Thursday, May 8, 2025
Good morning. This week we’re reporting on backlash to the Glynn County sheriff’s immigration proposal, allegations of wrongdoing and infighting in Savannah City Council, plus a reminder to keep children safe while swimming as we head into summer.
Questions, comments or story ideas? Reach out to us at staff@thecurrentga.org.
NEWS: PUBLIC SAFETY
Groups critical of Glynn sheriff over immigration application, comments
Two local advocacy groups criticized Glynn County Sheriff Neal Jump this week after the sheriff’s effort to collaborate with federal immigration authorities in his jail came to light.
Last week, The Current reported on Jump’s pending application to join U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) 287(g) program, which would allow Glynn deputies to execute warrants and arrest immigrants who are already detained and accused of entering the country illegally.
In a joint statement on Wednesday, organizations Migrant Equity Southeast and A Better Glynn said the proposal, if approved, would have “a chilling effect” on public safety by deterring undocumented victims of crime from reporting abuse or violence to the police for fear of being detained by ICE. The groups also called for a public apology from Jump for comments he made to county commissioners last fall about immigrants.
Jump did not respond to a request for comment by The Current on Wednesday.
NEWS: GOVERNING, PUBLIC SAFETY
Savannah city council disputes return
Savannah City Council is no stranger to political infighting, questions over funding priorities, and allegations of improper official conduct — issues that came to a head in the 2023 mayoral campaign.
Nearly two years later, acrimony has again boiled over in city hall, as District 1 Alderwoman Bernetta Lanier called out the current administration during a press conference Tuesday wielding a 16-bullet point list.
Lanier, whose west Savannah district includes pockets of high poverty, laid blame at the feet of Mayor Van Johnson and City Manager Jay Melder for for alleged improper behavior and misspending — among many other grievances.
The most flagrant allegation referred to a rumor that Assistant Police Chief Robert Gavin, a longtime member of the Savannah Police Department, was pulled over for driving under the influence in Bloomingdale last month but was never arrested.
Johnson replied to Lanier’s comments on Tuesday night and said the city manager’s office conducted a review and deemed the accusations related to Gavin to be false. Johnson also attached letters from Georgia Open Records Act requests he made, which mirror the city manager’s findings, he said.
NEWS: COMMUNITY
🌊One more thing: Splashing safely
In Coastal Georgia, where beautiful beaches and city pools offer reprieves from the summer heat, water safety for children is crucially important.
Forty-four children died by drowning in Georgia in 2023 (the latest year of statistics available), which was up from 33 the year before, according to the Georgia Child Fatality Review Panel. While the numbers are paltry compared to medical deaths or sleeping deaths for infants, drowning made up a higher share of supervision issue-related deaths for toddlers, “identifying caregivers of young children as a target prevention population,” the panel’s 2023 report said.
To mark May as National Water Safety Month, Chatham County is hosting an event for children aged six to 12 years old to teach them about pool and life jacket safety.
The free “Make a Splash” event will take place on Saturday, May 17, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Chatham County Aquatic Center at 7240 Sallie Mood Drive. You can pre-register for the event at this link.
💦Happy splashing!🌊
Hurricane forecasts are more accurate than ever – NOAA cuts could change that
The National Hurricane Center’s forecasts in 2024 were its most accurate on record, but federally funded research and staffing and funding cuts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are diminishing operations that forecasters rely on.
At Social Security, these are the days of the living dead
The Social Security Administration is experiencing an uptick in dead people being “resurrected” due to a new initiative to purify its database, causing delays and disruptions to payments for beneficiaries.
Glynn sheriff applies for partnership with ICE in county jail
Glynn County Sheriff Neal Jump applied to collaborate with ICE to serve warrants to detained immigrants and facilitate transfer to federal custody.
Contract disputes create uncertainty over Georgia’s Medicaid oversight
Georgia’s Medicaid program is in limbo as companies battle over new management contracts, causing concern among doctors and other medical providers who worry about service disruptions when patients are forced to enroll with a new management company.
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