The Savannah District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has awarded another major environmental mitigation contract for the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project, this one for a raw water storage impoundment — or reservoir — for the city of Savannah.

Thalle Construction Co. of Hillsborough, N.C., is expected to begin work next summer on the 17-acre, $40.2 million impoundment along Abercorn Creek in Effingham County.

The reservoir is designed to provide an additional source of fresh water when the Savannah River is stressed by a combination of drought conditions, extremely high tides and hot weather.

During those rare occurrences, the city will be able to draw water from the impoundment to ensure water quality remains unchanged, according to corps spokesman Billy Birdwell.

During normal operations, water will be drawn from Abercorn Creek and will bypass the impoundment, which will be kept full. During low-flow drought conditions and high tides, pumping from Abercorn Creek will stop and water will be drawn from the impoundment until tides recede.

Building the impoundment is one of many environmental mitigation pieces in the corps’ $706 million Savannah Harbor Expansion Project. Deepening the shipping channel from 42 to 47 feet will enable newer and larger container ships to call on Garden City Terminal with greater ease, heavier cargoes and fewer tidal restraints than they currently experience.

The Corps of Engineers estimates the deepening, when complete, will provide greater shipping efficiencies that will result in approximately $175 million per year in transportation cost savings to U.S. consumers.

Ever wanted to drink a glass of wine while painting a personal mural in Pooler? Well now you can.

Painting with a Twist is one of several new businesses to call Pooler home in 2015. The art studio is located at 107 Grand Central Blvd., Suite 205. 

Other new businesses in the constantly growing west Chatham city include Mo'Bay Island Cuisine, Jimmy John's, Smoothie King and Xie's Garden, just to name a few.

View an updated slideshow here of new businesses in Pooler in 2015. 

Savannah Taphouse, which touts itself as an upscale sports bar, is scheduled to open Thursday on East Broughton Street. The two-story eatery housed in the old Avon Theatre space is part of a Charleston, S.C.-based collection of restaurants co-owned by Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

“Ben is in the middle of his football season right now, but he will visit,” said Jyles Sosa, a spokesman for the restaurant and its parent company, King Street Grille. Roethlisberger and Scott Kier own several of the King Street restaurants in the Charleston and Myrtle Beach areas of South Carolina.

The menu — burgers, flatbreads, salads and the like — is similar to that of the King Street restaurants, but the Taphouse has a bit of a beer focus as well. The bar has 40 draft beers and more than 100 bottled selections. Ten are Georgia beers, and a selection from Savannah brewery Southbound is on the menu.

Like the company’s original location in downtown Charleston, the location here matters.

“Savannah is a lot like Charleston, historical wise,” Sosa said.

But it’s not just the vintage spot that attracted the King Street company. The 5,800-square-foot restaurant is part of the Broughton Street Collection promoted by Atlanta-based developer Ben Carter.

“Obviously the development of Broughton Street was a factor, and we wanted to be a part of that,” Sosa said.

And, if it goes well, there’s room for seconds.

“Other Savannah locations are not out of the question,” Sosa said.

SAVANNAH TAPHOUSE

The Savannah Taphouse at 125 E. Broughton St. will have its grand opening at 5 p.m. Thursday. The restaurant will be open every day from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. For more information, go to www.savannahtaphouse.com.

Savannah law firm recognized for business development

HunterMaclean, a business law firm with offices in Savannah and Brunswick, was recently named one of “Georgia’s Best Economic Development Law Firms” in Southern Business & Development’s first annual “Best of Economic Development in Georgia.”

The magazine highlights businesses in Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi and Missouri that have made a significant impact on economic development in their industries and throughout the Southeast. Only four Georgia law firms were recognized.

“HunterMaclean is proud to represent organizations and individuals who drive and enhance economic development in Georgia and throughout our region,” said Frank S. Macgill, HunterMaclean’s managing partner.

All companies are reviewed by members of SB&D’s Southern Economic Development Roundtable before selections are made. The roundtable group is comprised of approximately 50 members, including current and former secretaries of commerce, economic developers, economists, consultants and educators.

Spanky’s River Street to kick off 40th year in business

Spanky’s River Street, home of the original chicken finger, will kick off its 40th year in business today with a celebration to acknowledge and honor employees and patrons, past and present.

Those with memories of Spanky’s are asked to share photos and stories by emailing them to spankys40@liveoakrestaurants.com.

“Our December celebration will launch an entire year of specials and memories of Spanky’s previous 40 years,” said founder Ansley Williams. “We’re looking forward to getting the party started by saying ‘thank you’ to those who have made us so successful.”

Williams, along with brothers Dusty and Alben Yarbrough, opened the original Spanky’s restaurant in December 1976 with the idea of selling half-pound burgers and pizza.

Today’s celebration will run from 5 to 10 p.m. at 317 E. River Street.

Number of Savannah homes under water declines

A new report from CoreLogic, a real estate reporting firm, indicates 8.4 percent of Savannah mortgages are in negative equity.

According to the report, 4,890 residential properties with a mortgage in Savannah were in negative equity as of the third quarter of 2015 compared with 7,355, or 13.2 percent, a year earlier.

Savannah’s numbers also indicated a decline from the second quarter when 5,899, or 10.1 percent, of homes with mortgages were in negative equity.

Nationwide, Nevada had the highest percentage of mortgaged residential properties in negative equity at 19.0 percent, followed by Florida (17.8 percent), Arizona (14.6 percent), Rhode Island (12.3 percent) and Maryland (12.1 percent). Combined, these five states account for 29.3 percent of negative equity in the U.S.

My parents are Savannah High School graduates who grew up on “the wrong side of the tracks” and, as young adults, “escaped” to Atlanta for jobs. Although Savannah has come a long way since then, The Creative Coast and others still work tirelessly for the sole (and soul) mission of creating more diverse and high-paying career opportunities locally.

In Atlanta, Dad, a Georgia Tech grad, landed his dream job at the Ford Assembly Plant near the airport where he ate chicken sandwiches at Truett Cathy’s lunch tent. The best perk of the job was to drive a different bright and varied-color hot rod Ford Torino home each night.

The only drawback was the night-shift schedule with grueling long and odd hours.

My mother was home searching for friends. She had my brother and sister playing in the front yard while I was bulging in her belly.

