Connect Savannah, January 13, 2021

CONNECT SAVANNAH

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FIRE

JANUARY 13 – 19, 2021

ALARM Chatham Emergency Services has a $3 million operating deficit.

What’s the solution?

THE BANK THAT SERVICE BUILT!

Visit us at any of our Savannah Branches. ucbi.com

SAVANNAH

Georgia Locations: 5 E. Perry Street, Savannah, GA 31401 2 Skidaway Village Walk, Ste A, Savannah,GA 31411

South Carolina Locations: 701 Bay Street, Beaufort, SC 29902 2 Harbor Drive, Harbor Island, SC 29920

www.baystreetrealtygroup.com

WEEK

13-19

CONNECT SAVANNAH

AT A GLANCE

‘Guests and Gusto’ with artist Bianca Kennedy

Submerge into the works of artist Bianca Kennedy, whose immersive installation VR all in this together is on view at the SCAD Museum of Art through Jan. 31. Register online.

11 a.m. scad.edu/calendar/events

THURSDAY 1.14 Drive-in Laser Light Show

The night lights up with beautiful beams during this laser show welcoming families for drive-in fun during Jan. 14-17. Shows go on rain or shine at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. during Jan. 14-16, and at 7 p.m. on Jan. 17.

South Georgia Fairgrounds, 105 Fort Argyle Road. cabinfeverlasershow.com

Virtual Lecture: Chained in Silence

Telfair Museums presents a virtual lecture by Talitha LeFlouria on her book, “Chained in Silence: Black Women and Convict Labor in the New South.” The series is part of the museum’s multiyear Legacy of Slavery in Savannah initiative.

Register online.

6 p.m. telfair.org/los

FRIDAY 1.15 8 Second Ride concert

Georgia’s 8 Second Ride plays modern country music with rich three-part harmonies and a funloving spirit. Hear songs like “Drunk Last Night” and “Fishin’ in the Dark” during this free concert.

10 p.m.

Barrelhouse South, 125 W. Congress St. 8secondridelive.com

TO HAVE YOUR EVENT CONSIDERED FOR INCLUSION IN WEEK AT A GLANCE, PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL TO WAG@CONNECTSAVANNAH.COM. INCLUDE THE EVENT NAME, DATE, TIME, LOCATION WITH ADDRESS, COST, WEBSITE ADDRESS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, AND A CONTACT NUMBER. THE SUBMISSION DEADLINE IS 5PM EACH FRIDAY BEFORE THE FOLLOWING WEDNESDAY’S EDITION.

SATURDAY 1.16 Annual MLK Walk It Out

Join Savannah’s 9th-annual healthy celebration of the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. when Blessings in a Book Bag hosts this outdoor event of active family fun.

11 a.m.

Daffin Park, 1198 Washington Ave.

Forsyth Farmers Market

Local and regional produce, honey, meat, dairy, pasta, baked goods and other delights. Rain or shine.

9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Forsyth Park Free to attend. Items for sale. forsythfarmersmarket.com

Islands Farmers Market

Weekly farmers market on Talahi Island highlighting local growers and makers, healthy foods and a positive environment.

9 a.m.-1 p.m.

401 Quarterman Dr. facebook.com/ islandsfarmersmarket

SUNDAY 1.17 Mindful Flow New Yoga

MON/

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MLK CELEBRATION AT 3 POINTS FOOD COURT

While the ongoing pandemic forced cancellations of Savannah-area Martin Luther King, Jr. Day parades and other events, some smaller happenings are safely honoring King’s legacy, including this communityfocused celebration featuring an evening concert by VooDoo Soup.

Noon-9 p.m.

3 Points Food Court, 409 Orchard Street.

3pointsfoodcourt.com Savannah-born African-American teacher and nurse Susie King Taylor.

11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Fort Pulaski National Monument, Cockspur Island. nps.gov/fopu

Tybee Island Farmers Market

All-levels flow yoga overlooking the Savannah River. Class is held on the Riverwalk in Montgomery Park.

9-10 a.m.

Plant Riverside, 500 W. River St. $15 newyoganow.com

Weekly market featuring a variety of produce, baked goods, honey, eggs, BBQ, sauces and more.

4 p.m.

30 Meddin Drive, 30 Meddin Drive. tybeeislandfarmersmarket.com

MONDAY 1.18

TUESDAY 1.19

Fee-Free Day at Fort Pulaski National Monument

‘Countdown’ Rose B. Simpson exhibition premiere

In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the historic fort and trails of Fort Pulaski National Monument are open to the public free of charge all day. Explore this landmark that played a major role in the life of

See the totemic human-scale sculptures created by celebrated artist Rose B. Simpson, a member of the Pueblo tribe whose work is informed by the indigenous nation’s culture of clay pottery, in her new

‘Countdown’ exhibit on view from Jan. 19 through June 26.

SCAD Museum of Art, 601 Turner Blvd. scad.edu/calendar/exhibitions

Toddler Tuesday at Oatland Island Wildlife Center

Explore the wonders of nature with all kinds of animal fun for your wee ones. Pre-registration required.

10 & 11 a.m.

Oatland Island Wildlife Center, 711 Sandtown Rd. oatlandisland.org

Brian Regan live at The Savannah Theatre

After recuperating from COVID-19, comedian Brian Regan is back in Savannah for two performances.

6 & 8:30 p.m.

Savannah Theatre, 222 Bull Street. $39 savannahtheatre.com

CONNECT SAVANNAH | JAN 13 - 19, 2021

WEDNESDAY 1.13

HIGHLIGHTED PICKS FROM HOSTESS CITY HAPPENINGS THIS WEEK

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CONNECT SAVANNAH

SAVANNAH’S PULSE NEWS | ARTS | ENTERTAINMENT

© 2021, Savannah Media, LLC. 611 East Bay Street Savannah, Georgia 31401 Phone: (912) 231-0250 | Fax: (912) 238-2041

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OUR VALUES

CONNECT SAVANNAH | JAN 13 - 19, 2021

At its core, Connect Savannah is focused on the happenings in our community, highlighting local news, arts, and entertainment. Our professional journalists write about community issues and the people who live here.

