Category Archives: Travel

Georgia and Florida Railway (GFRR) – Valdosta to Willacoochee Rehabilitation $6.25 million T-SPLOST

Now here’s a T-SPLOST project I like:
upgrading the railroad that runs


from Valdosta to Moody AFB
and on to Ray City and Nashville in Berrien County,
and Willacoochee in Atkinson County.
This proposal is to aid freight, but with this upgrade to the track,
the same track would be even more readily usable for passenger rail.
That same track was used for passenger travel up into the 1950s.
My mother used to catch the train at Barretts (just north of Moody) to go visit her relatives in Pearson (a bit east of Willacoochee).

It’s true the project sheet talks about “potential customers in the region”:

This project will provide for more efficient train operations along
the rail corridor to accommodate the increase rail traffic serving the
existing and potential customers in the region.

However, rail promotes development in existing population
centers and at stations, unlike all along automobile roadways.

This project is also another example of how
the economic area of Moody AFB includes

Continue reading →

Growing talent instead of population

What are some ideas for economic and cultural growth that don’t require huge population growth? Richard Florida has many ideas for large and mid-sized population areas in the article discussed below. Who’s the Richard Florida for places the size of Lowndes County?



Richard Florida wrote in the Atlantic in December 2009,

How the Crash Will Reshape America:

Big, talent-attracting places benefit from accelerated rates of “urban metabolism,”

The question we need to address is how to be a small
talent-attracting place, and even more a smallish place that grows its own
talent and jobs.

This part is especially relevant:

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Mayor Fretti Ethics Hearing



George Boston Rhynes sent this video of the Valdosta City Council’s
ethics hearing about Mayor Fretti’s travel expenses.
George remarks:

Searching for the truth in a web of questions….

The first citizen voice heard is Roy Taylor,
whose investigation instigated this hearing, and
whom the VDT since informs us (in their paper edition)
has donated to almost every Valdosta City Council member.

Here’s

the video. -jsq

The rest of George’s videos of this hearing
are posted here.

-jsq

The United Methodist Church declares its opposition to the privatization of prisons and jails

We already heard from the Episcopal, Presbyterian, and Catholic churches,

against private prisons.
Now let’s hear from the

United Methodist Church:



Our Lord began his ministry by declaring “release to the
captives…” (Luke 4:18 NRSV), and he distinguished those who would
receive a blessing at the last judgment by saying, “I was in prison and
you visited me.” (Matthew 25:36b NRSV) Jesus also declared that one
cannot serve two masters and condemned the idolatry of mammon, or wealth.
(Luke 16:13).

Christians, therefore, must have a special concern for those who
are captive in any way, especially for those who are imprisoned,
and for the human conditions under which persons are incarcerated.
Individual Christians and churches must also oppose those policies and
practices which reflect greater allegiance to the profit motive than to
public safety and to restorative justice for offenders, crime victims,
and local communities.

Therefore, The United Methodist Church declares its opposition to
the privatization of prisons and jails and to profit making from the
punishment of human beings.

ADOPTED 2000

The statement has further practical explanation of why this opposition:

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Citizens can video police in Atlanta



Ride your bicycle, have to show a drivers’ license, get your camera stolen
by police?
Not in Atlanta any longer!

Bill Rankin writes some good news in the AJC,

APD won’t hinder citizens who videotape cops,

Faced with complaints from a citizen watchdog group, Atlanta police will
stop interfering with people who videotape officers performing their
duties in public, an agreement reached with the city Thursday says.

The settlement, which also calls for the city to pay $40,000 in damages,
requires city council approval.

The agreement resolves a complaint filed by Marlon Kautz and Copwatch
of East Atlanta, a group that films police activity with cell phones
and hand-held cameras. The group has volunteers who go out on patrols
and begin videotaping police activity when they come across it.

That’s

Copwatch of East Atlanta; here’s their

press release, including video of the incident.

Continue reading →

Foxborough Anti-McDonalds Banner



The VDT writes about Foxborough two days in a row:

Several dozen residents of the Foxborough subdivision came to the Lowndes County Commission meeting Tuesday to again express their dismay at the possibility of having a McDonald’s fast food restaurant located by the neighborhood’s entrance.

Resident Pete Candelaria said he has been living in Foxborough for six years and was speaking on behalf of the residents.

Candelario (I believe that’s the actual spelling of his name) provided
a list of suggestions to the Commission, which Chairman Paulk addressed,
including:

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Transportation Improvement Program for Valdosta Urbanized Area



Gretchen found this in the public notices in the VDT:

5/5/2010

gpn14

The Valdosta-Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) has developed the Draft Fiscal Year 2011-2014 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for the Valdosta Urbanized Area which includes all of Lowndes County and portions of Berrien and Lanier Counties.

This TIP is available for public review and comment from April 20, 2010 through June 3, 2010 at the Southern Georgia Regional Commission, 327 W. Savannah Ave.; the South Georgia Regional Library located at 300 Woodrow Wilson Dr.; the Valdosta City Hall located at 216 E. Central Ave.; the Lowndes County Administrative Offices located at 325 W. Savannah Ave.; or on the internet at www.sgrc.us/transportation; www.valdostacity.com; or
www.lowndescounty.com.

A Public Open House will be held on Monday, May 17, 2010 from 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Southern Georgia Regional Commission located at 327 W Savannah Ave., Valdosta, GA, for interested parties to view the document and ask questions of staff.

Comments are being accepted by email at chull@sgrc.us by fax at 229-333-5312, or by mailing them to VLMPO, 327 W Savannah Ave., Valdosta, GA 31601.

For more information, please call Corey Hull, MPO Coordinator at 229-333-5277.

23558663

04/25;05/16/10

The TIP is
on the SGRC website.

Note this TIP is different from the longer-term
2035 Transportation Plan.
The TIP is apparently for projects expected to be implemented in the next few years.

-jsq

John S. Quarterman

Sea Island Co. Goes Bust



What happens when you
build an economy on real estate:

The once-vaunted Sea Island Co. is awash in debt, badly behind on its loan payments and desperately trying to find a buyer for its five-star portfolio that once seemed immune to the economic whims that batter regular folk.

The company’s downward spiral is a stunning tale of over-borrowing and over-expansion that collided with the worst recession since World War II, a downturn that has pummeled the luxury resort market across the nation.

OK, so a big developer goes belly-up; who cares?

Continue reading →