In what was probably one of the most anticipated City Council meetings of the year, our elected officials debated and voted on two of the most controversial issues of 2010 - the smoke free ordinance and a small increase in the millage rate.

There were no doubts that last week's City Council meeting was going to be contentious. After all, the two matters up for discussion were an increase in the property tax millage rate and the first reading of the smoke free ordinance, but nobody foresaw how events would play out (except maybe Paul the psychic octopus.)

The LNG challenge Public Service Commission member H. Doug Everett issued a challenge to Atlanta Gas Light (AGL) and the El Paso Corporation to make Georgia one of the country's leaders in Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fueling stations. "For the last twelve months I have been discussing various business models with AGL to construct the infrastructure for a network of CNG fueling stations to be operated by retailers here in Georgia," says Everett. "I want ...

Courthouse scare The Savannah Fire and Emergency Services Hazmat team was called to the Chatham County Courthouse last week in response to a suspicious powdery substance. An employee with the State Court Clerk's office opened envelope that contained an unidentified off-white substance around noon last Wednesday. The employee reacted quickly, isolating the substance and then evacuating the area. Officials then shut off the air conditioning unit for the office to prevent the substance from becoming ...

From trash to treasure There is a delegation of Swedish public officials and business people visiting Savannah this week from the city of Boras. The group is here to discuss shared economic development opportunities with officials from the City of Savannah, the Port Authority, and local business people, including giving a seminar on “waste to energy” technology they’ve developed. The “waste to energy” program takes household waste and converts it to energy, including harnessing methane, ...

A new start for the old hospital After last week’s City Council meeting, Wecco, the Charleston–based design–build firm responsible for local projects like the Starland Lofts and the Frogtown building, came another step closer to redeveloping the old Candler Hospital near the northeast end of Forsyth Park. Having received a recommendation for approval from the Metropolitan Planning Commission, Wecco principal William Cogswell was hoping for – and got – approval of two zoning amendments from ...

Another step forward for DeRenne Project At last week’s meeting, City Council voted on a resolution to move forward with what’s known as the Boulevard concept for Project DeRenne, which is aimed at remedying traffic delays along the corridor. According to information provided at public meetings in December of last year, the Boulevard solution is expected to reduce delays by as much as 80 seconds. The project will build a new road west of Mildred ...

Among the topics of discussion during the Healthy Savannah Initiative’s first community health forum, hosted at the Civic Center two weeks ago, was the desire to strengthen the restrictions on smoking put in place by the Georgia Smoke Free Air Act of 2005, which banned smoking in most restaurants and workplaces across the state.

Chatham County is one of 64 communities around the state that was recently awarded a grant to improve energy efficiency through the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority.

While Savannah wears its history on its sleeve, there’s still a considerable amount of the city’s past that remains buried — not in cemeteries, per se — but all across the area.

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.