The public has a right to know about issues affecting them, and Connect Savannah is dedicated to keeping readers informed and aware of all that goes on in the community.

The pursuit of truth is a fundamental principle of journalism. But the truth is not always apparent or known immediately.

A professional journalist’s role is to impartially report the news based on verifiable facts so readers can, based on their own knowledge and experience, determine the truth behind varied issues and developments. This is often an ongoing pursuit as journalists work to uncover stories and

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Chatham Emergency Services rescue workers at a fire station between calls.

Photo by Alex Neumann

NEWS

BRIEFS

Savannah native Raphael Warnock wins Georgia U.S. Senate runoff DEMOCRATIC U.S. SENATE candidate selected to serve in that position, accordRev. Raphael Warnock, a Savannah native, ing to the Warnock campaign. is projected to narrowly prevail over GeorDuring his campaign, Warnock repeatgia’s incumbent Republican edly visited the Savannah area Sen. Kelly Loeffler in one of the and spoke to supporters at Peach State’s two Jan. 5 Senate Democratic rallies, including runoff elections. one in Garden City on Jan. 3 Warnock’s victory would when he appeared with Demomake him the first Africancratic Vice-President-elect American U.S. Senator from Kamala Harris and Georgia’s the state of Georgia. other Democratic U.S. Senate Warnock was raised under candidate Jon Ossoff, who is humble circumstances in also projected to win his chalSavannah’s Kayton Homes lenge to incumbent Republican Raphael Warnock. public-housing project along Senator David Perdue.

PHOTO BY NICK with 11 siblings. He attended “Georgia, I am honored by ROBERTSON Sol C. Johnson High School, the faith that you have shown where he participated in the in me, and I promise you this Upward Bound Program, before moving on tonight, I am going to the Senate to work to graduate from Morehouse College. for all Georgians, no matter who you cast Since 2005 Warnock has served as your vote for in this election,” Warnock senior pastor at Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist said in his victory speech.

Church, where his hero Rev. Dr. Martin Georgia Secretary of State Brad RaffensLuther King, Jr. once served. Warnock perger is reportedly planning to certify the is the fifth senior pastor in the history of Senate-runoff results by Jan. 20. the church, and the youngest pastor ever − Brandy Simpkins

Over 121,000 Chatham ballots cast in Jan. 5 runoff election

ALMOST 60% of registered Chatham County voters cast ballots in Georgia’s nationally prominent Jan. 5 runoff election, according to initial results provided by the Chatham County Board of Elections.

Georgia’s Jan. 5 runoffs included two U.S. Senate races, with Democratic candidate Rev. Raphael Warnock challenging incumbent Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler, and Democrat Jon Ossoff vying to unseat incumbent Republican Senator David Perdue.

According to initial statewide results updated by the Georgia Secretary of State’s office on Jan. 10, with 100% percent of precincts reporting, Warnock triumphed in his race with 2,281,671 votes for a 50.99% margin, while Loeffler garnered 2,192,776 votes and 49.01% of the total share. Meanwhile, Ossoff received 2,262,523 votes for 50.57% of the total, while Perdue fell short with 2,211,865 votes and a 49.43% margin.

In Chatham County, the Democrats’

victory was more decisive, according to Board of Elections results updated on Jan. 8. With 121,630 ballots cast (58.47% of the county’s 208,027 registered voters), Warnock received 72,680 votes for 59.85% of the total, while 48,750 voters chose Loeffler for a 40.15% share. Ossoff ’s Chatham turnout was 72,441 votes for a 59.66% margin, while Perdue garnered 48,978 votes and a 40.34% total.

The other election decided in the Jan. 5 runoff – the race for Public Service Commissioner for District 4 – delivered a win for the Georgia GOP, with Republican Lauren Bubba McDonald, Jr. scoring 2,231,637 votes statewide to get a 50.42% margin, while Democrat Daniel Blackman had 2,194,553 votes for a total share of 49.58%.

However, Blackman was the clear favorite in Chatham with 70,254 votes and a 58.56% margin over McDonald, who garnered 49,706 votes countywide for a 41.44% total share. − Nick Robertson

NEWS

BRIEFS

Savannah’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade canceled again due to COVID-19 SAVANNAH’S St. Patrick’s Day Parade and related festivities are canceled for the second year in a row due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Mayor Van Johnson announced during a Jan. 5 press conference.

Johnson is recommending that the city A previous St. Patrick’s Day Parade. PHOTO COURTESY OF continue its moratorium SAVANNAH ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE COMMITTEE on permitting special events through the end of March, as the permits through March 2021. As a result, coronavirus pandemic is still posing the we will not have the 2021 Savannah St. Patsame challenges that caused the festival’s rick’s Day Parade. While this is disappointcancellation in 2020. Johnson said that he ing, we are confident in the City’s decision. made this decision after observing unsafe Our top priority has always been to ensure behavior among crowds during Savannah’s the health, safety and welfare of parade holiday-season celebrations. participants and attendees,” said Fogarty.

“I hoped and prayed that our situation Due to the 2020 COVID-19 outbreak, might improve, but what I think is that the St. Patrick’s Day parade was canceled what we’ve witnessed this holiday season last year on March 11, just days before celwill put the health of our city and our citiebrations were scheduled to begin. zens at risk. Therefore, I am recommend“After the 2020 parade cancellation, we ing that we continue our detouring on were hopeful for 2021 and we had applied events issued by the city through the end of for the special event permit. Over the past March 2021,” said Johnson. several months we have continued to work John Fogarty, general chairman of the with the City of Savannah during the perSt. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee, issued mitting process and now we need to be a statement supporting the decision. united in doing what is best for our com“We understand that the City of Savanmunity,” said Fogarty. nah is not issuing any special event − Brandy Simpkins

SAV PHIL An Evening in Paris PRESENTS

IN THE WAKE of the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. – when supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the seat of Congress, resulting in the deaths of four rioters and Capitol Officer Brian Sicknick – Savannah-area leaders of both the Democratic and Republican parties expressed dismay about the insurrection attempt and appreciation for the law-enforcement officers who ended the siege.

