Bryan Bravo, Savannah, GA — It is with deep sadness that we report the passing of Bryan Bravo, a beloved husband, son, sibling, nephew, cousin, and friend. Bryan bravely fought a rare and aggressive form of cancer known as DSRCT. Despite undergoing seven months of rigorous chemotherapy and medical procedures, Bryan’s condition worsened, and he passed away in Memorial Health Hospital in Savannah.

Bryan was known for his selflessness, loyalty, and kind-hearted nature. A quiet yet vibrant soul, he was a devoted son, a protective sibling, and a loving husband. His strength and determination throughout his battle were a testament to his character, and he will be remembered for the love he shared with everyone around him.

In his final days, Bryan expressed his wishes for a celebration of life, where his family and friends would come together to share stories, laughter, and cherished memories. As they grieve, his family has started a fundraiser to help cover the costs of his final arrangements and honor his legacy. To date, the campaign has raised $2,443 from 21 donations.

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Bryan’s family has expressed gratitude for any support, whether it be financial or through words of encouragement and prayer. "We love you with every fiber of our bodies, Bryan," his family wrote in a message shared with supporters.

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Our thoughts and prayers are with Bryan’s family as they navigate this challenging time.

Short Summary of Bryan Bravo

May Bryan’s soul rest in peace, and may his family find strength during this difficult time.

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PLEASE VISIT: GoFundMe for Bryan bravo

Note:This post was written and edited by Zoe Campbell, based on their expertise and research. It is intended for informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice. We welcome your feedback and questions on this content. Please feel free to contact us.

Georgia has shared its list of Georgia Promise Scholarship Program eligible schools and 18 Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) schools are on it. That means the schools fell within the lowest 25th percentile of Georgia schools based on the last two school years’ averages of College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) performance.

On Nov. 18, the recently created Georgia Education Savings Authority (GESA) adopted rules and regulations for the program, which provides "eligible K-12 students in lower performing [public] schools up to $6,500 in funding for private school tuition, tutoring services, and other qualified education expenses through an education savings account."

GESA and the Promise Scholarship were created in early 2024 when state legislators passed Senate Bill 233, the Georgia Promise Scholarship Act. GESA is described as "a companion entity to the Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC)," which has been managing state and lottery funded scholarship programs since 1965 when it was first known as the State Scholarship Commission.

An initial Promise Act List of Schools was published on Nov. 27, but legislators “became aware of outliers in the CCRPI calculation that impacted the calculations for the Promise Act list of schools.” A new list was released Wednesday morning.

2024 Legislative session:Georgia Senate passes school voucher bill promising $6,500 per student for tuition

What SCCPSS schools made the Promise Act List?

The Promise Schools Calculation Guide details the calculations method use by the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement to determine the list of schools.

The state essentially is offering the scholarship program to schools that fall within the lowest performing 25% of schools based on student achievement related to the average of schools’ CCRPI numbers from 2022-23 and 2023-24. The calculation of eligible schools included but were not limited to exclusions such as charter schools, schools with only pre-K through second grade students as well as state schools for the blind and deaf.

*On May 16, a school closing ceremony was held for Largo-Tibet, which was phased out of use as part of the school district's Long-Range Facilities Plan. Students who resided within the attendance zone for Largo-Tibet were rezoned to either Casimir Pulaski K-8 School, 1001 Tibet Ave. or Windsor Forest Elementary.

What does Georgia Promise Scholarship cover?

The annual $6,500 paid out to families can go toward the following:

GESA stated in its Nov. 18 press release that "up to 50% of unused funds in an academic year may carry forward to the following academic year."

The Promise Scholarship is not available wholesale to Georgia families at this time. Here are the following parameters

Important upcoming dates

Nov. 18's adoption of the rules and regulations and subsequent press release by the GESA stated the following regarding the timeline:

Families can review guideline and private school handbooks at mygeorgiapromise.org. They can also direct questions to [email protected].

Joseph Schwartzburt is the education and workforce development reporter for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at [email protected].

There’s never a bad time of the year to visit charming Savannah, Georgia—it is the Hostess City, after all. And it's also home to amazing restaurants, a thriving arts scene, and more history than you can ever explore in one trip. But depending on your travel preferences and priorities, there are certain months that might be better than others.

Savannah’s high season is March to June, when the weather is sunny but mild, and the city is filled with flowers and fun things to do. But other months of the year are cheaper and less crowded, which might be even more appealing than azalea season for some travelers.

Read on for our tips on making the most out of your Savannah vacation. Whenever you decide to go, you’ll be in for a wonderful time.

