to nearly double for some unincorporated-area homeowners.

“I have some concerns as to how this fee structure’s set up, and how we can be more balanced about it,” Stone said to Koster at the Nov. 5 workshop. “We have a segment of the community that is not paying, so in essence what’s happening is you’re putting the burden on the people that are. … How can we get your organization where it needs to be financially secure, but not on the backs of people that are trying to do the right thing and pay?”

At this meeting, then-Commissioner Tabitha Odell of District 5 passed on complaints that the CES fee-assessment structure being based on a home’s value is flawed, because a blaze at a small home in an expensive area may not require as many resources to extinguish as a fire at a less-valuable building that could be much bigger.

“The pushback that I get from people in the 5th is that they don’t want to pay based on market value of the house,” Odell said. “They want to pay based on square footage.”

Koster replied that if the County Commission would like to pursue another method of collecting subscription fees, this would be fine with CES as long as it would solve the budget shortfall.

“We are open to any methodology in regards to collection, if the county feels that it should be a flat fee or if it should be a square footage,” Koster said. “We are very open to that. At the end of the day, we just need to make sure we can cover our expenses. That’s what we’re looking for.”

Toward the conclusion of the Nov. 5 meeting, Chairman Scott said that additional workshops would be held to delve deeper into potential solutions to the CES budget issue. Kramer added that an online survey would be developed to provide all Chatham County residents with an opportunity to provide feedback about their fire service. This survey was activated in December, and will remain available to be filled in at chathamcountysurvey.org through Jan. 15.

Six options to address the problem

The County Commission met again to discuss the situation surrounding the CES financial shortfall on Dec. 18, when Kramer introduced six possible options for consideration in dealing with this issue, ranging from the lowest to the highest level of participation for Chatham officials:

1. Maintaining the status quo, leaving the CES with the same unenforceable subscription-payment system, but possibly updating the county’s fire-district maps to shift coverage of certain areas to the jurisdiction of some municipalities’ fire departments.

2. Adopting an ordinance requiring all property owners in unincorporated Chatham County to subscribe to fire services, with the service provider collecting subscription fees from the property owners and county officials enforcing penalties for non-payment.

3. Charging a new fire fee on county tax bills to property owners in the unincorporated areas instead of their individually paying for subscriptions, with the fee schedule and service contracts to be negotiated with service providers and the county paying or passing these fees directly to them.

4. Establishing a new tax to fund fire services by setting up new fire districts within the county and assessing a new millage levy, which would be included on property tax bills and based on the value of each property without caps.

5. Developing new fire-service contracts with fire-protection providers that would be paid with a tax-rate increase in the Special Service District, with taxes invoiced and collected by the tax commissioner on property-tax bills.

6. Having the county establish an entirely new fire department to be funded with a Special Service District tax increase, while dissolving existing fire-service providers in the unincorporated areas.

Following her presentation of these options, Kramer noted that they are all included on the fire-services survey, and that the public might feel the most confidence in option six, although she said the opinion of county staff is that establishing a completely new fire department would be the most costly and the biggest undertaking, especially after Chatham leadership has committed to several expensive public-safety endeavors in recent years.

“We’ve established a police department, we’ve taken on 911, animal services, marine patrol – we’ve done a lot,” Kramer said, adding that the cost of building a new fire department from the ground up would be prohibitive. “The equipment’s expensive, the stations are expensive.”

During the Dec. 18 meeting, incoming Commission Chairman Chester Ellis (then serving as District 8 Commissioner) estimated that establishing a new fire station could cost county taxpayers over $400 million, raising the point to emphasize how important the survey feedback would be for the board to determine what steps to take next.

“We really need for the unincorporated residents in Chatham County to do that survey, so we will know exactly what they’re talking about,” Ellis said.

Reached by telephone on Jan. 5, the day after he was inaugurated as the new Chatham County Commission Chairman, Ellis added that he is working on scheduling virtual town-hall meetings with residents of all eight county districts before the board takes up this issue for a vote in the upcoming months, with details about these forums to be released in late January.

