Connect Savannah September 15, 2020 by Connect Savannah

SEP 16-22, 2020 NEWS, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY CONNECTSAVANNAH.COM

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WEDNESDAY 9.16

COMPILED BY RACHAEL FLORA TO HAVE AN EVENT LISTED EMAIL WAG@CONNECTSAVANNAH.COM. INCLUDE DATES, TIME, LOCATIONS WITH ADDRESSES, COST AND A CONTACT NUMBER. DEADLINE FOR INCLUSION IS 5PM FRIDAY, TO APPEAR IN NEXT WEDNESDAY’S EDITION.

Jerushia Graham, ‘From Where I Stand’

Psychotronic Film Society Viewing Parties

Islands Farmers Market

Enhanced social distancing between vendors. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Islands Farmers’ Market, 401 Quarterman Dr. facebook.com/ islandsfarmersmarket

FRIDAY 9.18

CONNECT SAVANNAH | SEPTEMBER 16 - 22, 2020

Cut and Paste Free Family Weekend

Telfair presents a three-day weekend of free admission Cut and to the Jepson Center for Savannah and Chatham Paste Free County families to enjoy the Family exhibition Cut and Paste: Works of Paper and provide Weekend fun, informal learning experiences. Free admission to the Jepson Center is spread out over three days during stanSATURDAY 9.19 dard operating hours to allow for social distancing. Cut and Paste Free Family Weekend Sept. 18-20 Jepson Center for the Arts, 207 West York St. Telfair presents a three-day weekend of free admission to the Jepson Center for Front Porch Improv: Top Secret Savannah and Chatham County families Fun House is a never-seen-before imto enjoy the exhibition Cut and Paste: provised comedy show. Using audience Works of Paper and provide fun, informal suggestions the cast will create original learning experiences. Free admission to comedic scenes and games. It’s like a live the Jepson Center is spread out over three choose-your-own-adventure novel come days during standard operating hours to to life. allow for social distancing. 8 p.m. Sep. 18-20 Front Porch Improv, 210 W. Victory Drive. Jepson Center for the Arts, 207 West York St.

Savannah Mayor Van Johnson’s livestream “fireside chat” about the state of the city. Fridays, 8 p.m. facebook.com/MayorJohnsonSAV/

Front Porch Improv: Fun House

Fun House is a neverseen-before improvised comedy show. Using audience suggestions the cast will create original comedic scenes and games. It’s like a live choose-your-own-adventure novel come to life. 8 p.m. Front Porch Improv, 210 W. Victory Drive. frontporchimprov.com

To receive the link to these streaming playlists, people must join the PFS of SAV’s Private Facebook Group, at the link below. Each week, anyone who chooses to donate at least $5 via PayPal or Venmo receives a free high quality digital download of a movie from the archive, and is entered into a drawing to win a T-shirt. Wednesdays, Sundays, 8 p.m. facebook.com/ groups/2519522234807695/

Friday Night Live with Mayor Van Johnson

Forsyth Farmers Market

Local and regional produce, honey, meat, dairy, pasta, baked goods and other delights. Rain or shine. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Forsyth Park, Drayton St. & East Park Ave. Free to attend. Items for sale. 912-484-0279. forsythfarmersmarket.com

Oktoberfest

Celebrate Oktobefest at Southbound with boiled peanuts from C+C Nut Factory, brats and beer cheese from BowTie Barbecue, beer releases, and yard games. noon Southbound Brewing Company, 107 East Lathrop Ave.

Oktoberfest

Featuring live music by Damon and the Shitkickers, brats, pretzels, and plenty of Teufel Hunden Oktoberfest Marzen. 2:30 p.m. Service Brewing Company, 574 Indian Street.

SUNDAY 9.20 Cut and Paste Free Family Weekend

Telfair presents a three-day weekend of free admission to the Jepson Center for Savannah and Chatham County families to enjoy the exhibition Cut and Paste: Works of Paper and provide fun, informal learning experiences. Free admission to the Jepson Center is spread out over three days during standard operating hours to allow for social distancing. Sep. 18-20 Jepson Center for the Arts, 207 West York St .

Front Porch Improv: Family Friendly Improv Show

This is a never-seen-before improvised comedy show. Using audience suggestions the cast will create original comedic scenes and games. It’s like a live chooseyour-own-adventure novel come to life. This event is for all-ages and will be tons of fun. 100% of ticket proceeds will go to the Chatham County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA). 4 p.m. Front Porch Improv, 210 W. Victory Drive. frontporchimprov.com

MONDAY 9.21 Tybee Island Farmers Market

Featuring a variety of produce, baked goods, honey, eggs, BBQ, sauces and dressings, popsicles, dog treats and natural body products. Artisans are also featured each week. The market is nonsmoking and pet friendly. Located on beautiful Tybee Island, GA at 30 Meddin Drive. We are right behind the Historic Tybee Lighthouse. Visit the website for more info. 4 p.m. 30 Meddin Drive, 30 Meddin Drive. tybeeislandfarmersmarket.com

TUESDAY 9.22 Local Mayor Panel

The League of Women Voters of Coastal Georgia will host a panel of three local mayors on September 22 at 4 pm. Panelists are Savannah Mayor Van Johnson, Tybee Mayor Shirley Sessions and Pooler Mayor Rebecca Benton. Each mayor will give a 5- to 7-minute address about local issues that they think should filter up to candidates for county, state and federal offices. Participants will be able to submit questions during the digital event. 4 p.m. lwvcga.org/event/ mayors-talk-about-the-issues/

Seldom Sober Livestream

Savannah’s only Irish music ensemble, Seldom Sober (Michael Corbett and Colleen Settle) perform a Facebook live set spanning Trad Irish to American folk and rock. Tuesdays, 8 p.m. facebook.com/seldomsober/

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Savannah-Safe Jazz Festival SEPTEMBER 23 – 27, 2020

The Show Goes On! 16 live-streaming shows AND A FILM. s a v a n n a h j a z z . o r g

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NEWS & OPINION EDITOR’S NOTE

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Searching for a City Manager – and for stability

EDITORIAL Jim Morekis, Editor-in-Chief jim@connectsavannah.com Rachael Flora, Community/Events Editor rachael@connectsavannah.com Sean Kelly, A&E Editor sean@connectsavannah.com CONTRIBUTORS John Bennett, Brittany Curry, Kristy Edenfield, Jessica Farthing, Brittany Herren, Geoff L. Johnson, Lindy Moody, Jim Reed

Odie Donald II

BY JIM MOREKIS

jim@connectsavannah.com

LATER this week, the three finalists for the job of Savannah City Manager are set to visit the place they want to run, and actively interview for the job. (One of the finalists, Odie Donald, actually worked in Savannah from 20132015. He is currently also a finalist for the Augusta, Ga., City Manager job.) They will meet with Mayor Johnson and City Council members, and will tour various City facilities — many of which are far-flung and now in rented spaces, after former City Manager Rob Hernandez divested the City of many of its own offices. One of the tropes of the municipal candidate search industry, I’m told, is that sometimes the finalists don’t “get off the plane” — in other words, sometimes candidates just bow out at the last minute, for whatever reason. I haven’t heard anyone seriously predict this will happen, but if there is reluctance on the part of any of the candidates, it would be easy to see why. The simple truth is that the job interview for City Manager works both ways — as any real job interview should. City Council, who hires and fires City Managers, is interviewing candidates. But City Council, and by extension the City of Savannah, is also being interviewed by the candidates. City Manager jobs are competitive, highly paid, and offer many perks and benefits unavailable to the vast majority of working people. But, a really good candidate who is

willing to move will find a good job, somewhere. They can and do cross cities off their list of prospective employers. They might do it because of a city’s particular financial challenges. They might do it because of a city’s reputation for throwing City Managers under the bus. They might do it because they see how poorly others are treated by elected officials in the city that is interviewing them. In Savannah’s case, all three of those could be said to apply. So in a very real sense, there is at least as much pressure on Savannah to perform this week, as on any candidate for the City Manager job. Everyone has a set of pet issues they want the next City Manager to focus on. Whether it’s transportation, zoning, more regulation, less regulation, more funding for police, defunding the police… there’s no shortage of opinions and points of view. The single most pressing issue directly relevant to the City Manager job, however, is Savannah’s desperate need for stability in the position. I’ve heard from more than one source that many of Savannah’s current troubles can be traced to the brief but disastrous tenure of former City Manager Rochelle Small-Toney from 2010 to 2012. These troubles relate not only to SmallToney’s decisions in her 18 months as City Manager — that often felt more like 18 years — but in the ensuing merry-goround of successors in the job. One source goes so far as to refer to this syndrome as a “City Manager Death Spiral,” which is apparently a fairly common thing that people talk about in that field. Small-Toney’s purge of existing department heads and in some cases nearly

