Latest news with #WSAV
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Beaufort storm forces captain to seek shelter, lands in jail
BEAUFORT, S.C. (WSAV) — A captain and his 11 passengers on board did what he said the hundreds of boats out on the sandbar do when an intense storm rolls in, they quickly fled. But with every landing and dock full, he said he made what he calls the right decision, but it cost him a night in jail with a trespassing and disturbance charge. 'Everybody is safe and sound, I feel like I made the right decision. If I had to do it again, I would 100% do the same thing,' said Benji Gecy, a Beaufort native and the captain arrested in Beaufort on Saturday. Gecy said he and the passengers on board his vessel experienced every emotion on Saturday. He said it started as a beautiful day that quickly turned into a life-threatening situation, and eventually his arrest. 'About dead low tide, the storm started brewing pretty bad. And I saw it,' said Gecy. So did every other boater, which created panic on the water. Beaufort, 'adopted' Ukrainian city re-unite 'By the time we got everybody in the boat, there was another problem because there are so many boats and anchors, it took a while to navigate off of the sandbar,' said Gecy. 'There was a lot of boat traffic already leaving and I got squeezed into an area cutting across the channel where my engine hit bottom.' The hit caused his engine to stop working, and he said they dragged bottom for a long period of time. This caused extra anxiety for him and the passengers on board, knowing it would take longer to get to a safe docking location. 'I looked at the city marina, boats were everywhere there. I didn't feel like I could make it any further to Factory Creek. I could already see that the boats were stacking up at Factory Creek. They were beating me there because they could drive faster than me,' said Gecy. Gecy said the hundreds of boats fleeing caused overcrowding at all nearby landings, docks and marinas. Hilton Head Island All-Stars win state title on walk-off 'My daughter started telling me we were having lightning strikes within 600, 800, 1000 feet of the boats. So, there was a lot of panic. We did have children on the boat.' As the passengers feared for their life, Gecy said his only option in that moment was the downtown Beaufort day dock. 'When we got there, we saw that the ramp was closed and I asked my daughter to go to the top because we were on a metal boat landing in the lightning storm,' said Gecy. 'So, I asked her to see if we could get through, and she said we could. So, we all went up and we went through it.' The city released in a statement, 'The day dock and waterfront edge are clearly marked with no trespassing signage. Any vessels or seacraft experiencing emergencies are encouraged to seek assistance at the Marina, which is clearly open and generally staffed with personnel who could assist in obtaining aid.' Gecy said all passengers on board hopped over the fence, with safe shelter the only thing on their mind. 'Looking for no trespassing signs with lightning like that. And you know, the panic on the boat. That's not what I was looking for. I was trying to find safety,' Gecy said. 'And I feel like, as you know, my right as a mariner and a captain, I had the right to harbor at that dock. It didn't matter to me. Even if I saw I did not see the no trespassing signs. Even if I saw them, I would have still harbored there because that was my only option.' Gecy said he, his family, and the other passengers were met with hostility from Water Fest employees once on dry land, and eventually the police once they sought shelter. Bluffton, Beaufort Memorial creating affordable housing development for workers 'I was a little disappointed. I saw one of the water festival staff members calling the police. He was, you know, really upset. Instead of trying to help us, it seemed like he was calling the cops on us type deal. And, you know, I kind of put my arms up in the air and said, you know, hey, we're just trying to get to safety, man,' Gecy said. 'When we made it to safety, we were attacked in a restaurant and kind of hunted down and they had to watch their father get arrested.' Gecy was at Lost Locals restaurant with his family eating lunch as the storm passed. That's where he said, police arrested him. After his arrest, Gecy said he went to the city to try and compromise by paying for the ticket violation in exchange of getting the trespassing and disturbance charges dropped. He said they refused. 'I'm trying to compromise and move on. It was an unfortunate event for the police officers, my family, the restaurant owner, and for them to take that position, I just think that's unreasonable,' said Gecy. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Several roads flooded, power outages across Coastal Empire, Lowcountry
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — Officials warned residents of several roads across Chatham County that were flooded Thursday. At least 1,789 people do not have power in Chatham County, according to the Georgia Power outage map. Surrounding areas in Effingham, Glynn, Wayne, Bryan and Liberty counties are also affected. Around 170 residents in Jasper County are also without power due to downed powerlines in the Levy area, Palmetto Eletric Cooperative said. WSAV witnessed the following roads affected by flooding in Savannah: Victory Drive Paulsen and Anderson Port Wentworth Police released the following roads that are impacted: HWY 21 & Grange Gordon Dixie Cilfton Osteen near Armadale Turnberry Evora Mincey Cantyre Bonnybridge 21 & Coldbrook 21 & Lakeside 21 & Market Amberly Estates Meinhard & Hendley Newport Subdivision 21 & Rice Creek Residents of Rincon have posted photos and videos of several roads covered in water: McCall and 21 Mulberry at Rice Hope If you have images or videos of flooded roads or damage, send them to pics@ Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
27-06-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Stars, stripes and sticker shock? Certain cookout items may be more expensive this year, study finds
