Category Archives: Elections

I’m glad GBR spoke up for Sam Allen. —Barbara Stratton

Received today on Truth really needs no defense! -jsq
I’m glad GBR spoke up for Sam Allen. The VDT article falsely stated that he had changed his mind about VDT support between Tuesday night & Wednesday when he spoke at the news release. I was standing beside Sam when he complemented one reporter after she interviewed him following the election returns at the Bd of Elections Tuesday night. The compliments were for her individual professionalism only as he stated to her that he appreciated that she always put exactly what he said in the paper. I agreed with his statements & complimented her also, because I have observed her professionalism in other venues & it is a refreshing change for some of the VDT reporting heritage.

Sam’s Wednesday comments about the VDT not providing balanced

Continue reading →

Bicyclists at Valdosta City Council 10 November 2011

Courtesy of the camera of George Rhynes, here are the Citizens to Be Heard at Thursday’s Valdosta City Council meeting. Most of them are frequent cyclists, with a surprise ally speaking first. I think that’s all of them.

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Truth really needs no defense! —George Rhynes @ VCC 10 November 2011

George Rhynes stood up at Thursday’s Valdosta City Council meeting to respond to Ken Klanicki’s concern about Sam Allen’s speech on the City Hall steps the previous day.
I want the record to show and I hope the Valdosta Daily Tims will print it, that former Superintendent Sam Allen, all he did was to act as a professional, which he is.
George also commended the bicyclers and said he had videoed the bicycles he found out front.

Here’s the video:


Truth really needs no defense! —George Rhynes @ VCC 10 November 2011
bicycle, path, health care, health, sidewalk, grant,
Regular Session, Valdosta City Council (VCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 10 November 2011.
Videos by George Boston Rhynes for K.V.C.I., the bostongbr on YouTube.

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We have just had a very divisive issue —Ken Klanicki @ VCC 10 November 2011

Ken Klanicki expressed concerns about Sam Allen’s speech the previous day on the steps of City Hall. He had only read about it in the VDT, which of course has space limits. You can see and hear Sam Allen’s speech for yourself, thanks to George Rhynes. Ken Klanicki also wanted to know who approved the use of City Hall for that speech. Ken probably didn’t know from the VDT that Mayor Sonny Vickers was standing beside Sam Allen at the time, but you can see that for yourself.

Here’s the video of Ken Klanicki:


We have just had a very divisive issue —Ken Klanicki @ VCC 10 November 2011
bicycle, path, health care, health, sidewalk, grant,
Regular Session, Valdosta City Council (VCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 10 November 2011.
Videos by George Boston Rhynes for K.V.C.I., the bostongbr on YouTube.

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Put your money where your mouth is —Sam Allen

Sam Allen addressed a rally outside Valdosta City Hall Wednesday after Tuesday’s landslide 4 to 1 defeat of school consolidation. He promised the people who backed the consolidation referendum that there would be consequences if they ever tried it again without the cooperation of the community. He observed that since there was apparently a lot of disposable income around here (see the $300,000 CUEE raised to promote consolidation). He recommended that people put such money where their mouth is and contribute to the Lowndes County or Valdosta City school foundations. He concluded by complimenting CUEE on bringing CUEE together.
What you have been able to achieve, is that you have indeed brought a community together.
[applause]
A community, black, white, Republicans, Democrats, no god, some god. You brought them all to the table. Not only did you bring them to the table, but you brought them to the polls.
[applause]
Finally, he thanked all the volunteers who helped, and said Continue reading →

People say we don’t talk —Sam Allen 8 Nov 2011

Sam Allen demonstrates Valdosta City and Lowndes County School Boards cooperate, right there at the Board of Elections last night. As he said, a 4 to 1 victory against 10 to 1 financial odds proves grassroots organizing works.
It’s OK, to be beat. But to be beat by a one-armed man….

