Love Lane Designs creates unique home goods, specializing in hand-printed tea towels. These aren’t just any old tea towels. They are decorative pieces of artwork filled with bright colors and quirky designs that can hang in the kitchen with pride.

“The tea towels have a fun, vintage feel to them and a sense of humor,” said Lane Huerta, owner of the Savannah-based business.

Huerta works out of her studio and showroom, Swamp Kitty, which is located in the Starland District. She doesn’t have a traditional storefront, so part of her business plan includes discovering boutiques and online outlets where she can sell her creations.

Times have changed since the days of the brick and mortar general stores where goods were only available for purchase within those four walls.

Many modern, creative businesses are operating through a haven of social media, online stores and boutiques to sell their goods both locally and worldwide.

Savannah is a thriving community for these creative businesses. They’re not only able to sell their goods locally, but they can also be headquartered here and sell worldwide through online stores.

Love Lane Designs

Love Lane Designs has been featured everywhere from Southern Living to right here in Savannah at places like 24e and Back in the Day Bakery.

Originally from North Carolina, Huerta’s passion for screen printing began while she was living in California and observing an artist there.

“I love tea towels. I wanted to create my own images on them. That’s how it all came about, from the passion, and it turned into a business,” Huerta said.

Self-taught, Huerta established Love Lane Designs in 2008. Along with her decorative tea towels, she primarily creates pillows, as well as custom work for weddings. She’s also developing a whimsical children’s collection inspired by her 1-year-old daughter, Clementine.

Without a storefront, working from her studio and showroom makes things more complicated when it comes to selling her goods. However, like most artists, Huerta has discovered ways of getting Love Lane Designs out in the world and noticed.

“If you can be creative and think outside the box, there’s less stress and less overhead in not having a storefront. I think it’s easier, especially with social media and friends who have boutiques,” she said.

Huerta utilizes social media to promote her work and keep in touch with faithful fans. She can sell her items online through stores like Etsy and attract customers in that way.

Huerta believes Savannah is a city that’s accommodating to creative businesses such as her own.

“It’s a good place to have roots and live without the crazy overhead of somewhere like New York or San Francisco. There are so many people who support the arts here,” she said.

PanhandleGirl

Originally from northern Florida, Saja Aures created PanhandleGirl in 2002 while living in California. She produces soap that’s eco-friendly, cold process and all-natural, made with essential oils, clays and botanicals.

Aures operated the business full time until 2006, when she shifted her career focus. Since then she’s continued PanhandleGirl as a micro-business and creative outlet.

She doesn’t have a storefront, but her business is based in Savannah, with products available for purchase online.

“When I operated full time, I did work up a pretty strong wholesale business. As it’s now a hobby business, I focus primarily on retail through the Web,” Aures said.

She is able to use her website, PanhandleGirl.com, as well as Etsy, to sell soap.

“Etsy is great for indie businesses because there’s barely any cost to get started. You don’t need to know anything about websites or e-commerce. It’s very accessible, so it’s incredibly diverse,” she said.

Aures uses Etsy as a complement to PanhandleGirl.com because of the community aspect of it and because she enjoys shopping there as a consumer.

To promote her soaps, Aures utilizes the power of social media sites like Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

“Social media has metrics that traditional advertising just doesn’t offer. So I have a much better idea of how many people I’m reaching, what sort of impact the social media campaigns have,” she said. “Social media for business is really about being where your customers are, instead of the traditional model of trying to figure out how to bring customers to your business.”

Aures hopes to see more local, creative businesses find support, even in a market closer to home.

“I would like see the whole ‘buy local’ movement really embrace micro-business. I’d like to see more opportunities for micro-business owners to find local niches without having to have traditional storefronts,” she said.

Chocolate Lab

Kelly Spivey is the pastry chef at Foxy Loxy café in Savannah. She makes the café’s addictive selection of sweet desserts, such as the chocolaty Bourbon Bacon Brownie.

After exploring her love of all things chocolate, she decided to start up a side business of her own, the Chocolate Lab, which produces hand-crafted southern artisan candy bars.

“I have a strong interest in chocolate. I’m interested in how it’s made and how the cocoa beans are grown,” Spivey said.

As a chocolatier, she creates the bars from high quality, American-made chocolates and utilizes local, southern ingredients. She uses toasted Georgia pecans and honey from Savannah Bee Company. She also uses ingredients from Southern Swiss Dairy, Perc coffee roasters and Hunter Cattle.

Her business is still in the research and development process but will soon be releasing its chocolate bars for sale online and in local stores.

“I’m getting a Kickstarter to raise funds and get equipment I need for the Chocolate Lab,” she said.

She uses social media outlets like Twitter and Facebook to spread the word about the Chocolate Lab and various chocolate tastings she hosts at Foxy Loxy.

“It’s definitely a learning experience managing the social media,” she said. “I probably get on it and try to post every day … I like to share things I’m doing with the business. I think social media is good for providing sneak peeks and getting people interested.”

Still in the beginning stages of having her own business, Spivey decided early on that she wanted to build the business and become more stable before seeking out a storefront.

“Especially in this economic climate, I think it’s good to establish yourself to having that commitment before having a brick and mortar business and having that overhead,” she said. “There’s a lot you can do before taking that leap. My goal is to have it available locally, and it will be online if people want to purchase it there. Especially as a food business just starting out, I’d rather hedge my bets and do what’s smarter for me, which is starting out smaller and selling it locally and online.”

LOVE LANE DESIGNS

Lane Huerta

415-378-4474

Studio/Showroom: Swamp Kitty, Starland District 25 East 40th St.

Website(s): Lovelanedesigns.com, Etsy.com/shop/lovelane

Social Media: Twitter — @lovelanedesigns; Facebook — Facebook.com/lovelanedesigns

PANHANDLEGIRL

Saja Aures

912-414-5155

Website(s): Panhandlegirl.com, Etsy.com/shop/panhandlegirl

Social Media: Twitter — @panhandlegirlhq; Facebook — Facebook.com/panhandlegirl; Pinterest — Pinterest.com/panhandlegirlhq

CHOCOLATE LAB

Kelly Spivey

Website: chocolatelabsav.com

Social Media: Twitter — @chocolatelabSAV; Facebook — Facebook.com/thechocolatelab

A new joint venture formed by longtime Savannah businessman John Cay, Batson Cook Development Company and CSX Realty Development is in the preliminary stages of developing a master business plan for a mixed use development on 56 acres of land on Hutchinson Island.

CSX Realty, a division of CSX Corp., owns the property.

The joint venture will be known as Savannah Harbor Associates LLC.

“Savannah Harbor is one of the best opportunities for the continued development of the world-class port city of Savannah,” said Cay, the former president and CEO of Palmer & Cay, one of the largest privately held insurance brokerage firms in the nation.

He retired from the firm this year and was subsequently approached by CSX management to help formulate a plan for its holdings on Hutchinson.

Cay, a Savannah native with more than 40 years of leadership experience, recruited Atlanta-based Batson Cook, which has developed such area projects as NewsPlace in downtown Savannah and Belfair Town Village across the river in Bluffton.

The 56 acres are split into three undeveloped parcels, said E. Ray Michaels Jr., senior vice president of acquisitions and finance for Batson Cook.

“Parcel 5 is about 27 acres fronting the river, Parcel 6 has 12 acres adjacent to the Westin Spa and Parcel 9 consists of 17 acres next to the golf course,” Michaels said Friday, stressing that the project is still in the early stages of development.

“We have done our due diligence and hope to have our market studies complete by the end of the year,” he said. “At that point, we will begin to put together our master plan.

“Right now, all three parcels are blank slates.”

