Category Archives: Hahira

“We’re industrial development” –Mary Gooding

After some some other things, I asked the VLCIA board (18 Jan 2011) about my previously submitted questions about house refitting for insulation and efficiency, and about rooftop solar, such as have been successful in Austin and Houston, Texas.

Mary Gooding answered:

“That really would be the city… we’re industrial development.”

She didn’t say which city. There is more than one city in the county. The question as sent to them in writing refered to Hahira; maybe that’s the city she meant. Should Hahira not expect any help from VLCIA?

And what about us who don’t live in any of the cities? So far, all the new solar rooftop installations are in unincorporated parts of the county, although both are in Hahira’s 31632 ZIP code.

Col. Ricketts, at the direction of the board, has since sent me a response, which will lead off tomorrow morning.

VLCIA seemed somewhat confused as to what their protocol is as to answering questions: Continue reading →

VDT Elevates Biomass and Renewable Energy as Political Issues

The Valdosta Daily Times (VDT) has apparently decided biomass and real clean energy instead are political issues. As part of the VDT’s sudden turn against the VLCIA and its biomass plant, which was provoked by citizen and student activism, the VDT started a week of articles with the headline “Proposed plant said to be ‘medical atrocity'”, about Dr. William Sammons’ Monday talk about health problems of biomass and how solar is better.

The VDT then featured biomass in its reporting on the AAUW Candidate Forum: Continue reading →

Pastor Michael Bryant: the benefits to be realized

Leigh Touchton sent me this today.

-jsq

John,

This letter is from Pastor Michael Bryant, Webb-Miller Community Church, Hahira. He would like to publish on the LAKE blog. Dr. Manning’s response to Brad Lofton is also for publication.

Thank you,
Leigh

Given the complexity of the issue facing us as a community with regard to the Biomass Project, it is incumbent upon all parties involved to recognize that while the populations ill-affected will primarily be our children and elderly, the most vulnerable among us, the real issue is the fact that only 25 job are going to be produced. Likewise, if the facts bear out as proclaimed by both or either of the parties involved, and I believe if an error is made, it should be on the side of safety, the benefits to be realized are not nearly as great as the alternative approach provided by a solar energy plant.

Continue reading →

Polling Places, Lowndes County, Georgia

There’s an election going on, with the primary this Tuesday, July 20th. Here’s a google map of Lowndes County Polling Places:


View Lowndes County Polling Places in a larger map

To find out where you should go vote, go to the Georgia Secretary of State My Voter Page. It will be one of these places: Continue reading →

Solar Parking Lots

One objection I’ve heard to solar power in Georgia is that it would take an area the size of metro Atlanta to power metro Atlanta. Well, why not use metro Atlanta do do that? Put solar panels on housetops and business rooftops. And use parking lots:

Lin Edwards writes in physorg.com about Parking lots could become ‘solar groves’ (w/ Video):

Architect Robert Noble, who specializes in sustainable design has come up with the idea of turning parking lots into “solar groves” that shade the vehicles, generate electricity, and serve as recharging stations for electric vehicles.
Or forget Atlanta. Hahira or Valdosta could do this just as easily.

-jsq

Videos of Hahira Farmers Market, 10 July 2010

Every Saturday morning in June and July, there’s a farmers’ market in Hahira on West Main Street, near the caboose.

Here Andrew Young tells us about it, Saturday morning, July 10th:

This last Saturday,

Here’s a playlist for all the movies. There are more pictures in the flickr set.

-jsq

Hahira Farmers Market, 3 July 2010

It’s bustling in the morning at the Hahira Farmers’ Market:

This time we picked the day before, and got to the market by 8AM. Gretchen moved quite a bit of sweet corn and okra, and some squash, pickles, and jam. Our most unusual items were the pumpkins. Continue reading →

Parks and Rec. Appointment, Lowndes County, Georgia

Previously, the Valdosta City Council appointed City Council member Robert Yost to the Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks & Recreation Authority (VLPRA). The Lowndes County Board of Commissioners debated appointing a Commissioner to the VLPRA at their June 8 meeting:

They decided to appoint their chairman, Ashley Paulk, to the VLPRA. Chairman Paulk said he would serve, but as a private citizen. I wonder then what the point was of appointing him, rather than someone else.

When Valdosta appointed Yost, Ashley Paulk provided this statement to the VDT: Continue reading →

Hahira City Council

In the regular meeting, Hahira City Council, June 3, Mr. Benjamin speaks up in Citizens Wishing to be Heard:

As you can see by the pan around the room, the meeting was pretty well attended. The average local government session around here gets maybe a couple of people who aren’t elected or staff. This one had probably half a dozen.

Each Council member, Ralph Clendenin (District 3), Allen Cain (District 2), Terry Benjamin (District 1), and Rose Adams (District 4), made a statment, followed by Jonathan Sumner (City Manager) and Wayne Bullard (Mayor).

Here’s a playlist. Videos by John S. Quarterman and Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE.

Hahira Elected Officials and Staff. Minutes of previous meetings and future schedule.