entire departments, while in a few cases overdue, also had the result of eliminating the vast bulk of institutional knowledge in Savannah leadership positions. Generations of hard-won expertise and experience was thrown out nearly overnight. What followed was a constant reshuffle of City leadership and organization charts that we live with to this day. Just in the purchasing department alone, there was near-complete turnover, resulting in months of the City literally not paying its bills. That’s just one example; a book could be written about that tumultuous year and a half. After Small-Toney’s termination came nearly a decade of awkward fits: Stephanie Cutter’s three-year placeholder tenure; Rob Hernandez’s controversial two and a half-year tenure; and Pat Monahan’s placeholder tenure from spring 2019 to present. (Monahan, former Chatham County Assistant Manager, has made it clear he doesn’t want the City job permanently.) But the inflection point was with SmallToney. Prior to that Savannah was known for its remarkable longevity in City Managers. Michael Brown served 15 years; his predecessor Don Mendonsa served for 28 years. Many will counter that those days will never come again. It’s often pointed out that in the modern environment it’s almost impossible for any City Manager, in any city, to last more than five or so years, if that. That’s probably not wrong. But Savannah is not going to get back on track if we’re not willing to at least try to get someone who will survive more than one mayor. The City Manager job, by charter and by law, is simply too important to trust to a rotating cast of hired guns. CS

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NEWS & OPINION COMMUNITY

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ON SEPT. 3, Asbury Memorial Church made history by being one of the first churches to disaffiliate from the Methodist denomination over gay marriage. But anyone who knows Asbury and its senior pastor, Rev. Billy Hester, knew the move wasn’t out of the ordinary for this one-of-a-kind church. When Hester came to Asbury in 1993, it was in a bad way. The church, founded in 1909, sits on the corner of Henry and Waters, then a fairly rough part of town. After white flight to the suburbs in the 60s and 70s, their congregation dwindled to about 30 people, the youngest of whom was 66 years old. As a result, the denomination was considering closing the church. But in came Hester, a vibrant minister who was a little different. Hester grew up in Savannah as a “cradle Methodist.” His stepfather and uncle helped get a statue of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, up in Reynolds Square. Methodism is thought of as a more progressive denomination, but Hester said he grew up fairly conservative. “I had that view of ‘hate the sin, love the sinner,’” remembers Hester. After high school, Hester went to New York and got involved in both theater and church, where he met plenty of gay people who were in leadership. For a conservative Southern kid, the difference was quite eye-opening. That sparked Hester’s decision to go to seminary at Princeton, with the goal of having his own inclusive church. After Hester pastored as associate minister, he moved back down to Savannah with his wife, Cheri, and their new family. “I was ready to take on a church,” recalls Hester. “Growing up here I knew about Asbury Memorial, and I heard that the

Rev. Billy Hester leads hymn.

denomination was about to close it.” Asbury was poised for resurgence. But how would Hester reinvigorate the church and grow the congregation? The answer seemed pretty clear: theater. Cheri, an actress herself, got involved in local theater. When Asbury started putting on productions, she encouraged friends to audition, and some ended up coming to Sunday services to sing in the choir. “Cast members helped develop the church,” says Hester. “A lot of people knew we were social justice oriented. We’re about 35% LGBT. It’s great to have that many, but we’ve also got a lot of straight people. It’s usually people who want to be a part of place that’s very inclusive.” Another initiative Asbury launched in the early days was the AIDS Interfaith Network, several local congregations who wanted to offer a more compassionate approach to people living with AIDS. The congregation voted in 2015 not to host any weddings until everyone was able to get married, not just heterosexuals. Despite Methodism’s reputation of being a progressive denomination, there were serious penalties for Methodist pastors who officiated same-sex weddings. As Hester explained, bishops who presided over more progressive areas would often avert their eyes and not follow up with punishment if they heard of same-sex unions. But in Georgia, that was not quite the case. “We felt like the denomination would

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get there eventually,” remembers Hester. But in 2019, the United Methodist Church called a global conference to address the tense issue of gay marriage. There were two plans on the table: the One Church Plan that would allow for same sex weddings in the church, or the Traditional Plan that would ramp up punishment. Hester and other Asbury folks traveled to the conference in St. Louis. But against their expectations, the conference voted to uphold the Traditional Plan. Despite the progressive stance of many Methodist congregations in the US, Hester notes that Methodism is growing exponentially in Africa and Asia, where conservative attitudes about homosexuality prevail. “I guess the missionaries have done a good job overseas!” laughs Hester. “But that’s very frustrating here because we can’t take this more progressive step.” When Hester returned, he asked the congregation if they’d like to disaffiliate from the UMC. The vote was 309-7. After Asbury bought their property back from the denomination, it is now Asbury Memorial Church, a nondenominational church that continues as a haven. In fact, Hester says the only real difference at Asbury will be that he’s now able to perform same-sex marriages. “I’m a big fan of John Wesley, and Wesley was big in social justice issues,” shares Hester. “The last letter he wrote on his deathbed was to William Wilberforce who was in Parliament to try to encourage him to keep fighting against slavery, when other clergy people weren’t even talking about it. I really feel like he’d be where we are. I almost feel like more of a Methodist now.” Hester hopes this historic move will attract more people to Asbury, including those wounded by the church before. One of Hester’s plans is to host a vow renewal ceremony for all Asbury couples who weren’t able to have weddings in the church, but the plan to host it in person is not able to happen just yet. Instead, the church has hosted events on Sundays in September, from first communion to consecration of the new church to honoring what Hester calls the Elderberries, the 30 folks who were in Asbury’s congregation when he arrived in 1993. CS

NEWS & OPINION EDUCATION

Emmalyn is in 2nd grade at Georgetown. Elliott is in virtual Kindergarten at Richmond Hill Primary School.

“For the first two weeks I was aiming my laptop at the board in my classroom and the kids were struggling and they couldn’t see anything and we were all frustrated one staff member, or administrator has and discouraged. Then I discovered the been saved from COVID-19, every inconve- magic of document cameras and it was like nience, headache, late night work, and tem- my life began again. I know it sounds absoporary stress is worth it.” lutely insane, but that first day with the Linda Duncan loves teaching art and document camera was one of the happiest social studies at Jenkins High School. “I days of my life.” have taught in Chatham County for 20 As does his wife, Westbrook concurs that years, all at the same school. My colleagues he misses seeing his students in-person. “As a teacher mom, I am really happy are my second family. We have a compas“The smiles as they enter the classwith the virtual experience for my two sionate, hardworking cadre of teachers, rooms, the banter, the jokes, the facial daughters as well. It was definitely chaland administrators and we are all doing expressions, their eyes when they get lenging to get all of our schedules and live the best we can. I am not willing to risk the something and even when they don’t, the sessions down, and we made a few mistakes at first, but we are getting the hang of lives of my family or my second family, who questions, the suggestions. I love all of it. I are all going above and beyond the call of love connecting with the students.” things now.” duty every single day.” He admits that there are struggles with Jannis Glover teaches English at JenDuncan also misses seeing her students virtual teaching and says, “We’re making kins High School. “I like virtual teaching the best of it. I’m getting better and more because it gives students and teachers flex- face-to-face. “I miss the classroom environment I comfortable with the technology, and the ibility in presentation of new concepts, and kids really do want to do well. They’ve time for students to complete assignments work so hard to create - the sense of community, playing music for my kids while overall been great about communicating depending on their schedules.” they work on art projects, being able to with me.” Like all other teachers, Glover misses use all of the great materials I have to do Westbrook notes that he absolutely the personal connection with students. big collaborative pieces. Teaching virtuagrees with the decision to do virtual “I value teaching the ‘whole child’ and ally is so hard to balance. I want my kids school. that means sometimes giving a hug, a to participate, to have their cameras on so “I’m following the recommendations of listening ear, and sometimes motherly I can see their faces and mics on so I can the medical professionals. When they say advice. Random students used to stop hear their voices, but I know many of them it’s safe to end social distancing and proby my class door for a hug between class don’t want to let the whole class into their tective measures, I’ll be cool with reopenchanges. Those interactions are what I homes. I have spent more time doing tech ing,” he says. miss most. Emails don’t have the same support than anything else so far, but we “I know it’s difficult for a lot of people effect, but it doesn’t mean I’ve stopped are only a month in and I have already seen to do virtual learning, but I think putting trying to establish those relationships. The other thing I miss is my Warrior Foot- a huge improvement in how the technology students and staff at risk is not the answer, is working and in the number of kids who and I’m not willing to do it despite how ball! I’ve always been my team’s biggest are both able and willing to participate, so I much I prefer in-person.” fan, but last year I became more of a team am hopeful.” Taylor Walton teaches 7th grade ELA mom.” Duncan’s husband, David Westbrook, at STEM. Glover concludes, “The caveat to all is also an experienced educator in his “I’m lucky enough to be able to work of the struggles with virtual teaching is twentieth year, most of which have been at from home. I’m very happy that I get to knowing that lives are being protected Jenkins High School. teach and interact with students daily,” she from COVID-19. I’ve had to tell my stu“I’d much rather teach in-person, but says. dents I would take a bullet to protect them “There are plenty of frustrations with when we’ve had to deal with news of school there have been some positives with virshootings If one student, one, colleague, tual teaching,” he says. CONTINUES ON P. 10 9

Micha helping Sarah, a senior at Savannah Arts Academy with her Statistics class.

