Tag Archives: Elections

Minimum wage law increased to livable wage? @ VLCoC 2013-09-04

Rep. Scott doesn’t want any federal laws about employment.

Alvin Payton (Valdosta Mayor Pro Tem and City Council District 4) asked:

What is your view or your stance on this current minimum wage law being increased to livable wages?
This was at the Chamber Federal Legislative Lunch with Rep. Austin Scott (R GA-08) yesterday.

Minimum wage law being increased to livable wages? --Alvin Payton (D Valdosta Mayor Pro Tem)

Answer from Rep. Scott: Continue reading

Rep. Austin Scott (R GA-08) @ Valdosta Chamber Luncheon 2013-09-04

He’s against war in Syria, he wouldn’t give a straight answer about labelling GMOs, and he’s still chasing the windmill of abolishing ObamaCare. See for yourself. Many thanks to Chamber president Myrna Ballard for keeping videoing open.

Here’s a video playlist:


Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 4 September 2013.

VLCoC event notice.

Stuart Taylor wrote for the VDT today, Congressman Scott visits: U.S. representative outlines upcoming legislative session, offers opinion on Syria, immigration.

-jsq

GA PSC abdicates cost oversight for new nukes at Plant Vogtle

Finish it and then send we the taxpayers and ratepayers a bill? What kind of deal is that? So Southern Company already dodged a Fitch downgrade by delaying a decision, and now GA PSC wants to put it off for years more. That also delays solar deployment in Georgia, putting us still farther behind.

Ray Henry wrote for AP yesterday, Ga. approves deal on nuclear plant costs,

A debate over the rising cost of building a nuclear power plant in Georgia will be delayed for years under an agreement approved Tuesday by Georgia’s utility regulators.

The elected members of Georgia’s Public Service Commission unanimously approved a deal that will put off a decision on whether Georgia Power can raise its budget for building two more nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle (VOH’-gohl) until the first of those reactors is finished. An independent state monitor has estimated the first reactor will be finished in January 2018 at the earliest.

Regulators will continue monitoring company spending but will not make a decision on raising the bottom line budget figure.

So GA PSC will keep watching costs run over budget but will do nothing about it.

Oh, wait, it’s actually worse: Continue reading

Final qualifying for November elections

Four Three contenders for Valdosta City Council District 2, none of them incumbent Deidra White. Alvin Payton drew one challenger for District 4, and Robert Yost drew two challengers for District 6. Two out of three Valdosta School Board seats up for election are contested. And we’re up to four contenders for Mayor of Hahira. Plus 5 for the 4 Lake Park At Large seats, and just 3 for the 3 Remerton seats. -jsq

Lowndes County Board of Elections

2808 N. Oak St. P.O. Box 10130 Valdosta, Georgia 31604

Telephone: (229) 671-2850, Fax: (229) 333-5199

Email: elections@lowndescounty.com


QUALIFYING

November 5, 2013 – Municipal Election


* Individuals qualifying on Friday, August 30th are listed in blue *


City of Valdosta

City Council District 2


Sandra J. Tooley – 350 South St., Valdosta, GA 31601

(229) 834-0979, (229) 247-3307

ms2ly@bellsouth.net

John Hogan – 601 Lake Park Rd., Valdosta, GA 31601

(229) 247-8294, (229) 560-0084

hogantransport@gmail.com


*Calvin Graham, Sr. – 1701 Dedo Dr., Valdosta, GA 31601

(229) 247-6925

grah3219@bellsouth.net


Continue reading

Qualifying through today (29 Aug 2013) for November elections

Hahira now has three contenders for Allen Cain’s former District 2 City Council place; he and District 4 Rose Adams are running for Mayor against incumbent Wayne Bullard. Four contenders now for four Lake Park At Large City Council places, and two for three in Remerton. Incumbent Deidra White has still not qualified for Valdosta City Council District 2, although two other people have. Tomorrow’s the last day to qualify. -jsq

Lowndes County Board of Elections

2808 N. Oak St. P.O. Box 10130 Valdosta, Georgia 31604

Telephone: (229) 671-2850, Fax: (229) 333-5199

Email: elections@lowndescounty.com


QUALIFYING

November 5, 2013 – Municipal Election


* Individuals qualifying on Thursday, August 29th are listed in blue *

Continue reading

Qualifying through yesterday (28 Aug 2013) for November elections

All three Valdosta City Council races are contested now! In Hahira, two contenders and the incumbent for Mayor, a new candidate for Hahira District 4, and two for District 2, both vacated by former incumbents now running for Mayor. Still not enough candidates in Lake Park and nobody in Remerton. Received yesterday evening. -jsq