While the riot was underway, Savannah Mayor Van Johnson issued a Twitter statement reading: “I am in disbelief while watching the illegal and disruptive activities at our nation’s Capitol. This IS NOT America. This IS anarchy. We must be able to disagree without becoming violently disagreeable. Peace, law and order will

prevail. God help us!”

U.S. Representative for Georgia’s First District Earl “Buddy” Carter – who voted to object to the certification of Georgia’s Electoral College votes supporting President-elect Joe Biden – issued a Twitter statement on Jan. 6 stating: “The violence and anarchy is unacceptable and must end.

Please listen to @realdonaldtrump’s call to stay peaceful immediately. Thank you to our Capitol Police and law enforcement.”

Following the news of Sicknick’s death, Carter issued a follow-up Twitter statement reading: “Officer Sicknick died defending the heart of American democracy in the face of a violent mob. He is a hero. Amy and I are praying for his family and friends, and all law enforcement.” − Nick Robertson

January 22 7:30 pm $50

Skidaway Island United Methodist Church Carolyn Munford I Harp Vonda Darr I Harp

Visit savannahphilharmonic.org for tickets

SAVANNAH PHILHARMONIC

CONNECT SAVANNAH | JAN 13 - 19, 2021

Savannah leaders react to U.S. Capitol insurrection

7

NEWS

ENVIRONMENT

A diver examines fish and sponges in the undersea habitat of Gray’s Reef, off Georgia’s coast. PHOTO COURTESY OF GRAY’S REEF NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY

Savannah celebrates 40 years of protected status for Gray’s Reef Marine sanctuary administrators plan to open new visitor center in Hostess City

BY BRANDY SIMPKINS

brandy@connectsavannah.com

CONNECT SAVANNAH | JAN 13 - 19, 2021

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

Gray’s Reef, an undersea habitat located 19 miles east of Georgia’s coastline, was designated as a National Marine Sanctuary on Jan. 16, 1981, as one of the last official acts by President Jimmy Carter. To honor that day 40 years ago, Savannah Mayor Van Johnson designated this upcoming Jan. 16 as the city’s inaugural Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary Day. Looking ahead, Gray’s Reef administrators have received approval to open a marine-sanctuary visitor center in downtown Savannah to provide the community with an onshore location to learn more about the oceanic landmark and 8 find out how to embark upon underwater

adventures there.

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

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

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

“Gray’s Reef is 19 miles off the coast. It requires a boat and/or the ability to scuba dive to actually see the reef, so we do a lot to interpret that to bring that to the people

so that they can experience it virtually even if they can’t go out to the sanctuary,” said Rogers.

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

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

In November 2020, former President Carter wrote a special letter to the director of the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, John Armor, honoring the

designation’s 40th anniversary. In the letter, he also acknowledged the other three marine sanctuaries that he designated on that day: Channel Islands, Looe Key, and Point Reyes - Farallon Islands.

“What we want is to engage more people and get more people involved by letting them know how they can be involved and support the sanctuary,” Rogers said.

“Everyone holds value in Georgia’s coast and all of the great resources it provides.

Whether they visit the coast or not, everyone benefits from it and its resources.”

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

“We are super-excited, because most people will never go to Gray’s Reef, so it’s our job to bring the wonders of Gray’s Reef to them on land,” said Michelle Riley, the sanctuary’s communications and public outreach coordinator. “After all, the sanctuary belongs to all Americans!” CS Visit graysreef.noaa.gov to learn more about the Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary.

INK OF

LIFE

Don Caskey displays his indelible memories. PHOTO BY LAUREN WOLVERTON

Terminally ill man visits Savannah to get matching tattoos with strangers

BY LAUREN WOLVERTON lauren@connectsavannah.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The very next day, Caskey and the woman got matching butterfly tattoos.

Two days later, another woman asked about Caskey’s fresh ink, heard his story, and got one with him too.

After his twelfth tattoo, Caskey’s story was shared on Facebook and went viral.

Caskey received hundreds of messages from people nationwide wanting to get

involved. He decided to leave home, head to Lima, Ohio, and see what happened.

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

Since then, Caskey has been tattooed in dozens of cities with hundreds of people.

Both arms and parts of his legs are now covered with everything from astrology signs and roses to mushrooms and dragons.

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

On New Year’s Eve, Caskey landed right here in Savannah. He says Tramp Art Studios welcomed him with open arms, giving him a total of 14 tattoos before he left town.

Artists Billy and Kirsten Cassat, Taylor Keel, Dre Edwards, and Josh White all joined his journey, either tattooing him or getting matching ink themselves.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

No matter where his journey takes him, Caskey is happy to have a piece, or 14 pieces, of Savannah with him forever. CS

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NEWS

COMMUNITY

9

FIRE ALARM

CONNECT SAVANNAH | JAN 13 - 19, 2021

Chatham Emergency Services has a $3 million operating deficit, threatening its ability to fight fires and provide other public-safety functions.

What’s the solution?

10

Chatham Emergency Services rescue workers at a fire station between calls. PHOTO BY ALEX NEUMANN

CHATHAM COUNTY

Chatham Emergency Services Fire Station 10, originally built as an airplane hangar in the 1940s and relocated to its current Ogeechee Road site. PHOTO BY ALEX NEUMANN

nick@connectsavannah.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

A crisis fueled by rapid growth

Chatham County’s fire services are provided by nine separate agencies, with seven belonging to different municipalities while two nonprofit agencies – CES and the much smaller Isle of Hope Volunteer Fire Department – cover the brunt of the county’s

“Should we say, ‘Hey, look, y’know, they didn’t pay their bill, their house is on fire, we’re just not going to go’? That is a very difficult pill to swallow, and we don’t want to make that decision alone, so we’re asking the county to help us answer that question.” sprawling unincorporated-area communities, according to Assistant County Manager Linda Kramer.