Initially, she sat on the front porch snapping beans, sure a new friend would come. Each day she snapped beans or knitted, sitting first on the porch, then moving to the driveway and eventually hanging by the mailbox waving at neighbors and hoping for a friend.

No one came.

What she hadn’t understood was that from the neighbors’ perspective, they wanted nothing to do with that crazy woman who had come to their family-oriented neighborhood toting three children and yet entertaining different men in loud, racy cars each night.

We all make mistakes in perception. Perhaps you have thought The Creative Coast is not for you. You may think it is for “those” techies or just young people. Maybe you thought The Creative Coast doesn’t need your time, energy, wisdom, money or talent.

If so, your perception about The Creative Coast is as off base as those neighbors were about my mom. The Creative Coast is about much more than you realize.

Daily at the Creators’ Foundry I invite you to find woodworking and other production tools at Maven Makers, join artists and craftsmen at Jelinek Creative Spaces, engage with Georgia Tech’s Advanced Technology Development Center or build synergies with successful startups like Aetho, Eva Design House and Oak.Works.

Each Wednesday morning, I invite you to join us for coffee with 60 helpful and intellectual people to hear two promising entrepreneurs share their story at One Million Cups.

Or connect online through our podcasts and blogs, which will open your children’s and grandchildren’s eyes to career possibilities, from virtual reality and Web design to construction, teaching or even hunting.

Monthly, I invite you to join Lean Startup Circle or our mentoring programs in legal, accounting, human resources, public relations and sales.

Quarterly, our RailsBridge coding seminars introduce HTML, CSS, Javascript and Ruby on Rails to the curious and motivated. Annual salaries for individuals who develop these skills are about $70,000.

For 2016, mark your calendar to join us for great events including FastPitch, TEDxSavannah, Startup Lounge, Investor Weekend and Geekend.

Does this change your perception about The Creative Coast? Do you now see ways your time, energy, wisdom and talent can be put to good use?

I hope so.

And yes, we need your financial support as well. If you think high-paying jobs are the best antidote to crime and poverty in Savannah, then be part of The Creative Coast and make a 2015 year-end donation to help continue our work as we make positive impacts on the future of all Savannahians.

Before you reach for that check book or click our “Donate” button at ww.thecreativecoast.org, allow me to share 2015 at The Creative Coast by the numbers.

We engaged with 30,385 people through our social media. Three companies we served raised $169,835 through successful crowdfunding campaigns including $20,281 for the Bicycle Wrap Skirt, $40,032 for the Fujian Trader board game and $109,522 for Aetho’s Aeon hand held video stabilizer.

Others raised traditional equity capital, including Geekend Pitch Circus winner Brian Bason of Bark, the software for keeping teens safe online.

Financial contributions from individuals like you along with support of the Savannah Economic Development Authority (SEDA) and the city of Savannah allowed 2,457 people to attend our events and 166 companies to be directly mentored in 2015.

Thank you for recognizing that high-paying jobs are the best antidote to crime and poverty and that The Creative Coast is not your crazy neighbor but perhaps your new best friend.

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

WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve is raising interest rates from record lows set at the depths of the 2008 financial crisis, a shift that heralds modestly higher rates on some loans.

The Fed coupled its first rate hike in nine years with a signal that further increases will likely be made slowly as the economy strengthens further and inflation rises from undesirably low levels.

The central bank said in a statement after its latest meeting that it was lifting its key rate by a quarter-point to a range of 0.25 percent to 0.5 percent. Its move ends an extraordinary seven-year period of near-zero borrowing rates. But the Fed’s statement suggested that rates would remain historically low well into the future, saying it expects “only gradual increases.”

“The Fed reaffirmed that the pace of rate hikes would be slow,” James Marple, senior economist at TD Economics wrote in a research note. “The Fed’s expectations for rate hikes next year are set alongside a relatively cautious and entirely achievable economic outlook.”

Wednesday’s action conveys the central bank’s belief that the economy has finally regained enough strength 6½ years after the Great Recession ended to withstand modestly higher borrowing rates.

“The Fed’s decision today reflects our confidence in the U.S. economy,” Chair Janet Yellen said at a news conference.

Stocks closed up sharply higher. The Dow Jones industrial average, which had been up modestly before the announcement, gained 224 points, or 1.3 percent, for the day.

The bond market didn’t react much. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose slightly to 2.29 percent.

Rates on mortgages and car loans aren’t expected to rise much soon. The Fed’s benchmark rate doesn’t directly affect them. Long-term mortgages, for example, tend to track 10-year U.S. Treasury yields, which will likely stay low as long as inflation does and investors keep buying Treasurys.

But rates on some other loans, like credit cards and home equity credit lines, will likely rise, though probably only slightly as long as the Fed’s rate hikes remain modest.

Shortly after the Fed’s announcement, major banks began announcing that they were raising their prime lending rate from 3.25 percent to 3.50 percent. The prime rate is a benchmark for some types of consumer loans such as home equity loans. Wells Fargo was the first bank to announce the rate hike.

Among other things, the Fed’s low-interest rate policies have helped jump-start auto sales, which are on track to reach a record 17.5 million this year. And the Fed’s first hike may not slow them.

Steven Szakaly, chief economist for the National Automobile Dealers Association, says dealers will press financing companies to keep loan rates low. And competition for buyers will spur them to take other steps to keep rates low, such as cutting back on discounts or just accepting lower profits.

“The rate squeeze will happen between the dealer and its finance company rather than the dealer and the consumers,” Szakaly said. “Consumers won’t even feel it.”

For months, Yellen and other Fed officials have said they expected any rate hikes to be small and gradual. But nervous investors have been looking for further assurances.

Yellen indicated that Wednesday’s rate hike was partially defensive. If rates stayed at near zero, the Fed might not have the tools to combat a recession.

“We’ve worried about the fact that with interest rates at zero, we have less scope to respond to negative shocks,” she said at her news conference.

When growth struggles, the Fed often cuts rates to help increase the amount of cash flowing through the economy. But by staying close to zero, the Fed would be unable to cut rates or it would be forced to have negative rates for the first time in its history.

An updated economic forecast released with the policy statement showed that Fed officials predict that their target for the federal funds rate — the rate that banks charge on overnight loans — will end next year slightly above 1 percent. That is in line with the consensus view of economists.

