Four community center gyms close for renovations
Four community center gyms are closed for renovation work, and that's not the only thing shifting in town this week.
Gymnasiums at four City of Savannah community centers are closed while renovation work gets underway. The upgrades cover the Liberty City, W.W. Law, Tompkins and J.S. Delaware community centers, and the city describes the projects as part of an ongoing effort to modernize recreational facilities and provide safer, higher-quality spaces for residents. The city posted the notice Wednesday, Aug. 5, and describes the work as a series of renovations rather than a single project. (City of Savannah) Some of the community center gyms will be closed over the next several weeks as the city begins the projects, and Mayor Van Johnson's phrase for the disruption is "Excuse our dust," WSAV reported. (WSAV) No reopening dates have been announced for the individual gyms. Anyone who regularly uses the gym at one of those four centers should expect it to be unavailable while crews are on site.
Hilton partners with The Grey founders on a new hotel
Hilton has partnered with the founders of The Grey on a new hotel in Savannah, WJCL reported Aug. 3. The arrangement links one of the largest hotel companies in the country with hospitality operators already established in the city. Specifics on the property itself have not been announced, including where it will sit, how many rooms it will hold, and when it might open. For now the partnership is the announcement, and the project behind it is still an outline. (WJCL)
Savannah-Chatham schools are back in session
Savannah-Chatham County public schools are back in session, and the district characterized the opening as "exceptionally smooth," WTOC reported Aug. 4. That assessment is the school system's own read on its opening rather than an outside review. With classes resumed across the county, school zones and bus routes are active again, and morning and afternoon traffic tightens around campuses and pickup lines. Attendance figures, staffing levels, and bus-route performance have not been released. (WTOC)
City pushes RAVE Alert sign-ups for hurricane season
The City of Savannah is encouraging residents to sign up for RAVE Alert during hurricane season, in a notice posted Wednesday, Aug. 5. RAVE Alert is the system the city uses to send emergency notifications, and enrollment is what determines who receives them when conditions change. Residents who have changed phone numbers or carriers since they last enrolled would need to update that information for alerts to reach them. (City of Savannah)
Savannah Steel fall to Charlotte as skid hits 11
The Savannah Steel fell to the Charlotte Crown, a result that clinched a championship berth for Charlotte and pushed Savannah's losing streak to 11 games. The result came early Thursday, Aug. 6, per WJCL. Charlotte's spot in the title game is now settled; Savannah's stretch of losses is the longer story. Eleven straight is the kind of run that moves the conversation off any single night and onto what the rest of the season looks like. (WJCL)
Savannah State names Kelly Allen women's golf coach
Savannah State has named Kelly Allen head coach of its women's golf program, announced by the Peach Belt Conference on Aug. 4. Allen takes over the top job for a program that competes in the Peach Belt, the conference Savannah State's athletics program belongs to. A start date has not been announced, and neither have terms. Whether the hire changes anything visible for the program will show up in the fall schedule and in who signs to play. (Peach Belt Conference)
Last call to weigh in on Savannah's 311 services
Time is running out for Savannah residents to weigh in on the city's 311 services, WTOC reported Aug. 3. The 311 line is the intake point for non-emergency city requests, so anyone who has used it to report a problem and wants that experience counted has a narrowing window to say so. A closing date has not been announced, and neither has the form the feedback takes. What is known is the window itself, and it is closing. (WTOC)
State regulator reviews OpenAI's Georgia Power contract
Georgia's Public Service Commission is reviewing OpenAI's electricity contract with Georgia Power for a $20 billion data center in Effingham County, The Current Georgia reported Aug. 4. The site is the Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub, just up the road from Savannah, and the commission is the state body that signs off on how large power deals are structured and who ultimately carries the cost. That review is the thing to watch: a project of that size lands on the same regional grid Savannah draws from, and the terms regulators approve will shape what the surrounding counties pay. (The Current Georgia)
Hungry for History: Built by Community, Aug. 10
Hungry for History presents "Built by Community: The History of East Savannah" on August 10, 2026, from 5:15 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. The hour-long program takes place at the Pennsylvania Avenue Resource Center, known locally as PARC, at 425 Pennsylvania Avenue, Savannah, GA 31404. The subject is East Savannah and how the neighborhood was built by the community that lives in it. Contact the event organizer for tickets and details.
Telfair's weekly family art programs continue
Family drop-in art activities run every Wednesday at the Telfair Children's Art Museum, inspired by the exhibition The World of William O. Golding, with a different nautical art activity in the CAM family lounge each month. Artful Tales Storytime is every Friday at 10:30 a.m. in the Telfair Children's Art Museum at the Jepson Center. On weekends, the studios are open Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for artmaking projects for all ages. Contact the event organizer for tickets and details.