Connect Savannah | November, 2023

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NOV. 2023 LOOKING FOR LITERACY? CELEBRATE NATIONAL FAMILY LITERACY MONTH SMALL BOOKSTORE MAKES BIG WAVES ON WATERS AVENUE NANCY MILLER: BRINGING CULTURAL IDENTITY TO CHILDREN’S BOOK ILLUSTRATIONS

VETERANS DAY: MEET SSG JAMES PUTNEY WHERE TO FIND THANKSGIVING FEASTS

SET SIGHTS ON

literacy WITH SUPERINTENDENT DENISE WATTS

BIG BON BODEGA TO EXPAND JOE BONAMASSA AT JOHNNY MERCER THEATRE CONNECT SAVANNAH |

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EDITOR’S NOTE DEAR CONNECT SAVANNAH READERS:

ADMINISTRATIVE ERICA BASKIN PUBLISHER

erica@connectsavannah.com (912) 721-4378 WENDY WICKHAM BUSINESS MANAGER

wendy@connectsavannah.com (912) 721-4373

CONTENT ERICA LANG EDITOR

elang@connectsavannah.com (912) 428-7648 MCKENNAH DRURY

MULTIMEDIA DESIGNER

(912) 721-4354

PEYTON MAXWELL

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

peyton@connectsavannah.com (912) 721-4372

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Jesse Blanco, Beth Logan, Alan Sculley, Brittany Herren, Dave Gil de Rubio

In our November issue, we take a deeper look at the people, places and events shaping literacy in our community. November celebrates National Family Literacy month, and more locally, Chatham County Literacy Week from Nov. 12-18. We are excited to share with you the wonderful work that’s being done around this important topic.

In the pages to come, we speak with Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools (SCCPSS) Superintendent, Denise Watts, Ed.D, about how and why she’s focusing on literacy in our school system. We believe our communities are stronger together, so you will find some ideas about how to get involved and support ongoing literacy efforts in town.

Beth Logan speaks with Nancy So Miller, a local children’s book illustrator who explores the importance of diversity in her work.

We also unveil big plans

for an independent bookstore slated to open in early December on Waters Avenue. Our story with Cindy Otis will have you counting down the days to her grand opening!

In our “What Are We Reading” section, E. Shaver Booksellers shares some great children’s book recommendations. This month we also celebrate Veterans Day and Thanksgiving. We introduce you to the Grand Marshal of the Savannah Veterans Day Parade and give you some options for finding the best Thanksgiving feast in town.

We also feature Joe Bonamassa, a guitar prodigy coming to Johnny Mercer Theatre on Nov. 28. A wellknown foodie, Jesse Blanco, shares with us upcoming expansion plans of Big Bon Bodega, a shop selling specialty bagels and pizza.

By the end of the issue, we hope you feel ready to embrace November in Savannah—we have no doubt it will be one for the books. Yes, pun intended!

ERICA LANG, EDITOR

OUR VALUES Connect Savannah is an arts, entertainment and news magazine, focused on Savannah and the Coastal Empire life and experience.

ADVERTISING INFORMATION: (912) 721-4378 sales@connectsavannah.com

We strive to feature stories that impact our community and the people who live here— to educate, entertain, inform and foster conversation.

LOGAN HINTON

DIGITAL SALES MANAGER

logan@connectsavannah.com (912) 721-4369

We appreciate and encourage readers to share news and information with us, and to share any criticism and questions.

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STRATEGIC MARKETING CONSULTANT

We want to be your comprehensive source for what happens in our community and beyond. We are here to serve you.

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Find us on the following social media platforms or reach out to us at news@connectsavannah.com or 912-721-4378.

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ON THE COVER Superintendent Denise Watts photographed at Savannah-Chatham public schools headquarters

by Adriana Iris Boatwright

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NOVEMBER AT A GLANCE DAVE MATTHEWS BAND NOV. 7 Iconic Dave Matthews Band is bringing their Fall 2023 tour to Enmarket Arena on November 7th! Don’t miss it! enmarketarena.com HOLLY DAYS BAZAAR NOV. 8-9 The Holly Days Bazaar is one of the oldest traditions in Savannah, celebrating over 80 years of fundraising for area charities, sponsored by the Women of St. John’s Church.

Both admission and parking are free. For information about our 2023 bazaar, visit our Holly Days Bazaar Facebook page at @stjohnschurchbazaar JURASSIC QUEST NOV. 10-12 Jurassic Quest is the world’s largest, most popular Dino event with unique and exciting experiences for the whole family. Observe our herd of life size animatronic dinosaurs including Apatosaurus, Spinosaurus, and an INCREDIBLE T-Rex! Jurassicquest.com OYSTER ROAST, BBQ & MUSIC FESTIVAL NOV. 11 Don’t miss live entertainment, steamed oysters sold by the bucket, food vendors, kids activities and networking at our most popular community event of the year. FIREWORKS show at dark! cityofportwentworth.com

SHALOM Y'ALL JEWISH FOOD FESTIVAL NOV. 12 Join in on a fantastic day of favorites – Stuffed Cabbage, Latkes, Kugel, Chicken Matzah Ball Soup, Hummus, Hot Dogs, WMI Sweets & some new items too! Music, Kids Zone & Community! mickveisrael.org

DECEMBER NI GHTS & HOLIDAY LI GHTS

11TH ANNUAL SAVANNAH CRANKSGIVING RIDE NOV. 18 Our 11th annual Savannah Cranksgiving Ride is Saturday, Nov. 18 starting at 1 p.m.

Cranksgiving is half bike ride, half food drive and a 100 percent fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon helping others. Bike Walk Savannah (and you!) will be helping feed hungry people at Emmaus House. Founded in 1982 by a group of downtown churches, Emmaus House provides food and day services to the homeless and needy of Savannah.

CANDLELIGHT: A TRIBUTE TO TAYLOR SWIFT NOV. 14 Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to aweinspiring locations like never seen before in Savannah. Get your tickets now to discover the music of Queen and more at The DeSoto under the gentle glow of candlelight. Tentative Program: “Lavender Haze”, “Love Story”, “Cardigan”, etc. feverup.com

SAVANNAH HOOPS INVITATIONAL NOV. 21-23 Savannah Hoops Invitational presented by Mike Hostilo Law Firm. This collegiate event will feature NCAA men’s and women’s basketball at the Enmarket Arena.

Enmarketarena.com

CHRISTMAS MADE IN THE SOUTH NOV. 17 -19 Exhibitors will be there all three days demonstrating and selling their handcrafted works, Santa’s elves hard at work. Makers, art, unique gourmet food, and entertainment to whet and satisfy every demanding appetite. Handmade, one-ofa-kind designs populate the booths that fill the festival: silk wearables to fabric bags, dichroic glass jewelry to close-up photography of nature’s funniest and fiercest creatures all await and more! madeinthesouthshows.com

UNITED WAY TURKEY TROT NOV. 23 Join United Way of the Coastal Empire on Thanksgiving morning at Daffin Park for its 15th Annual Turkey Trot! Come as you are or in a Thanksgiving themed costume and hit the 4-mile course. The race route starts at Daffin Park, loops through the picturesque Ardsley Park neighborhood, and ends back at Daffin Park.

Participants are invited to a post-race awards ceremony, which includes food and beverages. Runsignup.com

THANKSGIVING FEASTS Not sure what to do this Thanksgiving? Try one of these traditional Thanksgiving Meals from Local Savannah Restaurants.

