Category Archives: Activism

Health and safety through bicycles —Roy Taylor @ VCC 10 Nov 2011

Roy Taylor spoke first in Citizens to Be Heard at Thursday’s Valdosta City Council meeting:
We need bicycle paths in this community, very very badly. I travel to Europe… and they have bicycle paths all over, and it helps our children as they are growing up. It helps us as adults…. It helps all of us…. It is good for our children, our community.

I want you to think about the health care cost that those bicycles can save. In the health care we have to pay, the hospitalization, the medical costs, if we keep our bodies in good shape.

You have a grant in here now of about $75,000 to $100,000 … school money. I can think of no finer way for those children than to walk the sidewalk and to ride a bicycle.

That’s right: Roy Taylor spoke in favor of a grant, and for bicycles. Bicyclers listened from the back before some of them spoke: Continue reading →

Put your money where your mouth is —Sam Allen

Sam Allen addressed a rally outside Valdosta City Hall Wednesday after Tuesday’s landslide 4 to 1 defeat of school consolidation. He promised the people who backed the consolidation referendum that there would be consequences if they ever tried it again without the cooperation of the community. He observed that since there was apparently a lot of disposable income around here (see the $300,000 CUEE raised to promote consolidation). He recommended that people put such money where their mouth is and contribute to the Lowndes County or Valdosta City school foundations. He concluded by complimenting CUEE on bringing CUEE together.
What you have been able to achieve, is that you have indeed brought a community together.
[applause]
A community, black, white, Republicans, Democrats, no god, some god. You brought them all to the table. Not only did you bring them to the table, but you brought them to the polls.
[applause]
Finally, he thanked all the volunteers who helped, and said Continue reading →

People say we don’t talk —Sam Allen 8 Nov 2011

Sam Allen demonstrates Valdosta City and Lowndes County School Boards cooperate, right there at the Board of Elections last night. As he said, a 4 to 1 victory against 10 to 1 financial odds proves grassroots organizing works.
It’s OK, to be beat. But to be beat by a one-armed man….

Here’s the video:


People say we don’t talk —Sam Allen 8 Nov 2011
Victory Celebration,
Vote No for Consolidation, Friends of Valdosta City Schools (FVCS),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 8 Nov 2011.
Videos by George Boston Rhynes for K.V.C.I., the bostongbr on YouTube.

-jsq

This is what democracy looks like at the Chamber @ Occupy Valdosta 14 October 2011

A gentle reminder to the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce of what just happened at the polls yesterday.

Myrna Ballard:

I understand that you have something that you’d like to say?

Occupy Valdosta:

This is what democracy looks like!

Here’s the video:


This is what democracy looks like at the Chamber @ Occupy Valdosta 14 October 2011
We are the 99%,
Marching to Occupy Valdosta, Occupy Valdosta,
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 14 October 2011.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

That’s Sam Allen, president of FVCS holding the front Vote No sign; Vote No for the Children is holding another one. Greg Gullberg of WCTV is standing in front of Myrna Ballard, Jade Bulecza of WALB has a camera in the lower right, David Rodock of the VDT is standing behind Myrna Ballard in the video, Desiree Thompson of the VSU Spectator was there, Valdosta Today was there, George Boston Rhynes of K.V.C.I. and bostongbr on YouTube was there, and LAKE was there.

-jsq

The grass roots effort, outspent by a 10 to 1 margin, defeat the CUEE effort by 4 to 1! —Jim Parker

Received today on School Consolidation Lost by a Landslide with 14 of 16 precincts reporting. -jsq
Hip! Hip! Hooray!

Absolutely amazing! The grass roots effort, outspent by a 10 to 1 margin, defeat the CUEE effort by 4 to 1! That’s what it’s all about! This is what democracy looks like!

Thanks to all the put in the time and effort and showed up at the polls. Now I hope we can have a serious discussion about the education of our children in Valdosta. Y’all in the county can, too.

-Jim Parker

School Consolidation Lost by a Landslide with 14 of 16 precincts reporting

Not this time. Not Now. How about not ever after a 4 to 1 loss? 79.07% No Consolidation with 14 out of 16 precincts. All that is outstanding is provisional ballots and military, which are usually a handful. The percentage of no votes kept going up. Also more people voted on the school consolidation referendum than there were validated signatures on CUEE’s petition.