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

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

The history of CES dates back much farther than Chatham’s Special Service District.

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

And while CES has expanded over the years to keep up with unincorporated

CONNECT SAVANNAH | JAN 13 - 19, 2021

BY NICK ROBERTSON

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE 11

NEWS CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Chatham’s rapid growth, its nonprofitagency status leaves it with few means to collect payment for its services beyond depending on the goodwill of residents who dutifully pay their subscription fees.

Koster says that the CES operating budget for fiscal year 2020-2021 is about $10.5 million, while its subscription income is only approximately $7.5 million.

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

‘If you call, we’re coming anyways’

CONNECT SAVANNAH | JAN 13 - 19, 2021

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

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

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

“It is not always what you do each day, it’s what you’re prepared to do when the phone rings or when the alarm drops, and that can be very expensive,” Koster said.

“We have to provide the same level of service whether you live on Skidaway Island or whether you live on the far reaches of Fort Argyle Road, and that’s where it can be very costly.”

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

“If you call, we’re coming anyways. At this point, we don’t decide you’re a sub12 scriber or not; your life and safety of that

“I have some concerns as to how this fee structure’s set up, and how we can be more balanced about it. We have a segment of the community that is not paying, so in essence what’s happening is you’re putting the burden on the people that are. … How can we get your organization where it needs to be financially secure, but not on the backs of people that are trying to do the right thing and pay?” property is more important to us,” Koster said, while noting that non-subscribers can be charged up to $20,000 for CES firefighting services, and that a fire report needed for insurance claims can be withheld as an incentive for payment. “After a fire, even if they’re not a subscriber, yes, we can try to bill them or hold onto the fire report, but that is also not successful. That leads to the deficit.”

Debating the subscription-fee structure

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

values, resulting in higher bills.

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

However, according to Chatham County Commissioner Helen Stone of District 1, this reassessment has caused rates to nearly double for some unincorporatedarea homeowners.

“I have some concerns as to how this fee structure’s set up, and how we can be more balanced about it,” Stone said to Koster at the Nov. 5 workshop. “We have a segment of the community that is not paying, so in essence what’s happening is you’re putting the burden on the people that are. …

How can we get your organization where it needs to be financially secure, but not on the backs of people that are trying to do the right thing and pay?”

At this meeting, then-Commissioner Tabitha Odell of District 5 passed on complaints that the CES fee-assessment structure being based on a home’s value is flawed, because a blaze at a small home in

CHATHAM COUNTY

ABOVE: Chatham Emergency Services Fire Station 13 on Quacco Road, a rented shack that is too small to accommodate most modern fire trucks. LEFT: The interior of Fire Station 10, a converted 1940s airplane hangar. PHOTOS BY ALEX NEUMANN

Six options to address the problem

The County Commission met again to discuss the situation surrounding the CES financial shortfall on Dec. 18, when Kramer introduced six possible options for consideration in dealing with this issue, ranging from the lowest to the highest level of participation for Chatham officials: 1. Maintaining the status quo, leaving the CES with the same unenforceable subscription-payment system, but possibly updating the county’s fire-district maps to shift coverage of certain areas to jurisdictions of some municipalities.

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

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

4.

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

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

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

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

“We’ve established a police department, we’ve taken on 911, animal services,

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

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

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

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

“We’re trying to give folks a chance to have input,” Ellis said, while encouraging Chatham residents to fill out the fire-services survey by Jan. 15. “We can get a fair understanding of where people are before we make a decision.” CS 13

CONNECT SAVANNAH | JAN 13 - 19, 2021

an expensive area may not require as many resources to be extinguished as would be needed for a less-valuable building that could be much bigger.

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

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

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

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

FOOD & DRINK

A whiskey flight served at The Trade Room as one of the bar’s new line of whiskey-focused offerings. PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE ALIDA HOTEL

River Street’s reformation brings a whiskey resurgence at The Trade Room

The Alida’s luxe lounge takes sippers on tasteful flights of fancy

BY LINDY MOODY

CONNECT SAVANNAH | JAN 13 - 19, 2021

LONG GONE ARE the days of West River Street being a dark, dingy, much-forgotten piece of Savannah’s downtown. With the resurgence of craft cocktail bars, the memories of River Street being a place for grain-alcohol-based daiquiris are all but foregone thoughts of young locals sowing their wild oats.

Because West River Street was once primarily an industrial site, most of it sat empty and abandoned for the longest time. In 2020, gravel lots transformed into booming boutique hotels, new chic storefronts, and a refashioning of the district.

The cobblestones have never changed, but what makes up our historic riverfront has evolved into something completely 14 new. For locals, this part of River Street is

almost unrecognizable.

In the depths of the reformation of this booming tourist destination, one bar has rebranded itself as well. The Trade Room located at The Alida Hotel has changed its menu to become the only whiskey bar in Savannah. For the Alida, the contemporary whiskey-forward bar list will hopefully sway more locals to enjoy the ever-transforming commodities of the waterfront district.

Whiskey is simple − it is alcohol fermented from grain, distilled, then aged in barrels. The type of grain determines the type of whiskey. Everyone knows rye whiskey, which is created from rye grain. But let’s be honest, whiskey is not the nip for everyone. After a visit to The Trade Room, that could easily change for your average social drinker.

“The goal was to really make it approachable. We were thinking we

might have tourists from River Street, we might have our guests, we might have all the groups that are coming here, and we wanted to make it so it is more about learning and discovering,” explained Arthur Sertorio, The Alida’s general manager of food and beverage.

The Trade Room keeps things simple to introduce inexperienced whiskey drinkers into the realm of enthusiasm. The menu begins with House Cocktails as a way to wade slowly into the deep end.

Sertorio told me, “We have the classic cocktails that we do, all with whiskeys.

