Editor, It looks like it’s going to be another stellar year for over–regulation by our local government. For those of you in the know, last year the city wanted private businesses to charge a cover charge for entering businesses during St. Patrick’s Day and hand the money over to the City of Savannah (in the name of public safety). Myself and my business partner, Melissa Swanson, attended these  meetings and voiced our concern and objection ...

No argument for smoking, period Editor, I just finished reading your piece on the potential smoking ban for Savannah bars and nightclub, and am grateful to see that a long overdue local issue is being addressed. There are many arguments from the owners of our local bars and restaurants that banning smoking will adversely affect business. There are speculations on how the ban might drive potential patrons to bars and nightclubs in Pooler and other ...

Scheinbart also running for 163rd District Editor, I read your recent article 'Primary Colors,' July 14-20, and, as usual, was appreciative of your publication's great writing and reporting... that is, until I reached the end of the article. It's probably a minor point, but I found the section titled "State Representative - District 163" to be misleading. In that section, the question presented to your readers ("Who will replace Burke Day to represent the Islands?") ...

Editor, Another tragic beating has occurred in the historic district, leaving a 26 year old gay man unconscious and suffering from seizures and bruises to the brain. The alleged perpetrators ran away after the attack and when apprehended told police a version of the attack that did not match witness accounts. The cowards struck the victim in the back of the head as he was walking away. They were charged with a misdemeanor and released ...

Editor, America certainly owes a debt to John McCain. He endured things as a POW that we cannot even begin to imagine. That said, the John McCain we knew 9 or 10 years ago is not the John McCain we see now. He used to be a man of strong principles, willing to take a firm stand on the issues. He used to be a true conservative yet able to maintain compassion for his fellow ...

The BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill that killed 11 and threatens to annihilate the coastal economy of the southeastern U.S. is a good reason to question authority.

Looking to our nation's roots is a popular and useful exercise in any season, but especially so today. The historian in me loves it, because our United States seem so dis-united now. There are signs of vitality based firmly in the neighborhood meeting tradition that started our Revolution in the 18th century.

Editor, Regarding your column "Let's stop blaming teachers for everything:" Thanks a lot for adding fuel to the fire and thanks for parroting that other publication which is headquartered on Chatham Parkway by using the term "firing." I thought you and Connect Savannah was a cut about them but then apparently you're not. I am sure you heard how the students took the headline out of that paper and went up and down the corridors ...

Editor, As a student in the University System of Georgia at Armstrong Atlantic State University, I am incredibly distraught over the proposed budget cuts for the fiscal year 2011. It is not only appalling to think that cutting the educational funding of this state is a possibility but is also an absolute embarrassment to those who value education in the Peach State. It is illogical to implement cuts which will discourage students from attending classes ...

Editor's Note: Due to a glitch in an email program, the following letters to the editor were not received in a timely fashion, through no fault of the letter writers themselves. We publish them here in full because these issues are still very relevant.

Editor, On Feb. 8, Interim Police Chief Willie Lovett met with me, the director of the Savannah chapter of Georgia Equality, and other members of the GLBT community.  The members attending had been present at the leafletting incident on Oct. 22 2009 at The Trustees Theater. We are elated that there were many positive and very encouraging outcomes and the path to the future looks bright and promising.  We were delighted by the gracious manner ...

Clarification on 'lying weasel' Editor, Regarding last week’s Editor’s Note, “We the Corporations”: In the Santa Clara case in 1886, the court specifically did not address the corporate personhood question, because it was not necessary to adjudicate the case. The decision states this explicitly. What DID happen, was the court reporter who wrote the summary of the case, who was a former president of a railroad company, claimed in the summary (the “head notes”) that ...

More coverage of server ordinance Editor, I'm concerned about how little media coverage there is on a very important subject: a recent city ordinance that is a blatant civil rights violation, and in conflict with our state constitution. The addition of section 6-1227, to the Alcoholic Beverage Ordinance, has an eerie, Orwellian tone to it, when describing the new mandatory training that Savannah's bar employees must endure. Not only are they burdened with paying for ...

Editor, Regarding your recent column on downtown Christmas decorations: My partner and I live up in the Atlanta area (Marietta Square area) and travel frequently to Savannah and stay with friends of ours in the Landmark District. We couldn't agree more with your article. We were down the week before Christmas and were looking forward to seeing the squares (including Forsyth Park) spectacularly lit up for the Christmas season. It was quite a dramatic let ...

Editor, Please excuse this humble email if it offends your sensibilities, but I have no other means to contact you. I cannot talk on the telephone, so I did a search for your email address, which I found on the International Business Directorate Email Data Search. My name is Mrs. M Vandouf, I’m a 52 years old woman. I am a widow who is dying of Esophageal cancer. I was married to Peterz Vandouf, an ...