Plenty of Scuttlebutt to go around this story. District Attorney Larry Chisolm accused in a lawsuit of gender and racial discrimination and sexual harassment by another male. We should be very quick to point out that at this point we have nothing but accusations. However, a quick read of those accusations are enough to make anyone wince. Going to a man’s apartment mid-week to recruit him for a County job? Asking what kind of boss he was? “Did you think I’d be like this?” And thennnnn the humdinger: Mr. Chisolm is accused of asking the new employee (less than two months on the job) to go on a business trip to California and stay in the same room with at least two other men? What? Again these are all accusations and all parties will have their day. But this we do know…numerous employees have stepped down from their jobs in the D.A.s office since Mr. Chisolm took over. Those resignations got the attention of those of us in the media. Something wasn’t passing the sniff test. Now this? To be continued……

2. 18 to Fight? 18 to Drink? – So says Representative Jack Kingston if he gets his way.

Representative Jack Kingston is introducing legislation that would allow 18 year olds to drink when on post at Fort Stewart. This is such a can of worms…I don’t know how to even wrap my arms around this. I will start by saying…no way. Heck no. Why? Lets count up the reasons. For starters, going overseas to kill other human beings is something I will never know the feeling of. The responsibility of handling multi-million dollar equipment in battle? Likewise. But this I do know…. An 18 or 19 year old with a legal beer is asking for trouble. Mr. Kingston pitches his proposal as “Having a beer with your steak.” Well, I love the picture. Sure…nice meal with others enjoying a beer or glass of wine. Great, in theory. Here’s another picture though…How about those soldiers knowing they can get loaded at Fort Stewart legally before they head down to Savannah on a Saturday night looking for a good time? Not people I want on my roads. Won’t happen? Right. Because I don’t see drunk soldiers OVER 21 on Savannah’s streets now? This is not at all an indictment on soldiers. AT ALL. It’s an indictment on the irresponsibility of the 18-20 year olds with the keys to the candy store. Not to mention the number of stories I’ve seen done on soldiers who return from deployment to no families and turn to alcohol to help them cope. No way. It’s asking for trouble.

3. Hurricane Season – How many times do we need to be reminded to be prepared?

I laugh at the people who like to blame the media for scaring everyone into ‘being ready’ if a hurricane should strike. Did you notice Hurricane Earl swim passed us in the Atlantic last week? The 3rd largest hurricane to brush the East Coast of the United States. Fine line between Earl floating passed and us and brushing us and striking us. It’s not about buying out Home Depot or grabbing a motorcycle helmet and jumping in your bathtub because we tell you to on the news. It’s about making sure your insurance is in order, having a plan for evacuation (including your pets which shelters many times don’t take) and being prepared.

4. Football Season is here –The warm up games are out of the way. Judgment Day looms.

Everyone is waxing up their surfboards this week. You’ve got Georgia fans walking around like peacocks fresh off their 55-0 drubbing of the Louisiana Who Dats….South Carolina fans piping up because their team actually opened a season with a win against a division one opponent, and Georgia Southern fans proclaiming they are back because the triple option put 431 rushing yards on the overmatched Thunderbolt Tigers. Perspective people. Pre-season is over. Beginning this Saturday we’ll know who is who and what is what and which way is up.

5. Panera Bread is testing the honor system for payment. Pay what you think its worth.

Panera is pretty popular with locations on Broughton and Bull and another out on the Southside. Caught this on TV the other day. Its actually been going on for months now. You order your food at Panera and then pay what you believe it is worth. The numbers are pretty surprising….according to Panera Bread, 60-70 or so percent of the people pay full price. 15 percent pay less, and 15 or so pay more. The theme appears to be that people are generally good. Always good to see. Panera’s chairman says it was created in part to help people in a struggling economy to still be able to eat out. Ok, fair enough. We appreciate that. I happen to like it because while I do like Panera-very much actually- I do think they are a scoatch overpriced. I’d be glad to pay $5 for that $7 combo. Ok…before you grab your keys and run down to Panera right now…its not available here. Spoke to someone at Panera today who doesn’t know if that system will ever make it to Savannah. Sounds like a good enough excuse for a roadie!!!!

