Chalk up another record year for the Georgia Ports Authority. The total volume of goods handled by the ports increased nearly 8 percent from last year and there was a double-digit increase in the number of container units handled at the Port of Savannah. An executive says to expect more businesses to utilize our seaports and notes steps that have been, or will be, taken to make that a reality. Elsewhere, we touch on two other topics — how to answer the demand for a skilled manufacturing workforce and proposed changes in patent protection laws.