[This story has been updated with new information.] The Savannah Police Department (SPD) is investigating a Dec At 1:31 a.m. on Sunday, the Savannah Police Department (SPD) announced via X.com (formerly Twitter) that officers were on the scene of a shooting in the 2500 block of Bull Street According to a subsequent press release from SPD Public Safety Communications Manager Neil Penttila "Officers responded to the scene at around 12:50 a.m on reports of a shooting at an establishment." When officers arrived they encountered two adult males suffering from gunshot wounds that were nonlife-threatening The victims were treated before being transported to Memorial Health University Medical Center SPD reports that two additional victims later transported themselves Sunday morning to St Joseph's Hospital while a third additional victim self-transported to Memorial The press release did not indicate what time the additional victims arrived at the hospitals but Penttila confirmed via email Monday morning that SPD became aware of all the additional victims around 2 a.m but the additional victims were connected to the incident because "it is believed they were all wounded there." Sunday morning's incident would technically be considered a mass shooting as the general accepted definition is a shooting incident wherein four or more people are murdered or injured the investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been made Anyone with information is encouraged to call CrimeStoppers or submit an anonymous tip through the SPD mobile app Joseph Schwartzburt is the education and workforce development reporter for the Savannah Morning News You can reach him at JSchwartzburt@gannett.com Anti-gun activist charged with murder: Former outreach coordinator for city's anti-gun violence initiative charged with murder Christopher Fong was 12 years old when Hurricane Gilbert made landfall in his native Jamaica in 1988 The Category 3 storm claimed 49 lives and devastated the nation’s capital “I remember I felt hopeless,” Fong told The Christian Chronicle “I didn’t know what to do until someone came and lent us a helping hand Now Fong, a preacher earning his master’s in education at Harding University wants to provide victims of another Category 5 storm with the same hope he received 36 years ago The home of a church member in southern Jamaica was damaged as Hurricane Beryl passed Before the storm plowed into Texas, Hurricane Beryl skirted the southern coast of Jamaica bringing damaging winds and flooding to the parishes of Saint Clarendon “We have never seen winds of 165 mph in our history in this time of year — never,” said Gladwyn Kiddoe, director of the Jamaica School of Preaching and Biblical Studies International in Kingston The Bull Savanna Church of Christ in Saint Elizabeth was hit particularly hard The homes of several church members were severely damaged A Christian family in southern Jamaica receives a generator from relief workers to Jamaica to work alongside Robert Darby and other church members in recovery efforts “We’re going to work until we can’t work anymore,” Fong said, inviting fellow Christians in the U.S. to join him. “We see this effort as benevolent and evangelistic. We want to show the world that the church believes what the apostle Paul said (in Galatians 6:10): ‘As we have opportunity especially to those who belong to the family of believers.’” deputy director of the Jamaica School of Preaching have served in disaster relief since Hurricane Gilbert They have coordinated response teams and assistance from across Jamaica They even received aid from Christians in Ethiopia after Hurricane Gilbert Hurricane Beryl destroyed homes across southern Jamaica church members were assembling bags of food and making plans to help those in need an evangelist for the Braeton Church of Christ in Jamaica church members have assessed needs and made plans to send teams to hard-hit parishes Jamaicans have disregarded hurricane warnings so he will allow the storm to pass.” But people took Beryl seriously so he will allow the storm to pass,” Yorke said loading up on food and gas before the storm hit and boarding up their homes and businesses “This one was very emotionally and mentally taxing,” Yorke said The relief trip to Bull Savanna will be a homecoming of sorts for Fong who was baptized in 1991 and graduated from the Jamaica School of Preaching in 2000 he served on a mission team that planted the Bull Savanna congregation in 1996 he could see he needed Christ,” Kiddoe said Francis’ home was among those damaged by Hurricane Beryl the first convert of the Bull Savannah Church of Christ when Hurricane Ivan flattened the facility Church members built in its place a three-story cement building which sustained only minor damage from Hurricane Beryl As hurricanes intensify and become more frequent Churches of Christ should be ready to respond rapidly to build back stronger and to show “the church at its best,” Fong said A new believer emerges from the waters of baptism in Jamaica’s eastern parish of Portland Churches of Christ conducted a gospel campaign in Portland despite the recent hurricane The Pangburn Church of Christ in Arkansas is collecting relief funds to help Christopher Fong’s mission team provide relief in Jamaica Funds may be sent to Pangburn Church of Christ Subscribe today to receive more inspiring articles like this one delivered straight to your inbox twice a month Your donation helps us not only keep our quality of journalism high but helps us continue to reach more people in the Churches of Christ community {amount} donation plus {fee_amount} to help cover fees Residents of Bull Savannah in St Elizabeth have rallied together to fast-track their recovery from the powerful Category 4 Hurricane Beryl Edwin Powell was busy repairing his neighbour’s roof which the strong winds from the hurricane blew off the community tradesman told The Gleaner that he takes pride in being able to assist those around him “Yuh affi help people ‘cause yuh one can’t live fi yuhself Yuh don’t know di day when yuh [might] run to one person and seh ‘Mi want help’,” he said He shared he has been repairing roofs since Thursday the day after Hurricane Beryl passed along the island’s south coast “Mi do two [Thursday] and mi do two since morning inna di rain and mi have two more fi go [Saturday] This included helping other community members to secure their property in anticipation of the storm by battening down windows and reinforcing their roofs This degree of selflessness is a trait his neighbour A help him a help mi out ‘cause mi nuh have no money fi pay him but mi can give him a drink likkle more … Everybody ‘bout ya help one another,” he said The camaraderie among community members was also crucial during the passage of the storm as he had to run to a neighbour’s house when the winds took the zinc roof off his four-bedroom dwelling a di fist mi ever see [like this] inna life Mi go through nuff and neva see nothing like dis ya It look like it stop dung underneath the bottom ya suh (south coast) and nuh move,” he said Having shielded his windows and reinforced his roof Johnson said he did not think he would have to leave his house during the hurricane he was left with no choice and sought shelter in a neighbour’s house Donavan Powell also spent the days after the hurricane repairing damaged roofs in his community “A storm suh wi haffi help each other,” he stated nobody nah go help wi,” the 52-year-old said One person who benefited from his help was his neighbour and uncle who had the roof of four of the five rooms in his house damaged in the storm The 63-year-old recalled his fright when his roof started lifting and water started entering his house “A pray mi a pray to Fada God fi it nuh finish tear off for mi nuh know weh mi woulda do,” he said and mi nuh wah experience dat again inna mi life,” he told The Gleaner He has already spent more than $30,000 on materials to repair his home an unexpected expense that is made worse because his two-acre farm Mi nuh know how wi a go manage ‘cause wi nuh have nothing fi sell the farmer is grateful that he does not also have to pay workmen to fix his house “Him help mi good good; mi feel good,” he said sashana.small@gleanerjm.com View the discussion thread. ARC Manufacturing Limited (ARC) has partnered with National Education Trust (NET) to rebuild Bull Savannah Primary and Infant School in St Elizabeth This collaboration aims to restore the school’s facilities — which were severely damaged during the passage of Hurricane Beryl — for the reopening of the new school year The signing of the letter of intent took place on August 5 at NET’s offices in Kingston ARC is donating $12.5 million to fund the restoration of the school’s roofing at the administrative block The roofing repairs are part of a larger initiative by ARC to rebuild and restore the school The restoration plan has been officially accepted by Ministry of Education and Youth (MoEY) and the school administrators Reconstruction work has already begun and is expected to be completed before the start of the new school term on August 26 and who attended the school along with his grandmother said he felt compelled to urgently respond to the devastation caused by Hurricane Beryl due to his family’s deep connection to the community and the school want to take a serious look back at Bull Savannah to see how we can help to develop the school into a world-class educational institution,” he said NET will provide technical assistance and project management services for the project NET is a registered charitable organisation and an agency of MoEY tasked with mobilising financial resources for the education sector NET has been pivotal in implementing infrastructure development projects for schools and is the lead entity for the implementation of the infrastructure pillar under the Transforming Education for National Development (TREND) programme said the partnership is testament to the power of community and the importance of investing in our educational institutions “By restoring Bull Savannah Primary and Infant we are not only rebuilding a structure but also renewing hope and opportunities for the students and the entire community We are deeply grateful for ARC’s generous support and commitment to education,” she said Harris-Ghartey also encouraged other past students who are desirous of helping their schools to recover from Hurricane Beryl to contact NET “We urge all past students and community members to join us in our efforts to rebuild and support our schools can make a significant impact on the lives of our young learners and the future of our communities.” “We are deeply grateful for Mr Horne and the contribution by ARC Manufacturing along with the support of the National Education Trust,” Cameron said “These restoration efforts will significantly benefit our school which serves a student population of 502.” Jamaica — ARC Group will be leading an initiative to rebuild the roofs of four of the six blocks at the Bull Savannah Primary & Infant School in St Elizabeth The Group said it will execute repairs in other areas of the compound which is the alma mater of the group’s Chairman Norman Horne The repairs will be executed with a budget of $25 million The plan has been officially accepted by the school board which has appointed Horne to lead a nine-member restoration committee aimed at reconstructing the institution to a workable space in time for the next school year The committee will comprise school administrators Parent-Teacher Association representatives ARC team members and other community stakeholders The group said reconstruction work has already begun and is expected to be completed before start of the new school term “The restoration programme will include extensive clean-up of the grounds to remove debris from the storm we will be putting in storm-proof windows and painting the damaged buildings,” Horne shared “We also plan to put in a football field and netball court as we know how important physical activities are to a student’s well-being and to create balance with the academic programmes,” he continued ARC said it also plans to donate back-to-school school supplies for the nearly 600 students at the school Horne said he felt compelled to urgently respond to the devastation of the institution caused by Hurricane Beryl primarily because of his family’s connection to the community and the school which provided education for generations of the Horne family who have lived in the area which covers the majority of the building that houses the grade six classrooms and the debris including blown down zinc sheets and tree branches provide a glimpse of the extent of the damage to one of four buildings at the school “The school is as part of my family as my siblings and the home where I grew up; right here in Bull Savannah my siblings and I all got our start at this school Ensuring that the school is repaired and up and running in time for the start of the new school year is a top priority for us at ARC and indeed the committee working on the restoration process,” the executive chairman explained Colin Cameron said he was appreciative of the assistance over the years of past students of the school the significant gesture to lead the charge to rebuild the institution He explained that there was extensive damage to the roof of each block impacted as well as to the canteen and guidance counsellor’s room with the hurricane causing flooding of all classrooms and damage to books which were stored for the coming school year the electrical system will need to be rewired and the internet system restored “I inherited a legacy of academic achievements among our students and for the past 10 years since I have been principal the school has continued to do well we are hoping to have a smooth start to the new year,” Cameron said Photographs courtesy of Ally Miller-Henson and some beautiful historic houses to stumble upon on your walk to your favorite coffee shop there’s one walk that we always find ourselves returning to – our favorite street My favorite street in Savannah is probably Bull Street I know it’s super long and stretches all the way from the River to the Starland District but I’m going to take you through some of my favorite highlights As I’m savoring my last few months living at Drayton Towers I tend to find the beauty in walking everywhere – to work Let’s start at one of my favorite places in the Starland District you’ll see the beautiful historic mansions that reside up and down Drayton and Whitaker Street This is probably my favorite time to seek out these homes as the Jasmine Flowers are beginning to bloom and just add a beautiful pop of color to the brick walls and spiraling stairs enough of my yapping (even though I could’ve chosen a dozen more landmarks on this street.) the Savannah Bananas are coming to the Bull City for two games in 2023 on July 14 and July 15 The Bananas will face off against their rival The rosters for both teams will be filled by independent professional players who have been scouted and signed contracts for the 2023 Banana Ball World Tour Led by Bananas