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DECEMBER NIGHTS & HOLIDAY LIGHTS NOV. 24 - DEC. 23 Botanical Gardens staff prepares for the 12th annual December Nights & Holiday Lights. From opening day on Friday, November 24, and on select nights through Saturday, December 23, guests will be transported to a whimsical wonderland as they are greeted with an Alice in Wonderlandinspired theme. Visitors can follow Alice down the rabbit hole in a mesmerizing tunnel of lights, join an unforgettable tea party hosted by the Mad Hatter, and stroll through the Queen of Hearts’ dazzling rose garden.

Coastalbg.uga.edu HOLIDAY MARKET & TREE LIGHTING NOV. 25 It’s almost time for the Holiday Market! We can’t wait to see you all on Small Business Saturday for Local Merchants & Vendors, Live Music, Kids Activities & Train Rides, Corn Hole Tournament, Christmas Tree Lighting, And so much more!

Tybeeislandmainstreet.org KITTEN YOGA AT THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF GREATER SAVANNAH NOV. 25 Join us for a gentle morning practice with the sweet kittens that are up for adoption at the Humane Society. All the money goes to helping all of the animals find furrever homes!

Humanesocietysav.org

THE PIRATES’ HOUSE GRAND THANKSGIVING BUFFET The Pirates' House Grand Thanksgiving Buffet is the ultimate Thanksgiving feast with all your favorite classics, from collard greens an turkey to, roasted butternut squash, in the historic ambiance of a former pirate hangout right in the heart of Savannah.

HIGHLIGHTED PICKS FROM HOSTESS CITY HAPPENINGS THIS MONTH To have your event considered for inclusion, please visit connectsavannah.com and enter your event in our online calendar. There, you can manage your entries, change and add dates, times, etc.

CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE NOV. 26 Audiences from coast-tocoast will be captivated by this brilliant and whimsical holiday spectacular. As the nation’s premiere family holiday tradition, CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE will convey the magic of the season with a Broadway-style production infused with contemporary circus arts. savannahcivic.com WINE & FRIES NOV. 30 Join us Thursday, November 30, 2023 for what has become known as the night of Happy Meals for Adults! Do you remember how much fun getting a happy meal was?

Imagine that same happiness combined with the perfect wine (bourbon or beer)! With the added joy that with each bite, sip and auction bid you’re helping support the House that love built. That’s Wine & Fries. rmhccoastalempire.org ZUNZIFEST! OCT. 9 - DEC. 31 Join us at Zunzi’s Zunzibar, the Savannah-based sister brands with locations in Savannah, Tybee Island and Atlanta, as we kick off fourth-quarter fundraising for ZUNZIFEST!.

The fundraising period runs Oct. 1-Dec. 31, 2023, a percentage of all sales will benefit Feeding America with Atlanta Community Food Bank and America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia as local affiliates.

THE OLDE PINK HOUSE The Olde Pink House Thanksgiving meal is a true taste of Southern hospitality and holiday tradition. Nestled in historic Savannah, featuring classic Thanksgiving dishes with a Southern twist. From classic turkey to creamy mashed potatoes, and of course, their signature dishes, it's the perfect place to savor the flavors of the season while

PLAN YOUR NOVEMBER NOW: Visit ConnectSavannah.com to find our 24/7, comprehensive list of all the things to do in Savannah this month. From theater performances to live music shows, art exhibitions to food festivals, Connect Savannah has got you covered.

So, check out the website now and start planning your perfect month in the Hostess City today!

enjoying the charm of this historic landmark.

SIX PENCE PUB

savory stuffing, and all the trimmings. It's the perfect spot to enjoy a festive meal in a casual, friendly atmosphere.

Six Pence Pub offers a cozy MRS. WILKES' and welcoming Thanksgiving DINNING ROOM meal for those seeking a more relaxed and At Mrs. Wilkes' Dining Room, pub-style celebration. The Thanksgiving becomes British-inspired pub serves a heartwarming family up a hearty and flavorful affair. This iconic eatery is Thanksgiving spread, renowned for its traditional complete with roasted turkey,| 7 | NOVEMBER • 2023 CONNECT SAVANNAH

Southern cooking, and their Thanksgiving feast is no exception. Guests gather around communal tables to savor generous helpings of classic Southern dishes like fried chicken, collard greens, and sweet potato casserole, alongside turkey and dressing, of course.

- Connect Staff Reports

INTRODUCTIONS:

MEET JAMES PUTNEY

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COMMUNITY

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According to retired United States Army Staff Sergeant James Putney, he had a good, lavish life serving in the military. This level of humility is likely why he is so revered and respected by the Veterans Council and fellow members of the American Legion, Post 500.

In addition to 20 years of activeduty military service, Putney has exemplified his heart for service on a daily basis, which has garnered him with several honors, including Veteran of the Year for Post 500 for four years in a row and the Georgia Outstanding Citizen Award given by Georgia Senator Lester Jackson and signed by the Georgia Lt. Governor. Now, Putney can add Grand Marshal of the Savannah Veterans Day Parade to his list of accolades, a prestigious honor given only to one veteran each year.

Putney is a tried-and-true Savannah native. He attended Johnson Highschool and graduated from the job core program in April of 1972.

His career with the Army had a bit of an unusual start. He had absolutely no intention of joining the military, until one day, he began walking to downtown, Savannah and found himself in the recruiting office.

“Something persuaded me to go into the recruiting station,” explained Putney. “What that was, I do not know to this day. It wasn’t planned and none of this was part of my agenda. Fiftysomething years later, I haven’t figured out why I went in the recruiting station and joined the military.”

By April of 1972, Putney was enlisted in the Army and shortly after, was headed off to bootcamp in Ft. Jackson and then to his first duty station in Baumholder, Germany. He served as an engineer and experienced deployments to Korea, Panama and Honduras, among various other duty stations.

He was a peacetime soldier and was fortunate to not serve in any wars.

He retired in 1992 while stationed at Ft. Moore (formerly Ft. Benning) near Columbus.

“I don’t feel like my life is storyworthy,” said Putney. “It makes writing a story on me difficult.”

Contrary to Putney’s belief, all those who know him agree, his life is worthy of recognition. After retirement, Putney worked in construction for Chatham County at the courthouse. He enjoyed his second retirement one day after his birthday in 2016. After serving his country and then his county,

WAYS TO CELEBRATE

Putney now focuses all his time on serving hiscommunity. Aside from four years as the chaplain of Post 500, he is also currently in his fourth year as post commander, a role in which he has led the purchase of a new building for his Post 500 and 36.

“We purchased a building along with Post 36 and renovations are expected to be done in March or April of 2024,” explained Putney.

According to Putney, aside from the day-to-day duties of operation, his job at its core is to take care of veterans, their widows and the community.

“It’s never about me, it’s about what I can do for other people,” said Putney.

“You love thy neighbor as thy self, and the only way you can love thy neighbor as thy self is to offer them what you have in some fashion.”

Growing up, Putney said he had a role model that looked after him and today, he works to be that same role model to children throughout the community.

He has been called “Mr. PTA Mom” for his roles as PTA president for Savannah High School and as PTA director for the southeast school district, of which he was the first African American male to be appointed. He also volunteers with multiple student programs throughout the district such as bands, JROTC, an oratorical program for the high schools and programs that teach local, state and federal government, along with the U.S. Constitution.

“You have to work unselfishly,” explained Putney.

Putney is about as selfless as they come and while he considers himself no hero, he is without a doubt a remarkable one who has dedicated his life to serving humanity in multiple ways. It is only fitting that after decades of service, he be honored ceremoniously with grandeur for a life that is not only remarkable, but storyworthy.

