After the County Commission meeting today, Chairman Ashley Paulk
and I were chatting and he mentioned that starting at the next meeting
everyone with a camera would be moved to the back of the room.
As I went out of the commission chambers, Continue reading
Last week, the ACLU of Georgia submitted comments to the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to ask that the agency not renew its contract with Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) for operation of the McRae Correctional Facility.Why? Lack of medical treatment for prisoners, among other reasons. For example: Continue reading
McRae is located in Telfair County, Georgia. The prison is owned by CCA, which purchased it in 2000. McRae currently houses a population of low security, adult male, primarily non-citizen prisoners. The contract between CCA and the BOP is set to expire in November 2012.
Tomorrow, Wednesday 24 August 2011, at the Hyatt Regency Savannah:
The Georgia Solar Energy Association is proud to present the Southern Solar Summit 2011 as we bring together an outstanding group of industry leaders to demonstrate that Solar Works in Georgia though job creation, economic development and energy security. You are cordially invited to attend this FREE session to inform and prepare you for the expansion of solar energy in Georgia. Agenda: 8:15-8:30A Networking & Welcome by Joy Kramer, GSEA Director- Sponsored by Suniva and Power Partners Solar. 8:30-9:30A Solar 101. A review of solar thermal and solar phovoltaic systems for utility-scale and rooftop applications. Speakers: Lee Radney, MAGE Solar Deborah Purcell, Power Partners Solar 9:45-10:45A Financing Solar Projects: A discussion of the tools and methods that get Wall Street investors interested in Georgia solar projects and new ideas for generating revenues for County and school administrators. Speakers: Lee Peterson, Reznick Group TBD 11:00-12N The Economic Impact of Solar Energy in Georgia. A panel discussion on the skilled jobs and revenues that can be created by supporting an industry that is growing at an annual rate of 26%. Speakers: Tim Echols, Public Service Commissioner, Pete Marte, Hannah Solar, Joy Kramer, GSEA
Here are videos of yesterday’s Lowndes County Commission work session.
Tonight, come see the local government decide about
a change order for routing around the sinkhole at Snake Nation Road.
Agenda after the videos.
Here’s a playlist:
Snake Nation Decision, Lowndes County Commission, Tonight 5:30PM
Work Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 22 August 2011.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
Here’s the agenda.
LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 2011, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
- Call to Order
- Invocation
- Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
- Minutes for Approval
- Work Session — August 8, 2011
- Regular Session — August 9, 2011
- For Consideration
- Change Order to Snake Nation Road Contract
- Assistance to Firefighters Grant
- James Road Water Main Repair
- Capacity Fee Waiver for Country View Mobile Home Park
- SCADA Upgrade
- USGS Funding Agreement for Hwy 122 Stream Gauge
- Declaration of Merchandise as Surplus — Fire Department and Public Works
- Approval of TAN and Resolution
- Bids
- Training Tower for the Fire Department
- Asphalt Surfacing at Naylor and Clyattville Parks
- Striping and Signage on 29.34 Miles of Roadway
- Reports-County Manager
- Citizens Wishing to be Heard Please State Name And Address
-jsq
Kim Isaza wrote for MDJonline.com today, Sides set for first EMC meeting: Date set for Sept. 17, but Cobb Superior court judge must first grant approval
And look which one the directors really don’t like: Continue readingPending approval from Judge Stephen Schuster, the first meeting of Cobb EMC members in nearly three years will convene at 10:15 a.m. Sept. 17.
At that meeting, members will decide two issues: whether to allow voting by mail-in ballots at future elections, and whether to amend the electric cooperative’s bylaws to limit director compensation to a daily rate while also prohibiting future directors from being paid retirement benefits. Previously vested benefits would not be affected.
Azadeh Shahshahani wrote for the AJC 11 June 2009, Private prisons for immigrants lack accountability, oversight
That’s in Lumpkin, west of Americus, south of Columbus.On March 11, a 39-year-old man held in detention at the Stewart Detention Center, a federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in southwest Georgia, died at a hospital in Columbus.
To this day, the immediate cause of Roberto Martinez Medina’s death remains unclear (a press release pronounced the cause of death as “apparent natural causes”).That’s in Alamo, GA, between Macon, Tifton, and Savannah.
Last month, Leonard Odom, 37, died at the Wheeler County Correctional Facility in south-central Georgia.
Both facilities are operated by Corrections Corp. of America, which has a contract with the Department of Homeland Security to operate the Stewart center and one with the Georgia Department of Corrections to operate the one in Wheeler County.So, what happened? Continue reading
Lynnell Hancock wrote for Smithsonian Magazine September 2011, Why Are Finland’s Schools Successful? Here’s a clue:
So what do they do? Drill the weak students on test questions? Nope: Continue reading“Children from wealthy families with lots of education can be taught by stupid teachers,” Louhivuori said, smiling. “We try to catch the weak students. It’s deep in our thinking.”
Ariel Hart wrote for the AJC 15 August 2011, Regional transportation list approved
New swifter ramps! Countless arterial roads less clogged! Well, except by pedestrians trying to scurry through the faster traffic.If the projects are built, in just over a decade passengers could be riding trains from Atlanta to Cobb County or to Emory University, or traveling new, swifter ramps through the Ga. 400/I-285 interchange, or finding countless arterial roads wider and less clogged, from Henry County to Cherokee County and all points in between.
Why, in the second decade of the 21st century, do we continue with a failed traffic model from the middle of the 20th century? Seems to me traffic safety should be pertinent and should include pedestrians. and instead of more unsafe roads making life unpleasant and unsafe for communities, we could go for roads that serve communities.
-jsq
Walter C. Jones wrote for jacksonville.com 5 August 2011, Sunshine law changes to come up in Georgia redistricting session Public records statute is part of redistricting session, says state AG.
Olens unveiled news of the hearing by the House Judiciary Committee while he was participating in a panel discussion hosted by the Atlanta Press Club.Good point.Members of the club offered him suggestions on how to broaden the law to help them get documents from government agencies.
One reporter even suggested extending the open-records requirements to the governor. Current law exempts the governor’s office, but recent occupants have chosen to voluntarily comply in most cases.
Olens said he had to be realistic.
“The problem is I need a majority in the House and a majority in the Senate, and I need to get the bill passed,” he said. “Everyone should be subject to the Open Records Act … but you have to make a decision if you want to improve the law or you just want to whine.”
AP reported more detail back on 1 March 2011, Georgia may change open meetings law: New attorney general offers many changes, tougher penalties Continue reading
Mike Morrison wrote for Jacksonville.com 4 August 2011, 14 dogs die from heatstroke at Waycross kennel; cooling fans pledged
And on 10 August he wrote, Continue readingThe heat has killed dogs at the Waycross animal shelter because the kennel isn’t wired to power fans, but a city official said Wednesday that help is on the way.
Okefenokee Humane Society shelter manager Ben Hood said 14 dogs have died of heatstroke in the past three months, including a 7-month-old black Lab that died Wednesday.
“We’ve had record high temperatures this year,” Hood said, “but we don’t have any fans in the kennel because we don’t have any electricity out there.”