Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInSAVANNAH especially those who enjoy Savannah’s classic Leopold’s Ice Cream The doors to their new parlor on Whitemarsh Island have officially opened The iconic Savannah ice cream shop was founded over a century ago Its flagship location is downtown on East Broughton Street The new parlor on Whitemarsh Island is the business’s second stand-alone storefront There’s also a Leopold’s Ice Cream kiosk and shop at the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport Stratton Leopold said people can always count on that famous Leopold’s taste and we just-we will never ever change that we make the same way he made it back starting in 1919,” said Stratton Stratton said he’s excited to join the Whitemarsh Island community and continue serving Leopold’s Ice Cream to both new and old customers The parlor is open seven days a week on 107 Charlotte Road next to Polka Dots Gifts & Accessories Buried among all of the ancient wisdom you can find scratched out in caves in some far off land if you look hard enough you will find one of the most important “You can never have too much ice cream.” While I am guessing that the previous statement is untrue it is more than clear that Stratton Leopold-at the very least-agrees with it Why else would he be announcing a Whitemarsh Island location of his ice cream empire Leopold’s announced Wednesday via social media that they will be opening a new location for Leopold’s Ice Cream at 107 Charlotte Road on Whitemarsh Island That’s just off of Highway 80 in the strip mall adjacent to the Whitemarsh Island Publix The build out is underway and they are promising an experience similar to what you will find at their location on Broughton Street in Downtown Savannah If what we’ve been told about how much history Leopold’s has tucked away in storage is true then I think this new location will be beautiful This will be Leopold’s 4th location to go along with their Broughton Street space and 2 others at Savannah International Airport We’ve reached out to Stratton in hopes of getting a better idea 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 In this installation of Savannah Morning News' Dining Updates please send the word(s) to Amy Paige Condon at ACondon@gannett.com Auspicious Baking Co. opens Whitemarsh locationEarly on Wednesday morning, Auspicious Baking Co set our hearts aflutter with the news that the long-awaited second location of the homegrown French-adjacent bakery will open its doors at 7 a.m. on Whitemarsh Island in the space formerly occupied by Paula Deen's Creek House at 104 Bryan Woods Road This second location not only will alleviate the long lines that snake around the sidewalk at the popular (and smaller) Sandfly outpost but also expand the bakery's capacity to offer more fresh breads but join us in saying congratulations and bring on the baguettes Setback: Fire occurs at Strange Bird Savannah, Savannah Fire Department investigating cause Although fire fighters were able to quell the fire within 20 minutes but the doors to the casual lunch and dinner joint known for its smoky birria burgers and inventive tacos combos Our hearts go out to the Strangebird employees and the Farm Hospitality Group (Common Thread Farm Bluffton) as they plan for the future We will keep you posted of any developments or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading or sign up for a new account to continue reading We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content no promotional deals were found matching that code a Savannah institution celebrated for its handcrafted super-premium ice cream and timeless soda fountain atmosphere has announced the expansion of its legacy with a brand-new location opening in March 2025 The new store will bring the beloved Leopold’s experience to a wider audience continuing its tradition of creating sweet memories and serving award-winning ice cream made from the same secret family recipes since 1919 "We are incredibly excited to expand the Leopold’s family with a second location," said Stratton Leopold we’ve been honored to serve our community and visitors from around the world This new location will allow us to share the Leopold’s magic with even more people while staying true to our roots." The new location is currently under construction and celebratory events leading up to the grand opening For the latest updates, follow Leopold’s Ice Cream on social media or visit www.leopoldsicecream.com We're always interested in hearing about news in our community there are no recent results for popular commented articles Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: There’s been quite a bit of buzz on the islands in Savannah the last couple of weeks The opening of Auspicious Baking Company’s new location on the islands has-for very good reason-taken up a lot of the oxygen in the room the ladies of Lulu’s Chocolate Bar have begun daily lunch service at their Whitemarsh Island location on Highway 80 The move was in direct response to requests from the neighborhood “We had a lot of people asking us to offer lunch.” says Janine Finn “We realized there was a little bit of a void when J Lulu’s is located in the space formerly occupied by the very popular J The menu at Lulu’s is on the small side Lulu’s expanded into this space in order to centralize their production and baking operations The fact that someone is already in the building makes it easy to just go ahead and open for lunch they are offering beer and wine plus any of their signature desserts Options are always good if you are in that part of town Lulu’s Chocolate Bar downtown on MLK Junior Blvd has been a staple for the downtown crowd for over a decade They are open 6 days a week beginning 11:30am Previous Next One of Savannah's favorite spots for sweet treats is expanding Leopold's Ice Cream is finally opening to a second location on Whitemarsh Island at 107 Charlotte Rd The new store is located in a strip mall and will bring the beloved Leopold’s experience to a wider audience Leopold's is known for its handcrafted ice creams made from family recipes and its classic soda fountain atmosphere The new store will bring that beloved experience to a wider audience Product recall: Walmart chicken broth recalled due to spoilage potential. Did it impact Georgia stores? Updates will be provided along with behind-the-scenes sneak peeks and celebratory events leading up to the grand opening. For the latest updates, follow Leopold’s on social media or visit leopoldsicecream.com Miguel Legoas is a Deep South Connect Team Reporter for Gannett/USA Today. Find him on X and Instagram @miguelegoas and email at mlegoas@gannett.com 2024 - Hurricane Helene has strengthened to a Category 4 storm as it moves closer to Florida's Gulf Coast It is expected to make landfall later this evening The tornado watch for Chatham County has been extended to 8 a.m Multiple tornado warnings have been announced including a confirmed waterspout that moved over land near Richmond Hill in Bryan County and a cell approaching Whitemarsh Island NNW to downtown Savannah Chatham County remains under a Tropical Storm Warning with significant impacts extending well to the east of where the storm tracks Widespread power outages have been reported on Wilmington Island The YMCA of Coastal Georgia issued a media alert this afternoon regarding a threat to the Islands Family YMCA on Whitemarsh Island YMCA of Coastal Georgia Marketing and Communications Director Christopher Sweat said the threat had been called in to the Chatham County Police Department (CCPD) office next door to the Islands location CCPD Public Information Officer Betsy Nolen said in a emailed statement Wednesday evening "We received a report of a bomb threat at the Islands YMCA around 9 a.m Everyone was asked to leave the building while we searched with K9 [units] to confirm that the building was safe The search confirmed that the call was a hoax and we gave the all-clear for the building." The CCPD Islands precinct is located next to the YMCA which allowed CCPD to use the precinct as a safe space for people to wait as officers conducted a sweep of the YMCA As a precaution the Islands Family YMCA will remain closed for the remainder of Wednesday June 19 The YMCA's media alert confirmed that the closure affects "all activities related to fitness We plan to reopen the branch at normal hours on Thursday The YMCA's statement also offered the services of trained staff who are able "to handle emotional and stressful situations." When asked if CCPD knew the source of the hoax call "That’s an investigative detail that we will not be releasing at this time." Joseph Schwartzburt is the education and workforce development reporter for the Savannah Morning News You can reach him at JSchwartzburt@gannett.com The time has come once again to pump your breaks near schools in Savannah and Chatham County Not only will police officers be searching for back-to-school