captains Bill LeRoy and Kyle Luigs there will be plenty of familiar faces on both teams' rosters the Bananas will have surprise player guests at many stops of the tour Bill Lee and Johnny Bench all joined the team during the tour Tickets for this game will be available on a later date For the complete schedule and opportunity for tickets, visit https://thesavannahbananas.com/ontheroad/ and join the Ticket Pre-sale List or to get information on outings for a group the Savannah Bananas arer returning to the Bull City for three games in 2024 on April 12-14 Rosters for both teams will be filled by independent professional players who have been scouted and signed contracts for the 2024 Banana Ball World Tour Please note that all three games are sold out Bull Street Taco one of Savannah’s most popular casual eateries is re-opening today (Monday) after a two week shut down to expand into the space next door Owner John Massey tells us the project has been in the works for about a year but everyone is happy because it now adds roughly 1,000 square feet to their footprint at 1608 Bull Street “We’ve now got two restrooms as opposed to one I know everyone was excited to hear about that.” John says which won’t necessarily translate to a larger menu just more space for their staff to do what they have been doing for the last six years “We didn’t have any storage space We had this little attic in the back of the kitchen that was just a disaster we slowly built out a liquor closet for everything and then the next step was obviously taking over the barbershop (next door).” he added John says they will also now be able to expand their offerings at a larger bar it was mainly tequilas and 90% of what we do is margaritas and I assume that probably 85% now of what we’re gonna do is still shaking margaritas we’ve got a couple of great Mexican gins we’ve got some really cool artisan rum a mixed malt liquor that we tried yesterday you’re not gonna find your run of the mill vodka You can hear my entire conversation with John about Bull Street Taco and their new breakfast spot on our podcast here and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Previous Next Copyright © 2024 JBP LLC. Managed by Web Service Kits View the discussion thread. They started their formal education with lockdowns and online schooling as COVID-19 pummelled the education system four years ago as they enter their final primary school years they face another daunting setback in the wake of Hurricane.. They started their formal education with lockdowns and online schooling as COVID-19 pummelled the education system four years ago they face another daunting setback in the wake of Hurricane Beryl The images are starkly different from those at primary schools in the Corporate Area were seemingly physically ready for the new school year were the hardest hit by the Category 4 storm particularly their grades five and six classrooms remain a chilling testament to the events that unfolded Most of the roofless grades five and six classrooms at four primary schools visited by The Sunday Gleaner last Friday were located on the second floor of the mostly old and termite-infested buildings; and even if their roofs were replaced some of them still may not be structurally sound to accommodate classes Among the hardest hit is the Bull Savannah Primary School in St Elizabeth where the roof of an old building used for grades five and six classrooms was ripped off by the hurricane’s strong winds inviting the torrents of rainfall that drenched furniture The roofs of the grades one to four classrooms were also damaged and Principal Colin Cameron explained that while those may be repaired by the second week of September the damage to the other classrooms – and a canteen found to be structurally unsafe – will take a much longer time He estimates that it may take upwards of $50 million for the total restoration $25 million of which is being pledged by the ARC Group who will see parts of their school cordoned off to prevent injury “In this building (grades five and six) but what happened is that after we assessed the situation we found out that termites had infested all the boards and rafters in this area and the plan now is to put up steel beams,” said Cameron who himself was involved in the heavy lifting at the school on Friday and also a place where we had a lot of our community meetings .. Most of the classrooms – except five and six – should have the roof on by Monday or Tuesday The windows are being manufactured and may come a little later,” he said scratching his head as he noted that alternative arrangements will have to be made for the higher grades is to look at how best to get the school started while I figure out the rest Grade six is the most important group because they are the exit group,” he said noting that students only have until December to finish the primary school curriculum before their Primary Exit Profile (PEP) tests and January going down is just building on that work so they may have access to the rooms where The storm also damaged the school’s Internet and CCTV set-up a temporary area for which will be set up elsewhere on the compound A basic school also located on the compound did not suffer significant damage Education Minister Fayval Williams announced that a new school building would be constructed at Burnt Savannah Primary as the century-old wooden structure was infested with termites She said the new structure would ensure that students have more space and access to up-to-date technology Several classrooms at Top Hill Primary School Principal Cavene Headlam carefully navigated puddles to display drenched books She skipped between damaged furniture in a grade six classroom with no roof; and will have to find alternative spaces for the school’s canteen “We lost all the books in the library The makeshift whiteboards that we would normally use have come down as well,” she detailed “Many of the grades five and six students were the grade ones when COVID-19 struck and they were at home for approximately two years So we would want them back here comfortably in time for their exams And the online thing doesn’t work for us here.” principal secretary at the New Forest High School in Manchester explained that it will take millions of dollars to restore a greenhouse and a goat farm that were severely thrashed by the storm but not as much as the New Forest Primary School “I know that they will have some serious challenges,” offered Johnson reflecting on the badly damaged roofs at the school At the Huntley Primary and Infant School in Mandeville we lost a television; the roof went so the water came in the plumbing system because the drums went down and the pipes along with it,” offered a female representative “The grade six classroom is the one that went It sustained the most damage [to] the roof so anything that was in there would be wet.” will open with psychosocial activities for the children many of whom would have lost their homes and may have been left traumatised by the passing of the storm “The roofing will be finished by the 28th of August for us to come in and clean up and the Ministry of Education [requested] a list of the furniture needed so I guess they will help us with the furniture,” she said workmen hammered away last Friday at a roof at the Pedro Plains Primary School in St Elizabeth That building was said to house a library and offices Half of the roof of the second-floor grade six classroom was completely missing with the clock ticking away to the commencement of the school year the Ministry of Education noted that preliminary assessments had found that 212 of the island’s 1,009 public schools had suffered damage The number was later revised to 352 with repairs estimated at some $2.7 billion The ministry said the technical skills of quality surveyors are to be utilised to assess rehabilitation works that are now being carried out to retrofit 107 of the 352 schools that were significantly damaged These institutions have been placed in Priorty One which also sustained damage of varying degrees have been placed in Priorities Two and Priority Three They are to be repaired over an extended time frame while schools are in operation Roof repairs have been completed at several schools across the island including Unity Primary in Westmoreland; St Christopher’s School for the Deaf in St Ann; Richmond Park Primary in Mocho all classroom roofs at the St Hilda’s Diocesan High in Brown’s Town had been repaired and work was being wrapped up on the dormitories with the main building next to be given attention the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) and the opposition People’s National Party have expressed concerns about the pace of the repairs with the new school year fast approaching But addressing the JTA’s Annual Conference in Trelawny last week indicating that there are plans for institutions that have not been fully repaired “We have been meeting with our regional directors and if there’s a situation that they believe may not be totally ready for September 2 they’ve already put contingency plans in place which have been discussed with principals,” the minister told the educators “There are not too many of those situations but I could think of one school in which the timber building that they were using is collapsed and it is impossible to put up a replacement building in eight weeks That regional director has already had conversations with the principal and [with] a church that has a hall that’s right across the street to accommodate those students that’s an example of what would allow schools to carry on,” the minister added one of the St Elizabeth schools pounded by the hurricane could be opened a week late based on the scale of repairs needed And although further noting that the hurricane expedited work “that needed to have been done decades ago” she said there would still be a need for significant infrastructural work in the future “Some roofs that used to leak will leak no more because they have been replaced as a result of the work that we did to rectify the hurricane damage but I don’t want to depend on a hurricane to do what we ought to be doing in and out of season,” Williams said parish disaster coordinator at the St Elizabeth Municipal Corporation said several schools are likely to still need significant repairs when the new academic year starts “Even some of the schools that are not used as shelters it will be very difficult for some of them to be fully up and running by September based on the scope of work that you can see needs to be done,” she told The Sunday Gleaner Lewis further noted that families could struggle with back-to-school preparations as many particularly those in the coastal fishing communities have lost their livelihoods in addition to sustaining significant damage to their homes even as sections of the parish remain without power “What we really wanted to do is get an assessment from the residential aspect there is extreme devastation,” she said “So some of the families that we have met with their homes will either have to be repaired or replaced altogether so they will be affected long term,” she continued noting the complaints by residents regarding the long waits for grants from the Government and corporate entities have been putting on a series of treats across the parishes past students and parents have been rallying to help each other get back to normal corey.robinson@gleanerjm.com View the discussion thread. One consistent complaint heard about Savannah is the small art scene there are plenty of artists in City Market and on River Street but their artwork tends to be geared toward tourists It isn’t as if there aren’t plenty of artists in Savannah creating outstanding and out-of-the-box work It’s just that there isn’t usually as big of a spotlight on them Sulfur Studios has been working hard to change that by offering affordable studio space, exhibitions, educational programs, and artist residencies funded by ARTS Southeast. The mission continues with the second annual Art on Bull block party and exhibition on Friday 'A magical time': A history of First Friday in Starland and how it shaped Savannah's hip district 'Art is a magical endeavor': Carlos Estevez comes back to explore the hidden lines of Savannah The Art Scene: Savannah's new collective SOY X SOY uplifts Latin/Native American experiences through art Board Vice President & Executive Director of Sulfur Studios “We learned a lot through our first [Art on Bull] fundraiser This one is going to be bigger and better.” There will be a live puppet show from Saw the Wheel, blues music from Alia Torres, and drag performances from House of Gunt Not one to shy away from pushing the artistic envelope Sulfur Studios also asked Kris Russell of Light Music Visuals and DJ Don Saffron to collaborate on a combination of music and projections “I’m mostly going to be improvising using organic and video gear.” Russell’s background is in printing and digital work but for this art performance he said he’s pulling inspiration from what’s going on outside of his brain instead of inside it More: These three Savannah artists are creators to watch as the art scene continues to flourish “I started with projections doing liquid experiments; everything from 60s psychedelic light shows in the UK It’s kind of all over the place.” Those aren’t the only things going on that night There will be plenty to see inside the studio as well we also have a huge show called ‘Look.’ That is our survey of Savannah arts,” said Jon Witzky “It’s an amazing group of Savannah artists I’m super proud to be able to host it.” Much of their work is also available for purchase “There are tickets for food and bundled for things like a special t-shirt or magazine 'This is my office now': Savannah artists find community, inspiration along Forsyth Park path Witzky explained that making art accessible is what ARTS Southeast does “That’s a huge part of our mission: to give an art experience to anyone and everybody.” Fundraisers like Art on Bull ensure that that continues to happen “Everything should be free and open.” Art on Bull is also the release party for a biannual arts magazine called “IMPACT” dedicated to elevating Savannah artists and the art scene “The first issue is a little over 100 pages,” said Earl “I think we have an absolutely amazing art scene in Savannah especially for people who maybe aren’t artists to really pay attention and think about what kind of amazing things artists bring to a community,” said Witzky “Our community is really eccentric and fun Earl added that ARTS Southeast has been getting support from the community in the form of their host committee that’s open to anyone to join “Our host committee members are doing what Jon [Witzky] is talking about and really supporting the arts in Savannah.” Those include Victory Plumbing 'They're our waters': Savannah's Storm Drain Art Project involves community in our waterways The second annual Art on Bull block party and exhibition descends on 39th Street between Bull Street and Desoto Avenue on Friday from 5 to 9 p.m Cost: Free to attend; $50 and above for food and other items Junction Ballards Valley maintained their dominance in St Elizabeth after reclaiming the coveted Social Development Commission’s (SDC) National Community T20 Parish Champions title Their stellar performance unfolded at the Manley Horn Sports Complex last Sunday following an exciting showdown against perennial rivals Junction Bull Savannah Opting to bat first after winning the toss Junction Ballards Valley posted 167 for six in their allotted 20 overs with national representative Andre McCarthy leading the charge with an impressive 67 He was ably supported by captain Damian Ebanks who chipped in with a brisk 23 not out from 15 deliveries Demar Mindley and national youth representative Echony Robinson shone with the ball for Junction Bull Savannah Junction Bull Savannah’s innings got off to a promising start with Craig Walters unleashing boundaries off former West Indies pacer Darren Powell their momentum fizzled out rapidly and despite valiant efforts from Walters and Rayon Smith the rest of the batting order faltered as Junction Bull Savannah were dismissed for 90 handing Junction Ballard’s Valley a convincing 77-run victory Lennox Simpson emerged as the bowling hero for Junction Ballards Valley with four for 17 He was supported by Troy Powell with two for 14 and Sherfon Allen In addition to lifting the championship title Junction Ballards Valley also secured a handsome prize of $120,000 In the battle for third place earlier in the day Greenfield Watchwell outclassed Quickstep by eight wickets The national phase of the competition is set to bowl off on Sunday across multiple venues Trelawny Multipurpose Stadium and French Park The teams in the national play-offs are Johnson Mountain from St Thomas Content Gardens and Links United from St Ann Fairfield and South Star United from Manchester Old Harbour and Bridgeport from St Catherine and Richmond Park the team representing Kingston and St Andrew View the discussion thread. It would give Savannah partygoers another option for West River Street mechanical bull riding. Saddle Bags Savannah, not even a block away It's the same building as Savannah Smiles Dueling Piano bar but on the west end - directly across the street from Plant Riverside The building will feature outdoor seating on ground level at the corner of River Street and Factor's Walk as well as an arcade section and two bowling lanes The mechanical bull will be placed just inside the lobby The property comprises 313-321 West River St. but the project will only take up the 313-316 addresses The site is a contributing structure to the Savannah National Landmark Historic District The Historic Board approved the most recent set of alterations to the building at their Jan. 11 meeting. Previous design plans were also approved in 2018 and 2019 omitted a 2nd floor Upper Factor's Walk entrance and will use steel windows instead of the previously approved aluminum ones Additions to the plans will include the removal of the current stooped entrance with a new contemporary awning meant to "distinguish this element from the original historic building,” according to the Historic Review Board submittal package At Wednesday's meeting SHBR Vice Chair Nan Taylor said she was impressed by the appropriateness of the design and I think the context of where this building is located and what has been done is perfect," Taylor said Information about the business's owner and an expected opening date was not available the building owner and Savannah Underground's public relations manager did not respond to repeated requests for comment when the Starland District was not quite the hip zip that it has grown into two-story brick building at the corner of Bull and 39th streets to tour the bare-bones facility and decide whether or not to sign a six-month lease and attempt to establish some type of temporary art space They were all holding down multiple jobs while trying to carve out of their schedules time to make art, so they decided to seize the opportunity despite not knowing exactly what they might manifest inside the aging property. That six-month lease turned into a year lease, which turned into a two-year lease, and this Friday, Nov. 1, the trio will celebrate the 10-year anniversary of ARTS Southeast one of the most dynamic community arts organizations in Savannah “If it had lasted six months and been really cool I would have thought that was fun,” said co-founder and treasurer Jennifer Moss let’s make it as awesome and as fun as we can and just see what happens,” added co-founder and Facilities Manager Alexis Javier “We were learning as we went,” explains co-founder and Executive Director Emily Earl I started to take it a little more seriously and think about longevity because that’s when it felt bigger.” the surrounding neighborhood had a barber shop but it was still an area seemingly perpetually on the edge of “up-and-coming.” Earl remembers going to punk shows when she was in high school in the dirty gravelly spot where Starland Yard now welcomes hundreds of diners and drinkers every weekend The trio christened the space Sulfur Studios and other artists came to create and cooperate and collaborate and display and exhibit as the organization gradually took on a life of its own and eventually grew beyond their expectations “The energy here is very contagious,” says Gallery Assistant and Director of Public Relations Samantha Mack “To be in a space with so many artists doing cool things just keeps lending itself to more cool things happening And I feel like that’s because it’s artists together continuing to connect with each other… I feel very lucky to be here.” 'We’re going to make sure we do the best that we can for these artists'The pandemic presented a considerable challenge and at many points along the way there were times when it was unclear whether the organization would survive but everyone stubbornly persisted and in 2021 ARTS Southeast emerged as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and is now exceptionally poised for the next decade ahead “It’s a relatively thankless thing sometimes,” says Program Director Jon Witzky This is just what we do and we understand this is something that’s needed and we have a love for it… But there’s a sacrifice that has to be made both in our personal lives and in our professional lives as artists and those things have to take a back seat… The artist’s life is a very unstable and difficult thing To be an artist is a wild sacrifice to make on its own.” “We really persevered through some hard times where it seemed kind of crazy to do this,” says Earl “There were so many times I wondered why we were doing this because it’s hard and I’m tired.” The reason they have been able to stick the landing so well is because ARTS Southeast is run by a competent crew of hardscrabble working artists From its humble beginnings in 2014 as a DIY art space ARTS Southeast now provides a massive array of programming to support established and emerging creators such as 26 below-market-rate studios; two galleries with curated shows scheduled throughout the year; an international artist residency that provides a month of free lodging along with studio/exhibition space; the Incubator Artist Initiative which provides a year of access to a free studio; and the ongoing First Friday Sulfur Street Fairs The organization's greatest strength is its uncompromising artist-centered practice we make choices on how to treat the artists we work with based on how we would like to be treated and how we’ve been treated in the past,” says Moss “We’re going to make sure we do the best that we can for these artists.” we have an insider view on how things should be done,” says Earl we want to be able to give even more to support artists.” ARTS Southeast also produces the full-sized glossy arts and culture magazine IMPACT and has cultivated many extensive creative partnerships throughout the city and other local businesses and nonprofits and community organizations They also foster a genuine sense of inclusivity that permeates everything they do “I’ve always been drawn to the idea of creating events and curating shows and opening up opportunities for others to participate and collaborate and to be involved in a community art space,” says Javier “We’ve tried very hard to make this place as inclusive as possible,” says Moss “And that’s represented in the artists we pick for the residency and even the participants in the street fairs It’s very intentional and I think that intentionality has made it a very open space.” Everyone involved agrees that none of it would have been possible without the support of the greater community This Friday's fourth annual fundraiser, Art on Bull, provides the perfect opportunity for the Savannah community to show its continued support with festivities that include a block party with live music by the Intracoastal Playboys There will also be an opening reception in the main gallery for the annual group exhibition Look! featuring some outstanding Southeastern-based artists The project finale for New Zealand-based ON::View Artists-in-Residence will be on display as well as an ofrenda installation in conjunction with Día de los Muertos and the ongoing exhibition of affordable small works by ARTS Southeast supporters “Making and dedicating yourself to art and culture is a very radical thing to do because there are people who want to take that away and I’m very nervous about what’s going to happen,” says Witzky “There’s an existential threat to artists and art organizations and nonprofits I’m concerned about living in a society that doesn’t value arts and culture But we really need the support of the community.” What: Art on Bull celebrates ARTS Southeast’s 10th Anniversary Info: artssoutheast.org/ Located in the Thomas Square Streetcar neighborhood the Starland District is one of the Savannah's fastest growing areas It was that spirit and sense of community that attracted Savannah-based Foram Group to the area last year with plans to develop a $40 million live play community known as Starland Village at Bull and 38th streets "It's truly a creative product that we're trying to develop It not like anything that's been developed here before," said Travis Stringer Originally founded in Atlanta in the late 1970s Foram is a real estate asset management company specializing in property development The company has owned and managed property in the area for about 20 years which will be spread across three lots that include the former New Covenant United Methodist Church and the lot to the north previously owed by the City of Savannah is expected to cover roughly 130,000 square feet The company searched for over a year for a site and first decided on an acre of land near Montgomery and 41st streets the church property was on and off the market and not on the company's radar at the time "We spent about seven or eight months and we got down to the bottom of (the Montgomery Street property) and we looked at tearing down some of the properties keeping the more historic ones and repurposing them We had empty lots we could build on and work it all in together for a really cool mixture of new and old," he said "… We worked on that and then it kind of came down to the point that we couldn't come to an agreement on the price value of the property After that we knew that the (church) property was on and off the market and wasn't really a focus of ours After meeting with church officials and touring the space the group closed on the church property last summer Built in 1912 ,the church features natural acoustics which helped cement its place in the development as an events venue "I really fell in love with that building and that's the reason we got so interested in it," he said there are these beautiful acoustics that take place because it was designed in 1912 and in 1912 they didn't have microphones so they had to build it where someone could stand on stage and their voice gets projected." Along with needing at least two years to move and find another sanctuary the church also wanted to see a community-oriented development on the site "They felt like the history of the church had always been so community oriented and utilized by the residents in the neighborhood that they wanted to see some type of redevelopment that would do that they didn't just want to see 150 apartments go up and a couple restaurants," Stringer said The church found a new location about a month after the property was put under contract so the group shifted gears again and started thinking about plans a lot sooner than they had originally intended "We put our development hats on and transitioned from buying and holding for two years to reinvigorating this property now," he said adding that he hopes the space will fill the void between large and small venues while still providing an intimate experience The group is also hoping to open the space to regional events like TEDx The second and third floors of the church's former school building will be transformed into co-working office spaces providing a central place for startups and the creative community from across Savannah which is already equipped with a commercial kitchen "We recognized through community conversations that (local retailers) couldn't afford the rent that exists on Broughton Street because of the development and tenants being brought in," he said "… We decided we could build something that was cost effective and could deliver rents that they could afford but create a community around them that would help bolster them." A new building will be constructed to the south of the existing school building which will feature apartments and retail spaces The alley way between the buildings will provide a unique opportunity for about 10 artist spaces "We did some research and found that it would be perfect for what we're calling our artist alley We will line it with artist studio spaces and do roll up doors so that they can have the space as their own but also open as a gallery space," he said The property also includes a parking lot behind the church that borders Whitaker Street which they originally planned to use to house the residential component of the project but after working with the Metropolitan Planning Commission and assessing the height and density those plans changed "It just came down to the standpoint where it wasn't going to be accepted and we couldn't do it in a creative way that wouldn't hinder Whitaker and get the units that we needed Around this time the City of Savannah property across 38th Street to the north was put up for sale and the group decided to submit their bid of $687,000 to the city "We were already heavily invested in the neighborhood before we even got the city property," he said Now a second portion of the development's residential units will be constructed on that lot along with a parking structure that has also undergone extensive design changes A similar second parking structure will be constructed on the surface lot on Whitaker Street After realizing a traditional parking garage with 154 spaces would cost about $37,000 per space and push the structure to an undesirable height Stringer found