Gas prices drop in metro Savannah

Average retail gasoline prices in the Savannah area have fallen 4.2 cents a gallon in the past week to $1.74 a gallon on Sunday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 262 gas outlets in Savannah.

The national average has fallen 5.2 cents a gallon in the last week to $1.74, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com.

Prices Sunday in the Savannah area were 34.3 cents a gallon lower than the same day one year ago and are 21.5 cents a gallon lower than a month ago. The national average has decreased 24.6 cents a gallon during the last month and stands 43.4 cents lower than a year ago.

According to GasBuddy historical data, gasoline prices on Feb. 8 in Savannah have ranged widely over the last five years:

• $2.08 a gallon in 2015;

• $3.21 a gallon in 2014;

• $3.51 a gallon in 2013;

• $3.48 a gallon in 2012; and

• $3.04 a gallon in 2011.

Average gas prices in the region include:

• Jacksonville — $1.72 a gallon, down 2.2 cents from last week’s $1.74.

• Augusta — $1.63 a gallon, down 4.2 cents from last week’s $1.67.

• South Carolina — $1.56 a gallon, down 2.8 cents from last week’s $1.59.

Doctor expands vascular surgery services to Pooler

Dr. Lee Yates, founder of Savannah Surgery Center and Medical Director of Vascular Surgery at St. Joseph’s/Candler, has expanded his practice into Pooler.

Yates is seeing patients at the St. Joseph’s/Candler Physician Specialty Center, 105 Grand Central Blvd., Suite 106. He specializes in the treatment of arterial and venous disorders using minimally invasive techniques.

To schedule an appointment or for more information, call 912-354-8331.

Organization seeks to honor administrative professional

The Small Business Assistance Corp. in Savannah, a local nonprofit economic development organization, is looking to award the T. McCoy Cornerstone Award to a local administrative professional for their hard work.

Nominations must be in 500 words or less, telling SBAC why the person deserves the award and must include the nominee’s name, title/position, company and contact information. Submissions should be sent to Kelly at knguyen@sbacsav.com, including the nominator’s contact information.

The winner will receive a plaque and $500. Deadline for submissions is March 31.

The SBAC provides loans and technical assistance for new and existing small businesses in the city of Savannah, southeast Georgia and the Lowcountry of South Carolina.

Savannah city officials recently released yet another draft of the proposed alcohol ordinance rewrite.

Before reading my take on the new ordinance, you might want to check it out for yourself at http://www.savannahga.gov/alcohol.

The latest version has the same key concepts and provisions that were in the summer 2015 draft, but the language has been streamlined. It appears about one-third of the words were trimmed from the previous draft.

And it seems to me we have a document that, at long last, looks pretty good, although I could certainly have missed some problematic details.

One of the most important, necessary and welcome changes from our current ordinance is the inclusion of new classes of license holders.

The new ordinance would include licenses for caterers, manufacturers and brewers, retail sellers, package sellers, wholesalers and complimentary service. The inclusion of that final category would finally give salons, stores and other types of businesses a legal way to provide complimentary wine and beer to customers.

The new ordinance also has provisions for event venues that are not open on a daily basis.

Retail license holders that host “live entertainment performances” — a definition that excludes karaoke, by the way — can apply for an underage permit, which allows 18- to 20-year-olds to be in the establishment for the duration of the performances.

I’m sure there will be some public debate about this change, but, as I have documented extensively in previous columns, the proposed new ordinance would simply allow Savannah entrepreneurs and young adult residents the same rights they would be afforded in cities across the Southeast.

A 2014 draft detailed especially rigid rules for security at bars, even those with no history of problems, but the current draft takes a more common sense approach. All bars will have to submit public safety plans, and a variety of guidelines will give officials leverage to ensure establishments do not become public nuisances.

That 2014 draft also proposed extending the to-go cup boundary slightly southward along the Bull Street corridor to include Forsyth Park.

In recent drafts, city officials have abandoned that proposal, so there would be no change to the current to-go cup boundaries although the new ordinance does include language that would make it legal to drink alcohol in Forsyth Park during some official events.

I strongly favor extending the to-go cup zone to areas south of Forsyth Park along the Bull Street corridor, but that’s a discussion for another day — or another year.

Mid-year implementation of the new ordinance could be problematic, but some folks have already been waiting a long, long time for key elements of the draft to become law.

City Talk appears every Sunday and Tuesday. Bill Dawers can be reached via billdawers@comcast.net. Send mail to 10 E. 32nd St., Savannah, GA 31401.

SEA ISLAND — Gov. Nathan Deal kicked off the 2016 Georgia Foreign Trade Conference on Monday morning with high praise for the Georgia Ports Authority and its outgoing director Curtis Foltz.

“For 12 years, he’s done a great job in raising the value of the port, increasing its worth to the state and literally putting the Port of Savannah on the world map,” Deal said, noting that 2015 was another record-breaking year for the GPA.

“From total tonnage and container tonnage to container volume and intermodal freight, 2015 pushed the bar even higher,” Deal said. “Container volumes grew an astounding 17 percent to a record 3.7 million TEUs.

“Overall, the Ports Authority has enjoyed 28 consecutive months of year-over-year growth and will continue to grow as we move through this year,” Deal told maritime executives from around the country who gathered at the Cloister for the two-day conference.

“Ours is the No. 2 container port on the East Coast, after the Port of New York/New Jersey, and if it continues to grow in the fashion it has recently, I believe it may eventually be No. 1,” he said.

For its part, Deal said, Georgia’s Statewide Strategic Transportation Plan includes the widening of Interstate 16 between Interstate 516 and Interstate 95 — a heavy truck corridor into and out of the ports — as well as the establishment of truck-only lanes on Interstate 75 from Macon to Atlanta.

And the Jimmy DeLoach Parkway will be complete by the end of this year, providing direct access into the port from the interstate and taking trucks off secondary roads.

Port growth is expected to ramp up with the opening this year of the expanded Panama Canal, making the ports’ deepening project even more critical, he said.

“We as a state made the commitment to do our part in funding this major project, and over the last three years, we’ve put in some $266 million, which is the state’s portion,” Deal said.

“We’ve led the way. Now we’re going to continue to insist the federal government live up to its end of the bargain.

“I’m saying we need $90 million from appropriations in this next federal budget cycle in order to keep this project on track and on schedule,” he said. “I recognize that there are many ways to come up with that $90 million, and I really don’t expect it to be in the president’s upcoming budget announcement.

“But I do expect that the Corps of Engineers will have money allocated in a bucket for those construction projects that are shovel-ready. We’re more than shovel ready, we’re dredging. We should be at — or very near — the top of that list,” Deal said, looking directly into the audience to find Brig. Gen. C. David Turner, commander of the South Atlantic Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

“Gen. Turner and I have talked, and I know the general is going to work with us to do as much as possible to reach our goal,” he said. “It’s a multi-year project, but we can’t afford to fall behind.”

President Obama is expected to release his proposed budget today.