The Fed’s action was approved by a unanimous vote of 10-0, giving Yellen a victory in achieving consensus.

The statement struck a generally more upbeat tone in its assessment of the economy. It cited “considerable improvement” in the job market. And it expressed more confidence that inflation, which has been running well below the Fed’s 2 percent target, would begin rising. It suggested this would happen as the effects of declines in energy and import prices fade and the job market strengthens further.

In addition to the funds rate, the Fed is raising three other rates: It lifted the interest it pays on the reserves that banks hold at the Fed to 0.5 percent from 0.25 percent. It raised the rate it pays on a type of short-term loan to 0.25 percent from 0.05 percent. The Fed plans to use those two rates to help meet its new higher target for the funds rate.

In addition, it announced a quarter-point increase in its discount borrowing rate to 1 percent from 0.75 percent. This is the rate banks pay when they borrow emergency loans from the central bank. This rate typically moves up in conjunction with the Fed’s benchmark rate.

The Savannah Economic Development Authority reported Wednesday that it facilitated 17 new businesses or expansions in 2015, which created 667 jobs and generated a capital investment of $204.7 million.

“Our most important measurement as an organization is how we’re doing on the facilitation of new jobs and what we’re bringing into the community in terms of capital investment,” SEDA president Trip Tollison told his board.

While the jobs number was just shy of SEDA’s goal of 675 for 2015, capital investment exceeded expectations, primarily because of the rapid rise in Savannah’s television and film productions.

“Of that $204 million invested, at least $50 million is a direct result of movie and television production in Chatham County,” Tollison said. “In 2014, it was $20 million.”

Tollison credited the efforts of SEDA consultant and Hollywood insider Ralph Singleton with putting Savannah’s name in front of A-list producers and others on the West Coast.

He cited “Baywatch,” a $67 million motion picture that the Savannah Film Office announced earlier this week will shoot here.

“That movie would not be coming here if it weren’t for SEDA and the incentives that we have put into place beginning in 2016,” he said, adding that he expects the entertainment industry to bring even more investment here in the coming years.

“The new incentives have helped attract a number of industry players who are now looking seriously at Savannah as a potential location,” Tollison said.

Also at Wednesday’s meeting, the SEDA board approved an intergovernmental agreement with Chatham County and the city of Pooler to de-annex the state-owned megasite at the intersection of Interstates 95 and 16 from Pooler and place it under the auspices of unincorporated Chatham County.

The agreement takes the property out of Pooler primarily for tax purposes, Tollison said.

“The city of Pooler still levies a tax on manufacturers’ inventory, something that has really hindered our efforts to attract another company there,” he said.

In return for the de-annexation, which Pooler is expected to finalize Monday, SEDA has agreed to be responsible for putting a traffic signal at the entrance to the site on Dean Forest Road.

The other plus of the de-annexation, Tollison said, is that the county will be able to take over maintenance of the roads on the site, including clearing much of the overgrown brush and shrubbery that blocks the view of Mitsubishi-Hitachi from the interstate.

Also, work is expected to begin in the second quarter of next year on the new advanced manufacturing training center that Georgia Quick Start is going to build and run on the western end of the site.

“That, along with the elimination of the inventory tax, will be a game-changer,” he said, adding that SEDA currently has “several prospects” eyeing the property’s remaining buildable acreage.

Another change, Tollison said, is that because the property is no longer considered a megasite, it will be known going forward as the Chatham County Development Site.

In other year-end business, the board elected Stephen S. Green of Stephen Green Properties to succeed banker Robert James as chairman. Georgia Power’s Cathy Hill was elected vice chairman and Kevin Jackson, CEO of EnviroVac, as secretary.

They will be introduced on Jan. 8 at SEDA’s annual meeting at the Westin Savannah Harbor.

The holidays are always an exciting time of the year for young children. However, December can be a dangerous month for kids because of hazards posed by defective toys and dangerous products.

When you buy a children’s toy, you expect it to be safe. However, these products are not always designed and manufactured with the safety of children in mind. In fact, toys purchased as holiday gifts have the potential to be defective or to pose a variety of safety concerns.

The No. 1 toy-related danger for children under the age of 4 is choking. Toys with small parts, like dolls with button eyes or small wheels on miniature cars, can pose a choking hazard for young children. Toys with cords or strings can increase the chance of strangulation. Plastic shrink wrap, balloons, bolts and round batteries can restrict young airways and present a serious danger.

Any toy or piece of a toy that is small enough to fit through a 1.25-inch circle — or measures smaller than 2.25 inches in length — can be unsafe for children under 4. Always pay attention to age recommendations on toy packages. Never allow your child to play with a toy intended for an older child.

In addition to choking hazards, toys can pose a danger due to lead contamination. With so many toys manufactured outside the U.S., safety can be a serious issue. In recent years, lead contamination has been a concern, particularly with regard to products made in China.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a number of recalls of toys that could potentially expose children to lead. In 2007, Mattel, the maker of Barbie dolls and Hot Wheels, recalled nearly 1 million toys because the products included lead paint.

Many children’s toys have inherent risk and can pose an injury, even when used responsibly. Each year, approximately 95,000 people suffer trampoline-related injuries requiring emergency room treatment. Installing and maintaining an enclosure around a trampoline is important. Children under the age of 5 are at the greatest risk of injury on a trampoline.

Just because a product is available at a local store or can be purchased online doesn’t mean it’s safe. Defects can occur in a product’s design, in faulty instructions or in the individual parts the item is made from. A recall typically goes into effect when the government and a manufacturer work together to remove dangerous goods from store shelves nationwide.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission updates consumer recall information regularly at www.cpsc.gov. Be sure to check this site for details about the latest toy recalls before you complete your holiday shopping list.

If your child has been injured by a defective children’s product, you may be able to hold one or more parties in the manufacturing chain liable, from the manufacturer and the assembler to the wholesaler and the retailer. Rules and regulations vary by state, so be sure to contact a Georgia attorney who specializes in product defect claims.

Stephen G. Lowry is a partner with the law firm of Harris Penn Lowry LLP who handles defective product claims. He can be reached at steve@hpllegal.com or 912-651-9967.