Here’s the video:


People say we don’t talk —Sam Allen 8 Nov 2011
Victory Celebration,
Vote No for Consolidation, Friends of Valdosta City Schools (FVCS),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 8 Nov 2011.
Videos by George Boston Rhynes for K.V.C.I., the bostongbr on YouTube.

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This is what democracy looks like at the Chamber @ Occupy Valdosta 14 October 2011

A gentle reminder to the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce of what just happened at the polls yesterday.

Myrna Ballard:

I understand that you have something that you’d like to say?

Occupy Valdosta:

This is what democracy looks like!

Here’s the video:


This is what democracy looks like at the Chamber @ Occupy Valdosta 14 October 2011
We are the 99%,
Marching to Occupy Valdosta, Occupy Valdosta,
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 14 October 2011.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

That’s Sam Allen, president of FVCS holding the front Vote No sign; Vote No for the Children is holding another one. Greg Gullberg of WCTV is standing in front of Myrna Ballard, Jade Bulecza of WALB has a camera in the lower right, David Rodock of the VDT is standing behind Myrna Ballard in the video, Desiree Thompson of the VSU Spectator was there, Valdosta Today was there, George Boston Rhynes of K.V.C.I. and bostongbr on YouTube was there, and LAKE was there.

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The grass roots effort, outspent by a 10 to 1 margin, defeat the CUEE effort by 4 to 1! —Jim Parker

Received today on School Consolidation Lost by a Landslide with 14 of 16 precincts reporting. -jsq
Hip! Hip! Hooray!

Absolutely amazing! The grass roots effort, outspent by a 10 to 1 margin, defeat the CUEE effort by 4 to 1! That’s what it’s all about! This is what democracy looks like!

Thanks to all the put in the time and effort and showed up at the polls. Now I hope we can have a serious discussion about the education of our children in Valdosta. Y’all in the county can, too.

-Jim Parker

School Consolidation Lost by a Landslide with 14 of 16 precincts reporting

Not this time. Not Now. How about not ever after a 4 to 1 loss? 79.07% No Consolidation with 14 out of 16 precincts. All that is outstanding is provisional ballots and military, which are usually a handful. The percentage of no votes kept going up. Also more people voted on the school consolidation referendum than there were validated signatures on CUEE’s petition.

It looked like a landslide, and it was:

In other news, the mayoral vote almost voted that of four years ago. John W. Gayle will be the new Mayor of Valdosta with 57.3%.

Ben H. Norton retains his Valdosta City Council Seat with 76.56%.

Sunday sales of alcohol in Valdosta won with 52.3%. A similar alcohol referendum won in Lake Park with 65.99%.

It looks like Ben Futch will be the new Mayor of Lake Park with 54.85%.

Sandy Sherrill, Russell H. Lane, Paul Mulkey, and Roanald Carter will apparently be on the Lake Park City Council.

In Dasher, Edwin R. Smith will be City Council P3 and Donald J. Bryan will be P2.

In Hahira, Ralph Clendenin retains his City Council seat.

The school referendum details: Continue reading →

School Consolidation has Lost with 13 of 16 precincts reporting

The people united, were not defeated! 78% No Consolidation with 13 out of 16 precincts.

The percentage of no votes keeps going up, this time with since I last looked. There is no way school consolidation can win now.

School Referendum-Valdostatop
NO 6,153 – 78.07%
YES 1,728 – 21.93%
Total Votes: 7,881
Lowndes County Election Results
As of 11/08/2011 at 12:00pm, the turnout of
active registered voters was 16.4%

Refresh Page | Switch to Results

13 of 16 precincts are 100% reported:
  • Precinct 1 – Newsome
  • Precinct 2 – Pine Grove
  • Precinct 3 – Westminister
  • Precinct 5 – Jaycee
  • Precinct 6 – Naylor
  • Precinct 7 – Wood Valley
  • Precinct 8 – James H. Rainwater
  • Precinct 9 – New Clyatville
  • Precinct 10 – Mildred Hunter
  • Precinct 11 – Dasher
  • Precinct 12 – South Lowndes
  • Early Voting
  • Absentee Voting