Turner said the remainder of the Corps’ construction allocations for fiscal 2016 will be released simultaneously.

In Monday’s keynote address, Oscar Bazán, executive vice president of planning and business development for the Panama Canal Authority, said the multi-billion-dollar canal expansion was 96 percent done as of the end of December.

“Right now, we’re looking at eight to 10 weeks to completion,” Bazán said. “We expect to begin vessel testing around the end of April or beginning of May and open the new locks to commercial traffic early in the second half of the year.”

The release of President Barack Obama’s budget recommendations Tuesday drew immediate criticism from Gov. Nathan Deal for including less than is needed to keep the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project — or SHEP — on track.

The administration’s budget request includes $42.7 million for the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project for fiscal year 2017, which begins Oct. 1. The administration also added another $24.3 million for the project for the current fiscal year, thanks in part to additional funds that Congress appropriated for the overall U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ budget.

Deal has said that any amount less than $90 million would put the project further behind schedule and jeopardize the Port of Savannah’s market share.

He was joined by U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and David Perdue, R-Ga., along with U.S. Representative Earl L. “Buddy” Carter, R-Ga., who demanded answers from the Obama administration on its failure to include adequate levels of critical funding for the project

“It’s really unbelievable that the same president who called this a ‘We Can’t Wait’ project and sent his vice president here to proclaim this will get done ‘Come hell or high water’ can’t put enough money in his budget to keep it on track,” Carter said Tuesday.

“Failing to provide adequate funding for this critical project will result in delays and threaten to increase the cost to taxpayers. This project is essential for jobs and economic growth in the First District, the Southeast, and the entire nation and this administration must realize this truth and prioritize the project. This has been a long fight, which is clearly not over, and I will do everything in my power to ensure the federal government meets the commitment of the state.”

According to the Army Corps of Engineers’ current construction plan, if the federal government fails to provide at least $80-$100 million a year to the project, for fiscal years 2017-2020, the project cannot be completed on time and the resulting delays will cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.

In an October 2015 letter to Office of Management and Budget Director Shaun Donovan, the Georgia congressional delegation explained why it is critical that the administration include at least $100 million a year in federal funding for SHEP so the project can stay on track, avoid cost overruns and prevent timing setbacks.

“I am extremely disappointed that the president is shortchanging a critical infrastructure project such as SHEP while instead spending $300 billion on new ‘green’ projects and levying a new oil tax on hardworking families,” Isakson said. “The administration has inflicted irresponsible cuts on the Army Corps of Engineers’ overall budget.”

Perdue agreed.

“Over the past 15 years, the Savannah Port has been the fastest-growing port in the country,” Perdue said. “Completing the expansion of the harbor will have a dramatic economic impact not only on Georgia, but the entire country. This must remain a priority for the United States to compete globally and expand American made products into new markets.

“The Obama administration’s budget cuts the Army Corps of Engineers’ overall budget by 22 percent, including a 40 percent cut to the Corps’ construction account from the Congressionally-appropriated $1.86 billion to $1.1 billion. The vast majority of those downsized funds are going toward various conservation and environmental projects across the country rather than toward improving our country’s major infrastructure and transportation assets such as the Port of Savannah,” Perdue said.

Deal said the president’s request underscores the fact that the administration just doesn’t get it.

“The suggested allocation, which underfunds arguably the most critical dredging project in the country, appears to be the largest of any deep draft navigation projects in the president’s budget,” said Deal in a statement from his office.

Kurt Nagle, president and CEO of the American Association of Port Authorities, the recognized and unified voice of the U.S. seaport industry, also expressed disappointment in the funding levels suggested for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers coastal navigation programs.

The proposed budget would significantly reduce funding for navigation maintenance and improvements across the country, which Nagle said is desperately needed to ensure America’s international competitiveness and to allow the nation’s ports to accommodate increasingly large, sea-going vessels.

“International trade now accounts for fully 30 percent of the U.S. economy,” he said. “To compete in global markets, America needs an efficient and modern 21st century freight transportation system.”

The Savannah Harbor Expansion Project was authorized in the Water Resources and Development Act of 1999 to deepen the Savannah River from its current 42-foot depth to up to 48 feet. The project is being undertaken in anticipation of an expansion of the Panama Canal that will increase the maximum draft of vessels traveling to and from the East Coast from 39.5 feet to as much as 50 feet.

The Corps estimates that Savannah’s harbor deepening project alone will bring $174 million in annual net benefits to the United States. For the larger post-Panamax vessels, the extra five feet of depth will allow for an additional 3,600 cargo containers in each transit, an increase of 78 percent.

The total price tag for the project is approximately $706 million, including construction and environmental mitigation costs. The federal government has a role in funding this project because the U.S. Constitution gives it authority over navigable waters.

The construction phase of the project began in January of last year with the recovery of the CSS Georgia Confederate ironclad from the Savannah River. Dredging of the outer harbor began in September.

In his message delivering the budget to Congress, Obama stressed that his approach fit within the constraints of prior negotiations with the legislative branch.

“My budget makes critical investments while adhering to the bipartisan budget agreement I signed into law last fall, and it lifts sequestration in future years so that we continue to invest in our economic future and our national security,” he said. “It also drives down deficits and maintains our fiscal progress through smart savings from health care, immigration, and tax reforms.”

Sequestration is an automatic freeze on certain spending included in the Budget Control Act of 2011. It was designed to be draconian as a way to prod lawmakers into coming up with significant spending cuts or face the automatic reductions.

Senior business reporter Mary Carr Mayle covers the ports for the Savannah Morning News and savannahnow.com. She can be reached at 912-652-0324 or at mary.mayle@savannahnow.com.

Follow Walter Jones on Twitter @MorrisNews and Facebook or contact him at walter.jones@morris.com.

Banks kickstart business loan fund for community development

The Small Business Assistance Corporation (SBAC) has been approved to receive $250,000 from the Savannah Regional Small Business Capital Fund operated by four local banks.

Ron Weller, chairman of the capital fund, said the partnership with SBAC that will achieve maximum community reinvestment for the banks.

Wells Fargo, BB & T, Bank of America and SunTrust Bank will expand a fund to make small business loans in the Savannah region. The loans will be made to area start-ups and expanding small businesses that will in turn create jobs for the local economy.

The fund enables banks to make equity and special debt investments for small business development. The capital fund’s mission is to drive community development activities such as job creation, business modernization, diversification of the economy, neighborhood commercial revitalization and special projects with significant community development impact.

For more information, visit www.sbacsav.com.

Savannah firm buys Macon apartment complex

Kole Management Co., a Savannah-based apartment management and investment firm, has acquired Legacy at River Crossing, a 200-unit apartment community in the north Macon neighborhood of Arkwright.

It’s adjacent to a 296-unit apartment community KMC bought last year, and both are across the street from The Shoppes at River Crossing, an open-air retail, dining and entertainment center.

Legacy, built in 1987, offers one-, two- and three-bedroom units, and KMC says the firm plans a number of improvements, including remodeling the office/clubhouse and installing a new playground.

