Criminal Defense Attorney in Port Wentworth, GA.

PORT WENTWORTH, Ga. (WTOC) - Officials cut the ribbon on a $78 million produce processing facility in Port Wentworth Thursday.

The opening is the latest in a string of economic announcements there.

As Port Wentworth welcomes its newest industrial business, the city is hiring new leadership aiming to manage future investments.

“We want to have good, long-term, quality growth, planned development, that businesses then will look at and say this is why we want to invest in this community,” said Touchton.

James Touchton has been tapped as Port Wentworth’s first director of economic development.

He comes at a time of growth for the city with thousands of housing units expected in the coming years.

“3,000 in the next three years and then 5,000 in five years, already permitted from start to finish, we’re looking at five years.”

Port Wentworth is no stranger to growth and the business boom that comes with it.

Last year, the city put a pause on industrial rezoning applications so officials could rewrite the zoning ordinance.

In recent months, longtime residents say they feel pushed out by industrial building...a concern that Port Wentworth’s city manager says officials take into consideration..

“The biggest challenge that we have is dealing with the traffic. We’ve got multiple state highways that run through Port Wentworth. So, it’s making sure we can accommodate all of the increased traffic in that,” said Port Wentworth City Manager Steve Davis.

Still, Touchton is optimistic saying he looks forward to bringing together the city’s businesses and residents.

“I’m a big believer in respecting the past and embracing the future. So I think there’s a way to blend that. It doesn’t exist without partnerships. It doesn’t exist if we operate in those silos.”

It’s been a busy first few weeks for Touchton.

Of course, the Ghost Pirates announced a new practice facility in Port Wentworth this week.

Among his priorities, Touchton said he wants to help bring more entertainment and public transportation to the city.

Copyright 2023 WTOC. All rights reserved.

~ New facility is strategically located near the Port of Savannah and will allow Lineage to process up to 1.4 million pounds of produce per day ~

~ Facility brings Lineage’s total investment in Chatham County to over $100 million and expands the Company’s growing footprint in Georgia ~

PORT WENTWORTH, Ga., April 20, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lineage Logistics ("Lineage" or the "Company"), one of the leading temperature-controlled industrial REITs and integrated solutions providers worldwide, today celebrated the grand opening of its newest facility in Port Wentworth, Georgia. Savannah Fresh-Port Wentworth is strategically located near the Port of Savannah, the largest single-terminal container facility of its kind in North America and the third busiest container gateway in the U.S.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230420005218/en/

Lineage Logistics' Savannah Fresh-Port Wentworth facility is strategically located near the Port of Savannah and will allow Lineage to process up to 1.4 million pounds of produce per day. (Photo: Business Wire)

The 220,000-square-foot facility offers cross-docking services for products to enter and exit the facility on the same day if needed, reducing storage time, creating cost efficiencies, and ensuring consumers receive fresh produce faster. The facility has 23 inbound and outbound lanes that can process more than 40 trucks daily, moving up to 1.4 million pounds of produce per day.

"Today, the demand for port-centric temperature-controlled storage has never been greater and our Fresh solution offerings at Lineage have never been more robust. Savannah Fresh-Port Wentworth will allow us to expand our Fresh offering to new and existing customers and also provides the needed capacity to improve market conditions," said Jim Henderson, Vice President of Global Sales and Business Development at Lineage. "The opening of this new facility is a critical step for Lineage as we continuously work to reimagine the world’s food supply chain. We are honored to further our long-standing partnership with Georgia Ports Authority and look forward to building our presence in the state of Georgia, an essential hub for trade and innovation."

Lineage is one of the leading temperature-controlled industrial REITs and integrated solutions providers worldwide. It has a global network of over 400 strategically located facilities totaling over 2 billion cubic feet of capacity which spans 20 countries across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. Lineage has industry-leading expertise in end-to-end logistical solutions, an unrivaled real estate network, and develops and deploys innovative technology. This helps increase distribution efficiency, advance sustainability, minimize supply chain waste, and most importantly, as a Visionary Partner of Feeding America, helps feed the world. In recognition of the Company’s leading innovations and sustainability initiatives, Lineage was listed as No. 3 in the 2022 CNBC Disruptor 50 list, named a Deloitte US Best Managed Company in 2022, the No. 1 Data Science company, and 23rd overall on Fast Company’s 2019 list of The World’s Most Innovative Companies, in addition to being included on Fortune’s Change the World list in 2020. ()

PORT WENTWORTH, Ga. (WTOC) - The City of Port Wentworth is still in the middle of an industrial moratorium, but some residents say the damage of development has already been done.

Well-known farmers in the city, Promised Land and Hester Farms, were the first to say they wanted to be rezoned in October. Now it seems they have much of the community behind them and a contractor with a familiar face in the city.

“I am officially requesting my property be rezoned from RA to industrial,” said a resident speaking on behalf of her mother.

“Promised Land Farms…we need that rezoned industrial,” said Willie Johnson with Promised Land Farms.

Another resident said, “we’re here to have our property rezoned industrial.”

One by one, residents from Monteith and Meinhard told Port Wentworth city council members they want their land rezoned. Something they’ve fought against for decades — now, they see it as the only way they can get out with some of a return on their investment.

The Hester family has been a big part of getting many of the residents on the same page.

“My family has been in Port Wentworth before it was Port Wentworth - 151 years. Not to mention a number of the families tonight you’ll be hearing from. Opportunity to bring our heritage in and keep in permanent while change happens around us that are inescapable,” said Hannah Hester, who’s family owns Hester Farms.