BY KRISTY EDENFIELD “I’M really grateful for Dr. Levett,” says Rebecca Greenbush, a science teacher at Oglethorpe Charter School, about the Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools Superintendent. “Her support of science has kept my family safe so far. I am frightened to return too soon,” says Greenbush. “Science is always hands-on, lab class and e-learning has not changed that! We just did our first lab last week and it went great! It does require parent support though, getting items like candy to make rocks, or sugar to make crystals, but so far the parents have been wonderful in supporting these types of experiences,” she says. “Adjusting my instruction to a virtual mode of delivery has challenged me to get creative and really take a look at how to structure the class so that the student’s screen time is monitored and meaningful. “What I miss the most is seeing the students each day. I love seeing their faces light up when they make connections with the content. I miss listening to them tell me about their interests and dreams. I also really miss being around my fellow teachers, but I’m thankful we are safe.” Greenbush continues:

CONNECT SAVANNAH | SEPTEMBER 16 - 22, 2020

Teachers: ‘Taking the COVID bullet’ for their students

EDUCATION

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Emma, Anna, and Liam attend Charles Ellis Montessori.

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getting used to the new platform and navigating issues that come up with a whole new way of teaching and learning, but none of those frustrations outweigh the risk of opening in person and losing my colleagues or students, or having to see my students deal with preventable loss of their family members. Teachers so often see students grieving, and it isn’t a process I wish on anyone, especially my middle schoolers,” she says. “I have been extremely impressed with so many of my students, they’re finding work arounds to do their work when the platform isn’t working, they’re communicating with me and self-advocating. It’s really awesome to see them come together and adapt to make the most of this situation.” Christopher Goodrich teaches 3rd grade at Southwest Elementary School. “Distance learning is going much smoother now than it did in the spring. Most of my kids are logging in every day and participating,” he says. “The new program the district released has had its issues, but my kids have adapted really well! I’m enjoying the use of technology that I’ve always wanted to use in the in person classroom, but I really miss the connection of being in class with my students,” Goodrich says. Amy Culp Jessee teaches at Islands High School. “I like how virtual teaching has led me to try new ways to interact with and engage students in the curriculum. I like how virtual learning encourages my students to practice self-advocacy,” she says. “I love all the ways my colleagues are supporting one another as we explore ways to teach effectively in the digital world. I miss being able to see their faces. It’s hard

MiCai is in 5th grade at Southwest Elementary.

to gauge facial expressions and reactions from a Zoom meeting, and I really like seeing that facial feedback as I conduct my lessons. I miss doing hands-on simulations but have been exploring ways to make my virtual lessons more interactive. Teaching virtually is very challenging. I chose my career never dreaming I’d become an internet instructor.” And the list goes on and on. Thousands of educators who would prefer to be in the classroom because they are passionate about their jobs, yet most realize that the risk is too great to them, their families, their students, their colleagues, and our community. They are willing to take a bullet for their students because in the age of school shootings that is what the job now requires, but in the wake of this pandemic, they do not want to be put in a situation where they are taking a “COVID bullet” home to their families, and we shouldn’t ask them to. CS

NEWS & OPINION CITY NOTEBOOK Nipuna Ambanpola, center, is the CEO and cofounder of IVolunteer International.

organizational profiles so nonprofits can create their own profiles. How long did it take you to develop the app?

of things to raise Savannah’s volunteerism over the last three years. We have the IVolunteer Series, a virtual talk show that happens on YouTube. We THREE YEARS ago, IVolunteer Internabring mostly young people from around tional was launched as a way to remove the world who have started nonprofits. barriers to volunteerism in Savannah. Its Another initiative we have is called cofounder and executive director, Nipuna #BirthdayDeed. People from around the Ambanpola, was an avid volunteer while world can make a pledge to do something growing up in Sri Lanka, but found fewer good on their birthday. That’s a pet project opportunities while he was attending of mine: my parents have done it since I Armstrong State University. was born, and they do it to this day. Now, IVolunteer International launches Our last initiative is, during the panits biggest initiative yet: IVolunteer Now, demic, we wanted to connect people to a mobile app that uses location tracking to volunteers for seniors and people who match volunteers to opportunities. were immunocompromised, people The app’s soft launch will happen at the who couldn’t go and get groceries, so we end of this month. launched GroceryAid. We spoke with Ambanpola about the But our biggest initiative ever is conwork IVolunteer International does, necting volunteers to volunteer projects what’s in store for its future, and how the in their local community. We’ve done it app will help take it there. for the past three years on a web platform. We’ve found that people find it hard to volTell me about IVolunteer International unteer because of a couple different things. and what you do. The first is time commitment. A lot of people in our society don’t have the time to We’re a volunteer advocacy tech-nonprofit, attend weekly meetings. and what we want to do is introduce The second problem is finances. When I and raise Savannah’s volunteerism, the was a student, I couldn’t join the organizaimpacts of volunteerism, and also allow tions I liked because they had a large memindividuals and organizations to get more bership fee. volunteers and connect to the community The third is, even if you have the for volunteer projects. We’ve done a variety time and the money, where do you find BY RACHAEL FLORA

rachael@connectsavannah.com

volunteer opportunities? Those are the three challenges we’re trying to eliminate so more people can volunteer. We wanted to see an on-demand platform, and we worked with local and national organizations to connect volunteers to their local community. We used our data, our conversations, and our experiences to bring forth a solution of a volunteering mobile app. How will the mobile app work? In a very basic sense, it will identify the user’s live location and show them volunteer projects happening around them. You can pull out your phone and say, “Oh, I want to volunteer today, I’m free from 4 to 6, let me see what’s happening.” The app will show you what’s happening around you. You can adjust the distance you want to see. The nonprofits will be able to post volunteer projects on the app, and people will be able to connect with no strings attached—you don’t have to be a member. If the nonprofit needs to do background checks, they can communicate with the volunteers and can do it on their own. In the future, we’re hoping to bring in so many other features like social impact tracking. A lot of organizations have volunteer tracking to generate their annual report, but what about reviews of people? The idea is that when you volunteer using the app, it automatically tracks your social impact: the volunteer hours you donate, how much of an economic impact you’ve made, what sort of organizations you’ve helped, how many people you’ve touched. That will all be taken into consideration and will spit out a social impact score. We’re also hoping to introduce

Does the app have a release date? It did—the 20th of August! [laughs] We had this massive event planned, but obviously because of COVID we wanted to take it online. We’re hoping to publish in late September, but we don’t have a specific date yet because we’re not going to have a big event. We’re just going to one day say, “Hey, the app is out, start downloading.” What are your goals for IVolunteer? We hope to make IVolunteer International an international organization that people can connect with for social impact. We want to be the central location where people connect to and create social impact in their local communities. That’s basically our goal in the next 20 to 30 years: become the premier technological nonprofit. It’s not just about the app; we hope we can create different funding sources for nonprofits, become a data nonprofit where people come to collect data on how people are volunteering, things like that. CS To learn more, visit ivint.org.

CONNECT SAVANNAH | SEPTEMBER 16 - 22, 2020

Local tech nonprofit IVolunteer International launches app to enhance volunteerism in our community

It’s been sort of wild because when we were building this app, not as an end product but a product that can evolve, we understand that the world is evolving and nonprofits have very different needs. That’s what we realized over the past three years from all the conversations. We started developing the app around February and outsourced technical expertise. It’s taken us about six or seven months to develop the app. One of the long term goals is data: when we expand, we hope to take all of the data on the aggregate and publish it on a public domain. The goal is that nonprofits, governments and companies will be able to go to this public website and see how people are volunteering and what sorts of needs are in different communities. As an example, we’ll be able to say in the public domain that 90% of people between 18 and 30 in Savannah volunteer for low poverty causes. So if the mayor is looking at that data, he’ll understand that if 90% of people are volunteering for low poverty causes, there’s a poverty problem in this specific area. He’ll also see that people from 18 to 30 are volunteering for this, so what sort of incentives can we give to that demographic? That’s all the public data on the aggregate that we hope to publish so the whole country can make more informed decisions in funding allocations, nonprofit programs and other things.