“We’re trying to give folks a chance to have input,” Ellis said, while repeating his hopes that many unincorporated-area residents will fill out the fire-services survey by Jan. 15. “We can get a fair understanding of where people are before we make a decision.”

In September, the Savannah Police Department launched Georgia’s first law-enforcement team created specifically to address incidents involving people experiencing mental-health and addiction issues, and the department’s leadership is already considering this as a successful local initiative toward reforming policing practices.

The SPD’s new Behavioral Health Unit − comprised of two non-uniformed unarmed officers and a licensed clinician − responds to calls that do not pose a threat to the general public and involve psychological factors like suicide, opioid abuse, and mental-health disorders. The BHU also assists in calls related to homelessness and disorderly conduct.

Modeled after the BHU established within Oregon’s Portland Police Department in 2013, the goal of Savannah’s BHU is to decriminalize substance-abuse and mental-health incidents, and reduce the number of individuals entering the criminal-justice system when alternative measures could address the underlying causes of the issues at hand, according to SPD Chief Roy Minter.

“This is a fundamental time to start this unit in Savannah,” Minter stated in September. “We were ahead of the curve on development and research, and can now officially announce this new unit, which we are confident will provide a holistic approach to a problem affecting many in this city.”

According to a spokesperson for the SPD, in June of 2018 the department applied for a federal grant aiming to assist in breaking the cycle experienced by repeat offenders, and to lower the number of police contacts and arrests of people struggling with opioid abuse and mental-health issues. The grant application outlined the need for a behavioral health unit.

The federal grant was approved in 2019, and SPD leadership began working to initiate the BHU program immediately afterwards, but funding delays and the COVID-19 pandemic postponed the initiative’s launch. However, since September the BHU has been busy − according to Unit Commander Robert Gavin, between October and the mid-December the BHU received well over 500 mental-health-related calls.

About 190 of those calls led to interactions, with over 70 of those interactions leading to follow-up visits in which an officer or clinician checked in with the individuals and their families to identify additional potential needs.

“The need is out there as you can see, and the hope is that we can expand the unit past the two officers that are in it and put more mental-health services out on the street,” said Gavin.

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Furthermore, the BHU personally transported 29 people for treatment or consultation at a number of Chatham County service centers like the Behavioral Health Crisis Center, Memorial Medical Center, and the Coastal Harbor Treatment Center.

“The need is out there as you can see, and the hope is that we can expand the unit past the two officers that are in it and put more mental-health services out on the street,” said Gavin.

Officer Julie Cavanaugh, a BHU member with Enhanced Crisis Intervention Team training, says that her unit receives calls daily to handle situations that may not be best addressed by armed police officers who may be unprepared to tackle mental-health and addiction issues.

“Patrol will respond to all calls, and if it’s something that is out of their realm that they’re not able to handle or they’re not sure of resources, they then request us on the scene, and on Tuesday and Thursday the clinician rides with us,” Cavanaugh said.

According to Gavin, SPD leadership hopes to expand the unit, and meanwhile all SPD officers are receiving basic Crisis Intervention Team training.

“CIT is still a priority. We probably have a higher percentage of trained CIT officers than most police departments,” said Gavin. “Last year Georgia began giving it in the police academy, so now every officer that comes out of the police academy is CIT trained, so over time those numbers will continue to climb in those that are CIT trained.”

Gavin also notes that the work of the BHU benefits families of afflicted individuals who may not know how best to seek help from public-service providers in Savannah and Chatham County, such as the Front Porch center that focuses on providing referrals for locals in need.

“We realize that issues like substance abuse or mental illness also affect the family, so the unit will also keep the family’s well-being in mind, connecting the family with resources, such as the Front Porch, to get the whole family help to rebuild,” Gavin stated.

Minter hopes that the BHU’s success in Savannah can be replicated by other law-enforcement agencies statewide.

“We hope to lead the way on this in Georgia,” Minter said.