Till next time, follow me on twitter @jblancotv

Image by: Mike Peterson

Think burlesque and what comes to mind? A glamorous 1950s cabaret where voluptuous women perform Moulin Rouge-style routines for entertainment. Think you’re not a candidate for this type of material? Think again. Op B specifically attempts to teach such classic burlesque moves in a comfortable, nonthreatening way, to help military wives of deployed and non-deployed soldiers feel more confident, sexy, and girly. Burana recognizes the immense amount of stress military wives experience, and her goal is to help them connect with each other, have some fun, and do something for themselves.

Burana, author of “I Love a Man in Uniform: a Memoir of Love, War and Other Battles,” herself a former exotic dancer and Playboy model, is currently living in New York with her husband, a retired Lieutenant Colonel teaching at West Point. She began these classes when she found herself feeling down and depressed during her husband’s deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. After talking with other military wives about similar experiences, she wondered what she could do to help. Drawing on her own unique talents, Op B was born and the idea overwhelmingly caught on. In fact, this program is so popular with the military wives, that some posts are actually sponsoring Burana’s visit. What better way to welcome a soldier home from a hard day at work or a long deployment?

The class is choreographed by burlesque star Jo Weldon, founder of the New York School of Burlesque. Since Op B’s inception, Burana has travelled to military installations across the continental United States in order to make her classes accessible to as many military spouses as possible. Burana not only has the gift of being able to teach burlesque moves, but also to teach them in a way that makes her students feel pretty and confident while they’re doing it.

So, if you’re ready to get your groove on then sign up as soon as you can. The “Bombshell in an Hour” class is being sponsored by the Bomber Girls LRC, a local organization of female motorcycle riders, and is FREE. The class is offered exclusively to military wives, female military, retired military wives, and combat veteran widows. Boas are provided; all you need to bring is yourself, a great attitude, and comfortable shoes and clothes. Classes will be held in early November (location and date to be determined) and will depend on the number of RSVPs so be sure to save your spot today! If you don’t RSVP you cannot attend a class. Contact BomberGirlsRSVP@gmail.com with questions or to reserve your place. See you there!

For more information, please visit www.operationbombshell.com or www.bombergirlslrc.com.

Friday, Sept. 3, get out and experience the first set of weekend fireworks in celebration of River Street’s First Friday event with sparks flying at 9:30 p.m. For an alternate view, head across the river to the Westin Savannah Harbor for the Brews ‘n Booms event. Beginning at 8:30 p.m., guests can samples of craft brews and a dessert display while waiting for the fireworks to begin. Before the Brews ‘n Booms event, the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center is hosting the Savannah Craft Brew Fest craft brew and food pairing dinner from 6-9 p.m. The menu for the pairing will include Southern cuisine paired with craft brews from Highland Brewing Company. Live entertainment will also be provided.

The Craft Brew Fest continues on Saturday from Noon-6 p.m. with the Craft Brew Grand Tasting. Attendees can experience more than 130 different craft brews from breweries like Samuel Adams, Sweetwater, and Sierra Nevada. Guests can sip away while enjoying live entertainment and a variety of food offerings. Souvenirs will be available for purchase as well.

Saturday is also River Street’s Labor Day celebration from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. Browse through a variety of arts and crafts vendors, and enjoy entertainment for the whole family. Night owls, grab your helmets so you can enjoy a different view of  downtown during the Midnight Garden Ride. From 8-9 p.m., be a part of the non-competitive, nighttime charity bike ride. Preregistration is $20 and proceeds will benefit the Savannah Bicycle Campaign. The ride begins and ends at the Distillery.

If you prefer beaches over rivers, and you enjoy exercising, then Tybee is the place for you Saturday. Get your workout clothes ready and get kicking because Tybee is throwing a fit! From 8-10 a.m., head to the Pier Pavilion and pick up secrets from local trainers, like Drew Edmonds, and Real Housewife Lisa Wu Hartwell and her husband Ed Hartwell. Take your pick from sessions ranging from kick-boxing to stand-up paddle surfing.  This is a free event open to all ages. Check out Drew Edmonds on Twitter (@Drew_Edmonds).

