In Quitman, several people told LAKE about an extensive sewage problem
on the south side of town.
At one house we were told that she had been having problems for 13 years.
She said the city told her to lift up her pipes, which she did.
Yet sewage still makes a pit in her yard, which she has covered with tin;
you can see the pit under there.
When she uses her plumbing, sewage backs up inside the house. The city sent a jail inmate Continue reading
Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp came to Quitman Thursday to hear about election issues. Here is the first of many videos George Boston Rhynes took of the event. There are more on his YouTube channel, bostongbr,, and I will post some of them here, too.
This local voter pretty much summed it up:
My county commissioners… found nothing wrong with this.They found nothing wrong with this! How much can one community endure to have a right to have our votes cast and counted for who we want to represent us.
Here’s the video:
GA Sec. State hears complaints from voters about Elections,
GA Sec. State Brian Kemp, Brooks County (Brooks),
Video by George Boston Rhynes for bostongbr on YouTube (K.V.C.I.), Quitman, Brooks County, Georgia, 9 August 2012.
-jsq
George Boston Rhynes reports Brian Kemp, Georgia Secretary of State, will be in Quitman today about election matters, apparently at the Brooks County Commission building. Here’s a video playlist: by George of elections issues ranging from the recent attempt by the Board of Elections Chair to stop George videoing a public meeting, to the suspension of the Elections Supervisor, to the Quitman 10+2.
Here’s my previous post about the Chair challenging George for doing what any citizen can do. Here’s who are the Board of Elections, and a playlist for the rest of that meeting.
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What happened before the Brooks County Election Supervisor was suspended? See for yourself, in this playlist of videos by George Boston Rhynes of the 17 July 2012 Brooks County Board of Elections. Here’s a list of who is who.
The rest of the Brooks County Board of Elections meeting 17 July 2012
Quitman, Brooks County, Georgia
Videos by George Boston Rhynes for bostongbr on YouTube and K.V.C.I.
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Patrick Davis provided some explanation of what the suspension issue was at the Brooks County Board of Elections, and then asked a bigger question: where are the traditional media when sunshine is needed?
Patrick Davis wrote yesterday for the Macon Examiner.com, Brooks Co. Board of Elections addresses voter disenfranchisement at meeting
The main reason behind the suspension is centered around his alleged
participation in qualifying and certification irregularities along with accusations of voter disenfranchisement of local citizens in regard to a sample ballot for the upcoming July 31 election.
Collins insists it is a misunderstanding, and Nancy Duncan, the chairperson of the Brooks Board of Elections, echoes those sentiments and urged the Board of Elections not to involve the Secretary of State and/or other authorities.
As you can see, he linked who the Brooks County Board of Elections are to what they were saying in George Rhynes’ videos.
Davis linked and discussed to the timed video snippet from my blog post of Thursday; the one that shows the chair demanding of George Rhynes, “What are you doing?”
Then he brought up the bigger sunshine issue:
Continue readingWho are the Brooks County Board of Elections, who don’t seem to know Georgia sunshine laws, and about whom election qualifying issues have been raised?
The man at the head of the table 
who was put on suspension by the board was Ken Collins, Election Supervisor, who has been in place for six months. According to the minutes of the 9 January 2012 Monthly Workshop and Regular Meeting of the Brooks County Board of Commissioners,
Commissioners present were: Mr. S. L. Jones, Chairman; Mr. Joe Wingate, Vice Chairman; Mr. James Maxwell; Mr. Howard Lawson, and Mr. Willie Cody. Others present were: Mr. Robert D. O’Barr, County Administrator; Ms. Patricia Williams, County Clerk; Mr. Vann Parrott, County Attorney; Mr. Mark Deatcher, Public Works Director; and various residents….
4. Election Supervisor – Emergency Selection
Due to an unforeseen illness, Mr. Johnny Spearman resigned as Brooks County Elections Supervisor which resulted in an emergency hiring of Mr. Kenneth Collins, previous applicant. Lowndes County Board of Elections has willingly offered their services for utilization during this transition due to time sensitivity with 2012 election events. Mr. Maxwell made the motion to hire Mr. Kenneth Collins as Brooks County Elections Supervisor, Mr. Lawson seconded. Vote was unanimous.
(That’s the most recent set of minutes listed on the Brooks County web page. Have the Brooks County Commissioners really not met since January?)
According to the Brooks County Commmissioners’ minutes of their Special Called Meeting of 13 July 2011:
On motion by Mr. Wingate, Board unanimously appointed Mr. Johnny Spearman as Elections Supervisor for Brooks County. Salary will be $32,000.00 annually.
OK, that’s the elections supervisor who resigned and was replaced by Ken Collins. But who are the Board of Elections?