- Brittany Herren CONNECT SAVANNAH |

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VETERANS DAY HEROES FEST On Nov. 4 at Old Fort Jackson.

Celebrate our local heroes including law enforcement officers, first responders, medical personnel, emergency organizations, military branches, and many other "heroes" who play an essential role in the Savannah community.

MOUNTAIN FILM ON TOUR SAVANNAH On Nov. 9, Service Brewing will host their annual Veterans Day screening, Honoring Our Veterans. This year, they are screening the award-winning film, “Wild Life” about North Face founder Doug Tompkins and his wife Kris.

Visit mountainfilmsav.org for more information.

VETERANS DAY GALA: A RED, WHITE AND BLUE AFFAIR On Nov. 10, the Chatham County Veterans Council will host a gala to kick off Veteran’s Day Weekend. The event will start with a cocktail hour at 6pm and the program will start at 7pm with dinner and a guest speaker.

VETERANS DAY PARADE On Nov. 11, the parade will start at 9:30am at Gwinnett and Abercorn!

HEROES IN THE SKY On Nov. 5 at 9am, the ceremony will honor around 60-65 warriors who lost their internal war. The Haven at Islands Counseling will be the forever home for this memorial tribute to our fallen warriors.

TYLER BRADEN VETERANS DAY CONCERT WITH SPECIAL GUEST LYN AVENUE On Nov. 11, Service Brewing presents a Veterans Day Concert. A portion of the ticket sales will benefit Operation Warrior Resolution.

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Set

Sights on

Literacy

By Erica Lang CONNECT SAVANNAH |

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SUPERINTENDENT DENISE WATTS SETS SIGHTS ON LITERACY, THE NORTH STAR FOR SCCPSS forward. Because I know it can issues, and some of those are macro literally mean the difference between life and death. And it can also be the difference between a limited life and a choice-filled life, and I have had the honor, pleasure, joy and privilege to lead a choice-filled life because of education.”

Superintendent Denise Watts, Ed. D., knows firsthand that education can mean the difference between life and death.

She spent 45 years of her life in the foothills of rural North Carolina. “My mom was a single parent. And school was a refuge for me in a lot of ways,” Watts said. A refuge Watts’ sister did not find.

“People will ask me all the time about my ‘why’, and I can't talk about that without talking about my sister, who did not find school to be a refuge and a productive place to be and as a result of that, dropped out of high school, had lots of life challenges, and passed away when she was thirtyone. In fact, her birthday was October 10,” she said.

For Watts, the question—"what made the difference?”—seems to have a simple answer.

“I can emphatically say education was a difference maker and because of that, I have a moral obligation and a moral imperative to pay it

Watts remembers wanting to be a teacher at a young age. Her thirdgrade teacher, Mrs. Hall, read “Judy Blume” books to her class after lunch, “so that was as an eightyear-old, fast forward, to be able to realize that dream and attribute it back to very early literacy memories is, I think, significant.” She spent much of her early career working in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and in 2019 went on to work at the Houston Independent School District as the Chief of Schools. On a vacation to Savannah Watts took with her husband in 2020, right before Covid-19, she didn’t know her future would be in the Hostess City. They hoped, at some point, to get back to the Southeast, closer to family. “We just remember Savannah being our last vacation, but it was also a point in time where my husband said, ‘You know, I can see us retiring here.’ And of course, we never thought in a million years.” The opportunity, however, surfaced and on July 1, 2023, Watts became the twenty-fifth superintendent of the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System and the third African American female to hold the position.

Before starting, Watts knew the challenges in Chatham County would be similar to those of other urban districts—transportation, declining enrollment and workforce development making the list. “But then when you get into the job,” she said, “that's when you start peeling back the onion and there are lots of other issues that you have to address. Some of those are micro CONNECT SAVANNAH |

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issues. One of the biggest ones, obviously, is literacy, and coming into the community, that was one of the things that I heard loud and clear.”

According to the Georgia Department of Education, about 43 percent of third graders in Savannah-Chatham County tested below reading level in the Spring 2023 Georgia Milestones, End of Grade Assessment.

To address this Watts said that over the next two years, every kindergarten through fifth grade teacher will be trained in the science of reading. “We’re going back to basics,” she said. “There is a science, the key prescriptive way in which reading must be taught. There is a systematic way that it must be done.” Watts believes that across the country, not just in Chatham County, the pendulum for how to teach reading swung too far one way towards Balanced Literacy, an approach developed by Lucy Calkins, the Founding Director of the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University.

As go our school districts so go our economy, so go crime rates, so go the health, the general health and well-being of our city and our country.

SCCPSS recently approved funds to support an 18-month course, Lexia Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS), that will train educators in the science of reading.

“I'm really excited about that. That training is not just for teachers, it's going to be for principals and district office leaders. I really want us to calibrate as an organization around what I'm calling the north star.”

To move the needle on literacy, Watts said there’s three main components— training K-5 teachers, aligning community partners, and strategically working with parents.

Everyone plays their individual role, she said, “If you're a business entity, what role do you play in offering an internship or mentoring a youth as he or she matriculates through school - helping them have access and opportunity?” By supporting education, she said, we are helping create a community we can be proud of, a place we all want to live. “As go our school districts so go our economy, so go crime rates, so go the health, the general health and well-being of our city and our country.

You have to be invested whether you have a child in public education or some other educational entity or not, because everything that is happening in our schools is the future, and the future is shared.”

When it comes to knowing whether the initiatives are successful, Watts explained, it takes a variety of metrics. Student achievement data is an important indicator, CONNECT SAVANNAH |

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SET SIGHTS ON LITERACY CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

but she also wants broader, more diverse data to measure student outcomes including surveys on parent perception and behavior.

“The other group of people we need to survey and understand is how kids feel, right? When you think about a kid who cannot read—and I have experienced those children as a teacher—those children tend to not fare well, they're my sister right?” A student’s experience, feelings and perception, Watts believes, are all metrics that can signify future success.

“Often, the test data, the achievement data is the lagging indicator. The leading indicator is changes in behavior, changes in thought, the way people think, mindsets. When you change those things, the test data is going to be fine.

We have to measure both things to really make sure we have a comprehensive set of metrics around how we know we're being successful,” she said.

Savannah’s growth has not been lost on Watts who wants to prepare students “so that we can be ready for this new future that is being built literally in our backyard. I'm just so excited and I feel honored to have the opportunity to do this with the community.”

SUPERINTENDENT WITH STUDENTS

ANDREA B. WILLIAMS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GARDEN RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY

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THE STACKS: HOW A SMALL BOOKSTORE PLANS TO MAKE BIG WAVES ON WATERS AVENUE CONNECT SAVANNAH |

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THE STACKS PLANS TO OPEN TO THE PUBLIC IN EARLY DECEMBER

Cindy Otis didn’t always intend on opening up a bookstore, though she Erica Lang always secretly wanted to. When tasked EDITOR with having to choose between a college degree in creative writing or political science, Otis chose the latter. Now, she’s getting to choose that second piece, her love for reading and writing, and she’s sharing it with all of us.

described reluctant reader as a child, Otis describes this “magical moment” of connecting with a story. “I know firsthand how life changing connecting with the right stories can be for a person. They can make a reader feel seen and heard for the first time in their life.

They can help them be transported to other worlds. They can grow their imagination, they can help them feel less alone.”

It’s this magical moment, she believes, that can transform communities and build generations of readers who feel represented, a feeling that can be challenging in the world of publishing.

Her bookstore, The Stacks, is slated to open in early December as a community focused space on Waters Avenue in Savannah. Otis plans to serve local readers and writers that live in the same neighborhood she calls home.