Savannah Tech announces art competition for K-12 students

Savannah Technical College is accepting entries for the 20th annual Manufacturing Appreciation Week student design competition, which is open to elementary, middle and high school students.

The contest takes place annually in conjunction with Manufacturers’ Appreciation Week in April and is designed to promote awareness of the role manufacturing plays in Georgia’s economy.

Students should consider including products made in their hometowns, counties or statewide in their designs.

Artwork submitted to Savannah Tech will be entered in the statewide competition where three winners will be chosen in each group.

The deadline is Friday, Jan. 15.

For rules, details and other information, contact Amy Shaffer at 912.443.5512 or ashaffer@savannahtech.edu.

River Street Sweets donates to Wounded Warriors

The Wounded Warrior Project will receive more than 300 pralines and bear claws from River Street Sweets for distribution among injured veterans and service members.

“The Wounded Warrior Project is wonderful organization that offers our River Street Sweets Family a way to remember those in our military who have suffered a physical or mental injury serving our country,” said owner Jennifer Strickland. “It is our honor to be able to thank them and make their holidays just a little sweeter.”

The Wounded Warrior Project’s mission is to foster a successful, well-adjusted generation of wounded service members by raising awareness and enlisting the public’s aid for the needs of injured warriors, by helping injured them aid and assist each other and by providing unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs.

River Street Sweets has eight retail locations with stores in Savannah, Atlanta, Myrtle Beach and Charleston.

First Kroger fuel center in Rincon to open

Kroger will open its first Fuel Center in Rincon today, five months before the scheduled grand opening of its new Marketplace, which is scheduled to open in May 2016.

The fuel center and Marketplace will be on Highway 21.

“The Fuel Center is one of many new amenities we look forward to offering our Rincon-area customers,” said Kroger spokesman Glynn Jenkins.

Kroger will have a formal grand opening on Dec. 30 and will offer customers 10 cents off per gallon from Dec. 30 to Jan. 3. Customers who buy gas at Kroger Fuel Centers can also take part in the Fuel Rewards Program and save up to $1 a gallon when using a Kroger Plus Card.

For more information, go to www.kroger.com/fuel.

Robert “Bob” Coffey, longtime general manager of the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center, will retire at the end of this year, Trade Center Authority chairman Mark Smith announced at Wednesday’s board meeting.

“I can’t even imagine this place without Bob,” Smith said. “Luckily, he has agreed to provide us with consultation services going forward.”

A 36-year veteran of the hospitality industry, Coffey has been at the trade center on Hutchinson Island since 2002.

“I came in about the time they were finishing up the punch list for the new building,” he said. “It’s been a great experience, the best job I ever had.”

A graduate of the University of Tampa, Coffey is a certified hospitality administrator and nationally known hospitality trainer.

Before coming to Savannah, he managed the Convention and Performing Arts Centers in Jacksonville, serving in regional and corporate roles and as a hotel general manager.

“But I’d never served with a convention center that operates its own water ferry system and has a full-size airplane hangar door to accommodate fly-in conventions,” he said.

The second best job he ever had, Coffey said, was head of marketing at a zoo.

He has 23 years of active and reserve service in the infantry and in intelligence with the U.S. Army and is proud that his “old outfit” made combat jumps in Iraq and Afghanistan.

An avid outdoorsman, he said he’s looking forward to spending his newfound leisure time “hiking, biking and kayaking” and enjoying the intracoastal life in Savannah with his wife, Mary Ellen.

ATLANTA — Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in November was 5.6 percent, down one-tenth of a percentage point from 5.7 percent in October, the state Department of Labor announced today. The rate was 6.7 percent in November 2014.

“Our employers created 3,700 jobs in November, which helped push the unemployment rate down to its lowest point since March 2008,” said Labor Commissioner Mark Butler.

The number of jobs increased to 4,309,100, or 0.1 percent, from 4,305,400 in October. Much of the job growth came in professional and business services, 2,300; construction, 2,100; education and health services, 1,800; leisure and hospitality, 1,700; and manufacturing, 1,400.

These gains were somewhat offset by losses in information services, government, financial activities, and trade, transportation and warehousing.

“Over the year, we added 92,900 jobs, which is a respectable 2.2 percent growth rate,” Butler said. “Georgia continues to grow jobs faster than the nation, which has a 1.9 percent growth rate.”

Most of the over-the-year job growth came in trade, transportation and warehousing, 22,100; professional and business services, 21,200; education and health services, 16,900; leisure and hospitality, 15,800; government, 7,000; manufacturing, 6,000; and construction and financial activities, 4,400 each.

The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance, a measure of new layoffs, rose by 4,144, or 14 percent, to 33,773 in November. Most of the rise was due to an increase in temporary claims filed in manufacturing, especially in textiles and machinery.

Over the year, the number of claims was up by 5,308, or 18.6 percent, from 28,465 filed in November 2014. The increase came mostly in manufacturing and construction.

In November, the state’s labor force increased by 14,236 to 4,750,020.

Data for individual metro areas are available at http://dol.georgia.gov/current-labor-force-data-and-graphs.

SAN FRANCISCO — Facebook is trying to make it easier to send photos as the holiday season’s picture-taking frenzy escalates with the arrival of Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

The world’s largest social networking service is offering a feature called “Photo Magic” that will automatically address a message so it can be sent quickly to Facebook friends identified in a picture. The option relies on the same image-recognition technology that attaches people’s names to Facebook posts.

With this twist, Facebook is deploying the technology in its Messenger application to make it more convenient to distribute pictures to a few friends and family members.

Facebook Inc. will highlight Photo Magic in a Messenger update that will start rolling out Thursday to users of Apple’s iPhones and smartphones running on Google’s Android software. It will still be up to each individual to decide whether they want to activate Photo Magic. After the feature is turned on, it can still be switched off at any time.

The update is being distributed to a broad audience after a month of testing among smartphone users in Australia. Facebook is planning to make Photo Magic available to Messenger users everywhere in the world except in Canada and the European Union.

Messenger currently has more than 700 million users, about half the size of the audience on Facebook’s social network.

Facebook is counting on Photo Magic to foster more allegiance to its Messenger app as it competes against other competing services such as Snapchat that have become particularly popular among teenagers and young adults.