Sunday, Sept. 5, beach bums unite for the third annual Tybee Labor Day Beach Bash from 7-10 p.m. at the Type Pier and Pavilion. Live music from Gary Roland and The Landsharks Band and fireworks are planned as part of the festivities. The Landsharks Band has performed with Jimmy Buffett, so they’ll surely keep the spirit alive for the beach celebration. Attendees can enjoy Landshark Lager throughout the event.

Not a fan of sand? Head on over to the Mansion on Forsyth Park for Jason Marsalis‘ live performance Sunday at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Marsalis is a jazz musician from New Orleans and has worked with other jazz musicians like Joe Henderson and Lionel Hampton. Tickets are $25.

For more information, ticket pricing, and menus regarding the Craft Brew Fest, please visit savannahcraftbrewfest.com. For information regarding the Labor Day Beach Bash, please visit tybeevisit.com.

Well, we knew it was coming. Mayor Otis Johnson was pretty set on making his city smoke free. Thursday, by a vote of 7-2 he got it. I don’t smoke, never have. It will be very easy to figure out how I feel about this, but the bottom line is I know plenty of people who don’t like to go to certain places because they are too smoky, or the establishment doesn’t do a good enough job ventilating. I think over the long haul, I can see where this would actually be a good thing for local business. The City says they have looked at reports from other cities across America that have gone smoke free and there are no facts to support any businesses closing because they could no longer welcome smokers. Here’s to fresh air!

2. Katrina 5 Years later. What a joke. Flat out joke.

Lets all join in the weeklong celebration of the City of New Orleans! It’s nice to check in on one of my favorite cities five years after flooding destroyed a lot of it. But I, too, get frustrated with the media. I’ve mentioned it here before. For one week, EVERYONE is there. Today, CBS Early Show, CNN, FOX, and on and on and on. Lets all make a spectacle of what is left. It’s like a weeklong drive through the old Lion Country Safari. Look! Look! Look! Now lets all go home. Let’s all exploit a cities misfortune for ratings gain. Call me cynical, but there is a “flavor of the week” feel about all of it. I know this isn’t the first event to be exploited by the media and Lord knows it wont be the last, but it just drives me nuts that some people are still suffering, and others still haven’t gotten help that’s been promised. Don’t believe me . . . go to www.thepeoplesstory.com. I’m not at all making this a political issue. There is plenty of blame to go around. But I shake my head at that “flavor of the week” behavior that seems to drive Network News. Just gotta get over it though. They do it, because you will watch.

3. Police Chief Jimmy Price “resigns” his job on Tybee Island. More times than not, it isn’t the crime. It’s the alleged cover up.

On May 21^st Tybee Island police tried to get a man they believed to be drunk and disorderly off the streets of the island following the Beach Bum Parade. But it turned out he was autistic. What followed, according to a Chatham County Grand Jury was a series of lies, mis-statements and actions by officers in that department. It would appear that ultimately led to the man in charge stepping down after 31 years on the police force and 19 as Chief. Captain goes down with his ship? Some believe Mr. Price was forced out. Forced to resign. Pretty simple to me. If someone was trying to cover up or otherwise get away with questionable or unethical behavior –much less within a police department-well then, there is a price to be paid (no pun intended). We like to hear that no one is above the law. This seems like proof to me.

4. Dancing with the Stars is going the train wreck route. The Situation? Really?

This season’s lineup for ‘Dancing with the Stars’ includes David Hasselholf, former NFL Quarterback Kurt Warner, Bristol Palin (Daughter of Hockey Mom Sarah) and Mike Sorrentino (better known as the abs-obsessed ‘situation’ on MTVs smash hit ‘Jersey Shore.’ I will be honest, I have watched about 20 minutes of Dancing with the Stars in my life. But the quality of contestant just seems to be drifting more and more toward a least common denominator. It’s horrible. I mean really. Other than get pregnant at 17, break up with her boyfriend, make up with him, then break up a week or so later, what has Bristol Palin done that doesn’t apply to millions upon millions of teenaged girls in America? Now she’s on national TV? Dancing? Sorrentino is a popular TV show character, so in my book he gets half a pass. At least people are already watching him on TV. Never mind that the show is…uh…how can I put this? Stupid? Juvenile? A train wreck? Yeah…all those work. Good for him. Milk it buddy. Or in his case “Vodka” it. The Situation is said to have landed himself a multi million-dollar deal endorsing “Devotion” Vodka. Who’da thunk being a greasy punk along the Jersey shore was such a cash cow? Imagine where that state would be by now.