California-based CityLift Parking and came up with a new solution drivers will use a kiosk or key fob to communicate with the lift system which will park and retrieve cars By using a CityLift system the cost per space was cut to about $13,000 and allowed the height to be reduced "The average delivery time for a two-and-three story system adding that the company is working on an app and is able to track the workings of the system and be on-site within two days should any mechanical problems arise The large-scale development has drawn both concern and excitement from area residents according to Thomas Square Historic Neighborhood Association president While the group hasn't taken an official stance on the project they have tried to act as facilitators to inform members and neighbors about the project while finding a way to address their biggest concerns Edminster said the residents aren't so concerned about the parking that will accompany the residential units since they will have dedicated spaces but more about parking for those visiting the retail I think people are excited about energy moving into the neighborhood People want to see developments that bring together mixed uses that are thoughtfully considerate of what the current environment already holds," he said Edminster said parking is likely to remain a concern in the neighborhood with or without this project but the key is to be open to constructive conversation Working from those conversations the Foram Group has confirmed a partnership with Chatham Area Transit's bike sharing program as well as the dot Express Shuttle and pedicab companies to expand routes south of Forsyth Park no because of parking we have to say yes and then work together with the development folks the city and ourselves as residents to try and find some sort of solution that allows for all this to work together," Edminster said "There are practical solutions for it; I think it's just having the open mindedness to do that and being OK with change The only constant in life is change and if you want to stay in the Starland District as it remains today structure height has also been a concern for residents On Tuesday the Foram Group will present a petition to the Metropolitan Planning Commission to rezone the parcels from Traditional Commercial - Neighborhood to Traditional Commercial - Mixed Use Development The current zoning allows for a maximum building height of three stories or 45 feet and the proposed zoning would push that to five stories or 60 feet "We want to zone the property to allow for the unique uses and make it as site specific as possible; we don't want to set precedence that would allow any project to (do this)," Stringer said of the project which at its tallest will be 55 to 56 feet The height change also accompanies several other changes made the plan after hearing from residents including moving a planned rooftop park from the commercial building to the parking structure reducing the number of office spaces and adding a larger variation of residential floor plans "We took all those comments and looked at them and see how we can make some changes to the project without hindering delaying the project or spending too much money," Stringer said Tuesday's MPC meeting will be a big step for the project but Stringer said pending all city approvals the group is ready to get started as soon as possible "We don't want to change the neighborhood and our property is unique in the fact that it has historic buildings and empty lots that can be redeveloped but the type of project makes it unique to allow these things," he said adding that the group is also working with the Savannah Tree Foundation to protect and preserve the live oak trees along the property which is of utmost importance to the group Edminster said the height reduction fits better with the scale of the existing church buildings and the group is pleased with Foram Group's receptiveness and willingness to amend aspects of the development "…Concerns have been brought up at meetings and they've been met and if they weren't met they provided explanations as to why they might not be able to do something and that right there is the story of this project That's how I'd like to see developments move through this neighborhood they happen with the neighborhood," he said "That requires learning both from a developers standpoint where they have to learn how to work with us and that requires learning from our standpoint where we have to work with them and figure out ways to have better meetings that reach more people and get more folks to the table to have those conversations." Editor's Note: This article is part of a series taking a closer look at topics discussed by the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) leaders and Chatham County Board of Education members during a fall retreat on Aug 21 and 22 at the Georgia Tech-Savannah campus "We don't really know what's behind these walls," said SCCPSS Superintendent Denise Watts referencing the district's central office building at 208 Bull St Asbestos and lead paint would be reasonable to expect in a building constructed in the early 1900s Window air-conditioning units dot the façade of the building which does have central air but it "may not optimally work in all places," said Watts staff moved items away from office windows and covered the panes because rainwater gets in and can "seep into the walls." Ceiling tiles above the second and first floors of the three-story structure had "gotten damp and collapsed" after Debby had left Watts admitted that some employees had been granted requests to relocate due to adverse health effects from mold or other issues should SCCPSS sell the deteriorating facility or renovate it and eventually bring back employees Should SCCPSS renovate and become a landlord to a third party in a revenue-generating venture SCCPSS special education: Savannah schools 'change the narrative' around specialized learning with renewed efforts District 4 School Board Representative Shawn Kachmar said during the retreat "We've been kicking the can down the road on what to do about 208 for 13 years before I got here." He advocated for action but asked that the district first supply options replete with clear budgetary implications that are "fiscally prudent." While Watts had included two options with estimated dollar amounts, board members drew lines about what they might be willing to approve. With each new insight, budget considerations seemed like a house of cards propped up by hypotheticals about a possible Educational Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST) V and/or property consolidation and sales of other SCCPSS facilities Watts said the board's thoughts were ultimately another "data point" for her as she plans to bring a formal recommendation before board members in October Dollars and senseWatts feels that moving employees while either renovating 208 Bull or building a new central office facility will be a formidable challenge Chatham County office space is scarce and thus at a premium cost SCCPSS could use some of its school facilities but doing so would mean further decentralizing nearly 325 administrative employees many of whom are already decentralized across various facilities Watts' retreat presentation proposed a new 100,000-square-foot facility on 12.5 district-owned acres The estimated cost of that plan was $49 million The cost to renovate 208 Bull solely for use by central office staff would be roughly $85 million per district advisers Watts feels it may cost even more given the unknown issues the facility may reveal as walls come down At the retreat, board members debated repurposing the building for educational instruction, as had been its original use. If such a plan would be presented and approved, then 208 Bull could be included in an Educational Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST) V proposal which would would rely on a public vote at the ballot box SCCPSS had opened requests for proposals (RFPs) Watts said she was not certain why that RFP process never progressed other than to say that there apparently were which could have influenced past superintendents' desires to put forth a formal recommendation In 2020, the Savannah Morning News reported that the 104,750-square-foot building and its land were valued at $12.3 million. According to Watts' retreat presentation, 208 Bull was appraised in July by Quest Valuation and Advisors (based in Atlanta) for $18 million The Chatham County Tax Commission's 2024 appraisal values the land at just over $3 million and the building at nearly $11.3 million From 2020: Savannah-Chatham School Board accepting bids for Bull Street building Selling the facility may relieve SCCPSS of a large renovation project and its potential hidden costs argued that the property contains historic and civil value beyond its monetary worth District 1 Board Representative Denise Grabowski said whatever the decision on 208 SCCPSS should still maintain a presence in downtown Savannah because the city is the county seat of government stating that it has benefited her to meet with governmental partners in close proximity to the central office when the land was originally chartered for a school "the school fell victim to the stigma that was associated with the 'free school movement' of the early 1800s." So the school closed but eventually reopened in 1869 as Savannah's first high school Then it was set on fire by a group of arsonists in 1899 Much remains unknown about what will happen with SCCPSS central office building as much is still being considered about what should happen October's board meeting may finally resolve the 208 Bull St all parties agreed at the retreat that central office staff needed to be relocated as soon as possible To kick off National Library Week this week the City of Savannah Municipal Archives shares this information of Savannah’s historic libraries The Carnegie Library on East Henry Street was both the first public library constructed for Savannah’s African-American community as well as the first freestanding public library built in Savannah The Carnegie Library was established by the Colored Library Association of Savannah who had started a “Library for Colored Citizens” in 1906 relying on donations for a book-lending facility they operated out of a doctor’s office they successfully applied to the Carnegie Foundation for a $12,000 grant to build a library building and raised an additional $3,000 locally the Carnegie Library was designed by architect Julian deBruyn Kops and is one of Savannah’s few examples of the Prairie School architectural style After a brief closure, the building reopened in 2004 with two new wings. In 2017, the Carnegie Library was recognized as one of Georgia’s 10 Most Beautiful Libraries was Savannah’s second public library building funded through a Carnegie Foundation grant this one for $75,000 to construct a library for Savannah’s white residents was designed by architect Hyman Wallace Witcover (designer of local landmarks such as Savannah’s City Hall and the Scottish Rite Masonic Temple) in a Neoclassical style featuring grand Ionic columns Related Marker unveiled to commemorate Savannah’s historic Carnegie Library library patrons were greeted by the inscription “Make Books Thy Comrades.” A new wing was completed in 1936 through Works Progress Administration funding and included the addition of a Robin Hood mural in the original children’s room by artists William and Martina Hoffman A 1999-2000 renovation restored the 1916 building and expanded the library on the northside Municipal Archives video: “A Birds-eye Chat from the Roof of City Hall” Join the Municipal Archives for a monthly virtual Hungry for History program Friday as they venture up to the rooftop of Savannah’s City Hall with architectural historian Jonathan E. Stalcup, owner of Architectural Tours of Savannah, for “A Birds-eye Chat from the Roof of City Hall.” The program is online at:  youtu.be/7yb_MO7Kqlg) City Hall was planned and constructed between 1903-06 and designed by architect Hyman Wallace Witcover Listen to them discuss everything from things on City Hall you can’t see from the street (like the ship held by the statue “Commerce”) to what you can see looking outwards from City Hall (like the unique roof of the U.S Custom House).  It’s a great behind-the-scenes look you don’t want to miss City of Savannah Municipal Archives: Archives@savannahga.gov, Discover the Archives: Savannahga.gov/MunicipalArchives This is the City Talk column by longtime Savannah Morning News contributor Bill Dawers The pandemic has obviously taken a toll on the local economy but some important construction projects have continued including several in the Bull Street corridor between Forsyth Park and Victory Drive Bull Street is Savannah’s “civic spine,” a term I first heard used by architect Christian Sottile governmental buildings and homes reflects the rich history of the Thomas Square neighborhood While that crucial stretch of Bull Street has changed dramatically in this century The Mata Dora a new four-story mixed-use apartment building on East 31st Street between Bull and Drayton streets The complex replaces Bull Street Baptist Church’s college ministry building and an aging police precinct.  Starland: Pilot program expands Savannah open container zone into south of Forsyth Park neighborhoods Some folks object to The Mata Dora’s height but I think the project is a good fit for the site and the neighborhood I am one of the Mata Dora’s closest neighbors and I will be glad when construction is finished but I am eager to see the apartments and the commercial spaces along Bull Street occupied The new businesses will enhance Bull Street’s vibrancy and walkability the building respects the neighborhood grid The increased residential density will offset some of the neighborhood’s 20th century population loss Art: Starland Mural Project reveals 'fence art' along new development Work is also continuing on the former Save-A-Lot building at East 40th and Bull streets, which some Savannahians might still remember as David’s Supermarket. The large one-story structure has more than 17,000 square feet for lease.  