KMC owns and operates 13 apartment communities, including nine in the Savannah area, two in Macon and one each in Charleston and Augusta. For more information, call 912-232-3555 or visit Kolemc.com.

Company among ‘best fleets to drive for’

TLD Logistics Services, Inc., an over-the-road transportation company with offices in Savannah, was one of 20 transportation companies to win the 2016 “Best Fleets to Drive For” award from the Truckload Carriers Association and CarriersEdge.

Companies have to be nominated by one of their drivers to take part.

The final step of the process requires CarriersEdge to survey a percentage of drivers where they are asked questions regarding their experiences with the company. Driver responses weigh significantly in the company’s final score.

“TLD emerged from the pack with a combination of strong programs and a driver satisfaction rate above 90 percent”, said CarriersEdge CEO Jane Jazrawy. “With numbers like that, it’s easy to see why their driver turnover is so low.”

For more details about Best Fleets to Drive For, visit www.BestFleetsToDriveFor.com or www.TLDLogistics.com.

The calendar invitation chimed quietly somewhere under the table.

Looking down at my phone I saw it was for the upcoming ecosystem lunch hosted by The Creative Coast.

After ensuring my schedule was clear, I checked the green box to attend, thinking, finally I get to see what this ecosystem lunch is all about. I have been working as an intern at The Creative Coast for a little more than six months now, and I’ve taken great liberty to get my feet wet in all the programs put on by The Creative Coast.

Here was the chance to dive into yet another exciting experience.

So what is an ecosystem lunch? Think of it this way: King Arthur had his Knights of the Round Table, filled with advisors, planners and strategists to formulate how to run a kingdom.

Well, Savannah has its own knights, a committed group of 10-20 community leaders who gather over lunch to discuss and share current happenings in their respective fields. Each individual represents a local non-profit, governmental or university related organization dedicated to growing businesses in our region.

These people work to mentor, train, support and otherwise help build companies and create high paying innovative jobs.

Once every two months these knights gather to support each other, collaborate and combine resources. I am refreshed to know all the oars are paddling in the same direction.

I like to think of ecosystem lunches as a gathering of 15-20 movers and shakers who are dedicated to the entrepreneurial and startup community as well as growing companies.

Key players in attendance at the recent lunch included Patrick Bentley, from the Savannah Economic Development Authority, which launched these gatherings in 2013.

Patrick shared his excitement for the upcoming South By Southwest (SXSW) Conference in Austin, Texas, where SEDA is partnering with several local businesses to showcase Georgia’s leading innovative companies and bring awareness of Georgia’s tech talent.

Patrick hopes to collaborate with local pioneers to show off Savannah’s potential for the emerging generation of techies.

Also joining in the discussion was Emily McLeod, programs manager for The Creative Coast. Emily shared her enthusiasm about the upcoming FastPitch event to be held Friday, March 4. Two dozen entrepreneurs will present three-minute pitches in a competition for cash and service prizes. FastPitch is open to the public, and tickets are on sale now for $12 and include lunch and happy hour.

Another knight at the table was Katherine Williams from Savannah Development and Renewal Authority. She shared details of SDRA’s upcoming Savannah Speakers Series event to be held Thursday, Feb. 25, at Savannah Station.

The topic is “The Dollars & Sense of Urbanism,” and guest speakers include Chuck Marohn of Strong Towns, Joe Minicozzi of Urban 3 and other presenters.

SDRA is also partnering with Better Block Foundation to help revitalize Savannah’s urban areas by promoting the growth of vibrant neighborhoods. They hope to transform declining areas of Savannah into healthy and stimulating hubs for new businesses and jumpstart the communities they serve.

The Technology Association of Georgia’s representative Casey Herrington announced TAG’s Georgia Technology Summit, where 40 innovative companies will be recognized for their leadership in this area.

The summit reinforces the importance of technology and innovation in Georgia and is expected to have more than 1,500 people in attendance. Casey is also initiating TAG Tech Talks, a new monthly series at The Creators’ Foundry where a local tech leader will share their venture and answer questions.

The program kicked off last month with Savannah local Ian Nott of Aetho as the featured speaker.

This is what Savannah needs: people invested in stimulating the community with invigorating projects and events.

I am signing up for their newsletters and making sure I am connected via Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to the organizations highlighted above as well as SCORE, Georgia Southern’s FabLab, Savannah State College of Business Administration, ATDC and Armstrong Small Business Institute.

Do you want to learn about the innovative projects and initiatives underway in our beautiful city? Then get connected.

Jennifer Hunter is a business major at South University currently interning with The Creative Coast. Jennifer can be reached at 912-447-8457 or jennifer@thecreativecoast.org.

Sea Island Bank supports St. Andrew’s fundraiser

St. Andrew’s School has announced plans for its 31st annual Live Auction and Gala on Saturday, March 5, at the Hilton Savannah DeSoto with Sea Island Bank as the platinum sponsor for a second year.

Money raised goes to support students and teachers in the classroom at St. Andrew’s School, a pre-K through grade 12 independent school.

Last year’s event included more than 200 guests and netted more than $110,000.

“The evening is a lot of fun for all in attendance and the dollars we raise ensure a bright future for the school,” said Carrie Stillwagon, auction chair.

Tickets are $150 and include dinner and an open bar. To buy tickets for get more information, go to www.saintschool.com/giving.

Kentucky bank CEO to address Hinesville banquet

HINESVILLE — Pedro Bryant — the chairman, president and chief executive officer of Metro Bank in Louisville, Ky. — will deliver the keynote address March 19 at the 22nd Eleven Black Men of Liberty County Banquet.

The banquet will begin with a reception 6:15 p.m. followed by dinner at Fort Stewart’s Club Ballroom, 1020 Hero Road, Building 405, at Fort Stewart.

Bryant, a Hinesville native and first president of the Eleven Black Men, is a graduate of the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking at the University of Delaware.

“It’s a wonderful feeling to know that the commitment made 25 years ago in Liberty County remains strong with the men who now carry the torch,” Bryant said. “Every child needs to know that they are loved and supported.”

Tickets are $40 each, and semi-formal dress is required. Sponsorships opportunities are also available. For ticket and sponsorship information, call Mitchell Boston at 912-977-6841 or visit The Eleven Black Men of Liberty County, Inc. on Facebook.

Tickets are available, to, at the Liberty County Chamber of Commerce, 425 W. Oglethorpe Highway, Hinesville.

Parker’s opens new Statesboro store

Parker’s convenience stores have opened a new retail location — the company’s 44th convenience store and the fifth in Statesboro.

The new store at 12399 U.S. 301 near Veterans Memorial Parkway offers 12 fueling positions, selling gasoline as well as diesel fuel.

“Due to customer demand, we are expanding our footprint in Statesboro and will continue to drive gas prices down by increasing competition in the area,” said Greg Parker, company president and CEO.

Parker’s operates store throughout Georgia and South Carolina and is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

Imagine this: You check your company’s organic ranking on Google and you are the top one on the page. Maybe not.

