Tag Archives: enforcement

Draft Proposed Lowndes County Land Development Code changes 2023-06-13

Here are the draft changes to the Unified Land Development Code (ULDC) that Jason Davenport presented to the Lowndes County Commission in its Work Session of Monday, June 12, 2023.

[Ten amendments, timeline, and primary staff]
Ten amendments, timeline, and primary staff

The new rebuttal part of the Public Hearings, Continue reading

Time to divest from private prison companies

It’s time to stop private prison profiteering by refusing to take their profit: divest private prison company stock from personal, pension, and church funds.

There’s no need to speculate that private prison companies have incentive to keep more people locked up: CCA says so. Kanya D’Almeida wrote for IPS 24 August 2011, ‘Profiteers of Misery’: The U.S. Private Prison Industrial Complex:

CCA’s 2010 annual report states categorically that, “The demand for our facilities and services could be adversely affected by the relaxation of enforcement efforts, leniency in conviction or parole standards and sentencing practices or through the decriminalization of certain activities that are currently proscribed by our criminal laws — for instance, any changes with respect to drugs and controlled substances or illegal immigration could affect the number of persons arrested, convicted, and sentenced, thereby potentially reducing demand for correctional facilities to house them.”

CCA continues, “Legislation has been proposed in numerous jurisdictions that could lower minimum sentences for some non-violent crimes and make more inmates eligible for early release based on good behaviour, (while) sentencing alternatives under consideration could put some offenders on probation who would otherwise be incarcerated. Similarly, reductions in crime rates or resources dedicated to prevent and enforce crime could lead to reductions in arrests, convictions and sentences requiring incarceration at correctional facilities.”

What’s this got to do with Georgia? Continue reading

Euthanization Violations at the Lowndes County Animal Shelter —Judy Haverkamp @ LCC 26 July 2011

Lots of “don’t know the results of that” for drug testing, administrative review board, etc. Why don’t we know the results of those things?

Judy Haverkamp talked about what she’d discovered through open records requests.

“It seems like there’s been the same violations still occuring at the shelter even up to this year, and it doesn’t seem like anyone is trying to make an effort to correct these problems!”
She repeatedly cited Georgia code sections that had been violated.

This pretty much sums it up:

“Why would you not do the proper thing to make this process as painless as possible?”
Indeed, why not?

-jsq

Here’s the video: Continue reading

Review, review, and review —Rattlin’ Georgia’s Cages

Received yesterday from the blogger of Rattlin’ Georgia’s Cages on Joe Pritchard notified of euthanasia violation March 2011. (Red text is that blogger’s comments.) -jsq
One thing I’ve learned in reviewing a-n-y document that the Ga. Ag. Animal Protection Divison prepares, is to do just that – review, review and review.

In regards to “missing cc’s”, there isn’t a law or Ga. Ag Animal Protection “Rule” that covers “missing cc’s” or even “missing euth poison”.

The code that the Ag inspector cited for a violation is 40-40-13.-08 (11) which reads:
(11) Euthanasia records shall be kept on forms approved by the Georgia Department of Agriculture and the State Board of Pharmacy and shall be signed by the person performing euthanasia and the witness.
Source: Ga. Animal Protection Rules
http://www.files.georgia.gov/AGR/Files/GA%20Animal%20Protection%20Rules.pdf

Did the shelter staff have their records/euth poison logged on the proper form – but just missing that particular’s day/date?

Continue reading

GA Dept. Ag. can’t enforce, but Lowndes County can

One reason LAKE permits anonymous posts is that occasionally some useful information like this comes in that way; received yesterday on Graphic horse case. -jsq
Ga. Ag Equine Division is authorized to impound animals if animal cruelty is suspected.

However, if you take the time to read the state law (Ga. Code Section), you’ll see that local animal control and law enforcement are also authorized to impound horses/equine.

Counties need to understand that Ag is REGULATORY – they are NOT a criminal office. They cannot legally conduct a criminal investigation, nor file criminal charges. Criminal investigations, and charges, have to be handled by local law enforcement.

The below excerpt is from “The Ga. Animal Protection Act” – which is – a state law. .

4-11-9.2. Inspection warrant; impounding of animals

(a) At any time there is probable cause to believe that a violation of this article or any rule or regulation adopted pursuant to this article has occurred, the Commissioner, his or her designated agent, or an animal control officer who is an employee of state or local government may apply to the appropriate court in the county in which the animal is located for an inspection warrant under the provisions of Code Section 2-2-11.

(b) Any sheriff, deputy sheriff, or other peace officer shall have the authority to enforce the provisions of this article and Code Sections 16-12-4 and 16-12-37.

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Seth Gunning LTE in the VDT

This is the text of Seth Gunning’s letter to the editor that the Valdosta Daily Times printed on 20 Dec 2010. Here’s video of the referenced air quality permit hearing. -jsq
Recently on Thursday December 16th, State Judge Ronit Walker denied air quality permits for a proposed coal plant in Sandersville, Georgia. Judge Walker cited the Georgia Environmental Protection Divisions failure to properly review permits, and their lack of enforcement of basic Clean Air Act standards for several hazardous emissions.

Flashback to April 27th in Valdosta Georgia when Environmental Protection Division Air Branch Manager Eric Cornwell openly admitted to having NOT READ the air permit application for Wiregrass Biomass LLC’s proposal to build a hotly contested 40mw power plant&emdash; during a Valdosta EPD hearing meant to evaluate those permits.

Today, the Valdosta Industrial Authority is hazardously entrenched

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