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BY BRITTANY HERREN 17-YEAR-OLD LaTanya “Taye” Williams was killed by a bullet not intended for her. There were four people in the house on Staley Avenue: Taye, her 27-year-old cousin Akeem and two male acquaintances ages 30 and 38. As ten bullets shot through the dusk, one hit and injured Akeem and one fatally struck Taye. During the golden hour on June 10, 2020, Taye’s carefree life as a rising junior at Beach High School was stolen from her, just as if she was nothing more than a casualty of a war that was not hers and one that Savannah Police Detective Kevin Toliver still does not understand. Toliver, a five-year veteran of the SPD, was only about three months into his stint as a detective in the homicide unit when he was called to this crime scene that served as his first and currently, only case. He had just recently transferred from the aggravated assault unit, so he was no stranger to shootings and drive-bys. In fact, in the year prior to his transfer, Savannah faced a tremendous increase in aggravated assaults. By the end of August 2019, police had investigated 182 aggravated assaults with guns, 62 more than investigated by July the previous year. Taye’s case was not a far cry from Toliver’s acclimation to reckless and vengeance-fed gun violence, but it did possess one distinctive contrast: This go-around, his victim wasn’t dodging his inquiries from a hospital bed at Memorial Health University Medical Center, they were flatlining on a table after medical staff worked frantically to save yet another young Savannah life. Unfortunately, on that day, their efforts were no match for the feeble and indiscriminate harvest of death that for Taye, happened at the conclusion of a three-minute drive in Akeem’s rented Ford Fusion from Westlake Apartments to the house of

the family inside the house called 911 and Savannah police and paramedics arrived on-scene to attempt to revive her. As I began to write this story, it occurred to me that there are two tragedies in this case. The first and most obvious, is the murder of a young girl who never got to dip her toe in adulthood, but died in what were really adult matters, never matter how naïve their resolution. The second is that this shooting occurred before the sunlight just barely melted into night. On this particular day, while the light from the sun was partly clouded, it still had the clarifying depth of discernable vision. It also happened on an avenue that while usually busy, was particularly bustling that evening, so much so, that when authorities had to hold the crime scene for three hours and block off the road, it caused a considerTaye Williams able amount of backup. Yet, when Toliver questioned witnesses, one of the car’s occupants on Staley. no one would state anything beyond what Afterwards, someone was supposed to was already known. There was a car, there buy her candy at the store, which was the was a gun and there were some gunshots. only reason she was in the car in the first Taye’s cause of death was being in place. It was a fairly typical request from a the wrong place, at the wrong time. Her teenage girl looking for a sugar fix. killer(s) walk free, but they are not the However, upon pulling into the home’s only ones who must carry the burden of driveway, an unknown vehicle driven and her death. Those who saw the car, recoccupied by an unknown number of indiognized the people in it, know what the viduals who presumably recognized the shooting was about, know who the target Fusion and followed it, opened fire without was, or who have information but have not so much as halting the hiss of their tires reported it, must also bear the weight of over the busy avenue. this unredeemable tragedy. Why? Toliver doesn’t know for sure, but Understandably, crimes like this can in reality, the reason can only be deemed carry grave consequences for those who insignificant when accompanied by death. step forward and speak to police. That’s What he does know from looking at the solely why Crime Stoppers of Savannahlabyrinth of impact marks at the crime Chatham County exists. scene, is that there was no precision and When you call the 24/7 crime, tip-line they didn’t stop moving, not even to verify at 912-234-2020 or submit an online tip the presence of their target(s) nor to assess to SavannahChathamCrimeStoppers.org, the lives in the car that they had no conflict you will remain completely anonymous. with, but regarded as dispensable. You will also qualify yourself for a cash Another certainty: The shooting, like reward up to $2,500, but that is nothing in most in Savannah, was not random. Maybe comparison to bringing justice to the most it wasn’t planned and maybe it was exeunjust of circumstances. cuted with the fidelity of passing a fruit Taye was buried on Saturday, June 20 at stand and deciding you wanted a bag of Woodville Cemetery, just one day before peaches, but it was 100 percent deliberate. the summer solstice, which marks the lonGuns on the streets multiply as if they gest day of year. It was as if the hours of the can breed and descriptions from witday were made to extend just for her. nesses, or more accurately, lack thereof, A nod to a very full life of love and innohave almost taken on anthropomorphic cence that deserved to be lived, but was characterizations because rarely does any- instead callously punctuated with a period one ever attribute an actual person at the that with this article, I am so desperately end of the gun. trying to turn into a semicolon. This story However, for Taye, something like this enrages me and I want to write the concluwasn’t even on her radar. Friends and fam- sion that it deserves, but right now, all I ily described her as kind, introverted, well- have is a plea, and the following period. CS liked by most and loved by all who knew Brittany Herren is assistant executive direcher. Akeem and the Fusion’s other two occupants, however, vaulted out of the car tor of Crime Stoppers of Savannah-Chatham County. and ran to the back of the house as if the response needed to survive was a carefully choreographed dance. Taye never made it out, except after

NEWS & OPINION NEWS OF THE WEIRD Wait, What?

Cynthia Lynn Teeple, 47, of Jacksboro, Tennessee, was charged with public intoxication after deputies found her topless in a LaFollette backyard with two miniature horses, according to authorities. WLAF reported the homeowner told deputies Teeple had been eating grass and dirt from the horse enclosure, and also chewed on one of the horses’ manes. Teeple then volunteered that “the horse’s hair is made of Laffy Taffy and Airhead candy,” according to the arrest report, and admitted she had taken methamphetamine the day before.

Bright Ideas

• In Botswana, cattle are left to graze and roam during the day, but that makes them vulnerable to attacks by lions, leopards and other carnivores, so two conservation biologists from the University of New South Wales in Australia have come up with an idea to allow both cattle and cats to co-exist, NPR reported. Because big cats hunt using the element of surprise, the biologists came up with a way to make the predators believe they’d been seen by their prey and then abandon the hunt. “We tested this by painting one-third of a cattle herd with artificial eye spots (on their backsides),” explained Cameron Radford, and over four years, “none of the cows

that we painted with artificial eye spots were killed by ambush predators.” Village chiefs and native farmers “look forward to us coming back and painting more eyes on bums,” Radford said. • Conducting choir practice indoors was out of the question for Mark Potvin, instructor of music at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, given the school’s COVID19 protocols, and finding a space outside posed a challenge until, “I was driving past the city pool,” Potvin told KCRG, and “noticed they were draining the pool.” Officials at Decorah Park and Rec gave their blessing, and now choir members rehearse while standing in the empty pool, socially distanced and masked. Luther College has five choirs and one of the nation’s largest collegiate music programs.

Least Competent Criminals

• John Travis Ross, 33, and Joshua Ray Corban, 18, were charged with conspiracy and attempting to smuggle contraband into the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility in Pearl, Mississippi, after a drone they used as a delivery device became tangled in a net above the prison fence, according to a Department of Corrections statement. The Associated Press reported the drone was caught on Aug. 26 and carried 2 ounces of marijuana, a cellphone,

cigarette lighters, phone chargers and headphones, corrections commissioner Burl Cain said. Investigators were able to trace the drone’s flight and discovered security video showing the men launching it. Cain said officials plan to reprogram the drone and use it at the state’s maximumsecurity prison in Parchman. • Three teenage girls in Clinton, Connecticut, have been arrested and charged with stealing a duck after photos of them surfaced on social media, according to police. WTNH reported the girls took a duck named Quackers out of a pen in mid-August at the Grove Garden Center Nursery, where it was recovering from a raccoon attack, and posted photos of themselves with Quackers at the town beach and a house party. The girls were charged with larceny and trespassing. Quackers is still missing.

Suspicions Confirmed

Brittany Keech of Belding, Michigan, got unexpected news with her mail on Sept. 8. “Sitting right on top of the mail,” she told WXMI, was a postcard dated 100 years ago -- Oct. 29, 1920. The Halloween greeting from young Flossie Burgess was addressed to her cousins: “I just finished my history lesson and am going to bed pretty soon.” A USPS spokesperson said,

“In most cases ... old letters and postcards -- sometimes purchased at flea markets, antique shops and even online -- are reentered into our system ... (and) as long as there is a deliverable address and postage, the card or letter gets delivered.”