Go online today and you will find more differences than similarities because many factors can affect search results.

Three main factors that cause varying results and could give a “false positive” to your business search engine ranking are personalized search, geographic location and device preference. Let’s take a look at each of these three factors.

Personalized search

If you are searching for the same products provided by your company, your website will display higher in search results because you previously visited it, leading you to believe your website is performing better than it really is.

That’s because Google’s personalized search feature uses browser cookies, web history and account data to manipulate search results.

For example, User A may prefer to shop for books on Amazon, so that user will see more search results from Amazon.com when searching for book titles and authors. User B may frequently visit Barnes & Noble, and will be more likely to see that site on their first page of results.

Google your own business name and you may notice a message underneath that says, “You’ve visited this page many times.” Such a message is based on your account history and cookie data.

It is important to know that Google also harnesses the power of social media by looking at your Google account associations and bringing in their influence. There have been bumps in search results positions for users who have friends on Google+ that have +1 or shared a webpage (based on the idea that people are influenced by your “inner circle”).

Mobile device preference

If your website is responsive and/or mobile friendly, Google is more likely to push your website higher in mobile search results. That’s because Google also gives preference to different types of devices based on a website’s code.

Geographic preference

Google often serves up local businesses for queries that they have determined to be helpful for the user. For example, if you Google “best restaurants,” Google will assume you’re looking for local restaurants, not the best restaurant in the entire world. Google My Business pages primarily dictates these results, yet website data such as addresses and phone numbers can also have an impact.

This can provide a false positive for local, national and international businesses because Google may give preference to a national business owner simply because he or she is located in the same state as his or her business headquarters. The situation becomes even more varied if you examine international businesses because Google has more than 100 supported languages in more than 100 countries.

Where your business ranks

Every time you search, Google is collecting data. That is why business owners frequently searching for their industry keywords or visiting their own website are giving preferential treatment to their domain, which makes them think they are higher in the search results for customers and the general public.

How do you address this issue?

No solution is 100 percent accurate, but a keyword rank analysis with a keyword tracking software program, which professional SEOs (Search Engine Optimization Specialists) use daily will help you track rankings as they vary. However, these programs can be expensive and may not be a viable option for business owners.

If you are looking to gauge your existing performance at a surface level to decide whether to hire a professional SEO, there are several steps to analyze your standings. These include installing a new browser on your computer, clearing your cookie data, searching your industry keywords on Google, taking note of your rankings, performing the same process on a mobile device and analyzing your performance.

This column was compiled by Karen Robertson, director of public relations and client development at Robertson & Markowitz Advertising & Public Relations, Inc. She can be reached at karen@robmark.com or 912-921-1040.

Since Andy Berke was elected mayor of Chattanooga, Tenn., in 2013, he has worked to grow jobs, make the streets safer, invest in smart development and provide what he says is the fastest and cheapest Internet in the world.

But he didn’t do it alone.

“There’s a tendency among all of us to feel like there are forces bigger than us that rule our cities,” Berke said Wednesday during the Savannah Downtown Business Association’s monthly luncheon at the Charles H. Morris Center. “You can make your good times a lot better and your bad times a little bit better as well if you do smart things together as a city and you don’t just plan, but you go out and execute on those plans.”

One of Chattanooga’s biggest and most successful collaborations is its Innovation District. The area comprises 140 acres in the heart of downtown and houses a mix of start-up businesses, restaurants, office space and public parks all in a walkable core radius.

The need to promote entrepreneurship, technology and the innovation economy was a factor behind the formation of the Chattanooga Forward taskforce, which includes members from various backgrounds with a common goal: Keep the city moving forward.

“It’s not enough to just have the assets. The question is, how do you take advantage of the asset that you have?” he said. “... And the biggest answer was, we needed to work together instead of people going at it alone to get organized.”

Outdoor space in the area is also getting an upgrade to make it more accessible and enjoyable to those who live, work and play in downtown. Miller Park, which opened in the mid 1970s, featured an outdated and sunken design but is undergoing a face lift to raise its elevation and include more space for concerts and other activities.

“We’re making sure this is a space that has incredible connectivity. You can walk and get around. It’s a place that people want to come and that adds so much to our innovation district and to downtown,” he said.

And while all of the growth in downtown has attracted a number of companies, including web-based restaurant reservation service OpenTable, Berke said the focus remains not just on development but on smart development and creating aspects that work with the city and its residents.

“Those are the issues we face, and I’m jealous of some of the assets Savannah has, but I also know that in Chattanooga we’re working very hard to execute on a vision that leads to a great mid-size southern city,” he said.

“And that’s what Savannah wants as well.”

In other news

Karen Guinn, owner of Collective Marketing, was installed as the new president of the Savannah Downtown Business Association on Wednesday.

“I’m very excited about stepping in as president of the Savannah Downtown Business Association for many reasons. I live and work downtown, I represent clients who are dependent on this town and I know I have some big shoes to fill,” Guinn said after accepting the gavel from Ruel Joyner, who served as president for six years.

“I promise to wake up every day and try to live up to the reputation he’s created for this organization,” she said.

Moon River Studios, the firm struggling to build a movie production studio in Effingham County, has found enough money to pay an auditor for its annual report but has received a demand for nearly $73,000 that’s past due for the film equipment firm it is trying to buy.

FONU2, which operates as Moon River, said in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Feb. 1 that it has paid Malone Bailey to complete the annual audit report for the fiscal year ended Sept. 30.

The company had said in a previous filing that the annual report would be late because it didn’t have money to pay auditors.

“The company and auditors are now working diligently to complete the 10-K filing at the earliest possible date,” the Feb. 1 filing said.

The report also said the company received a notice of default on Jan. 27 from AppleBox Productions, demanding immediate payment of $72,500.

Moon River has said its acquisition of AppleBox was an important step in its efforts to build movie studios and produce films. AppleBox has the equipment needed to make movies including cameras, trucks, lights and generators.

Moon River has said it will use the equipment on its own movie projects and rent it to other movie makers.

The Feb. 1 SEC document said Moon River failed to pay $15,000 to AppleBox that was due for November, $25,000 for December, $25,000 for January and $7,500 in attorneys’ fees incurred in collecting the past due amounts.

“Exclusive of several vehicles, AppleBox’s rights are fully subordinated to Loeb Term Solutions (the senior lender),” the report said. “At this time the company is current with the senior lender.”

Moon River agreed in October to downsize its plans for movie studios on property owned by the Effingham County Industrial Development Authority at Old River Road and I-16. The 1,560 acres originally agreed upon, when the company was known as “Medient,” would be cut down to 51 acres.

As of Monday, the company had not signed a termination letter making that change. When those papers are signed, Moon River will have to come up with $55,000 as rent for the 51 acres for one year.

Moon River announced recently that it had signed agreements to finance and produce the horror film “Mara.”

The Feb. 1 SEC filing said the company will pay Jeff Maynard, head of post production, $80,000 a year for the first six months and $150,000 a year for the following six months.