The Best Time To Visit Savannah For Nice Weather

One of the best things about Savannah is its walkability, so weather is an important factor to consider when planning your trip. For sunny days that aren’t swelteringly hot and humid, April and May are ideal months to visit. The city’s many parks are in bloom, outdoor dining is extra pleasant, and strolling from neighborhood to neighborhood is a joy. You also might be in town for the annual NOGS (“North of Gaston Street”) Tour of Hidden Gardens, which allows you to explore private and historic gardens that are otherwise not open to the public.

The Best Time To Visit Savannah For Lower Prices

Savannah’s off season is January and February, so this is the prime time to score a deal on flights and hotels. While the winter months aren’t as picturesque (you won’t find any azaleas blooming), it’s still not a bad time to enjoy the city. It does get down to the 30s and 40s at night, but daytime temperatures typically range from the late 50s to the upper 60s, which is still quite comfortable if you’re dressed accordingly.

The Best Time To Visit Savannah For Less Crowds

Another time to visit for less money is late July to September. Summer temperatures peak during this window, which scares off some visitors. You can still have a great time if you spend most of your time indoors at museums, shops, and restaurants—all of which are in abundance in Savannah, and more enjoyable with less crowds. Because hotel rates are lower during this time, you can (and should) splurge on one that has a pool.

The Best Time To Visit Savannah In The Spring

Savannah is breathtakingly beautiful in the spring, but there is a sweet spot during this season. Between late March and early April, the city is splashed in vivid pink, red, and purple hues as the azaleas come into bloom. It’s the best time to visit Savannah’s historic Bonaventure Cemetery, which is filled with azaleas, as well as the Savannah Botanical Garden. An added bonus for music lovers: It’s also time for the city’s annual music festival, which has an exciting and diverse lineup of musicians from around the world.

The Best Time To Visit Savannah In The Summer

Memorial Day weekend is a busy time in Savannah, and for good reason. The weather is gorgeous, and you can hit up the beach on nearby Tybee Island. The city offers plenty of free, family-friendly activities like live performances along River Street overlooking the Savannah River. If you’re lucky enough to score tickets (book them in advance), you can attend a Savannah Bananas baseball game, one of the most fun sporting events in the world.

18 Best Things To Do On Georgia's Tybee Island

The Best Time To Visit Savannah In The Fall

This historic city has a spooky side, so plan your visit for October. You can take your pick from several ghost tours, including ones through Bonaventure Cemetery, which takes on a completely different vibe at night. The Savannah Theater, which dates back to 1818, is said to be haunted, and has special programming centered on its ghosts. If you’re looking for something less scary, the Plant Riverside District hosts Oktoberfest events, and the Savannah Philharmonic brings music to area parks. October also brings welcome relief from the summer heat, and it’s a lovely time of year to stroll around and take in the fall decorations on doorsteps and shop windows.

The Best Time To Visit Savannah In The Winter

Winter in the Lowcountry usually doesn’t involve snow, but you’ll find plenty of holiday cheer during the month of December. The city has a busy calendar of events, like the Christmas Market at the Plant Riverside District. And if you’re looking for gifts, there are shops filled with treasures, like the Paris Market, Savannah Candy Kitchen, and the City Market. And wandering around can be fun, too! Downtown streets are dressed up in twinkling lights and magnolia swags, hotel lobbies are warm and cozy with fireplaces and Christmas trees, and there’s even an annual boat parade of lights on the riverfront.

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As bassist and vocalist for New Orleans legends The Meters in the ‘60s and ‘70s, George Porter Jr.’s fat grooves not only helped shape the sound of New Orleans but pioneered the genre that would come to be known as funk.

“I’ve always told the story that funk music came around when some kid woke up one morning with a joint in his hand, and there’s music going on a jukebox, and he wakes up and goes, ‘Oh man, that’s FUNKY!’” said Porter with a laugh over the phone. “When we first started recording, the music was called R&B. I’m not sure where, who, or what came up with the idea that that particular style of music was funky. I was always told that was to separate the black musicians from the white musicians playing the same music.”

Porter formed The Meters in 1965 with Art Neville, Leo Nocentelli and Joseph Zigaboo Modeliste. The band was later recruited by legendary artist and producer Allen Toussaint to be his studio’s house band, backing up artists like Lee Dorsey, Dr. John, Paul McCartney, Robert Palmer, and most famously, Pattie Labelle on her timeless hit, “Lady Marmalade.”

On their own albums, The Meters scored hits with funky anthems like “Cissy Strut” and “Hand Clapping Song.” The Meters broke up in 1977 due to creative differences but reformed in in the 1980s at The Funky Meters, after Toussaint claimed the rights to their band name.