They are a play on the Old Fashioned, the Manhattan, and things like that. We are bringing our touch to it that makes it different.”

The Trade Room Manhattan is created with house-blended vermouth, bitters, and Old Overholt Bonded Rye. The Forty Niner is made with Monkey Shoulder whiskey,

honey, ginger, and lemon.

A flight of whiskey, rye, bourbon, or Scotch is the next step for students to expand their learning. Flights start on the low end at $18 and walk their way up to more exclusive barrel-aged liquors that edge out at $38. With a flight, The Trade Room prepares three different whiskeys or Scotches that are paired in a way to educate the drinker. Served with the triple glasses is a dropper of water, included to open up the notes of each whiskey type.

“We wanted to come up with the flights, and we took a long time to come up with what makes the most sense. We didn’t want your palate to be attacked so you couldn’t taste the third whiskey you are tasting,” said Sertorio.

Japanese whiskey has finally taken flight in America. The difference between American or Irish whiskey and its Japanese cousin comes in how it’s distilled.

EPICUROPEDIA

The Trade Room’s Lion’s Tail cocktail.

The process of double distilling the liquor before aging lends a flavor that is closer to that of Scotch. The Japanese flight features Nikka Coffey Grain, Suntory Hibiki Harmony, and Suntory Whisky Toki. If you have never tasted Japanese whiskey, a flight from The Trade Room is the ideal way to begin.

The same can be said for the Scotch

flight, a drink that can be considered sought by only the most savvy of drinkers.

Many connoisseurs stay away from the peaty libation, but a flight is a great way to narrow down which drink your palate may like to start sipping.

Most unique to this new barrel-aged bourbon bar is the choice to build a craft cocktail out of any of the 60-plus spirits.

After narrowing down your favorite grog, turn it into a handmade mix for only $3 more. There is no better way to drink an Old Fashioned or Whiskey Sour than with the base of your liking.

Located at the bottom of the menu’s list of brands, readers can find a scale of beverage notes.

“We wanted to put each glass in four different ways of what we think will be the right way of categorizing them,” says Sertorio. Bar specialist Connor Gillette came up with the sliding scale of notes such as oak, corn, spice, and smoothness when creating the new menu for The Alida.

Normally Macallan is a scotch I fall back on, and typically I felt sampling a different brand was mindless. I looked at the chart and was able to try a new brand of Scotch by comparing Macallan to it. An after-dinner cap at The Trade Room expanded my

go-to brands for enjoying a neat glass.

For guests who still are not convinced about the joys of whiskey, The Trade Room also offers a selection of wine, beer, and a few other essential liquors. Guests who tag along with a whiskey worshiper will not be left thirsty.

With such strong libations at hand, the trendy bar has food available from its sister restaurant, Rhett. Mushroom Toast, Pimento Cheese Fritters, and Steak Frites are just a few samples of the expertly crafted menu created by Chef Jason Starnes. The Mushroom Toast is the standout. Foraged oyster mushrooms from Swampy Appleseed are paired with a warm melted Boursin and thyme, then spooned on top of toasted focaccia.

To perfectly pair with the endless bottles of bourbon, The Trade Room is working towards launching a new munchies menu. Patrons can expect a standalone kitchen and menu to debut later this year, which will feature new items like handcrafted burgers. CS The Trade Room is located within the lobby of The Alida Hotel: 412 Williamson Street, Savannah. Visit thealidahotel.com to learn more details.

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As a musical renaissance man with red clay running through his veins, “Georgia” Kyle Shiver plays Americana tunes “as if we are all just sitting around on the front porch after a hard day’s work.” Hear his down-home sound as he plays guitar, mandolin, and harmonica while belting out mellifluously soulful songs like “What You Got Inside” and “You Can’t Take It With You” during this solo show.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 15 | 7:30 P.M.

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EMBER CITY @ BARRELHOUSE SOUTH

JASON SALZER @ PLANT RIVERSIDE

Catch one of the truest examples of live rock ’n’ roll in Savannah this Saturday at one of the city’s remaining few venues showcasing artists who play original music. Ember City is a local staple that plays melodic alt-rock tunes likened to Queens of the Stone Age, and often transitions toward a more raw blues and southern-rock sound like Rival Sons.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 16 | 10 P.M.

PHOTO BY GEOFF L JOHNSON

Indulge in some of the city’s best authentic Cuban food while savoring rhythms by the world-class musicians of the JodyJazz Trio, led by locallegend saxophonist Jody Espina. Their distinctive Latin flair adds spice to the evening as the band plays classics of New Orleans jazz, salsa, and Brazilian bossa nova.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 15 | 6:30 P.M.

Wind down after the least favorite day of the week and listen to coastal-inspired originals as well as recognizable and catchy cover tunes by Savannah transplant Jason Salzer. After spending over a decade in Nashville as a singersongwriter, sharing the stage with artists like Lady Antebellum and Little Big Town, Salzer relocated to the Hostess City to write and perform, sharing his story-laden songs all over the Lowcountry.

MONDAY, JANUARY 18 | 7 P.M.

MUSIC

FEATURE

EVENTS SAT., JAN. 16

NFL PLAYOFFS

RAMS @ PACKERS 4:35 PM RAVENS @ BILLS 8:15 PM

SUN., JAN. 17

NFL PLAYOFFS

BROWNS @ CHIEFS 3:05 PM BUCS @ SAINTS 6:40 PM

Welcoming 2021 with holy harmonies ‘A Sonic Spectacle’ features organists from four Savannah churches performing together at the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist

BY NICK ROBERTSON

nick@connectsavannah.com

FOLLOWING A MAJOR renovation project last year, the grand pipe organ within Savannah’s Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist is now resonating with an enriched sound, which can be enjoyed by anyone during a free concert featuring four local church organists on Jan. 17.

The Friends of Cathedral Music organization is presenting “A Sonic Spectacle” concert centered on the Cathedral Basilica’s huge Noack pipe organ, with its performers providing an evening of very big music to be played before a limited-capacity in-person audience while the show is livestreamed for all the world to hear.