He will be paid $250,000 a year during the second year of employment.

Maynard has been studio executive, producer, production manager and post supervisor for more than 90 feature films, including “The Reader,” “The King’s Speech,” “The Great Debaters,” and “Limitless.”

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has enough funds to keep the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project on track for the coming year, according to Col. Marvin Griffin, the Corps’ Savannah District commander.

“The president’s proposed budget includes what we need to make good progress with this effort,” Griffin said, adding that funding isn’t the only thing that could affect the pace of a project of this size.

“The time it takes to complete a project like SHEP depends on a number of factors, including, but not limited to, acquiring lands, entering into construction contracts, as well as timely funding.”

Griffin said the Corps has enough funds on hand to continue making progress on construction efforts into fiscal 2017, including entrance channel dredging, environmental monitoring and portions of the flow re-routing system.

Fiscal 2017 begins Oct. 1.

The Corps also announced this week it will add $24.32 million to the deepening budget from its fiscal year 2016 discretionary construction allocations.

“Congress decides each year as to whether or not the Corps will be given discretionary funds above the amounts allocated in the president’s budget,” Corps spokesman Russell Wicke said, adding that those amounts, if any, are not determined until Congress passes the final budget.

Then the Corps must determine how to allocate the construction funds, giving priority to projects that are “shovel ready” or already underway.

Wicke said the Corps doesn’t expect to know Congress’ intentions for the just-released budget until later in the year.

The canal connection

Earlier this week, Oscar Bazán, executive vice president of planning and business development for the Panama Canal Authority, said the Port of Savannah played a critical role in the decision to undertake the multi-billion-dollar canal expansion.

“Back in 2002, when we decided to move forward on the expansion, it was partly because our studies showed the benefits to East Coast ports – specifically the Georgia Ports Authority,” he said.

“A year later, we signed a memorandum of understanding with the GPA to promote trade through the canal and that led to a number of other ports following suit,” Bazán said.

How important is the Panama Canal to Georgia’s ports?

“Some 30 percent of import traffic that comes through the canal today goes to GPA,” Bazán said, adding that he expects that number to grow when the newly expanded canal opens to ship traffic later this year.

“Right now, we are handling 5,000-TEU ships,” he said. “When the new locks open, we will be able to take up to 14,000-TEU vessels.”

A TEU is a 20-foot container unit. Most modern containers are 40-feet long and therefore count as two TEUs.

When the bigger ships start moving through the canal, Bazán said, he expects as much as 10 percent of container traffic between Eastern Asia and the United States to shift from the U.S. West Coast to the East Coast.

“Savannah will definitely benefit from this shift,” he said.

“Not only is more of the U.S. population moving to the Southeast, but the port of Savannah has demonstrated that it is capable of handling the extra cargo.”

Senior business reporter Mary Carr Mayle covers the ports for the Savannah Morning News and savannahnow. She can be reached at 912-652-0324 or at mary.mayle@savannahnow.com.

Following are the ships expected to call on Georgia Ports Authority’s Garden City and Ocean terminals this week. Schedules are supplied by GPA and are subject to change.

TERMINAL VESSEL ETA

GCT SEOUL EXPRESS Today

GCT BARGE B31 Today

GCT MAERSK KAWASAKI Today

GCT MAERSK WESTPORT Today

GCT UASC UMM QASR Today

GCT IBRAHIM DEDE Today

GCT AMALTHEA Today

GCT APL TOURMALINE Today

GCT RHL AGILITAS Today

GCT MSC VANESSA Today

GCT TORM THUNDER Saturday

GCT SEALAND WASHINGTON Saturday

GCT WASHINGTON EXPRESS Saturday

GCT MARCH Saturday

GCT SAKAKA Saturday

OT FAUST Saturday

GCT ARNOLD MAERSK Sunday

GCT EVER LEGEND Sunday

GCT DOLPHIN II Sunday

GCT SILVIA Sunday

GCT COLOMBO EXPRESS Sunday

GCT SEA-LAND INTREPID Monday

GCT MAERSK COLUMBUS Monday

GCT PHILADELPHIA EXPRESS Monday

GCT HYUNDAI DYNASTY Monday

TERMINAL VESSEL ETA

GCT CSCL SYDNEY Tuesday

GCT THURINGIA Tuesday

GCT BOX QUEEN Tuesday

GCT OOCL ANTWERP Tuesday

GCT HANJIN BOSTON Tuesday

GCT ZIM VANCOUVER Tuesday

GCT NYK DENEB Tuesday

GCT HERMA P Tuesday

GCT MAERSK SERANGOON Tuesday

GCT CMA CGM TITUS Tuesday

GCT HANJIN GDYNIA Tuesday

GCT ALEXANDRIA BRIDGE Wed.

GCT HEINRICH SIBUM Wed.

GCT AL HILAL Wed.

OT GRANDE GUINEA Wed.

GCT ALM ZURICH Thursday

GCT DIMITRIOS C. Thursday

GCT MAERSK KURE Thursday

GCT MOL EMPIRE Thursday

GCT MSC LAURA Thursday

GCT ZIM SHANGHAI Thursday

GCT MOL MANEUVER Thursday

GCT HYUNDAI INTEGRAL Thursday

OT ATLANTIC OASIS Thursday

OT TARAGO Thursday

Smartphones, Facebook, Instagram and Vine have drastically changed the way we communicate. We can virtually connect with anyone in the world with the touch of a button — but that connectivity has also raised a big question among parents

Brian Bason, a Richmond Hill resident and father of two boys, has the answer.

“(My oldest son) is sending text messages now, and it will only be a matter of time before he’s clamoring to be on social media, so it started to beg the question as a parent, how do you keep your kids safe online?” said Bason, CEO of Bark, a subscription-based software designed to monitor children’s text messages, emails and social media without invading their privacy.

The software stands apart from other similar products because it uses machine learning and statistical analysis to recognize potential problems and only flags those messages, posts or emails that contain questionable content, while still giving your child their privacy. If it’s not flagged, parent’s don’t see it.

“Fundamentally, I just wanted to create something that would help keep kids safe online without me having to spend hours every day reading messages, which is also invasive. I want (my son) to have the opportunity to grow and develop socially,” Bason said.

Bason has worked in the technology field for about 15 years with the last 10 more focused on social media. In July he left his position as chief technology officer at Twitter-owned company Niche and began to focus on Bark full-time.

Eliminating the need for parents to snatch their children’s phones or tablets away helps build a relationship based on trust and communication, Bason said.

If the software flags something, the parent receives a notification and provides resources to help the parent and child approach the situation — whether it’s a case of bullying, drugs or mentions of depression or suicidal thoughts.

The software, which fully launched earlier this month, is $9 a month per family with no limit on the number of children or platforms you monitor. The product underwent nationwide beta testing last fall, Bason said, and during that phase one in five kids encountered a problem flagged by Bark that parents would have been unaware of otherwise.

“Children love the fact that’s its a solution in which their parents aren’t snooping through all of their stuff all of the time,” he said.