Savannah is an international port city that has grown over the centuries with a plethora of diversity, resulting in its myriad restaurants serving global cuisine and fueling an ongoing renaissance of culinary multiformity.

Another port city, Miami, is well-known for its abundance of authentic Cuban food. No matter the city block, a Cuban window cafe - or ventanita - can usually be found around any corner. Miami too has no shortage of diverse fare and culture, but compared with Florida’s most famous city, Savannah has a relative scarcity of true Cuban cuisine.

Cynthia Santana, a former Miami resident of Cuban and Dominican descent, wanted to become part of our renaissance and fill Savannah’s Cuban needs. When the pandemic hit and Miami’s economy slowed, Santana and her husband Mike Lieberman made the move to Savannah after being laid off from work. The change in circumstances allowed Santana to pursue her dream of bringing quick affordable fare to locals by opening Savannah’s first ventanita, the Cuban Window Cafe.

“We took a lot of influence from foods that I have eaten growing up and learned how to cook, but also things that are very much staples in Miami. The Cuban window is something that you find on every corner in Miami,” Santana explained. “The menu is a lot of the staples you would find in everyday Cuban food. Things that people know and expect to have in a Cuban restaurant, and we also added some stuff. The Coconut Curry Chickpeas, that is one of my dishes, just to have something that is a vegan option.”

The cafe opens early especially for early-rising workers, to serve breakfast for only $5.00. This neighborhood-friendly price gets you a breakfast of your choice, such as eggs and bacon, Cuban toast, and a café con leche.

According to Santana, “Everything on our menu is under $10.00. It is made for the working-class people. It is made for neighborhood people. You don't have to be a tourist, you don't have to be on vacation, this is food you can come and eat every single day and still afford it.”

Although Santana has deep roots with Cuban fare, learning from her family and grandmother, she and her husband brought in a longtime friend, Pablo Rodriquez, to cook. Chef Rodriguez aims to put the Cuban Window Cafe on the map as the best Cuban eatery in town.

Pablo grew up in the center of Cuba, and evolved his devotion to cooking by learning from his family, specifically his grandmother. Cooking is not a job for him, he explained.

“I became the chef of the family, and this is not work, not what we do. We are not working, we have pleasure for all of the food, mainly Cuban food,” Rodriguez said.

Chef Rodriguez and his son butcher the pork and beef in house. Rodriguez honed his techniques growing up with his father, a butcher in the farmlands of Cuba. Rodriguez was kind enough to step away from the kitchen to tell me his story.

“We lived in a big town like this one, in the middle of the country where the next house is two miles from there. There was no electricity. They had to save the food for years,” Rodriguez said. "By Christmas they raised the pig and processed it on Christmas. We had to make a big tank and put all the pork in there. Like Masitas that you see here.”

Masitas De Puerco is a dish of fried pork chunks that are melt-in-your-mouth succulent. The traditional way to preserve pork is to vat it and cover it in its own fat, preventing premature spoilage. The fat preservation results in tender, full-flavored pork that is marbled with umami and fork-tender. Throughout his life, and by cooking with his family, Rodriguez perfected tricks like these, and is now bringing them to his kitchen in Savannah.

You will find the most authentic side of the menu in the Complete Specials. Dishes like the Mojo Pork, Pollo Asada, and Palomilla Steak are ones where Rodriquez applies the same techniques he learned living in Cuba so many years ago.

The same can be said for the rotating specials menu. Past specials have been items such as Ropa Vieja (stewed beef and vegetables), Ajiaco Criollo Cuban Creole stew, and Bacalao, which is steamed cod with peppers and potatoes.

Ideal for lunch, the menu also features some classic sandwiches. The Medianoche is the cousin to the classic Cuban sandwich. The difference is a shell made with sweet bread instead of Cuban bread. The minor addition of sweetness cuts through the smack of mustard of the original version. The mustard is a necessary ingredient to balance the fat and umami of both types of pork.