Lowndes County Board of Elections

2808 N. Oak St. P.O. Box 10130 Valdosta, Georgia 31604

Telephone: (229) 671-2850, Fax: (229) 333-5199

Email: elections@lowndescounty.com


QUALIFYING

November 5, 2013 – Municipal Election


* Individuals qualifying on Wednesday, August 28th are listed in blue *


City of Valdosta

City Council District 2

Continue reading

Qualifying through yesterday for November elections

Received yesterday evening. Contested mayoral election in Hahira and not in Lake Park, so far. Also one contested Valdosta school board seat, but none for Valdosta City Council so far. -jsq

Lowndes County Board of Elections

2808 N. Oak St. P.O. Box 10130 Valdosta, Georgia 31604

Telephone: (229) 671-2850, Fax: (229) 333-5199

Email: elections@lowndescounty.com


QUALIFYING

November 5, 2013 – Municipal Election


AUGUST 26, 2013


City of Valdosta

City Council District 2

Continue reading

Anti-nuke activist Taro Yamomato wins Japanese Diet seat

An actor turned anti-nuke activist after Fukushima just won a seat in Japan’s upper house in the national government.

Japan Times, 22 July 2013 (Tokyo time is 13 hours ahead of Georgia time), Actor Yamamoto, ex-wrestler Inoki win,

Actor and anti-nuclear activist Taro Yamamoto and ex-wrestling star Antonio Inoki both won seats in Sunday’s Upper House contest, early returns showed.

Yamamoto, 38, who ran as an independent in the Tokyo constituency, appeared set to enter the upper chamber after failing to win a seat in the Lower House election in December.

He became widely known for his anti-nuclear power activities following the March 2011 Fukushima meltdowns. He has also campaigned against Japan’s participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade liberalization negotiations, while calling for improved social security.

Blogger In the Eyes of an Étranger reports Toro Yamamoto said about his election win:

“I will do a banzai to celebrate the occasion when I really end up helping the victims of the nuclear disaster. A thorny path lies ahead of me. Vested nuclear interests will no doubt try to sabotage my efforts. My only friend in my endeavor are the voters who entrusted their sacred votes.”

WSJ notes five seats for Tokyo were contested Continue reading

Solar may win today at the Georgia PSC

There’s still time to call in and make your voice heard, (800) 282-5813. The swing vote is the Commissioner for south Georgia, H. Doug Everett. Solar power may win over Georgia Power today.

Greg Bluestein and Kristi E. Swartz wrote for the AJC yesterday, Solar supporters see rare loss on horizon for Georgia Power,

If Georgia Power says it needs something, it usually gets it. Over the years, state regulators have cleared the way for the utility to land new power plants, more transmission lines and rate increases, often without much heated debate.

Walter C. Jones wrote for jacksonville.com yesterday, PSC likely to require Georgia Power to double its reliance on solar power Thursday Continue reading

A librarian on the library board! @ LCC 2013-06-25

The political appointee was replaced by a librarian, and the marketing guy by a marketing guy, at the 25 June Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission.

5.a. Lowndes County Library Board

Back on June 10th Library Director Kelly Lenz brought candidates Jack Hartley, Linda Most, and Matt Lawrence, who spoke, and at the June 24th Work Session County Manager Joe Pritchard not naming candidates for the library board Commissioner Joyce Evans submitted the name of Mr. Robert Jefferson, who did not speak.

This time County Manager Joe Pritchard mumbled behind his monitor and did not deign to name any of the candidates, referring to “a list” that Commissioners could see but the public could not. He did say that the openings were for the board slots previously occupied by Kay Harris and Ray Devery.

Kay Harris Previous political appointee Kay Harris failed to get the new library at Five Points approved in last year’s failed SPLOST VII vote and resigned as Library Board Chair and from that board 15 March 2013. Here are some related points she never seemed to discuss. And while she and the County Commission and the Valdosta City Council and Mayor pointed fingers about who lost SPLOST, Continue reading