5. Georgia Ports seeing record growth. Largest Ship to sail Savannah River calls on Savannah.

Not the most glaring indicator, but it is worth printing because it could certainly be a sign of things to come. Just under two years ago I interviewed a representative with Georgia Ports who told me “you can get a good idea for how the economy is doing by how empty or full those ships are on the Savannah River.” It’s not exact science, obviously, but one would stand to reason that if nothing is coming in or out, then the economy is sluggish. And we all know the economy has been sluggish to say the least. Well this summer comes the news that traffic at the Port of Savannah was up 20 percent from July of 2009. That’s nothing to turn your nose up at. That’s impressive. Not only that, but according to Georgia Ports, it was the 8^th straight month that traffic was up by at least 18 percent. I’m no economist…I don’t even play one on TV, but that has to be good news. It makes watching the ships go by while on River Street with my ice cream cone and balloon all that much more fun.

Till next time, you can follow me on twitter @jesseblancotv

Not long ago we reported about Georgia Tech of Savannah’s Underwater Robotics Team, headed up by Dr. Fumin Zhang. His team of astute students built Beta, an underwater robot that has already garnered attention and fame for its successes in several robotics competitions.

Dr. Zhang last proclaimed a desire for his students to stretch beyond competitions and into real world applications, such as assisting with the oil spill crisis. It seems as though that aspiration was closer to the surface than first anticipated.

Recently, the Underwater Robotics Team took part in the 2010 Marine Advanced Technology Education Center’s ROV Competition ) in Hilo, Hawaii. While they did not win the competition, their success over other illustrious robotics teams such as MIT’s team solidify them as a burgeoning force to be reckoned with.

A delighted Dr. Zhang is hopeful that this performance is yet another tangible step toward making a difference with their robot, Beta, and others like it. Though they are enthusiastic about their chances in securing a major grant from the National Science Foundation, the real ambition comes in the form of an opportunity to travel to the Louisiana coast. There they hope to lend their talents, and student-developed Beta, to the oil-polluted Gulf waters that are crippling the area.

“There are a great deal of similarities between Savannah and Louisiana,” said an excited Dr. Zhang, “both economically and ecologically. We feel that in addition to this being a viable research opportunity for our team, that it will also allow us to join the bigger picture that we have always aspired to become a part of. The students are delighted at the possibility.”

To learn more about the program, visit gtsav.gatech.edu or facebook.com/georgiatechsavannah

The events on Broughton Street began familiarly enough, with Wednesday Night Team Trivia. Ben Bennett once again hosted the perplexing proceedings, boasting his pedigree as trivia host for over 5 years. A second floor filled with trivia teams ensured the night went down as expected, relaying sports and pop culture tidbits for points and bragging rights. The final question, pertaining to a certain previous president whose term ran in absence of any living ex-presidents, proved to be a head-scratcher for many. (Hint: It was Richard Nixon.)

With the winners receiving their prizes of coupons for their next visit, the mood quietly shifted from a lively trivia-filled sports bar to that of an edifice quivering with expectation. Live music is a regular affair on the weekends, but tonight was going to be special.

As part of the night’s celebration, Loco’s touted a performance from the Members of PGroove, select members of the Savannah favorite band Perpetual Groove. In no time, the bottom floor by the stage was standing room only, merely in anticipation for the band.

With a light show that rivaled that of the lightning storm encroaching the edges of Downtown Savannah, there came from the corner of Broughton and Jefferson a mélange of musical melodies as eclectic as the people within. The infectious beats wafting through the night air brought in many a head-bouncing passerby, but even those making their way home were not immune to the rhythms abound.

After a small break, Members of PGroove had yet another special surprise. Josh Clark of Tea Leaf Green took to the stage lending his talents alongside Brock Butler, who now had his hands free to attend to his slide guitar. What resulted was a rousing cover of R. L. Burnside’s “It’s Bad You Know,” put together in a way only Perpetual Groove could provide, that threatened to shake the foundation into dust.