Along with an advisory board comprising child psychologists and cyber and media experts, the company has created a youth advisory board to get feedback from the child’s perspective.

“It helps us remember that the child is an integral part of the solution,” Bason said.

Bason hopes to see the software serve as a tool to build open relationships between parents and children while still maintaining trust and a sense of privacy. He stresses that it isn’t a replacement for an actively involved parent, but more like teaching your kids the importance of wearing a seat belt.

“When your child learns to drive, you don’t just throw the keys at them when they turn 16,” he said. “You teach them the actual mechanics of the car, how to take care of the car and defensive driving, but you also teach them to wear a seat belt. I feel like we’re the equivalent of a seat belt online, but we’re not a replacement for teaching, but we’re a tool that can help keep kids safe.

“Even if your kid is a great driver, there are other drivers on the road that aren’t.”

ON THE WEB

To subscribe or learn more about Bark, go to www.bark.us.

Citi Trends reports fourth-quarter sales drop

Savannah-based Citi Trends reported Thursday that sales for the 13 weeks ending Jan. 30 were down 2.8 percent to $176.1 million compared with $181.1 million a year earlier.

Comparable store sales in this year’s fourth quarter decreased 5 percent from fiscal 2014, a quarter in which comparable store sales increased 13.9 percent.

For the year, total sales increased 1.9 percent to $683.8 million compared with $670.8 million in fiscal 2014. Comparable store sales decreased 0.1 percent for the full year.

“Fourth quarter sales were challenging, with unusually warm winter weather affecting all apparel categories,” said Jason T. Mazzola, president and chief executive officer.

The company also announced its board of directors has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.06 per common share, payable on March 15 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on March 1.

Citi Trends Inc. is retailer for urban fashion apparel and accessories and operates 522 stores in 31 states. For more information, go to www.cititrends.com.

Awards gala recognizes Hilton Head store

J Banks Retail Store has been named best home accents store for the U.S. East/Atlantic Region by the Dallas Market Center and the Accessories Resource Team (ART), the trade association representing the decorative accessory industry.

Winners were announced Jan. 22 during the 27th annual ARTS Awards gala in Dallas.

The ARTS Awards program is dedicated to home industry excellence and achievement.

For more information, email anna.ruby@jbanksdesign.com or go to www.jbanksdesign.com.

Chick-Fil-A chairman to keynote institute’s program

This year’s Citadel Directors’ Institute at the Charleston, S.C., Marriott on April 22 will feature Dan Cathy, chairman and CEO of Chick-Fil-A, as the keynote speaker, and U.S. Rep. Reid Ribble, R-Wis., will give the event’s opening address.

The event, scheduled from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., is designed for directors, C-level executives and those aspiring to be directors. The one day seminar gives participants the opportunity to engage in an active dialogue focused on current and emerging issues, strategic planning, risk and board governance.

The faculty for this year includes several experienced CEOs and chairmen plus the former chief justice of the Delaware Supreme Court and other jurists along with individuals from leading university corporate governance research centers and governance non-profit organizations, institutional investors, government regulators and experts on risk and cyber security.

Directors of public or private companies as well as board members of regional and community banks are encouraged to attend. Space for the conference is limited to 75 participants. Those interested can learn more at www.citadel.edu/cdi.

If you have never heard the term AMT, or if you are familiar with the acronym but aren’t sure what it means or if it might affect you, this article is for you. AMT is the abbreviation for the Alternative Minimum Tax.

AMT is additional tax levied on a taxpayer whenever the IRS deems that not enough regular tax is being paid.

The AMT system is a parallel tax system that is equipped with its own rules to calculate a tentative minimum tax. If the tentative minimum ever exceeds the taxpayer’s regular tax, the alternative minimum tax triggers and the additional balance must be paid.

The idea of a minimum tax first came up in 1969 after Treasury Secretary Joseph Barr testified in 1967 that 155 wealthy individuals with adjusted gross incomes of more than $200,000 paid no federal income tax. For perspective, $200,000 in 1967 is equivalent to $1.4 million in 2016 dollars.

In short, extremely wealthy people were getting away with not paying any regular income tax.

In theory, the AMT system exists to promote a more equitable tax regime by ensuring that everyone pays their fair share. Unfortunately, the AMT is increasingly affecting more than just higher-income taxpayers.

As a general guideline, if a taxpayer has not been subject to the AMT in the past and there are no significant changes to his or her situation, then he or she is unlikely to be subject to the AMT as the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 keeps AMT exemptions increasing with inflation.

However, if significant changes occur in areas such as incomeV, family and residence, there is a risk of AMT triggering.

Perhaps surprisingly, completely avoiding AMT is not the goal. The goal every year is to minimize the overall tax liability.

The top AMT rate is 28 percent as opposed to the top regular income tax rate of 39.6 percent. Where applicable, this provides a planning opportunity to have certain incomes taxed at the lower 28 percent rate.

Current AMT calculations add back many deductions usually taken to calculate regular income tax. This includes state income and property taxes paid. Smart timing of these tax payments can reduce your overall tax liability, and poor timing can unnecessarily increase it.

Other deductions available for the calculation of regular tax are not added back when calculating AMT. Notably, charitable contributions and mortgage interest are deductible for both regular tax and AMT purposes.

The earlier a taxpayer can determine if he or she will be in AMT for a tax year the better, as this will allow for timely informed decisions to reduce overall tax liability.

A late AMT “surprise” may incur more costs than just the AMT liability itself. If it came as a surprise, it is likely that estimated tax payments on the additional liability were not paid, and so underpayment penalties could trigger as well.

More information is always available through online search, print sources and consulting a tax adviser.

Jonathan Kim is a member of the tax department at Hancock Askew & Co. He can be reached at 877-550-8243 or jkim@hancockaskew.com.

Applebee’s to open Pooler restaurant

A new Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar will open at 160 Tanger Outlets Blvd. in Pooler at 11 a.m. Monday, and the first 100 customers will be offered a free hamburger on their second visit.

“This restaurant will be the first in Georgia to feature hand cut steaks and pork chops that will be cooked on our wood fired grill,” said Neal Musmanno, director of operations.

The company said the Pooler outlet is one of only two new Applebee’s prototypes in the country with an industrial-like interior and exterior with gray color tones and reclaimed wood highlights.

The new Applebee’s also will have Carside to Go service.

“We can’t wait to serve our new neighbors,” said general manager Heather Sutherland.

Dan Schmidt, Applebee’s area director, said the restaurant will try some new things behind the bar, including local craft beers.

Chatham County to lower land-disturbance fees

The Chatham County commission had a first reading Friday to lower the fees charged for land disturbing activities.

If approved on second reading, the new costs for a single-family residential land disturbing permit will be a $2,000 base charge, plus $250 per disturbed acre — a decrease from the $3,000 currently charged per disturbed acre.

Land disturbing activity fees would be capped at $16,000 — down from $150,000 — for a project that will be complete within two years of the issuance of the permit. For a project that exceeds two years, the fee will be an additional $100 — down from $1,000 — per disturbed acre.