Savannah Harbor Associates will also work with Toll Brothers, the luxury homebuilder that has acquired The Reserve, a partially developed residential neighborhood on the island, to make sure their plans complement one another, Michaels said.

“And we’re looking at SEDA’s World Trade Center building as a possible anchor for a small, Class A office park.”

Long time coming

A plan for transforming the island into a mixed-use, urban extension of Savannah has long been in the works.

For nearly 30 years, John McClesky — the name most associated with the renaissance of Hutchinson — focused a keen developer’s eye on the property. His was the vision that began transforming the largely overlooked island in the middle of the Savannah River from dense, wooded areas punctuated by an occasional industrial site to the golf and resort destination now known as Savannah Harbor.

Today, thanks to McClesky’s efforts, the island is home to the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center, the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort and Spa, the Savannah Economic Development Authority and the World Trade Center Savannah.

Despite all this, it’s a transformation that’s still far from the now-retired developer’s vision of turning the island into a thriving community with shops, restaurants, a marina and private homes.

“The downturn certainly did some damage,” McClesky said in a 2010 interview. “Before that, things were moving along, with SEDA finishing their office building and plans in the works for a marina next to the Westin.”

Savannah Harbor Associates plans to build on McClesky’s vision and has recruited him to serve in an advisory capacity to the project.

“The Savannah MSA is a high growth market,” Michaels said. “It has a robust and diversified economy built on a foundation of a very strong logistics system, as well as strong manufacturing, aerospace and tourism industries.”

Savannah’s logistics includes the nation’s fourth busiest container port, which is connected by rail to the entire Eastern Seaboard.

ON THE WEB

For more information on Batson Cook Development Co., go to www.batsoncookdev.com.

Hutchinson has enjoyed storied past

Over the past three centuries, the island Gen. James Oglethorpe named for his friend and fellow Englishman Archibald Hutchinson has been home to livestock, slaves, indentured servants, rice plantations, sailors, soldiers and a variety of heavy industry.

In early days, it was notorious as a favorite, out-of-the-way dueling ground for hot-headed colonists, just part of the violence visited upon the island. In fact, the first people hanged in the new colony were sentenced to death for a murder committed on Hutchinson.

Fellow Irish servants and lovers Alice Riley and Richard White were hanged in 1735 for killing William Wise, the island landowner to whom they had been indentured.

Originally designated by Oglethorpe to pasture the Trustees’ cattle, the island was critical to the colonists’ survival in the new world. Essential crops, including rice, would quickly become part of its early connection to Savannah.

Some time before the Revolutionary War, colonists built Fort Augusta on the eastern tip of the island, but it quickly fell to ruins in the island’s boggy soil.

Still, the beauty of Hutchinson was such that, in 1755, the notoriously greedy Royal Governor John Reynolds seized ownership of the island for his personal use, which contributed to his being recalled and replaced a year later.

From the 1760s until after the Civil War, the island was home to hundreds of slaves who labored on the rice plantations. Two of the largest operations were Rae’s Hall and Royal Vale, both of which eventually fell victim to the ravages of hurricanes that flooded the island.

For the next century or so, Hutchinson was mostly abandoned, with the exception of shipping wharves, some maritime industry and a few saw mills. Mostly, the island was known as a dumping ground, its overgrown marshes and thickets often concealing the corpses of murder victims.

In February 1993, the body of Dorothy Brown was found under a mattress in a trash heap on the island. Her husband, Kenneth O. Brown, was convicted of her murder two years later. In 1994, the body of Tami Jackson, 17, was found stabbed 130 times, bound and run over by a car. Her killer was never found.

The lack of major development was complicated during much of the 20th century by confusion over whether Hutchinson belonged to Georgia or South Carolina. Georgia came out the winner about the same time developer John McClesky discovered the island, setting in motion development plans that are ongoing today.

Photoshop Basics

Photoshop Basics introduces the different tools for editing photographs and will cover layers and basic editing to improve images. The class will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays, until Dec. 6, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Coastal Georgia Center.

For more information, go to www.ceps.georgiasouthern.edu/conted/cesavannahmenu.html, email jfogarty@georgiasouthern.edu or call 912-644-5967.

Annual Meeting and Networking Luncheon

Special awards, networking and the election of officers are featured at the Pooler Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau, inc. annual meeting and networking luncheon Thursday, Dec. 6, 11:30 a.m. at Savannah Quarters Country Club, 8 Palladian Way, Pooler.

Register and pre-pay by Nov. 21 and cost is $15 for chamber members and $18 for non-members. After Nov. 21 add $5. For more information, contact office@poolerchamber.com or 912-748-0110.

Business After Hours

The Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce December’s Holiday Business After Hours will be held at The Old Oyster Factory on Thursday, Dec. 6 from 5:30-7 p.m.

The cost is $10 for chamber members and $20 for non-members. For more information, go to www.hiltonheadchamber.org.

Foundation to host historic tax credit training session

Historic Savannah Foundation will offer historic tax credit training to teach members of the community how to use tax incentives to rehabilitate historic properties. The sessions will cover state and federal government incentives, including a property tax assessment freeze.

The sessions will be held from 4-7 p.m. Dec. 6 and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 7 at Kennedy Pharmacy, 323 E. Broughton St. The cost is $75. Student registration is $55. To register and for more information, go to www.myhsf.org/advocacy-education/lectures-and-workshops/.

ONGOING

Pooler Business Network

When: Every first and third Thursday, 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where: Western Sizzlin, U.S. 80 in Pooler

Information: RSVP to Jason Torres at jasonjtorres@gmail.com.

Downtown Business Professionals Chapter
of BNI

When: 11:30 a.m. every Thursday

Where: Hilton Savannah DeSoto, 15 East Liberty St.

Information: For information, call Kevin Brown at 912-447-1885 or email rkbrowndc@msn.com.

The Islands Chapter —
BNI group

When: Each Thursday at
8 a.m.

Where: Johnny Harris banquet facility, 1652 East Victory Drive

Information: Contact Kathy Salter at studio@dalyandsalterphoto.com.

Savannah Women’s
Business Network

When: Every second and fourth Wednesday, 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. for lunch.

Where: The Exchange Tavern on Waters Avenue

Cost: Cost for lunch

Information: RSVP to Kari Brown at kcbrown@colonybank.com.

Historic Savannah
Chapter ABWA

When: 6-7:50 p.m. second Thursday.

Where: Candler Heart & Lung Building, room 2.

Cost: Free

Information: Call 912-925-4980 or email blynneroberts@yahoo.com.

Toastmasters Club

When: Noon each Tuesday

Where: Savannah Mall across from “ Hill of Beans” Coffee Shop.

Information: Call 912-844-9139 or go to www.sbcsouthsidetm.com.

Recent trips on Interstate 75 from Atlanta to Chattanooga and Atlanta to Macon were a real exercise in chaos at its best.

Those trips are top of mind to me because the interstate is three- and four-lanes wide in either direction. After watching an older couple from Florida leading a parade in the left lane headed southbound while vehicles passed them in the other lanes, I began to notice that was not the only thing wrong with this ride.

Let’s begin with speed issues. The standard rule for motorists is one car length behind another vehicle per 10 miles an hour of speed. I learned that in high school driver’s training. Flash forward to my most recent trip, and there was one vehicle length between cars and pick-ups traveling faster than 75 or even 80 mph.

As a former news reporter for print and broadcast, I have ridden with both local and state police and have seen their tolerance of some speed variations on interstates. But what scares me most is seeing another vehicle following me no more than one to one and a half car lengths behind while we are traveling at 70 mph.

Remember that huge traffic crash in north Georgia on I-75 years ago when, in a fog, there was a gigantic pile-up? Fortunately, those do not occur often, but when they do, the interstate is shut down for hours. Even a two- or three-vehicle crash can do the same thing especially if there are fatalities.