“I myself, as a writer with a disability, know how difficult breaking into the publishing world is and how little we are represented in the publishing industry. And so it's important for people to feel like there are stories in here for them. I want them to be obvious from the moment they come into the building.”

“I live just down the road from here. So it's in my own neighborhood.

And I loved this idea of creating, really, truly, a neighborhood bookstore – a community space where neighbors could walk or maybe do a short drive, come over on a weekly basis, nerd out about books. If they're writers, I wanted to have a space for them to come and work.

As a writer myself, I know how important it is to have creative spaces.

So I want to build a place that is inspiring and inspires that creativity for fellow writers as well.”

After two years of renovation, the midtown space became available and Otis felt the stars align. Her 835 square foot bookstore will be part of a larger, shared space with two other businesses, Casting Grey Botanical and Good Fortune Market.

“When this space opened up, I was actually headed out on a trip and I had like an hour before I had to go to the airport to come in to see it. I got in, I saw it, I found out the other businesses coming into the building, and I was like, I mean, done; this is the place.”

The Stacks will be a physically accessible space for readers of all abilities with books by authors from underrepresented communities.

Otis plans to have author events, open mic nights for writers, book parties, and more, all in an effort to unite the community and give people a place they belong, “I think that's as important for kids as it is for adults,” she said.

Apart from what the physical space will look like–boastful bookshelves, cozy reading nooks and a writer’s corner–Otis thinks about the impact her independent bookstore could have. A self-

Whether you’re a reluctant reader, a book nerd or looking for a community space, you will find your place and your story at The Stacks. Otis will make sure of it.

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THE TINIEST BOOKSHOP: HOW A SMALL BOOKSTORE KEEPS GROWING Erica Lang EDITOR

It all started with a bus full of books. About two years ago, Kaitlynn Perry converted a school bus into a bookstore and drove it around Savannah and Tybee Island. It was originally intended as a side project, but quickly evolved into much more.

Perry, a history lover originally from West Virginia, moved to Savannah to study archeology and went to Georgia Southern University. She worked for a few years as an archeologist, but plans changed when her Books Bus started taking center stage. “Last year, I was about to start applying to PhD programs and I reevaluated my life a little bit and I realized I didn't really want to be in academia for the rest of my life, and the Books Bus was going so well. So, I decided to just drop everything and focus everything into that and see what happened,” Perry said.

Perry enjoys bringing more literacy to the community and said it can influence every other aspect of one’s life.“It is tied to absolutely everything and so the support of literacy in the community and having a place where people can come in that are independently owned bookstores, and they can get recommendations and they can have that community support, I think is so important.”

And for more information on the Tiniest Book Shop, visit thetiniestbookshop.com or @thebooksbus

What happened was not just the ongoing success of her Books Bus, but the inception of her first brick and mortar—the Tiniest Bookshop. Located on River Street, the bookstore spans only 150 feet and has been open about two months.

Now, Perry plans to take up another tiny space, this time on Tybee Island called Beach Read Bookshop. The shop is slated to open in mid-November, right across from Huc-A-Poos Bites and Boos. She believes these small spaces have the potential for a large impact.

“I'm very passionate about giving back and I'm also queer and disabled owned and operated and I like to make sure that my bases are a safe place for the LGBT community and I want to give back as much as I can.”

Her efforts are far-reaching and support a variety of causes in our community that go well beyond the four walls of her book shop. Soon, Perry plans to start a program where a portion of the sales from used books that are donated to the shop support local nonprofits. She plans to partner with the Savannah LGBT Shelter, Renegade Paws Rescue and more.

THE TINIEST BOOKSHOP

BEACH READ BOOKSHOP

THE BOOKS BUS CONNECT SAVANNAH | 17 | NOVEMBER • 2023

LOOKING FOR LITERACY? November is National Family Literacy Month. To celebrate, we’re connecting you to the people, places and events focusing on literacy in Savannah.

LISTEN 107.5 FM (WRUU) Listening to Literature

VOLUNTEER Loop it Up Savannah

In 2017, Leigh Rich started the Listening to Literature hour on 107.5 FM (WRUU) as a way to interview local and state authors about their work. Rich now shares the segment with two co-hosts, P.T. Bridgeport and Carol Andrew, every Friday.

Literacy is woven into everything that Loop it Up Savannah does. Specifically, Looping Literacy Together (LLT) is an arts integrated literacy program that helps pre-K through first grade students become more comfortable with reading, comprehension, vocabulary, and communication. In 2019, at the request of Selina Gillans, the principal at Otis J. Brock, III Elementary School, Looping Literacy Together created classroom curriculum and programming. “We started building this program with her initially as a way to bring community members into the schools to read with the students, to have conversations, and so on,” said Molly Lieberman, the executive director of Loop in Up Savannah.

“I want listeners to discover new works or new authors that they have never read before or re-discover works and authors that they do know, but are seen in a different light,” Rich said. Writers of short stories, books and poetry have been invited to the show to explore the written word both past and present.

As technology continues to develop, Rich believes it could also be an opportunity to engage new listeners. “I do think that modern technologies or more modern technologies, whether it's, radio or TV or film, or even sometimes social media…can encourage us to increase our literacy and go back to good writing and the written word.”

Listening to Literature airs every Friday at 12:05pm to 1:00pm and can also be streamed online. Visit https://www.wruu.org/ shows/listening-to-literature/ to learn more.

WATCH Seersucker Live Christopher Berinato founded Seersucker Live in 2010 with his friend, Zach Powers.

As a literary arts non-profit, they feature national, regional, and local writers through entertaining reading performances.

Their shows are meant to entertain and engage audiences. “We're trying to do something that's a little more rambunctious and fun.” Berinato said. We keep it fast, we keep it funny. We have music, we have audience participation.”

Diverse guests keep the shows, performed twice a year, fresh and interesting.

November’s upcoming show will be the first in the non-profits history to feature all women writers including Halle Hill, Jazmine Faries, and Danèlle Lejeune. “As someone who likes literature, I think it's a great way to share some of our favorite writers with other people. And it's also a great way to meet the writers that we respect and enjoy reading,” Berinato said.

Seersucker Live will present “The Homecoming Episode” on Nov. 9 at Front Porch Improv. For more information and tickets, visit frontporchimprov.com.

The intent was to support students who came to school with a variety of skill sets due to diverse early learning experiences.

They now work with 50 classrooms in the Savannah-Chatham County School District.

A part of the programming includes The Book Box Library project, which gives kindergarten students the chance to paint a wooden crate that they take home as a personal library. It takes about 300 books per classroom to fill the book boxes.

Volunteers, Liebeman said, are always needed for the Book Box project and book collections. ”We often talk about the power of one hour, if you’re able to designate one hour a week, a month and regularly come in and work with the students, that is just an incredibly impactful thing you can do,” she said.

Lieberman enjoys giving students engaging, hands-on activities that spark conversations around reading comprehension. “Seeing that engagement grow over time has been incredibly rewarding and knowing that we are contributing to the overall language rich environment that our young people live in and the overall literacy efforts in our school districts and in this community as a whole.”

ENGAGE The Deep Center Deep Center is a local nonprofit that empowers young people to use their creativity to connect their learning to their lives through writing, art and culture. The organization has several initiatives and programs through which they engage in this work, but one of their initiatives is to promote literacy, and specifically, critical literacy among the students they serve.

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“Critical literacy is more about the ability to connect ideas with each other,” said Anthonella Alvarez, the Deep Center’s program manager.

