🌱 Chatham County Facing Officer Shortage + Body Found After Fire

Good morning, everybody! It's me, Joyce Nash, your host of the Patch newsletter. Here's everything you need to know about what's happening in town.

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Now, today's weather:

Becoming cloudy. High: 91 Low: 69.

Here are the top three stories in Savannah today:

1. The Chatham County Sheriff's Office is facing a shortage of around 150 officers. This shortage comes as there is an expected increase in the number of inmates at Chatham County Jail. Current staff members are having to pick up extra shifts to ensure the department maintains the required ratios of inmates to staff members. The department is seeing high levels of applicants and is also making changes to improve officer retention. Officers will now rotate jobs every four months and rules around physical appearance have been relaxed to allow officers to grow beards. (WJCL)
2. Search crews discovered a body following a house fire in Savannah where one person went missing. The fire occurred on Monday morning at a dwelling near Truman Parkway. First responders had the fire under control within 20 minutes, but the home's resident was unaccounted for. According to the fire chief, a body was discovered several hours later. The cause of death has not been determined, and there has been no positive identification. Officials with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives confirmed that there were no explosive devices in the home. (WJCL)
3. On Monday, Hyundai Motor America announced a partnership with Savannah State University, as well as the extension of its partnership with Memorial Health Dwaine and Cynthia Willett Children's Hospital and Safe Kids Savannah. Hyundai has donated $25,000 to Savannah State University, which will go toward STEM scholarships and camps. Hyundai also donated $25,000 to the children's hospital, which will go toward educational events like driver education programs. (PR Newswire)

Today in Savannah:

Wednesday, June 7

• Kari Live At The Rail Pub (5:00 PM)
• Basement Comedy Showcase At Totally Awesome Bar (9:00 PM)

From our sponsor:

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From my notebook:

• St. Mary's Community Center is hosting a job fair today (Jun. 7) from 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. The employers that will be in attendance include Savannah Toyota, Wesley Community Center, and Savannah-Chatham County Public School System. To learn more, call 912-447-0578. (Step Up Savannah via Facebook)
• The Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens recently shared pictures of ladybugs in the larva, pupa, and adult stages. Coastal Georgia has several species of ladybugs, and they're all considered beneficial for a garden. (Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens via Facebook)
• Chatham County Parks and Recreation would like to remind residents of the dozen or so parks that the county offers. While each park is different, you can find amenities such as basketball courts, playgrounds, picnic tables, and space to play throughout Chatham County. (Chatham County Parks and Recreation via Facebook)

In partnership with T-Mobile:

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That's it for today. I'll see you around!

— Joyce Nash

About me: Joyce is a freelance writer and poet whose work has appeared in the Hello Gloria newsletter and Nine Cloud Journal. Her background ranges from journalism to fitness instruction and spans the east coast to the West. In her free time, she enjoys reading, cooking, and spending time with her husband and two cats.