The sugars in the sweet bread add to the crunch created by pressing the sandwich in a hot grill. The warm succulent sandwich is crispy on the outset, then gooey from the melted Swiss cheese, and finishes with a mouthful of tender roasted pork. Other pressed sandwiches include Cuban Frits Sliders made with beef and chorizo, Pan Con Lechon created from mojo pork and onions, and the Pan Con Bistec steak sandwich.

French fries are the classic choice for any sandwich, but the Cuban Window Cafe has better, traditional choices for sides. I am always drawn to Maduros, or sweet plantains, but the less sticky version, Tostones are available as well. Black beans, yellow rice, yucca, and vegetables are just some of the sides available to add to any meal.

Cuban Window Cafe: 1116 Abercorn St., Savannah. 912-777-5042

Amiri Farris’ Starland exhibition, an installation of collages made with funky reclaimed materials, fits right into Savannah’s Starland District.

The vibrant exhibit fills the Bull Street storefront window of Sulfur Studios’ ON::View Pop Up Gallery, meshing well among the multifarious artworks and buildings (and artwork on buildings) that make up the Starland District.

Farris’ work for this show was created using an array of reclaimed materials, including sparkly gift bags and cardboard boxes. Bright-colored paint and printmaking materials create Ben Day dot illustrations of American stars ranging from Oprah Winfrey to André 3000 to Frederick Douglass, along with other graphics that are all collaged together to make each individual piece.

“Farris’ work challenges the traditional view of the star as protagonist, weaving well-known imagery into collages in which different elements compete for the spotlight,” said Sulfur Studios representative Samantha Mack.

The exhibition is available for passersby to observe through Jan. 31. Farris will be giving a talk about his work on Jan. 9 at 2 p.m., via a live-video appearance on Instagram. During this event, Farris will present a music video curated to accompany the Starland exhibit.

In conversation, Farris says a friend told him that he was “an art star,” and that got the multifaceted artist’s wheels turning. Farris attributed this conversation with his friend, as well as his settlement in Savannah’s Starland District, as his inspiration for the Starland exhibit.

“The theme of the exhibition is Starland,” said Farris. “When I say ‘stars,’ people think movie stars or stars in the sky, and I wanted to do something that related to both.”

To counteract the gloom of the pandemic, Sulfur Studios challenges its artists to find ways to engage the public in the arts, while also promoting social distancing.

“History shows us that some of the world’s greatest art was born of difficult circumstances. Artists help create meaning out of chaos, ask questions, and help connect communities in times of crisis,” said Farris. “This newest exhibition can be viewed distantly from outside, and get noticed by people that wouldn’t necessarily go into an art center or museum, so I feel like I’m engaging the community.”

Farris attended the Savannah College of Art and Design, where he earned a bachelor’s in illustration and a master’s in painting. He describes himself as a multidisciplinary artist since he enjoys sculpting, performing arts, and having the freedom to recreate whatever type of work that he sees and that piques his interest.

“I don’t like to be confined to one genre,” Farris asserted. Farris uses his platform to prioritize the well-being of other artists. Proceeds from sales of Starland works will support Sulfur Studios’ Artist Fund, as well as Farris’ nonprofit Slay organization benefiting artists in need.

Farris said that he started Slay at the beginning of the pandemic to help provide funds for artists in need, since artists are typically the last to be compensated after the public enjoys their work. In 2020, the organization raised $20,000 to be disbursed in $500 increments to artists that reached out for help. Moving forward, Slay aims to offer mentorships to artists and raise more funds for disbursal in future endeavors.

Starland is on view through Jan. 31 at Sulfur Studios’ ON::View Pop Up Gallery at 2301 Bull Street. Visit sulfurstudios.org to learn more.

The Savannah Police Department and the Chatham County Police Department have filed charges against a man accused of impersonating a police officer.

The Savannah Police Department arrested 34-year-old Donald Williams, Jr. on January 5, 2021, and charged him with Impersonating a Police Officer or Employee and Blue Light Restrictions on Vehicles. Both crimes are felonies. On January 6, 2021, the Chatham County Police Department took out warrants on Williams for an additional felony count each of Impersonating a Police Officer or Employee and Blue Light Restrictions on Vehicles.