Alvarez leads the center’s Young Author Project, which offers after-school workshops to middle and high school students focused on creative writing and critical literacy.

“We present ideas in the workshop, and by the end of the program, the participants are able to connect those ideas with ideas outside of the classroom,” she explained.

“It’s really important because a lot of our young people sometimes don’t have the opportunity to express those bigger ideas in a way that is creative and substantial to them. It’s super important for them to be able to connect what they’re learning in the classroom and beyond with the bigger world . . . to be able to thrive as learners and creatives.”

Anyone interested in supporting the Deep Center in their mission to help Savannah’s youth thrive as learners and leaders can do so by making donations or volunteering with their programs. Visit deepcenter.org to learn more.

SUPPORT Future Minds Adult Literacy and Education, Inc. For the last 14 years, Future Minds Adult Literacy and Education has been helping local adults without a high school diploma or GED to obtain their GED. The organization’s founder, Zelonia Williams, started her program as a way to remove the typical barriers adults face when trying to earn their GED. “[Future Minds] is a program that does not have all the red tape such as attendance or not being able to pay for the test. My program allows individuals to miss a certain amount of days and in the case where they aren’t able to pay for the exam, my program provides scholarships to pay for all components of the test,” she said, having helped more than 100 people earn their GEDs through the years.

In addition to her literacy work with Future Minds, Williams serves on Mayor Johnson’s Read Savannah Taskforce, which was formed in 2020 as a part of his ongoing effort to promote literacy in Savannah.

“The taskforce is put in place to increase the literacy rate here in Savannah, and our mission is to bring ideas, policies and anything under the umbrella of education on one accord. We have found

Savannah, we were working in silos oftentimes [when] we’re all working towards the same thing,” said Williams.

The taskforce works to unite various organizations and foster collaboration in the pursuit of local literacy goals. For Williams, promoting literacy is about increasing comprehension.

“We sometimes drop the ball because we just place a book in a child’s hands with the expectation that they’re able to read it.

What I have found is that an illiterate child becomes an illiterate adult, and having that book in their hand doesn’t necessarily mean that they understand what they’re reading,” she said.

Williams has seen the correlations between literacy and things like workplace advancement, poverty and crime, and is a firm believer that literacy leads to better outcomes for individuals and the communities in which they live.

Anyone looking to support her work with Future Minds can do so by attending the various fundraising events the organization has coming up.

“We have literacy night for literacy week.

We also have Smarter Than a Fifth Grader.

We have our Little Black Dress event. We have our fashion shows,” she said.

Funds generated from these events will help those unable to cover costs for their GED test, books or practice exams. Williams also encourages the public to connect people without their high school diploma or GED to the resources available to them, “so that they are able to make the necessary changes in their life, impact their lives in a positive way and be a more productive citizen.”

DONATE Book Nation of Dreamers It started as a simple book drive. About three years ago, Dream Smith wanted to do something good for Savannah– the community she calls home. It turned into Book Nation of Dreamers, a non-profit to help support literacy.

“We are all about literacy because if you can read, you can do anything,” Smith said.

LEAD United Way of the Coastal Empire When it comes to improving early language and literacy, United Way of the Coastal Empire provides year-round support to children in Bryan, Chatham, Effingham, and Liberty counties through Read United.

Cheri Dean, Vice President of Direct Services and Impact for United Way of the Coastal Empire, said one of United Way’s overall objectives is helping individuals move toward a path of upward mobility and literacy plays big part. “One of our bold goals to that end is a ready and resilient workforce, and we see our early childhood literacy initiatives being a key component of building a ready and resilient workforce starting at age zero,” Dean said.

One of Read United’s hallmark initiatives is Read United Day, a program that started in Liberty County 16 years ago and expanded to Chatham county last year. On this day, United Way volunteers read to classrooms and give books to every student in pre-k through second grade. “That's really important because we know that over sixty percent of low income homes do not have a home library or just a bookshelf with books that kids can go to and read whenever they want and read independently,” Dean said.

Chatham County’s Read United Day will be on Feb. 2, 2024 and in Bryan, Effingham and Liberty Counties, it will be on Jan. 26, 2024.

In partnership with The Rotary Club of Savannah and the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System, Read United Buddies is a pilot mentorship program that started in October. The program pairs volunteers with second grade students to read with them twice a week for 30 minutes throughout the entire school year. “We're

For Smith, reading has always been a gateway to opportunities, one she wants to share with students and parents alike. “Wherever you find illiteracy, normally it’s generational and so we have a holistic approach where we try to make sure the parents are involved.”

Currently, Smith has several lending libraries around the city and encourages the community to help fill them. booknationofdreamers.com CONNECT SAVANNAH | 19 | NOVEMBER • 2023

going to stick with those students to the fourth grade so that we can have sustained outcomes as far as improving their reading proficiency,” Dean said, who hopes to expand the progam next year.

United Way also has partnerships to advance early language and literacy including Share The Magic Foundation Reading Rallies and Virtual Reading Challenges, as well as an initiative through a special award United Way received in September–the Language as a Missing Link and Missed Opportunity Champion Award.

The award from the Sandra Dunagan Deal Center for Early Language and Literacy, brings with it a framework on how to notice, monitor, screen, and enhance language and literacy skills in children from birth to age eight.

Dean said they are now working to implement the tools they have learned from the Deal Center by working with a Collective Action Coalition. “There's several nonprofits that are part of that collective impact framework. United Way is the backbone, but also Coastal Georgia Indicators Coalition, Live Oak Public Library, Georgia Tech, Greenbriar Children’s Center, there's about fifteen nonprofit organizations that are working together.” It takes a community, Dean said, working with parents, schools and organizations to advance early childhood literacy.

For more information, visit uwce.org/ read-united/ to learn more about our early childhood literacy programs and how they can get involved and getgeorgiareading.org

READ MORE Learn more about Literary Happenings in Savannah!

CULTURE

By Beth Logan

CULTURE COLUMNIST CONNECT SAVANNAH |

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NANCY MILLER: BRINGING CULTURAL IDENTITY TO CHILDREN’S BOOK ILLUSTRATIONS Petite and vivacious, South Korean-born Nancy Miller has vivid memories of starting kindergarten in Boise, Idaho, of not being able to speak any English, and of being teased about her Korean name. “I had this little boy behind me who would pull my ponytail, and it just irritated me, but I didn’t know how to communicate that to the teacher, so I bit him. I got into a lot of trouble for that!” As a four-year-old, her parents had emigrated to the United States to accept engineering jobs with Hewlett Packard, and in her community “there were no other Korean families. It was very homogeneous and we kind of stuck out and didn’t fit in.”

“And of course,” she continues, “what you learned about was all very centric to the United States. I feel sometimes that I missed out on a whole different history and culture that I’m trying to rediscover now as an adult. That feeling got stronger as I became an art teacher. Even in Georgia, many of the children hadn’t met an Asian person before.” These experiences led her to examine racial diversity in children’s books as her thesis subject in graduate school, “especially in books influenced by the illustrators’ personal identities. I started to want to put more of myself into my books.”

Miller first came to Savannah in 1994 to attend the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) for her undergraduate degree in illustration. “I always really loved drawing. When I didn’t speak any English, I passed my time with drawing." She fell into a graphic design career after graduation, starting “as a lowly production assistant at the Savannah Pennysaver, then went to the classified ad department of the Savannah Morning News and then to Scuba Diving Magazine.” During her tenure at the magazine, she attended Armstrong to attain a teacher’s certification and has been teaching art for the past thirteen years. Currently, she teaches grades K through 8, and notices increased diversity in the classroom with children of different social and ethnic backgrounds. Always remembering how excluded and different she felt as a school child, she strives to introduce her students to diverse, contemporary artists as much as possible.