Continue readingA group of Valdosta City Council members recently visited Sustainable Fellwood in Savannah, and may be considering it as a model for affordable fair housing in Valdosta. There’s also a model much closer than Savannah.
Here’s how one blog described Sustainable Fellwood, 17 November 2009:
Fellwood is a project which aims to demonstrate that highly efficient and healthy buildings can be built affordably. The project will include a four acre park and a community garden. Preserving the local oak tree canopy will be another important step. The development team is taking steps to reduce stormwater run off and utilize native landscaping. Energy Star appliances, reflective roofs, and high efficiency windows are all included in the plans. The project will be registered with the EarthCraft Coastal Communities certification, and it is a pilot LEED — ND neighborhood. It is developed using the principles of smart growth for walkable and diverse communities.
Jan Skutch wrote for SavannahNow 16 May 2012, Sustainable Fellwood celebrates final two phases,
Continue reading 
Funny how only the actions of the black activists who won school board seats got investigated by the GBI, and only they were charged with anything, despite a number of irregularities among the losers. If that doesn't seem right to you, this may be of interest: U.S. Justice Department – Eric Holder: Identify prosecutorial misconduct/voter suppression in Quitman 10 +2 case
Many voters in Brooks County are older African-Americans who are senior citizens in their 60's, 70's and 80's that witnessed first-hand the politics of Jim Crow in the last century, but had to deal with GBI agents coming to their doorsteps of their small rural town with guns strapped to their side asking questions. Some were voting for the first time or the first time in years in 2010, but there has been an ongoing effort by Republicans to present more obstacles and/or threats to eligible voters so they would be discouraged not to vote.
I think the Quitman 10+2's real crime was very simple: winning. Even worse, they used an innovative strategy (absentee ballots) for an end-run around their opponents. If that school board election in Brooks County had been a football game, the Q10+2 would be hailed as heroes by the local and state press for winning the game. Why is winning an election by legal means not accorded the same treatment?
-jsq
Received today. -jsq
On May 8th, 2012; at 6:00 PM, I (GEORGE BOSTON RHYNES) was denied the right to address the Quitman-Brooks County School Board of Education. Please not that this was at a public meeting in the State of Georgia under our form of government.
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May 14, 2012
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Continue readingMoreover, my request was to speak before all members of the school board, parents, local press and others that attends such meetings. However, after three e-mails and several phone calls I was denied this right in the State of Georgia; as a Brooks County Family tax paying property owner.
I served my country for over 20 years and have been involved in civil and human righs since 1975 but have never seen such ill treatment of a United States Citizen wherein it is so diffuculy to address ELECTED and/ SELECTED officials within a state. I did not have this much trouble addressing a military school in Ramstein, Germany.
Again my family owns property in Brooks County (43 acreamust) as you will hear on the video below. However this did not matter to the Brooks County President Brad Shealy and those that get requests to address the school board in Quitman and Brooks County Georgia.
I can (only) imagine
Received today on History should reward all research. -jsq
I like to read LAKE because it allows people with opposing views to voice an opinion. For example, I no longer feel the need to read my hometown paper, the little advertiser, the DC Caller and various other right wing promoters. Another example, George and I disagree on many issues and Ms. Stratton and I disagree on many issues.. Citizens with the same rights as everyone being bullied.. intimidated.. feels familiar. Koch brothers, ALEC, local DA, local BOE, etc… Take your pick. Ms. Stratton, I respect your VOICE. But, I have been too busy getting myself and others CERTIFIED to REGISTER voters and per Ken Collins ANYONE can vote ABSENTEE for ANY reason AND, I can pick up as many ABSENTEE APPLICATIONS as I wish and TAKE them to my family which includes practically EVERYBODY
in BROOKS.. Not to DISRESPECT your VOICE, but your previous comment about "anyone NOT capable of getting ID.." basically STUPID. In 2012, there are souls in my community who STILL need all the Fannies and Georges to "Break it down in common VOICE". I can just see Deal, Olens, Carter, Golden and ALL the others huddling NOW to change this little VOTER PERK! I wish someone would please tell this to the guys on 105.9. And George, I have NEVER listened to them.. Do not feel the NEED. I got too many people asking me to come explain some WORDS to them..And, I thank my late father, Mr. Charlie Milton (Bud) Jackson, Sr.. Brooks counties' GREATEST TROJAN for this.. Daddy never learned to read and write, but he was so PROUD EVERYTIME he marked that X on his ballot..
-Fannie Jackson
And all posts (and comments) on the LAKE blog are the posters' opinion, except in the rare cases where a post is clearly labelled "for LAKE". I congratulate everyone for keeping it civil. Please remember to discuss the ideas without attacking the person.
-jsq