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Soap Opera Mania comes to the Savannah Convention Center
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Staff Report
Updated: Jan 29, 2009, 8:48 PM
Published: Jan 29, 2009, 8:41 PM

Soap stars appearing in Savannah:

Christian LeBlanc, born on Aug, 25, 1958, in Fort Bragg, N.C., has won two daytime Emmys for outstanding lead actor for his role as Michael Baldwin on "The Young and the Restless." He first played the role from 1991-1993 and has held the role since 1997. He grew up in New Orleans and currently resides in Los Angeles.

Austin Peck, born April 9, 1971, in Honolulu, Hawaii, plays Brad Snyder on "As the World Turns." Peck, born Jeffrey Austin Peck, is also known for his role as Austin Reed on "Days of our Lives" from April 13, 1995, to April 5, 2002, and from Sept. 20, 2005, to Oct. 26, 2006. While he moved several times during his childhood due to his father's position in the Navy, his family settled in Los Angeles when he was nine. Peck currently resides in New York with his wife Tara and their two young sons.

Brandon Beemer, born Feb. 27, 1980, in Eugene, Ore., plays Owen Knight on "The Bold and the Beautiful." He also played Shawn Douglas Brady on "Days of Our Lives" from 2006-2008. Growing up in Eugene, he was previously a driver for the local Coca Cola bottling plant before trying his hand at acting. He currently lives in Los Angeles.

Gina Tognoni, born Nov. 28, 1973, in St. Louis, Mo., has won two daytime Emmys for her role as Dinah Marler on "Guiding Light." She is also known for her portrayal of Kelly Cramer on "One Life to Live," a role she held from 1995-2001. She grew up in New York and Rhode Island, where she was named Miss Rhode Island Teen USA in 1992 and Miss Rhode Island Teen All-American in 1993. She currently resides in New York City.

Murray Bartlett, born March 20, 1971, in Sydney, Australia, plays Cyrus Foley on "Guiding Light." He matriculated from Australia's acclaimed National Institute of Dramatic Art, where his classmates included Hollywood heavy-hitter Cate Blanchett. He currently resides in New York.

Winsor Harmon, born Nov. 22, 1963, in Crowley, La., plays Thorne Forrester in "Bold and the Beautiful." Prior to "Bold and the Beautiful," Harmon portrayed Del Henry on "All My Children" from 1994-1995. He grew up in Rockwall, Texas, and attended Texas A&M University on a football scholarship. He currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife, DeAnna Lindstrom, and has two children.

Julie Pinson, born Nov. 7, 1967, in Palo Alto, Calif., plays Janet Ciccone on "As the World Turns." She is also well known for playing the role of Billie Reed on "Days of our Lives" from 2004-2008. She grew up in Fremont, Calif. and currently resides in New York City with her husband and "Days of our Lives" co-star, Billy Warlock.

Don Diamont, born Dec. 31, 1962, in New York City, plays Brad Carlton in "The Young and the Restless." Growing up and currently living in Los Angeles, Diamont was the youngest of four children. Diamont has six sons and is married to actress Cindy Ambuehl.

 

Soap opera superstars are waving goodbye to Genoa City, saying so long to Oakdale, leaving Los Angeles behind and heading to Georgia's Savannah International Trade and Convention Center on Feb. 8 to get up close and personal with fans during the second stop of Soap Opera Mania on tour.

These star-studded, interactive, daylong events will be held in over 30 North American cities during 2009, culminating with the biggest, most-anticipated soap opera fan event in the country, Soap Cruise-The Third Voyage in January 2010.

Feverish soap fans from in and around Savannah will enjoy five fun-filled hours of face time with eight of the biggest names in daytime television.

From noon-5 p.m., the stars will mix and mingle, answer questions, sign autographs, play soap trivia and pose for pictures with attendees as well as act out scenes on stage with several lucky audience members. Fans will also get an exclusive glimpse of how the elaborate storylines on daytime dramas come to life during a workshop with a soap opera director and hear hilarious, behind the scenes secrets from the actors themselves.

ALL guests will receive a complimentary, keepsake program featuring signed color photos of each actor attending. The first 300 fans who register to attend in Savannah will also receive personalized, autographed headshots of each actor appearing there. Fashionable souvenir clothing and mementos will be available for purchase.

Plus guests at this and the other events throughout the country will have a chance to win studio tours of soap opera sets and can register to win one of 20 trips for two on Soap Cruise-The Third Voyage, an unforgettable, four-night Caribbean dream adventure for soap fans featuring VIP breakfasts, cocktail parties and other fun, unprecedented opportunities to interact with over 16 soap opera superstars.

Tickets are $100 in advance and $125 at the door (if tickets remain).