It looked like a landslide, and it was:

In other news, the mayoral vote almost voted that of four years ago. John W. Gayle will be the new Mayor of Valdosta with 57.3%.

Ben H. Norton retains his Valdosta City Council Seat with 76.56%.

Sunday sales of alcohol in Valdosta won with 52.3%. A similar alcohol referendum won in Lake Park with 65.99%.

It looks like Ben Futch will be the new Mayor of Lake Park with 54.85%.

Sandy Sherrill, Russell H. Lane, Paul Mulkey, and Roanald Carter will apparently be on the Lake Park City Council.

In Dasher, Edwin R. Smith will be City Council P3 and Donald J. Bryan will be P2.

In Hahira, Ralph Clendenin retains his City Council seat.

The school referendum details: Continue reading →

School Consolidation has Lost with 13 of 16 precincts reporting

The people united, were not defeated! 78% No Consolidation with 13 out of 16 precincts.

The percentage of no votes keeps going up, this time with since I last looked. There is no way school consolidation can win now.

School Referendum-Valdostatop
NO 6,153 – 78.07%
YES 1,728 – 21.93%
Total Votes: 7,881
Lowndes County Election Results
As of 11/08/2011 at 12:00pm, the turnout of
active registered voters was 16.4%

Refresh Page | Switch to Results

13 of 16 precincts are 100% reported:
  • Precinct 1 – Newsome
  • Precinct 2 – Pine Grove
  • Precinct 3 – Westminister
  • Precinct 5 – Jaycee
  • Precinct 6 – Naylor
  • Precinct 7 – Wood Valley
  • Precinct 8 – James H. Rainwater
  • Precinct 9 – New Clyatville
  • Precinct 10 – Mildred Hunter
  • Precinct 11 – Dasher
  • Precinct 12 – South Lowndes
  • Early Voting
  • Absentee Voting

School Consolidation Losing with 12 of 16 precincts reporting

In the latest election reports, more people voted about the school referendum than voted for Valdosta Mayor or City Council, and the precentage of no votes has actually gone up since I last looked. There is no way school consolidation can win now.
School Referendum-Valdostatop
NO 5,890 – 77.61%
YES 1,699 – 22.39%
Total Votes: 7,589
Lowndes County Election Results
As of 11/08/2011 at 12:00pm, the turnout of
active registered voters was 16.4%

Refresh Page | Switch to Results

12 of 16 precincts are 100% reported:
  • Precinct 1 – Newsome
  • Precinct 2 – Pine Grove
  • Precinct 3 – Westminister
  • Precinct 5 – Jaycee
  • Precinct 6 – Naylor
  • Precinct 7 – Wood Valley
  • Precinct 9 – New Clyatville
  • Precinct 10 – Mildred Hunter
  • Precinct 11 – Dasher
  • Precinct 12 – South Lowndes
  • Early Voting
  • Absentee Voting

School Consolidation Losing with 10 of 16 precincts reporting

One thing the Lowndes County government does well is election reports, and at this point I’m calling the school consolidation referendum as No Consolidation has won!
School Referendum-Valdostatop
NO 5,210 – 76.07%
YES 1,639 – 23.93%
Total Votes: 6,849
Lowndes County Election Results
As of 11/08/2011 at 12:00pm, the turnout of
active registered voters was 16.4%

Refresh Page | Switch to Results

10 of 16 precincts are 100% reported:
  • Precinct 1 – Newsome
  • Precinct 2 – Pine Grove
  • Precinct 3 – Westminister
  • Precinct 5 – Jaycee
  • Precinct 6 – Naylor
  • Precinct 7 – Wood Valley
  • Precinct 9 – New Clyatville
  • Precinct 11 – Dasher
  • Early Voting
  • Absentee Voting

Taxation without Representation —John S. Quarterman @ LCBOE 4 Oct 2011

As my mother, who used to teach at Pine Grove Elementary School (not a High School at that time), used to say, it takes a big man to admit it when he’s wrong, and Fred Wetherington is a big man
because he thought it was a good idea. He looked at the evidence; he looked at the research; and determined it was not a good idea.

I look forward to the members of CUEE standing up and being big men and women because the research, their own research, and the research that we’ve heard tonight, the research from Tennessee, and the research from Troup County: consolidation is not a good idea.

And I’m still waiting for some CUEE big men or women….

Anyway, my question: Continue reading →