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — You may be gearing up to start the grill and prepare the perfect July 4 picnic, but you may still find some sticker shock on grocery store shelves, despite a new report showing the average cookout will cost less than last year. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), this year marks the second-highest average Independence Day cookout cost since the organization began tracking in 2013. The average cost of a Fourth of July picnic for 10 people will cost $70.92 in 2025, down slightly from $71.22 last year. 'Inflation and lower availability of some food items continue to keep prices stubbornly high for America's families,' said AFBF associate economist Samantha Ayoub. 'High prices don't mean more money for farmers, however.' 'Farmers are price takers, not price makers,' she continued. 'Their share of the food retail dollar is just 15%. The cost of running their farm is up, from labor and transportation to taxes.' The AFBF determines the average cost for cookout staples like cheeseburgers, potato salad and ice cream by having volunteers visit their local grocery stores nationwide to review prices. This year, the cost breakdowns were collected in early June. The 2025 data show an increase in the cost of beef, potato salad and canned pork and beans, while there are drops in the cost of pork chops, chips, and hamburger buns. The table below shows this year's estimated costs on the left, beside last year's costs found by AFBF. According to the AFBF, 2025 marks the highest price for beef since they began tracking cookout prices. Rising beef prices have been fueled by drought conditions, consumer demand, and the recent New World screwworm threat. Meanwhile, pork prices have dropped compared to last year thanks to 'elevated production and higher market hog weights.' Another analysis by Wells Fargo found similar price increases over the last year, as well as higher costs across produce items. Cauliflower, broccoli, potatoes, and baby carrots are all up at least 1 percent in that time frame, while cherry tomatoes are up 3.7 percent. Common cookout goods that have also seen a price hike since 2024 include apple pie (1.5 percent), beer and wines (under 2 percent), liter bottles of soda (2 percent), and flavored sparkling waters (4.7 percent). Eggs, seemingly still seeing high prices due to the avian flu, are up 40 percent over the last year, according to Wells Fargo. The latest Consumer Price Index shows at-home food costs are up 2.2 percent over the last year. The cost of food away from home, meanwhile, is up 3.8 percent.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Coyote sightings increasing on Tybee Island
TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. (WSAV) – Coyote sightings are increasing on Tybee Island since WSAV first reported in early June. 'I was shocked to pull up on this animal, this beautiful wild animal,' said Stu Putman, who sent us a video taken June 2 of a coyote trotting around his North End neighborhood in the nighttime. The animal is being seen mostly on the north side of the island. 'A couple of days ago I was driving home and pulled into my neighborhood, which is on the North End, and there it was,' said Putman. 'I thought it was a dear because they have very long noses, and their ears are on top of their heads like a dear, but from the video, you can see it's a coyote.' As chatter is increasing about the recent sightings Putman alerted his neighbors. 'I'm in a homeowner's association on the North End, and I put out an email, and I attached the video, and most of the emails that came back were worried neighbors,' he said. Although city officials told WSAV the animal is not a threat, though people and pets should still keep a distance, the chatter is hinted with unease. 'I would say on average Tybee is a little worried about having coyotes on the island,' said Putman. In 2023 when coyotes were inhabiting the island in packs, the city's hired trapper eventually took them to a DNR approved wildlife preserve after the city faced backlash for trapping and euthanizing them to prevent rabies transmission. The relocation was considered a 'last resort.' Tybee Island Mayor Brian West told WSAV Friday that the city currently does not have a plan for coyotes considering the recent sightings. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Yahoo
Man dies from suspected overdose, 2 arrested on drug charges
GLYNN COUNTY, Ga. (WSAV) — Two men have been arrested on drug charges after an investigation into a suspected overdose death. Glynn County Police Department (GCPD) officers responded to the Friendly Express Gas Station on Perry Road around 10 p.m. Thursday for a death investigation. Officers found a dead man inside a company box truck. Two individuals identified as Willie Thomas and Jamie Schneider, both residents of North Carolina, were present at the scene. As part of the investigation, officers recovered suspected cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana, and fentanyl, along with a stolen Glock handgun, a digital scale and a glass smoking device commonly associated with narcotics use from the truck. After interviews, Willie Thomas and Jamie Schneider were arrested and taken to the local detention center. Thomas is charged three possession of schedule ii substance, possession of marijuana less than an ounce, theft by receiving stolen property and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Jamie Schneider is charged with theft by receiving stolen property and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The deceased man is suspected to have died from a drug overdose, a GCPD spokesperson said. His body was reportedly transported to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Crime Lab for a full autopsy to determine the official cause of death. This remains an active and ongoing investigation. This investigation is ongoing and any person with information on this case is encouraged to contact the Glynn County Police Department Non-Emergency at (912) 554-3645 or anonymously via Silent Witness at (912) 264-1333. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
