Benjamin Payne
@benjaminpayne.bsky.social
storyteller / husband / cat dad / Cubs fan / from Rock Island, IL
Happy Canadian Thanksgiving! Here is Tsawwassen, British Columbia, overlooking Mount Baker in Whatcom County, Washington. The first east-facing beach I've been to since Tybee Island, Georgia.
October 13, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Happy Canadian Thanksgiving! Here is Tsawwassen, British Columbia, overlooking Mount Baker in Whatcom County, Washington. The first east-facing beach I've been to since Tybee Island, Georgia.
Going to share some more photos from my time in Savannah. This is my favorite. Forsyth Park fountain, February 2023.
August 8, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Going to share some more photos from my time in Savannah. This is my favorite. Forsyth Park fountain, February 2023.
So long, Savannah. It was a joy to serve as GPB's Savannah-based reporter for the past three-and-a-half-plus years. I'm now returning to my wife's hometown of Bellingham, Washington, where she's begun an exciting new position. A couple parting shots of the Hostess City of the South:
August 4, 2025 at 8:58 PM
So long, Savannah. It was a joy to serve as GPB's Savannah-based reporter for the past three-and-a-half-plus years. I'm now returning to my wife's hometown of Bellingham, Washington, where she's begun an exciting new position. A couple parting shots of the Hostess City of the South:
Reposted by Benjamin Payne
My former station, Georgia Public Broadcasting, is the statewide NPR + PBS affiliate for Georgia that punches way above its smaller size with news, education, TV and public safety .
They're looking at a ~$4.2 million dollar (10%) hole in their budget.
www.gpb.org/federal-fund...
They're looking at a ~$4.2 million dollar (10%) hole in their budget.
www.gpb.org/federal-fund...
July 18, 2025 at 8:13 PM
My former station, Georgia Public Broadcasting, is the statewide NPR + PBS affiliate for Georgia that punches way above its smaller size with news, education, TV and public safety .
They're looking at a ~$4.2 million dollar (10%) hole in their budget.
www.gpb.org/federal-fund...
They're looking at a ~$4.2 million dollar (10%) hole in their budget.
www.gpb.org/federal-fund...
I visited the iron repair shop in Alabama where Savannah's Forsyth Park fountain is getting restored. More to come!
July 14, 2025 at 4:03 PM
I visited the iron repair shop in Alabama where Savannah's Forsyth Park fountain is getting restored. More to come!
And here's what Forsyth Park looks like without its fountain:
June 27, 2025 at 4:51 PM
And here's what Forsyth Park looks like without its fountain:
Some scenes from Savannah's Forsyth Park, where crews this week disassembled its iconic fountain for offsite restoration in Alabama. This is the first time in over 100 years that it's been removed from the park, and is the fountain's first major restoration since 1988.
June 25, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Some scenes from Savannah's Forsyth Park, where crews this week disassembled its iconic fountain for offsite restoration in Alabama. This is the first time in over 100 years that it's been removed from the park, and is the fountain's first major restoration since 1988.
Tina loves her outdoors time
May 28, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Tina loves her outdoors time
I visited the pop-up set of PBS's "Antiques Roadshow" when the crew traveled to Savannah for a full day of filming at the Georgia State Railroad Museum — the first stop of their five-city tour this year, kicking off production of the program's 30th anniversary season. My behind-the-scenes story:
Behind the appraisal: An inside look at 'Antiques Roadshow' in Savannah
The beloved PBS program filmed more than 100 appraisals in Georgia's oldest city, kicking off production of the show's 30th anniversary season, set to air in 2026.
www.gpb.org
May 15, 2025 at 2:28 PM
I visited the pop-up set of PBS's "Antiques Roadshow" when the crew traveled to Savannah for a full day of filming at the Georgia State Railroad Museum — the first stop of their five-city tour this year, kicking off production of the program's 30th anniversary season. My behind-the-scenes story:
What do you call a group of Benjamins?
May 9, 2025 at 9:22 PM
What do you call a group of Benjamins?
"A person closed to the possibility of delight finds less of it. A person open to it finds more."
21 observations from people watching
Painting weddings for a few years now, I have spent a fair bit of time observing strangers move through a room.
skincontact.substack.com
May 3, 2025 at 8:16 PM
"A person closed to the possibility of delight finds less of it. A person open to it finds more."
Once again: my supremely talented wife, tearing it up on Tybee Island 🏝️🤘
May 1, 2025 at 11:04 PM
Once again: my supremely talented wife, tearing it up on Tybee Island 🏝️🤘
Behind the scenes at a taping of PBS's Antiques Roadshow today at the Georgia State Railroad Museum in Savannah. More to come!
April 29, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Behind the scenes at a taping of PBS's Antiques Roadshow today at the Georgia State Railroad Museum in Savannah. More to come!
"My generation knows that none of us will be able to buy our own houses any time soon, if ever," said 24-year-old Tigerlily Harrington of Savannah. "For many of my peers, affordable rent is also out of reach, and they instead live with their parents or in uncomfortable or unsafe living conditions."
