"I spent 90 percent of my money on women, drink, and fast cars. The rest I wasted." -- Irish-born soccer icon George Best Ah, St. Patrick’s Day in Savannah — when we celebrate our great local Irish heritage, the schools are closed, unrelated business stops, and our population at least doubles with the influx of visitors to the nation’s second–largest St. Patrick’s Day celebration (second only to New York City). Because the issue of ...

Two lovely, bright and talented local women are up to great things this weekend. JinHi Soucy Rand and Grace Diaz Tootle, two of Savannah's key figures in the performing arts, are each involved in their own fun and important events that are guaranteed to be great entertainment. JinHi's new labor of love, the Indigo Arts Station - formerly the Old Freight Station Theatre on Louisville Road - is the site of a special benefit performance ...

It's been interesting listening to some of the reaction to President Obama's upcoming visit here March 2. Much like the hysteria over his Sept. 2009 speech to public school classrooms -- a commonplace enough thing for presidents before him -- the negative feedback has taken on an ugly overtone.

Despite their instant pop culture notoriety from that YouTube video of the young man begging a University of Florida cop, ‘Don’t Tase me, bro,’ Tasers are really not such a laughing matter.

As the nation's thirteenth colony, Georgia has a lot of history to archive, protect, and brag about. The group most responsible for this job is the nonprofit Georgia Historical Society (GHS), one of the oldest such groups in the country.

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 ...

In a community surrounded by a network of  rivers and marshes that segue to the ocean — and where streets are prone to flooding after even a moderate rainstorm — it’s difficult to imagine having a problem with the water supply.

The Skidaway Institute of Oceanography (SkIO) has received a major grant to study the effects of climate change on Arctic permafrost, and how those effects could alter the entire ocean food chain.

If you get less sand in your car after a trip to the beach on Tybee, be sure to thank one of the students from SCAD professor Verena Paepcke–Hjeltness’ Sustainable Design class — because they found a way to save the beachside showers.

It's been two years since the Chatham County Commission declared its intention to become the "Greenest County in Georgia." While the rate of progress has hardly been staggering, work is ongoing to achieve that goal.

If you ever wanted to bicycle through downtown Savannah under the beautiful light of the full moon but were worried about safety, traffic, or both -- now's your chance.

The recent Supreme Court ruling striking down the ban on corporate and union spending at election time is both blessing and curse. On the one hand, removing a legal barrier to free speech is always a good thing in itself. Government shouldn’t dictate who can speak or from where people may get information.

One thing can be said in behalf of the health-insurance overhaul currently shaping up in Washington: it has revealed the curious bedfellows that politics creates.

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy hosted a dinner for 49 Nobel laureates. The occasion provided the opportunity for JFK to display his keen wit in the memorable quote:

Stacy Cordery is one of the country's foremost experts on first ladies. Although this Monmouth College professor started her academic career pursuing theater, she got hooked on history after some correspondence belonging to Eleanor Roosevelt piqued her interest. Now she's written several acclaimed biographies and is the official Bibliographer for the National First Ladies' Library.

The City tried to put the ‘public' back in public policy at its third town hall meeting of the year, although severe rain and thunderstorms probably cut attendance down to a fraction of what it would have been under normal circumstances.

At a press conference last week, Interim Police Chief Willie Lovett revealed a sizeable decrease in crime in Savannah during 2009. And as an aside, he also seemed to be making the case that he should no longer be just an interim chief.

A new program in the County's Juvenile Court system could provide young people with mental health issues a better option than probation.

11/13/06 - Berkow officially has first day as the Chief of Police for the SCMPD 11/15/06 - Berkow makes his first public appearance at a Wilshire Area Neighborhood Association Meeting. Nearly 100 people show up to ask questions and express concerns. 12/19/06 - A sworn deposition made public by a California court during a lawsuit for alleged sexual discrimination reveals Berkow had an extra-marital affair while serving as the Deputy Chief of the L.A.P.D. Every ...

Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Chief Michael Berkow announced his resignation this afternoon, less than three years after moving here from a controversial stint with the Los Angeles Police Department.

In Savannah, hearty St. Patrick's Day breakfast parties are as much a tradition as wearing green blazers and kissing soldiers in the parade. Good food, fellowship, and the occasional "adult beverage" are the order of the day for longstanding parties with decades of history behind them.

Last week representatives from Georgia Power met with members of the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) in a hearing to decide whether the utility company’s customers would pay almost seven dollars per month extra to help offset rising fuel costs.

Some big changes are underway along Sallie Mood Drive. Both the Humane Society and the Metro Police Department’s Animal Control unit are taking action to help improve animal welfare as well as upgrading their services and facilities.

Technically speaking, Barry Bonds eclipsed Hank Aaron’s home run record in 2007. But few people who follow baseball put Bonds — now under indictment for his involvement with steroids — in the same class as Aaron, or even in the same galaxy. For most true fans, Aaron is and always will be the all–time home run king, passing Babe Ruth’s career total in 1974 while playing for the Atlanta Braves. He did it while enduring ...

The history of one of Savannah’s most important — and underrated — sites comes to life this Super Museum Sunday, with a free screening of a new documentary about the First African Baptist Church.

Last Thursday, Savannah native Antwan Patton, better known as Big Boi from Grammy-winning hip hop group Outkast, took the stage at the Civic Center.

