Latest news with #VanJohnson
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mayor's Small Business Conference at full capacity today
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) – The City of Savannah is spotlighting the entrepreneurs driving its economy during Small Business Week. On Wednesday, the city kicks off one of its biggest business events of the year. Dozens of small business owners, innovators, and community leaders will gather at the Savannah Civic Center for a full day of learning, networking, and opportunity. It's all part of helping the businesses grow and provide job opportunities for a growing Coastal Empire. This year's sold-out Mayor's Small Business Conference, hosted by the City of Savannah's Economic Development Department in partnership with Mayor Van Johnson, is the week's signature event. Guests will take part in hands-on workshops, a trade show, and sessions focused on accessing funding and certification. The major highlight today is the Mayor's annual State of Small Business Presentation, which shares vital data and future outlooks for local entrepreneurship. More than two-thirds of Savannah's businesses are small and power more than 78% of the local workforce. Mayor Van Johnson commented on today's event, saying it will be a 'big day'. 'It is so popular that when we announced it, it was almost filled by the time, and we weren't really selling it. For these small business owners, this is the data that they're investing in themselves, and they get to communicate with each other. And more importantly, they also find businesses they could do business with,' said Mayor Van Johnson. The event runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at the Savannah Civic Center. While today's conference is full, the rest of the week is filled with events aimed at uplifting small businesses. WSAV will be inside the conference later this morning during the mayor's presentation. We'll have the latest on that this afternoon. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Money spent locally stays local': Savannah Small Business Week
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — Savannah leaders are coming together to support and celebrate the small businesses that make the city what it is. You would be surprised at the products and services you can find in a local shop or the delicious food and drinks from a local restaurant. Small Business Week is also about educating entrepreneurs and giving them the resources needed to keep their doors open. Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Bert Brantley said they understand the struggle business owners go through, and they want to help. 'It is tough. It's the American dream, but it's also your blood, your sweat and your tears,' Brantley said. 'You will never find a small business owner who is not nervous about the future… That's why this week it's so important to celebrate and respect that risk our business owners take every day.' No matter the industry, there are ups and downs to owning any small business. Jamie Pleta of Finches Sandwiches and Sundries in Thunderbolt knows that well. 'We had Hurricane Helene last fall that kind of destroyed us,' Pleta said. 'We were out of power for about ten days. Then, we had the snowstorm in January that caught everyone off guard again – no power for about five days. If we lose one day… Even a half a day is paying a good chunk of our bills. No dollars are wasted.' Mayor Van Johnson said local establishments are needed to support the economy in the area. 'Money spent locally stays local,' Johnson said. 'Once it is spent here, they hire people who are local, and the money is reinvested back into the community.' Over two-thirds of businesses in Savannah are considered small, meaning they have 500 employees or less. Last year, those establishments hired 78% of the local workforce in the coastal empire, according to the chamber of commerce. Eight five percent of the chamber members are small or local. For a list of Small Business Week events, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
City of Savannah faces loss of $30 million grant after federal program cut
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced last Friday an end to its Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program in an announcement that hits Savannah. The city of Savannah received a $30 million BRIC grant in fall of 2024 for drainage improvements along the Springfield Canal, a project aimed at mitigating decades of flooding in some of Savannah's historically Black neighborhoods west of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. FEMA said in a release Friday the program's cancellation cut a 'wasteful' and 'politicized' initiative. The city has not yet received an official grant cancellation letter from FEMA, but said in a statement city staff is 'reviewing the implications of this notice' and arranging meetings with its federal elected officials to discuss the grant's status. That statement from the city was first reported by the Savannah Agenda. "Savannah will still prioritize the stormwater infrastructure needs of our neighborhoods and our communities, but it's our expectation that the federal government will do the right thing," said Savannah Mayor Van Johnson at his Tuesday press conference, "that they will honor their word and their commitment to our citizens, and that they will deliver the grant as promised." BRIC grant background: Head of FEMA praises Savannah canal project, environmental justice focus in visit to city The BRIC grant program was created by the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, a piece of legislation championed by former President Joe Biden's administration. FEMA's announcement said approximately $882 million from the law would be returned to the U.S. Treasury or be reapportioned by congress next fiscal year. The law allocated $1 billion to the BRIC program over five years, and $133 million had already been allocated, according to the press release. Grant funds not yet distributed to awarded entities will be "immediately returned either to the Disaster Relief Fund or the U.S. Treasury," according to the FEMA release. The program's end is meant to align with President Donald Trump's executive orders, including one administered March 25 titled "Protecting America's Bank Account Against Fraud, Waste, and Abuse." "The BRIC