Extensive renovations are nearly finished on the modest historic structure at Brady and Bull streets that was most recently home to Butterhead Greens Café which is across the street from the Savannah College of Art and Design’s Arnold Hall feels like a key connecting point in the neighborhood Savannah city officials will likely sell a large property at Drayton and West 33rd streets for a development that includes affordable housing the additional density should help restore some of the lost neighborhood fabric The Starland Village a mixed-use project that spans three blocks south of 37th street Regular readers might remember that I objected to several elements of the development plan The old Sears building at East Henry and Bull streets will eventually be used more intensively which takes up a full block between Henry and Anderson streets is not a good fit for any residential neighborhood If any of those large properties were to be listed at prices that the market could support they would certainly be attractive to developers The corridor’s redevelopment will also continue to be held back by underutilized surface parking lots for churches and for the Midtown Center of the Chatham County Health Department There are also questions related to ordinances and infrastructure we have done little to address concerns about commercial and residential gentrification The pandemic has prevented a fair assessment of the extension of the to-go cup zone along Bull Street The expansion of outdoor dining seems likely to continue even after the pandemic Development in the corridor will continue to be held back by high-speed traffic limited crosswalks and poor sidewalks on some adjacent blocks City officials seem likely to face some tough choices about civic priorities for the Bull Street corridor during the next few years Those decisions will be easier to make if the mayor and council articulate a clear vision for the future health of our shared civic spine Contact Bill Dawers via @billdawers on Twitter and CityTalkSavannah@gmail.com Art on Bull is celebrating Savannah’s vibrant arts community with a fundraising block party and exhibition the event will also be graced by a bewitching performance by singer-songwriter Alia Torres Torres moved to Savannah four years ago from Columbus and has since been performing several times a month on River Street A talented blues guitarist with a soulful voice Torres performs a mix of eclectic covers (Feist but you wouldn’t know from her entrancing shows that she is relatively new to playing music Torres took a sideways approach to music by learning about the technical side of audio before ever performing in front of an audience Torres traces her musical beginnings to The Loft Live in Columbus where she worked for over eight years moving up the ladder from host to server to bartender and that’s where I laid my roots down,” said Torres At one point Torres quit and moved to Fiji for several months Things did not work out as she planned and she returned to the Loft with newfound determination “When I came back I’d lost everything that I had and I felt fearless,” said Torres therefore I had everything to gain.” Recent Savannah shows: Bero Bero and friends become No Doubt and Dead Hot Chili Peppers for Halloween A Grave Family Affair: Graveface Record label celebrates 20th Anniversary with Savannah festival A festival for everyone: UnderGo Fest returns with an all-Savannah line-up of performers Torres’ father had a recording studio in his basement which instilled in her an interest in sound engineering She decided to focus on learning more about it with help from The Loft “I started an internship for no pay learning to be a sound technician,” said Torres “I started following my friend around learning sound and it got to a point where they would leave the bar and allow me to take over They did this so often that it became recognized at the bar that I’m pretty much doing this person’s job so they fired them and gave me their job.” Torres also began working during the day at a local university’s audio studio assisting a music professor instruct classical music students “I got to know both worlds of classical students and out of town people who come to play,” explained Torres “Even Grammy Award nominated artists sometimes I got to learn all of these genres and frequencies and personalities and the way musicians communicate.” Torres decided to apply what she had learned to her own music and began performing live More: 'Savannah’s Finest Folkie' Justin Vreeland is back with originals, covers of your favorites if you’re going to serve someone a drink it’s best if you’re also someone who drinks alcohol so you can test your beverage I figured I should start playing music to understand the musicians that I’m am catering to I want to know what it’s like to be onstage I want to know what it’s like to be told to turn down and why they get upset because when I get into something I get into all of it but I didn’t really have a lot of faith that I would be a musician because growing up I started with violin and flute and I moved around so much as a military brat that I didn’t really get the instruction that I needed Torres’ ear for sound and her natural musical instincts are on full display on her debut self-titled EP that was released in 2017 Intimate and atmospheric production brings out her bluesy guitar picking and sultry vocals More: Savannah bands Swamptooth, Charlie Fog Band are getting 'Dead & In the Way' for Jerry Garcia “I like playing in intimate spaces,” explained Torres “I like writing in a way where people can find relatability and apply it to whatever they want to make it I call it ‘bubblebath music.’ It’s not quite blues really nice in a bubblebath with a glass of wine.” Torres has since been writing new material and is just looking for the right environment to capture her ‘bubblebath’ vibes “I’m really looking forward to recording,” said Torres “I’m trying to find the right space for myself and I’m trying to find something that meets that energy It’s less about recording itself and more about the process of the recording — how natural it feels But I’ve got a lot more music to be recorded for sure.” Torres recently changed careers and now has time to perform more often She might even start incorporating a loop pedal and pick up the violin again Torres is also looking forward to performing at Art on Bull and reaching new listeners “Since I have been in Savannah I’ve worked on River Street which I feel has been a detriment to making an impact on the community and meeting people who matter so I’m very excited to be a part of a community event.” Tradition holds that five-year anniversary gifts be crafted from wood For the Big Bon Family perhaps that can be extrapolated to wood-fired food made for all of us the Savannah brand that began its mobile pizza service in 2016 marked its fifth anniversary though the pizza party was held off until Sept For a few hours on that Friday, owner Kay Heritage and her team parked their mobile oven at Service Brewing Co. entertaining its owners Kevin Ryan and Meredith Sutton who encouraged the Big Bon Bodega to open the brand’s bagelry on 2011 Bull Street two years ago The announcement was that Big Bon Bodega’s massive Marra Forni bread oven will be wood-firing up pizzas for dinner beginning Oct “Our bagel oven is actually a pizza oven that we’re making bagels out of so we’re actually using it for what was intended originally,” Heritage said with a laugh Helming the evening operations is pizzaiolo Jay Langfelder in partnership with Big Bon Pizza LLC.  The bagel shop will be transformed into a pizza parlor serving 4:30 until 8:30 p.m who made the move from Buffalo to Savannah in January once and then twice and then three times a year Back in the Buffalo burbs, Langfelder launched both the O.G. Wood Fire pizza truck, which ran from 2015 to 2017, and Jay’s Artisan Pizzeria, opened in 2017. The latter was recently ranked No. 28 of the top 50 pizza places in the U.S. on the Fine Dining Lovers website and is still going strong and now under new ownership Langfelder and girlfriend Amanda Jones began seriously considering a move to Savannah long before the world became what it has become “It’s great to be here now,” he said In his first several months as a full-fledged Savannahian Langfelder has only cooked professionally once: a Big Bon pop-up dinner on Aug. 3 executing a five-course meal for 40-some family and friends and then he was talking to me about locations after the dinner,” Heritage recalled “Do you want to just cook here?” Transformation“I had always envisioned the Big Bon Bodega parking lot could be so beautiful transformed into a family-style [patio] with people having dinner,” Heritage said of the restored art deco property at 2011 Bull St their conversation led to sharing how they treat their team members and how they orchestrate a business and the new partners found that they were kindred culinary spirits “We just have so many ideas and values that are aligned,” Heritage said “I am so lucky,” Langfelder said of being adopted by the Big Bon Family He told Heritage that what he had envisioned for his own pizza place in Savannah was already set-up precisely at the Bodega particularly with the oven and the parking lot-turned-patio for outdoor dining Seating in the parking lot patio is easily 50 at present with room for as many as 70 or 80 diners in the offing “We always wanted Big Bon to be a playground for the local culinary creatives On the menuBecause the mobile unit contains a hotter oven the pizzas that Langfelder puts out at the Bodega will be different from the familiar Big Bon Pizza pies “There’s a big difference between a two-minute pizza and a four-minute pizza so it’s primarily a textural difference,” he explained Langfelder said that the bagel-cum-pizza oven will yield a slightly crispier texture He has been “playing with” dough recipes and expects a “different blend of flours to accommodate the lower [oven] temperatures.” On the menu will be traditional red or white pizzas that can be built-to-order, as well as signature pies that feature produce from local purveyors and farms some Big Bon favorites in addition to some recipes that Langfelder has brought with him from his Buffalo parlor the premise of the menu is old-school New York-style pizza,” he explained The 16-inch round pies will all be made-to-order the Grandma-style will be cooked in a half-sheet pan and sold by the big square grab-and-go slice customizable with toppings tossed on before being finished off in the oven no take-out will be available as Langfelder and his team gauge the onsite demand but the partners plan to introduce that that in due time Fans of the original Big Bon Pizza need not fear: the mobile kitchen will be operational for events around town and for catering gigs The arrival of Langfelder and the advent of Big Bon Wood Fired Pizza just extends the food footprint of the Bodega “The beauty of this whole collaboration with Big Bon Pizza and Jay,” Heritage said “is that Jay has [those] amazing technical skills of pizza making down to a fine art.” That’s what I’m excited about,” she added Pizza parlor: 4:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday Online: bigbonfamily.com Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInSAVANNAH (WTOC) - According to the Savannah Police Department Broughton Street was closed between Whitaker and Drayton Street Bull Street was also closed between Congress and State due to a Fire Department response Both streets were reopened late Saturday afternoon The fire happened at Spa Bleu on Broughton Street It was in the floor area of the spa and contained by the sprinkler system Savannah Fire said it seems to have been caused by a heating issue in the building the restaurant below the spa has water damage as a result as well #HappeningNow: SFD is responding to a fire to Bull and Broughton Street. #savannahga pic.twitter.com/54XswbHuoT employees in the area called 911 when they noticed smoke on the 2nd floor of a building Broughton Street is closed between Whitaker and Drayton. Bull Street is closed between Congress and State due to a Fire Department response. pic.twitter.com/z78v7V2CfZ #HappeningNow: SFD is responding to a fire to Bull and Broughton Street. #savannahga pic.twitter.com/54XswbHuoT Broughton Street is closed between Whitaker and Drayton. Bull Street is closed between Congress and State due to a Fire Department response. pic.twitter.com/z78v7V2CfZ Including a recording studio, nursery and exterior upgrades, historic Bull Street Baptist Church recently celebrated the completion of an extensive renovation that took more than a decade to finish.  The work began 12 years ago with with a new roof and updates to the HVAC system From there the church added handicapped accessible restrooms, a new welcome center near the sanctuary and updated the sanctuary space and fellowship hall More: Savannah pastors seek innovative ways to foster multicultural worship and ministry The final phase included nursery space renovated classroom spaces and extensive updates to the original wood-framed structure built in the late 1800’s which will be home to the church’s college ministry known as The Porch The Savannah-Chatham County School Board has opened a request for proposal on its administrative offices located at 208 Bull St The 1.44 acre property houses a three-story 104,750-square-foot building and is in the heart of the city The property occupies an entire city block overlooking Chippewa Square to the southwest The two connected buildings on the property have occupied the space for over a century The eldest of the two was built in 1788; the newer building went up in 1908 The property also houses a 54-space parking lot The school board currently uses the property for its administrative offices at which point they will be publicly opened the elected school board can sell owned property if the board determines that the site has "become unnecessary or inconvenient." The board also reserves the option to cancel the RFP at any time before the board awards a contract to an offeror The board can also decline to sell the property at all “At this point there have been no proposals made,” SCCPSS Spokeswoman Stacy Jennings said Monday afternoon According to the Chatham County Tax Assessors website The building itself is valued at around $9.3 million In 2019, the City of Savannah sold the Gamble building, 2-10 E Chatham County Tax Assessors valued the building at around $6.3 million (WTGS) — Savannah residents attended the re-opening of the Bull Street Library Monday morning with a celebratory ribbon-cutting and several activities throughout the day TRENDING: Coastal Storm floods areas around Tybee Island Regional Programming Librarian Kasey Haessler says the building is over 100 years old and was in serious need of renovations to the roof She said that after closing their doors for a little over three months they were excited to invite community members back to enjoy the space The day started with a ribbon cutting outside followed by a children's story time and a live acoustic performance Haessler said this is the first time the roof has been completely replaced since its construction and they ensured the project maintained the integrity of the historic building so it may be used for generations to come Everyone has their own way of releasing tension and stress Indoor axe throwing businesses are popping up all over the world so much so that there is actually a World Axe Throwing League Soon one of those businesses will be sharing space with Southbound Brewing Company on East Lathrop Ave Blade & Bull Axe Throwing is set to have its grand opening on January 30th The company already has locations in Charleston and Florence “Southbound actually reached out to us when we started our mobile services in Charleston three years ago We talked about doing a mobile pop up here at the brewery,” said Blade & Bull co-owner Dustin Lambert “We were so overwhelmed with our business in Charleston that we weren’t even thinking about branching