For any other land disturbing permit, the cost is a $2,000 base charge, plus $100 per disturbed acre.

BMW Manufacturing’s 2015 export value reaches nearly $10 billion

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — BMW Manufacturing Co. has announced that the export value of its passenger vehicles through the Port of Charleston in 2015 totaled $9.8 billion, making the company’s South Carolina facility the leading U.S. automotive exporter by value.

According to data from the U.S. Department of Commerce, the figure marks a 7.8 percent increase over BMW’s 2014 value.

In 2015, more than 280,000 vehicles were exported from its South Carolina plant.

“2015 was a great year for BMW in the United States… we had a record production year and a record sales year,” said Manfred Erlacher, president and CEO of BMW Manufacturing. “In addition to being the largest U.S. automotive exporter, our South Carolina plant has also become the largest facility in BMW’s global production network.”

Charleston ports boss Jim Newsome described BMW as “a tremendous asset to our port.”

As most accounting firms are preparing for their busiest time of year, one Savannah firm is also looking to celebrate three decades of serving the Lowcountry.

Founded by Gary Sadowski in 1986, Sadowski & Company serves clients in a variety of industries from construction and retail to medical practices and real estate.

“I think most businessmen aspire to own and run their own business,” Sadowski said of the company’s milestone. “I believe it is something that gives us a sense of accomplishment and pride. Although very happy 30 years ago in my job, I realized I did not want go through life without having tried to start my own business.” In the early years, winning new clients was a major challenge, Sadowski said, but he and his team strived to go the extra mile.

“We made sure we never lost any business by providing the very best in service. We didn’t just prepare financial statements and tax returns, we had the experience to help our clients succeed,” Sadowski said.

“... I think this philosophy and insistence on quality work has rewarded us through the 30 years,” he said.

Clinton Fonseca, who joined the company in 2008 and became a partner in early 2009, plans to help lead the company into its next chapter, but like Sadowski he credits the firm’s success to the strong bond between the employees and their willingness to work together for their clients, most of whom are privately owned family run companies.

“We really work as a team,” Fonseca said. “That’s the mentality around here... We work together. It’s not just my accounts or Gary’s accounts. We utilize the best skill set. There’s nothing that I’m the best at, but I know who the best is, and I know to hand the ball to them if I need help.”

Fonseca also puts a lot of merit behind the expertise of the team. Most members, including Fonseca, aren’t only accountants but also have background experience in business, which allows them to better serve and advise clients.

“We’ve got more intellectual capital in here than you can shake a stick at. We know how to advise businesses,” Fonseca said. “We’re business people first, very practical minded and we’re CPAs second... If you’ve got a business, we represent you and just you. We want what’s best for our clients.”

In 2007 the firm took its expertise across the river and opened a second office in Bluffton. That office, which recently moved to a bigger location, is led by Duncan Wilkes, who has been named Best Public Accountant by Hilton Head Monthly for the last three years.

“There’s a lot of business going on over there... We had a number of clients (in Bluffton) and we got the opportunity and it just made sense,” Fonseca said of the expansion, which managed to grow even as the country entered an economic recession. We put about 19 percent growth on top of 21 percent growth. When our clients are going through the storm of a bad economy, that’s when they can really utilize us and that’s where the experience of what we have comes in.”

Now with three decades behind them, Fonseca said, he’s ready to take the ball and help lead the firm and their clients for the next 30 years while maintaining the close relationships and dedication to clients that helped build the company into what it is today.

“We’re happy as hell that we’ve been in business for 30 years, and I think that’s a testament to Gary Sadowski. He’s a phenomenal business advisor,” Fonseca said. “We’ve been serving this community for 30 years, and we’re going to zip through another 30. You’re in great hands if you’re a client or are going to be a client of Sadowski and Company.”

More information

For more information about Sadowski & Company, go to www.sadowskico.com or call 912-232-2211.

What comes to mind when you think about tourism? Is it restaurant to retail or attractions to accommodations? I would say all of the above and so much more.

When we think through the number of how tourism performs in Savannah, we often look at the 26,000 workers who directly work in tourism or the $2.5 billion in outside spending to the businesses that serve the guests, but we don’t often look at the ripple effect.

The ripple effect is this: When you drop something into the water, ripples expand from that center outward. Tourism has a positive ripple effect in Savannah.

New money is dropped into the area, including Pooler, Tybee, and Richmond Hill, when visitors come from out of town to spend money here. Just like in the water, there are ripples of indirect effect on this economic development. Those ripples are kind of like the supply chain’s supply chain.

A lot of different industries benefit from tourism.

Let me use the example of a new hotel.

First, the architects who design the building and the contractors who build it receive benefit by the ripple effect.

Furniture, fixtures and equipment all must be purchased — from the beds the guests sleep on to the ice machines in the hall — and all of that equipment needs to be repaired from time to time, which requires maintenance services.

The photographers who take pictures, the printers who print collateral, the website companies that build a website and the marketing firms that create ads all have a stake in tourism.

Even law offices provide services for zoning, contracts, real estate and human resource law.

The power companies provide power. The gas companies provide gas. The cable companies provide data. The phone companies provide phones. They all are a part of the ripple effect.

In order to hire the people, the hotel needs job-posting companies. When the workers are hired, they need uniforms.

The hotel may buy a fleet of shuttles or contract with transportation companies.

When the doors open and the hotel starts to offer a food and beverage program, that means farmers and food suppliers have more customers, coffee companies roast more coffee and florists provide more flowers for each table.

A lot must be purchased to keep the hotel running properly. There are cleaning supplies, linens, toiletries and robes. There are sodas, beer, wine and spirits. There are batteries, coffee makers and alarm clocks.

The ripple effect keeps going. Each of these contributions has multiplier effects.

Workers who now have a job as a result of that hotel opening have money to spend in the community. And, all of this is economic development.

This example is certainly not inclusive of all the ripple effects of tourism. With every restaurant, retail shop, attraction, or tour company that is in business here, there are those who support the tourism community and find great economic benefit.

Tourism activity creates jobs, builds infrastructure, generates tax revenues and offers a variety of products and services to all of us who call Savannah home. So, tourism makes a big splash in Savannah.

Michael Owens is president/CEO of the Tourism Leadership Council, the largest non-profit trade organization that supports and represents the tourism community. Contact Owens at michael@tourismleadershipcouncil.com or by calling 912-232-1223.

By Michael Owens

Enmarket and Healthy Savannah have announced the lineup for the 2016 Encourage Health Education series, marking the third year for the program that highlights experts in the fields of health, wellness, exercise and nutrition.

The series will feature four presentations throughout the year, including:

• Tuesday, April 19

Kevin Klinkenberg, executive director of the Savannah Development and Renewal Authority and author of “Why I Walk: Taking a Step in the Right Direction,” presents “Going Old School: Walk Your Way to Better Health.”