speeders but School Zone Speed Cameras switch on Aug 1 at two private and about 30 public school zones The Savannah Police Department (SPD), the Chatham County Police Department (CCPD) and Garden City Police Department (GCPD) and Thunderbolt Police Department oversee photo enforcement zones with the assistance of monitoring technology provided by Blue Line Solutions Representatives from the Pooler and Port Wentworth Police Departments said they do not use the cameras police officers will be placed near schools in their jurisdictions at the beginning of GCPD Lieutenant Shane Glasco confirmed that Garden City Elementary School He said discussions have been underway regarding potentially adding a zone near the Davis-Edwards-Harris Educational Complex (which houses Robert W Thunderbolt Police Department oversees citations at Sol C which will now also include cameras along Sunset Blvd Those newer zone cameras will have a 30-day warning period before ticketed citations will be issued If you want to avoid a ticket simply slow down but also look over these additional enforcement zones before you hit the road this Thursday and beyond New multi-school complex unveiled: Davis-Edwards-Harris Educational Complex revealed to public ahead of 2024-25 school year City of Savannah Public Safety Communications Manager Neil Penttila provided an update to its school photo enforcement zones which has a few more schools on it than last year Note that Largo-Tibet Elementary has been removed because the school was decommissioned this past spring School addresses included below do not indicate the exact location of the school's photo enforcement speed zone Additional Speed Zone info: Review information on last year's school speed zones Between August 2023 and May 2024, CCPD issued 37,374 school speed zone photo enforcement citations "That's just not acceptable," said CCPD's Public Information Officer Betsy Nolen CCPD photo enforcement cameras will monitor the same 10 enforcement zones as it did last school year. Please review the 2024-2025 School Enforcement Times list at www.police.chathamcountyga.gov/Crime/SpeedCameraReport for more details on timeframes and exact zone locations 135 Whitemarsh Island RoadIslands High School,170 Whitemarsh Island Road falls within the same speed zone as Coastal and Marshpoint as they are along Highway 80Georgetown K-8 School 1516 King George Blvd.May Howard Elementary School 601 Penn Waller RoadIsle of Hope K-8 School 8412 Whitefield Ave.Southwest Elementary School 6030 Ogeechee RoadImportant additional informationRevenueNolen said that CCPD's total revenue from the cameras during the 2023-2024 school year was $3.2 million which would equal out to $2 million," she said State law dictates that fines collected through the photo enforcement program citations has to be spent on public safety purposes CCPD must also receive approval from Chatham County Commission. Nolen shared, for example, that in the fall of 2022, commissioners approved $250,000 for equipment and supplies to assist the "landfill search for the remains of missing child Quinton Simon." operates and maintains the cameras as well as handles mailing of citations and customer service needs also receives a percentage of each departments' citation revenue Blue Lines cut from CCPD revenues was $1.18 million last school year Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) Public Information Officer Sheila Blanco also confirmed that Chatham County Board of Public Education Police Department (BOEPD) receives 5 percent of the other departments' citation revenues which was about $160,000 from CCPD from August 2023 through May 2024 The BOEPD must also use the funds solely for public safety purposes but GCPD confirmed that it issued about 1800 tickets for the Garden City Elementary zone SPD did not confirm a citation total prior to publication drivers who use the Waze app will receive notifications when they approach a school speed zone Electronic monitoring signs that flash drivers' speeds and allow them time to slow down before they enter the speed zone provide another warning signal Citations are issued to cars traveling 11 miles-per-hour or above the posted speed limit which is reduced in timeframes where children travel to and from school Speed limits revert back to regularly posted speeds while school is in session First offenses will cost drivers $75 along with a $25 processing fee Additional infractions result in a $125 fine meaning no points will be deducted from a license Car owners who opt to not pay their fines will be denied registration renewal on the car caught speeding "by the time it comes in the mail it has been vetted by Blue Line and a sworn CCPD officer." The same goes for SPD and GCPD citations can be contested by calling the number on the back to schedule a court date The speed zone cameras do not run on weekends holidays or during school breaks (including summer) It’s hard to keep secrets about food these days I’ve mentioned this in this space before but I’m regularly amused when people ask about ‘hidden gems’ and ‘off of the beaten path’ spots Social media makes it hard for those to really exist anymore The path will become beaten in short order a spot in town that gets very close to fitting the bill It’s The Steakhouse on Whitemarsh Island That’s what it is called because that is what it is and that also gives you a solid glimpse at everything you need to know about this no frills tucked-away-at-the-end-of-the-strip-mall joint It’s a steakhouse on Whitemarsh Island and very easily could qualify as one of Savannah’s best kept dining secrets Truth be told the word got out really about a year or so ago tourists in here.” Says Chris McGary but we are easily 98 to 99 percent locals.” I’m guessing that is refreshing to a lot of you but I can tell you the vibe at The Steakhouse is different because it is more than obvious when you walk in that this is a room full of your neighbors enjoying a great steak Chris and his wife bought the place a few years ago from a friend who got in over his head They’d owned 5 restaurants around the country along the way “We sold our last one in 1999 and swore we’d never do it again.” Chris says “But this was just the right opportunity at the right time We live around the corner and we know everyone on the islands It was just a good fit all the way around.” His secret to a full house practically every night they are open Making sure they offer great value to every customer Some of our competitors will charge you an exorbitant amount of money for a bowl of mashed potatoes Chris tells me he believes there should be more value out there for your dining dollar but once again he understands why there isn’t “If you can charge $50 for a piece of meat that you should only charge $25 for and get it Now if I were you and I’d never been to this spot The menu at this steakhouse is on the short side Their 3lb tomahawk for two is a crowd pleaser the phones all come out for photos when one of those guys is floating through the dining room Chris says they go through about 15-20 of those a week His very popular garlic mashed and roasted potatoes They keep it simple because they believe you are there for a well-made steak pepper and put it on the grill and let it do its thing.” He says “You do your crosses and serve it.” “It’s a really easy process but people want to complicate it with all this stuff.” I personally understand and appreciate at a traditional higher end steakhouse But if you walk in here knowing that this is not that  The room feels like you’ve stepped back into 1981 No frills to speak of and they love it that way You will find some usual suspects on there plus a few goodies Chris knows his wines so he tries to keep a little something in stock for everyone “I don’t see the point of marking up a bottle $100 like the corporate places do.” If I can make a few bucks on something and keep our guests coming back It’s a formula that is working very well Previous Next Rebecca Radovich and Janine Finn, the baker and bartender behind the beloved late-night confection Lulu’s Chocolate Bar had long wanted a second location – specifically one with a large enough commercial kitchen to handcraft those decadent Strawberry Suspension cakes and cappuccino-walnut brownies they’ve baked off site and ferried their sweets downtown to their chocolate martini oasis at 42 Martin Luther King Blvd last June the strip mall storefront once occupied by J Thomas Kitchen on Whitemarsh Island became available though: There were other offers on the table and all the equipment was going up for auction within four days Fortified with a glass of wine and her laptop at the ready Radovich bid on and won nearly all the prep stations tables and chairs just as the ink was drying on their new lease After a vintage tropical-inspired interior refresh and the addition of an all-day coffee bar (it opens at 7:30 a.m.) much to the delight of Savannahians and Islanders who find going downtown