DO Savannah:Georgia blues-legend-in-the-making Jontavius Willis to perform at Victory North

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As a producer, Toussaint never stepped into the studio while The Meters recorded their own output, but during sessions for other artists, he managed to influence Porter’s approach to bass.

“When we were doing the sessions for Lou Dorsey, Patty Labelle, Robert Palmer, and twenty other artists, Allen’s left piano hand, his bass line, was always in my bass line,” recalled Porter. “What I learned from those sessions was it’s not what you play, it’s what you don’t play that’s going to make this groove happen. I was kind of a busy player when I first started recording. Those first two records, you can hear the bass line is kind of busy. From the ‘Look-ka Py Py’ record and then on my bass line settled down, got simpler, and I played in the pocket more.”

After The Meters, Porter became a highly in-demand studio session player for artists like David Byrne, Taj Mahal, Robbie Robertson, Jimmy Buffet, and Tori Amos, as well as live touring bassist for countless artists like John Scofield, Warren Haynes, and members of the Grateful Dead.

Porter’s rhythm work with The Meter’s not only helped create the sound of funk, but it greatly influenced hip hop, as well. The Meter’s music has been sampled by countless hip hop artists including A Tribe Called Quest, Run D.M.C., N.W.A., and Queen Latifah, ensuring that younger generations would hear Porter’s music, even if they didn’t always realize it.

“I’m honored in the way it was getting used, I just was not happy with the application and lack of credit and respect being passed on to the originators of that music,” explained Porter. “To my knowledge we have about 170 samples out there of our music. The only people that ever sent us a check for using our stuff was The Red Hot Chili Peppers.”

Porter recalled a Funky Meters gig at a college in Los Angeles where a hip hop act opened for them.

“The hip hop group finished and went backstage,” said Porter. “The first three songs of our set, these guys kept running out to the side of the stage thinking we were going to play whatever hip hop song they were familiar with. At the end of the evening a couple of the guys went up to [drummer] Russell Batiste and said, ‘That was great how you guys used those hip hop grooves like that.’ Russell lost his mind and called them a bunch of stupid so-and-sos. ‘That music is the original music! Those samples you were listening to were them!’ Those youngsters just flipped.”

Porter formed his long-running project, Runnin’ Pardners, in 1990. The band, which began as a trio, has gone through several configurations and line-ups over the years, but the current group of Michael Lemmler (who has been in the band for 30 years), drummer Terrance Houston, and guitarist Chris Adkins, is Porter’s strongest line-up, yet.

Runnin’ Pardners have released two albums—Can’t Beat the Funk! (2011) and Crying for Hope (2021)—and recently recorded 50 new songs. Thirty of those songs are earmarked for Porter’s trio, and the other 20 are for Runnin’ Pardner’s upcoming album of instrumental music.

Porter and Runnin’ Pardners have continued The Meters' legacy by recording several Meters' songs that the original band never put to tape, allowing Runnin’ Pardners to perform original, previously unheard Meters' songs live.

With The Meters, Porter earned a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2023 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Loyola University. At the age of 76, with a lifetime of impact on music, it’s difficult for Porter to single out any particular great moments from his storied career.

“I’ve had so many moments musically throughout this 60-year career it would be hard to pick a single one,” said Porter. “I believe this current band offers me, on many nights, more moments where I have to just turn around and smile because it’s so musical and it has an element to be a jam band, but it’s a jam band with songs, and lyrics, and emotional thoughts.”

“The journey is still continuing and that in itself is a highlight for me.”

Porter and Runnin’ Pardners are bringing the funk to Victory North Nov. 21, with bluesman Jontavius Willis opening.

If You Go >>

What: George Porter Jr & Runnin’ Pardners w/ Jontavius Willis

When: 8 p.m., Nov. 21

Where: Victory North, 2603 Whitaker St.

Cost: $31-41

Info: victorynorthsavannah.com

“Hello, can you hear me? Hello, hello?” implored country-blues innovator Jontavious Willis through garbled clatter of bad cell reception. The line went silent. Then a few seconds later, a call came through seemingly from Greenville, Ga.

“Man, I’m here in Aruba playing a blues cruise, and I didn’t get to bed until 6 o’clock this morning,” chuckled Willis on a much clearer line. He revealed he’s playing onboard a Holland America ship, that for four of the seven nights he’s alongside rock and blues greats Taj Mahal, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Tommy Castro, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd as they sail from Ft. Lauderdale into the eastern Caribbean. The traveling is great, and times are good, but the cell reception leaves something to be desired, he jokes.

And, understandably, he's a little tired, which isn’t at all bad for a 28-year-old who got his start singing gospel music with his grandfather in a rural West Georgia church and who now performs regularly adjacent to some of the world’s most renowned musicians.

