🌱 Dramatic Decline In City Murder Rate + Hyundai Makes Big Donations

Morning, neighbors! I'm back with your fresh edition of the Savannah Patch newsletter. Follow along to find out the most important things going on these days in town.

But first, today's weather:

Clouds and sun with a t-storm. High: 84 Low: 66.

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Here are the top three stories today in Savannah:

1. Savannah has seen a dramatic decline in murder rates, according to the weekly crime reports from the Savannah Police Department. As of May 27, there has been one homicide reported to the police, while during the same week in 2022, the department received 16 homicide reports. Assistant Police Chief Robert Gavin said that using crime data and focusing on hotspots has made a difference in reducing homicides. He also credited community engagement, such as the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement, which provides mediation, violence interruption, mentoring, and youth camps. (Georgia Public Broadcast)
2. Hyundai recently made two large donations to local causes. Children's Memorial Hospital received a $25,000 donation for its Safe Kids Savannah program, which offers training for car seat installation and car seat safety checks. Hyundai's Genesis Inspiration Foundation also donated $100,000 to the SCAD Museum of Art, which will go towards expanding the museum's K-12 education programs. (WTOC)
3. The city's Office of Sustainability has expanded the available dates for community workshops about free programs for qualified Georgia Power customers. At the workshops, residents can learn about and sign up for programs that offer home upgrades for increased energy efficiency. The next upcoming workshop will be held on Monday, Jun. 5 at the Forest City Library from 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Read more about the program's eligibility requirements here. (WTOC)

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Today in Savannah:

• Family Field Day At Forsyth Park (1:00 PM)
• Savannah Pride Bar Crawl At The Crypt Pub (4:00 PM)
• Nicolas Bearde Trio At The Good Times Jazz Bar (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Lucas Theatre for the Arts will be showing Snow White and the Seven Dwarves on Sunday, Jun. 11 at 3:00 p.m. Before the film, former Disney animator and SCAD professor Lee Crowe will speak on the film's history and impact. (Lucas Theatre for the Arts via Facebook)
• The Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens shared a helpful chart of transplant dates for fall vegetables. If you're growing fall vegetables like eggplants, collards, or cabbage from seed, it's time to start planning now. (Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens via Facebook)
• Savannah's Candy Kitchen will be celebrating National Praline Day on Saturday, Jun. 24, and they will be donating 10 percent of praline sales that day to Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia's Kids Cafe program. The Kids Cafe provides children with a nutritious evening meal and homework assistance in a safe environment. (Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia via Facebook)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Saturday! See you all tomorrow morning for another update.

— 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.