  Amidst ongoing discussions of progress, growth and economic development in Chatham County, one topic rarely mentioned as a potential obstacle is that of illiteracy. However, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education, Chatham County's illiteracy rate remained near 15% as of 2003, and adults with low level reading skills could be as many as one in four in the state. The effect of dealing with literacy issues in ...

In mid-August, thousands of new students at Armstrong Atlantic State University began their first classes ever at the southside Savannah state university, as did at least one professor. One night a week, Dr. Linda Bleicken is teaching a graduate level course in the Masters of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies Program.

As college students return to campuses across the country this month, more of those students are armed forces veterans thanks to a change in the GI Bill last month that improves benefits and makes secondary education more attainable for those who have chosen to serve their country.

To keep pace with rapid changes in technology and in the American economy, the Savannah College of Art & Design has added two buzzworthy new degree programs that it says are the first of their kind in the nation.

There is a swell building in world of medicine, particularly the field of cancer treatment. What was once considered "alternative medicine" - using nutritional and herbal supplements as a way of maintaining a more holistic approach to health - is fighting for a place at the table in the ongoing discussion of how to best treat cancer patients.

Last week the Affordable Healthcare for America Act won a narrow vote in the House of Representatives, 220-215. But as critics and supporters alike continue to sift through the bill, which is nearly 2,000 pages long, questions remain about the impact it will have, and whether the reforms will actually increase access to healthcare in the United States.

Under-budget and highly effective aren't two words commonly used in discussions about healthcare these days, but they're apt descriptors of the City of Savannah's healthcare system.

Cutting through the H1N1 hype Flu epidemics can start off with a mild form, followed by a "second wave" caused by a more dangerous strain that can lead to an epidemic of severe illnesses during fall and winter crowding. The 1918-1919 flu epidemic started off this way. But after the onset of the second wave, more than 50 million people died, mostly from pneumonia. Even though the 1918 flu was caused by the H1N1 virus, ...

Democrat John Barrow has been Savannah's congressman since 2004. Though an early supporter of Barack Obama's presidential run, he has since become something of a thorn in the president's side on the issue of health care reform.

Chatham Area Transit Shuttle NOTE: Shuttle Service will NOT operate from the Oglethorpe Mall as in years past. However, the 14 Abercorn and 27 Waters buses will travel on their usual routes downtown from Oglethorpe Mall. From 9 a.m.-11 a.m., Chatham Area Transit (CAT) will provide a round-trip shuttle service to the parade leaving from the: • Westside at the Westside Shopping Center on Hwy 80 in Garden City; • Eastside at the Island ...

How do I get breaking public safety news during the St. Patrick's Day celebration?

By 9:30 a.m. there are already people holding signs, setting up lawn chairs and ready to wait several more hours in hopes of catching a glimpse of the president's motorcade.

The President of the United States Barack Obama visited Savannah today as part of his "White House to Main Street Tour."

The quest to land a cruise ship may have hit a small delay, but local legislators remain optimistic.

When “Secrets of the Old Masters” opens Thursday at Trends and Traditions Gallery, some of the paintings will look familiar to local art patrons.

It's been 42 years since Steve Dunham and Dick Hanna met in a bar in New Orleans. They've been a couple ever since.

 "You are LATE," Quincy Quarterman Sr. said to me, while we watched last Monday's Martin Luther King Jr. Observance Day parade.

This past Saturday I woke up with strong resolve to take down the stale–feeling holiday decorations, clear the Christmas cards off the mantel, and hit the mall to exchange the wrong–size gifts. But amid holiday festivities, the last weeks of December and early January brought with them an onslaught of familiar names in the obituaries–friends, former work associates, acquaintances, and friends–of–friends. Jeff LaRoe, Ricky McAllaster, James Toles, Karen Nelson, Chris Fogarty, Peter Verity, Tom Dillon, ...

  “Get outside more. Get some exercise. Give back to the community. Expand your social network.” Remember these old New Year’s Resolutions? If a new approach is needed this year to address worn out goals, Mark Conway and his pals Sandman and Grace have the solution. Since early November, Conway has volunteered as a dog walker at the Humane Society of Savannah/Chatham County, spending an hour or two with his new buddies – several dozen ...

A woman got into a fight with her now ex-girlfriend. They were roommates until the suspect moved out after another argument.The complainant said that when she arrived at the apartment today the back door had been forced open, bleach had been poured all over the floor and her clothing, the kitchen sink and been stopped up and left running and all the food in the refrigerator had been pulled out and thrown on the floor. ...

Police were called in reference to an intoxicated white male with a gun holding a baby outside a restaurant with a breakfast buffet. As the officer arrived, the subject was attempting to leave the premises in a pickup truck.

An officer responded to a downtown hotel in reference to trespassing. The manager said the establishment had hired the person several days earlier, but his erratic behavior, including paranoia, had caused them to fire him and tell him not to come back on the premises.

A woman on East 36th Street called police in reference to someone "shooting up her house" around 2:45 in the morning. Upon arrival, officers found several 9mm casings in the road in front of the home.

A police officer was flagged down by a person around the 3900 block of Ogeechee Road. The man told the officer that he had loaned his vehicle to an unknown black male at the nearby Thunderbird Motel. He stated that he hadn't seen the suspect or the vehicle since then, more than 24 hours ago. The man told the officer that he had traded the vehicle for some crack. He was given a CRN.