to battle for parking spaces and seats much too onerous “We definitely missed having the locals,” said Radovich “We’re thankful for the tourists – don’t get me wrong we’ll finally have the locals back again.” and they want different items,” said Finn of the Islands-heavy crowd who prefer beer and martinis They offer savory croissants with prosciutto and gruyere around breakfast and because they have the space to make cookies now with the shareable charcuterie platter and Fondue for Two strawberries and bananas for dipping in a pool of velvety dark chocolate dark and white chocolate-dipped strawberries for enjoying in-house or at home “We sell a ton of chocolate-covered strawberries,” said Finn who said the bar downtown will open early at 3 p.m "We do a lot of heart-shaped desserts and fun things.. Guests can also order online at luluschocolatebar.com and designate downtown or the Whitemarsh location for pickup The silver lining around town that comes with restaurants closing is the fact that demand for space remains through the roof One door closes and almost immediately someone is inquiring about taking on the lease It’s happening far more than you know One particular instance is on Whitemarsh Island where Lulu’s Chocolate Bar is slipping into to the space formerly occupied by J Thomas Kitchen We have signed a lease to move into the old J Thomas space on Whitemarsh Island.” is how co-owner Rebecca Freeman responded when we called her to confirm a rumor “We are planning to move our baking operation there (It’s currently located on Hodgson Memorial Drive in Savannah.) We will have all our our production facilities in that space.” she said. “Then, of course, on the dining room side we will have a little 2nd location of Lulu’s Chocolate Bar.“ That means everything you can get downtown including specialty cocktails and desserts The islands will be able to enjoy it without making their way down to MLK Lulu’s Chocolate bar has been open in Downtown Savannah for over a decade They remain Savannah’s gold standard for cocktails and/or desserts after dinner The build out is expected to begin very soon with no timetable yet on when they hope to be open Previous Next May 4, 2019 - Chatham County Tornado Representatives from the National Weather Service in Charleston were out on Wilmington and Whitemarsh islands on Sunday to assess the damage caused by a Saturday afternoon tornado Warning Coordination Meteorologist Ron Morales said the tornado first touched down near Savannah Yacht Club around 5 p.m where it reached EF-1 speeds over Turner Rock It dissipated near the Ace Hardware on Johnny Mercer Boulevard causing structural damage to the Goodwill in the shopping center and knocking down non-electrical lines in the parking lot is how NWS categorizes the intensity of tornadoes EF-1 tornado wind speeds top out between 86 and 110 mph came at the Yacht Club and the shopping center and a boat hoist was flung from its structure He said many large trees were damaged in the Turners Rock community The tornado was between 100-200 yards wide and traveled around two miles total “in a matter of minutes,” Morales said Chatham County’s outdoor tornado warning siren did not activate during the tornado Glasby said the siren relies on a stream from the National Weather Service and that stream was undergoing maintenance at the time of the tornado CEMA released a statement on Twitter: "After initial investigation it has been determined that the National Weather Service server that pushes information to the siren controller was offline for maintenance Notice of this planned maintenance was not communicated to CEMA's vendor Glasby suggested downloading weather and local media apps and not relying solely on the siren. CEMA also has an online alert system. “We ask that people don’t depend on one thing,” Glasby said Chatham Emergency Services CEO Chuck Kearns was out at the scene of the damage on Saturday respond to multiple addresses around Johnny Mercer,’ and it just started raining really hard Kearns said Fire and EMS responded to the Yacht Club Cancun Restaurant on Wilmington Island and the Ace Hardware shopping center we had an interesting challenge because there were wires down and they were only about four feet off the ground and all the people on the other side of them wanting to get out and go home,” Kearns said CES had to hold the people inside until Georgia Power confirmed that the wires were not electrical The Chatham County Mosquito Control helicopter was deployed to a grassy area near the shopping center where pilots picked up Chatham Fire Chief Wayne Noha where he began scouting for additional damage They were calling it in to fire trucks on the ground,” Kearns said so we dispatched a fire truck from the helicopter.” “They worked their way back and gave damage assessments to us on the ground,” Kearns said the Yacht Club was operating like any other Sunday Folks wandered down to the docks to take photos of the flipped boat precariously balanced upside down at a 45-degree angle Former Savannah Yacht Club Commodore Jim McCallar was there to make sure his boat wasn’t damaged but his path to inspect it was blocked by the flipped craft It’s an extremely rare thing,” McCallar said “That’s pretty scary when you look at something like that.” The only person injured by the storm was hit with flying drywall at the Yacht Club Kearns said the injuries were non-life-threatening but the individual was taken to an area hospital to be treated the chief operating officer for Goodwill of Southeast Georgia helped staff accept donations despite the damage to the store Marshall and the Goodwill staff are waiting for a structural assessment to determine when the store will be open again “The awning blew up over the top and came down on the roof so we’ve got some pretty big holes in the roof of the store “That damaged some of the merchandise as well as some of the interior of the store.” A large Goodwill truck sat outside the damaged building on Sunday and workers took turns loading in donations Marshall said around a dozen people — both employees and shoppers — were inside at the time of the tornado was able to get everybody sheltered in place She got everybody moved back just as the front glass blew in and the awning blew up off the top It was amazing that there were no injuries The donation truck will be operating the same hours as the store and a donation box at the Whitemarsh Island Plaza will also be accepting donations Morales said this is the time of year most tornadoes happen in the Southeast, and after a few tornadoes in the islands area in recent years they’re starting to take notice of the trend He suggested residents have a plan of action in place Morales said have a safe area in a basement the best course of action is to drive to the closest shelter If you are unable to make it to a safe shelter either get down in your car and cover your head It could’ve been a lot worse,” Kearns said The boat at the Yacht Club was not on the hoist at the time of the tornado A previous version of this story incorrectly identified the sequence of events 5:40 p.m.): The Chatham County Police Department has filed additional charges in connection with the fatal shooting of a woman in a Whitemarsh Island suburb early Wednesday morning according to a CCPD press release issued Thursday afternoon Police charged Christopher Hall with felony murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of an aggravated assault in the death of Samantha Sams Hall was charged with one count of aggravated battery Wednesday in connection with the incident Hall was taken into custody Wednesday and remains in the Chatham County jail A shooting in a suburban area of Whitemarsh Island early Wednesday morning left one woman dead according to a Chatham County Police Department spokesperson a man who was involved in an altercation with the victim has been charged in connection to the shooting The man sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the incident Chatham police responded to the 100 block of Whitemarsh Island’s Forestay Court — a suburban cul-de-sac in the Battery Point subdivision near Islands High School — in reference to a gun reportedly being discharged they located one female who was deceased with an apparent gunshot wound She has been identified as 34-year-old Samantha Sams Police also located one man who was injured Witnesses on the scene told detectives that there had been an altercation between Hall and Sams Hall was transported to be hospitalized for non-life-threatening injuries that he said were sustained in the altercation police had accounted for everyone who was believed to be involved in the incident Chatham police do not believe that this was a random incident Police have charged Hall with one count of aggravated battery After being released from the hospital on Wednesday Hall was transported to the Chatham County jail The investigation into the incident is continuing and detectives will determine whether any additional charges will be filed against Hall in connection with the incident Wanda and David Scott fell in love with their Whitemarsh Island property separately more than three decades ago each finding the charming 1938 marsh-front home on their own and rushing to tell the other of their discovery They bought the house and moved here from Liberty County and now it’s where they continue to operate their marine survey business As they walk out to their dock on a warm winter morning not just with each other but with also this property on Richardson Creek an old-fashioned access grandfathered in from a time before the state enacted marsh regulations It’s a feature that makes the couple even more in touch than most coastal Georgians with how the water has been creeping up over the years They plan dock parties around the tides so guests won’t get their feet wet Lately the usual handful of impassable times turned to a long stretch “We had king tides and we had 75 days where every day this was flooded,” David said "Seventy-five days in a row on high tides.