Category Archives: Economy

States lock up less people, but Georgia increases —Pew

A Pew Center on the States report from 1 April 2010, Prison Count 2010: State Population Declines for the First Time in 38 Years:
For the first time in nearly 40 years, the number of state prisoners in the United States has declined, according to “Prison Count 2010,” a new survey by the Pew Center on the States. As of January 2010, there were 1,404,053* persons under the jurisdiction of state prison authorities, 4,777* fewer than on December 31, 2008.

This marks the first year-to-year drop in the nation’s state prison population since 1972. While the study showed an overall decline, it revealed great variation among jurisdictions. The prison population declined in 26* states, while increasing in 24* states and in the federal system.

*Numbers updated as of April 1, 2010. (Report originally released March 17, 2010.)

Guess which way Georgia went? As you can see in the map, Georgia increased by 1.6% while Texas, already leading in not wasting tax dollars on new prisons, decreased by 0.7%. Continue reading →

The Evils of For-Profit, “Private,” Prisons —Christians Against Prohibition

Another Sunday; another group of religious people against private prisons; a group that points out Georgia is already number one in locking people up.
Christians Against Prohibition is a nondenominational organization and website that welcomes everyone no matter what your perspective on God or the War on Drugs. Here at the website you will find educational materials — from an areligious as well as Christian perspective — as to why the Drug War and drug prohibition exacerbates every ill the prohibitionists decry, what can be done about it, and what you can do about it. (Hint: Legalize and Regulate.)
CAP has a three-point mission statement:
  1. Heal the Sick
  2. Free the Captives
  3. Shine Light in the Dark
  4. Deal with Dissent
They explain each point in practical and biblical terms.

And they spell out their position on the subject topic, The Evils of For-Profit, “Private,” Prisons: Continue reading →

Sharable solar

Beth Buczynski wrote in shareable: ecosystem 13 May 2011 about Solar Energy Meets The Sharing Economy:
Although it’s one of the only forms of energy to offer a 100 percent return on investment, solar energy has only been adopted by about 1 percent of the U.S. population. A recent solar energy industry report indicated that cost and complexity were two of the biggest reasons why people are slow to invest in solar technology.

Solar Mosaic brings the popular crowdfunding technique to the clean tech industry by developing a way for communities to create their own renewable energy without going into debt.

I don’t get the complexity part, since certified installers do that for you. But up front cost is the hurdle pretty much everybody local mentions as to why they haven’t installed solar yet. As I’ve mentioned before, Solar Mosaic is one answer to that. It’s one way of implementing what Alden Hathaway says about solar power is the people’s power.

-jsq

Expand the array, publish the minutes, private prison is a bad idea —John S. Quarterman @ VLCIA 17 May 2011

Here’s what I said to the VLCIA board on 17 May 2011. Notes are appended after the video:


Expand the array, publish the minutes, private prison is a bad idea —John S. Quarterman @ VLCIA 17 May 2011
Regular Meeting, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA),
Norman Bennett, Roy Copeland, Tom Call, Mary Gooding, Jerry Jennett chairman,
J. Stephen Gupton attorney, Allan Ricketts Acting Executive Director,
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 17 May 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

Congratulations on the Wiregrass Solar commissioning. Since this was not ever the largest array in Georgia let’s encourage Mayor Fretti and Commissioner Powell to help VLCIA expand the local array.

Referring to Mary Gooding’s comments about people who wanted to see minutes probably going to be frustrated, I pointed out that Continue reading →

Operating at a slower pace VLCIA 17 May 2011

Chairman Jerry Jennett reported that VLCIA was generally operating at a slower pace due to the economy. Roy Copeland asked for the board to come back to the operating budget later in the meeting when they could ask their CPA a few questions. He was out of town, so they agreed to try to get him on the telephone later.

Here’s Part 1 of 2: Continue reading →

Solar power is the peoples power —Alden Hathaway

After he talked about expanding the Wiregrass Solar plant by another megawatt, Alden Hathaway of Sterling Planet said this:
Solar power is the peoples power.

