VLCIA spent
more than
$17,000 on speakers and catering for their 6 Dec 2010 “Forum”, according
to VLCIA’s response to an open records request.
Yet local speakers against the biomass plant
who would have charged nothing were not
invited to be on the panel.
VLCIA insists on referring to it as an “information exchange”,
even though their hand-picked moderator said
“we’re not going to get into debate.”
Here is a summary of the expenses: Continue reading
Update 21 Feb 2011: Col. Ricketts confirms the groundbreaking is at 11:30 AM today on Water Plant Road; follow the signs from there to the construction site.
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However, VLCIA’s land proposed for the Wiregrass Power LLC biomass plant is around the corner off of Inner Perimeter Road east of Deloach Road: It’s conceivable that VLCIA might hold the ceremony on its own property. See their map below: Continue reading
In the new
era of good feelings,
Dr. Noll asked the Lowndes County Commission
whether they thought all the medical associations
and doctors who oppose biomass plants are lying,
same as he later
asked the Valdosta City Council.
He also offered to
discuss with biomass proponent Nolen Cox,
who spoke immediately before.
Here’s
the video.
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Shutting down debate didn’t work,
so now we have the era of good feelings at the County Commission.
Here
Chairman Ashley Paulk thanks Dr. Michael Noll for a previous meeting:
Some of us did wonder when next thing was Noll’s microphone went off. But that was apparently just a technical failure, which continued for a while during the meeting.
I commend Chairman Paulk for his recent civil and, as Commissioner Lee used to say, “adult-like manner.”
However, as County Manager Joe Pritchard reminded everyone later at the County Commission retreat, the county government is still having a bit of difficulty adjusting to all this recent transparency. Let’s help them by showing them by example on many topics that the road of respect goes both ways.
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Local resident Nolen Cox says government grants are more addictive than drugs,
and “all the federal money is my tax money.”
He mentions federal debt, and lists only social programs.
Regarding grants, he’s specifically referring to a proposal to
accept a grant for NOAA weather radios, which we’ll come back to later.
His other topic is that he thinks we need more oil, more nuclear, and biomass. His recommendation: “I would stop discusssing it.” He thinks it’s like global warming, which he thinks is a lie. He sums up:
Build the plant, employ people, get on with the program.It’s interesting that these are about the best arguments biomass proponents have. Perhaps he’s not aware that shutting off the debate was tried recently and doesn’t seem to be working too well. Here’s the video.
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Deploying on a solar plant
does require a bit of legal work, and
the
attorney’s report
at the February VLCIA board meeting
mostly consisted of talk about completion of lease and sublease
agreements with Wiregrass Solar LLC.
What’s that, you may wonder, if you’re used to hearing about
Wiregrass Power LLC,
the shell corporation VLCIA contracted with for the biomass plant.
That one still exists,
but according to the Georgia Secretary of State’s office,
Wiregrass Solar LLC
was registered 19 May 2010.
The agent is the same as for the other shell cojmpany:
Tammi Cody, 3500 Parkway Lane Suite 500, Norcross GA 30092.
The agent county is given as Gwinnett.
Here’s the video:
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At the February VLCIA board meeting, Col. Ricketts said groundbreaking
for the solar plant is scheduled for February 21st with production
less than two months after that.
Here you can see his timeline slide.
It’s a bit hard to read, but he mentioned at least these items:
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| Daniel Mayer, November 2006 |
Valdosta Utilities Director Henry … Hicks addressed the sewage spills, saying they are caused by excess rain which overloads the Withlacoochee River Water Pollution Control Plant. He said growth along the river and throughout the regional watershed area has contributed to the amount of excess water running into the river.Some of the comments on the VDT page are also interesting. Guest remarked: Continue reading“When you have all this growth and you create more impervious surface area (through paving and development), more and more water is running into the Withlacoochee. On average, the plant handles six million gallons a day and is equipped to accommodate twice that, but in recent rain events, we’ve gotten upwards of 15 million gallons extra in stormwater runoff and the system can’t handle that,” Hicks said.
It’s not necessary to occupy a square or stage a sit-in to emulate
MLK’s nonviolent methods, even in Egypt.
Look for blue lights in
this video:
One view of what you just saw:
In the video you’ll notice the events of the day are not getting captured by film crews and news reporters. They’re being documented by people with their mobile phones. Take another look at the video and count the number of illuminated mobile phone screens you see being raised overhead to capture pictures and video as the scenes in the streets unfolds.It doesn’t take a fancy camera to record events as they happen. Most any old cell phone will do.
You are the media.
-jsq
Georgia native son Martin Luther King continues to inspire
non-violent resistance to oppression,
now in Arabic comic book form in Egypt.
Egyptian activist Dalia Ziada obtained rights to translate
The Montgomery Story from 1958 into Arabic.
She says:
When, at first, we went to print the comic book, a security officer blocked publication. So we called him and demanded a meeting. He agreed, and we read through the comic book over coffee to address his concerns. At the end, he granted permission to print and then asked: “Could I have a few extra copies for my kids?”Continue reading