Ewwwww

• An unnamed 17-year-old girl in Bokaro, India underwent surgery on Aug. 31 to remove a 15-pound hairball from her stomach following years of obsessive hairchewing, Metro News reported. A team of doctors led by Dr. G.N. Sahu initially thought the mass was a tumor, but discovered the hairball during the six-hour surgery. She was in stable condition . • Doctors at a hospital in Dagestan, Russia, were shocked to discover the source of a woman’s stomach distress was a 4-footlong snake that had apparently slithered into her mouth as she slept outside her home in Levashi village. In a video of the procedure, a doctor is heard to say, “Let’s see what this is,” Yahoo News Australia reported, as a tube is inserted down the anesthetized woman’s throat. Local residents say such incidents are not unheard of in the mountainous area. CS

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Savannah Jazz takes the Safe pledge for 2020 festival Paula Fogarty walks us through the changes for this year’s event

BY SEAN KELLY

sean@connectsavannah.com

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AS YOU might expect, the Savannah Jazz Festival will be looking a lot different this year. Over its nearly four-decade run, the festival has brought some of the biggest names in jazz to town and attracted audiences in record numbers for the city. This year, given the ongoing pandemic, the festival will be happening on a much smaller scale in person, though it will ultimately have a much wider reach thanks to TV and radio broadcasts. “The big elephant in the room was, obviously, what do we do now?” Executive Director Paula Fogarty tells Connect. “This will be our 39th year, and we’ve grown our audience attendance tremendously year after year. Last year we clocked in over 55,000 people. So we’re really growing, and so when we couldn’t gather in public we couldn’t raise funds.” Given the fact that the festival relied on sponsorship from the City of Savannah, as well as other donors, the staff at Savannah Jazz Festival had to figure out what exactly it was they were selling, and how to keep things going amid so much uncertainty. “I have to say that the board of directors for the Savannah Jazz Association is probably the best not-for-profit board I’ve ever worked with, in terms of being aligned on our mission and sticking to it,” Fogarty says. “We’re a ‘get it done’ type of organization, and the board really stepped up with me.”

Fogarty says that there was a united determination to do a Jazz Festival in 2020, with board member and Benedetto Guitars president Howard Paul even coining this year’s festival the “Come Hell or High Water Festival.” Ultimately, through “many, many long meetings,” they came up with something akin to a telethon. The festival will be live streamed and broadcast, with breaks in between sets that feature speakers talking to artists, the Mayor, stakeholders, and sponsors. “It’s not one of those static, singlecamera things that stare at the stage. We needed it to be dynamic,” Fogarty says, adding that they chose Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum as a venue in part because of the outdoor, open-air nature of the space. Dick Broadcasting is also involved to assist in livestreaming and broadcasting. “To my mind, some key words to jazz apply here: improvisation and collaboration. Without our partners, we really couldn’t present what we’ve presented to the city,” Fogarty says. They ultimately got a full endorsement from the city with full grant money intact. “I have to commend the leadership of the Savannah—the cultural resources commissioners, the Mayor, city counsel: they see the value in what we do,” she says. Some of the artists on tap for this year’s festival include legends like Ike Stubblefield and Buckwheat Zydeco, Jazmin Ghent, Emmett Cohen, Eric Culberson, Pat Bianchi, and more. Fogarty says that

all of the artists were told they would not be allowed to fly in, meaning that everyone playing will be contained in their own vehicles rather than on a public flight. What’s perhaps most important to note this year is the safety precautions for inperson audiences. “Our safety guidelines are very strict, but it’s still going to have a totally live audience vibe,” Fogarty notes. “We’re going to have 25-30 people in the studio audience, and they’ll be socially distanced. But it will look like a jazz club, and there’ll be a dance floor. The live audience component is so vital to the quality of performance; you have to have an audience to feed off of in jazz. That was an element that we could not leave out.” Audience members will be selected through a random attendance raffle, where people can enter to attend a randomlychosen show over the course of the five-day festival, which begins with a movie night on Wed., September 23. “There will be four seatings; Thursday and Friday are shorter nights, so we have one seating on Thursday and Friday, and then two on Saturday and Sunday so there’ll be an audience changeover,” Fogarty explains. “I just really want to encourage everybody to stop, pause, turn on the broadcast, and enjoy what we have to give not only Savannah but the world.” CS

SAVANNAH SAFE JAZZ FESTIVAL September 23-27, 2020, FREE For info, visit savannahjazz.org

MUSIC INTERVIEW

Catching up with DRAUCKER

Local rockers tell us what they’ve been up to ahead of Coach’s Corner show sean@connectsavannah.com

LOCAL ROCK band DRAUCKER has been tearing it up around town and beyond for years, and they’ve been building an audience steadily the entire time. They’ve got a family dynamic that’s unmistakable, and their songs are heartfelt and authentic stylistically. Recently, the group has started to play live again after not having done so for a while amid the pandemic. Ahead of their show at Coach’s Corner on Sat., September 19, we caught up with the band to see what they’ve been up to over the last several months. Tell me about what y’all have been up to since the pandemic began? Chris Draucker: Well we have continued to write music, rehearse and have limited shows. We are continuously developing

content for our fan base. We had the honor of being invited to Quarantine Concerts last April which was a great success! You can catch the entire concert on our Facebook and YouTube pages. It’s a difficult time for everyone, but for those of us in music it’s certainly been a strange year. I do feel like there are things in music that I took for granted before the pandemic. What’s one thing y’all feel like you appreciate more now that things are much more limited in terms of shows? Nick Draucker: I’ve realized how we took playing live for granted in the past playing several shows a week. The absence of the live atmosphere made me eager to get back to the roots of writing, practicing and fine tuning my skills. Now, as we are playing more and more live venues, I feel more connected to myself, my music and to the audience.

Has this uncertain time informed your writing/composing at all? CD: We have not really written specific songs in response to the pandemic. We have always focused on writing and producing excellent music that promotes positivity and goodness. We’re family based so we want our fans to become a part of that through the music. It must be great to be able to play live again. What are you most looking forward to in regard to the Coach’s show? Any particular songs you’re excited to play? ND: I’m most excited to present some of our new original songs and to see our friends and fans! We’re also playing Friday night, Sep. 18 at Flashbacks in Richmond Hill! It’s always a great time at both of these venues.

What’s next for DRAUCKER? Anything our readers should look out for in the coming months? CD: We have aspirations to launch a whole new era of DRAUCKER. This would present a more raw, internal look into the sophisticated struggles and successes of humanity. We want our music to turn your head and jerk you out of your comfort zone. That being said, we are working on releasing some of the covers we do in the live shows, as well as producing some brand new music. We are moving into a different phase professionally as we continue on our journey to be one of the most sought after bands around. CS

DRAUCKER @COACH’S CORNER Sat., Sep. 19, 7 P.M., $10+

CONNECT SAVANNAH | SEPTEMBER 16 - 22, 2020

BY SEAN KELLY

MUSIC THE BAND PAGE

BY SEAN KELLY

RHONDA FUNK @COACH’S CORNER

Rhonda Funk comes to Coach’s Corner as part of their Nashville Nights series of events, and she’ll be bringing some songs and stories along with her. The veteran singer/songwriter has a powerful voice and her songs will no doubt leave a lasting impression for both rock and country fans. Coach’s outdoor sound garden is the perfect location for some safe, socially distant music and this one is no exception. THURS., SEP. 24, 7 P.M., $5

SPITFIRE POETRY OPEN MIC

@STARLAND YARD

Join Spitfire Poetry for their poetry open mic, which takes place at Starland Yard every third Thursday. This is a unique chance, especially during such an important time in the world, to witness the art of spoken word and listen to some truly beautiful and moving poetry. If you’ve always wanted to try reading your poetry, now’s your chance! But if you’d rather watch, this is sure to be a great night of some great art. THURS., SEP. 17, 7 P.M.

BOTTLES & CANS

CONNECT SAVANNAH | SEPTEMBER 16 - 22, 2020

@COLLINS QUARTER FORSYTH

Though they’re known primarily as a blues band, Bottles & Cans goes beyond labels and is really just a fantastic rock and roll band with no boundaries. Collins Quarter’s series of shows at at their Forsyth location is a great chance to check out some live music at a reasonable hour in an open air space. Don’t miss this one! SUN., SEP. 20, 3 P.M.

Soundboard MUSIC

SOUNDBOARD IS A FREE SERVICE - TO BE INCLUDED, PLEASE SEND YOUR LIVE MUSIC INFORMATION WEEKLY TO SOUNDBOARD@CONNECTSAVANNAH.COM. DEADLINE IS NOON MONDAY, TO APPEAR IN WEDNESDAY’S EDITION. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO EDIT OR CUT LISTINGS DUE TO SPACE LIMITATIONS.

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Brady and the Bazookas@BARRELHOUSE SOUTH

Rockabilly greats Brady and the Bazookas take the Barrelhouse South stage for one of the first nights of live music that the venue has had in quite some time. Exciting guitar playing and fantastic songs abound. FRI., SEP. 18, 9 P.M.