Meanwhile, manager Blake MacIntyre could be seen bouncing involuntarily by the doors, grinning as he checked ID and welcomed people indoors. If the events of this Wednesday night were any indication, Loco’s is as hot a spot to visit in downtown Savannah as it ever was.

For more information on Loco’s Bar & Grill, visit http://www.locosgrill.com/

For more information on Perpetual Groove, visit http://www.pgroove.com/

Photos taken by: Rhiannon Modzelewski

Located in the Starland Design District, Desotorow now fosters an awareness and appreciation of the arts by providing affordable exhibition space for emerging and professional artists and by offering educational outreach programming open to artists and the community. The gallery centers on the values of artistic excellence, community service, and professional development opportunities for artists.

So to give back fans and volunteers of Desotorow art gallery will gather tonight for a night of casual networking, delectable beverages and desserts at Lulu’s Chocolate Bar evening from 6 – 8 p.m.! The signature Desotorow cocktail, Ginger, No Fred, will be available for purchase, with sales benefiting the art gallery.

“Desotorow is a place where talented artists can display their work. We have showcased artists from SCAD and even other parts of the country,” says Caitlin Griffin, Marketing Manager for Desotorow. “For this event, Lulu’s Chocolate Bar has chosen to partner up with us to support what we’re doing for the Savannah community. It’s going to be a night of social networking for a great cause.”

Enjoy the glamorous and intimate atmosphere of Lulu’s Chocolate Bar while attending the Desotorow Fundraiser! Functioning as both a dessert restaurant and bar, they have been voted best desserts in Savannah by Connect Magazine and Savannah Magazine 2008 – 2010. All desserts are made from scratch on site.

Lulu’s Chocolate Bar is located at 42 MLK Jr. Boulevard in downtown Savannah.

For more information about the event, click here.

No question the story of the week was the ‘End’ of the War in Iraq last week. The announcement was made on NBC Nightly News with live shots from a reporter actually riding in the military convoy. Within minutes all the 24 hour cable networks were cuing up their Looney Tunes soundtracks “overture!!! Turn the lights! This is it! We’ll hit the heights! You know what heights we’ll hit!!!! On with the show this is it!!!” Except, if you know the whole story, you’ll see this was just another made for TV event. Much like Dub-ya stood on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln on May 1, 2003 claiming ‘Mission Accomplished’, we are seeing another dog and pony show. FOX 28s Military Source reporter Ashley Jacobs reported last spring that this would happen at some point. To paraphrase Jon Bon Jovi “its all the same….only the names will change.” The Obama Administration is telling us that “All combat troops are leaving Iraq.” Well, reality is Fort Stewart’s “First Brigade Heavy Combat Team” will remain in Iraq until December. While they are there, though, they are now referred to as the “First Advise and Assist Brigade.” Wow. That’s a relief. Maybe they are staying behind to make sure we get every last weapon of mass destruction out of Iraq. Because, you know, there were so many.

2. River Street Getting a Facelift? Any sign of progress is a great thing.

With the highly anticipated “Savannah Landing” project seemingly on indefinite hold, the news that a new restaurant/retail building is going in on the Eastern end of River Street is the kind that should make EVERYONE jump for joy. River Street could very much use some cosmetic surgery. A few nips, snips and tucks could only help her look as beautiful as she can be. The tugboat terminal there, while charming at times, is just out of place. Meanwhile, the plans for the future of River Street have been discussed plenty. There is talk of grand staircases down the bluff. There is talk of cleaning up the MLK approach to the River. There’s plenty of talk. This new complex is great news of actual action. Lets hope they get a huge name to anchor that complex and all goes smoothly ahead of their anticipated opening St Patty’s 2012.