Knowing that she wanted to focus on illustrating children’s books, Miller earned her MFA in illustration from SCAD in 2022. During her studies, she took an influential book illustration course from professor Brian Bowes who encouraged her to write her own stories, and she had an internship with award-winning illustrator and author R. Gregory Christie. “He’s won a Caldecott and several Coretta Scott King awards," she tells me enthusiastically. Christie helped her develop both business skills and visual storytelling skills, and “now he’s become a mentor.” She also took courses from the Storyteller Academy to learn how to write, revise, and understand the structure of a good children’s book story, and that experience has connected her to a critique group made up of other authors.

Miller continues, “I knew I wanted the visual component of my graduate thesis to be based

on the experience of teaching my son how to make Korean gimbap when he was in the first grade. I titled it "Gimbap Kitchen," [Gimbap is a Korean dish made from cooked rice, vegetables, fish, and meat rolled in gim - rolled sheets of seaweed - and served in bite-size pieces that resemble Japanese sushi] and it has gone through numerous revisions with the help of my fantastic critique group.”

“There’s something magical about reading an amazing story. I knew I wanted to do that!

And I got lucky, the year before I graduated, a literary agent discovered my artwork online and signed me.” Still awaiting publication of the Korean gimbap story, she has learned not to take rejection to heart, and has since written and illustrated three more books, with one of them currently out on submission to publishers.

One book, entitled "Sewn Together," is about an imagined loving relationship with her Korean grandmother, whom, unfortunately, she never met again after emigrating to this country.

It’s important to Miller to reference her Korean American culture. Her son is now 17 and she recalls her disappointment in not being able to find ethnically diverse books for him as a young child, and how in guiding her elementary art students through self-portraiture lessons, they would initially want their portraits to look like everyone else’s. “I’d tell them, ‘Your skin color is unique. Look at my skin color!’ So, to be able to see yourself in a book is very powerful. You want to fit in, but it’s hard if you don’t see yourself represented.”

Miller shows me several “book dummies” – scaled-down versions of her finished books that can be reviewed before full-sized digital PDFs are sent to potential editors and publishers.

“One of the best things I’ve done is to read the book dummy to school children first” and assess how well they respond and react to the pageturns and to the story. But long before dummies are made, Miller builds and photographs miniature worlds or dioramas. For "Sewn Together," she painstakingly created a tiny living room with real bookshelves, an armchair upholstered in blue corduroy, and other furnishings cov-

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ered in custom fabric she designed and printed herself.

Miller next places her story’s characters in the little 3D-world she has created. She seems more of a craftsperson/maker than a digital creator in many ways: “It’s just like when you’re a little kid and you make paper dolls,” she explains. “I wire 2D-people to make them stand up and then Photoshop the wires out afterwards.” She says that “this insanely lengthy process” gives her illustrations more depth and realism than can be achieved by simply painting or drawing a picture. She employs the camera’s depth-of-field to make the background slightly fuzzy, so that the viewer’s eye is focused on the objects and characters she places in the front of each diorama.

“One of the most rewarding aspects is when I click the shutter, and it’s what I envisioned.”

Besides hoping for the publication of projects already completed, Miller’s future includes creating a longer novel with fewer illustrations, collaborating with another writer friend on illustrating her story, and a graphic novel. She is currently writing and researching a non-fiction book on the Korean American musician, composer, and performance artist Nam June Paik, who is known as “the father of video art.” The target age group for this book is 5 through 9.

She visited the Smithsonian this summer and is starting the process of acquiring rights to use images and access his letters of correspondence.

Miller concludes, “I’m hopeful that there will continue to be representation within children’s books for a variety of kids. Not just for kids to read about their own culture, but for other kids who may not identify with that culture to be able to see it and appreciate it. I get such a wonderful response from children when I read my books to them. And that’s what keeps me going.”

Find out more about Nancy Miller at nmillerillustration.com and @nmillerillustration and listen to her “My Creative Life” podcast at anchor.fm/ nmillerillustration in which she interviews other authors, illustrators, and artists.

WHAT ARE WE READING? PRESENTED AND CURATED BY E. SHAVER, BOOKSELLER

Savannah’s Independent Bookstore since 1975 offering a selection of fiction, nonfiction, regional, and children’s books

THE LOST LIBRARY

BY REBECCA STEAD AND WENDY MASS When a mysterious little free library (guarded by a large orange cat) appears overnight in the small town of Martinville, eleven-yearold Evan plucks two weathered books from its shelves, never suspecting that his life is about to change. Evan and his best friend Rafe quickly discover a link between one of the old books and a long-ago event that none of the grown-ups want to talk about.

The two boys start asking questions whose answers will transform not only their own futures, but the town itself.

THE BOOK OF STOLEN DREAMS

BY DAVID FARR Rachel and Robert live a grey, dreary life under the rule of cruel Charles Malstain. But when their librarian father enlists their help to steal a forbidden book, they are plunged into adventure. With their father captured, it is up to Rachel and Robert to uncover the secrets of the Book of Stolen Dreams and track down its mysteriously missing final page in order to save him.

What they are not expecting is to discover a family of ghosts, a door to the dead and that the Book grants the power of immortality. But they will do anything to stop it falling into Malstain's hands - for if it does, he could rule for ever.

DOGTOWN

BY KATHERINE APPLEGATE Dogtown is a shelter for stray dogs, misbehaving dogs, and discarded robot dogs, whose owners have outgrown them.

Chance, a real dog, has been in Dogtown since her owners unwittingly left her with irresponsible dog-sitters who skipped town.Metal Head is a robot dog who dreams of being back in a real home.And Mouse is a mouse who has the run of Dogtown, pilfering kibble, and performing clever feats to protect the dogs he loves.

326 Bull Street

Behind the Desoto Historic Downtown Savannah 912.234.7257

When Chance and Metal Head embark on an adventure to find their forever homes, there is danger, cheese sandwiches, a charging station, and some unexpected kindnesses along the way.

eshaverbooks.com

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southeast georgia leadership forum

in the boardroom series “In the Boardroom” facilitates the exchange of ideas by gathering local leaders together. We as humans learn primarily through stories and shared experiences. Both of these elements are highlighted in these sessions.

Kareem Weaver Speaker

TUES., NOVEMBER 14 CHARLES MORRIS CENTER 10 E BROAD STREET SAVANNAH NOON - 2:00 P.M. Kareem Weaver is a Co-Founder and Executive Director of Full and Complete Reading is a Universal Mandate (FULCRUM) which partners with various stakeholders to improve reading results for students. He is the Oakland NAACP & #39;s Second Vice President and Chair of its Education Committee; his advocacy is featured in the upcoming film The Right to Read. Mr. Weaver previously served as New Leaders’ Executive Director of the Western Region, and was an award-winning teacher and administrator. He has undergraduate degrees from Morehouse College and a master’s in Clinical-Community Psychology from the University of South Carolina. He believes in the potential of all students, the brotherhood of man, and the importance of service above self. His educational heroine, for literacy instruction, is the late Marva Collins.

VISIT EVENTS.CONNECTSAVANNAH. COM TO PURCHASE OR SCAN THE CODE LIMITED TICKETS AVAILABLE

$45 PER PERSON

find the leader in you.