If Photo Magic is turned on, it is supposed to promptly figure out if any of the people in a picture belong to the smartphone owner’s circle of Facebook friends. If some are found, Photo Magic creates a messaging thread that allows a user to send the picture to all the identified parties with two clicks.

About 9.5 billion pictures are already sent through Messenger each month, according to Facebook. The Menlo Park, California, company believes the volume will be even higher if Photo Magic’s automation is successful in making it less of a hassle to pick out the images and figure out which people might be interested in seeing them.

As part of the Messenger upgrade, Facebook is also including an option that will allow users to change the colors of their exchanges with different friends, and switch the formal name of a recipient to a nickname, such as “mom” or “dad.” Until now, Messenger’s address book mirrored the names listed on people’s Facebook profiles.

New store will have online grocery ordering service

Among the customers to visit the Kroger fuel station today, the day it opened on Ga. 21 in Rincon, was Rincon Mayor Ken Lee.

Lee brought a city car by for gasoline and a photo with Tom Coburn, the manager of the new Kroger Marketplace that’s under construction behind the fuel station. The new grocery store is slated to open in May.

Lee retired as manager of the Rincon Kroger about a year and a half ago.

Coburn said last-minute work was still being done Thursday to make all 18 of the station’s pumps operate. The store portion of the fuel station was still being stocked with items such as cigarettes.

Beginning Friday, the Kroger fuel center will be open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

When the new Kroger Marketplace store opens in May, the fuel station’s hours will expand to 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Regular gasoline at the new Kroger station was $1.93 on Thursday. Customers who purchase gas at Kroger fuel centers can take part in the Fuel Rewards Program and instantly save up to $1 per gallon when using a Kroger Plus Card.

For more information about the Fuel Rewards Program, visit www.kroger.com/fuel

Kroger will have an official grand opening for the fuel center on Dec. 30, offering customers 10 cents off per gallon through Jan. 3.

When the new Kroger Marketplace store was first announced for Rincon, it was going to have a jewelry store inside. Coburn said plans have changed, and instead, the store will have an area with refrigerators and freezers for a grocery pickup service.

Customers will be able to order groceries online and then drive to the Marketplace store to pick them up. Their selections will already be waiting.

He said there will be a minimal fee for the service, or the store will offer a membership price for people who want to use the service all the time.

Coburn said the grocery pickup service will not be available when the store first opens in May, but will be added sometime after that.

The new store will have 115,000 square feet, compared with 44,000 square feet at the current Kroger store, which is farther south on Ga. 21 in Rincon.

In addition to the fuel center, the new store will have upscale service departments, a drive-thru pharmacy, Starbucks, apparel department, expanded natural foods and organic section and Chef on the Run.

The project is estimated to bring approximately 250 to 300 new jobs to the community, according to Glynn Jenkins, spokesman for Kroger in Atlanta.

Kroger’s Atlanta division introduced its first Marketplace store in Carrollton, Ga., in 2013.

The Atlanta division operates five Marketplace stores in Savannah, Athens, Carrollton, Gainesville and Warner Robins.

Georgia Tech-Savannah to offer OSHA courses

Georgia Tech-Savannah, an OSHA Authorized Training Institute Education Center, will offer its most popular occupational safety and health training courses in 2016 — Occupational Safety and Health Standards for Construction Industry (OSHA 510) and Occupational Safety and Health Standards for General Industry (OSHA 511).

The courses will be Jan. 25-29 and cost $875.

“Georgia Tech-Savannah provides occupational safety and health education from top industry professionals in order to keep those in our region and beyond current on the most recent OSHA standards and safety practices,” said Diane Lee, director of Georgia Tech-Savannah.

To learn more about OSHA 510: Occupational Safety and Health Standards for Construction Industry, and OSHA 511: Occupational Safety and Health Standards for General Industry, go to pe.gatech.edu/sav-osha.

Liberty County schools receive contribution

Parker’s convenience stores presented a check for $5,000 to Liberty County Public Schools this month as part of the company’s Fueling the Community program.

“At Parker’s, we share a deep commitment to education and to strengthening communities,” said Jeff Bush, director of fuel management.

Parker’s donates part of its gasoline sales on the first Wednesday of each month to local school systems.

Parker’s operates 40 stores in Georgia and South Carolina.

Law firm opens Savannah office

The Atlanta-based employment law firm of Hall, Arbery, Gilligan, Roberts & Shanlever LLP has opened a Savannah office with new partners Kristen Goodman and Maury Bowen.

Goodman will handle business and litigation with an emphasis on employment law, risk allocation for businesses, trade secrets and health care law.

Bowen, in her labor and employment practice, advises and defends corporate clients on a variety of issues, including lawsuits, arbitrations, administrative charges, employment decisions of all types, collective bargaining issues, and multi-employer benefit plan management.

The new office is at 100 Commercial Court, Suite D.

For more information, call 912-777-6636 or go to www.hagllp.com.

Ameris Bank gold sponsor of Georgia Tax Forum

Ameris Bank recently supported the Georgia Tax Forum as a gold sponsor. Hosted by the Georgia Society of CPAs, the event took place Dec. 2-4 at the Coastal Georgia Center.

“Ameris Bank is dedicated to the growth of the community through continued education and learning opportunities,” said Greater Savannah Market President Austen Carroll.

The Georgia Tax Forum—Savannah provided accountants with new information regarding tax laws and changes that will have an impact on them and their clients.

With the holiday shopping season in full swing, last-minute Santas are scurrying around looking for bargains and hoping to finish their Christmas lists. As they do, Lisa Beth Brown has a few words of advice, especially for parents.

“If the price looks too good to be true, take another look. If you’re not certain about the source of the item, you could be looking at an unsafe counterfeit,” said Brown, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection area director. She spoke Thursday morning during a media open house at the Customs Operations Center.

On display were a variety of toys and electronics seized at the Port of Savannah because of safety issues, consumer product safety violations and trademark violations. The toy collection looked innocent enough — fashion dolls, toy trucks, cars and motorcyles, a wooden archery set, rubber ducks and ducklings. But each one had its own dangers, from high levels of lead-based paint and other toxic chemicals to small parts that could be choking hazards.