Have you driven on I-20 lately from Georgia to Alabama and seen the speed limit drop at the state line from 70 in Georgia to 55 in Alabama? Make that the posted speed limit, not the actual driving speed.

Tennessee’s Department of Transportation posts how many vehicle and motorcycle fatalities occurred during the current year on overhead lighted signs for quite some time. Just recently, I’ve noticed that Georgia DOT has begun posting this state’s statistics as well.

Vehicles are built these days not to protect fenders, bumpers, hoods and trunks, but to put emphasis on the cage that surrounds the passengers. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash-tests vehicles and rates them for their safety performance in protecting the driver and passengers. It is worth going to the website, http://www.iihs.org, to check on their vehicle safety ratings.

The bottom line comes down to a few safety principles. First, it matters a great deal how close the vehicle is behind you, as well as those on your left and right. It is not just the vehicle in front with which you must be concerned.

And speed limit signs are not a suggestion. They are the law, and when you break speed limit laws you not only endanger yourself and others, but you also run this risk of racking up tickets and drivers license points that can ultimately have a detrimental effect on your vehicle insurance premium and your ability to retain your driver’s license.

David Colmans is executive director of the Georgia Insurance Information Service, an industry association of property and casualty insurance companies that do business in Georgia. Contact him by email at dcolmans@giis.org.

HIRES/PROMOTIONS

KATE CHAPLIN LAWSON

New job title: Attorney

Company: Hunter-Maclean

Duties: Lawson is an associate with the firm’s Specialty Litigation Group.

Related work experience: Before joining the firm, Lawson served as an intern for U.S. Magistrate Judge Paige Gossett in Columbia, S.C. She also worked as a clerk and courier for a law firm in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Education: Lawson earned a J.D. from the University of Georgia School of Law and also earned a B.A. in political science from the University of South Carolina Honors College.

SALLY NIELSEN

New job title: Attorney

Company: Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton

Duties: Nielsen will practice within the Corporate Finance and Real Estate Department as a member of the Employee Benefits Team.

Related work experience: Nielsen joins the firm from HunterMaclean. She has also worked at King & Spalding and was a member of Kilpatrick Townsend’s Employee Benefits team from 1982-1998.

Education: She earned her J.D., with distinction, from Emory University School of Law and her B.A. from Albion College.

MADELINE STACY

New job title: Sales representative

Company: Sam Sharpe, State Farm

Duties: Stacy will handle homeowners and auto insurance along with car loans through State Farm Bank.

Education: Stacy attended St. Vincent’s Academy and is a recent graduate of Armstrong Atlantic University.

CHRISTIAN FLATHMAN

New job title: Associate vice president, Marketing & Communi-cations

Company: Georgia Southern University

Duties: Flathman manages the university’s marketing, brand and identity, communications, advertising, websites and public relations.

Related work experience: Flathman worked at GE’s Global Headquarters and Aviation business units, as well as Michelin. He began his communication’s career at Gulfstream in Savannah.

Education: Flathman is a graduate of Auburn University

HONORS/AWARDS

Coldwell Bankers honor associates

Coldwell Banker Platinum has announced its Circle of Excellence Winners. The Circle of Excellence is a Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners internal awards program established to recognize well-rounded agents.

The winners are Jane Beare, Michael Cherry, Steffany Farmer and Jeff Shaufelberger.

Attorney honored

Frederick S. Bergen of Bergen & Bergen, P.C. has become a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Bergen was inducted during the 2012 Annual Meeting of the College in New York City.

Pharmacy director honored

Kenneth Jozefczyk, a 1984 graduate of The Ohio State University, has been named the 2012 Clifton J. Latiolais Award recipient. Established in 1985, it is awarded by The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy and the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center Department of Pharmacy.

Jozefczyk is the director of pharmacy at Memorial University Medical Center.

Financial representative recognized

Northwestern Mutual is honoring Richard Geriner Jr., a Savannah-based financial representative, with membership in its 2012 Forum group, which recognizes an outstanding year of helping people achieve financial security. Only the top 5 percent of Northwestern Mutual’s more than 6,000 financial representatives receive this annual honor.

The crew of the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography’s research vessel Savannah has been honored with the Gold Award in the Chancellor’s Customer Service Recognition Awards. The crew won the award in the team category in a competition among all 36 institutions in the University System of Georgia for the year that ended June 30.

The 92-foot, ocean-going R/V Savannah is used by scientists from Skidaway Institute, as well as other institutions for oceanographic research in waters ranging from Cape Hatteras to the Gulf of Mexico.

The award was based on a survey of scientist-customers in which R/V Savannah crew received outstanding reviews. In the two key categories that dealt directly with the crew and their interaction with the science parties, the scientists rated the crew with an average of 4.97 on a scale of one to five.

The crew received the award in a ceremony at Clayton State University on Oct. 4. The team is led by captain Raymond Sweatte and includes first mate Peter Casserleigh, engineer Richard Huguley, second mate Chris Keene and marine technician John Bichy. They are supported by marine superintendent Michael Richter.

We are fortunate to live in a city where so many citizens are passionate about the past, present and future.

According to Savannah Morning News news researcher Julia Muller, I’ve written more than 1,500 columns for the paper over the last 12 years.

How’d that happen?

It doesn’t feel like I’ve written more than 1,100.

At this time of Thanksgiving, I’d like to thank the many regular readers of my columns both in this section and in Do on Thursdays. Twelve years ago, I would never have guessed that there was so much demand for these newsy updates about city life.

And I never would have expected that so many readers would tolerate my wonky, occasionally tedious, delving into data about the job market, real estate and other vital but less-than-exciting sectors.

I generally try to connect a few dots in these columns — to put specific developments in the context of larger trends.

Are there any trends for which we should be thankful this year?

We are fortunate to live in a city where so many citizens are passionate about the past, present and future.

Sometimes those passions conflict with or even completely contradict each other. But vigorous discourse might be the best path for a communal vision to emerge.

Consider recent discussions about crime in the city. As we hash over different strategies, we create chances for changes that will make life better for law-abiding citizens.

As I’ve said here before, I’d put the emphasis on eradicating obvious street level crimes. I’ve never understood why Savannah has allowed the same corridors to be plagued by drug dealing and prostitution for decades.

We should be thankful that Savannah’s economy seems to be rebounding from the doldrums of the weak recovery.

Sure, there are many uncertainties, and many hardworking citizens continue to struggle.

But we’ve seen steady improvement in our local employment data. And the housing market probably bottomed out a few months ago.

If you’re suspicious of data, just look around at all the major developments in and around Savannah’s core.

There are active plans for new hotels, new apartments, our first Whole Foods and myriad other projects that should generate jobs and improve quality of life.

We’re seeing significant underutilized parcels of land in the heart of the city converted to more appropriate uses.

Last weekend even brought word that investors are again looking at mixed-use development on Hutchinson Island. That’s a tall order, mainly because of the poor vehicular access, but the effort is another sign that the city is emerging from the long slump.

Whatever you’re thankful for, I hope you have a pleasant Thanksgiving.

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

International economic woes and a domestic fiscal crisis cloud the outlook for Georgia’s ports, a top official says.

Georgia Ports Authority Executive Director Curtis Foltz said he’s “extremely cautious” about market conditions over the next eight months.

There already has been some slippage, Foltz said on Monday at a ports authority board meeting.

Overall tonnage was down 5.6 percent in October compared to the same month a year before and was “flat” over the four months that ended Oct. 31.

In contrast, business was “fairly strong” during the first half of 2012, Foltz reported.

His comments coincided with an otherwise upbeat trend at the maritime commerce hub.

Federal officials have given final approval for harbor deepening and Gov. Nathan Deal has pledged $50 million more in state money for the project.