The four performers are music directors from prominent Savannah churches: Monica Harper Dekle of Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church, Stephen Branyon of St. John’s Church, Timothy Hall of Christ Church, and the Cathedral Basilica’s own Paul Thornock. Each organist will perform one solo piece while also performing with the Cathedral Brass, an ensemble of musicians from the Savannah Philharmonic and the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra playing together with area music teachers.

“If you measure your pleasure in decibels, this is the concert for you,” said Thornock, who will be performing a composition by renowned French organist Louis Vierne, while Dekle will play a piece by Eugène Gigout, Hall will perform the “Solemn Entry” by Richard Strauss, and Branyon will treat the audience to an original work.

Installed at the Cathedral Basilica in 1987, the organ was

thoroughly upgraded last year with a variety of replacement parts and modernizations. “A Sonic Spectacle” will be the first concert of 2021 highlighting the organ’s improved sound.

“It was the organ’s 100,000-mile checkup. … We did a lot of fixing up and cleaning up of little things,” Thornock said. “While we were at it, we made a few improvements.”

These renovations included repairing metal fatigue in some of the pipes and replacing reed stops, according to Thornock, resulting in an audible enhancement. All of the refurbishment work was completed by October, and while a couple of concert performances have drawn on the organ’s new sound since then, “A Sonic Spectacle” aims to highlight the full range of what this massive instrument is truly capable of.

“I think people will notice the difference,” Thornock said.

To abide by pandemic protocols, the in-person audience will be limited to 30% of capacity with every other pew closed off, so anyone who is interested in attending is advised to reserve their free tickets in advance through the Cathedral Basilica website.

Although all of the musicians will be playing in the space around the organ on the gallery at the back of the Cathedral, multiple video cameras will capture the performances up-close and be projected on a large screen in front of the altar.

This footage will also be livestreamed through a link on the Cathedral Basilica website, with the audio quality of the broadcast enhanced by a recent microphone-system upgrade. CS “A Son ic Spectacle” will begin at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 17; tickets are free, but advance registration is recommended. Visit savannahcathedral.org to learn more.

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CONNECT SAVANNAH | JAN 13 - 19, 2021

The freshly refurbished Cathedral Basilica pipe organ. PHOTO BY ADRIANA IRIS BOATWRIGHT

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CONNECT SAVANNAH MUSIC

13-19

SOUNDBOARD

WHO IS PLAYING WHERE THIS WEEK

SOUNDBOARD IS A FREE SERVICE. TO BE INCLUDED, PLEASE SEND YOUR LIVE MUSIC INFORMATION WEEKLY TO SOUNDBOARD@CONNECTSAVANNAH.COM. DEADLINE IS 10 A.M. MONDAY, TO APPEAR IN WEDNESDAY’S EDITION. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO EDIT OR CUT LISTINGS DUE TO SPACE LIMITATIONS.

WEDNESDAY 1.13 LIVE MUSIC

Driftaway Cafe Chuck Courtenay, 6 p.m.

Nickie’s 1971 Ray Tomasino, 7 p.m.

Plant Riverside District Aaron Lehrian, 11 a.m.; Eric Britt, 7 p.m.

The Wormhole Open Jam, 9 p.m.

TRIVIA & GAMES

El-Rocko Lounge Trivia with Jules and Chris Grimmett, 9-11:30 p.m.

Service Brewing Company Trivia Night with Daniel, 6:30 p.m.

KARAOKE

Club One Karaoke, 10 p.m.

Wet Willie’s Karaoke, 9 p.m.

COMEDY

Totally Awesome Bar Savannah Comedy Underground, 9 p.m.

BAR & CLUB EVENTS

Two Tides Brewing Company Bring Your Own Vinyl Night, second Wednesday of every month, 7 p.m.

THURSDAY 1.14 LIVE MUSIC

Cohen’s Retreat Munchies & Music, 5-9 p.m.

The Perch at Local 11 ten Anna Kellam Plant Riverside District Aaron Lehrian, 11 a.m.

TRIVIA & GAMES

McDonough’s Family Feud, 7 p.m.

CONNECT SAVANNAH | JAN 13 - 19, 2021

KARAOKE

18

Club One Karaoke, 10 p.m.

McDonough’s Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Nickie’s 1971 Karaoke Night The Wormhole Karaoke, 9 p.m.

COMEDY

Totally Awesome Bar Open Mic Comedy, 8:30 p.m.

DJ

Club 51 Degrees DJ B-Rad, 9 p.m.

Top Deck Sunset Deck Party, 6 p.m.

FRIDAY 1.15 LIVE MUSIC

Barrelhouse South 8 Second

Ride concert, 10 p.m.; The Eighty 3’s, 9 p.m.

Molly McGuire’s High Velocity, 6 p.m.

Plant Riverside District Aaron Lehrian, 11 a.m.; Whitley Deputy, 7 p.m.; Kenny Munshaw, 5 p.m.

Rancho Alegre Cuban Restaurant JodyJazz Trio, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Service Brewing Company Bluegrass By The Pint w/ Swamptooth, 6 p.m.

Sting Ray’s Robert Willis, 6 p.m.

Wild Wing Cafe Bucky & Barry, 7 p.m.

TRIVIA & GAMES PS Tavern Beer Pong Tournament, 10 p.m.

KARAOKE

Bay Street Blues Karaoke Blueberry Hill Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Club One Karaoke, 10 p.m.

McDonough’s Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Nickie’s 1971 Karaoke Night, 9 p.m.

Totally Awesome Bar Karaoke, 10 p.m.

DJ

Club 51 Degrees DJ Fer, DJ Emalo, DJ Lil G, DJ BRad, 9 p.m.

VICE Lounge + Mojito Bar DJ Primal, 9 p.m.

SATURDAY 1.16 LIVE MUSIC

The 5 Spot Jason Salzer, 7-9 p.m.