On Thursday, Nov. 21, Hostess City music lovers get a chance to hear the unique Delta, Piedmont, and Texas blues stylings of Willis when Savannah Music Festival partners with Victory North at 2603 Whitaker Street, presenting “George Porter, Jr. & Runnin’ Pardners with Jontavious Willis.” Tickets start at $31; Jontavious Willis opens at 8 p.m.

'I love how the city embraces music'

Willis is no stranger to Savannah. He’s played the city a few times as featured artist with Savannah Music Festival, but this show marks his first in the Hostess City in a larger venue where he aims to get patrons clapping and toe tapping.

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“I love Savannah,” emphasized Willis. “And I love how the city embraces music, very welcoming and supportive. I’m really looking forward to bringing West Georgia blues back east and getting people moving and dancing.”

Growing up singing at Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church near Greenville, undoubtedly gifted Willis with strong musical roots, but it was when he was a teenager watching a video of Muddy Waters perform “Hootchie Coochie Man,” that his musical fate was sealed. Willis had an instant penchant for the genre, and on his own began studying the foundational players of American blues. He went deeper, teaching himself guitar, harmonica, and five-string banjo.

By age 20, Willis had caught the ear of musical great Taj Mahal, who invited him onstage to play in Atlanta. His unique sound, alternate guitar tunings, and blending of different blues traditions genuinely set Willis apart. And since then, Taj Mahal has revered him musically as “Wonderboy” and “The Wunderkind.”

In 2019, Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’ teamed up to produce Willis’s second record. “Spectacular Class” featured Willis’s vocals, songwriting, and playing along with contributions from bassist Eric Ramey, Phil Madeira on keyboard, and Martin Lynds and Thaddeus Witherspoon on drums. The work earned a GRAMMY nomination for Best Traditional Blues Album in 2020.

For his latest album, “West Georgia Blues,” released in August on Strolling Bones Records, Willis takes the producer’s seat. He and a team of musicians—Ethan Leinwand on keyboards, Jayy Hopp on acoustic guitar and drums, Rodrigo Mantovani on upright bass, guest vocalist Lloyd Buchanan, and guest guitarist Jon Atkinson—blocked out a 10-day stay at Capricorn Studios in Macon, Georgia, where they recorded 200 full tracks.

“I wrote and produced all the songs,” said Willis. “And we ended up with 80 usable ones. The goal was to be true to each song, so there’s no pitch correction. There’s an authenticity and directness that we hope honors the traditions that inspired the music.”

“West Georgia Blues” boasts 15 tracks infused with gospel, a jangling range of blues influences, and a taste of southern rock. Willis hints that he and his team plan to roll out some of the unreleased 80 tracks as singles and other projects.

The title cut “West Georgia Blues,” steps forward intimately, a minimal, salt of the earth piece highlighting Willis’s rich vocals, stacked in harmony throughout and supported with handclapping percussion and Lloyd Buchanan’s resonant vocal offerings. Willis professes: “My folks been right here since 1823 / This is my mother land and it sure is home to me / Some folks sing the blues ‘cause they know the song / But we singing these blues just to carry tradition on.” The lyrics poignantly bear testament to Willis’s connection to where he grew up and expresses an understanding of the genre that plumbs far beneath the surface.

Another track “Keep Your Worries on the Dance Floor” grooves as straightforward rock and blues. Willis croons about maintaining a positive mind and dancing away any troubles. It’s fun, produced with a full band, and easy to bop along to.

“Jontavious’ West Georgia Grind” is another standout. The cut, just over three minutes, is an instrumental, blues-inspired ramble, that, whether intended or not, pays homage to Macon and the Allman Brothers Band. The track is gritty, authentic down-south blues, where at any moment the listener might expect Greg Allman himself to shine through with a searing guitar riff.

In coming months Willis has shows planned for Atlanta, Alabama, and the Northeast. The first of the year brings a lengthy tour through, France, The Netherlands, and Spain. He emphasizes that coming from a small community helps keep him grounded, that a lot of people where he grew up don’t know about all of his shows or how far he travels.

“When I go home, I get treated the same,” he reflected. “That keeps it real, like a regular person. For me, all of this is about evolving into a better person, and I’m just happy I get to put my work out.”

Willis’s Nov. 21 opening slot at Victory North is his only performance date in Savannah this year.

If you go >>

What: George Porter, Jr. & Runnin’ Pardners with Jontavious Willis

When: 8 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 21

Where: Victory North, 2603 Whitaker St., Savannah

Tickets: $31-$41, eventbrite.com/e/george-porter-jr-runnin-pardners-jontavious-willis-tickets-1012942045927

Info: victorynorthsavannah.com/