Port operations support an estimated 350,000 Georgia jobs, so any downturn could send ripples throughout the state’s economy.

Foltz said October doldrums were due partly to worries about a possible International Longshoreman’s Association strike that’s been averted — for now.

Shipping delays due to superstorm Sandy also depressed volume, he said.

But the biggest ongoing issues, according to Foltz, stem from a gloomy economic climate.

“Global market conditions continue to weaken while the U.S. economy remains very uncertain as we enter 2013,” he said.

Foltz cited “uncertain direction” in the domestic consumer and manufacturing sectors and a “troubling” federal government debt crisis.

“Europe,” he added, “remains very unstable and lower consumer demand throughout the European community will negatively affect ... shipping ... and ... Chinese economic growth.”

Moreover, he said, unresolved ILA issues remain, and that could be a drag on East Coast shipping traffic “well into the first quarter of 2013.”

But even though port revenues were lower than budgeted for the four months ending Oct. 31, that was mostly offset by cutting expenses, he said.

And the executive director speculated that good news may be just around the corner.

“The economy is poised for recovery,” he said.

Authority board members didn’t discuss Foltz’s comments during the meeting.

He said his staff will “monitor conditions very closely and adjust operations as necessary to maintain our business strength.”

Bone & Joint office opens in Hinesville

The Bone & Joint Institute of South Georgia opened its new Hinesville office on Oct. 30 at 475 South Main St., Suite A, next to West Rehab.

Dr. Matt Valosen, who will see patients in the Hinesville office on Tuesdays and Fridays, began his career in the U.S. Army and was the chief of orthopedic surgical services at Winn Army Community Hospital at Fort Stewart.

Valosen specializes in arthroscopic approaches to most orthopedic conditions, joint replacement surgery and other orthopedic surgical procedures. He earned his M.D. from Drexel University College of Medicine in 2003.

For more information, go to BJISG.com.

Health services firm recognized

The Savannah branch of Gentiva Home Health, a member of Gentiva Health Services, has announced it has been recognized for its commitment to care excellence through the 2012 HHCAHPS Honors Program.

Established by Deyta, LLC, a patient satisfaction survey administrator, the program recognizes the top 20 percent of home health agencies that “continuously provide the highest level of satisfaction through their care as measured from the patient’s point of view.”

The Gentiva Home Health office at 401 Mall Blvd, Suite 202-C, is headed by branch director Gary Slattery, who has more than 16 years of experience in health care.

“This recognition especially honors our clinicians, who work so hard every day to make sure patients get the high-quality healthcare they want and need without having to leave their homes,” Slattery said. “We are proud to be a part of and to serve this area’s health care community.”

For more information, go to gentiva.com or call 912-355-3409.

Diamond engagement ring open to writers

Harkleroad Diamonds & Fine Jewelry, 7300 Abercorn St., will celebrate its annual holiday open house on Dec. 1 with extended store hours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Activities include a Slane trunk show; entertainment and hors d’oeuvres from 3-5 p.m. and the winner of an engagement ring contest announced at 5 p.m.

A portion of sales in December will be donated to the Savannah Philharmonic, for which Harkleroad is the official jeweler.

A diamond engagement ring will be presented to the winner of an essay contest explaining why the entrant deserves the ring. Submissions must be dropped off at the store, 7300 Abercorn St., by Nov. 26.

For more information, call 912-354-3671 or go to harkleroaddiamonds.com.

JCB head gets post

John Patterson, chairman & CEO of JCB Inc., has been elected 2013 CE Chair of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, the North American-based international trade group for companies that manufacture equipment, products and services used worldwide in the agricultural, construction, forestry, mining and utility sectors.

Patterson will become the designated advocate for construction equipment member companies and will lead the board as it determines strategic direction, develop and direct programs, services and activities focused on the construction sector. He will serve a one-year term.

The tablet computer is without a doubt the gift of the season — just like it was last year. But if you resisted the urge in 2011, now is the time to give in. This season’s tablets are better all around. Intense competition has kept prices very low, making tablets incredible values compared to smartphones and PCs.

The first step in the buying process is to decide on the size of the tablet. They fall into two rough categories: the full-sized tablet, pioneered by the iPad, and the half-size tablet, epitomized by the Kindle Fire.

Full-sized tablets, which generally have screens measuring about 10 inches on the diagonal, are better for surfing websites designed for PCs, and far better when it comes to displaying magazines and documents. Overall, they go further toward replacing a laptop. They cost $400 and up.

Half-sized tablets, which have screens measuring roughly 7 inches on the diagonal, are cheaper and lighter, but just as good as full-sized tablets for e-book reading. It’s an excellent first computing device for a kid, or a gentle nudge into the digital world for an older adult with little computing experience. This year’s crop costs $199 and up.

If you’ve settled on a small tablet, here are some top choices:

Apple iPad Mini (starts at $329 for 16 gigabytes of storage)

The most expensive of the small tablets is also the prettiest. Its exquisitely machined metal rim sets it well apart from competing tablets clothed in plastic and rubber. It’s also thin and light, despite having a screen that’s 40 percent bigger than other “small” tablets. But the quality of the screen doesn’t quite measure up to the competition. It has fewer pixels than other small tablets, and they’re spread over a larger area, making for a relatively coarse, pixelated look. On the other hand, the Mini has two cameras, front and back, which is a rarity.

Where the Mini really wins is in third-party apps: it’s the only small tablet that has access to Apple’s App Store, with a superlative selection of high-quality apps. It’s an excellent addition to the household that’s already hooked on iPhones and full-size iPads.

Amazon Kindle Fire HD (starts at $199 for 16 gigabytes of storage)

A year ago, the Kindle Fire was the plucky, cut-rate tablet, the Dodge Neon to the iPad’s BMW. This year, the gap in quality and features has narrowed considerably. The Kindle Fire HD has a better screen than the iPad Mini, and now sports a front-facing camera. The original Kindle Fire had none.

In another nice touch, it has speakers on either side of the screen when it’s held horizontally, making for much better stereo sound when you’re playing a movie.

The selection of content is narrower than for the iPad, since it’s heavily slanted toward Amazon’s services. Likewise, the selection of third-party apps is smaller than on the iPad or Google’s Nexus 7. But there are enough games to thrill a kid for hours, and like Barnes & Noble’s Nook, the Kindle can be configured with a special “kid mode.”

The Kindle Fire is especially useful for members of Amazon’s Prime shipping service, since they get access to free streaming movies. On the other hand, anyone could be annoyed by the ads that appear on the lock screen. Getting rid of them costs $15. There’s no option for cellular broadband, so you’re limited to Wi-Fi connections.

Barnes & Noble Nook HD (starts at $199 for 8 gigabytes of storage)

Barnes & Noble has paid a lot of attention to the screens on its Nooks. This year, it’s clearly outdone the competition, with a screen that packs the pixels tighter than any other small tablet. It’s very sharp and colorful, approaching the look of the Retina screen that graces the full-size iPad.

The other strength of the Nook HD is that it has a slot for a memory card, meaning that you can expand the storage space for movies and music by 32 gigabytes for $25. It’s the only tablet in our roundup with this feature.

The downside is that the Nook HD is less of a general-purpose tablet and more of a consumption device for books and movies. It doesn’t have a camera, so it’s no good for videoconferencing. The selection of apps is the smallest. You’ll find big names like “Angry Birds” here, but there is no depth to the catalog. There’s also no option for cellular broadband.