LIVE MUSIC

Plant Riverside District Live Piano Performances, 11 a.m. & 5 p.m. Starland Yard Keith & Ross, 6 p.m. The Wormhole Open Jam, 9 p.m.

THURSDAY 9.17 LIVE MUSIC

Coach’s Corner Nashville Nights Presents Daniel Neihoff, 7 p.m., Nashville Nights w/ Daniel Neihoff, 7 p.m. Cohen’s Retreat Munchies and Music, 5-9 p.m. The Perch at Local 11 ten Mary Kenyon, 5:30 p.m. Plant Riverside District Live Piano Performances, 11 a.m. & 5 p.m. Rancho Alegre Cuban Restaurant Gypsy Jazz, 7 p.m. Savannah Smiles Dueling Pianos, 7 p.m. Totally Awesome Bar Standup Comedy Open Mic, 8 p.m.

FRIDAY 9.18 LIVE MUSIC

Barrelhouse South Brady and the Bazookas, 9 p.m.

Jazz’d Tapas Bar Jason Bible Mansion on Forsyth Park Big E and James, 7 p.m. Molly McGuire’s Tell Scarlet, 6 p.m., Tell Scarlet Duo, 6 p.m. Plant Riverside District Live Piano Performances, 11 a.m. & 5 p.m. Rancho Alegre Cuban Restaurant Live Jazz Music, 6:30 p.m. Savannah Smiles Dueling Pianos, 7 p.m. Service Brewing Company Bluegrass By The Pint w/ Swamptooth, 5:30 p.m. Totally Awesome Bar Eighty3s, 9 p.m. Victory North SUSTO, 9 p.m. The Warehouse Kyle Shiver, 8 p.m. Wild Wing Cafe Eric Clark, 7 p.m.

SATURDAY 9.19 LIVE MUSIC

The 5 Spot Live at The 5 - Featuring Seldom Sober, 6-9 p.m. Bar Food Drag Me to the Disco Drag Brunch, noon Barrelhouse South Lyn Avenue, 9 p.m. Churchill’s Pub Kyle Shiver, 6 p.m. Coach’s Corner Draucker, 7 p.m. Jazz’d Tapas Bar Tyler Roe Molly McGuire’s Keith & Ross, 6 p.m.

Plant Riverside District Live Piano Performances, 11 a.m. & 5 p.m. Rancho Alegre Cuban Restaurant Live Jazz Music, 6:30 p.m. Savannah Smiles Dueling Pianos, 7 p.m. Wild Wing Cafe Hannah Price, Free Spirits, 3 p.m.

SUNDAY 9.20 LIVE MUSIC

Collins Quarter at Forsyth Live Music, 3 p.m. Congress Street Social Club Voodoo Soup, 10:30 p.m. The Perch at Local 11 ten Susanna Kennedy, 5:30 p.m. Starland Yard The Band AMAR, 6 p.m.

MONDAY 9.21 LIVE MUSIC

Plant Riverside District Live Piano Performances, 11 a.m. & 5 p.m.

TUESDAY 9.22 LIVE MUSIC

Plant Riverside District Live Piano Performances, 11 a.m. & 5 p.m.

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CONNECT SAVANNAH | SEPTEMBER 16 - 22, 2020

WEDNESDAY 9.16

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CONNECT SAVANNAH | SEPTEMBER 16 - 22, 2020

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Savannah’s rooftop bars offer range of drink, food, and enjoyment BY JESSICA FARTHING

THESE days, we are safer grouping outside. As Savannah’s weather hopefully grows cooler, you can’t beat a spot high above the city to meet for drinks. Whether the group is looking for live music, fun and games or an incomparable view, there are quite a few options in the city for drinks on a rooftop. Here are just 18 a few:

The Lost Square

On Top of the Alida Hotel Situated right on the riverfront, The Lost Square offers a panoramic view of the bridge to South Carolina and the container ships and vessels passing in the Savannah River plus a fireplace for cooler nights. The small plates and drinks are Southerninspired, like the Praline Old-Fashioned made with pecan-infused rum. The professionals behind the bar are currently hard at work crafting a fall menu revisiting some classic cocktails updated with

Peregrin

seasonal and local ingredients. Arthur Sertorio, Food and Beverage Manager for the hotel, hopes that people like the approachable atmosphere enough to stay longer, “We cater to locals, tourists, families, couples, groups of friends. I would rather a group of four guests stay for an hour ordering two rounds than eight guests ordering one drink and going somewhere else. I think that’s what makes our rooftop special. People come to take their time and have great food and drink. www.thelostsquare.com

Top Deck

On Top of The Cotton Sail Hotel Top Deck overlooks the Savannah River and the Talmadge bridge with an open air view over Hutchinson Island. The bar focuses on stocking Georgia brands to support local breweries. Head Chef Zak Pribble infuses Southern influences into his light assortment of tapas, sandwiches and sliders complimented by the largest wine by the glass menu in Savannah. The famous sunset parties on Thursday and Sunday are Savannah fun at its finest, complete with a live D.J. Enjoy the pulled pork tacos with Service Brewing’s Compass Rose IPA or sample the Georgia Spring Roll filled with pork, collard greens, black-eyed peas and topped with a tangy BBQ sauce with an ice cold glass of Rock Point Pinot Gris.

On Top of the Perry Lane Hotel Peregrin embodies tropical luxury, the elegant space offering not only refreshing drinks and incredible food but a sunset view of the Savannah cityscape. Play a game of Bocce or swim a lap in the year round pool. The Peregrin makes a great spot to check out the First Friday fireworks downtown, mixing the locals and hotel guests for an entertaining night outdoors. If it rains, Peregrin has a covered area near the bar to escape the weather. They also host local pop-ups and wellness classes from Otium. Stop for lunch or have a dessert along with a curated wine list. Peregrin also accepts reservations to guarantee your spot. peregrinsavannah.com

Perch

On Top of Local 11 Ten Perch lives up to the definition of its name. Tess Ryter, General Manager of Local 11 Ten, explains, “the nice thing about Perch is that it’s kind of nestled amongst the trees. You really kind of lose yourself, lose track of time.” The best part of sitting comfortably in the cushioned lounge area is that drinks can be paired with the fresh farm to table options available in the restaurant. To open more space for social distancing, the whole menu is being served. Tess says, “You can get the full experience up there, which is really nice.” The seating is on a first-come-firstserve basis and weather permitting, but a full slate of musical artists are planned for nights on the rooftop. While most are

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The Lost Square

acoustic guitar, the live music pulls from a large variety of styles. local11ten.com/perch

Churchill’s

Electric Moon

On Top of Plant Riverside Electric Moon is the city’s newest hot spot, with lines stretching out, socially distanced, to get into the door. The cocktails are paired with small bar food bites that make the most of international flavors, like Jerk Chicken Wings or Pork Belly Bao Buns. The most unique aspect of the rooftop spot isn’t just its view of the river or its modern artwork. Locals and visitors alike are loving the adult games available to channel their inner kid, complete with a playground slide. Never a boring spot, Electric Moon also has cornhole, ping pong, a hook and ring game and a beer pong table ready for fun with friends. www.marriott.com/hotels/hotel-information/restaurant/savjw-jw-marriottsavannah-plant-riverside-district/

Rocks on the Roof

On Top of the Bohemian Hotel Also overlooking the river, Rocks on the Roof serves cocktails like the Georgia Peach and Low Country Tiki coupled with rustic decor and a covered and outdoor dining area. The menu is themed after a ‘Port of Call’, a nod to Savannah’s bustling port. Tapas like Korean Tacos, Mediterranean Flatbread, Spanish Meat and Cheese Platter, Peruvian Ceviche and Savannah Wings with Peach BBQ sauce are popular with visitors enjoying the sunset view at this swank spot. www.kesslercollection.com/ bohemian-savannah/

Perch

Electric Moon

Churchill’s

On Bay Street, Churchill’s British Pub claims the title of Savannah’s first rooftop bar, though it’s closed for business for the next few months. Since the spot had been in use for a while, the owners decided that it was time for a facelift. Katlyn Lamont, Guest Experiences Coordinator, tells Connect about the future plans for the rooftop space. “We’re putting in brand new TVs to watch soccer matches or football games. We’re redoing the whole entire bar and will have craft cocktails exclusive to the rooftop bar, different than downstairs. We’ll still have that British Pub vibe. We aren’t losing that.” They have recently started serving lunch in the downstairs restaurant seven days a week and when the rooftop opens again in late October or early November, guests can get lunch, small plates or dinner there as well as their favorite beverage. The space will also be open for private party rentals. Katlyn says to watch the social media for sneak peaks on live music, new cocktails or the remodel. churchillsonbay.com/

CONNECT SAVANNAH | SEPTEMBER 16 - 22, 2020

NIGHTLIFE

CULTURE THE ART•BEAT OF SAVANNAH

Summer Sun on the Marsh by Stacie Albano. Work by José Ray.

