Criminal Defense Attorney in Vernonburg, GA.

Billy Wooten, Chatham County Supervisor of Elections, said around 11 a.m. that 6,381 people have voted in the City of Savannah's municipal elections as of 11: 44 a.m. today.

And according to Savannah Mayor Van Johnson, a lot of other people who live outside the city limits in unincorporated Chatham County have tried to vote today.

At his weekly media briefing, Johnson said, "I think the challenge is that I have been getting a lot of calls that people don't have the realization that if they live in unincorporated Chatham County, they can't vote in a City of Savannah elections."

Every municipal election in which there is no countywide question or candidates, voters in unincorporated Chatham County still show up at the polls, expecting to cast a vote for the mayor and aldermen. But if you do not live within the colored areas on the map above, you cannot vote in a city election. The same is true for the other municipalities of Bloomingdale, Garden City, Pooler, Port Wentworth, Thunderbolt, Tybee Island and Vernonburg.

Check your voter registration at mvp.sos.ga.gov/s/. If you don't have a city polling precinct, you can't vote today.

Holly Pace's backyard is sunken. In a low-lying area of Windsor Forest, the canal behind her house regularly fills and overflows with water, eroding her fence line and bite by bite swallowing chunks of the yard. She's far from the only Savannah resident worried about flooding, but Pace has an extra problem to consider: the water behind her house has more than 20 times the legal limit of E. coli.

What is E. coli?

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Division, E. coli is a fecal coliform bacteria that is specific to feces from humans and other warm-blooded animals.

While it may seem obvious that humans don't want to come into contact with feces, the EPA says that E. coli itself isn't likely to be all that harmful to humans who come into contact with it through swimming. However, it is an indicator that the waterway may have other disease-causing bacteria or viruses that live alongside E. coli in human and animal digestive systems.

Common symptoms of exposure to water with high E. coli levels are vomiting and diarrhea.

Casey Canal runs alongside Harry S. Truman Parkway before it connects to the Vernon River, a central line threading the city. But throughout its course, the small waterway is picking up pollution from a spate of sources before it reaches the Vernon River, and along that route is Pace's house behind the LaVida Golf Club.

Her yard stays saturated, Pace said, and she's worried about the health impacts of long term E. coli exposure. When it rains, the skinny canal quickly overflows onto her property. Moreover, the flooding has created mold in areas such her garage, another source of potential environmental health problems.

"We could at least have decent, clean recreational rivers," Pace said. "It's not fair to have that type of quality of water."

She knows that this issue has been long-lived. For her, the flooding started in 2008 with a canal improvement project she claims has caused more flooding in her yard, and even back then the water was known to have high E. coli counts. She's frustrated the situation hasn't seemed to improve much over the years.

"When they tested (the water) about a week ago, the E. coli levels were 2620. (Environmental Protection Agency) standards are 100, or really, zero," Pace said. The numbers Pace refers to are measured in MPN, a statistical estimate of the number of coliform-group organisms per 100 milliliter sample of water.

Her water was tested along with other portions of the waterway by the Ogeechee Riverkeeper, which has been working on an overarching project to clean up the Vernon River.

Ogeechee Riverkeeper Damon Mullis said in mid-2020 his organization launched the Vernon River Project, where "the whole idea was to get all the stakeholders involved and everybody worked together to identify bacterial contamination and sources and try to get it fixed and limit water quality issues."

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According to the Ogeechee Riverkeeper, the Vernon River drains approximately 40% of the city via urban and suburban runoff, all parts of the Ogeechee River watershed. Back in 2001, the Vernon River was declared "impaired" by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division due to contamination, and since then it's been a long and slow battle to track down and remedy the sources.

"Over the 20 years we've had this issue, we haven't really seen an improvement so whatever has been done has been insufficient," Mullis said. His group tests for E. coli as well as Enterococcus, a similar bacteria. Human waste can carry viruses and other harmful bacteria, Mullis said, and so the ongoing pollution is a real health concern — accidentally drinking the water, particularly while swimming, or exposing cuts or sores to the water can have health implications.

But figuring out where the contamination is coming from is half the battle according to Ron Feldner, Savannah's new senior director of Water Resources.

"Our goal is to efficiently convey sanitary sewage to the system and minimize any interaction with that sewage and the environment around the system," Feldner said. "We don't want our manholes overflowing. We don't want our sewer lines leaking. But we have a lot of sewer lines, and we have a lot of manholes."

To make it more challenging, a lot of those systems have years of wear and tear. Feldner said the city "triages" this system as trouble arises, re-lining all the sewer lines at and around leaks to make sure the system is well supported for the coming decades. He said there's been some substantive wins on the river in the past decades, particularly in the 1970s and 1980s with overall stricter water quality regulations and some city system upgrades in the mid-2000s.

But even with this effort, there's other sources of contamination outside of the city's reach, such as lateral lines — those that are on private property, privately owned and connect homeowner's systems to the city's sewage grid. Beyond lateral lines there are leaking septic tanks, and non-point pollution like what runs off of parking lots or feces from livestock or wild animals.