program was yet another example of a wasteful and ineffective FEMA program. It was more concerned with political agendas than helping Americans affected by natural disasters," said a FEMA spokesperson in the press release. For Savannah, the grant support was slated to come in phases. Phase one was to consist of $2.8 million from the program, with a $1 million local match, for design work. The city incurred $110,720 in administrative costs for early phase one work, but the city has not yet executed its engineering services for project design. Savannah City Council approved a $4.8 million contract in early February for engineering services, and City Manager Jay Melder said at the time the city needed more clarity on potential funding freezes before executing the contract. Drainage funding: As Savannah Council considers stormwater fee program, city to seek public input The city has not yet executed that contract as of publication time. Total costs for the planned Springfield Canal improvements are slated at $45 million, with the city providing a $15 million match to the $30 million BRIC Grant. Losing the grant would put a hole in the project's funding, Johnson said. "We don't have a place to organically get $30 million." The city of Savannah received multiple grants funded through Biden-era policies in recent years, including a $10 million Safe Streets for All Grant for safety improvements to the 37th Street corridor, and another $1.9 million for a Reconnecting Neighborhoods and Communities Grant aimed planning community redevelopment if the Interstate 16 Flyover were to be taken down. Johnson said throughout his experience in local government, new presidential administrations had honored the commitments of ones prior. But now, the game has "totally seemed to change," causing concern about the security of Savannah's various federal grants moving forward. "We're scared to death, period," Johnson said. Evan Lasseter is the city of Savannah and Chatham County government reporter for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at ELasseter@ This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah faces federal grant cut after FEMA program cancelled
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Dottie's Market in Downtown Savannah to close its doors
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — Dottie's Market Savannah, a new relatively new face to the Broughton Street dining scene, will soon shutter its doors. According to an Instagram post from Monday, Dottie's announced that they would close their location on Broughton. 'After careful consideration, we've made the decision to close our Broughton Street location. While this chapter is coming to a close, we're filled with gratitude for the love, support, and encouragement we've received from this special city and it's lovely visitors.' Dottie's attracted national attention after serving a high-profile customer. In Aug. 2024, then-Vice President (VP) Kamala Harris paid a visit to the market, joined with Savannah Mayor Van Johnson and former Georgia Democratic Party Chairwoman and Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05), during her two-day visit to the Hostess City amid her bid for the Presidency in the 2024 United States General Election. The visit also included a viral meme of the former VP's delight at one of the store's caramel chocolate cakes. Dottie's opened in 2023 and offered an array of lunch and desserts. Their operation has been described as 'part lunch table, part grab and go outpost.' Though the market is closing, they indicated on Instagram that this may not be their final chapter. 'We remain deeply committed to Dottie's future,' the market wrote on Facebook. 'We look forward to sharing more soon and can't wait to welcome you back when the time is right.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Savannah City Council passes affordable housing amendment, includes key neighborhoods
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — A new zoning amendment meant to tackle affordable housing and availability in Savannah has been approved by city council with a 7-2 vote. The four neighborhoods in question included the Victorian District, Metropolitan, Thomas Square and a portion of the Live Oak neighborhoods. City leaders say the Affordable Housing Overlay District. The four neighborhoods in question included the Victorian District, Metropolitan, Thomas Square and a portion of the Live Oak neighborhoods. City leaders say the Affordable Housing Overlay District will tackle the issue of rising housing cost for renters and buyers. Residents voicing their stance during Thursday's meeting. 'I love my staff. In fact, I've built housing for two of them because they can no longer afford to live close enough to my shop to walk or bike there, which means they have to have a car, which means they are essentially making less money, having less time,' one resident said. The overlay allows developers to build larger, multi-family unit homes in areas that are typically zoned for smaller residences as long as they include affordable units in their plans. All projects must get the approval from the city as affordable. Another resident disagreed with the majority speaking, 'That area should be, I think, built, but not on the affordable housing side. that's just not the neighborhood. I live next to a former housing. This not the right fit in this area. When you have this entire city, this particular area, it's going to bring down property values.' Savannah Mayor Van Johnson responded, 'So, you're telling me that you don't want a police officer, a firefighter, a mayor to live where you live?' The overlay makes room for more homes on smaller lots to address the housing shortage. it will include a mixture of affordable and market-rate housing. The price, whether renting or owning, cannot exceed 30% of a household's gross income. 'I just want to pose a question for anyone that lives in these current neighborhoods that are worried about those who are looking for places to afford,' another resident said. 'Could you afford where you currently stay if you needed to purchase the house that you live in? Can you currently afford it in the rate that it is in the market?' City leaders adds that this is just the beginning. They are looking to add additional neighborhoods. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