'Maintain Savannah for Savannahians': City Council approves zoning map to boost affordable housing
The push for higher-density development comes as nearly half of Savannah renters find themselves "cost-burdened," spending more than 30% of their income on housing.
www.gpb.org
April 26, 2025 at 4:02 PM
"My generation knows that none of us will be able to buy our own houses any time soon, if ever," said 24-year-old Tigerlily Harrington of Savannah. "For many of my peers, affordable rent is also out of reach, and they instead live with their parents or in uncomfortable or unsafe living conditions."
PBS's Antiques Roadshow will be kicking off filming of its 30th anniversary season in Savannah next week! I'll be there, interviewing guests and appraisers for a behind-the-scenes story. In the meantime, my preview:
'Surreal I'm actually going': Fans of PBS's 'Antiques Roadshow' excited for Savannah taping Tuesday
Episodes produced from the sold-out taping will air in 2026.
www.gpb.org
April 24, 2025 at 1:47 PM
PBS's Antiques Roadshow will be kicking off filming of its 30th anniversary season in Savannah next week! I'll be there, interviewing guests and appraisers for a behind-the-scenes story. In the meantime, my preview:
Had been a while since I turned a story on the Savannah Bananas. That drought is now over:
Games will include marquee matchups at MLB ballparks and NFL stadiums.
'The biggest we've ever gone': Savannah Bananas partner with ESPN for 10-game broadcast schedule
Games will include marquee matchups at MLB ballparks and NFL stadiums.
www.gpb.org
April 18, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Had been a while since I turned a story on the Savannah Bananas. That drought is now over:
Savannah Mayor Van Johnson: Georgia has to become "the best place in America not to get shot." He expressed relief this week after a Republican-backed bill failed in the Georgia legislature, which would have given people legal standing to sue Savannah for $25,000 over its new gun-control ordinance.
Savannah mayor: Locked gun ordinance 'lives to fight another day' as GOP challenge fails at Capitol
Failed legislation would have given legal standing for citizens to sue municipalities for local gun-control ordinances.
www.gpb.org
April 11, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Savannah Mayor Van Johnson: Georgia has to become "the best place in America not to get shot." He expressed relief this week after a Republican-backed bill failed in the Georgia legislature, which would have given people legal standing to sue Savannah for $25,000 over its new gun-control ordinance.
biiiiig stretch from Tina
April 6, 2025 at 3:24 PM
biiiiig stretch from Tina
The old fountains downtown get all the attention in Savannah, but the others deserve love too. Daffin Park:
April 2, 2025 at 3:19 AM
The old fountains downtown get all the attention in Savannah, but the others deserve love too. Daffin Park:
Managed to pick all the men's Sweet 16 winners in my March Madness bracket. Naturally, I expect the Elite 8 to derail it all.
March 29, 2025 at 10:44 PM
Managed to pick all the men's Sweet 16 winners in my March Madness bracket. Naturally, I expect the Elite 8 to derail it all.
On this day 100 years ago, Flannery O'Connor was born in Savannah. I went on a historical tour of the author's childhood home, where she spent her first 13 years — one-third of her short but prolific life. Tag along:
See inside the childhood home of Flannery O'Connor, born 100 years ago in Savannah
A pioneer of Southern Gothic literature, Flannery O'Connor spent her first 13 years of life in her hometown of Savannah.
www.gpb.org
March 25, 2025 at 6:20 PM
On this day 100 years ago, Flannery O'Connor was born in Savannah. I went on a historical tour of the author's childhood home, where she spent her first 13 years — one-third of her short but prolific life. Tag along:
Meanwhile in neighboring Bryan County — one of Georgia's fastest-growing, and home to Hyundai's huge new electric vehicle factory — voters rejected a similar sales tax referendum for public school funding. The margin? <1% (35 votes!) of ballots cast. Preliminary election results from the county:
March 20, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Meanwhile in neighboring Bryan County — one of Georgia's fastest-growing, and home to Hyundai's huge new electric vehicle factory — voters rejected a similar sales tax referendum for public school funding. The margin? <1% (35 votes!) of ballots cast. Preliminary election results from the county:
"With the potential collapse of the Department of Education, I think that making sure that we're paying attention to the local elections and how money is being used locally is really important," a Savannah resident told me, after she voted yes on a sales tax referendum for public school funding.
Savannah-area voters pass 1% sales tax referendum to fund Chatham County public school improvements
The vote secures a projected $705 million in revenue through 2030 for the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System.
www.gpb.org
March 19, 2025 at 8:32 PM
"With the potential collapse of the Department of Education, I think that making sure that we're paying attention to the local elections and how money is being used locally is really important," a Savannah resident told me, after she voted yes on a sales tax referendum for public school funding.
My supremely talented wife, seen here bringing down the house over the weekend on Tybee Island 🏝️🎶
March 17, 2025 at 10:20 PM
My supremely talented wife, seen here bringing down the house over the weekend on Tybee Island 🏝️🎶