out at that time.” Eventually Blade & Bull was able to coordinate with Southbound for something more permanent than a pop-up event For those who have never been to an indoor axe throwing place Each group has an assigned lane like a bowling alley Facebook.com/bladeandbullsavannah and Instagram.com/bladeandbullsavannah It shares a similar vibe with bowling alleys because you can also enjoy food and beer with your friends while partaking in a little competition The beer is part of the reason that Lambert knew Savannah was a good place to expand “(Southbound Brewing Company) is very well established in this area so we thought it would be a good partnership and we could bring something cool to the downtown area.” One-on-one training is given by a professional axe coach after check-in You compete with your friends.” For those who are a little more competitive there will also be league nights that lead to playoffs after seven weeks or you can get a bid for the world championship.” Lambert said Blade & Bull was represented at last year’s world championship in Atlanta Blade & Bull will offer plenty of fun for individuals and events like birthdays and corporate parties Metrics details older individuals can provide fitness benefits to their groupmates through the imparting of ecological knowledge Research in this area has largely focused on females in matrilineal societies where older female African savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana) are most effective at making decisions crucial to herd survival and old post-reproductive female resident killer whales (Orcinus orca) lead collective movements in hunting grounds little is known about the role of older males as leaders in long-lived social species By analysing leadership patterns of all-male African savannah elephant traveling groups along elephant pathways in Makgadikgadi Pans National Park we found that the oldest males were more likely to lead collective movements Our results challenge the assumption that older male elephants are redundant in the population and raise concerns over the biased removal of old bulls that currently occurs in both legal trophy hunting and illegal poaching Selective harvesting of older males could have detrimental effects on the wider elephant society through loss of leaders crucial to younger male navigation in unknown there is no reason to believe there would be sex-based differences in the accumulation of information with age and older males have the potential to occupy the same socio-cognitive role as females particularly in species where all-male aggregations occur young adolescent males may gain considerable fitness benefits by associating with older males with potentially decades more experience of utilising their environment safely and effectively and older male elephants may act as repositories of ecological knowledge to younger males we find that leadership patterns by age were not influenced by the season Are adolescent male elephants less likely to be observed traveling alone Lone travellers accounted for 20.8% of sightings on elephant pathways (n = 263/1,264). Adolescent males travelled alone significantly less often than predicted by chance, whilst mature adult bulls travelled alone significantly more often than predicted by chance (Permutation based likelihood ratio test of GLMM, χ2 (3) = 9.02−7, p < 0.001; Fig. 1). Adolescent males were less likely to travel alone than expected by chance Observed probabilities of lone travel for the different age classes of male elephants (blue squares) plotted against permuted probabilities of lone travel (boxplots with median Observed probability for ages: 10–15 = 0.087 Probabilities of elephants occupying certain positions within all-male groups Blue squares represent observed probabilities of occupying a certain position against box plots (with median minimum and maximum values) of randomly permuted probabilities (a) Older mature males were more likely to lead groups than expected by chance Observed probability for ages: 10–15 = 0.097 (b) Adult males were less likely to occupy the middle position in traveling groups and adolescents more likely than expected by chance Observed probability for ages: 10–15 = 0.759 (c) Males of no age-class were more or less likely compared to chance to occupy the rear of traveling groups All observed probabilities (blue squares) fell within range of randomly permuted probabilities of occupying the rear of groups (boxplots) Distance of the group from the river did not modify the tendency of any age class to hold the front (Permutation based likelihood ratio test of GLMM middle (Permutation based likelihood ratio test of GLMM p = 0.591) or rear position of groups outside the range predicted by random chance (Permutation based likelihood ratio test of GLMM Does season affect lone travel and leadership in male elephants There was no effect of season on tendency for males of different age classes to travel alone (Permutation based likelihood ratio test GLMM nor was there an effect of season on the tendency of different age classes to lead groups (Permutation based likelihood ratio test of GLMM; Age Class*Season: χ2 (3) = 0.962 leadership by mature adult bulls did not vary between the wet and dry season suggesting that mature bulls play a key role in the all-male elephant society approximately 12 km northwest of the river the river was the only permanent water source for wildlife in the area during this study (b) Examples of images from camera traps (set to record video) of groups of elephants walking in a single file down the pathway (c) Example images of elephant pathways in the MPNP Such patterns were not observed in the current study suggesting internal condition was not the key determinant of which individuals arose as leaders in groups it also removes individuals with a central role in the male society particularly in the context of their role in leading younger naïve males between critical resources Patterns of male elephant grouping were analysed in R using generalized logistic mixed-effects models (GLMMs) with statistical significance assessed using permutation-based null models We first investigated if males of adult age classes were more likely to travel alone (as opposed to in all-male groups) and adolescent age classes less likely than predicted by chance We fit a GLMM with a binomial error structure and a logit link function predicting lone travel (dependent variable) by age class (independent variable) controlling for elephant ID as a random effect We compared the estimates from this model to those generated from 20,000 permutations of the data in which we randomly re-assigned individuals to groups within the same season maintaining the total number of times each individual was seen and the size of each group A permutation approach allowed us to control for patterns in the data set owing to its inherent structure including having a greater number of adolescents present in the population To test the prediction that mature bulls led all-male groups more than predicted by chance groups containing at least 1 adult and 1 adolescent (n individuals = 725 n groups = 182) were assessed for the position of travel of individuals and the estimates obtained for the observed data set were compared to 20,000 randomised data sets with age composition of each group maintained whilst position of individuals within groups were randomly shuffled in each permutation Separate models were run predicting tendency to occupy front middle and rear positions in groups (dependent variables) by age class (independent variable) again controlling for elephant ID as a random effect Ages of elephants traveling in the middle of groups was assessed in all-male groups with a group size of at least 3 with at least 1 adult and 1 adolescent (n individuals = 631 Mean size of traveling groups did not differ between pathways, and the inclusion of pathway location as a random effect did not qualitatively alter the outputs of models (Supplementary S6 & S7) Data from the different pathways were therefore pooled for analyses Musth males do not therefore appear to be driving our results This work received approval from the University of Exeter Research Ethics Committee (application ID: eCLESPsy000545v3.2) Due to the sensitive nature of reporting on elephant locations and numbers the data that support the findings of this study are available on reasonable request from the corresponding author R code for running permutation based generalized logistic mixed-effects models available upon request from the corresponding author [C.A.] Dominance and affiliation mediate despotism in a social primate Social feedback and the emergence of leaders and followers Follow your elders: age-related differences in the migration behavior of broad-winged hawks at hawk mountain sanctuary The emergence of unshared consensus decisions in bottlenose dolphins Leadership in elephants: the adaptive value of age Matriarchs as repositories of social knowledge in African elephants and the evolution of menopause in killer whales Competition for mates and predominant juvenile male dispersal in mammals Trophy hunting as a sustainable use of wildlife resources in Southern and Eastern Africa Hurt, R. & Ravn, P. Hunting and its benefits: an overview of hunting in Africa with special reference to Tanzania. In Wildlife Conservation by Sustainable Use, 295–313 (Springer, 2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4012-6_15 Illegal tusk harvest and the decline of tusk size in the African elephant Spatial mapping shows that some African elephants use cognitive maps to navigate the core but not the periphery of their home ranges The role of elephant Loxodonta africana pathways as a spatial variable in crop-raiding location Lee, P. C., Poole, J. H., Njiraini, N., Sayialel, C. N. & Moss, C. J. Male social dynamics. In The Amboseli elephants 260–271 (University of Chicago Press, 2011). https://doi.org/10.7208/chicago/9780226542263.003.0017 The ranging patterns of elephants in Marsabit protected area Kenya: the use of satellite-linked GPS collars The ties that bind: genetic relatedness predicts the fission and fusion of social groups in wild African elephants Association patterns of African elephants in all-male groups: the role of age and genetic relatedness Rutting behavior in African elephants: the phenomenon of musth musth and paternity success in wild male African elephants Controlling for behavioural state reveals social dynamics among male African elephants The demography of an African elephant (Loxodonta africana) population in Amboseli Statural growth in known-age African elephants (Loxodonta africana) Moss, C. J. & Lee, P. C. Female reproductive strategies. In The Amboseli Elephants 187–204 (University of Chicago Press, 2011). https://doi.org/10.7208/chicago/9780226542263.003.0012 Population structure and behaviour of crop-raiding elephants in Kibale National Park Understanding Human–Elephant Interactions in and Around Makgadikgadi Pans National Park Injuries of free ranging African elephants (Loxodonta africana africana) in various ranges of Kenya Severe drought and calf survival in elephants Elephants for Africa: male Savannah elephant Loxodonta africana sociality The ranging behaviour of a large sexually dimorphic herbivore in response to seasonal and annual environmental variation Speed determines leadership and leadership determines learning during pigeon flocking The locomotor kinematics of Asian and African elephants: changes with speed and size Movement reveals reproductive tactics in male elephants Selfish-herd behaviour of sheep under threat Hunting behaviour of lions (Panthera leo) on elephants (Loxodonta africana) in the Chobe National Park Spatial distribution of lion kills determined by the water dependency of prey species Comparative demography of an at-risk African elephant population Age structure as an indicator of poaching pressure: Insights from rapid assessments of elephant populations across space and time “Leading according to need” self-organizing groups Positioning behaviour in roach shoals: the role of body length and nutritional state Social relationships and reproductive state influence leadership roles in movements of plains zebra Effects of artificial water points on the movement and behaviour of desert-dwelling elephants in north-western Namibia Bell, R. H. V. The effect of soil nutrient availability on community structure in African ecosystems. In Ecological Studies 193–216 (Springer, Berlin, 1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-68786-0_10 Activity patterns of African elephants in nutrient-rich and nutrient-poor savannas Mutinda, H., Poole, J. H. & Moss, C. J. Decision making and leadership in using the ecosystem. In The Amboseli Elephants 246–259 (University of Chicago Press, 2011). https://doi.org/10.7208/chicago/9780226542263.003.0016 Relationships and social structure in African elephants In Primate Social Relationships: An Integrated Approach (ed The socioecology of elephants: analysis of the processes creating multitiered social structures African elephants have expectations about the locations of out-of-sight family members Effective leadership and decision-making in animal groups on the move Growth of the African elephant (Loxodonta africana) Trophy hunting and sustainability: temporal dynamics in trophy quality and harvesting patterns of wild herbivores in a tropical semi-arid savanna ecosystem Policy and Strategy for the Conservation and Management of Elephants in Botswana (Department of Wildlife and National Parks Inferring the sex and age of African elephants from tusk measurements Aspect of the Behaviour and Ecology of Elephant (Loxodonta Africana 1797) in the Eastern Transvaal Lowveld with Special Reference to Environmental Interactions University of the Orange Free State (1994) Trophy hunting and conservation in Africa: problems and one potential solution Sustainability of elephant hunting across international borders in southern Africa: a case study of the greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area Fine-scale population genetic structure in a fission–fusion society Poole, J. H., Lee, P. C., Njiraini, N. & Moss, C. J. Longevity, competition, and musth. In The Amboseli Elephants 272–288 (University of Chicago Press, 2011). https://doi.org/10.7208/chicago/9780226542263.003.0018 CITES. 