The annual Southeast Georgia Leadership Forum will be held February 26 – 27, 2024 at Kehoe Ironworks Building at Trustees’ Garden in Savannah southeastleadershipforum.com CONNECT SAVANNAH | 23 | NOVEMBER • 2023

february 26 - 27 trustees garden, Savannah

by Erica Lang

CONNECT SAVANNAH FALL FESTIVAL Thank you to everyone who attended the Connect Savannah Fall Festival at Red Gate Farms on Sunday, October 22.

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

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MESSE POUR NOTRE-DAME

FRIENDS OF CATHEDRAL MUSIC presents

Sun, Nov. 12 | 5:00 p.m.

The Cathedral Choral Scholars are thrilled to collaborate with internationally renowned organist David Briggs. The program includes a complete performance of Mr. Briggs’s Messe pour Notre-Dame.

With Thanks

SAVANNAHCATHEDRAL.ORG/FRIENDS-OF-CATHEDRAL-MUSIC-CONCERT-SERIES/

SAVANNAH’S BEST AND LONGEST HAPPY HOUR

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Our GradS GeT Hired SavannahTech.edu/Hired

An equal opportunity institution.

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FOOD & DRINK

EAT IT & LIKE IT PRESENTED BY SAVANNAH TECHNICAL COLLEGE

BIG BON BODEGA: BIG EYES ON THE FUTURE EAT IT AND LIKE IT

By Jesse Blanco eatitandlikeit.com If you could pin Kay Heritage down long enough to get an answer to this question, the answer is likely to be “no, not really.”

The question is pretty simple. “When you decided to build a food truck in Savannah making wood fire oven baked pizzas, did you ever think it would evolve into one of Savannah’s most popular bagel sandwich shops?”

Yet, here we are.

By any account, it has been a pretty spectacular seven year run for Kay and her Big Bon family, and we mean that in every sense of the word. She will be the first to tell you Big Bon hasn’t gotten to this point without the help of a great many people, especially her employees

whom she famously treats like family.

She’s even willing to show “the books” to them, sharing how the business is doing.

There is total investment from everyone involved and the results prove it’s a solid strategy.

She will also be the first to tell you that there is only so much she could do.

Growth? How do you do that when you are already near capacity in your shop plus handling any number of catering opportunities that have come your way?

If Big Bon was going to grow any further, something had to give.

Shahin Afsharian is a chef who came to Savannah to work at the Plant Riverside District. Within a year or so, he was executive chef of the whole thing. Yes, all of it.

“Kay and I have been friends since Big Bon has been open,” Shahin says. “We would have coffee maybe once a month.

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She’d ask me for advice. Little by little we built a friendship.”

That friendship led Kay to have enough faith and confidence in Shahin to share her view of Big Bon’s future.

“One day she said, ‘Look, I don’t know what I’m going to do with Big Bon. Everything I’m doing is run by me. Do you know anybody who could help?’”

Shahin was originally going to recommend someone else, but the more he thought about it, the more he thought he’d be perfect for it. Savannah had grown on him. It reminded him in many ways of his native Mexico and it was a good opportunity to settle down for a while after going to school and traveling the world for his career.

After some discussion, it was agreed upon. Shahin came on as a partner with eyes on the culinary side of the equation.

He’s been charged with developing and expanding Big Bon’s menus. Yes, plural.

“Big Bon’s inspiration has always been global,” he says. “It made sense for me because I’m internationally influenced in every way. The bagel was the vehicle to transport flavors from around the world.”

In the short time Shahin has been on board, he’s added eight sandwiches to Big Bon’s already popular offerings of sandwiches. The Savannah 912 (bacon, egg and cheese) remains the most popular, but he’s enhanced the Korean Mama, named for Kay, of course, with bulgogi beef, a kimchi spread, pickled onions, American cheese, and Korean chili cream cheese on a sesame bagel.

There’s now a Cubanito–Big Bon’s spin on the Cuban sandwich. It features prosciutto instead of ham, brie instead of swiss, pickles, mustard and their house made sofrito pork. I watched him make it recently. It is a monster, sure to make a delicious mess. The falafel sandwich is more than a mouthful of house-made freshness.

Then there’s the Buffalo Bee featuring fried chicken, bacon, cheddar, pickles, honey buffalo sauce and spicy aioli on an asiago-cheddar bagel. I did eat that one and it’s fantastic.

Of course, all of this comes with attachments. The menu isn’t expanding just because they want to sell more bagels. Well, that obviously is part of it, but that’s the short term vision. There is a long term plan coming together in the form of expansion. Shahin tells me Big Bon Bodega plans to open a couple more locations in the near future with the first coming in Pooler. We did not discuss specifics, but they are definitely in the works.

Beyond that is the return of Big Bon’s pizza program. Shahin says they’ve been tweaking some recipes over the last few weeks and hope to have it ready to roll out in November. We’ll have more on that when we get closer.

It’s been a big year for Big Bon. Visits from television stars Samantha Brown and Guy Fieri were just the beginning.

That’s certainly good for business, but from the looks of it, they are just getting started.

GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION Voting for the General Municipal Election takes place on Nov. 7 For more information visit, elections.chathamcountyga.gov

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Christy Goodwin

MUSIC & CLUBS

JOE BONAMASSA BRINGS LONG-AWAITED 'BLUES DELUXE' SEQUEL TO SAVANNAH

By Dave Gil de Rubio

JOHNNY MERCER THEATRE NOV. 28, 2023 TICKETMASTER.COM The proverb “A rolling stone gathers no moss” may have provided blues icon Muddy Waters with a song title that further yielded the name for a certain Rock & Roll Hall of Fame group and a storied rock publication, but it can also be applied to Joe Bonamassa.

A former guitar prodigy whose first gig was opening for B. B. King at the ripe age of 12, the upstate New York native has been around long enough to play in a number of side projects (jazz-funk outfit

Rock Candy Funk Party and hard rock supergroup Black Country Communion), start the non-profit Keeping the Blues Alive and bang out a double-digit number of solo albums.

Bonamassa’s latest effort is the 10cut “Blues Deluxe Vol. 2,” featuring two originals and covers ranging from Bobby “Blue” Bland and Albert King to Fleetwood Mac and Guitar Slim. Given that two decades have elapsed since his first “Blues Deluxe” volume came out, Bonamassa admits the differences between the two are pretty distinct.

“This approach was a lot more fun,” he explained in a September interview. “We had a budget, so we could use real horns and strings. Plus, I’m happy to say that CONNECT SAVANNAH |

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I’m a better singer than I was 20 years ago. I could tackle songs that were more difficult and insurmountable than when I did the first volume.”

Short, sweet and to the point, “Blues Deluxe Vol. 2” has plenty to sup on, whether it’s the aching treatment given to a horn-soaked reading of Bland’s “Twenty-Four Hour Blues” or the sizzling strut Bonamassa turns the Mac’s “Lazy Poker Blues” into. The pair of non-covers slide in well, showcasing the guitarist’s range, particularly on the percolating “Hope You Realize It (Goodbye Again)” It’s a Bonamassa jam he co-wrote with Buddy Guy/Susan Tedeschi producer Tom Hambridge that comes off sounding like a Tower of Power deep cut.

Fans can expect to hear songs from across Bonamassa’s career when they see the 46-year-old axe-wielder plug in and let it rip live, be it as a headliner or co-headlining alongside another act. (He’s done shows with Styx and former Eagle Don Felder recently.)

“We have a really big book right now because we were rehearsing for the orchestra (for a show at the Hollywood Bowl that is being filmed for a DVD) and when we were co-headlining, we had to truncate it down to 75 minutes,” he said. “It was still a high-impact show. But when I headline, I play as long as I want. We’ve been doing this long enough that we know what it’s about as far as being mindful of the audience, or when we’re out on the road with other acts, being mindful of the other artists. It’s going to be good.”