In recent weeks, both the Savannah and Chatham County Police Departments became aware of activity suggesting that a man in the area was pretending to be a law enforcement officer. The suspect was spotted driving a vehicle with flashing blue lights mounted on the windshield, and was seen wearing a badge and reflective vest with the word “Police” on it. The investigation led detectives to Williams, and police confirmed that he is not a law enforcement officer.

Both Savannah Police and Chatham County Police are urging anyone who thinks they may have had contact with Williams while he was impersonating an officer to contact CrimeStoppers at 912-234-2020. Tipsters are anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward.

With its magnificent array of natural habitats supporting a delicate ecosystem of plant and animal life, the 5,500-square-mile Ogeechee River watershed is one of Georgia’s most picture-perfect environmental treasures, illustrated by a freshly concluded photography contest held by a Savannah-based nonprofit organization.

This was the inaugural photo competition of Ogeechee Riverkeeper, an environmental-advocacy group aiming to improve the watershed’s condition by raising awareness of threats to this diverse natural expanse, such as pollution and adverse impacts of area development. The watershed encompasses estuaries, tidal creeks, salt marshes, and other habitats lining Georgia’s 245-mile-long Ogeechee River, which concludes at the Atlantic Ocean along Chatham County’s southern border.

The goal of the contest was to encourage the public to appreciate the Ogeechee’s diverse ecological features, which range from pine forests to coastal marshes and provide habitats for over 160 rare species of flora and fauna, according to Ogeechee Riverkeeper Communications Director Meaghan Walsh Gerard.

“It’s really about showcasing the watershed,” Gerard said, adding that the photo contest provided a safe way to highlight the river’s natural beauty while group excursions are precluded by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. “We were looking for ways to engage people that didn’t require organizing events. … It’s something that people could do with their family or by themselves.”

Considering that many of the region’s amateur wildlife photographers visit the watershed’s parklands and historic canals for fresh-air getaways on a regular basis, the leadership of Ogeechee Riverkeeper was hopeful that their inaugural photo contest would elicit an enthusiastic response.

The organization’s call for pictures shot in 2020 was declared in early December with a tight Dec. 20 deadline, yet enough submissions were received to award prizes in four categories, as announced on Dec. 28.

In the Wildlife category, Billy Harrell took top honors for his image of a gator emerging from the Canoochee River glowing with the reflection of yellow flora; Harrell also won the Aerial photo category with a lofty sunset shot of the Canoochee-Ogeechee confluence.

Julie McCracken won the Plant Life category with a shot of lance-leaved coreopsis flowers stretching heavenward to catch some rays. Meanwhile, Wesley Hendley earned the prize (and laughs) in the Funny Wildlife category with his picture of a pond slider turtle basking on a sunny log while a camouflaging layer of shaggy grasses blankets its shell.

Hendley also scored an honorable mention for an autumnal shot of trees reflected in the waters at Twin City’s George L. Smith State Park, and Janet S. Anderson was similarly lauded for her intriguingly angled photo of intermingled leaves and tree trunks at Scarboro Landing.

Beyond the honor of having their photos recognized and disseminated by Ogeechee Riverkeeper, the winners each received a yearlong membership with the organization, and each of them could pick a prize of a shirt emblazoned with a redbreast sunfish (native to the Ogeechee, naturally) or a rubberized canvas bag perfect for excursions into the watershed’s wilds.

Ogeechee Riverkeeper’s leadership plans to continue the photo competition in 2021 for photos taken through December, and expects a bigger response next time with entries in other categories like portrait, underwater, and black-and-white photographs.

According to Gerard, the photos are also helpful to area ecologists by providing up-to-date evidence of what species are flourishing throughout the watershed. “The more eyes and ears we have out there absolutely helps,” Gerard said.

Visit ogeecheeriverkeeper.org to learn more about Ogeechee Riverkeeper and the 2021 photo contest.