Yes, I do have solar

Here’s my LTE in the VDT today. -jsq
A letter last week asked, “Do you have solar energy yourself?” Why yes, I do. When we installed solar panels on our farm workshop in 2009, the closest certified solar installer was in Marietta. There were only four in the state. Now there are forty. Georgia may yet catch up with North Carolina and even New Jersey!

Hannah Solar had all the paperwork ready when Okra Paradise Farms applied for a USDA REAP grant for more solar panels a few weeks ago. Much to our surprise,

Continue reading

Georgia Power forges ahead with expensive nukes

Would you buy two new nukes from a company that ran over budget by a factor of 13 last time it built nuclear reactors at the same site? When one of those reactors got shut down for days a couple mnths ago? When another reactor even closer to us was discovered leaking radioactivity into our aquifer? A company that got the state to agree it could keep all its profit and socialize any cost overruns by passing them on to you, the customers? Well, Georgia Power CEO Paul Bowers thinks you should trust such a company to build nukes for gapower’s profit you!

Today in the VDT David Rodock wrote, Georgia Power discusses nuclear, solar, energy costs

Georgia Power president and CEO Paul Bowers visited Valdosta late last week to talk nuclear energy, solar and what the company has been doing to cut energy costs for their customers.
Yet another dignitary visits without telling the public first.

Anyway, much of the story is about how cost-effective and safe Continue reading

Hazard mitigation public hearing 6PM today

Found on the Lowndes County government website:
Hazard Mitigation Public Hearing (10/17/2011)
PUBLIC HEARING ON
HAZARD MITIGATION
MONDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2011
6:00 P.M.
ADMINISTRATION BUILDING
327 N. ASHLEY STREET
COMMISSION CHAMBERS – 2ND FLOOR
For more information please contact EMA Director, Ashley Tye, at 671-2790.
SO I called Ashley Tye, who said: Continue reading

Vote No on Unification —Sam Allen @ MLK Monument

Sam Allen spoke at the MLK Monument to say:
Make your taxes go up, and you’ll end up paying more taxes. This is just one way that people making minimum wage are going to lose their home. Don’t be fooled! If you’re a voting resident of Valdosta, vote no on November the eighth on school unification. Thank you.


Picture of Sam Allen at MLK Monument in Valdosta
by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange

Hm, CUEE (or somebody) did a radio ad with a fake Morgan Freeman pushing consolidation, using MLK’s name. Here’s a picture and video of Sam Allen in front of the MLK monument, If FVCS or somebody wanted to use them…. (As usual, just remember to cite LAKE as the source.)

Here’s the video:


Vote No on Unification —Sam Allen @ MLK Monument
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.

-jsq

Police encounter! @ Occupy Valdosta

Words do not describe this:

Here’s the video:


Police encounter! @ Occupy Valdosta
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.

OK, these words might: Thanks to the Valdosta Police for being completely professional and courteous throughout!

Just as we were leaving the Chamber of Commerce, they even called back with the permit for today’s event, 11AM this morning at MLK Memorial Park.

-jsq

WALB links corporate greed to school consolidation @ Occupy Valdosta

Jade Bulecza reported for WALB yesterday, Occupy Valdosta protests issues,
The occupy wall street movement that’s spreading around the country arrived in south Georgia.
That’s her with the big camera in front of the palm tree, come to see what democracy looks like.

More than 100 demonstrators marched through the streets of Valdosta Friday.

They’re protesting issues from corporate greed to unemployment all the way down to local issues including school consolidation.

There you have it: WALB links school consolidation to corporate greed.

How’s this for an ad linked to Martin Luther King Jr.?


Sam Allen says Vote No School Consolidation at the Martin Luther King Monument
Videos and pictures of Occupy Valdosta by John S. Quarterman
for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange

Back to Jade Bulecza: Continue reading

Take your money out of Bank of America Day –Occupy Valdosta

Erin Hurley spoke for Occupy America to Bank of America.
It’s national Take Your Money Out of Bank of America Day.
Who got bailed out?
They did!
Who did it?
We did it!
All right!
[laughter]
They are the 1%; we are the 99!
Nobody came out to respond.

Here’s Part 1 of 2:


Take your money out of Bank of America Day –Occupy Valdosta Part 1 of 2:
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.

Then everyone headed on to the MLK monument.

Here’s Part 2 of 2:


Take your money out of Bank of America Day –Occupy Valdosta Part 2 of 2:
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.

-jsq

Make the Industrial Authority be accounted —Tony Daniels at MLK Occupy Valdosta

Tony Daniels called for accountability at the MLK monument:
Stand up! Make the Bank of America be accounted. Make the Industrial Authority be accounted. Make the United States government be accounted.

Here’s the video:


Make the Industrial Authority be accounted —Tony Daniels at MLK Occupy Valdosta
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.

-jsq

Marching for rights —Mario Bartoletti @ MLK Monument Occupy Valdosta

Mario Bartoletti stood up at the Martin Luther King Jr. Monument in Valdosta and said to Occupy Valdosta:
I’m just shy of 79 and I’ve been out here marching all the way today, and I’ll tell you why.
When I was your age, we were marching for civil rights. We made it. Now we’re marching for another kind of rights, and I guarantee we’re going to make it! I want you to promise, when you’re my age, you’re going to be leading a demonstration for those who march for those kinds of rights.

Here’s the video:


Marching for rights —Mario Bartoletti @ MLK Monument Occupy Valdosta
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.

-jsq

Marching to Occupy Valdosta 14 October 2011

Will someone pick up that sign? As you can see in the playlist, why yes, someone did!

More than 100 people (estimates ranged from 110 to 150) went Marching to Occupy Valdosta.


Tony Daniels and Freddie Richardson carry the Occupy Valdosta banner

They marched more than three miles from Drexel Park to Bank of America, where they noted BoA got bailed out and we got left out and recommended withdrawing your money. Then to MLK Park, where many people spoke on a variety of subjects ranging from stand together, to make the Industrial Authority be accounted, to vote No on School Consolidation on November 8th, to if MLK was alive he would be here today, to marching for rights for a lifetime, to no private prison, to tax the rich, and and of course come back here (MLK Park) tomorrow (Sat 15 Oct) at 11AM! Then to the VDT (where the Assistant Managing Editor was surprised by a cheer) and the Chamber (where the President didn’t care for a thesaurus lesson); more on all those stops later.


Marching to Occupy Valdosta, 14 October 2011:
Drexel Park, Bank of America, MLK Park, VDT, Chamber of Commerce.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman and John S. Quarterman
for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

Videos are still uploading, so check back later. I’ll also blog more about specific events along the way.

-jsq