The electronics on display were seized either for trademark, patent or copyright violations, although they often also posed safety threats. For example, a colorful flashing sign was sporting a counterfeit Underwriters Laboratories seal, meaning it most likely wasn’t safe to plug in, Brown said.

Her agency’s primary mission at the Port of Savannah, she said, is “to safeguard our borders and promote economic prosperity.”

The items on display are only a small sample of the kinds of things Customs seizes throughout the year, she said.

“We are vigilant year-round for counterfeit or knock-off items, especially those designed for children that can pose health or safety concerns,” Brown said.

In addition to safety concerns and trademark issues, trade in illegitimate goods is associated with smuggling and other criminal activities and often funds criminal enterprises, she said.

The best way to protect yourself is to be an informed consumer, Brown said.

“If it seems too good to be true, it probably is,” she said. “Do your research, know who you’re buying from, and if anything raises a red flag, check it out.”

Both Underwriters Laboratory (ul.com) and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (cpsc.gov) have a wealth of information on their websites, she said.

A pilot sails away

The Brunswick maritime community bid farewell this week to a man whose name has been synonymous with bringing the big ships into port for nearly four decades.

Edwin Rubel Fendig Jr. died Saturday at the age of 88.

The Gynn Academy football standout — recruited aggressively by Clemson, UGA and Georgia Tech — instead enlisted in the U.S. Navy less than 24 hours after high school graduation and served in the Philippines on the island of Samar in the South Pacific Theater during World War II.

When the war ended, he returned home and accepted a full football scholarship to the University of Georgia, sharing the field with football great Charlie Trippi and graduating in 1950 with a degree in business.

Fendig fulfilled a long-time ambition when he was accepted to serve a five-year bar pilot apprenticeship under the tutelage of Capt. Alfred Brockington in Brunswick. He served more than 37 years as a licensed bar pilot at the Port of Brunswick and, after retiring, continued to serve as president of the Brunswick Bar Pilots’ Association.

A longtime advocate for the Port of Brunswick, he was instrumental in getting the harbor depth to 36 feet and in replacing the old Sidney Lanier Bridge.

“Capt. Fendig was a dear friend and a true legend in the Brunswick maritime world,” said Georgia Ports executive director Curtis Foltz.

“He will be missed by us all.”

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.

SHIPPING SCHEDULE

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 MSC VANESSA Today

GCT SPIRIT OF COLOMBO Today

GCT COLUMBIA Today

GCT BARBADOS Today

GCT NYK CONSTELLATION Today

GCT MAERSK WALVIS BAY Today

GCT MAERSK HARTFORD Today

OT OBERON Today

GCT AMOR Saturday

GCT SICHEM CHALLENGE Saturday

GCT CONTI BASEL Saturday

GCT MSC FLAMINIA Saturday

GCT CMA CGM ALMAVIVA Saturday

GCT YORKTOWN EXPRESS Saturday

GCT CHARLESTON EXPRESS Saturday

GCT NAGOYA TOWER Saturday

GCT NYK ARCADIA Saturday

GCT CMA CGM LAVENDER Sunday

GCT NEVZAT KALKAVAN Sunday

GCT NORTHERN JUSTICE Sunday

GCT CLARICE Sunday

GCT EVER LISSOME Sunday

GCT MAERSK PITTSBURGH Monday

GCT OOCL WASHINGTON Monday

GCT SEA-LAND COMET Monday

GCT KUALA LUMPUR EXPRESS Monday

OT FIGARO Monday

OT CRANE Monday

GTC CMA CGM JAMAICA Tuesday

GCT ZIM TEXAS Tuesday

GCT MAERSK KARLSKRONA Tuesday

GCT CAP HUDSON Tuesday

GCT HANJIN KINGSTON Tuesday

GCT MARE LYCIUM Tuesday

GCT HANOI BRIDGE Tuesday

OT AFRICAN HARRIER Tuesday

OT GRANDE BENIN Tuesday

GCT CMA CGM MOLIERE Wednesday

GCT CONRAD S Wednesday

GCT MOL EXPEDITOR Wednesday

GCT YM OAKLAND Wednesday

GCT JULIETTE RICKMERS Wednesday

OT TALISMAN Wednesday

GCT MOL MAGNIFICENCE Thursday

GCT ZIM SAVANNAH Thursday

GCT MSC MAEVA Thursday

GCT CMA CGM AUCKLAND Thursday

GCT MSC BARBARA Thursday

OT TAMERLANE Thursday

OT KING ISLAND Thursday

Led by U.S. Reps Mark Sanford, R-S.C., and Bobby Scott, D-Va., a bipartisan group of 33 house members last week sent a letter to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management opposing seismic testing for offshore oil.

U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, the Republican freshman whose district spans the Georgia Coast, did not sign on.

The letter requested a halt to the permitting and review process for potential seismic testing in the Atlantic Ocean from Virginia through Georgia.

Seismic testing uses airguns towed behind ships to send loud blasts of compressed air deep into the ocean. The sound travels into the sea floor and then bounces back to the ships, creating a map of possible oil deposits.

It’s controversial because of its effects on marine life.

“A significant body of peer-reviewed science demonstrates that seismic airgun testing results in massive displacement of fish, causes catch rates of some commercial fish to plummet and disrupts vital feeding and breeding behaviors in endangered whales,” the letter reads.

In addition, any information garnered through seismic testing will be proprietary, and states won’t have access to it to determine the cost versus benefit of oil drilling, the congressmen note.

“Also, since seismic companies will not be sharing information, seismic airgun testing will be repeated over and over again in the same areas by each company that seeks information about offshore energy resources, unnecessarily exposing fish and marine animals to repeated rounds of seismic testing,” states the letter.

It asks the BOEM to prepare a new environmental review of proposed testing that takes into account the full extent of the impacts — ranging from economic to ecological — caused by seismic airgun testing.

Georgia is the only one of the five affected states to have no representatives sign the letter.

In an email to the Savannah Morning News, Carter said he favors drilling off Georgia’s coast, citing the estimated 5,000 jobs drilling could produce and the $700 million expected for the state budget by 2035 with revenue sharing in place.

“Opposition to seismic testing is not based in science,” he said. “After four decades of seismic surveying activity and research around the world, there is no evidence that the sound from seismic surveys is harmful to marine mammals.