2020 CITES national export quotas. https://www.cites.org/eng/resources/quotas/index.php (2020) Effects of the safari hunting tourism ban on rural livelihoods and wildlife conservation in Northern Botswana African Elephant Status Report 2016: an update from the African Elephant Database Occasional Paper Series of the IUCN Species Survival Commission 60 IUCN/SSC Africa Elephant Specialist Group The Social and Environmental Factors Affecting the Life of Bull African Elephants (Loxodonta africana) in a ‘Bull Area’—A Social Network Analysis University of Bristol (2017) (email info@elephantsforafrica.org for a PDF) K.) 58–74 (The African Wildlife Foundation Partially shared consensus decision making and distributed leadership in vervet monkeys: older females lead the group to forage Mayberry, A. L., Hovorka, A. J. & Evans, K. E. Well-being impacts of human-elephant conflict in Khumaga, Botswana: exploring visible and hidden dimensions. Conser. Soc. 15, 280–291. https://doi.org/10.4103/cs.cs_16_132 (2017) Download references We thank the Botswana Department of Wildlife and National Parks for permission to conduct this research We also thank Elephants for Africa for facilitating this study thanks the Leverhulme Trust (Grant Number: SAS-2017-045\2) and crowdfunding donors for the funding of this work College of Life and Environmental Sciences statistical analysis and was the lead author in drafting the manuscript statistical analysis and critically revised the manuscript MW contributed significantly to statistical analysis including writing of code All authors approved of final publication and agree accountability for the work performed The authors declare no competing interests Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations Download citation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-70682-y Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: a shareable link is not currently available for this article Sign up for the Nature Briefing: Anthropocene newsletter — what matters in anthropocene research UPDATE: The portion of Highway 80 has been re-opened The Chatham County Police Department is closing Highway 80 at the Bull River Bridge due to standing water in the roadway There is no timeline on when the road will re-open Where is Hurricane Nicole?: See radars tracking the storm near Savannah, Georgia Nicole: See spaghetti models, path and storm activity for Georgia Latest updates: Tropical Storm Nicole expected to make turn toward Georgia, Carolinas it was one of the worst kept secrets in town a legendary ‘roadside bbq’ stand on Savannah’s Bull Street was going to be closing up shop at that iconic location and moving to Garden City With Trick’s making the announcement via social media There was no goodbye message to anyone who visited the spot on Bull Street near the heart of the Starland neighborhood-2601 Bull Street-has been sold There was some discussion about Tricks remaining in that location post sale Their new space will be 1902 West Bay in Garden City The move is not entirely a surprise considering the change coming to Starland in the next 18-24 months a developer purchased the building across 42nd street from the former Tricks BBQ space with plans for a food hall and wine bar the former Starland Dairy is being restored and renovated as well That will feature a few hotel rooms and an anchor restaurant a very popular live music venue that closed on Congress Street downtown back in 2020 Work has begun at Whitaker and 43rd on the new home of The Jinx are just the beginning of change in what has become a ‘locals downtown’ if you will No one will argue Starland’s popularity but now there will be one less lunch time spot Previous Next there’s a bagel place in the heart of Savannah When my wife and I first visited back in 2013 and began house-hunting between the Victorian District and Ardsley Park we drove by that empty art deco-ish former garage on the corner of Bull and 37th dozens of times No lie: pretty much every time we passed it I would buy that building and open up a gelato bar or a bagel shop.” I shared that with Kay Heritage this past Saturday as we sat on two folding chairs outside her new bagel shop The light morning breeze wafted the in-the-oven aroma of everything bagels over us Between overseeing the opening of Bodega and still working Big Bon Pizza events it might have been the first time in a week she had sat down all of us watched with eager interest as that vacant property was niftily renovated to include two floors of apartments the sleek and curvy building given new life painted bright white with black-paned windows to look like it was pulled from the pages of an Agatha Christie mystery or “The Fountainhead.” And yet we waited and waited to see what would open in the window-filled retail space on the ground floor At 7 a.m. April 10, Big Bon Bodega opened for business on that site as Heritage and her Big Bon team realized a collaborative vision of making wood-fired bagels for the masses and ventured into their first brick-and-mortar space kept texting me the photo of this building,” Heritage recalled before the doors opened that first morning a dozen people were lined up in the breaking dawn Heritage was manning the stately Marra Forni bread oven sliding soldier rows of bagels into its fiery mouth atop red oak sheebas (think: bagel surfboard.) After baking for four minutes on the dampened boards a process that makes for an evenly baked bagel with no distinct top or bottom Before another sheeba lined with bagels is inserted timed out to the second the ones on the far-right are done It all makes such sense as does the stratagem of starting the day’s baking with the plain bagels before moving on to the sweet and then the more loaded savories keeping the naked rounds untouched by a single poppy seed several pennies of which can be chalked up to the ingredients and the painstaking process executed by the BBB baking team this might not be a warm-and-toasty treat you can afford every day — or even every weekend it would be nice if the bagels were a quarter cheaper — or a quarter bigger chewy and dense in all the right ways with a lightly crisp skin It had been more than four years since I had eaten one that could be mentioned in the same breath The everything bagel has perfect punch without the usually overwhelming onion or garlic Are they 95-cents better than those at Midtown Deli & Bagel Shop but Bodega is 10 blocks from my house and is in a lovely spot that beats driving four miles down Abercorn to What might come as a surprise to locals who follow Big Bon Pizza on social media like it's Adele is that the bagel idea predated the 2016 pizza launch Even more incredible is the fact that Heritage had never made a bagel before she began researching and prototyping about 10 months ago which included a friendly practicum at the Call Your Mother Deli in D.C. whose owners wanted to pay their bagel knowledge forward Heritage credits the bagel idea to a good friend who lives in Canada and who knew that wood-fired baked goods were the Big Bon Family’s fascination “She texted me while she was visiting her family and sent me a video of Montreal-style bagels and said ‘You should do this.’” As a fitting homage to that friend’s brainwave The Donna is now on the Bodega menu: a sliced turkey Big Bon family’s co-founder and pizza director connected her mom with SCAD grad Charlotte Masters and the three had a ‘dream conversation’ that landed squarely on round wood-fired bagels Bodega’s Euro-clean and sinuous interior is the thoughtful product of designer Jerome Elder and Masters BBB’s creative director who’s also tasked with the tiny market’s carefully selected cold case items Spam and a roll of toilet paper before you place your order “We wanted our guests to be part of the whole process the smell,” Heritage said of the shop’s design “It was proven through our pizza experience that people want to be in the kitchen,” which is why the wood-fired bread oven was put behind one of the building’s garage-door windows and facing the queued-up customers a visual treat that whets the appetite and abates the wait I would go to Panera.” Just like the rest of us she found a mentor in Maté Factor’s Brian Baruch whom she praised for his guidance and generous spirit in coaching her through the bread process over the last several months Each Bodega bagel’s life starts the day before it is eaten with dough that goes through a 24-hour cold fermentation the bagel takes a poaching dip in a malt-and-honey infused bath before being baked The only structural difference between a Bodega bagel and a traditional Montreal-style bagel is a smaller center hole which is a design triumph because no one wants butter dripping through the middle folks — but she hopes that they will become more efficient in the coming weeks and months which may mean coming in at… wait for it.. and the closing crew took them down to Old Savannah City Mission plus another half-dozen folks holding their plastic numbers and awaiting their paper bags of toasted goodness and the Yum Yum Twists had already sold out customers stood on line only five or 10 minutes before another fiver waiting to be handed their orders plenty of restaurants in town that have survived for years don’t have customer logistics or coherent staffing remotely as good and Big Bon Bodega is less than a week old Kay Heritage and her Big Bon Family are living proof that nice people work hard Nice people put passion into their enterprise Nice people make delicious pizza and bagels Neil and his wife will be living in a tiny town in the south of France Despite not being able to do face-to-face teaching since March the staff at the infant department at the Bull Savannah Primary and Infant School in Bull Savannah found a creative way to stage their annual Christmas celebration last Wednesday The planning and execution of the virtual event were spearheaded by Shelly Ann Rowe alongside fellow staff members Dorret Francis They formulated a plan to do a virtual celebration “Despite the pandemic and the challenges it posed the department received many Christmas miracles with an overflow of blessing as we secured sponsorships both locally and internationally for all 92 students,” said Rowe “This year’s sponsors included the surrounding business community All these sponsors partnered with us to achieve one main goal – bringing joy to all the students.” The staff ensured the customary participation of the students by having them record various talent pieces which were posted online so that the other students and the various sponsors could share in the experience “The donations came pouring in and we kept adding to the students’ gift bags The different classes were given special times to visit the school to collect their gifts All COVID-19 related protocols were observed the wearing of masks and the hand sanitising of students when they entered the school grounds and no more than 15 persons were gathered at once,” added Rowe said he was delighted to be on board as a sponsor to serve a worthy cause “We chose to assist this worthy cause during the pandemic to ensure that all or even most of the students have a wonderful time this Christmas,” said Bailey who was instrumental in securing international sponsorships was equally elated that she was able to play a part in bringing joy to the children “The individuals and companies that sponsored on my behalf decided to do so this time of the year because going through this pandemic they thought it would be a good thing to put a smile on the faces of all the children,” said Dyer “Most of the sponsors were either past students or they grew up in the Bull Savannah community and wanted to give back.” “The celebration was a success and we truly want to extend a huge thank you to all our sponsors for assisting us to accomplish this implausible idea which placed warm smiles on the faces of our students,” added Dyer • Chapter 5 Bookshop & Gift Center • Grego’s Seafood Bar and Grill • Cetany Holness (Member of Parliament) • Alicia Roye Chestnut and Prince Chestnut St Aidan Anglican and Bull Savannah Church of God View the discussion thread. View the discussion thread. Teachers and stakeholders of surrounding communities all partnered to bring cheer to the students of the Infant Department of Bull Savannah Primary and Infant School for the festive season The year has been challenging and brutal to many with scarce resources and it was the driving force behind the initiative carried out by teachers of the infant department in staging a Christmas treat for the students Staff members of the south-east St Elizabeth-based school have been staging the event for a number of years they accepted the challenge of repeating it as they could not foresee closing the year out without putting a smile on the faces of their students said it still would not have been possible without the kindness of those who migrated She said they were only too happy to donate to the cause she thanked the staff members as well as all new and returning sponsors for ensuring its success school supplies as well as other items and treats the organisers turned up the treat a notch by adding a ‘token’ element which included surprises for parents “We thought it important to recognise the efforts of the parents We used our Instagram page to give away small tokens such as phonecards Parents were challenged each night with trivia questions which provided fun for all parties involved,” Rowe shared the children turned up with their parents at different intervals to ensure all health and safety protocols were observed The students were ushered to the gift-giving area where they were presented with gifts after which had their photographs taken next to the beautifully themed and decorated Christmas corner said nothing can beat the satisfaction of seeing the pleased smiles on the faces of the students and their parents a returning sponsor and also CEO of Dream Destinations Travel JA said he is always motivated to give back “I’m in constant contact with the school’s Instagram page and I’m pleased with the efforts of the teachers and students in the department,” he noted cecelia.livingston@gleanerjm.com View the discussion thread. CHATHAM COUNTY, G.A. (WTGS) — Bulls, Bands, and Barrels a Western sports competition is making a stop in Savannah this weekend The Enmarket Arena is getting ready for a giant crowd to come out and watch bull riding and barrel racing Attendees will also get to enjoy the music of Oliver Anthony FOX28 heard from staff who said they feed off of the fans and look forward to putting on a show for the Coastal Empire READ MORE: Chatham County residents urged to register for primary voting by Monday I mean it’s kid-friendly so I’m just here to ride my bulls and have a good time," saidVenn Johns you can almost walk across the room on it when the event starts really cool," said Josh ‘Porkchop’ Garrick BBB will be in Savannah on Saturday, before heading to North Carolina. Anyone interested in tickets can buy them here The Savannah Bananas are bringing their “World Famous Baseball Circus” to Durham Athletic Park on July 14th Affectionately referred to as ‘The Greatest Show in Sports” by ESPN with an atmosphere that would make most MLB teams jealous (Sports Illustrated) the Bananas have reimagined the baseball experience and the game itself After selling out every night of the seven-city 2022 Banana Ball World Tour the Bananas will take the show farther than ever before in 2023 Over 700 cities and 28 countries were nominated by thousands of fans for the 2023 tour The team has now narrowed it down to the final 32 cities for the tour in addition to their games in Savannah “The response has been absolutely Bananas for this world tour,” said owner Jesse Cole “Everywhere we go we hear from fans begging us to come to their city We are so grateful for their support and because of their passion for the Bananas and Banana Ball we knew