Tag Archives: Valdosta

There is more than one option —Sam Allen @ FVCS 7 July 2011

Sam Allen of Friends of Valdosta City Schools (FVCS) tells us what CUEE didn’t.
“You can read the billboards, you can look at the pretty brochures, but that’s all your going to get.”
So what haven’t we been told? Continue reading

FVCS @ 100 Black Men BBQ, Valdosta, GA, 6 Aug 2011

Friends of Valdosta City Schoolds (FVCS) had a table at the 100 Black Men BBQ, Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia. Their No School Consolidation signs now have both a Viking and a Wildcat paw on them, and they have Viking stickers and Wildcat stickers.


FVCS @ 100 Black Men BBQ, Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia,
Pictures by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

Their consolidating CUEE competition was nowhere to be seen.

-jsq

100 Black Men BBQ, Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 6 August 2011

Roy Copeland and Willie Head have announced the winners, but the food, music, and community continue untii 6PM today.


100 Black Men BBQ
Pictures by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange
Lowndes County Courthouse, Valdosta, Georgia, 6 August 2011.

Plenty more pictures in the flickr set.

Videos to come.

-jsq

Workforce development meeting at Wiregrass Tech —G. Norman Bennett @ VLCIA 19 July 2011

G. Norman Bennett advocated attending the Wiregrass Tech town hall on a soft skills/work ethics curriculum 8 August 2011.
“Georgia is leading the nation in workforce development.”
Wiregrass Tech is one of the keys to local workforce development. If you’re interested in that, please go. It’s this coming Monday.

Here’s the video:


Workforce development meeting at Wiregrass Tech —G. Norman Bennett @ VLCIA 19 July 2011
Regular Meeting, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA),
Norman Bennett, Tom Call, Roy Copeland chairman, Mary Gooding, Jerry Jennett,
Andrea Schruijer Executive Director, J. Stephen Gupton attorney, Allan Ricketts Project Manager,
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 19 July 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

I already posted another view of this, by George Rhynes. But that one was at the end of a video of me talking, and I think what Norman Bennett had to say is important and deserves its own post.

-jsq

Protesters @ VLCIA 19 July 2011

In case you thought they had gone away, here’s a video of biomass protesters at the most recent Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA) meeting. I suggested they put up some permanent signs.

Here’s the video:


Protesters @ VLCIA 19 July 2011
Regular Meeting, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA),
Norman Bennett, Tom Call, Roy Copeland chairman, Mary Gooding, Jerry Jennett,
Andrea Schruijer Executive Director, J. Stephen Gupton attorney, Allan Ricketts Project Manager,
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 19 July 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

Put energy into things that are right for all children —Annie Fisher @ FVCS 7 July 2011

Valdosta school board member Annie Fisher advocated saying no to school unification and instead finding out how to desegregate the schools and improve education for everyone. She already suggested some things to do.

Here’s the video:


Put energy into things that are right for all children —Annie Fisher @ FVCS 7 July 2011
No school consolidation,
Press Conference, Friends of Valdosta City Schools (FVCS),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 7 July 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

Solar Darien

Darien can also do solar panels at a wastewater treatment plant:

Pat Prokop reported for WTOC 4 August 2011, Darien water treatment plant gets solar panels:

A McIntosh County water treatment plant is going green and saving hundreds of dollars in utility bills.

The city of Darien’s wastewater treatment plant outfitted the facility with solar panels. The city was able to invest more than $1 million on renovations and upgrades to the wastewater collection system, lift stations and treatment plant.

Prokop put a bunch of pictures on facebook.

Where did Darien get the money? Continue reading

Let the Humane Society train animal control officers —John Gates @ LCC 26 July 2011

John Gates, director at the Humane Society of Lowndes County, noted that county law enforcement doesn’t seem to know much about animal laws and regulations, in addition to the problems at the shelter.

This part caused Joe Pritchard’s head to jerk back:

I think our animals in the community deserves the same rights as my children, myself, or your animals. If your animal is in the shelter, it should receive the same courtesy that you would give it at home.
Chairman Paulk clarified:
If you did certify the ACOs, they’d still have to be attached to an agency, which means they’d have to be attached to the Sheriff’s office.
I think it’s interesting that he’s listening to the idea.

Here’s the video: Continue reading

Subjects such as CUEE don’t seem to elicit the same due diligence —Barbara Stratton

Received today on When officials act like they are hiding something, they usually are. -jsq
I commend the VDT for its persistence in pursuing requests for information on many subjects. However, as John mentioned some subjects such as CUEE don’t seem to elicit the same due diligence in pursuing true facts. The VDT continues to support CUEE agendas even though it has been well established that the CUEE committee did not follow true priority of law when it ignored the 1983 GA constitutional law requiring all involved systems in a consolidation action be allowed to vote. CUEE still persists in following a 1926 statute that says only city voters are allowed to vote & the VDT continues to support their efforts. It seems to me a failure to acurately report all facts exists for both the CUEE committee members & the VDT staff.

Since a costly voter referendum action has been activated & supported by both entities in spite of & in the face of priority of law objections it is my opinion a crime or crimes have been perpetuated upon the citizens of Lowndes Co. & a Grand Jury investigation should be convened to address these criminal actions.

-Barbara Stratton

Okra and Workforce Development @ VLCIA 19 July 2011

People keep mentioning the okra gift, and George Rhynes was kind enough to video it for his blog, K.V.C.I., so here it is.
  1. I suggested to VLCIA as I earlier did to the Lowndes County Commission that they hang up a clock so people can see how much more time they have to speak. You can see Crawford Powell lurking in the doorway. Joyce Evans was also in the hallway at this VLCIA meeting. That’s 2 out of 3 voting Lowndes County Commissioners. Maybe VLCIA will get organized enough to find chairs for them next time.
  2. I pointed out Project Excel is the private prison CCA wants to build in Lowndes County, and I still owe VLCIA a letter about why I think that’s a bad idea.
  3. Finally, I gave new executive director Andrew Schruijer a present. Crawford Powell suggested it was potatoes. Nope, this time it’s okra! Picked it myself that morning.
Here’s the video: Continue reading