Barrelhouse South Ember City, 9 p.m.

Elan Savannah SayMyName at Elan Savannah, 9 p.m.

JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District Eric Brack, 7:30 p.m.

The Perch at Local 11 ten Susanna Kennedy Plant Riverside District Aaron Lehrian, 11 a.m.; DRAUCKER, 7 p.m.

Rancho Alegre Cuban Restaurant JodyJazz Trio, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Sting Ray’s Robert Willis, 6 p.m.

Wild Wing Cafe Jason Courtenay, 1 p.m.; Bill Hodgson, 7 p.m.

KARAOKE

Bay Street Blues Karaoke Club One Karaoke, 10 p.m.

McDonough’s Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Totally Awesome Bar Karaoke, 10 p.m.

SayMyName is back in the Hostess City to blast his hardtrap beats at Elan Savannah on Saturday, Jan. 16.

COMEDY

The Wormhole One Night Only: Marcus Crespo, 8 p.m.

SUNDAY 1.17 LIVE MUSIC

Collins Quarter at Forsyth Live music, 3 p.m.

Congress Street Social Club VooDoo Soup, 10 p.m.

Flashback Domonique, Stuart, & Ellis, 8 p.m.

Myrtle & Rose, Rooftop Garden Plant Riverside Fabulous Equinox Krewe, noon Nickie’s 1971 Roy Swindell, 7 p.m.

Plant Riverside District Kenny Munshaw, 11 a.m.

Starland Yard Jon Lee & The Apparitions, 6 p.m.

Sting Ray’s Robert Willis, 6 p.m.

The Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist A Sonic Spectacle, 5 p.m.

Tubby’s Tank House (Thunderbolt) Bucky & Barry, 1 p.m.

Wild Wing Cafe Ray Tomasino, 1 p.m.

TRIVIA & GAMES

Moon River Brewing Co. Trivia, 6 p.m.

KARAOKE

Club One Karaoke, 10 p.m.

McDonough’s Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Jon Lee & The Apparitions get grooving at Starland Yard on Sunday, Jan. 17.

MONDAY 1.18 LIVE MUSIC

Nickie’s 1971 Ray Tomasino, 7 p.m.

Plant Riverside District Jason Salzer, 7 p.m.

TRIVIA & GAMES

Club One Super Gay Bingo, 5:30 p.m.

KARAOKE

Club One Karaoke, 10 p.m.

Wet Willie’s Karaoke, 9 p.m.

BAR & CLUB EVENTS Fia Rua Irish Pub Family Movie Night, 8 p.m.

TUESDAY 1.19 LIVE MUSIC

Nickie’s 1971 Roy Swindell, 7 p.m.

Plant Riverside District Aaron Lehrian, 11 a.m.; Chuck Courtenay, 7 p.m.

TRIVIA & GAMES

Basil’s Pizza and Deli Trivia, 7 p.m.

Oak 36 Bar + Kitchen Trivia Tuesday, 9 p.m.

KARAOKE

Club One Karaoke, 10 p.m.

Wet Willie’s Karaoke, 9 p.m.

COMEDY

Savannah Theatre Brian Regan live at The Savannah Theatre, 6 & 8:30 p.m.

CULTURE

MUSEUMS

2021 VIRTUAL SEASON

Davenport House to develop new exhibit

Project to recognize the enslaved includes renewing historic pharmacy

Thursday, Jan. 21

JANE SMILEY

BY NICK ROBERTSON

Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author

nick@connectsavannah.com

SBF Booksellers:

The soon-to-be-renovated Kennedy Pharmacy. PHOTO BY NICK ROBERTSON

event space with apartments upstairs.

These second-floor residences will be converted into the new staff offices, while the Davenport House gift shop will occupy the former pharmacy space, adding a new store to the eastern segment of Broughton.

Meanwhile, the new building, to be called the Murray C. Perlman & Wayne C. Spear Center, will fill the role of an onsite facility for meetings and events, Adler said.

“It’s very exciting to have a new building,” Adler said, adding that she hopes for it to become a frequent venue for gatherings among diverse local groups.

According to Adler, the entire project is estimated to cost $1.8 million, and is expected to open in 2022. The Felder & Associates architectural firm is designing all of the renovation and construction projects, with particular expertise in Davenport House history; the firm’s founder, Brian Felder, was the immediate past chairman of the HSF’s Board of Trustees.

“We have curated the educational interior of the Urban Enslaved Exhibit, keeping the integrity and history of the Davenport House Museum while allowing for thoughtful contemplation and reflection of the lives and living quarters of the enslaved,” Felder said.

Adler noted that Davenport House management is striving to keep the museum open throughout the renovations and construction, and that when the entire project is completed, it will benefit Savannah in multiple ways.

“It’s going to be wonderful for the city,” Adler said. CS Visit davenporthousemuseum.org to learn more about the Davenport House Museum.

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CONNECT SAVANNAH | JAN 13 - 19, 2021

THE Davenport House Museum is a carefully restored landmark showcasing what life was like in Savannah 200 years ago – but the Davenports were not the only family living under this storied roof back then.

The Historic Savannah Foundation, which owns and operates the Davenport House Museum, launched an extensive renovation project in December to install a new exhibit that will recognize the enslaved people who lived and worked at the home. As part of the process, HSF will also be renovating the adjacent Kennedy Pharmacy on Broughton Street while constructing an entirely new building for events and meetings.

According to HSF CEO and President Sue Adler, the initiative behind creating the Davenport House Urban Enslaved Exhibit began years ago, and was born out of a desire to tell the complete story of life in Savannah during the early 19th century, long before the Emancipation Proclamation liberated the nation’s African-American population.

“It’s important that we tell the story,” Adler said.

This new exhibit continues an ongoing nationwide movement of historic American house museums providing a fuller picture of the enslaved laborers who lived onsite. Here in Savannah, the OwensThomas House integrated the history of its enslaved former residents into the house museum’s exhibitions in 2018, with its Slave Quarters now being one of the site’s most renowned features. According to Adler, the new Davenport House exhibit will present similar insight with the distinction of providing details about specific enslaved people who lived there.