Google Nexus 7 (starts at $199 for 16 gigabytes of storage)

Frustrated that Amazon and Barnes & Noble were taking Google’s Android software, gutting it and using it to power tablets that don’t yield the search giant a red cent in advertising revenue or e-book sales, Google this year launched the first tablet under its own brand. The Nexus 7 has a power-house processor and a screen similar to that of the Kindle Fire HD. Since it runs stock Android, it has access to hundreds of thousands of applications written for Android smartphones, and it has more sophisticated multi-tasking abilities than the competitors, so it’s easy to switch from program to program. Like the iPad Mini, it has a GPS chip for navigation. It has a front-facing camera for videoconferencing.

There’s a $299, 32-gigabyte version that can connect to AT&T’s wireless network.

The Nexus 7 is a great tablet for the technophile who would chafe at the restrictions imposed by competing manufacturers. But anyone will be able to appreciate it. In terms of kid-friendliness, it’s beaten by Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Chicago, Detroit, New York and Washington, D.C., have all dealt with tarnished reputations of violence for the last few decades.

And today, more than ever, Chicago is dealing with it. Rahm Emanuel, former White House chief of staff and current mayor of Chicago, went on national television to explain the violence afflicting his city.

One major factor distinguishes theses cities from our town: Population. Those cities are huge. Savannah is small. And because of this differential, our problem hurts a little more than theirs.

We should look at other cities plagued by crime with population density similar to ours. What have they done, if anything, to curb crime?

The label of violent city causes stress in all corners. Individuals begin to fear for their safety. Businesses worry about dwindling foot traffic. Corporations fear potential new hires won’t move to the region because of safety concerns. And tourism, our beloved golden goose, suffers if tourists are worried about what lurks in the haunted shadows.

We need to curb crime and we need to do something about it immediately.

I have an idea, and it isn’t anything new. As a matter of fact, an extremely intelligent local business owner and I already pitched this idea to the police department. The response? Silence.

The idea is simple. The police department should make its crime data open and available for computer programmers. If programmers are able to access the data, they could help solve crime.

How? Simple. Programmers, geeks and techies love this kind of thing. Make the data accessible, and programmers will manipulate the data, run algorithms and analyze the information. With regression analysis, we can pinpoint crime locations, identify neighborhoods with repeat offenders, zero in on nights with the highest criminal activity, and determine which crimes lead to other criminal behavior.

We can pinpoint where criminals attended school, when they dropped out, what types of families they came from, and where it all went wrong. We could track where guns and bullets come from and which types of cars are stolen. We could cross-reference streets without proper lighting
and crime. With this type of information, we can begin a new process of pro-activity, instead of our tired program of re-activity. To put it simply, we could begin to outsmart crime.

The best part of this idea? Opening up data is free, and most of the talented technologists in the region would be happy to work on this project for free. We need to fight crime with intelligence, one data set at a time.

If I was the police chief, I would meet with the local technology community and ask what they need, and begin feeding them the information immediately.

Some might say the idea of opening up data is dangerous as personal identities could be compromised. Nope.

The police department can restrict personal information from open data. Names, social security numbers and the like are omitted from the list. Height, weight, race, address, convictions and general data specific to the individuals can be shared. Sensitive data are omitted.

Others might say the police department is already collecting and using data to fight crime. Fine, but what if dozens of community-minded technologists were working alongside our police force? They could bring a new analytical approach that very well could shine light on the issues plaguing our region.

Other cities across the country have opened their data sets. Information on crime, water usage, trash collection, student test scores, public transportation and the like has been made available to the public.

And the response has been overwhelming. In cities across the country, volunteer technologists have manipulated data to provide community-centered apps and websites. Think modern day neighborhood watch.

Best part, all of this was done for free. Open source.

I urge our community to demand access to the data that belongs to us, and once available, I urge local technologists to manipulate the data to help make our police force stronger.

Sound too idealistic to you? Let me know how you feel after reading the next crime-related headline.

Jake Hodesh is the executive director of The Creative Coast, a not-for-profit organization that promotes the creative and entrepreneurial community within the region. Jake can be reached at 912-447-8457 or jake@thecreativecoast.org.

Thanksgiving Day: Nov. 22, 2012

In the fall of 1621, the Pilgrims, early settlers of Plymouth Colony, held a three-day feast to celebrate a bountiful harvest, an event many regard as the nation’s first Thanksgiving. Historians have also recorded ceremonies of thanks among other groups of European settlers in North America, including British colonists in Virginia in 1619.

The legacy of thanks and the feast have survived the centuries, as the event became a national holiday in 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of November as a national day of thanksgiving.

Later, President Franklin Roosevelt clarified that Thanksgiving should always be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of the month to encourage earlier holiday shopping, never on the occasional fifth Thursday. Here’s an at-a-glance of the holiday:

• 114.7 million — Number of households across the nation, all potential gathering places for people to celebrate the holiday.

• 4 — Number of places in the U.S. named after the holiday’s traditional main course. Turkey Creek, La., was the most populous in 2011, with 440 residents, followed by Turkey, Texas (424), Turkey, N.C. (295) and Turkey Creek, Ariz. (294).

There are also 11 townships around the country with Turkey in their names, including three in Kansas.

• 9 — Number of places and townships in the United States that are named Cranberry or some spelling variation of the acidic red berry (e.g., Cranbury, N.J.), a popular side dish at Thanksgiving. Cranberry Township (Butler County), Pa., was the most populous of these places in 2010, with 28,251 residents. Cranberry township (Venango County), Pa., was next (6,647).

• 37 — Number of places and townships in the United States named Plymouth, as in Plymouth Rock, the landing site of the first Pilgrims.

Plymouth, Minn., is the most populous, with 71,561 residents in 2011; Plymouth, Mass., had 56,767.

There is just one township in the United States named Pilgrim. Located in Dade County, Mo., its population was 131 in 2011. And then there is Mayflower, Ark., whose population was 2,298 in 2011, and Mayflower Village, Calif., whose population was 5,515 in 2010.

Culinary Delights

• 64,380— The number of grocery stores in the United States in 2010. These establishments are expected to be extremely busy around Thanksgiving, as people prepare for their delightful meals.

• 4,030 — The number of baked goods stores in the United States in 2010 — a potential place to visit to purchase refreshing desserts.

• 2,979 — The number of fruit and vegetable markets in the United States in 2010 – a great place to find those holiday side dishes.

• $12.1 million — The value of U.S. imports of live turkeys from January through July of 2012, with 99.8 percent of them coming from Canada. When it comes to sweet potatoes, the Dominican Republic was the source of 45.3 percent (2.5 million) of total imports ($5.6 million). The United States ran a $9.1 million trade deficit in live turkeys during the period but had a surplus of $40.6 million in sweet potatoes.

• 768 million pounds — The forecast for U.S. cranberry production in 2012. Wisconsin is estimated to lead all states in the production of cranberries, with 450 million pounds, followed by Massachusetts (estimated at 210 million).

New Jersey, Oregon and Washington are also estimated to have substantial production, ranging from 14 to 54 million pounds.

• 2.7 billion pounds — The total weight of sweet potatoes — another popular Thanksgiving side dish — produced by major sweet potato producing states in 2011. North Carolina (1.3 billion pounds) produced more sweet potatoes than any other state.

• 1.1 billion pounds — Total production of pumpkins in the major pumpkin-producing states in 2011. Illinois led the country by producing an estimated 520 million pounds of the vined orange gourd. Pumpkin patches in California, Pennsylvania and Ohio also provided lots of pumpkins: Each state produced at least 100 million pounds. The value of all pumpkins produced in the United States was $113 million.

America’s favorite gastronomic holiday and America’s favorite shopping holiday have long coexisted at Bass Pro Shops.

The national outdoors and sporting goods retailer has opened its stores on Thanksgiving morning for 40 years. Inside the local location at Savannah Mall, “it gets pretty tight by mid-morning,” according to operations manager Chris Finnegan.