“ Septic systems lie under the neighborhood yards Halfway along her gravel walkway out to their dock “It seems it makes sense to me that if septic is this close to the marsh and the marsh floods at high tide more regularly now a part of the septic is (in the) outflow.“ The integrity of septic in the face of sea level rise is not just a concern for Whitemarsh Island state officials have identified almost 60,000 septic systems Over the last decade, University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant compiled a comprehensive, electronic inventory of these septic systems to help locate and manage failing systems that threaten water quality. The publicly available inventory, called Welstrom also serves as a resource for understanding private wastewater infrastructure Chatham County has the most coastal septic with over 12,000 documented servicing everything from mobile homes to mansions 97 septic systems serve what real estate database Zillow reports is the highest priced zip code in Georgia boasting a median home price of $2.4 million Some of these tanks and drain fields are just steps from the beach How climate change threatens to overflow toilets Septic systems send a household’s waste water — from the sinks the washing machine and dishwasher — into a buried water-tight tank in the yard There the solids settle and the liquid wastewater flows into a nearby drain field where soil microbes treat it as it percolates through ultimately discharging to groundwater or rivers and streams if they’re close by you have to maintain a certain level of separation between the septic drain field and the groundwater table so that the effluent flowing to the drain field has space to percolate through the soil and be treated by all the microbes in there,” said Scott Pippin a faculty member with the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government As climate change accelerates sea level rise Global sea level has risen by about 8 inches since reliable record keeping began in 1880 according to the Fourth National Climate Assessment Report It is projected to rise another 1 to 4 feet by the year 2100 That means coastal septic systems are getting squeezed Especially vulnerable are the drain fields which require a few feet of dry soil separating them from the water table to filter pollutants that separation is going to be limited,” Pippin said “So the first impact is going to be less treatment of the effluent that comes out of the septic systems So that's going to translate potentially into pollution transmitted to drinking water wells and other water resources that are nearby but also into surface waters and wetlands and streams and beaches and places like where people might encounter it and have public health impacts.” It can be improved where sea level rise is encroaching on it And sewer lines can be brought in where appropriate But coastal residents first have to recognize the problem Wanda Scott noted where neighbors had improved their septic A mound of earth in one front yard raises that drainage field a few feet above the high water It’s a solution more coastal counties are turning to She also pointed out a new development called Turner’s Pointe in the southeast part of the neighborhood the developer had to tap into the sewage lift station and that's on the other side of Highway 80,“ she said though sewerage is also susceptible to the effects of sea level rise "Failing septic system is a relatively discrete source of pollution but a cracked sewer pipe can be a much larger scale,“ Pippin said And so it's a trade-off of risk that you're taking on.“ Nearby Wilmington Island saw the downside of that trade before Christmas when heavy rains overflowed a sanitary sewer causing a major sewage spill of 60,000 gallons about a third of a mile from the Wilmington River The Scotts and their neighbors view Richardson Creek as their backyard playground Every Fourth of July they jump off a nearby bridge together and enjoy a group float The thought of human waste in the water appalls They’ve been organizing to do regular water testing before it becomes a problem they can see or smell interim director for the Institute for Water and Environmental Resilience at Stetson University in DeLand Evans worked on a climate resilience plan for Tybee when he was at UGA Now in Florida he’s seen that state’s septic problems flow into local waterways “I was just out there about six months ago and I was in this canal,” he said “And you could actually smell the human waste because of the failing septic tanks And so that's a really extreme situation there.” This story, which is part of an occasional series, was produced in partnership with Georgia Public Broadcasting with a reporting grant from the Pulitzer Center as part of its national Connected Coastlines project This article was reported by Savannah Morning News reporter Mary Landers and Emily Jones of GPB Contact them at mlanders@savannahnow.com and ejones@gpb.org Connected Coastlines is a nationwide climate reporting initiative in U.S The initiative is building a consortium of newsrooms and independent journalists across America to report on the local effects of erratic weather patterns on coastal populations using the latest climate science Currently, the Pulitzer Center is supporting 16 reporting projects and will cover climate change issues on every coastline in the mainland U.S. — the East Coast, Great Lakes, Gulf Coast and West Coast—along with Hawaii and Alaska. See the ongoing work at http://bit.ly/connectedcoast It’s a vast one that locals call simply the Islands Whitemarsh and Wilmington islands still retain a character and a history inseparable from the marsh Marianne and her husband moved to Wilmington Park from California in 1978 buying a house big enough for six children “It was a real culture shock at first.” But it quickly became clear that it was fabulous shock therapy She fell in love with Southern folks and her gracious personality invites strangers to become friends to share bits of Islands history and genealogy I read her book “Island Memories” back in 2010 when it came out It was full of interesting stories of local families They sounded like they were being told to you They were like photos in a family album — pleasant memories and emotions rising from the pages Marianne relates stories that she did not need to research; they came to her in phone calls and notes They came to her in the aisles of hardware stores and over lunches with the “Wilmington Island Grays.” Her books are for sale at Islands Ace Hardware at 318 Johnny Mercer Blvd She opens this new book with an explanation of the lunch group’s name I was wrong in thinking it referred to an elusive group of Confederate raiders or to a breed of horse like the Carolina marsh tacky Marianne lives now on Whitemarsh Island with a view over the Intracoastal Waterway toward Thunderbolt In the center of her view is the tiny island on Grays Creek where an American flag always flies as if on a remote outpost Women from Long Point come by boat to replace the flag when it’s time her bird feeders were alive with cardinals and brown thrashers She spoke about how the marsh looked like a golden field of wheat when the light and the season are right And how at spring tide the marsh disappears and waters shines like a mirror all the way to Bonaventure and Greenwich cemeteries Her book has stories about Bubba Days and his dad caddies at the General Oglethorpe Hotel when the teamsters owned it and manager Lou Rosanova seemed unusually connected to boat sinkings and fires Sonny Seiler contributed a rich World War I-era story about Col Matthew Batson and engineer Israel Elmgren’s work building seaplanes on Dutch Island and docking them at the Brickyard on Whitemarsh Island I never knew about the takeoff of the Dragon Fly from the Herb River Marianne includes stories of Saffold Field and Hobbs Field used