“In fact, in the Northern Atlantic where our beloved right whales spend most of the year, seismic testing has been conducted and there is active energy development without incident.”

Federal law currently does not allow the revenue sharing with Atlantic coast states that Carter relies on in his estimated benefit to state coffers.

Sanford’s letter counters the benefits of drilling with the risks, stating “nearly 1.4 million jobs and more than $95 billion in GDP rely on healthy ocean ecosystems, mainly through fishing, tourism, and recreation.”

“The current basis for issuing seismic testing permits is incomplete,” said Rep. Sanford in a prepared statement. “It does not take into account the long-term effects that seismic testing will have on marine life or the impact on the economy due to industrialization of the coast.

“Accordingly, we don’t think testing that could profoundly affect our coastal communities should be allowed to proceed based on an insufficient study.”

Sanford noted that more than 85 cities and counties along the Atlantic coast have spoken out against seismic testing or offshore drilling. In Georgia, Tybee Island, Savannah and Brunswick have passed resolutions opposing seismic testing and offshore drilling. So has the Gullah/Geechee nation. St. Marys passed a proclamation opposed to seismic testing.

Marine scientists have also weighed in on the issue. In March, 75 marine scientists from organizations including the New England Aquarium urged the Obama administration to reject seismic surveys for oil and gas deposits in the Atlantic, saying that contrary to the BOEM’s findings, there likely will be population-level effects on marine life from seismic testing.

They concluded the agency’s proposed activity “is likely to have significant, long-lasting, and widespread impacts on the reproduction and survival of fish and marine mammal populations in the region.”

BOEM’s claim of a lack of scientific evidence of harm to mammals refers to direct mortality only, said Samantha Siegel of the nonprofit Oceana, and does not account for cumulative, sublethal harm.

Those may become more apparent as scientists look for them. A 2014 study by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientists has already raised concerns about the impacts that airgun surveys have had on the Gulf’s desperately small population of Bryde’s whales, estimated at 25-40 individuals.

ON THE WEB

Go to savannahnow.com to read the letter opposing seismic testing and see who signed it.

Armstrong State honored for ‘cyber’ education

The National Security Agency and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security have recognized Armstrong State University as a National Center for Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education.

“Being recognized as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education is a tremendous honor,” said Armstrong President Linda M. Bleicken. “Armstrong has a deep commitment to the preparation of talented students for cyber security professions.”

Armstrong’s Center for Applied Cyber Education offers an interdisciplinary approach to cyber education.

Karen Leuschner, the National Center of Academic Excellence program manager, praised Armstrong for meeting the evolving demands of cyber security education.

Armstrong is one of only four institutions in Georgia to receive this designation.

Savannah Children’s Choir announces $5,000 gift

Kinder Morgan Inc. has donated $5,0000 to the Savannah Children’s Choir, a nonprofit community children’s choral organization, to support student travel scholarships.

“Through choral performance and music education, the Savannah Children’s Choir unites, mentors and transforms Savannah’s children into responsible, creative and confident leaders,” said Kinder Morgan’s Allen Fore.

Members of Savannah Children’s Choir travel to concerts and experience the world beyond Savannah. The Premier Choir, which travels nationally and internationally on a rotating schedule, will travel to Ireland in 2016 to perform publicly and experience the sights and sounds of another country. In addition, the Preparatory Choir takes a regional trip each year.

“Travel is a requirement of participation, and thanks to the generosity of corporate sponsors like Kinder Morgan, we are able to offer that,” said choir co-founder Roger Moss.

For more information, go to www.savannahchoir.org.

Workshop to focus on the foundation of leadership

The first workshop in Georgia Tech-Savannah’s “Leading Well” series of 2016 will focus on leadership fundamentals such as critical thinking and emotional intelligence and will be Jan. 27-28 on the Georgia Tech-Savannah campus.

“Through this specific Leading Well workshop, we know that participants will leave with a better understanding of what it really means to be a leader versus a manager,” said Diane Lee, director of Georgia Tech-Savannah.

The two-day workshop explores matching various management styles to meet the challenges and needs of changing environments; the best ways to communicate with employees, senior leaders; and peers and challenges such as leading multi-generational workforces and managing former peers.

The workshop, which costs $895, will be led by Ned Ellington, a former research faculty member at Georgia Tech.

For more information, contact Bill Astary at 912-963-6976 or go to pe.gatech.edu/leadwell.

As the nation ages, discussions are ramping up on how best to care for the elderly.

Have your parents planned for their future? If you don’t know, the holidays may provide the perfect opportunity to ask.

The end-of-the-year holidays are often the only time the whole family is together in one place. If you’re concerned about your parents, consider these options for opening a conversation.

First, remember to be sensitive. No one wants to admit they are getting older or may be unable to care for themselves in the future. Also, your parents may still see themselves as your caregiver and may not appreciate a role reversal. Choose your words carefully and pick a setting and time that will make them feel comfortable and not embarrassed or under siege.

Second, do not let sensitivity get in the way of addressing the topic. Practice what you want to say beforehand with your spouse or siblings. Their feedback may help you see the topic from different viewpoints and your parents’ possible reactions and come up with the best way to express your concerns.

With practice you will feel more comfortable bringing up the subject with your parents.

Third, do your research. You may not have all the particulars on your parents’ specific financial and medical situation, but you can make an appointment with an estate planning attorney who can give you ideas about what types of documents your parents may need.

Some basic things to consider:

First, do your parents have long-term care insurance? More than two million Americans are expected to need assisted living or nursing home care this year, and that number is only expected to increase as the nation ages.

In Savannah, the cost of care at these facilities ranges from $48,600 for an assisted living facility to $70,810 for a private room in a nursing home, according to the 2015 Genworth Cost of Care Study.

These costs can easily wipe out a life’s savings. Medicare generally does not cover these costs. However, an estate planning attorney may help you determine if your parents qualify for Medicaid or Veterans Aid and Attendance benefits.

Next, do they have an advance directive for healthcare outlining their desires for life-prolonging measures, if any, and designating someone to make decisions on their behalf in case they are incapacitated?

A recent article in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine states that only 26 percent of people have one. Likewise, do they have a durable power of attorney designating someone to make financial decisions for them? Understand that the court does not necessarily grant this power to next of kin.

