Elba Island to Receive LNG Shipments

Savannah's Elba Island liquified natural gas terminal is set to receive 7-cargoes of the super-cooled gas known as L-N-G this month. Reuters news is reporting the shipments. Seven-tankers to Elba Island in a month represents an uptick in L-N-G coming to the import facility and to the United States in general.

Analysts told Reuters, the global recession has lessened demand for L-N-G in Europe and Asia, leaving more for the U-S. Elba Island is one of only-four on-shore L-N-G facilities in the nation. It's currently being upgraded to double its storage capacity.

L-N-G remains controversial in some parts of the U-S, with some local advocates citing terrorism concerns. Elba Island, however, has not generated any concern by Savannah or Chatham County officials.

(Reuters News)

Chatham Judges On Petition To Keep Mental Hospital Open

Judges in Chatham County have joined a petition urging state officials not to close Georgia Regional Hospital in Savannah. The petitions seek a delay in the Department of Human Resources’ plan to close some of the state's seven mental hospitals, move some patients to other facilities, and direct many would-be hospital patients toward community-based mental health care facilities.

The signatures of six Superior Court judges, and judges from State, Recorder's and Probate courts are among more than 10,000 expected to be on petitions for state Senator Lester Jackson to present to the Legislature. Judges and others are concerned the plan relies on community treatment options that are "lacking and uncoordinated."

Student claims self defense in shooting

A 19-year-old Savannah State University student says he fired in self defense when he shot and wounded a fellow student on campus last month. Devon McIntosh told the Savannah Morning News in a jailhouse interview that he shot 22-year-old Quinton Winfield after he came to McIntosh's campus apartment and began punching him in the head. McIntosh said Winfield was angry that McIntosh had stood up for a woman Winfield had insulted. He said he kept a handgun in his bedroom. Winfield was shot twice, in the arm and torso, Nov. 21 and treated at a local hospital. Police arrested McIntosh when they found him hiding in the trunk of his car. McIntosh remains jailed in Chatham County on aggravated assault charges.

(Associated Press)

Early voting continues strong

Early voting in Georgia continues to be strong, now exactly two weeks from the general election. The Secretary of State’s office reports more than 690,000 people have cast ballots ahead of November 4th--that represents nearly 12.5 percent of registered voters in Georgia. More women than men have turned-out early, about 56 percent. DeKalb leads the list of top counties for early voting turnout, followed by three other metro Atlanta counties. Chatham County has had the fifth highest turnout.

Execution date set

Georgia authorities have set Sept. 16 as an execution date for convicted killer Jack Alderman. Alderman is sentenced to die in the 1974 slaying of his 20-year-old wife, Barbara, in Chatham County. Authorities say Alderman and an accomplice wanted to collect $20,000 in life insurance money. Alderman was just a day away from being put to death last October. The Georgia Supreme Court issued a stay halting the execution while the U.S. Supreme Court considered the issue of lethal injection. The nation's high court ruled earlier this year that lethal injection does not violate the Constitution. Georgia has executed two men since that ruling. A third had his death sentence commuted to life in prison by the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles.

(Associated Press)

Georgia holds primary runoff election

It was the resounding victory for Jim Martin in the Democratic runoff for the U.S. Senate. Martin took 60-percent of the vote to 40-percent for Vernon Jones. Martin last night was already looking ahead to November’s general election fight against incumbent Saxby Chambliss, and the Republican’s war-chest of four-million dollars.

"It's not about money, that's what the voters are saying. They want people who are genuine...who are talking about their issues, and we're going to do that."

In other various runoff election results: The Democratic face-off for Chatham County district attorney--Larry Chisolm won with 66 percent to 34 percent over Jerry Rothschild. The Republican battle for D.A. of the Piedmont Circuit was taken by Brad Smith--56 to 43 percent over Donna Sikes.

For more election coverage, please check out our website, gpb.org, and check out the Georgia News page.