Celebrating the ‘New Moon’

Dolls by Joan Simmons.

Grand Bohemian Gallery at the Mansion on Forsyth holds first show since quarantine

BY RACHAEL FLORA

rachael@connectsavannah.com

CONNECT SAVANNAH | SEPTEMBER 16 - 22, 2020

SAVANNAH’S tight-knit art community has suffered through quarantine. Without weekly receptions and other assorted art events to attend, the artists and art lovers in this town have been relegated to seeing each other through Instagram and Zoom. But there ain’t nothing like the real thing, baby, and seeing each other through a screen only takes the edge off for a little while. Our art community wants to be together again, but the pandemic makes gatherings fairly difficult. So when Carmen Aguirre, gallery director of the Grand Bohemian Gallery at the Mansion on Forsyth Park, was presented with an opportunity to have an exhibition after a months-long hiatus, she knew just what she wanted to show. “I always felt that if we were able to open up again, that I would open the doors to Savannah, which meant our artists and our locals who have always been so supportive of us,” says Aguirre. “It just seemed the right thing to do, to open our doors for our people.” That’s what’s special about “New Moon,” the first exhibition held by the Mansion after the pandemic. The reception on Sept. 17 will open the doors for not just the art community but for the rest of Savannah as well. During the reception, the front of the Mansion will be closed off to allow for 20 more space to see the artwork. Several

pieces will be placed outside, and the flow of people into the gallery will be closely monitored to keep participants as safe as possible. This is the first time the hotel has been this involved with a reception, and that’s certainly by design. The Mansion’s new general manager approached Aguirre with an idea to close the front of the hotel and run the valet on the side of the hotel instead. Aguirre had already been thinking of ways to host an opening, so the ideas flowed from there. “Everyone’s really excited about it because just about every department is involved, so you can put a face to the property,” says Aguirre. “This is away from the more touristic place: we’re in the middle of a residential area and the park. You do feel like this is home.” This outreach effort comes on the heels of a big moment for the Mansion’s owner Richard Kessler: his newest property, Plant Riverside District, recently opened on River Street. But for Aguirre, it doesn’t feel like a moment so much as it does a continuation of momentum. “Every property has its own identity, its own way of functioning,” she says. “The three of them are completely different, and they attract different people.” Now, this effort asserts the Mansion as a destination for locals. The nine artists in the show—Bede Van Dyke, Stacie Jean Albano, Heather L. Young, Julia Christian, Joan Simmons, Kristen Baird, Christopher Carpentino, José Ray and Paul Alico—are all Savannah locals. “The artwork is going to be very diverse,” says Aguirre. “Perhaps some of

Work by Chris Carpentino.

the subject matter will be similar—you can’t help but not get away from nature here, so you’ll see some of that.” Aguirre makes a solid point here: the silver lining of quarantine is that all the free time allowed people to break away from their normal routines and get out of a rut. “I think it’s interesting to see what came out of people’s quarantine,” she says. “I think that the beginning was a bit of a jolt. We’re so programmed and geared to always be kept in motion and busy or else you just felt like you’re not taking advantage of life—and maybe we weren’t.” Getting out of that rut, Aguirre thinks, led people to create some great artwork. “It was concentrating and reexamining without a deadline,” says Aguirre. “Now you have all the time to really go through a process of thinking and letting it melt, and then creating. Time really had no significance in terms of, ‘I’ve got to get up at 7.’ I think you’re going to see a lot of it come out in a very positive way in the art.” Also, now that there’s a chance to show work together again, Aguirre says the artists’ excitement is palpable. “Everybody was feeling the distancing and not being able to see people,” she says. “When the opportunity came to get together and put something on, there’s excitement.” “New Moon” also marks the first time

Sending Love by Julia Christian.

Aguirre has Joan Simmons in her roster. “I remember the first time I met Miss Joan,” says Aguirre. “She is just a presence when she walks in—you can’t miss her.” After meeting several times at openings, Aguirre and Simmons ran into each other at Kroger, of all places. Simmons noted that this partnership must have been meant to be, and Aguirre agreed. Now, Simmons will show her dolls, which are quite unique. “They’re all little Joans,” says Aguirre of the dolls. “They’re all aspects of her.” The exhibition will be a great collection of local artists and interesting work, as well as a great opportunity to socialize with each other again. But be mindful of the guidelines, which are put into place to allow in-person events to happen at all. “By doing this and being strict with how we handle it, it’s to let people know that we have this, and there are guidelines we have to follow,” says Aguirre. “There are things we can still do in a modified way, but we can still do them.” CS

‘NEW MOON’ OPENING RECEPTION Thurs., Sept. 17, 5-8 p.m. Grand Bohemian Gallery at the Mansion on Forsyth Park, 700 Drayton St.

JONESIN’ CROSSWORD

CULTURE VISUAL ARTS

QUESTIONS

WITH

“REPORT CARD” --HOW DID WE DO? [#373, AUG. 2008]

Taunya Benton

PHILLY NATIVE Taunya Benton has always been creative, but when she began making jewelry for herself and her daughter, she realized that people wanted to buy her designs. She launched Taunya Benton Designs about ten years ago to sell her handmade work. Benton moved to Savannah from Gainesville, Georgia, five years ago after loving it as a vacation spot. She’s a selftaught artist who learned how to solder from YouTube, and she takes pride in the fact that each of her pieces bears her personal touch. We spoke with Benton last week.

1. How did you start your business?

2.Why is it important to you to make your art by hand?

I consider myself a jewelry artist. I do make things in repetition, but I’m not a jewelry manufacturer. Every piece you get resembles the other piece, but it’s always going to be a little different because today is a little different than yesterday. I had a lady order a freeform ring; it’s called Flow. She said, “Well, it’s not exactly like the one in the picture.” And I said, “Well, the one in the picture is almost eight months old, and we’ve evolved since then.” A lot of people are vibing with the whole handmade, bespoke type of vibe. I’ve been doing really well this past year; it’s really been blowing my mind. I was chugging along and doing pretty good; I was doing

Benton, above, with her designs.

every market and craft fair I could get into. And when COVID hit and a lot of makers didn’t have an outlet to sell things because everything was shut down, I was very grateful that I had a good online presence that I started when I lived in northeast Georgia because where we lived, there were no markets. We had maybe two boutiques in Gainesville.

What’s your philosophy behind making art? I say that my jewelry is inspired by my past lives because I don’t know where it comes from. I’ve never done this before. I look at some stuff I make and I’m like, “Damn.” I believe in reincarnation, that we come back as someone else or something else. I definitely was a jeweler down the line.

4. What’s your creative process usu-

ally like?

I try to sit down and do little collections. People say you’ll make more money if you do things that relate to each other. I tried to do that and hit a wall—I’d sit there and not be able to do anything. But sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and I have to write down my notes because I’ll dream of a necklace and if I don’t have a pen or pencil, I’ll pick up my phone and

CONTINUES ON P. 22

ACROSS

1 It may be fatal 5 Disease contracted by Seal at an early age 10 Brand that pops up frequently in crosswords? 14 Sitar master Shankar 15 ___ ear and out the other 16 Get ready for surgery 17 Couturier Cassini 18 British pottery manufacturer known for bone china 19 City that represents a county 20 Helgenberger of “Erin Brockovich” 21 Less polluted 22 Rowboat need 23 ___-country (Drive-By Truckers’ genre) 25 “Damn, it’s cold out!” 26 “Ty Murray’s Celebrity Bull Riding Challenge” network 27 The Hulk’s catalyst 29 Food vendor’s requirement (abbr.) 30 Resource 33 Last name in riding lawnmowers 34 “___ bin ein Berliner” (famous JFK quote) 35 Desert landscape features 36 Spicy spread 37 ___ Na Na (group that preceded Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock) 38 It’s said coming and

going 39 Kiddie lit web spinner who gets a B? 42 Fashion line? 43 Cartoonist who created Tintin 44 Insignia on Cardinals caps 45 Hathor or Hera, e.g. 47 Won back 51 John’s 2008 adversary 56 Gave high honors 58 “Out of Africa” author Isak 59 Element taken in supplements 60 Flea market event 61 Sets up tents 62 Brand with the discontinued flavor Grape Watermelon

DOWN

1 “You’ll hear ___ my lawyer!” 2 “Ooh ___!” 3 Singer Cocker who gets a C? 4 Leeway 5 Cindy Brady’s impediment 6 Like private phone numbers 7 Billionaire Branson who gets an F? 8 Price at a dime a dozen, perhaps? 9 Fortune teller 10 They’re added to foot baths