Shawn Rosenquist, a civil engineer in Feldner's department, is also a new hire looking forward to chipping away at the E. coli problem. He's one of the city's representatives working with Mullis and other community stakeholders on a new and improved watershed management plan that is almost complete.

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The plan will have several recommendations for additional things the city can do — ordinances, policies, enforcement — and strategies for working with private property owners. The plan also helps prioritize the most critical areas and highlight the most effective possible solutions.

To better understand where the problem lies, Rosenquist said the city is working with other groups, such as Georgia Southern University, to conduct bacterial tracking to identify what the contaminants are and where exactly they're coming from.

Both Feldner and Rosenquist agree that it'll be many years before the city gets closer to a satisfactory outcome. But, with new staff at the city and a new, collaborative watershed management plan in the works, they're feeling confident that after many years the city is ready to turn a corner and make big improvements in the Casey Canal and Vernon River's water quality.

Marisa Mecke is an environmental journalist. She can be reached at mmecke@gannett.com or by phone at (912) 328-4411.

Click here to view livestream. Link will be available on Saturday, October 9, 2021 at 10:45 a.m.

Susannah Robertson Rockwell, 87, died peacefully on Tuesday, September 28, 2021 surrounded by her family.

Susannah was born Susannah Preston Roberston in 1934 to the late William Joseph Robertson, newspaper editor and writer, and the late Susan Preston Robertson of Virginia. She moved from Pennsylvania to Savannah at the age of 10 when her father became the editor of the Savannah Morning Newspaper. Susannah was the youngest of four children with three brothers that all served in WWII.

Susannah was known for her acting and singing abilities. After completing two years at Armstrong Junior College, she studied drama at the University of Georgia and was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta. Upon her return to Savannah, she further studied voice under the tutelage of Adie Mae Jackson at Christ Episcopal Church. She was known for her soprano solos in Handel’s Messiah and her starring role as Guinevere in the Little Theatre’s performance of Camelot.

Susannah married Ralph Rockwell in 1960 and moved to Vernonburg in 1966 where she lived the next 55 years. She retired from the Registrar’s office of Armstrong State College to be a full-time grandmother in 1998.

In addition to her parents, Susannah is predeceased by her husband Ralph Rockwell. She leaves behind two daughters, Elizabeth (Larry) Hadwin and Katherine (Ray) Jones and five grandchildren Matthew Hadwin, Lucy (Wes) Rodgers, Katie Hadwin, Susannah Jones, and Camille Jones as well as many beloved nieces, nephews, and lifelong friends.

Susannah will be remembered fondly for her sense of humor, beauty, charm, and love of politics. She championed all anti-discriminatory practices. She was a past president of the League of Women Voters and an active member of the Colonial Dames through her ancestor, Carter Braxton, Virginian and signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Graveside service will be held on at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 9, 2021 in Laurel Grove North Cemetery with The Reverend Michael S. White officiating.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to Christ of Episcopal Church of Savannah.

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I recently found out I am a Rockwell. I am of the John line from the Columbus, OH, area. Three Rockwell brothers came across the pond from Great Britain and possibly a 4th brother. I know three Rockwell grave sites are in the cemetery at "White Bluff Presbyterian Church." They are my grandfather's third cousins who're buried across the street from his house. I remember meeting this nice lady when I worked at Armstrong State College. Everybody told me she lived in Vernonburg and I know the area well since I was raised near the historic enclave. She was lovely and a nice person. When meeting her, a bell went of in my head and my grandfather John Rockwell was notifying me that we were related to her by marriage. My great grandfather is Jonathan Rockwell, buried in Denver, OH.

- Dorothy Rockwell, Savannah, GA

So sorry for your loss Elizabeth sending love prayers and support to you and your family.

- Karen Conner, Savannah, Georgia

A candle has been lit!

Elizabeth-I am so sorry for your loss!! My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family!

- Lynn Odom, Savannah, GA

My deepest sympathy to the passing of your mother. She was such a lovely lady. I will keep the family in my prayers. I plan to send a donation to Christ Episcopal Church.

- Rosalind G. Evans, Savannah, GA

Kathryn, so sorry to hear of your Mother's passing. I'm praying that you will know peace and comfort during this time.

- Debbie Van Cott, Savannah , Ga

I worked with Suzanne at Armstrong in the early 1990s and she was such a pleasant person -- always had a smile on her face. I remember her fondly and pray that you will find comfort in the lives she touched. May God bless you.

- Josie Murphy, Savannah, GA

Elizabeth and Katherine, I am so very sorry about the loss of your Mom. When we met at Armstrong around 40 years ago, my first thought was that she was the most beautiful woman I had ever met. She was always smiling, cheerful, kind to everyone and just beautiful inside out! I really admired her intelligence and sense of humor also. It was a blessing to have had the pleasure of knowing and being friends with such a delightful person and we really had some good times! I Hope and pray that God and the warm memories you and your families have of your Mom will bring comfort to your hearts. God bless you all.