Savannah Goes Dark for St. Paddy's Day

The color of Savannah's weekend St. Patrick's Day celebration turned from green to pitch black late Saturday as the city and most of Chatham County lost power, plunging the downtown party into darkness as thousands roamed the streets.

The only lights in the downtown historic district were flashing atop police cars as officers directed traffic amid throngs of revelers roaming streets littered with plastic cups and shouting "Paaartay!" and "Happy Blackout Day!"

"It's just people wandering around in the dark, man," said 23-year-old Danielle Smith of Savannah, looking for friends amid the confusion near the city's riverfront. "This is crazy!"

The blackout hit at about 10 p.m. as strong thunderstorms tore through southern Georgia and South Carolina just north of Savannah. Georgia Power said some 150,000 customers in the Savannah area were without electricity after transmission lines were knocked out by the storms in Effingham County, said company spokesman Jeff Wilson.

Lights in the city started coming back on about 1 a.m. Sunday, he said.

A few bars kept pouring drinks, with bartenders counting customer's drinks with flashlights, as patrons huddled around tables lit by candles. Smith managed to buy a cold beer for $2.50 at one darkened watering hole.

Power crews were trying to restore electricity to the Savannah area, Georgia Power spokesman Jeff Wilson said. It was unclear how long it would take.

Authorities reported few problems despite the potential for chaos. Police closed the riverfront bars by 11:30 p.m. and the lingering street party began dispersing an hour later as it began to rain. Savannah Fire Capt. Matthew Stanley said a couple of street robberies were reported downtown, but no major incidents.

"Everything's still very calm," Stanley said. "Everybody's just kind of wandering around aimlessly."

Steve Gaskell and his friends had just stepped off the elevator at their hotel when the power went out. They walked near the riverfront and sat on a park bench, sipping beer with a video camera ready in case anything crazy happened.

"We were expecting mayhem, but there isn't much," said Gaskell, 26, of Milwaukee. "We walked past a jewelry store and I figured the alarm was off and windows would be broken. But so far so good, I guess."

The blackout didn't stop Mike Birbiglia of Myrtle Beach, S.C., from heading out late to join the party. By the time he got to the ramps winding down to the riverfront bars, he said, police turned him away.

So he wandered with the rest of the crowd by the lights of a firetruck parked at an intersection, unsure of where he was going but hoping the fun wouldn't stop.

"We were looking for a good time, and then this happened," said Birbiglia, 25. "But I'm still having a good time."

Death row opponents ask Court for new trial

Supporters of death row inmate Troy Anthony Davis asked the state Supreme Court today to order a new trial in the case. They say eyewitness testimony implicates another man in the 1989 shooting death of 27-year old Savannah police officer Mark McPhail.

Davis' attorneys argued Georgia law allows death row inmates to ask for a new trial, after all other appeals have been exhausted. However, prosecutors say the time for a new trial has passed and no further evidence may be introduced.

Martina Correia is Troy Anthony Davis' older sister. She says similar stories by witnesses about police coercion are too alike for the court to ignore.

"They didn't come forward because we asked them. They came forward because it was the right thing to do. It was amazing that their recantations were almost the same thing. They told stories of coercion and intimidation and of threats. They didn't know each other was recanting."

Since his 1989 conviction, nearly a dozen witnesses have recanted their eyewitness testimony against Troy Anthony Davis. Davis is African American and was convicted in Chatham County. His supporters say the previous exoneration of two other African American males from Chatham County may point to a pattern of police misconduct.

Iraq vet mulls Kingston challenge

An Iraq war veteran from Chatham County is considering challenging Republican Representative Jack Kingston. 44-year-old Democrat Bill Gillespie spent 23 years in the Army before retiring this year. Gillespie says he’s filing papers with the Federal Election Commission to form an exploratory committee to research a possible run. Rep. Kingston has served southeast Georgia’s 1st Congressional district for eight terms.