3. JellyFish Hell? Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water.

Funny thing about Tybee’s aquatic guests this summer: Just last week, a co-worker new to the area, asked some of us “are there any concerns about sharks on Tybee?” My response? “no, not really. Its fine.” (long pause) then I said “now, Jellyfish? That’s a whole other story.” Sure enough, the count for stings is said to be up over ten THOUSAND for the year. Doesn’t exactly make me want to go hang ten, or eleven or twelve for that matter at our lovely beach. More people in our water? Or more jellyfish trying to make their way to Doc’s? The headline was a bit bold, but I’m glad for the good people making a living down on Tybee Island that this story made its way to the newspaper after the kids have gone back to school. Something like this on the 4th of July could have pretty harmful. Coincidence? The world may never know. Hmmmmmmmm?

4. Happy 91st Birthday Leopold’s Ice Cream! Get your Sweet Teeth Ready!

We all know how good Leopold’s Ice Cream on Broughton Street is. If you don’t shame on you, but you can always get down there for your first try. Well, what you may not know is that soon, you’ll be able to buy has much as you’d like. To go. Take it home and enjoy it with your family if you don’t care to come down to Broughton. Stratton Leopold has been somewhat quietly working on renovating the original location of Leopold’s on the Northeast corner of Gwinett and Habersham Streets downtown. It won’t be the old soda fountain that the Leopold family operated for many many years there, no. It will be primarily a production and storage facility for all of their great flavors. The great news is that there will be a ‘front of the house’ where you can walk up and buy a scoop or two..or a pint, or a half gallon of Stratton Leopolds frozen concoction that helps us hang on. Plenty of napkins provided. Look for it early 2011.

5. Tyler for Idol and Glee wear is going to be every where. FOX takes aim at Fall.

No, this isn’t a shameless plug for the very, very popular programming that precedes our newscast every week on FOX 28 (ok, well, maybe a little) but there is no denying the popularity of both “American Idol” and “Glee.” I have watched some of Glee and do think it is actually a very good show. Idol seems to be losing some steam but the beauty in that is that a new year brings all new contestants and a chance at being special again. What FOX has done a great job of is turning their search for new judges into headlines every single week. J-Lo was apparently too high maintenance for FOX, so she was ditched, however, Steven Tyler is said to be on board. I don’t know I guess we’ll have to how he plays out. Even if Dude REALLY DOES look like a lady. Glee ,meantime, is picking up steam like nobody’s business. The first couple of seasons the show just went about its business getting turned down by some bigger names in the business (Coldplay for example)…now everyone wants in. Britney is in, Coldplay is in (better late than never), heck even Academy Award winning actor Javier Bardem is said to be in. Glee is set to follow the Super Bowl on FOX next February and Macys is now carrying “Glee inspired clothing line”. Catch the season premiere of “Glee” on Thursday, September 21st. 8pm on FOX 28. Then make sure you stick around for the news.

Photo taken by: Louis Kwong Jr.

As the summer’s heat wears on, the club is providing members the opportunity to have a casual lunch while listening to some great Southern tunes. Every Friday in the months of July and August the club suspends the dress code so its members can let loose!

“The concept was born out of our experiences of opening our sliding glass doors to let our members enjoy the music playing in Johnson Square,” says Peter Gushanas, the club manger of First City Club.

For more information on The Jeff Beasley Band, check out www.jeffbeasleyband.com.

Like most creative thinkers, they took ideas from free association and their dreams and expanded beyond the limits of the current societal philosophy, thus the surrealism movement was born.  Photographers like Josef Breitenbach and Andre Kertesz took full advantage of the new photographic technology and captured Paris as it transformed into the modern age.

Artist Eugene Atget manipulated both film and photographs to distort and redefine the norm. He used subjects like the female body, dreams in their inexplicable state and well- known fixtures in Paris. Not surprising, the CanCan was also a subject he favored.

The Telfair museum is currently showcasing the work of these great artists in the Twilight Vision: surrealism, Photography, and Paris exhibit.  These pieces of work are amazing examples of the creativity that comes from changing and challenging times. The collection of photographs, illustrations and film displays Paris at one of  its most memorable time, yet is oddly familiar to present day life.  Many of the photographs could be mistaken for some of the streets right here in Savannah.

As the heat here in Savannah continues to hinder outdoor activity, visiting this indoor exhibition is the coolest weekend entertainment. The exhibit runs through October 10th.  For more information on the exhibit and hours of operation check out the Telfair website here