11 “Dilbert” cartoonist Adams who gets an A? 12 Equipment 13 Makes a decision 24 Hot concept 26 Chocolate necessity 27 Sum up 28 It comes straight from the horse’s mouth 31 Fred’s wife, on “I Love Lucy” 32 ___ Maria (liqueur) 40 Get all emotional and teary-eyed 41 Part of GLAAD 45 Fade out, like a light 46 “We ___ song of sorrow ...” (lyric from Saves the Day’s “What Went Wrong”) 47 Beat too fast, like a heart 48 McGregor of “Angels & Demons” 49 Mineral that’s the softest on the Mohs scale 50 Killer whale 52 Bodily system that includes the lungs (abbr.) 53 Acronym that sometimes means “right now” 54 Word after blood or fuel 55 Place to play horsey 57 Dungeons & Dragons game runners, for short 58 Withdrawal symptoms

CONNECT SAVANNAH | SEPTEMBER 16 - 22, 2020

I started making jewelry for myself and my daughter. I’ve always made stuff—I’m a seamstress, I’ve dabbled in making furniture, I love making stuff out of necessity because we used to be broke. My dad used to wear a tool belt to work and I was fascinated with it. I started making jewelry out of little broken pieces from my jewelry box because I hate to throw away stuff. I’m always like, “Oh, it’s going to be something else one day.” That’s how it started: thrifting pieces and redoing them, before I could actually buy real supplies. People kept wanting to buy them right off me, so I had to get a website and Facebook.

VISUAL ARTS

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

write out in words what it’s supposed to look like so I can go back later. I’m influenced by color and the seasons. I think about how a piece of jewelry is going to look in a turtleneck. What are you going to wear it with? I don’t even know if this is how other jewelers do it. I don’t know if I’m doing it right.

5. What are your future plans? When I first moved here, I thought I wanted a brick and mortar. But Sears closed down, so who am I? The future would be doing more of the same, maybe creating for TV or movies. I’m a little upset that Beyonce didn’t use

any of my pieces in her new video, but I’ve got her for next time. I’d love to open a jewelry boutique, some place that would be my studio, my workspace and my retail space together. I don’t know whether that’ll be here or at the house because I have sizable studio space, but my daughter’s living in it now. Now that there’s this [virus], nobody

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY ARIES (March 21-April 19)

In one of your past lives, maybe you were a Neanderthal midwife in what’s now southern France. In another incarnation, you may have been a 17th-century Guarani shaman who shared your knowledge about local plants with an Italian Jesuit missionary in what’s now Uruguay. All the powers and aptitudes you perfected in those and other previous ages could prove helpful as you cultivate your genius in the coming weeks. JUST KIDDING! Cancel my previous speculations,. For you Aries folks, past achievements are often of secondary importance as you create your future. In fact, your mandate is usually to transcend the old days and old ways. It may be better not to imitate or rely on old stories, no matter how dazzling. This will be especially true in the coming weeks.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

“There are no ordinary feelings,” says poet Dean Young. “Just as there are no ordinary spring days or kicked over cans of paint.” That’s always true, but it will be especially true for you in the coming weeks. I suspect you will be host to a wealth of interesting, unique, and profound feelings. They might be a bit overwhelming at times, but I think they will mostly provide rich opportunities for your soul to grow deeper and stronger and more resilient.

CONNECT SAVANNAH | SEPTEMBER 16 - 22, 2020

GEMINI (May 21-June 20)

“There should be a science of discontent,” said novelist Frank Herbert. “People need hard times and oppression to develop psychic muscles.” I partially agree with that observation, but I also think it’s a gratuitous cliché that’s not at all absolute. In fact, our culture is under the spell of a mass delusion that tempts us to believe “no pain, no gain” is the supreme learning principle. I’d like to see the development of a robust science of contentment: how fascination and freedom and generosity can build psychic muscles. You’ll be a good candidate to study that subject in the coming weeks.

CANCER (June 21-July 22)

Cancerian songwriter Mathangi Arul-

pragasam is better known by her stage name M.I.A. She has accomplished a lot in her 45 years on the planet, having been nominated for three Grammy Awards and an Academy Award. *Esquire* magazine named her the 75th most influential person of the 21st century. One key to her success is the fact that she formulated a clear master plan many years ago, and has used it to guide her decisions. In her song “Matangi,” she refers to it: “If you’re gonna be me, you need a manifesto / If you ain’t got one, you better get one presto.” I bring this to your attention, Cancerian, because the coming weeks will be an excellent time to formulate (or re-formulate) your life manifesto and master plan.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)

“If you’re not invited to the party, throw your own,” declares singer and actress Diahann Carroll. In the coming weeks, I urge you Leos to use that advice as a metaphor in every way you can imagine. For example, if you’re not getting the love you want from a certain someone, give it to yourself. If no one hands you the opportunity you need, hand it to yourself. If you wish people would tell you what you want to hear, but they’re not saying it, tell yourself what you want to hear. It’s a time when you need to go beyond mere self-sufficiency. Be self-gratifying, selfrewarding, self-acknowledging.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

“At the necessary moment, going naked will be your most convincing disguise,” writes poet Dobby Gibson. As I apply his witty statement to your life, I’ll interpret it metaphorically. My sense is that you could really use the kind of “disguise” he’s talking about. What I mean is that you would benefit by appearing to be different from what people expect of you. You can gain key advantages by shifting the image you present to the world—by expressing a part of your identity that is not usually obvious. And I think the best way to do that is to “go naked”—i.e. be candid and transparent and vulnerable about your core truths.

knows what it’s going to be. This year I was asked to be a part of Craft Scout. I wanted to do my own market, but I didn’t know how, so when they asked me I was like, “Yes, now I can learn how to do it!” CS Follow Taunya on Instagram at @taunyabentondesign.

BY ROB BREZSNY

beautyandtruth@freewillastrology.com

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

Libran playwright Wendy Wasserstein wrote, “Every year I resolve to be a little less the me I know and leave a little room for the me I could be. Every year I make a note not to feel left behind by my friends and family who have managed to change far more than I.” I recommend Wasserstein’s practice to you, dear Libra. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to launch this ritual as an annual tradition. For best results, write it out as a vow. I mean take a pen and paper and compose a solemn pledge, then sign it on the bottom to seal your determination.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

“I may not lead the most dramatic life,” confesses singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright, “but in my brain it’s War and Peace every day.” He was referencing Leo Tolstoy’s sprawling, exuberant 1,200-page novel *War and Peace*, which features stories about five families who lived through Napoléon’s invasion of Russia in the 19th century. I’m guessing that these days your fantasy life may also be filled with epic fairy tales and heroic sagas and tear-jerking myths. Is there a problem with that? Not necessarily. It could be quite entertaining and educational. I do recommend that you keep your actual life a little calmer and saner, however.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

“I rejoice to live in such a splendidly disturbing time!” said author Helen Keller (1880–1968). She was a smart activist who worked hard in behalf of women’s equality, labor rights, antimilitarism, and socialism. Was she being sarcastic in saying she loved being alive during a time of upheaval? Not at all. She derived excitement and vigor from critiquing injustice. Her lust for life soared as she lent her considerable energy to making life on earth more enjoyable for more people. I invite you to consider adopting her attitude in the coming weeks. It’s a good time to experiment with generating the personal power that becomes available by taking practical action in behalf of your high ideals.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

You know what perfectionists are: people who obsessively strive to finesse every last detail, polishing and honing so compulsively that they risk sucking all the soul out of the finished product. In contrast to them, I propose that we identify a different class of humans known as *imperfectionists*. They understand that a ferocious drive for utter purity can make things sterile and ugly. They resolve to cultivate excellence while at the same time they understand that irregularities and eccentricities may infuse their work with beauty. I hope you’ll act like an imperfectionist in the coming weeks, Capricorn.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

“Everything good I’ve ever gotten in life, I only got because I gave something else up,” writes author Elizabeth Gilbert. To that melodramatic declaration, I say, “Really? Everything? I don’t believe you.” And yet I do think she has a point. On some occasions, the most effective strategy for bringing good new influences into our lives is to sacrifice an influence or habit or pattern we’re attached to. And often the thing that needs to be sacrificed is comfortable or consoling or mildly pleasurable. I suspect that the coming weeks will offer you one of these opportunities, Aquarius.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)

“I and me are always too deeply in conversation,” confessed philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. I wonder why he said “too deeply” and not just “deeply.” Did he mean his dialogs with himself distracted him from important matters in the world outside of his imagination? Was he implying that he got so consumed while conducting his self-interviews that he lost his bearings and forgot what his goals were? With these cautions in mind, Pisces, I invite you to dive into an intense but spacious communion with yourself. Make this a delightful and illuminating conference, not a raging debate or a debilitating argument.

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