by the Civil Air Patrol during World War II She has great old photos of the Turkey Farm that served the war effort She talked about Wilmington Island Grays’ stalwart Warren Mathieu who lost vision in one eye as a volunteer firefighter when the old Lutheran church burned down From Civil War maps and reports from Union and Confederate officers about skirmishes on Wilmington and Whitemarsh Islands To the bottle-deposit capers of island kids at the Red and White To the times spent in the warrens of Woo’s Hardware Store and the five brothers who ran it I mentioned Archie Williams’ vanished log cabin and Marianne knew just where on Wilma Street it had been moved She knows things like that because “we need to honor these histories.” Through her books I’d say that she honors the call to “let us now praise famous men.” And islands Ben Goggins, a retired marine biologist, lives on Tybee Island. He can be reached at 912-547-3074 or bengoggins9@gmail.com too weak to stand after hospitalization in March now steps out on a 9-year-old promise to her late grandmother to pursue a national beauty crown “I said I was going to give it my all to my grandma in 2013 before she passed away,” Whalen wrote on her announcement to run for Miss USA In the spring, Lupus symptoms sidelined the Wilmington Island woman yet again, but in July, a medical turnaround opened a long-shut door. Whalen, 25, is competing as Miss Wilmington Island’s first title holder in the Nov. Miss Georgia USA 2023 pageant for a shot at becoming Miss USA 2024 'Just a country boy doing my best': I-516, Hwy. 17 interchange named after WTOC's Doug Weathers Also: Isle of Hope seeks local historic distinction for Bluff Drive, but faces marina opposition 'A place for the people': Mammoth teeth, movie stars, controversies mark 50 years of Lake Mayer “It just gave me something to look forward to,” says Whalen who advises finding a purpose to anyone in recovery “I’ve got to have a reason to get myself out of bed.” will participate in Saturday’s Lace up for Lupus Awareness The DeLoach Lupus Foundation event begins at 9 a.m “Who better to help a lupus patient than a lupus patient?” asks DeLoach Lupus Foundation founder Salathiel DeLoach ‘They saved my life’Whalen was diagnosed with lupus at age 16 as an Islands High School sophomore and returned to in-person classes her senior year She fought lupus with a lifestyle of exercise and healthy eating for six years after her diagnosis.  She worked in Atlanta as a model for Tom James Co. But symptoms returned about three years ago Adam Van Brimmer: Tybee is no longer a sleepy beach town. To preserve residents' quality of life, time to wake up She felt drained and awoke covered in a chickenpox-like rash that would disappear three days later Other times she coughed up blood and her hair fell out in clumps Her blood work showed problems with red and white blood cells Doctors reasoned that since her organs worked “I looked like death,” she says a team at Memorial Health finally narrowed down Whalen’s diagnosis through surgery: Class 5 Lupus nephritis with kidney failure The October forecast?: Heightened awareness of breast cancer risks “They saved my life,” Whalen says She regained strength from a combination of nerve killers muscle relaxers and the medicine CellCept that suppresses her immune system Whalen should be in remission in two years she would try for a national crown like she promised her grandmother Nancy Mathews in 2013 The age limit for Miss USA is 28 and Whalen needed to qualify for a local contest to be eligible to compete for Miss Georgia first More: Savannah designer Emily Bargeron finally got the reality TV experience with 'Making the Cut' But there is also no Miss Wilmington Island pageant Could Whalen represent her island hometown to compete in Miss Georgia which produces Miss USA and Miss Teen USA state pageants They interviewed Whalen several times.  they crowned and sashed me,” Whalen says.  Whalen’s uncle had to carry her upstairs to bed she’ll volunteer around the Wilmington and Whitemarsh Island communities at bingo nights Halloween events and Saturday’s walk the DeLoach Lupus Foundation’s namesake wants other lupus sufferers and their families to know they’re not alone “My journey was difficult,” DeLoach says DeLoach had just graduated high school and was preparing for college when symptoms hit her: Feet too swollen to walk Photos: Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society Buddy Walk 2022 at Forsyth Park DeLoach once needed family members to carry her She sometimes felt ugly with the lupus “butterfly rash” over her face Or DeLoach canceled outings with friends because of fatigue she’d offer to take a picture of symptoms for proof DeLoach originally thought the diagnosis was a death sentence It isn’t.  She’s here 21 years later with advice yet emerge stronger: “Lupus tried to take me out but I’m going to live my life like a warrior.” DeLoach hopes her foundation helps fill needs that existed when she was sick and attract doctors to Savannah to help locals who may drive to Atlanta or the Carolinas for specialized care More: Union Mission opens Parker's House, first emergency shelter for women in three-state region DeLoach recently talked to someone with lupus whose 30-day medication cost $1,000 will likely get health insurance next month but her out-of-pocket medical expenses topped $5,000 in about 30 days She couldn’t afford living expenses while symptoms made work unrealistic Whalen’s mother quit her job to care for Whalen Whalen takes classes at Savannah Technical College She’ll earn an associate’s degree in logistics and supply chain management for work at the port gives Whalen a chance at scholarships to pursue a doctorate in physics She’ll also call for more lupus research and understanding about the illness others hesitate to talk about and every lupus patient suffers different variations of symptoms More: Plenty of good-paying warehousing, logistics jobs in Chatham County, but retention is key Her great grandmother Louise Caroline Mathews and spent two weeks at Duke University in the 1960s for lupus research Duke University sent Whalen the research at Whalen’s request “It was just incredible to be able to read it,” she says “I slept for almost three years,” Whalen says “Cheers to making the rest of these years count.” UPDATE: Gavan was located late Monday night according to Chatham Emergency Managment Agency's Twitter page Chatham police are searching for a missing 11-year-old boy was last seen exiting a school bus this afternoon in Battery Point on Whitemarsh Island Residents with information regarding his location are asked to call the Chatham County Police Department at 912-652-6920 The release read: “While reports suggest that Odum turned himself into authorities it was the family of Odum who called Wilcher personally to arrange for his pickup who then surrendered to the sheriff’s custody Odum was immediately booked into the Chatham County Detention Center.”  “It is my job to serve the citizens of Chatham County and while this story received a lot of media attention it is just another day on the job for me,” Wilcher said in a press release “I would like to commend the Chatham County Police Department as well as the Savannah Police Department SWAT team who did an outstanding job responding to a very dangerous situation.” The Sheriff’s Office declined to comment further on the arrest Chatham and Savannah police surrounded a home Tuesday on Gunpowder Drive The search continued throughout the afternoon until Odum's family contacted Wilcher Odum was charged with two counts of aggravated assault Documents from the Sheriff’s Office show Odum also lived in the 100 block of Gunpowder Drive the same block where the shooting happened Police reports obtained by the Savannah Morning News show Odum also fled Pooler police on Dec after stealing items valued at $248.20 from the Walmart on Pooler Parkway before being arrested in the Arby’s on Pooler Parkway he was charged with driving without a valid license knowingly driving motor vehicle on suspended His bond was posted at $3,500 in the December incident Whitemarsh Island resident James Livingston stared out of the window of the B-24 bomber on June 6 and the clouds hung low over the English Channel on what would eventually come to be known as D-Day The Mighty Eighth Air Force B-24 Liberator soared through the flak-filled grey skies towards Normandy was focused on his mission - shooting the ground ahead of the Allied soldiers who would soon storm the beaches His task was to create foxholes for the soldiers to hide in during ground combat "I was worried about the guys down on the ground because I knew they had the worst job of anyone," Livingston said "I was praying for the men that were on the beach." Livingston and his Mighty Eighth brothers-in-arms looked through gaps in the cloud cover and saw the Allied ships below preparing to shell the Nazi-occupied French beach and I'm very happy