The Savannah International Trade and Convention Center is located at One International Drive in Savannah. Pre-registered guests can check in at 10 a.m., doors open at 11 a.m.
Savannah, Richmond Hill, Tybee ready for July 4 celebrations
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Staff Report
Updated: Jul 1, 2016, 8:36 PM
Published: Jun 29, 2016, 7:10 PM

The Savannah Waterfront Association will hold its annual 4th of July celebration, including fireworks, Monday on River Street from 4-10 p.m.

VIP seating for viewing fireworks will be available for active and retired military and will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Hypnotics will perform from 8-10 p.m., including a patriotic set during the fireworks to complement the show.

The fireworks sponsored at 9:30 p.m. Guests are encouraged to park off of River Street since the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department will close the street from 6 p.m.-3 a.m.

Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police are gearing up for this weekend’s July 4th and First Friday festivities; and ask the public to be mindful of traffic conditions in the Downtown area.

In anticipation of potential road delays, Metro will increase traffic and foot patrols in the Downtown festival area, starting Friday afternoon. Officers also will patrol Hutchinson Island in greater force to assist with traffic flow, prevent bottle-necking and help move motorists safely. To ensure safety and help minimize delays, motorists are asked to be vigilant, patient and co-operative.

Public parking lots on River Street will close on Monday at about 3 a.m. until early Tuesday afternoon. River Street will close to vehicular traffic Monday at 3 p.m. and will reopen early Tuesday morning.

All traffic and parking laws will be enforced on in Downtown Savannah and Hutchinson Island. Vehicles parked in the roadway, or in a manner that obstructs traffic will be towed at the owner’s expense. Please note that parking vehicles on the Truman Parkway and Talmadge Bridge also is dangerous and illegal.

Interstate 16 will be available to drivers leaving the firework show. To leave Downtown, traffic originating from points beyond Bay Street will be directed away from Martin Luther King Boulevard to other routes, such as Whitaker and West Bay streets. Westbound traffic on Bay Street will be directed to East Lathrop Avenue to access I-16 via Louisville Road.

Police recommend use of city parking garages, where drivers will be given maps for the easiest Downtown exit routes following the firework display. Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead, expect delays and heed posted signage. The key components of the traffic plan include:

Prohibiting traffic from turning southbound onto Whitaker from Bay. Westbound traffic on Bay Street will be directed to alternate routes to I-16 through East Lathrop and Louisville Road, or through Garden City.

Parking garage traffic will be routed southbound on MLK, Whitaker and Price streets.

Alternate routes to I-16 are West Gwinnett and 37th streets. Price Street also can be used to get to 37th Street, which will take traffic to westbound I-16.

Additional signage will be deployed to assist drivers in locating the alternative routes to I-16.

Traffic may be heavy along Highway 80 for those leaving Tybee Island’s fireworks display. There is a slight potential for shallow coastal flooding due to King Tides July 4.  At this time, this flooding is not expected to close Highway 80. Remember if there is shallow coastal flooding:

Traffic headed toward Wilmington Island via President Street should flow as usual.

Also please remember that the city curfew law remains in effect for this event.  All persons 16 years of age and under must be off the streets at 11 p.m. unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Officers will be enforcing this ordinance.

As always you can stay up to date with the latest on the Festival, road closures and other related updates by following the Twitter feed @SCMPD, Facebook or www.scmpd.org.

Richmond Hill will host 4th of July events Saturday, starting with Star Spangled Cars and Coffee from 9-11 a.m. Car owners can bring in a car and interact with other automobile enthusiasts. Visitors can bring the family to view the cars and tour the Richmond Hill History Museum, formerly the Henry Ford Kindergarten. Admission to the event is free and coffee can be purchased for 25 cents with a $1 donation to the museum. This event will take place at the Richmond Hill History Museum located at 11460 Ford Ave. 

Fort McAllister will hold its 4th of July celebration Saturday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. with living history programs including demonstrations of Civil War drills and rifle and cannon firings. Visitors can participate in old fashioned games including sack races, an egg toss, wheel barrow races and a Civil War-era baseball game. Fresh watermelon will be available.  Admission for this event is $8 per adult (18+), $5 per Youth (6-17), under 6 are free. For more information, call (912) 727-2339.

Richmond Hill will kick off its annual Red, White, and Blue Independence Day Celebration at J. F. Gregory Park located at 521 Cedar St. For more information, visit www.richmondhill-ga.gov or call (912) 756-3345.

Tybee Island changed the date of their annual  fireworks from Sunday, July 3 to Monday, July 4. The Independence Day celebration will held be at the Tybee Island Pier and Pavilion with a fireworks extravaganza. It will be held from 9:30-10 p.m.