- Pat Taylor, Savannah, GA

The City of Savannah is at work on repairs after a sewage main this week collapsed underneath DeRenne Avenue.

An estimated 58,150 gallons of sewage spilled Monday and Tuesday. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division classifies anything more than 10,000 gallons as a major spill.

The spill took place at 7 East DeRenne Ave. When the sewer main collapsed, it caused a manhole to overflow at the busy intersection of White Bluff Road and East DeRenne Avenue, according to a news release issued by the City of Savannah on Wednesday.

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The EPD is still investigating the spill, but said it had received the spill report the city sent in detailing the city's effort to locate and address the sewage disruption. Initially, the report said, the city was trying to pass a blockage, but further investigation found that it was not a blockage. Rather, the main had a structural failure and collapsed. The city bypassed that sewage line and is working to excavate and repair the area.

Public notices about the spill will be placed at the spill site, the location of the stormwater drainage system into the Casey Canal at the Casey Canal Crossings of Eisenhower Drive, Sallie Mood Drive and Montgomery Crossroads, as well as at the rivers End Boat Ramp.

According to Damon Mullis, the Ogeechee Riverkeeper, the sewage spill entered the storm drain system and reached the Casey Canal, the long, thin tributary that runs alongside Harry S. Truman Parkway before connecting with the Vernon River. The Casey Canal also happens to already be one of the most polluted waterways in the city. Given its proximity to everything from apartments to yards to businesses, the canal picks up pollution and refuse as it cuts through the city and regularly tests above the legal standard for E. coli, the bacteria found in human waste that is a health and environmental hazard. Ultimately, the Vernon River drains about 40% of the city via urban and suburban runoff.

Ogeechee Riverkeeper has and will continue to sample along the Casey Canal and Vernon River following the sewage spill to monitor the impact on the water, Mullis said. The E. coli levels in the Casey Canal and Vernon River have been a problem for decades, and he noted that while big spill events like this one are important, the vast majority of water contamination comes from everyday small leaks and discharges into the waterways that need to be fixed as well.

Mullis said his organization, local stakeholders and the city are nearing completion on a watershed management plan that will help everyone involved strategize a way to reduce sewage and other pollution into local waterways by fixing up city and county-owned aging infrastructure as well as doing outreach to private landowners and businesses.

When Tybee Island artist Denise Elliot-Vernon searches for creative inspiration, she simply looks at the beauty of the world around her.

"I'm always inspired by nature," she said. "It gives me a sense of peace in a crazy world. It calms me down."

In her second exhibit at Dragonfly Studio on Tybee Island, Elliot-Vernon demonstrates her passion for the natural world, as well as her recent experiments with acrylic paint. "Reincarnation," a collection of 16 original paintings, marks the first time she has incorporated Eastern-inspired techniques, experimented with glazes and used liberal applications of black paint in her compositions. She's also utilizing a looser technique, relying more on impressions and memories than realistic depictions of the scenes at hand.

"I'm trying to give myself permission to try new things," she said. "To do something you've never done before is very exciting."

Elliot-Vernon, a past president of the Tybee Island Arts Association, who is perhaps best known for her colorful sea life murals and vibrant paintings of dolphins and sea turtles, took a two-year break from painting, but recently found a renewed passion for her own craft when she began teaching adult art classes at the arts center on Tybee Island. Inspired by her students' enthusiasm, Elliot-Vernon soon found herself part of a supportive creative community. She encouraged her students and her students, in turn, encouraged her.

With renewed vigor, she now paints every day at her home studio on the island's North End. Often painting from memory, she celebrates the miraculous beauty of the natural world, from a single egret perched on the lush branches of an oak tree to sunlight shining through the massive emerald-colored leaves of the elephant ear plant. She's not afraid to start with an impression or a general idea and then let the painting unfold beneath her brush.

"I want to push it further and see what happens," she said. "I enjoy the process of painting. I love knowing that what I do has a positive effect on people."

The response to Elliot-Vernon's new work has been positive since her exhibit opened earlier this month, said Rebecca Rice, co-owner of Dragonfly Studio.

"Nobody does color like Denise does," she said. "She has a great eye. She's able to move between styles and step outside of her comfort zone."

In her latest exhibit, Elliot-Vernon often turns to the sky for inspiration. "Setting Sun Memory" features clouds tinted lush orange and tangerine hues, while a diptych titled "Sky Passages" offers expressionistic meditations on the sky as decadent chiffon layers of violet and peach.

In addition to her sky paintings, Elliot-Vernon's observations of plants, insects and birds stand apart as keen and astute. In "Passion Flower," she magnifies the dimensions of this hypnotic bloom, inviting the viewer to meditate on its intricate, symmetrical patterning. She converts the petals, stamens and other botanical structures into a giant, meditative mandala, emphasizing the underlying geometry of this single exotic blossom. Smaller works focus the eye on the magic of a single black and yellow butterfly lighting on a leaf or a lone dragonfly spreading its wings.