Category Archives: Education

Videos: Against Hahira annexation, for 2 county and 4 Valdosta @ GLPC 2014-05-27

Almost unanimous against the Hahira rezoning and annexation, even though the reduction from 66.1 to 58.09 acres was to exclude Hagen Bridge Road and obviate the paving issue. A county ULDC amendment request for Special Events and such and a Valdosta LDR amendment request. A county rezoning to agricultural and three Valdosta use changes: daycare, fraternity, and commercial office.

Here’s the agenda, with some notes and links to the videos.

Greater Lowndes Planning Commission

Lowndes County City of Valdosta City of Dasher City of Hahira City of Lake Park

REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING

AGENDA

Lowndes County South Health District Administrative Office
325 West Savannah Avenue

Tuesday, May 27, 2014* 5:30 P.M. * Public Hearing

Continue reading →

Hahira annexation again, two county, and four Valdosta w. Phi Sigma Kappa @ GLPC 2014-05-27

Return of the Hahira rezoning and annexation, down from 66.1 to as 58.09 acres, even after the Lowndes County Commission letter of objection of 22 April 2014, and on Tuesday next week, same time as the County Commission meeting. A ULDC amendment request for Special Events and such and an LDR amendment request for unspecified reasons. A county rezoning to agricultural and three Valdosta use changes: daycare, fraternity, and commercial office.

Here’s the agenda, which arrived as a PDF actually convertable to text!

Greater Lowndes Planning Commission

Lowndes County City of Valdosta City of Dasher City of Hahira City of Lake Park

REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING

AGENDA

Lowndes County South Health District Administrative Office
325 West Savannah Avenue
Tuesday, May 27, 2014* 5:30 P.M. * Public Hearing

Continue reading →

Nimble –Videos of Gretchen at VSU @ YR 2014-05-15

Elected officials need to adapt to new information and new circumstances, while all working together. Here are videos of Gretchen saying she will be nimble if elected, at VSU last Tuesday at an event organized by the South Georgia Young Republicans and others. Remember, this Special Election is tomorrow, Tuesday May 20th, because the seat is vacant. The winner will take office immediately upon certification of the election results. LAKE supports Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes County Commission District 5, with her calling for financial stewardship and community transparency for economic development.

Here’s a video playlist, followed by links to the individual videos with transcriptions.

Continue reading →

School Board Candidates at VSU @ YR 2014-05-15

Here are videos of the school board candidates from the “debate” of last Tuesday at VSU. Remember, this school board election will be decided tomorrow, Tuesday May 20th, unless there’s a runoff for some seat, so tomorrow is the day to vote.

This is everything they said at VSU, except some of the answers to the first question, since I was late from the Lowndes County Commission meeting; sorry about that.

District 1: the incumbent, Mike Davis, spoke, and challenger Bobby Watford was absent.

District 2: the incumbent Fred Wetherington, has chosen not to run. All three candidates for this open seat spoke: Eric Johnson, Tara Parker, and Mark Barber. And here are videos when all three of the District 2 candidates also spoke:

District 3: the incumbent, Brian Browning, is running unopposed, and did not speak at VSU.

Here’s a video playlist of the school board candidates at VSU, followed by links to each of the videos. As usual, anyone may use these videos, provided they cite the source, Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE).

Continue reading →

Local elections affect you most: time to vote

It’s time to vote, today and tomorrow in early voting at the Board of Elections, 2808 North Oak Street, Valdosta, or Tuesday May 20th at your polling place. Turnout is very low for elections that will affect everyone in Lowndes County and beyond.

Two of the Lowndes County Commission districts will be decided May 20th (District 5 is a Special Election and District 2 has only candidates in one party): they will affect your water, sewer, trash, rezoning, road building, and taxes. All the Lowndes County School Board elections Continue reading →

Stanford beats Harvard; divests from coal

In the first big win for the fossil fuel divestment campaign, Stanford just did what campaign-founder Harvard has not yet: announced it would divest from coal-mining companies.

Here’s Stanford’s PR dated today, 7 May 2014, Stanford to divest from coal companies,

Acting on a recommendation of Stanford’s Advisory Panel on Investment Responsibility and Licensing, the Board of Trustees announced that Stanford will not make direct investments in coal mining companies. The move reflects the availability of alternate energy sources with lower greenhouse gas emissions than coal.

Who is this Advisory Panel? Continue reading →

VSU up there with Harvard about fossil fuel divestment

VSU is with the big schools, leading the stigmatization of fossil fuel companies and the exodus from those stranded assets. Students are leading on that and related issues, more than our local elected bodies, but there’s an election going on.

Mary Schellentrager posted for PowerShift 29 April 2014, NATIONAL PHOTO ROUND-UP: BOLD ACTION FOR #BEYONDEARTHDAY: Continue reading →

Second mistrial of Lula Smart of the Quitman 10 + 2

How many mistrials does it take before the whole Quitman 10 +2 case gets thrown out of court? Two and counting, as of Friday.

George Boston Rhynes interviewed Brooks County Commissioner James Maxwell outside the courthouse in Quitman on a rainy day:

Mistrial! Another mistrial.

And the prosecutor wants to schedule another trial. George asked the Commissioner how much another trial would cost Brooks County.

It will cost quit a bit of money. We could use that money on a day like today to repair roads. People can’t get in and out and here we are wasting the taxpayers on another mistrial.

No evidence! No evidence! And another mistrial.

Here’s Part 1 of 2: Continue reading →

The Quitman 10 retrial prosecution reads this blog

George Boston Rhynes is reporting the retrial of Lula Smart of the Quitman 10+2 in Brooks County, Georgia, and its serious issues of voting rights, justice, and education; his first three videos are linked in below. First an amusing observation from yesterday, posted here with permission.

I am lounging outside the Brooks County Courthouse and this is just what I was thinking. We have been here since 8 AM and jury selection is ongoing. To actually eyeball perceived enemies is an humbling experience. How pitiful you have to be to live your life consumed with hatred, venom, bigotry, and a multitude of demonic spirits! Anyway, the greatest take away from day one of the Lula Smart retrial aka the Quitman 10 + 2 is the prosecuting attorney’s question to potential jurors: “have you read or talked to or followed a blog called “On the Lake Front?” Hilarious for those of us who knows what that means!! This kind of evil does kill, but I refuse to allow it to rob me of my joy! Blessed nite. Nite!

-Fannie MJ Gibbs

I’ve always said we had a reader. I just didn’t know it was the Quitman 10+2 prosecution.

Here are George’s first three videos:

Continue reading →

VSU new special committee on sustainability to investigate fossil fuel divestment

PR from Students Against Violating the Environment (S.A.V.E.) today. -jsq

Hi everyone,

I’m very glad to announce that under the direction of President McKinney, there will soon be a new special committee on sustainability. One of the goals of it will be to investigate fossil fuel divestment and create a report that will be presented to the Board of Trustees. The description is as follows:

“The Valdosta State University President’s Special Committee on Sustainability is charged with Continue reading →