This community isn’t far from industrial development off Hendley Road.

“Monteith was our sanctuary. Our home. A place where decades has gone by of living on our lane and generations were born. I say it was our sanctuary because despite objections I made during council and others who objected in the community, warehouses are literally in our backyard,” a resident said.

“The fact is warehouses on Hendley Road are there. Their quality of life has declined and I’m working directly with them not only to get their property rezoned industrial, but bringing in a development team to develop those properties. I am the contract person for many of those properties,” said LaRay Benton, a former resident who grew up in the area.

A townhall has been discussed and they’re inviting council to the table to talk about next steps.

Port Wentworth has an active moratorium in place against industrial rezoning until March so this is something to think about when it expires.

WTOC asked the mayor after the meeting what he thought of the presentation. He said they need to stand behind the residents and it would probably help them be better off in the future.

He plans to get involved in any town halls.

Copyright 2023 WTOC. All rights reserved.

PORT WENTWORTH, Ga. (WTOC) - Industrial development in Port Wentworth has put a stain on the city for decades...so much so that there is an active moratorium for any industrial rezoning.

Generational farmers in Monteith and Meinhard communities say the damage has already been done.

“What they do is tax or zone you out,” said Willie Johnson, who owns Promised Land Farms.

Willie Johnson and his brother Robert have owned Promised Land Farms for 22 years.

“I’m 78 years old...” said Robert Johnson, who owns Promised Land Farms.

Between the Johnsons and the Hesters, they own more than 200 acres of land, but they’re ready to give it all away – not because they want to.

“We cant’ afford to leave and rebuild elsewhere at residential rates,” said Janet Hester, who owns Hester Farms. “We can’t even afford a commercial rate.”

Hendley Rd. was the latest project – rezoned two years ago to industrial. They said they never realized how much harm development could do until it happened.

Hester said, “next thing you know they’re clearing the timber. Next thing, you know they’re bringing in dirt, hauling and changing the road and the reality of what that looked like...we went oh, wow...”

Now, they’re appealing to the city to help them leave with some of the investment they’ve worked their whole lives for.

They are doing that by asking for the very thing they’ve pushed against – industrial rezoning.

“If I don’t leave...look what will happen. I’m trying to do something while I’m still here.”

A historic designation has been discussed for years.

Farmers wanted it before as a form of protection.

Now, they say it will only prevent a developer from wanting to buy their land due to the protections that are often affiliated with land that is deemed historic.

“Now is not the time to rezone us historic. It would actually hurt and harm our ability to sell our land and get enough money to relocate,” said Hester.

The farmers said they are speaking for themselves. They don’t have a timeline, but they know it’s what’s best and they’re hoping the city will right what they say are years of wrongs.

“We’ve been squeezed and squeezed and squeezed...they tax us, squeezing warehouses...where can we go?”

Port Wentworth ‘s city manager said their request to rezone those neighborhoods industrial is not the direction the city is heading, but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen.

WTOC has reported they currently have an agency re-evaluating their zoning ordinances during their industrial rezoning moratorium.

Copyright 2022 WTOC. All rights reserved.

PORT WENTWORTH, Ga. (WTOC) - The Savannah Ghost Pirates made a huge announcement in Port Wentworth Tuesday.

The Ghost Pirates will be opening a $25 million practice facility. The facility will be built west of Interstate 95 in the area of Highway 21 and GA 30.

“We are here today to announce our next step in our long term plan of continuing to share out live not only of hockey but of community with you guys. And in that plan includes a $25 million dollar commitment to build a state of the art facility, that will not only be the practice facility for the Savannah Ghost Pirates but also an ice sports winter wonderland to share with the community.”

Savannah Mayor Van Johnson’s energy, an example of the enthusiasm around the 90,000 square foot facility set to open Summer 2025. The occasion rung in by a Groves High School band and a familiar chant or two as the Ghost Pirates expand their footprint further in our community.

“It’s not about Port Wentworth, Savannah, Pooler... they’re all going to use this facility. The real thing is getting tournaments from out of town, fill hotel rooms,” said Ghost Pirates President Bob Ohrablo.

Like the team’s president hints at, the arena will do a lot more than host ghost pirate practices with Port Wentworth leaders hoping their businesses will benefit.

“It’s a great economic booster for the city, not just the city but the surrounding area,” said Port Wentworth Mayor Pro Tem Thomas Barbee.

The arena will be complete with a sports bar, pro shop, and two NHL sized sheets of ice for all kinds of winter activities. The city’s acting mayor says the plan has been in the works for a while, and he’s grateful it all came together.

“I liked the fact that they chose Port Wentworth out of 108,000 cities across the United States of America.”

The team says the choice was easy, as the public private partnership made sense for everyone involved.

“City council said if you’re going to build a facility, why not build it here in Port Wentworth? So that’s what we did and we’re very excited.”

Of course it’s not built yet, with a groundbreaking likely on the way in the coming months, but Orhablo understands the local impact the building will have once it’s complete and says the mission goes beyond the sport played in Enmarket Arena.

“This is what our dream was when we got here was bring the hockey team here and then bring ice skating here.”

To accomplish that, one of the many activities in the new building will be the Ghost Pirates’ community skating that they say is ready for a new home.

The team broke an ECHL record with 33 sellouts during the 2023 season at Enmarket Arena in Savannah.

Copyright 2023 WTOC. All rights reserved.