• Tuesday, June 21

Dr. Ellen Blossman, co-founder of Blue Heron Holistic Healing, presents “Eat Well and Boost Your Energy with Phytochemicals.” This presentation highlights the role of phytochemicals in the food we eat. These natural compounds are plant chemicals that have protective or disease preventive properties.

• Tuesday, Aug. 30

Denise Grabowski, president and CEO of Symbioscity, presents “10 Ways Buildings Affect Your Mission to Healthy Life.” This session introduces the idea of the WELL Building Standard, which is based around seven main factors: air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort and mind.

• Tuesday, Oct. 25

Bauer Coslick, the owner of Vitality Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine, presents “10 Ways to Reduce Inflammation in the Body to Improve Longevity Through Acupuncture Practices.”

This presentation explores issues with chronic inflammation, the role it plays in disease and ways to address it with acupuncture, herbs and nutrition.

The series will be held in the Savannah Morning News Auditorium, 1375 Chatham Parkway. Events start at 11:30 a.m. and go to 1 p.m.

It’s sponsored by Enmarket, Healthy Savannah, Savannah Morning News, Savannah Magazine and GPB Savannah – WSVH 91.1/WWIO 89.9.

Savannah-based Enmarket operates 61 stores in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.

American Cancer Society, Kroger raise awareness

Kroger’s Atlanta Division, including 11 stores in the Savannah area, and the American Cancer Society will become partners for an in-store campaign from today through Feb. 27 to raise awareness and money to help fight cancer.

During the two-week fundraiser, Kroger stores in the region will encourage customers to donate to the cancer society by purchasing $1 “footprint” icons at Kroger checkouts as an extension of the society’s signature fundraising event, Relay For Life. Kroger’s goal is to raise $200,000.

“With more than 1.5 million new cancer cases diagnosed each year, Kroger is committed to raising awareness and support for those whose lives have been changed by this disease,” said spokesman Glynn Jenkins.

For more information, go to www.cancer.org and go to www.relayforlife.org for information on Relay For Life or to find a Relay near you.

Second Annual Hoops for Horizons scheduled for March

Horizons of Savannah will have its Second Annual Louise Lauretti Hoops for Horizons Basketball Championship Tournament at 9 a.m. Saturday, March 5, at Savannah Country Day School.

All proceeds from the event benefit Horizons, a summer program designed to help students from low-income families achieve academic success.

The 3-on-3 event is open to boys and girls grades 5 through adult. Teams are guaranteed three refereed games, playing in age and affinity divisions.

New this year is a free throw contest sponsored by Critz Auto Group. The qualifying event for all ages will be 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 20 at Critz BMW, 7009 Abercorn St.

Horizons is seeking businesses for sponsorships for the fundraiser. For more information, call 912-961-8854. To register a team, visit horizonssavannah.org.

Dance school to open new studio on Whitemarsh Island

The Gretchen Greene School of Dance, 51 Johnny Mercer Blvd., has announced it will build a new 5,000-square-foot studio at 1007 Bryan Woods Loop on Whitemarsh Island with the DeWitt Tilton Group expected to complete construction this summer.

“We had been continually expanding over the past few years but had simply run out of space,” said dance school co-owner Trina Dodd. “We currently have three dance rooms, and the new facility will have four larger rooms to accommodate more students.”

The dance school was established in 1969 and is one of the longest running businesses on Wilmington Island.

“What will make the new dance studio stand out is not only the flow and function of the building but the curb appeal,” said Kim Thomas, director of operations at Dewitt Tilton Group.

Queensborough National Bank & Trust Company recently opened an office at 322 East Broughton St. That’s at the northwest corner of Broughton and Habersham streets.

The new office of the privately held bank focuses on business and professional banking, commercial lending and wealth management services, but the story of the new branch runs much deeper than those simple facts suggest.

The new Queensborough office is in the basement of the Berrien House, which is one of the most historically and architecturally significant buildings on the Georgia coast. And Queensborough itself played a vital role in preserving the structure.

The Berrien House was built in the late 18th century by Maj. John Berrien, a Revolutionary War officer who fought at Valley Forge and later served as collector of the port of Savannah.

After that, Berrien became state treasurer when the Georgia capital was in Louisville, a small town about 120 miles northwest of Savannah.

Interestingly, Queensborough National Bank & Trust was founded in Louisville in 1902 by the great-grandfather of Bill Easterlin, the current CEO and president.

The Berrien House was eventually owned by John Macpherson Berrien, who served as a state legislator, U.S. senator and U.S. attorney general under President Andrew Jackson.

During his 1844 run for president, Henry Clay gave a speech from the porch of the Berrien House.

The importance of the Berrien House faded in the latter half of the 19th century. By the late 20th century, the historic home was literally crumbling. Diehard preservationists remembered and defended the building’s relevance, but time was not on their side.

The carriage house facing Habersham Street was in rough shape by that time, too, although it was still in use in the late 1990s as a cramped antique store. Today, the carriage house is home to Savannah Bike Tours.

With the real estate boom turning to bust, Queensborough took ownership of the Berrien House in 2008 when development plans stalled. The Historic Savannah Foundation had a façade easement on the property but was not in a position to buy the building outright.

The historic foundation did, however, use its innovative revolving fund to purchase the carriage house, and the organization remained active in trying to preserve the main house.

I chatted about some of this history last week with Queensborough senior vice president Mike English at the new Broughton Street office. Some of you know English from his less formal gig as front man for the band Missionary Blues.

Some community banks were, of course, deeply wounded by the financial crisis in 2008 and the woes of the real estate market, but, according to English, Queensborough was fairly well diversified and had limited real estate exposure.

“Sometimes you have a project where the numbers don’t work,” English said. “So then you ask, ‘What is the story that works?’”

The numbers certainly didn’t work for the Berrien House in 2008, but Queensborough decided to hold onto the property and look for the right buyer. The bank spent “tens of thousands of dollars” on critical structural needs, according to English, with no clear idea whether they would ever recoup their investment.

As the economy began to recover, Queensborough was able to sell the building at “a fair price,” according to English, to the current owner, Andrew Berrien Jones. I have written about Jones before. He’s a descendant of the Berrien family who owned the house in the 18th and 19th centuries.

In late 2015, Jones gave me a tour of the renovation now in progress. It’s overwhelming to see a historic building get such focused attention and investment after so many decades of neglect. English aptly described Jones’ work as a “forensic restoration.”

At the time of that tour, the basement was still being built out and looked nothing like the sleek, surprisingly bright office for Queensborough that you’ll find there today. I frankly assumed that the office would feel somewhat cramped, especially since Jones had the upper stories lowered to restore the home’s original proportions, but the basement is filled with light.

In 2009, the Berrien House was placed on the list of “places in peril” by the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, but English said he always imagined that Queensborough might use the space for the bank’s first downtown office.

“Sometimes patience does pay off,” English said.

City Talk appears every Tuesday and Sunday. Bill Dawers can be reached via billdawers@comcast.net. Send mail to 10 East 32nd St., Savannah, Ga. 31401.

By Bill Dawers