City Notebook

Savannah Electric asks for more rate hikes

Savannah Electric will ask the Georgia Public Service Commission for an increase in its base rate amounting to an average 8.8 percent increase for residential customers, a company spokesman says.

In addition, Savannah Electric is also asking to increase its base facilities charge from $7 to $10.

The proposed hike comes only two months after the PSC approved another Savannah Electric rate hike -- a 13 percent increase in its “Fuel Cost Recovery Allowance,” which the company maintains does not add to its profit but covers increased energy costs.

Williams Seafood destroyed

The popular and historic Williams Seafood Restaurant “was completely destroyed by fire” early last Sunday morning, police say.

Minutes before 6 a.m. Dec. 5, police received reports of a fire at the Highway 80 restaurant, which was founded in 1952.

“Officers arrived seconds later to find all of the structures completely involved in the fire,” a police spokesman says. Southside Fire Department gained control of the fire, and discovered no injuries or fatalities.

Police had to close Highway 80 for just over an hour to allow responding units into the area and ensure the safety of nearby traffic.

Nearby witnesses told police and fire personnel that they “heard a series of explosions prior to seeing the fire.” Fire investigators have begun further investigation into the cause of the fire.

Fund receives donations

Comcast and Atlanta Gas Light have pledged $10,000 apiece to further the efforts of The Excellence Fund for Savannah/Chatham County Education, a non-profit organization that provides funding, volunteers, expertise and other resources for a grassroots improvement effort in local public schools.

Comcast's local General Manager and Vice President, Mike Daves, says “This program allows for businesses to become more involved in the communities where we live and work every day. The business community has everything to gain by developing our education systems to become second to none."

The Atlanta Gas Light Company has donated $10,000 to the Excellence Fund,

“It makes good business sense to invest in our children's futures,” says Wendell Dallas, region manager of the Southeast Georgia Service Area for Atlanta Gas Light. "Education -- especially science and math -- is an important focus area for us at Atlanta Gas Light."

 

Local DJ on BET

The broadcasting skills of Amari Alexander Adams – also known as DJ Triple A on FM 94.1 The Beat – have already turned heads locally, but now that he’s taped a guest appearance on Black Entertainment Television’s highly-rated afternoon show “Rap City: The Basement,” urban music fans around the world will know his name.

The 15-year-old learned to mix dance records at his father’s nightclub when he was only 9. His dad bought him his first set of turntables when he was 11, and since then, he has juggled school, sports and radio work to become the youngest professional DJ in Georgia.

He was selected from scores of other

would-be participants to join “Rap City” host Big Tigger at BET’s New York

City studios. His guest appearance will air on BET this Thursday, December 9 at 4 p.m. -- (Jim Reed)

Country Day helps soldiers

In a drive to collect phone cards for servicemen in Iraq, third grade students at the Savannah Country Day School have provided 19,155 calling minutes to be divided among 65 military personnel.

The school encouraged students to think about giving up one holiday gift so the parents can purchase a phone card or send in a donation.

“Each month in our Lower School, we highlight a different virtue. For December, the virtue we are studying is 'Generosity.' This project has helped our students understand both the meaning and the power of generosity in action," says Phyllis Monahan, third grade teacher at SCD.

‘Kids Helping Kids’ begins

For 23 years the children of Chatham County have expressed their generosity by bringing their used toys to school -- about 225,000 since the program’s inception -- so that needy children can have a happier holiday.

You can also drop off toys by Dec. 16 to any Dan Vaden Automobile Dealership, or Coldwell Banker Garvin Realtors on Hodgson Memorial Drive.

On Dec. 18 the toys will be distributed to needy families at the West Broad Street YMCA at 1110 May St.

AASU preps for Gaines week

Armstrong Atlantic State University will host “Savannah Reads Gaines,” with novelist Ernest J. Gaines, April 3-9. They invite the community to prepare for the event by reading Gaines' A Lesson Before Dying.

The event will include discussions of the novel, a special collections exhibit, a 1999 film adaptation, and stage production of the book. Local organizations that are interested in planning other related activities during the week can contact Beth Howells at 234-0588.