Rincon native serves aboard U.S. Navy floating airport 

Special to the Herald

 

NORFOLK, VA -- Petty Officer 3rd Class Taylor Rawlins, a native of Rincon, is one of more than 5,000 sailors serving aboard the self-contained mobile airport, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Rawlins is a 2019 graduate of Effingham County High School.

The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Rincon.

“One of the big lessons I learned from my hometown is that if you do simple, genuine, hard work, you can get really far in life,” said Rawlins. "That philosophy will get you wherever you need to go.

“I grew up on a horse farm and I got up at four in the morning every morning. I am also very used to working in the heat,” Rawlins added. “Both of these challenges made it increasingly easier to deal with the type of work I do in the Navy and made me better at doing my job. I work hard and don’t complain because I am used to it.”

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 Accreditation assessment team invites public comment

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is seeking reaccreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA). Part of maintaining its national accreditation is providing a portal for the public to comment on our service.

If you would like to file a comment online regarding the GBI’s service, visit cimrs2.calea.org.

The accreditation program requires agencies to comply with state-of-the-art standards in four basic areas: policy and procedures, administration, operations, and support services. Established in 1979 by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, the National Sheriffs' Association, and the Police Executive Research Forum, CALEA is recognized internationally as the key credentialing authority for law enforcement agencies.

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SCAD students to design site plan for equestrian center

SAVANNAH —The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) announces a collaboration between Faith Equestrian Therapeutic Center and the university’s Design for Good initiative to create a long-term vision for the Guyton-based nonprofit. 

During the Fall 2023 quarter, SCAD students will develop a nature-focused site plan and barn design to foster a safe space while engaging humans and horses to develop a cohesive relationship.

SCAD SERVE Design for Good studio courses employ students’ creative brilliance to generate elevated, community-centered solutions aimed at making a difference in the university’s hometowns of Atlanta and Savannah.

Faith Equestrian is affiliated with ​​the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH) and provides goal-oriented equine-assisted activities both on the ground as well as therapeutic and adaptive riding to children and adults with physical, mental, and emotional barriers through the healing power of the horse.

“Getting to work with SCAD students who love horses and are artists and designers is the best of both worlds, it is absolutely amazing,” said Faith Equestrian program director Elizabeth Todd. “Their ideas are cutting edge, their enthusiasm is inspiring, and their desire to work on this project and help our center is incredible.”  Todd is a PATH certified therapeutic riding instructor and holds an equine specialist in mental health and learning certification.

The 15 students, representing equestrian studies, graphic design, interior design, architecture, illustration, and industrial design who were selected for this course are working closely with Todd, volunteers, and participants to ensure their designs will meet the sensitive needs of the clients. They are producing a master plan for the center, providing preliminary drawings for a new barn, designing a new logo, and creating wayfinding signs that are accessible to riders with disabilities. SCAD alumna Libby Castro (M.Arch; B.F.A., architecture, 1996), the co-founder LP/w Design Studios based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is serving as a mentor. A majority of the students are pursuing a degree in equestrian studies where they can blend their passion for horses with a creative career path and become innovators in the equine industry.

Faith Equestrian began showing preliminary designs to the public during the center’s annual fundraiser “Roastin' on the Coast” on Oct. 12 at Ships of the Sea Museum in downtown Savannah. Final designs will be presented to Faith Equestrian during the end of the fall quarter in mid-November.

To learn more about Faith Equestrian Therapeutic Center and the “Roastin the Coast” fundraiser visit www.faithetc.org.

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Bridge over Ebenezer Creek slated for repairs

 SPRINGFIELD – During its regularly scheduled meeting Oct. 3, the Effingham County Board of Commissioners approved a Memorandum of Agreement with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) for the right-of-way phase for repair of the bridge on Long Bridge Road over Ebenezer Creek.

Located four miles east of Springfield, the bridge has been identified as a potential replacement project in the Local Bridge Replacement Program (LOCBR).

“This is really the start of the process for either the bridge replacement or rehabilitation,” County Manager Tim Callanan said.

LOCBR was created to assist in the replacement of locally owned, deficient and weight-restricted bridges that don’t meet the eligibility requirements of the Low Impact Bridge (LIBP) or State-Funded Local Bridge Program (SFLB).

“The county’s contribution toward this would be $75,000 and (GDOT) can start the design, public information sessions and everything that is required,” Callanan said.

GDOT will fund preliminary engineering, utility coordination and reimbursement (if applicable), construction and a portion of the right-of-way phase.