Do your parents have a will? A will allows your parents to outline how they would like their worldly goods divided after they pass, decreasing the chances of family disputes in a time of grief. A more sophisticated will can be written to minimize estate taxes and allocate assets in a more structured way.

Finally, your parents may desire one or more trusts. A revocable living trust is like a will, but without the problems of probate, court costs or delays. Your parents also may want a specific trust set up for charity, for their grandchildren’s education or for a child or grandchild with special needs.

An estate planning attorney can help you learn more about the different options and address your parents’ specific situation. Having this conversation may be the most important thing you do for your parents and may help you have a happier new year.

Michael Smith and Richard Barid are co-founders of Savannah-based Smith Barid LLC, which specializes in estate planning, business planning and special needs planning. They are both accredited VA attorneys with extensive experience arbitrating denied pension claims. They can be reached at 912-352-3999 or richard@smithbarid.com or msmith@smithbarid.com.

By Michael Smith and Richard Barid

BEAUFORT, S.C. — Joel Davis has a simple but enthusiastic greeting as he opens the door to his and his wife Kharye’s newly leased space in Beaufort.

“Welcome to our manufactory!” Joel said as he sweeps his arm toward the lofty, modern space where they make and ship Le Dome Champagne Truffles, their signature chocolates shaped like champagne corks with a hint of champagne essence.

“Our idea is to celebrate the now. We want to promote celebration. It’s the moments in life that are most important. We want people to indulge themselves a little bit,” Joel Davis said.

The idea behind the husband-and-wife team’s chocolates was to make them in the shape of an iconic symbol, the champagne cork, which signifies joy and good times.

Kharye and Joel met in college and got married on Valentine’s Day. Thirty-five years later, they opened the chocolate factory for truffles that already have caught the eye of wedding planners and wineries throughout the United States and abroad.

Kharye and Joel spent years developing the perfect chocolate. They had been in the specialty foods market for about 30 years and started with packaged salads for 7/11 stores sold throughout the West. Then, because of the North American Free Trade Agreement signed in the late 1980s, they began importing and exporting goods. “We’ve always had an affinity for chocolate,” Joel said.

Their first major order was for nearly $1 million for Trader Joe’s in 1991 with a chocolate company from Canada. “And as long as you have an affinity for a product, you can pretty much sell anything,” Joel said.

The couple imported beer, cake and clothes among many other products. But, ultimately, they found they had a knack for chocolate. After coming up with 10 different chocolate products, they realized they were giving up all of their ideas to other companies.

That’s when Kharye and Joel decided to create their own chocolates. They had spent years testing many different kind of chocolates and eventually found what they say is the perfect recipe.

They first teamed with a domestic champagne company, making private label chocolates for them. This is where the idea was born.

“We came up with what is now our signature product, the champagne truffle cork. We made a marriage together; it was wonderful for the Millennium celebration,” Kharye said.

“They’re unique and kind of different,” Joel said. “They’re the best wedding favor in the world. Everyone thinks of champagne when they’re doing something special. Le Dome Champagne Truffles have been tested against the best champagne truffles in the world, and ours are the only 3-D life-sized truffle cork wrapped in a champagne capsule.”

Several months ago, the couple found their space in Beaufort where the chocolates are made. Le Dome Champagne Truffles are sold exclusively online and people who live within a 50-mile radius to Beaufort receive free shipping. The chocolates come in nine-piece and 25-piece celebration bulk boxes (for $36 and $100 respectively).

Le Dome Champagne Truffles was also chosen to be part of the Don Ryan Center of Innovation, an incubator program in Bluffton, S.C., that’s affiliated with Clemson University. The chocolate brand was one of 10 companies in the state chosen to be part of the export-marketing program.

Clemson MBA students provided a marketing report for the project covering how and where the products will be best received.

“Kharye and Joel have incredible backgrounds in importing and exporting goods around the world. When I heard what they did and their backgrounds, I was really excited. They know what they’re doing,” said Eric Dunn, one of the MBA students.

In addition, Le Dome Champagne Truffles has been one of eight companies chosen to participate in a University of South Carolina at Columbia export marketing assignment with MBA students at the Moore School of Business.

The Davises also teamed up with Lonnell Williams, the host and producer of the popular web series, 3LWTV, to be the chocolate’s global brand ambassador.

“As a global ambassador I represent the chocolates by helping bring them to every corner of the globe — literally,” Williams said. “My extensive travel schedule allows me to personally expose Le Dome Champagne Truffles to a diverse, interested and exciting global community.”

Because of Williams, the truffles have been photographed jet-setting aboard private planes to such locations as Jerusalem, London and U.S. cities such as Hawaii and Chicago. One of the Davis’ goals is to see their truffles sold throughout the world.

“Le Dome Champagne Truffles have already been received so well,” Joel said. “In the future we expect to see our truffles at The Tonys, The Oscars, the White House even.”

Read More

For more information, go to www.ledomechampagnetruffles.com.

The board of the Georgia Academy for Economic Development has announced Chatham County’s graduates from its 2015 Region 12 multi-day training program.

Participants included elected officials, public servants, business leaders, educators and social service providers.

Chatham County graduates:

• Bettina Tate, CTAE program manager, Savannah-Chatham Public School System

• Amy Perry, CTAE Supervisor, Savannah-Chatham Public School System

• Lauren Graves, human resources talent acquisition, Memorial University Medical Center

• Laura Lee Bocade, DIRTT Environmental Solutions

• Jesse Dillon, manager of programs & trade development, World Trade Center Savannah

• Becky Brownlee, business consultant, Small Business Development Center–Georgia Southern University

• Nick Lee, agricultural business development, JCB Inc.

• Carl A. Miller, CEO, C. A. Miller Publishing Co.

• Ron Aikens, administrator, School to Work, Savannah-Chatham Public School System

• Angie Lewis, senior director, Office of College & Career Readiness, Savannah-Chatham Public School System

The Academy’s multi-day program, taught one day a month over a four-month period, includes training in the basics of economic and community development, plus specialized segments on business recruitment and retention, tourism product development, downtown development, planning and other essentials for community success.

The next Region 12 Georgia Academy for Economic Development will begin in August 2016. For more, contact Jennifer Fordham at 912-531-1746 or jennifer.fordham@dca.ga.gov.