we had to extend the tour dramatically in 2023 Now we are bringing the show to almost four times the amount of cities as we did in 2022 to make sure we able to connect with as many Bananas fans as possible.” “Taking the Bananas to Durham and Durham Athletic Park has been something we’ve heard constantly from our fans over the years,” said Cole “We are fired up to bring an unforgettable show to them this spring.” the Bananas are bringing their own twist of baseball Durham Athletic Park action-packed style of baseball with rules that include no bunting and a one-on-one tiebreaker showdown at the end of the game if it’s tied You can watch previous Banana Ball games on ESPN+ and the Bananas YouTube page The 2022 World Tour was turned into a 5-part documentary The Tour was also covered by HBO Real Sports there will be plenty of familiar faces on both teams' rosters When the Savannah Bananas are not on the road they play their home games in front of a sold out 4,000-person crowd at Grayson Stadium in Savannah Bananas games at Grayson Stadium have been sold out for six straight years The priority list for tickets has reached 80,000 in Savannah alone The team has been known as TikTok’s favorite team with over 3 million followers The Bananas have been featured across the globe for everything from playing a game in kilts the first ever baseball player to wear stilts For the complete schedule and opportunity for tickets, visit http://www.thesavannahbananas.com/tickets and join the Ticket Pre-sale List or to get information on outings for a group Police have arrested a Savannah man for a Sunday afternoon armed robbery and say he may be linked to at least five other incidents Two male suspects reportedly took a woman's purse and cellphones at gunpoint about 5:45 p.m near the intersection of East 41st and Bull streets Further investigation led detectives to the 200 block of West Henry Street where a search warrant was executed in a residence and vehicle leading to the  recovery of some of the victim's belongings items linked to at least five other armed robberies in the area were located Detectives quickly gathered evidence to identify Taqwan Robinson Police charged Robinson with armed robbery and took him to the Chatham County jail He was arrested on March 16 when his brother was shot on the 2000 block of East 38th Street Officers searched their residence and located stolen guns and narcotics associated with that incident Additional charges may be pending for Robinson The second suspect in this incident is described as a black male of a light brown complexion with facial hair He is approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs around 150 pounds His hair is styled in a medium afro and he wore a black shirt with dark pants during the incident This case remains under investigation as detectives work to identify the other suspect and investigate all the other incidents and their circumstances Anyone with any additional information on this case or others are asked to contact CrimeStoppers at 912-234-2020 or text CRIMES (274637) using the keyword CSTOP2020 Tipsters remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward A tip line also is open directly to investigators at 912-525-3124 and most area clergy have agreed to serve as liaisons for anyone who would like to share information with police anonymously Any local will tell you that a visit to Savannah would not be complete without a visit to Leopold’s Ice Cream on Broughton Street. It is every bit the Savannah icon you would expect it to be. Now Savannah has a new ice creamery that you should make time for. It’s called Doki Doki Doki Doki is a Japanese term which references the sound of a heart beating Where it ties beautifully into the name of an ice cream shop is the fact that it also can be a reference to use if you find yourself wishing to express your love of something or someone casually when in a text-based conversation in Japanese Doki Doki offers both ice cream as well as gelato Probably more than a dozen flavors of each and 2 flavors of soft serve ice cream The flavor choices range from more traditional Cookies and Cream and Mint Chocolate Chip to some more progressive flavors you won’t find anywhere else in Savannah like Black Sesame The soft serve flavors on our visit were Cheesecake as well as Taro Don’t overlook the Wild Berry Gelato The design was put together by students at Savannah College of Art and Design For those who don’t know, Doki Doki, is the work of Anthony Debreceny and his team at Southern Cross Hospitality They own The Collins Quarter next door as well as The Fitzroy Starland’s Ukiyo and The Deck on Tybee Island I would suspect some of these flavors to be served at those restaurants in short order as well Previous Next The son of a long-time school volunteer asked Savannah-Chatham school board members on Wednesday to overrule an administration decision to deny his mother's ability to volunteer at local schools was denied an application to be a Tier III volunteer due to a misdemeanor conviction Following Wednesday's regular board meeting Edenfield said that the conviction was less then 10 years ago She would not be more specific or say what the misdemeanor was because he said she was advised by legal counsel not to speak before the board for legal reasons Luke Edenfield said not only was his mother's application denied but she was also denied entry to the school system administration offices on Bull Street "She was put on a watch list," Luke Edenfield said Kristy Edenfield said she has not received a response to questions as to why she was placed on a "watch list." School Superintendent Ann Levett declined to answer any questions regarding Edenfield she was banned from the Bull Street offices Kristy Edenfield stated in an email that she was told by Bull Street security staff she could only sit in the vestibule of the building unless she had an employee escort Luke Edenfield said his mother applied for status as a Tier III volunteer under the system's Operation Beacon program meaning that she could serve as a chaperone on field trips The Operation Beacon volunteer program began in 2017 The Operation Beacon program was created to help match volunteers with needs The denial of Kristy Edenfield's Tier III status also means her status as a Tier I or II volunteer was revoked despite volunteering for 15 years," Luke Edenfield said Tier I volunteers have no interactions with students Tier II volunteers interact with students while supervised chaperones and have direct contact with students A Tier III volunteer is being held to the same standard as school employees The background check for that status is at a higher level than the check for a Tier II volunteer The school policy for employees states that applicants will not be considered for employment if they have been "indicted and are awaiting trial The policy presented also states that convictions older than 10 years may allow consideration of clearing the applicant to serve An email that Kristy Edenfield sent to Ramon Ray stated that her misdemeanor did not involve violence or children "I am not proud - I made mistakes - I have since been properly diagnosed with a chronic medical condition and have done better," Kristy Edenfield wrote Other members of the public also spoke up at the regular board meeting Morgan told board members a lot of people make mistakes when they are young "We all deserve a second chance," Morgan said Board member Julie Wade took school staff to task over the issue Wade said the presentation by Ray on the program requirements was the first time she'd ever seen them in writing "I've been asking for eight months (for this information)," Wade said 'The website doesn't give this information either." Wade said the punishment for an old non-violent misdemeanor is"draconian." School board president Jolene Byrne said the wrong policy was being applied "You are doing what (Superintendent Ann Levett) has directed." Levett pointed to board approval in 2016 of the Operation Beacon policy Wade said the policy approved did not include that volunteers would be held to an employee standard or a 10-year requirement to allow clearance to volunteer despite a non-violent conviction Levett said she appreciated the input of the board and would look at the policy In other business the board voted that winter storms makeup days would be Feb View the discussion thread. Savannah-Chatham police are investigating a Sunday night car wreck in which the driver appeared to be speeding away from a police officer who was not following him of the 600 block of West 39th Street was taken to Memorial University Medical Center after the 11:24 p.m crash at Bull and 39th streets then arrested Frazier was charged with failure to stop at a stop sign eluding police officers and driving without a license Central Precinct patrol officers first attempted to stop the red Mazda for running a stop sign near Frazier's residence when the driver sped away The officer discontinued the traffic stop and turned away continued to speed east on West 39th Street until it crashed into a utility pole and fire hydrant on the east side of Bull Street and into a parked pickup The force of the crash removed the bottom half of the utility pole leaving the top half dangling from power lines and left the Mazda positioned vertically on its front end against the pickup The pickup was knocked into a car parked in front of it The intersection was shut down more than seven hours as utility crews replaced the pole and hydrant Three teenage juveniles were arrested Sunday night minutes after allegedly robbing the operator of a pedicab at gunpoint in downtown Savannah The victim told police three masked males - two of whom had guns - stopped him about 10 p.m at Whitaker Street and West Oglethorpe Lane according to a Savannah-Chatham police incident report The operator was ordered off the cab and told to empty his pockets and one of the suspects took a small amount of cash The three robbery suspects were quickly arrested near Abercorn and Huntingdon streets It was the second time in two days pedicabs were hit by robbers downtown though police spokesman Julian Miller said it was not known if the incidents were related a pedicab operator was robbed at gunpoint along with his passengers on East Gaston Street The operator had just dropped his passengers off in front of an inn on the 200 block of East Gaston when a man with a covered face stepped from a dimly lit area pointed a pistol at the operator's legs and demanded money That masked robber and another then approached the passengers Savannah-Chatham police are asking for the public's help locating a Savannah woman who allegedly absconded with her 2-year-old daughter Thursday Warrants have been filed charging Marcelle Jefferies with interference with custody after taking Gracie Lynn Jefferies from her own mother's residence Police are concerned for the welfare of the child The father left the child with Marcelle Jefferies for a visit on the 300 block of Montclair Boulevard Police have indications she may have left the area but also could have returned Marcelle Jefferies has acquaintances in Savannah and could be going to any of those locations weighs 120 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes She may be driving a Navy blue 2012 Chevrolet Sonic that may have a spare doughnut tire on the front Anyone who sees either the mother or daughter or knows of their location is asked to call 911 immediately Guardrail repair to affect traffic this week Repair work on guardrails this week is expected to create minor traffic delays on Interstates 16 and 516 and Ga Wednesday through Friday at the I-16 eastbound exit 155 off-ramp the I-516 eastbound exit 5 off-ramp and Ga Traffic will be guided through work zones by flagmen according to the Georgia Department of Transportation Crews will be working in half mile to 1 mile increments and relocating frequently Motorists are asked to stay alert for changing patterns and reduce speeds while traveling through work zones To see pictures and details for individuals serving their initial incarceration in Chatham County as reported by the Chatham County Sheriff's Office "What's the difference between a dog and a gun?" Herbert Swain wants to know who pulled 7-year-old Javon Roberson from the jaws of a pit bull on Tuesday night say the dogs that attacked a group of children on an East Savannah playground were bred to be killers They want the pit bulls' owners brought to justice Roberson remained in critical condition at Memorial University Medical Center on Wednesday after his face was shredded in a vicious mauling a 30-year-old who lives just a few houses from the site of the attack says lots of people in the neighborhood have seen a couple walking the dogs through East Savannah at the corner of Treat Avenue and Gable Street - in a small square of cedar chips with swings and playground equipment called Treat Park Dixon said she saw the pit bulls running down Gable Street They tried to jump a wooden fence across the street from the playground so they could get to Bernard Moultry's dog Moultry used a water hose to try to scare the dogs away But when they rounded the corner of his yard the pit bulls heard the children playing and lost interest in Nature Climb up!' But I didn't see the little boy in the swing," Moultry said after the attack scrambled to the highest point on the playground Niyah said Roberson got to the lower level of the playground equipment before the light brown dog jumped up pulled him down by his clothes and latched onto his face and I was like 'You can't go run because if you do had come outside to smoke a cigarette and heard children screaming Bowlin said he ran for his gun and shot several rounds at the dark brown pit bull circling the children on the slide afraid he'd hit Roberson if he fired at the dog attacking him 57-year-olds who met in kindergarten and recently moved back to East Savannah to care for their aging mothers and Murphy asked him if he was going to write some poems whom neighbors describe as a little mischievous according to neighbors who watched the scene unfold Murphy wrapped one arm around Roberson and used the other to bash the dog's head with a brick and Murphy managed to pull the boy to the ground who had been trying to fend off the other dog with a brick "I couldn't hear the screaming and hollering All I could see was my partner and the look on his face." Swain got in several square licks and the pit bull let go Then Swain pulled out a gun and shot the dog twice Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan police animal control officers hauled the dog away on a stretcher She had a muzzle on and still was growling Animal control officers shot her with a tranquilizer They called off the search but found the dog the next morning after neighbors reported that they saw her walking near Mosley and Gable streets The second dog is being kept in quarantine at animal control headquarters on Sallie Mood Drive Her only injuries were from being hit with a brick Smith said animal control officers received no complaints about the dogs before the attack.