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Primary Content

Benjamin Payne

Benjamin Payne
Savannah Reporter
News Reporter

Benjamin is the Savannah-based reporter for GPB, where he covers Coastal Georgia.

Prior to coming to Savannah, he freelanced in Bellingham, Washington, for public media outlets including NPR, Marketplace, and PRX. Previously, Benjamin hosted Morning Edition for WVIK, his hometown NPR member station in Rock Island, Ill. Before that, he served a news internship with NPR member station WBEZ in Chicago.

Benjamin is a graduate of the University of Nevada-Reno's journalism master's program, and earned his undergraduate degree in journalism from Augustana College in Rock Island.

Bottom Content

News Stories by Benjamin Payne

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia David Estes speaks outside the United Way of the Coastal Empire in downtown Savannah on Dec. 8, 2022, about federal funding for Tharros Place.

Tagged as: 

  • Health

DOJ to help fund planned shelter in Chatham County for juvenile human trafficking victims

Opening in summer 2023, Tharros Place in Savannah will offer shelter and supportive services to girls between 11 and 17 who are child survivors of human trafficking.

December 27, 2022
|
By:
  • Benjamin Payne
A monument along Savannah's riverfront titled “A World Apart” honors fallen World War II veterans from Chatham County.

Tagged as: 

  • History

Savannah honored by National Park Service as WWII ‘Heritage City’ for civilian war effort

Heavy manufacturing and port shipping helped propel Savannah to the vaunted list.

December 23, 2022
|
By:
  • Benjamin Payne
Rozz Rouse, who co-chairs the Coalition to Name Taylor Square, poses at the Savannah square formerly named Calhoun Square. She is dressed as Susie King Taylor, a nurse who served with the Union during the Civil War.

Tagged as: 

  • History

Will she be the 1st nonwhite or female namesake of a Savannah square? Learn about Susie King Taylor

The Georgia-born nurse, educator, veteran and author was “born into slavery, but never enslaved in her mind.”

December 16, 2022
|
By:
  • Benjamin Payne
The shared industrial development in Bryan County where Kiss Products, Inc. plans to build a logistics center.

Tagged as: 

  • Economy

Cosmetics corporation to add logistics center in Southeast Georgia's Bryan County, creating 395 jobs

The New York-based company is investing $121 million in a shared facility near Savannah.

December 15, 2022
|
By:
  • Benjamin Payne
Scuba-diving instruction takes place at a U.S. Navy training facility (not involved in this case).

Tagged as: 

  • Law

Georgia scuba instructor described as ‘architect’ of $6 million VA fraud scheme sentenced to prison

Kenneth Meers and co-conspirators exploited a veteran education program “purely for their personal enrichment,” the DOJ said.

December 12, 2022
|
By:
  • Benjamin Payne
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