that I survived it," Livingston said It's a scene Livingston has never forgotten and on Sunday afternoon he was reminded that France Livingston was named a Knight of the French Legion of Honor on Sunday and recipients are nominated by French President François Hollande for exemplary service to France and her people the honorary consul of France in Savannah and Hunter Army Air Field Garrison Commander Lt Mike Squires presented Livingston with the medal after thanking the veteran for his service "On behalf of France and the French people for the role that you played in liberating France and defending the values of freedom and democracy that we have in common," Blackburne said during the ceremony Blackburne recounted off a brief history of Livingston's military career which began at basic training in Miami Beach Livingston was placed in the 506th bomb squadron Livingston's career included 32 bombing runs in Germany and France - a number that Blackburne called "exceptional." The average number of bombing missions for most gunners was 15 when Blackburne pinned the medal to Livingston's lapel the retired staff sergeant smiled from ear to ear and said simply Blackburne said he was proud to have the opportunity to present Livingston with his medal Blackburne said he didn't think he'd ever get the chance to present the honor There aren't going to many more of these events "It was a great privilege today to be able to give it to this young man who was so humble in the way he took the medal but still so full of life and so representative of that era." Livingston now lives in his niece and nephew Barbara and Marvin Hirsch's Whitemarsh Island home and his room is a visual testament to his service career Photos of Livingston and Flying Eightballs commander Col framing a central plaque containing Livingston's medals A 48-star American flag hangs above his bed Model B-24s and other period warplanes hang from the ceiling surrounded by cotton balls painted grey to resemble flak helped his uncle recreate a number of the planes the veteran once flew in Livingston smiled as he proudly displayed the models to his guests Sunday Family means a great deal to Livingston - so much that back in 2010 he kept a promise he made to his mother in 1942 he had not yet received his high school diploma "I had to bring a piece of paper back for them to sign when I enlisted because I was going to school 'That you'll finish school when you come back,'" Livingston explained Livingston kept his promise by graduating from Screven County High School at the ripe age of 86 once again surrounded by his proud and loving family but I finally got around to it," Livingston said Livingston is older now - he'll be 93 in October and these days he fills his time with gardening complete with a handmade irrigation system squash and eggplants for himself and his family each year They don't make them like that anymore." William Howell showed off his Flying Eightball calf tattoo Great granddaughter Alysia Sandoval threw her arms around Livingston's neck after he received the medal I didn't know so many were coming over here," Livingston laughed March 18th 2024 at his home on Whitemarsh Island Georgia to Janie Mae Buck Walton (Deceased in 2011) and Paul Augustus Walton (age 90).  He grew up in Augusta Georgia and graduated from West Side High School.  Karen “Cricket” Touchstone Hulsey Walton Surviving step-children are Charles “Chip” Hulsey (Jennifer “Jenna” Dean) He is pre-deceased by his mother and by step-son Ryan Carpenter.   His friends and loved ones in Augusta will remember him in his early career in retail sales and management his primary career was working as an industrial construction electrician where he spent years traveling the country he worked in transportation from the Port of Savannah In this job he was able to meet people from all over the world and show off his beautiful city of Savannah Many of his friends from the islands of Savannah will fondly remember his time as bartender at the Kroger Bar on Wilmington Island This was maybe his favorite job because there he made many more amazing friends Ed and Cricket volunteered for over 10 years with Tybee Island’s Sea turtle Conservation Project in coordination with Georgia DNR His and Cricket’s passion for these beautiful creatures was only a small part of their love for earth’s creatures He was passionate and knowledgeable about music he reveled in life’s simple joys and shared his wisdom and light generously He had an amazing sense of humor and could always get a laugh deep impression on anyone he ever came across He was never shy and would always add such genuine light and warmth to every room His legacy is not merely a collection of accomplishments but a testament to the warmth of his heart and the depth of his character Ed was truly a genuine soul and will live on through each of our memories.  A visitation will be from 11:00 until 12:00 Saturday followed by a 12:00 memorial service at Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors Islands Chapel Jerral Mayes and his son Jerral (J.R.) Mayes love repairing cars there's always something to fix," the senior Mayes says The father-son team owns Autoplex on Wilmington Island an automotive repair and service shop that lays claim to being the oldest business on the island Oatland and Whitemarsh islands as well as The Landings Its six employees hold certifications in all of the eight standard repairs (like transmission brake work and engine repair) and advanced diagnostics "I have one certified General Motors master technician I have one certified transmission specialist and one Porsche master certified Also we have two that are BMW and Mercedes certified," J.R "It's a big deal to be able to do the European cars." Autoplex has earned a national certification called Automotive Service Excellence Jerral Mayes started the business in June 1971 His father had a trucking business and Mayes had repaired the trucks he started doing repairs on airplane engines at Hutchinson County Airport in Texas And when he served in Vietnam as an Army helicopter pilot he learned how to make repairs on helicopters why don't I start a repair business myself?" His first shop was in space leased from Exxon at Montgomery Crossroads and Abercorn "The oil company took the location back so they could make a convenience store So I started a new station at 95 and 204," Mayes said he leased the land and service station from Exxon "We called it Autoplex," for 'automotive complex "And it's a very complex business when you work on cars." started working in the Autoplex as a child "I would sweep the floor and stuff like that," he said "I actually started working there when I was 13 doing oil changes and tire repairs and working as a mechanic's helper And I worked there when I was in college." spent two years at Armstrong State College but Armstrong did not have a business program at that time "So I finished my core courses and started work here full time in 1992," he said I found the parts needed for the repairs." Jerral Mayes was glad to have his son in business with him "There's an old saying: 'If I give you a fish I feed you for a lifetime.'..I gave him the means to provide for his family all the days of his life." Added his father: "We're sitting on two acres of land." but "I come see my son at work two days a week I still do the books and if they have a problem with a vehicle He also has a pet project to work on - restoring a 1929 double A Ford delivery truck We'll probably just park it out front and maybe drive it on the island was growing up in the Georgetown neighborhood there was no shortage of places to play and explore outside "Folks my age remember our parents threw you outside and didn't want you home until dinner or dark," Hoskins said and I grew up in Georgetown when the Forest River cove was part of it Chatham County is a lot more developed now with fewer places for kids and adults to roam is part of an effort to preserve local natural land for a variety of uses including just being able to stroll through them She's chair of the county's nine-member Natural Resources Protection Commission The two-year-old group is responsible for three properties so far: Blue Sky along the Ogeechee River; Pennyworth Island in the Savannah River; and Whitemarsh Preserve on Whitemarsh Island That last property is the group's poster child for passive recreation Its 151 acres are nestled between the Islands YMCA and the marsh The county acquired the upland portion of the property in 2000 for about $5.5 million from the Demere family who also donated 40 acres of adjacent marsh and wetlands the largest undeveloped tract in the islands area which was proposed for the site," said Assistant County Manager Pat Monahan "Preliminary plans called for a nursing home other commercial development and residential development." a situation the commission is trying to rectify with a 5K race Saturday "A lot of people don't know they're allowed to go