Savannah’s other retailers aren’t yet ready to follow Bass’ lead and kick off Black Friday before the Thanksgiving turkey comes out of the oven. But more and more are extending the biggest shopping day of the year into Thanksgiving night.

SAVANNAH GIFT GUIDE: For store information and gift ideas, check out the Savannah Gift Guide included with the Thanksgiving Day newspaper or visit savannahgiftguide.com.

At least six big-box retailers — HH Gregg, Kmart, Sears, Target, Toys R Us and Walmart — will open in primetime, either 8 p.m. or 9 p.m. Other popular destinations, including Best Buy, Kohl’s, Old Navy, Gap and Victoria’s Secret, will wait until midnight.

Late night openings will be the norm at Oglethorpe Mall. While the local shopping mecca doesn’t officially open until 6 a.m. Friday, 42 of its stores open at midnight, including local favorite the Stagg Shoppe menswear store.

“We were stubborn last year and waited to open until 6 a.m. and missed out,” said Stagg Shoppe owner Pam Miltiades. “The usual 6 o’clock rush came when the other stores opened earlier. We have to accept that this is the new reality.”

The so-called “Thanksgiving creep” of Black Friday is accelerating. Black Friday store openings have been pushing into the wee hours of the morning for much of the last decade and finally encroached on Thanksgiving last year. Toys R Us and Walmart opened on Thanksgiving night in 2011 and fueled a 6 million person increase of Thanksgiving Day shoppers, according to National Retail Federation data.

The Thanksgiving night sales pushed Black Friday spending to a record-setting $11.4 billion last year, according to market research company ShopperTrak.

The success of that experiment prompted the more widespread implementation of so-called “Gray Thursday” sales this year. Opening on Thanksgiving night spreads out the shopping schedule, which retailers hope will attract shoppers who might otherwise stay home on Black Friday morning for fear of the crush.

Given that Black Friday weekend spending can account for as much as 40 percent of retailers’ annual profits, the Thanksgiving shopping phenomenon is sure to grow. The Stagg Shoppe’s Miltiades envisions Thanksgiving becoming "just another Christmas season shopping day" within a few years, with retailers following Bass Pro Shop's lead and opening about the time the Macy's parade comes on television.

Thanksgiving day customers “avoid the craziness of Black Friday,” said Ric Brown, general manager of the Bass Pro Shop at Savannah Mall, which is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and opens at 5 a.m. Black Friday. “I suspect that retailers in general continue to look at gaining advantage over their competition and believe that more will continue to try and get a piece of the pie on Thanksgiving.”

Even if it comes at the expense of a real piece of pie at the dinner table.

CHICAGO — Millions of Americans piled their families into cars, hopped on buses and waited out delays at airports Wednesday as they set off on Thanksgiving treks that many said required financial sacrifice, help from relatives to come up with airfare and hours searching online for deals.

Accepting that the road out of the recession will be long, many said they’ve become savvier or at least hardier travelers — resilient enough to brave a day-long drive with the kids or a long haul by bus instead of flying. Others adjusted their travel schedules to try to save money, flying on less popular days or to airports that were a bit farther from their destination.

The weather, along with the economy, handed setbacks to some. Heavy fog shrouded Chicago, causing more than 1,600 delays or cancellations in and out of its two airports and sending ripples around the nation. The effects of Superstorm Sandy added to the hassle for travelers on the East Coast.

Chris McLaughlin, a 22-year-old senior at Boston College from West Chester, Penn., had hoped to combine his trip home for Thanksgiving with a medical school interview in Philadelphia, but the storm delayed his interview, so he’ll have to make an extra trip home next month. He figured that would cost him another $200.

“It killed me,” McLaughlin said of the financial impact of the storm, which also left his parents without power for eight days. “I think we were feeling we could loosen up a little bit (financially), but with Sandy and everything that happened, (people) feel like they can’t.”

And it’s not just family finances that are tighter. Airlines struggling to save on jet fuel and other expenses have cut the number of flights, leading to a jump in airfares. Those hitting the roads face high gas prices and rising tolls.

After a couple of years of healthy post-recession growth, Thanksgiving travel this year was expected to be up only slightly, 0.7 percent, from last year, according to AAA’s yearly Thanksgiving travel analysis. Among the 43.6 million Americans expected to journey 50 miles or more between Wednesday and Sunday, more were driving and fewer were flying. Their planned trips were shorter too, by about 120 miles on average, the travel organization said.

As car ownership declines among younger Americans, many of those hitting the road were jumping onto buses. Intercity bus service has grown in recent years with curbside companies like Megabus.

At a Greyhound terminal in downtown Denver, Eileen Lindbuchler, a 32-year-old massage therapist, hauled her bulky massage table through the line to board a bus. She had used her iPhone to coordinate bus schedules and connecting routes for the 65-mile journey to visit family in Colorado Springs and expected the effort to save her money.

“I think it’s going to be a lot cheaper,” she said. “I want to see how it works. I’ve always had to travel by car.”

Aided by smartphone apps, social media and other technology, consumers are getting better at sniffing out deals and realize they need to be flexible with dates and even the airports they chose when booking, said Courtney Scott, a senior editor at Travelocity.

“I think people are really becoming smarter, more creative travelers and shoppers,” Scott said.

Sometimes, though, no amount of creativity with an airline booking can avoid breaking the bank for those with large families.

So, Linne Katz and her five children hit the road, leaving their home in Haledon, N.J., at 1 a.m. Wednesday in hopes of getting to her father’s home in Tennessee while the sun was still up. Driving has downsides, she said.

“My oldest keeps having to go the bathroom. ... I think he’s getting carsick,” Katz said, as she stopped to take pictures of her children under the “Virginia Welcomes You” sign at an I-66 rest stop near the Manassas National Battlefield.

And even with all the alternatives to flying, some still said they couldn’t afford the journey.

Lisa Appleton, 42, of Sandy Springs, Ga., said she lost her job as an accounting manager during the holidays last year. Her new job at an ice skating rink pays less, and she said that forced her to skip her usual Thanksgiving road trip to visit family in northeast Ohio.

“This is the first year that I have not gone in like five years,” she said. “It seems weird to me.”

She planned to spend the holiday at home with her 23-year-old son, eating and watching football. After checking airline prices, she decided they’ll also stay in Georgia for Christmas.

“It breaks my heart, but it’s something you’ve got to do,” she said. “If you don’t have the money, you just — you can’t do it.”

In the spirit of the holidays, one can’t help but think about gift giving.

And while the mere thought of fighting the Black Friday crowds exhausts me, I’m not really interested in that angle. I’m more interested in 3-D printing.

3-D printers, like their 2-D counterparts, take raw material (usually plastic or resin instead of paper and ink) and create a custom mold that is an actual, real life object. You could print an action figure of yourself, or a replacement for that knob on the dryer, or scale model of the Talmadge Bridge.

But what does this have to do with Christmas?

First of all, 3-D printers are getting down into consumer price points. Some companies are offering these printers at prices below $500. That’s not quite into the general public gift-giving range just yet, but the prices will keep dropping, just like tablets and laptops. When 3-D printers are sub-$200, they’ll go mainstream in a hurry.

Secondly, once they’re widespread, you’ll be printing a lot of your gifts rather than going to the store to buy them. The first year you use your 3-D printer, you might only print a few gift cards and novelty bobblehead figures. But the second year, because of the advance in technology, you might print full Barbies or Transformers (or whatever kids are playing with in a few years).

This isn’t speculation. These 3-D printers are already in use around the world, printing car parts, iPhone cases, and anything that can be molded from plastic. As I said before, the real barrier today is price, but you can buy a 3-D printer today for less than the cost of a CD player in the 1980s. History tells us that cost will keep dropping.