“There’s Bella, and there’s Ned. These are real people,” Adler said, adding that the lives of the Davenport family were closely intertwined with their enslaved laborers.

The Urban Enslaved Exhibit exhibit will be situated on the ground floor of the Davenport House, but in order to make room for its displays, the museum’s gift shop and staff offices need to be relocated. This is being made possible with the renovation of the Kennedy Pharmacy – also owned by the HSF – which has recently served as an

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Super Cute - Super Convenient Midtown Cottage 3 BR’S, 1 Bath. New Roof! New HVAC!! $185,500

TOM ANDERSON • 912.433.4340

KW Coastal Area Partners • Keller Williams REALTY • 912.356.5001

CONNECT SAVANNAH | JAN 13 - 19, 2021

ACROSS

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1 “21 ___” (2003 Sean Penn film) 6 Go on and on 10 1982 movie with a 2010 sequel 14 Quick text that’s usually abbreviated even more 15 Pilot’s prefix 16 Mandlikova of tennis 17 “Raging Bull” boxer Jake La ___ 18 Person, place, or thing, in grammar 19 One of many for “Game of Thrones” 20 Band whose album “No Need to Argue” features the track “Twenty One” (followed by their biggest hit, “Zombie”) 23 ___ de los Muertos 24 Largest continent 25 Trivia locale, once (and hopefully in the future) 28 “Frozen” snowman 31 “Great British Bake Off” fixtures 35 Ending for suburban 36 Rattled 38 Actress Falco of “The Sopranos” 39 1950s news involving Charles Van Doren and “Twenty-One” 43 Primal calling 44 Holiday spread 45 Kind of wind or will 46 Opposite combatant 48 “Live!” cohost for 20+

years 49 1994 and 1997 U.S. Open winner Ernie 50 Icicle lights locale 53 “Skyfall” actor Rapace 55 Place to play Twenty-One 62 Penguins’ milieu 63 Former “Whose Line” host Carey 64 “Spunk” author Zora ___ Hurston 66 Present prefix 67 “Rondo ___ Turca” (Mozart piece) 68 Casual goodbyes 69 Calamities 70 Bigfoot’s Tibetan cousin 71 Singer with the Grammy-winning album “21”

DOWN

1 Workout facility 2 Square or cube follower 3 Short story-writer?

4 Inaudible on Zoom, maybe 5 Full of legroom 6 “Munich” star Eric 7 Florida explorer Ponce de ___ 8 Caribbean island near Venezuela 9 Skeletal makeup 10 Poem with the line “Darkness there and nothing more” 11 “Mr. Robot” actor Malek 12 “The joke’s ___!”

13 Some House votes 21 “Lord of the Flies” leader 22 2014 World Cup final city 25 Irritated state 26 Half a 360 27 Neutral, blah color 29 Starting on 30 Less numerous 32 Murphy of 2021’s “Coming 2 America” 33 Former One Direction member Horan 34 Markets successfully 37 Public TV chef Ming ___ 40 “Back to the Future” director Robert 41 $100 bill, in old slang 42 Fleet-footed heroine of Greek myth 47 It’s milked in Tibet 51 Truman declaration of 9/2/45 52 Country-blues guitarist Steve 54 Draw ___ on (take aim at) 55 Waxing target 56 Chauffeur-driven vehicle 57 Rice who writes of vampires 58 Ancient British Isles settler 59 “The Bridge on the River ___” 60 Hurrying, maybe 61 Airline to Jerusalem 65 Language suffix

tree-fifty tuesdays all beers, titos, jameson: $3.50

Friday, Saturday and Sunday

$3 Glaes of Rosé still or sparkling.

wednesday Half off Boles of Wine

thursdays & Sunday Live dj | 6-9 pm Drink specials

125 West River Street On top of the cotton sail hotel SUNDAY THRU THURSDAY NOON TO 10 PM* FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NOON TO MIDNIGHT*

www.topdeckbar.com *CLOSING HOURS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

by Bunny Ware

PHOTOS FROM LOCAL EVENTS View more photos online at connectsavannah.com/connected

OSTERIA OAKRIDGE ITALIAN RESTAURANT

CONNECT SAVANNAH | JAN 13 - 19, 2021

The newly opened Osteria Oakridge restaurant brings authentic specialties of Tuscany to The Landings Club, where la dolce vita was savored during a “Taste of Italy” event on Thursday, Jan. 7; patrons and staff removed their face masks for the camera. Here diners can sink their teeth into Chef Kevin Silk’s dishes like housemade tagliatelle bolognese, Siena-style wood-fired piadinas, and homemade meatballs served with rustic tomato sauce, ricotta, and focaccia. All of these selections can be accompanied by a wide variety of vino specially chosen to complement each bite of gourmet ciao.

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by Nick Robertson

PHOTOS FROM LOCAL EVENTS View more photos online at connectsavannah.com/connected

CENTER FOR SUCCESSFUL AGING

CONNECT SAVANNAH | JAN 13 - 19, 2021

A jubilant ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the eagerly anticipated launch of Savannah’s new Center for Successful Aging on Friday, Jan. 8. Overseen by the nonprofit Senior Citizens, Inc. organization, the center features spacious and modern facilities for Savannah residents to gather and make the most of their golden years amid a cheerful atmosphere. Visit seniorcitizensinc.org to learn more.

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*****************ECRWSSEDDM**** Postal Customer Savannah, GA

PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S. POSTAGE PAID SAVANNAH, GA PERMIT NO. 1473

GAME-CHANGER AT TRUSTEES’ GARDEN A high end event space for wedding and corporate events high-speed internet | broadband WI-FI | multimedia projection capability | sound system | catering kitchen | large scale food prep area | meeting/ flex space | video capability for events info@trusteesgarden.com | 912-233-8938 | trusteesgarden.com