in there," said Joanna Bounds resource protection planner for the Chatham County-Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission "We want to let them know it's there for them." The race will begin and end at a 2-acre field in the middle of the property one of the many habitats of Whitemarsh Preserve "There's so little protected area on the island," said Hoskins director of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-sponsored programs at Savannah State University "(Whitemarsh Preserve) has a combination of habitats - hardwood What we're very excited about with this tract is that the space is very usable for folks with very little alteration Our goal is not a highly constructed park." use and appreciation in areas like this will generate stewardship for Georgia's coast but if you like shrimp and crab you need to be aware that we need to protect these areas," she said Update: See funeral information at the end of this article Anyone who knew Frank Ouzts realized that he was much more than the proprietor of Papa’s BBQ & Seafood Restaurant on Whitemarsh Island. Not only was Ouzts a successful businessman he was a fierce friend who believed in giving back to his beloved community in a quiet “He was someone who did the right thing at the right time and with all his heart,” said Judy Ouzts More: 'He was much more than a light; he was a solar system': Friends remember John Davis died Sunday when he lost control of his motorcycle on U.S “Riding motorcycles was his passion," said Judy Ouzts, whose birthday was Monday. The day before Frank Ouzts died, he cooked and served barbecue for those who rode in the (Wingmen Motorcycle Club (ABATE is an acronym for American Bikers Active Toward Education) More: Memorial service set for Monsignor O'Neill; beloved priest died Oct. 29 at age 79 died about three months later of an aneurysm “I think it was really a broken heart,” said middle brother Bill Ouzts but quit after cheating death in an accident a couple of years before Brent was killed More: Ed Feiler, Leadership Savannah's first president, remembered for his impact and kindness Frank and Judy had made their home on Tybee Island since 1984 and were heavily involved in fundraising on the island More: Tony Cope, man behind Oatland Island Wildlife Center, dies Tybee Mayor Shirley Sessions described Frank Ouzts as a “super nice “Frank is the only person I’ve ever known who was truly loved by everyone who met him,” Sessions said “His mischievous smile was contagious he didn’t want to be acknowledged for his generosity an example of how to live a loving life.” More: Unforgettable Savannah native Gordon Varnedoe dies fair and loyal to the staff and management He was an extremely hard worker,” his wife said adding that Frank literally wore many hats at the restaurant Regular patrons recall seeing Frank with his signature pony tail and a hat “He loved hats of all kinds and wore a fedora really well,” Judy said Bill Ouzts said he has plenty of fond memories of his older brother including one from this past Thanksgiving when both of them were standing in the kitchen each carving a turkey Frank and Judy had no children of their own but were extremely close and nurturing to his and wife Susan’s two grown daughters Bill said Frank acquired business acumen and cooking skills from their family who was in the restaurant supply business and opened several restaurants including a place called Yogi Bear Fried Chicken a partner and Frank started a takeout business on West Bay Street Frank named the restaurant Papa’s after his dad because that’s what all his friends called his dad.” Frank and Judy moved Papa’s to a small storefront location on the west side of Highway 80 where it stayed for years before expanding and relocating across the street to it present site The Georgia State Patrol is investigating the accident A celebration of life will be from noon to 3 p.m the family suggests donations be made to America's Second Harvest Food Bank Five Guys Burgers & Fries' Whitemarsh Island location has a new offering on its menu Five Guys' franchisee for Coastal Georgia and South Carolina said the store responded to customers' requests to add draft beer to the menu making the Whitemarsh Island location the first Five Guys in the nation to offer draft beer "Guests said they'd like a beer list with their burgers and fries," said Smith "It was a unanimous decision to have draft beer." The popular burger restaurant has offered bottled beer in other locations but the launches have been relatively unsuccessful Five Guys needed to find a system that could fill beer quickly and without consuming space in the store's small counters was to partner with a company called GrinOn Industries and their Bottoms Up Beer Dispensing System we needed a custom kegerator for the store," said Smith The system uses a magnetic disc to fill the beer from the bottom of the cup a process that is easy to use and efficient Smith has received positive reviews of the beer saying customers are "extremely excited and passionate" to now have beer with their burgers "We also timed the launch with greater beach traffic to Tybee Island," said Smith "People might stop in on their way to or from the beach or for dinner and now be able to have a beer." The taps at Five Guys also include two beers from local Southbound Brewing Co Smith has partnered with GrinOn Industries to submit a proposal to Five Guys corporate office to offer draft beer in other locations He said the proposal will need approval before draft beer becomes a widespread addition to the menu Smith plans to offer beer at Five Guys' Bay Street Bluffton and Twelve Oaks locations with its approval we haven't really added anything to the menu," said Smith and this doesn't affect the high quality of our burger and fries operation." The beer comes from the bottom of the glass Go to savannahnow.com to watch a video of the Bottoms Up Beer Dispensing System at Five Guys Burgers & Fries' Whitemarsh Island location a third it was students from May Howard Elementary and then a group of Cub Scouts everyone who came to Applebee's for a pancake breakfast came away stuffed and happy The pancake breakfast is part of a community initiative called Applebee's Education Collaboration that consists of many other incentive programs and fundraisers for nonprofit organizations such as schools The program offers student incentives like Books Are a Blast where students are rewarded with a free kids meal for reading a number of books and the Pancake Breakfast seems to be a popular one "We have had five different groups in here the last five Saturdays." Islands Cub Scout Pack 115 took over the restaurant on March 21 and served dozens of friends and family with the help of some of the restaurant's staff pouring drinks to order and grabbing plates of pancakes and sausages as they came off of the griddle No major injuries were reported Thursday afternoon in a Whitemarsh Island neighborhood where fire swept through four homes and displaced an estimated 10 people But throughout the course of the three-alarm blaze one resident was taken to a hospital to be checked for chest pains a dog went missing and two cats were rescued from a burning home by a police commander and medics Southside Fire Battalion Chief Frank Pilcher said the cause of the fire at 114 Redan Drive is under investigation and that the state fire marshal's office has been called to probe the blaze a bystander noticed smoke coming from 114 Redan and knocked on the door ran inside to grab a child and escaped unharmed The man tried to get a pet dog out but was unable to find it and the animal was still missing Thursday night but the house was already fully engulfed in flames "The wind played a major factor in how quickly the fire moved," Pilcher said and firefighters from the Thunderbolt department came to help About 40 firefighters wound up trying to get things under control was on his way from downtown when he heard the call and one of his officers describe the intensity of the blaze over the radio 114 Redan was up in flames and firefighters were working to prevent the fire from spreading to neighboring homes As firefighters were working on trying to contain the flames a resident outside 112 Redan told Best and Southside EMS medic Jeff Parker that her cats were still inside "You're not going to sit there and hesitate and wait," Best said and Best soon found another one hiding under a coffee table in a sunroom With the help of medics Erica Hill and Joe Walton who had also entered the home by that point They were able to get the cats to the woman as firefighters worked to stop flames from further damaging her home but when you're able to return a pet safely to (the owner) it's a pretty unique feeling," Best said 112 sustained moderate damage and 118 had minor damage but crews remained on scene hitting hot spots for about four hours The Red Cross was called to assist displaced residents No further information was immediately