🌱 Final Stores Close At Mall + Fences At City Market Confuse Shoppers

Hello again, neighbors! It's me, Danielle Fallon-O'Leary, your host of the Savannah Daily. Here's all the local news you need to know right now.

But first, today's weather:

Sunny and pleasant. High: 69 Low: 52.

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I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our readers to local businesses they need to know. If that's you, then I invite you to learn more and secure your spot now.

Here are the top three stories in Savannah today:

1. The last stores at the Savannah Mall are closing for good this week ahead of the deadline to move out by the end of the week. The mall location was purchased for $8.4 million by an investment firm. It is unclear still what will become of the space, but the new owners are set to plan a stakeholders' meeting in the next month or so that will bring together stakeholders as well as the city and community to discuss potential plans. (WSAV-TV)
2. Savannah Mayor Van Johnson said that the city had no say in the temporary fences that recently went up around City Market. The area is privately owned, and one of the owners said that the management company eventually plans to transition the area to a family-friendly area that closes at midnight. Although the fencing went up around the courtyard at midnight, some businesses are still currently open until 3:00 a.m. (WTOC)
3. The Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport is partnering with an AI company to help reunite lost items with travelers. Boomerang is a web-based AI technology platform that streamlines the lost-and-found process to make it easier for travelers to look for their lost items. (Savannah Morning News)

Today in Savannah:

• Classic Italian At Mansion On Forsyth Park (6:00 PM)
• Glory (1989 Film) At Tybee Post Theater (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Are you on the hunt for a new home to kick off 2023? Check out this week's list of homes that have recently hit the market in the Savannah area, including a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house and a two-bedroom, one-bathroom house. (Savannah Patch)
• The nation will observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day this upcoming Monday on Jan. 16, and there are many events in and around the Savannah area to commemorate and celebrate the reverend's life. Check out this list of MLK Day celebrations, including the Tybee MLK Celebration, the MLK 5k/10k, and the MLK Parade. (Connect Savannah.com)
• Do you know a young theater techie who would be interested in developing their technical skills? The Savannah Children's Theatre will be hosting a hands-on workshop for eighth-12th graders to help them prepare the skills they need to work on theater productions as stage crew. Registration for the workshop is currently open, and the event will run on Saturday, Jan. 14 from 12:00-4:00 p.m. (Savannah Children's Theatre via Facebook)

Alrighty, you're all caught up for today. I'll see you soon!

— Danielle Fallon-O'Leary

About me: Danielle Fallon-O’Leary is a content manager with content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and assists Patch.com with community newsletter curation. Danielle also holds a Master’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and works part-time as a pediatric speech therapist.