Whether you’re talking about grid tied power here in America tied to the wire, or solar in the rural countryside of Uganda, it’s immediately available and accessible in all sizes. So I can use it to power a cell phone, charge a laptop, put light in a school, or pump water in a hospital. Solar is immediately available to do that, without massive which is a barrier to development in much of the developing world.

And to development in south Georgia, for that matter. So we can leapfrog that barrier with solar.

Here’s the video:


Solar power is the peoples power –Alden Hathaway
Commissioning Ceremony,
Wiregrass Solar, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 12 May 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

Lenny’s Farmers Market, Americus

Keven Gilbert wrote in The Americus Times-Recorder 14 May 2011, Lenny’s Market expanding cornucopia: Offerings include eggs, pastured meats, organic veggies, fruits
Last weekend Lenny’s Market marked opened for the summer season, showcasing fresh local produce and much more well into the fall. On Saturday some early offerings were available by a few local producers, including William and Lydia Overholt and their daughter Eunice. The Overholts own Willso Farm Bakery and Eggs in Montezuma and have been selling at Lenny’s Market for the past three years.

“We like to be here every week, Saturdays mostly,” William said.

The Overholts arrived around 7:30 a.m. with fresh picked Vidalia type onions, beets, romaine lettuce, cabbage and zucchini, ready to sell.

“They’re picked the day before we come down,” William said.

Lydia said that they will have more things as the summer progresses like green peppers and eggplant.

There’s more in the story about other foods available in the market.

They also have entertainment. One of my high school friends says a Led Zepellin cover band brought in some of us old fogies, and they often have more current music.

-jsq

This post owed to Clayton Freeman.

High-Voltage Grid of the Future — Daniel E. Frank

No new grid is needed to profit by becoming electrical generators on your own rooftops, but with a smarter grid south Georgia can export power to Atlanta and beyond.

I found this over in NO COAL PLANT IN BEN HILL COUNTY! with this comment by Dan Corrie:

This Georgia Tech announcement emphasizes how quickly technology is changing toward healthier energy production and away from coal. I would hate to see our South Georgia stuck with a contaminating, health-harming coal plant for 50 years while so much progress would be going on during that time.
The article by Daniel E. Frank dated 18 May 2011 appears on a law firm’s page, Georgia Tech Clean Energy Speaker Series: “High-Voltage Grid of the Future”: Continue reading →

MAGE SOLAR forging ahead in south Georgia

Valdosta and Lowndes County are not the only places with sunshine in south Georgia, and Albany and Dougherty County are perhaps already more organized.

Danny Carter wrote in the Albany Herald 14 May 2011, Solar power meeting set: A solar power conference is scheduled for Tuesday in Albany.

MAGE SOLAR, looking for both customers and installers, is hosting a program at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Albany Civic Center.

Susanne Fischer Quinn, communications manager for MAGE SOLAR, said there are just 13 certified installers of solar panels in Georgia.

The opportunity for growth in this area is tremendous, she said. Tuesday’s program will open with remarks by Jeff Sinyard, chairman of the Dougherty County Commission, and Albany City Commissioner Roger Marietta

Then, a panel of representatives from MAGE, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the University of Georgia will present information about solar power in Georgia.

We already did a smaller version of this, but what have we done since? Continue reading →

Renewable Energy Network at Opportunity Central

Renewable energy for jobs: that’s something that would interest a Chamber of Commerce.

Partly due to MAGE SOLAR at Lowndes High School (thanks, Jerome Tucker!), the Valdosta – Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce (VLCoC) has taken an interest in renewable energy. ReKasa Deen, Business Development Director, already heads the Chamber’s Opportunity Central:

The Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber is positioning Metro Valdosta as Opportunity Central with opportunities for business to grow and thrive, career opportunities for well-educated young professionals and opportunities for cultural interests and active lifestyles.

The key phrase I keep hearing from VLCoC president Myrna Ballard is “knowledge-based businesses and jobs.” As it says on a recent Opportunity Central blog post:

New jobs follow bright and creative professionals…
Ms. Ballard and Ms. Deen have repeatedly said they see renewable energy as a source of jobs for graduates of our local high schools and colleges.

What do they mean by renewable energy? Continue reading →