available A two-month saga of disagreements between Chatham’s state lawmakers and Chatham County commissioners has held up the county redistricting process that was slated for this year Now, after two weeks that saw fumbled emails, alternate maps and accusations of partisan engineering the elected officials have rebooted the process in hopes of finalizing the redistricting before the end of the 2022 session of the Georgia General Assembly The delay has already impacted the coming Savannah-Chatham School Board election The deadline for the Chatham County elections staff to adjust ballots in time for the May 25 election has passed meaning School Board candidates will run on district lines drawn over a decade ago.  the Chatham Commission and School Board approved the map drawn by the Chatham-Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission School leaders gave the new districts unanimous approval while the commission passed the new map by a 7-2 margin with Commissioners Pat Farrell and Helen Stone in opposition On Jan. 28, the county's proposed maps were sent to the Georgia Legislature the final step in the once-per-decade redistricting process echoing the objections of Farrell and Stone. Petrea enlisted Chatham's top-ranking legislator to task the state's reapportionment office with revising the map Stephens sent the updated map option back to Chatham Commission on Feb The revision gives Farrell and Stone exactly what they asked for: a map that gives the entirety of Whitemarsh Island to District 4 “And we wanted them to give us a map And what we wanted was a unanimous map that everybody agreed on But that wasn't the case as it related to my district.”  Chatham Commission Chairman Chester Ellis balked at the alternative map “If the legislators require us to do another resolution then we’ll put that resolution forward,” Ellis said at a Feb that we support the map that was done by the MPC and go forward Stephens said he has set a “self-imposed deadline” of the end of this year’s session to get the county and school board map passed this year.  Chatham chairman: 'We went by their rules' when drawing, voting on redistricting maps keeping the population from district-to-district as close to even as possible When the Georgia General Assembly drew and passed the congressional and state lines last November since they’re the majority party under the Capitol's gold dome.  Keep reading: Redistricting in Georgia is inherently political, but a critical office toes partisan line But redistritcting is done differently at the local level Chatham outsources the county redistricting process to the Metropolitan Planning Commission The MPC works with the Chatham Commission and the School Board to draw a shared map MPC Executive Director Melanie Wilson says her office utilizes map drawing software to build even districts She said the process is done strictly by the numbers with no additional consideration for political gains or losses.  And despite the county commission and school board representatives getting a say in the maps through months of meetings near the end of last year Wilson said her guiding phrase for redistricting has been “everybody is going to have to give up something.” “I stand by the maps that we created and we were transparent going through the process.” More: Georgia Senate map surprise: Chatham adds third Senate post as part of redistricting The final step in the county redistricting process is for the Chatham delegation to vote to adopt the maps.  meaning only Chatham’s House and Senate representatives cast votes Local bills typically take less time and can be passed in as little as five days The Chatham Board of Registrars needed finalized maps by Feb 11 in order to organize the voter rolls by the Secretary of State’s deadline on Feb The date the county delivered the maps to state lawmakers is the primary point of contention Records show an email containing the resolution from County Manager Lee Smith to the state reps on Jan two weeks after the Chatham Commission approved the new districts But a timeline produced by Ellis claims the map was sent to the state the same day as the vote A records request to Chatham County for this email had not yet been fulfilled by press time Petrea says he went to the Office of Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment the state office that specializes in drawing district maps because of the concerns of his constituents Stephens says the proposed map is Petrea’s. Stephens said on Tuesday, Feb. 22, his only contribution to the process was checking with the map office to make sure his own concerns with the map were addressed.  I just went over and asked the folks that draw the maps those two questions: Does it reduce split precincts And does it bring the population deviation down closer to zero?” Stephens said “The idea that the county would have an issue with us fixing those two issues is bizarre.” Petrea says the concerns of Farrell and Stone inspired him to propose the new maps Farrell said he voted against the MPC map to draw attention to issues he had with the proposal specifically the continuation of dividing Whitemarsh Island between his district and that of District 3 Commissioner Bobby Lockett Whitemarsh Island has been divided between Districts 3 and 4 for the last decade Farrell also disagreed with Dutch Island being moved to his district from Stone's noting that he believes the residents of the island share common interests with residents of neighboring Isle of Hope Petrea’s proposed map addresses these two points.  Stephens didn't attempt to send the revised map to the Chatham Commission until Feb. 11. Even then, his email wasn't delivered due to an error in the email address Records show the email containing pdf files of the map commissioned by Stephens and Petrea were sent to the wrong email address despite the greeting for the email addressing Ellis’ administrative assistant Ellis claims he was oblivious to the proposed map changes until contacted for comment about the missed deadline on Feb County commissioners first saw Petrea’s map on Tuesday The School Board and Chatham Commission share district maps Each school board member represents the same geographic area as their commission counterpart - at least until this year.  new districts won't be implemented until 2023, even if the delegation passes a map before the end of this year’s legislative session The 2022 election cycle has already started the delay is not an issue since the current commissioner terms aren't up until 2024 Related: Tye Whitely announces another bid for Savannah-Chatham school board president The School Board’s District 1 seat is currently held by Denise Grabowski But Grabowski says she went into the process knowing “I would’ve loved to keep all the neighborhoods I currently have in District 1 that I represent today,” Grabowski said Grabowski said she too would have preferred to keep Dutch Island in District 1 but argues that despite the subdivision's close association with Isle of Hope which denotes a distinct separation of neighborhoods.  “[Petrea] knows the area that he represents “Every single board member of both the County Commission and School Board were involved in this process I'm not sure that our local Chatham County delegation can say the same.” Opinion: Think you know about school board election insurgencies? Think again. The Chatham Commission must now consider the map options Commissioners can approve the revised map or they can vote to ignore Stephens' and Petrea’s recommendations and send the original MPC-drafted map back to the Georgia Capitol The Chatham Commission could even opt to draft an entirely new map though that would require another round of certification from the Georgia Office of Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment.  Ellis said he personally stands by the maps drawn by the MPC and said if another resolution must be passed his support would go to the MPC-drawn original map “They did an excellent job," Ellis said "They reached out beyond what was expected of them to get everybody’s comment before we got a final map that we sent to the Legislature.” Stephens said he would vote to approve whatever map the county passes "If the county sends me back a message that they want to run the [MPC-drawn maps] Ellis said he hopes Stephens will “keep his word,” noting that the alternative is to defend the maps in court which would undoubtedly be a costly and time-consuming process for the county “We do not need to waste county money on defending lawsuits when we have a map that's already approved by the Justice Department and already approved by the [Office of Congressional and Legislative Reapportionment]," Ellis said "All we need our chairman and the elected officials to do in Atlanta is send forth the map and get it approved.” Will Peebles is the enterprise reporter for Savannah Morning News He can be reached at wpeebles@gannett.com and @willpeeblessmn on Twitter.