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City chosen for Main Street program
Chocolate strawberry delicious
Jeff Davis, owner of Jeffs Confection and Bake Shop on Commerce Street, said he uses locally grown and sold strawberries when making chocolate-covered strawberries. Davis and other downtown Hinesville business owners are hopeful a new state program will bring more patrons downtown and encourage them to shop local. - photo by Photo by Randy C. Murray

Hinesville recently was selected by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs as one of 19 cities to join the state’s Main Street start-up program, according to a GDCA news release.
Hinesville and other cities, such as Albany, Perry and Swainsboro, will join 96 cities across the state already in the Main Street program. According to the release, GDCA Commissioner Gretchen Corbin calls the Main Street program one of the best examples of technical assistance provided by the state to local governments. Corbin said this assistance includes help with board and leadership development, creation of two- and five-year work plans, development of program budgets and preparation to meet standards established by the National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
The focus, she said, is on four areas, including downtown design, organization of people involved, economic restructuring for preferred businesses and promoting how a revitalized downtown helps the entire community.
Hinesville Downtown Development Authority Executive Director Vicki Davis said the Main Street designation is given to downtown districts that demonstrate they’re serious about revitalizing traditional downtowns. She added the state program is an agreement between the state and the mayor in cooperation with local businesses and volunteer organizations.
“This gives us an opportunity to concentrate on improving the historic district through beautification efforts, business and property development, promotional activities that are driven by our local business owners, residents and volunteers,” Davis said. “It is really a self-help organization, where it is the individuals that drive the program.”
Mayor Jim Thomas agreed. He called the Main Street designation a key component to the city’s efforts to revitalize its downtown area. The Main Street designation would allow local businesses, volunteers and citizens to provide input and guidance toward improving the downtown, he said.
Davis said the Hinesville Downtown Partners — a coalition of downtown businesses and city and county leaders — already is working on the criteria necessary for a designation. She said they’re the organizing group for favorite community activities like the Scarecrow Stroll and the Small World Festival, as well as several retail events throughout the year. She said the current goals include downtown beautification of historic sites.
Several downtown partners/business owners said they hope the Main Street program brings more customers to their stores, shops and eateries while attracting businesses to the area.
“The most important thing that could come from the Main Street designation is for the downtown to become a destination for local residents,” said Chrisie Hill, co-owner of Thomas Hill Jewelers, which is across from city hall on M.L. King Jr. Drive. “A lot of people in Hinesville don’t realize there are these few little businesses here in downtown. I’d love to see some more cafes, a bakery, a gift shop and some boutiques.”
As much as possible, Hill said she and her husband try to support local businesses. She wishes more people would do the same. Jeff Davis, owner of Jeff’s Confection and Bake Shop on Commerce Street, agreed with Hill about buying local. He said he tries to buy only local strawberries for one of his customers’ favorite sweet treats — fresh strawberries dipped in chocolate. He also said he buys only local honey.
“I think the Main Street designation is going to be a wonderful thing for the community for a number of reasons,” he said. “Anything that will bring attention to downtown and develop more businesses is a good thing. I would love to see more retail businesses in downtown.”
He said because the Main Street program involves landowners and businesses, more opportunities can be created to allow for the creation of more businesses. Business owners have a better idea of what it takes to attract, start up and run a business, he said.

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GPA grows trade, market share
Intermodal volume up 20 percent
port photo
Rubber tired gantry cranes handle cargo at the Chatham Intermodal Container Transfer Facility at the Port of Savannah. The Georgia Ports Authority's Mason Mega Rail project will double rail lift capacity to 1 million containers per year by 2020 - photo by Provided

The Georgia Ports Authority achieved 14 percent growth in March container volumes, moving 355,208 20-foot equivalent unit (TEU) containers.

From July 2017 to March, TEU container trade grew by 9 percent, or 255,786 additional units for a total of 3.08 million, a new record for Savannah.

"Savannah's continued strength is a reflection of our customers' commitment, Georgia's leadership, and the many dedicated service providers, GPA employees and ILA members who come together every day to achieve great things," said GPA Executive Director Griff Lynch. "March marked our 17th consecutive month of business expansion thanks, in part, to a strong economy and growing market share."

Intermodal rail volumes jumped by 20 percent in March and 15.4 percent for the fiscal year to date, for a total of 318,454 containers handled over nine months – another record for the GPA.

"As the numbers show, our rail cargo is growing at a faster pace than our overall trade," GPA Chairman Jimmy Allgood said. "This is important because rail is playing a key role in our responsible growth strategy. We anticipate our rail infrastructure investments to take 250,000 trucks off the road each year by 2020."

The GPA recently broke ground on its Mason Mega Rail Terminal, on which the Port of Savannah will build 10,000-foot unit trains within its own footprint. From the expanded rail infrastructure at Garden City Terminal, Class I rail providers CSX and Norfolk Southern will provide direct rail service to major Southeast and Midwestern markets from Memphis to St. Louis, Chicago to Cincinnati.

An added benefit is that the Mason Mega Rail project will move all rail switching on terminal – improving vehicle traffic flow around the port.

In August, the GPA will open its Appalachian Regional Port in Murray County. Located in an industrial belt, including the production and export of carpet and flooring, automobiles and tires, the ARP will provide an alternative to all-truck transit to Northwest Georgia.

Each round-trip container moved via the Appalachian Regional Port will offset 710 truck miles on Georgia highways.

March was also a strong month for roll-on/roll-off auto and machinery units at the Port of Brunswick and Ocean Terminal in Savannah. Colonel's Island Terminal in Brunswick handled 66,144 cars, trucks and tractors, while Ocean Terminal added 4,050, for a total 70,194, a 17.2 percent increase.

"The global economy is thriving and our volumes are following suit," Lynch said. "As existing accounts grow their footprint in the expanding auto facility in Brunswick, Georgia's competitive logistical advantages are drawing additional business across all of our docks."

Lynch noted that for the fiscal year to date, Mayor's Point breakbulk terminal in Brunswick grew by 44 percent (34,515 tons) to reach 112,728 tons of forest products. At East River Terminal, bulk cargo expanded by 34 percent July-March (189,918 tons) for a total of 750,384 tons.

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