The interesting part, at least to me, is that we will download the 3-D models for printing instead of buying things in retail stores. Think of it like an app store for things, or like Amazon.com except with zero shipping time. You simply see a lamp you want, press the ‘Buy’ button, and the printer starts printing your lamp.

Taking it a step further, since the content actually originates from digital files, there is a real piracy concern. Just like you can pirate music and movies, there’s a chance you’ll be able to pirate Ray Bans, Crocs, and Han Solo statues. Of course I’ve never, ever downloaded a song without paying for it, so I wouldn’t know anything about that.

3-D printers will be the hot, trendy Christmas gift in a few years, just like digital photo frames and Nintendo Wiis were in years past. It will be a fascinating shift from mass-market manufacturing to single-item, on-demand manufacturing, and it might just allow me to avoid Black Friday shopping altogether. Here’s hoping.

Jesse Bushkar is the CEO of Sysconn New Media Inc. He can be contacted at 912-356-9920 or jesse@sysconn.com.

Kroger joins with Salvation Army

Kroger stores in Georgia, South Carolina and Eastern Tennessee, including 11 stores in the Savannah metro area, are ringing in the holiday season with The Salvation Army’s annual Red Kettle Campaign.

Through Dec. 24, volunteer bell ringers will be at Kroger Stores to raise money that provides toys for children, meals for the hungry, coats for the homeless and help for communities facing natural disasters.

“We encourage our customers and associates to join us in supporting the Red Kettle Campaign, a cause that truly embraces the holiday spirit,” said Glynn Jenkins, spokesman for Kroger’s Atlanta Division.

Last year, Kroger’s Atlanta Division raised more than $1.2 million for The Salvation Army’s campaign. For information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org. Find store locations at www.kroger.com.

Certification classes offered

The city of Savannah will team with Savannah Technical College, the Georgia Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to help residents get certifications needed to land careers in three new fields.

In addition to warehousing and distribution, three new technical certificates of credit programs will be available beginning next year at the Moses Jackson Advancement Center, 1410B Richards St. The areas include culinary arts, commercial drivers license (CDL) training and medical front desk office assistant.

An information session will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Jackson Center.

Anyone can come to the session. Those who enroll for training will need a photo ID card; proof of residency; $20 for Savannah Tech’s admission; a copy of your 2011 tax return; and a copy of your official high school, GED or college transcript in a sealed envelope.

For more information, call the center at 912-525-2166.

New e-book offers advice

Lydia Ramsey, a Savannah-based international business etiquette expert, has written a newly published e-book: ‘Don’t Be A Turkey During The Holidays: The Complete Guide To Etiquette And Protocol For The Holiday Season.’

This book will help answer such questions as:

Do you feel confident about how to conduct yourself at the office party?

Are you sure of the correct protocol to follow in sending out seasonal cards?

Do you stress over the proper way to give and receive corporate gifts?

“By investing in this guide to business etiquette and protocol for the holiday season, you will be sure to impress rather than stress,” said Ramsey, who consults with companies on business etiquette topics.

NEW YORK — Tablets are at the top of many wish lists this holiday season. But what to get? The choice used to be pretty limited, with the iPad dominating the latecomers. But this year, the field is more even.

Full-sized tablets, which generally have screens measuring about 10 inches on the diagonal, are better for surfing websites designed for PCs, and far better when it comes to displaying magazines and documents. Overall, they go further toward replacing a laptop. They cost $400 and up.

If you’ve settled on a large tablet, here are some top choices:

Apple Inc.’s iPad

Price: Starts at $499 for 16 gigabytes of storage, goes up to $699 for 64 gigabytes, more for versions with cellular data access. (Apple still sells the older, iPad 2 for $399.)

Pros: Unmatched access to third-party applications, high-quality Apple software and the iTunes store. Widest range of cases and accessories available. Available with access to fast 4G wireless broadband networks, starting at $629.

Cons: Data storage cannot be expanded with memory cards, and the base 16 gigabytes doesn’t go far.

Barnes & Noble Inc.’s Nook HD+

Price: $269 for 16 gigabytes of storage; $299 for 32 GB

Pros: Cheap and portable. Storage is expandable with microSD memory cards. Easy access to Barnes & Noble book store.

Cons: Selection of third-party applications is small. Barnes & Noble lacks wide range of content. Lacks cameras and option for wireless broadband.

Samsung Electronic Co.’s Galaxy Note 10.1

Price: $499 for 16 gigabytes of storage, $549 for 32 GB

Pros: Comes with a pen for drawing on the screen. Slightly thinner and lighter than an iPad. Longer, narrower screen better suited to movies. Storage is expandable with memory cards. Can act as a universal remote for an entertainment center.

Cons: Selection of third-party applications not as good as iPad’s, but wider than Kindle. Screen resolution lower than iPad’s. No option for wireless broadband. Pen sensor slightly shortens battery life.

Microsoft Corp.’s Surface

Price: $499 for 32 gigabytes of storage, $100 extra for keyboard cover. $699 for 64 GB version, includes keyboard cover.

Pros: Storage can be expanded with microSD memory cards. Comes with free Microsoft Office software. Models running full version of Windows 8 coming soon, offering compatibility with programs available for traditional Windows computers.

Cons: Operating system lacks good track record on tablets. Selection of third-party apps small. No option for wireless broadband.

Google Inc.’s Nexus 10

Price: $399 for 16 gigabytes of storage, $499 for 32 GB

Pros: Access to a variety of software for Android devices, though not as extensive as apps for iPad. Longer, narrower screen better suited to movies.

Cons: Integrates with Google Play store, which isn’t as robust as Apple or Amazon’s stores. Data storage cannot be expanded with memory cards. No option for cellular wireless broadband.

A job was all many Savannahians wanted heading into the Christmas season in recent years.

Santa delivered early this year.

Employers in Chatham, Bryan and Effingham counties claimed the most workers in October since the economic downturn cut Savannah-area jobs by 20 percent in 2009. The estimated number of local jobs grew to 154,600 in October, adding 900 jobs in the month, according to Georgia Department of Labor statistics.

The October numbers are preliminary estimates and will be revised in December. The margin of error tends to be 200 jobs, plus or minus.

“This extends the momentum established in the third quarter,” said local economist Michael Toma with Armstrong Atlantic State University. “It is a good sign for the regional economy that employers are beginning to fill gaps in their workforce in response to increased demand.”

Savannah saw gains in several key sectors, led by local government, education and health services, manufacturing and construction.

The one sector that traditionally adds jobs in October, retailers staffing up on part-timers for the holiday shopping season, did not, promising an employment bump in that sector in November’s numbers.

The 100 additional manufacturing jobs marked the first increase in that sector since June, mirroring a pickup of manufacturing activity statewide. The state added 10,500 manufacturing jobs between October 2011 and October 2012, according to the labor department.

And the 300 new local jobs announced in recent weeks by K Machine and Kerry Ingredients & Flavours are not included in the October numbers.

“When employment is growing in key areas of the economy such as manufacturing and professional and business services, the local economy is definitely beginning to see real improvement,” said Benjamin McKay, a researcher with Georgia Southern’s Bureau of Business Research and Economic Development (BBRED). “However, there are still national and international factors that could derail this employment growth.”

McKay is referring to the so-called “fiscal cliff” — the expiration of tax cuts and the implementation of spending cuts scheduled for the end of the year — Congress is wrestling with as well as continued economic unrest in Europe.

Savannah's unemployment rate remained at 7.9 percent in October, unchanged from September despite the job gains. The rate is down from 8.9 percent in October 2011.

The state unemployment rate stood at 8.7 percent in October. The 36,000 new jobs added statewide was the largest September to October job increase on record.

“That job growth pushed the number of jobs in October to the highest level in any month since December of 2008,” said Mark Butler, the state’s labor commissioner.