Growing up in Utica, NY, four-year-old Bonamassa was getting an early soup-to-nuts music education courtesy of his father’s record collection, where he was exposed to everyone from Eric Clapton, Jethro Tull and Free to Muddy Waters and B.B. King. (“Those are my influences. Those are my people that shaped my musical world,” Bonamassa said.)

That was the same year a guitar was placed in his tiny hands, a decision that eventually led to his being mentored and trained by late guitar legend Danny Gatton.

As someone whose drive and talent gave him opportunities, Bonamassa doesn’t take his platform for granted.

One endeavor is Keeping The Blues Alive Records, which he co-founded with longtime manager Roy Weisman. Currently working with up-and-comers like Joanne Shaw Taylor and Robert Jon and the Wreck, as well as veteran artists Dion and Joanna Connor.

Bonamassa and Weisman also helm Journeyman, a full-service artist management, label imprint, concert promotion, and marketing company. Between the record label and the management services, Bonamassa hopes to “…take what I’ve had to learn the hard way to create a company that could make navigating this [music-making] process a little easier.”

The record label is an offshoot of his Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation (KBAF), a non-profit that promotes music education and blues music by funding scholarships and providing music education resources to schools in need. (“Kids who excel in the arts do better in math and the sciences—that’s a proven fact,” he said. “It just opens up your horizons.”) To date, KBAF has provided schools and teachers with upwards of $1 million and has positively impacted 74,000 students in all 50 states.

Also under the KBAF umbrella is the Fueling Musicians Program, which supported touring musicians unable to make a living due to the global pandemic. Hundreds of thousands of dollars were raised and distributed to 300-plus artists. For Bonamassa, lending a helping hand to his fellow artists and aspiring musicians was a no-brainer.

“You’ve got to find a way to give back,” he said. “I’ve been very fortunate in my life and career, so I try to find a way to give back and do what I can.” Joe Bonamassa

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PARTING SHOT

CHATHAM COUNTY LITERACY WEEK NOVEMBER 12-18, 2023 Chatham County, the Savannah Chatham County Public School Board, and the City of Savannah have proclaimed November 12 - 18, 2023 as Chatham County Literacy Week. The Chatham County Educational Alliance invities you to attend a special screening of the award-winning film The Right to Read and Q&A with special guest Kareem Weaver on November 13 at 7:00pm.

For more information visit sccpss.com

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CROSSWORD PUZZLE

"AN EASY PUZZLE" SOME SIMILAR SIMILES.

by Matt Jones

©2023 | Matt Jones

NOW OPEN

912.417.4940 I 1602 Waters Ave. Savannah themagicalworldoftoys.com I Tue-Sat 10-5, Sun 11-3

STRESS ENGINEER (SAVANNAH, GA)

Perform stress static/fatigue structural analysis in support of aircraft dsgn & modification. Analyze initial or revised dsgn proposal, specs & related engg data to determine appropriate characteristics & materials for optimal weight, strength, functionality & cost. Send CV & cover letter to Samantha Pasco, Precision Personnel, Inc., 600 Cleveland St, Ste 700, Clearwater, FL 33755 w/in 30 days.

ACROSS 1. Madcap adventure 5. "Ha ha ha!" online (that's one "ha" per letter) 8. Angelic instruments 13. Operatic feature 14. "All right, I get it" 16. Hack-a-Shaq target 17. Escaping 19. Old-timey photo filter color 20. [Mystery Clue 1] 22. Third Greek letter 25. Ticket remainder 26. London-to-Barcelona dir.

27. "Deep Space Nine" shapeshifter 28. Stardew Valley, e.g.

31. "Tic ___ Dough" (Wink Martindale game show) 33. With 43-Across, [Mystery Clue 2] 39. Peaceful creatures in "The Time Machine" 40. Radio station sign 41. Hershey caramel candy 43. See 33-Across 46. Liverpool loc.

47. Boggy lowland 48. "Respect for Acting" writer Hagen 49. Morning hrs.

52. "Nautical" beginner 55. Clock app function 57. [Mystery Clue 3] 61. "West Side Story" role 62. Frighten off 66. Actress Zazie of "Atlanta" and "Joker" 67. "And there you have it!"

CONNECT SAVANNAH | 33 | NOVEMBER • 2023

68. Solitary 69. "Fish in ___? How can that be?" ("Hop on Pop" line) 70. ___ judicata (case that's been decided) 71. Grogu, aka Baby ___ DOWN 1. Cloth for a spill 2. Gold, in the place where that announcer says 3. Nintendo console avatar 4. Former international airline, for short 5. "24/7 ___ hip hop beats" 6. Veggie in Indian and Cajun cuisine 7. Fertile type of soil 8. Pre-paid cocktail source at parties 9. Over again 10. Seized vehicles 11. Figure skating event 12. Appease, as thirst 15. Daily Planet reporter Clark 18. Piercing look 21. The other poetic Muse (the one not in crosswords as much) 22. Outta here 23. No longer a minor 24. Aquaman portrayer Jason 29. Like electrical plugs and forks (don't mix the two!)

30. "It's Always Sunny" group, collectively 32. ___-Alt-Del 34. Transportation to the mini-mart, perhaps

35. ___ Schwarz (New York toy store) 36. Brief bit of bickering 37. Kinda dull 38. Make happy 42. Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan 44. Flabbergasted 45. ___ nous (just between us) 49. Addis ___, Ethiopia 50. Impressionist Edouard 51. Slalom expert 53. Take a breather 54. "CODA" prize 56. What Olive Garden is supposed to represent, vaguely 58. Suffix still used after "Bachelor" in reality shows 59. "Smooth Operator" singer 60. Taylor Swift's 2023 tour 63. "Extraordinary Attorney ___" (Korean Netflix show) 64. Word often used in jokes that end "In this economy?"

65. Vote to approve CROSSWORD ANSWERS

Wednesday, November 29

Johnny Mercer Theatre

Starring

The Motortown All-Stars featuring former members of

TheTemptations The Miracles The Contours

Johnny Mercer Box Office 912-651-6550 or scan code

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60 TONS OF SNOW!

FUN AND GAMES!

SANTA CLAUS & MORE!

100% CHANCE OF

SNOW! AT THE 2023 TRUSTEES’ GARDEN CHRISTMAS FESTVAL ONE DAY ONLY! ACTIVITIES FOR ALL AGES

SNOW SLEDDING • TRAIN RIDES • BOUNCE HOUSES ROCK CLIMBING

CONNECT SAVANNAH | DECEMBER 7-13, 2022

MAKE PLANS

35

23 FOOT CHRISTMAS TREE FOOD TRUCKS • HOT COCOA CHRISTMAS MARKET FEATURING LOCAL VENDORS

SANTA CLAUS

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SATURDAY

DEC. 16 2023

10 AM - 5 PM AT SAVANNAH'S HISTORIC KEHOE IRON WORKS 660 E. Broughton St.

FOR SPONSORSHIP OR VENDOR OPPORTUNITIES CONTACT: DIRECTOR@TRUSTEESGARDEN.COM THIS YEAR'S FESTIVAL BENEFITS THE MISSION OF

TICKETS

$20/PERSON (advance) $25/PERSON (at the door) SCAN THE CODE OR SEARCH ON EVENTBRITE.COM

TO PURCHASE TICKETS TODAY! CONNECT SAVANNAH | 35 | NOVEMBER • 2023

CONNECT SAVANNAH |

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