GROWING SECTORS

Most Savannah-area employers have added employees in the last year. A look at growth in some of the top sectors:

SECTOR EMPLOYEES

Oct. 2012 Oct. 2011

Manufacturing 14,700 14,300

Trade, utilities,
transportation 33,200 32,600

Professional and
business services 18,400 17,500

Education and
health services 25,000 24,000

Leisure and
hospitality 20,800 19,800

Local government 14,800 14,600

Overall
(non-farm related) 154,600 150,100

Source: Georgia Department of Labor

WASHINGTON — Emboldened by rapid growth in e-commerce shipping, the cash-strapped U.S. Postal Service is moving aggressively this holiday season to start a premium service for the Internet shopper seeking the instant gratification of a store purchase: same-day package delivery.

Teaming up with major retailers, the post office will begin the expedited service in San Francisco on Dec. 12 at a price similar to its competitors. If things run smoothly, the program will quickly expand next year to other big cities such as Boston, Chicago and New York. It follows similar efforts by eBay, Amazon.com, and most recently Wal-Mart Stores Inc., which charges a $10 flat rate for same-day delivery.

The delivery program, called Metro Post, seeks to build on the post office’s double-digit growth in package volume to help offset steady declines in first-class and standard mail. Operating as a limited experiment for the next year, it is projected to generate between $10 million and $50 million in new revenue from deliveries in San Francisco alone, according to postal regulatory filings, or up to $500 million, if expanded to 10 cities.

The filings do not reveal the mail agency’s anticipated expenses to implement same-day service, which can only work profitably if retailers have enough merchandise in stores and warehouses to be quickly delivered to nearby residences in a dense urban area. The projected $500 million in potential revenue, even if fully realized, would represent just fraction of the record $15.9 billion annual loss that the Postal Service reported last week.

But while startups in the late 1990s such as Kozmo.com notably failed after promising instant delivery, the Postal Service’s vast network serving every U.S. home could put it in a good position to be viable over the long term. The retail market has been rapidly shifting to Internet shopping, especially among younger adults, and more people are moving from suburb to city, where driving to a store can be less convenient.

Postal officials, in interviews with The Associated Press, cast the new offering as “exciting” and potentially “revolutionary.” Analysts are apt to agree at least in part, if kinks can be worked out.

“There is definitely consumer demand for same-day delivery, at the right price,” said Matt Nemer, a senior analyst at Wells Fargo Securities in San Francisco. “The culture in retail traditionally has been to get a customer into the store, with the immediacy of enjoying a purchase being the main draw. So same-day delivery could be huge for online retailers. The question is whether the economics can work.”

He and others said that consumers are a fickle lot when it comes to shipping, seeking fast delivery, but also sensitive to its pricing. Many will order online and pick up merchandise at a store if it avoids shipping charges, or will agree to pay a yearly fee of $79 for a service such as Amazon Prime to get unlimited, free two-day delivery or even purchase a higher-priced item if it comes with “free” shipping.

“Customers do like same-day delivery when it gets very close to a holiday or it otherwise becomes too late to shop,” said Jim Corridore, analyst with S&P Capital IQ, which tracks the shipping industry. “But while the Postal Service has the ability to deliver to any address, they are not always known for their speed. To increase their speed might prove to be a much more complex offering than they’re thinking about.”

As the Postal Service launches Metro Post and sets pricing, its target consumer is likely to include busy professionals such as Victoria Kuohung, 43. A dermatologist and mother of three young children, Kuohung for years has gone online for virtually all her family’s needs, including facial cleansers, books, clothing, toys, diapers and cookware.

Kuohung lives in a downtown Boston high-rise apartment with her husband, who often travels out of town for work. The couple says they would welcome having more retailers offer same-day delivery as an option. Still, at an estimated $10 price, Kuohung acknowledges that she would likely opt to wait an extra day or two for delivery, unless her purchase were a higher-priced electronics gadget or a special toy or gift for her son’s birthday.

“I prefer not to spend my time driving in a car, fighting for parking, worrying about the kids, dealing with traffic and battling crowds for a limited selection in stores,” said Kuohung, as her 1-year-old-twins and 4-year-old son squealed in the background. “But right now Amazon delivers in two days since I’m a member of Prime, so it would have to be something I can’t get at the corner CVS or the grocery store down the street.”

Under the plan, the Postal Service is working out agreements with at least eight and as many as 10 national retail chains for same-day delivery. The mail agency says nondisclosure agreements don’t allow it to reveal the companies. But given the somewhat limited pool of large-scale retailers — they must have a physical presence in 10 or more big U.S. cities to be a postal partner — the list is expected to include department stores, sellers of general merchandise, clothiers, even perhaps a major e-commerce company or two.

Consumers will have until 2 or 3 p.m. to place an online order with a participating retailer, clicking the box that says “same-day delivery” and making the payment. Postal workers then pick up the merchandise from nearby retail stores or warehouses for delivery to homes between 4 and 8 p.m. that day. In San Francisco, the post office will closely track work hours and travel, which could quickly add to costs depending on traffic, total package volume or the proximity of merchandise in a delivery area.

“We’re trying to revolutionize shipping; we’re not simply trying to get a niche market of consumers,” said Gary Reblin, the Postal Service’s vice president for domestic products. He believes people of varying ages and income levels — young adults who don’t own cars, older Americans who are less mobile — will welcome avoiding costly or time-consuming trips to the store.

By targeting big partners, Reblin said, the post office eventually hopes to push pricing down by making same-day delivery a standard option on retail web sites.

The new same-day offering is part of the post office’s blossoming shipping and packaging business. That sector was one bright spot in the mail agency’s dismal 2012 financial report, which showed a loss of $15.9 billion and forecast more red ink next year

This holiday season, the post office expects a 20 percent jump in its package volume, higher than its shipping rivals.

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Online:

https://www.usps.com/

Natural gas firm donates to nonprofits

ATLANTA — Georgia Natural Gas announced it has awarded $50,000 in grants to 13 Georgia nonprofit organizations, with the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy in Atlanta receiving the top grant of $10,000.

The company said the award-winning nonprofit organizations exemplify GNG’s commitment and support for children and education, seniors, energy assistance and environmental sustainability in Georgia.

The $10,000 grant will support the child advocacy group’s mission to champion the needs of abused children through prevention, intervention, therapy and collaboration.

GNG has supported nonprofit organizations for more than a decade, both financially and through its award-winning TrueBlue Crew employee volunteer program. This is the second year for GNG’s TrueBlue Community Awards.

Junior League looking for project partners

The Junior League of Savannah is taking applications for community projects and community assistance funds.

The league is looking for partners that will fit in its focus of women and children, with the community project focus being hunger and literacy.

Community projects are organizations that partner with the Junior League and receive funding and volunteers.

Community assistance funds are awarded once a year, in the spring. Partnerships and funding are available to all local 501(c)3 organizations within the area of women and children’s advocacy.

To apply, visit www.jrleaguesav.org or call 912-790-1002. The application deadline has been extended to Dec. 15.

Financial firm named ‘best
to work for’

Foundation Financial Group, which is based in Jacksonville and has offices in Savannah, has been named one of the national best and brightest companies to work for in 2012.

This is the company’s first recognition tied to the 101 Best and Brightest national list, an awards competition that provides the business community with the opportunity to gain recognition, showcase best practices and demonstrate why they are an ideal place for employees to work.

The 101 Best and Brightest program provides year-long education, benchmarking, assessment tools and interaction amongst the best employers.

“It’s always a pleasure to be recognized for our sound business practices,” said Foundation Financial Group Chief Executive Officer Mark Boyer. “We are thankful for our dedicated employees who are our most valuable resource. I attribute our growth and success to them.”