Thanks to Julie Shutters of Golden Triangle R&D for coming down from Sylvester to Valdosta, GA to do Georgia Adopt-A-Stream training for WWALS.
(No, we haven’t forgotten about Florida. We’re just starting with the biggest problem area.)
Thursday morning Suwannee Riverkeeper will be on the “top rated morning talk show in south Georgia” with Steve Nichols, talking about paddle outings, water trails, paddle races, and the Sabal Trail pipeline federal eminent domain jury trials going on right now in Valdosta.
When: 8:30AM, Thursday, September 13, 2018,
Where:
The Morning Drive with Steve Nichols, 105.9FM WVGA
Live streamed on the show’s facebook page
Guest: Suwannee Riverkeeper® John S. Quarterman
Host: Valdosta Today bills The Morning Drive with Steve Nichols as:
The top rated morning talk show in south Georgia, Steve Nichols offers both sides of every story from Berrien County to the Beltway, and everywhere in between.
Should be fun. Do tune in.
More: For more WWALS outings and events as they are posted, see the WWALS calendar or the WWALS outings and events web page. WWALS members also get an upcoming list in the Tannin Times newsletter.
-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®
You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!
All the public speakers were against the phosphate mine. Before the Commissioners decided, Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson spoke about rain, the Chemours mine, and how what Bradford County does affects her business downstream. (I think Stasia Rudolph also spoke before I got there.) After some confusion on timing, afterwards Marc Lyons reminded them Citizens Against Phosphate Mines (CAPM) is ready to sue, and Kate Ellison said she hopes this means we will all see the consultant’s report before the public hearings. I sent a letter and a resolution the previous day and gave them paper copies.
The actual decision was much better than expected. While some Commissioners wanted to hold Continue reading
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Valdosta, GA, July 2, 2017 — In a good time with good food and good music, at the Salty Snapper in Valdosta, Saturday afternoon, June 23, 2018, three judges from Georgia and Florida deliberated a long time after six songwriters from Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida sang, and selected winners of the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2018.
The WWALS Songwriting Contest Committee met many times to plan for the first annual contest. The purpose of the contest was to raise awareness of the WWALS watershed and its accomplishments. Will Eason of the Salty Snapper welcomed us, WWALS Ambassador Dave Hetzel spoke about the origins of WWALS, Board member Bret Wagenhorst spoke about Outings, Committee Chair Eileen Box spoke about the Committee, and WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman was the M.C.
Winners and Judges (Sharon Yeago), left to right:
Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman, WWALS E.D. and contest M.C. Gretchen Quarterman, ? (JJ), ? (JJ), Jay Jourden (JJ), Judge J.J. Rolle, Emmett Carlisle, Laura D’Alisera, Mike Tappan, Judge Cindy Bear, Dave Pharr, ? Tom Shed (JJ), Don Austin (JJ), Hollin Gammage, and the small child is next year’s contestant (JJ marks members of Jay Jourden’s band).
The finalists, who played in random order, selected by drawing straws, with sound by Will Eason and other help by Scotti Jay, were: Continue reading
Come hear good music this afternoon, new songs about the Suwannee, Withlacoochee, and other rivers, said Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman on the radio yesterday morning with Scott James. The M.C. for today’s finals of the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, WWALS E.D. Gretchen Quarterman, explained the raffles (kayak, swag, and silent auction), and we mentioned the buffet and cash bar at the at the Salty Snapper, 1405 Gornto Rd, Valdosta, GA 31602.
You can even paddle 9AM this morning down the Withlacoochee River into Valdosta to get to the Salty Snapper.
We listed the finalists in the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, and described the format: speeches (especially by Will Eason of the Salty Snapper), finalists play new songs about the rivers, judges score on music, lyrics, history, etc., and finally the results of the raffles, and the prizes. We showed off the First Prize plaque, just handed to us by WWALS Board Member Phil Hubbard, who made it.
Here’s
a LAKE WWALS video playlist:
Videos: Songwriting Contest on Scott James Radio 2018-06-22
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS),
Once festival season is over today, we noted we’ll get on with the programs WWALS fundraising pays for. Such as water quality testing: Continue reading
Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman will be on the radio 8:00 AM this morning, Friday June 22, 2018, with Scott James on his Talk 92.1 drive-time radio show, out of Valdosta, Georgia, talking about:
When: 8:30 AM, Thursday, April 26, 2018
Where: You can listen on the air, or through the radio show’s own website, or through several online listening services.
Tickets: To listen to new songs about the rivers Saturday, don’t forget to get your tickets, $10 online, or $12 at the door.
Event:
facebook for the radio show;
facebook and meetup for the music Saturday.
-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®
You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!
Steve Nichols said on the radio yesterday morning:
“It sounds like a wonderful time, to sit there in a great atmosphere, and listen to some good, original music.”
That’s the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest coming up 1-5PM, this Saturday, June 23, 2018 at the Salty Snapper, 1405 Gornto Rd, Valdosta, GA 31602.
“Finalists will play, and will be judged. The prizes will be awarded, and of course the acknowledgment of the sponsors.”
Plus a buffet of snacks prepared by the Salty Snapper, including some vegetarian, all for $10 in advance online, and there will be a silent auction and kayak raffle tickets.
Gretchen Quarterman was on the radio with Steve Nichols, WVGA 105.9FM (I was scheduled, but the flu said otherwise; I’m better now).
Gretchen said you don’t need to write a song, just come listen to the finals this Saturday afternoon, with judges
Plus the Outings Committee has organized a paddle 9AM Saturday morning from Langdale Park to Sugar Creek Landing, just across the railroad tracks from the Salty Snapper, so you can paddle to the songwriting contest. Steve Nichols remarked:
“As a kid, I used to go down that stretch of the river with my friends. When I say as a kid, I was in high school in the early eighties. It would be fun for me to do that trip as a nostalgic trip, and going back and look at that beautiful stretch of river right there.”
Gretchen said the water is high so probably there will be no dragging, and the river is different every time.
Gretchen also showed Steve copies of the metal signs WWALS Outings Chair Phil Hubbard made and planted at Troupville Boat Ramp. She said those would be at all the landings on the Alapaha Water Trail (ARWT) and the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT) as we raise money to put them there.
She showed the metal Sheboggy Boat Ramp signs Phil made to sell so people maybe won’t keep stealing them off the GDOT signposts for their man cave or woman cave.
Here’s a LAKE video playlist:
Videos: Gretchen Quarterman about Songwriting Contest on Steve Nichols radio 105.9FM WVGA 2018-06-18
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS).
I’ll be on the radio Friday morning; stay tuned for a post about that.
For more WWALS outings and events, see the WWALS Calendar or the Outings and Events list.
-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®
You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!
Tomorrow morning, 8:30AM, Tuesday, June 19, 2018, I’ll be on the radio with Steve Nichols, 105.9FM, talking about the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest coming up 1-5PM, this Saturday, June 23, 2018 at the Salty Snapper, 1405 Gornto Rd, Valdosta, GA 31602. When Gretchen was on his show last month, he said he wanted to hear more, so tomorrow morning it is.
Plus WWALS advocacy, and upcoming paddle outings: Continue reading
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington, D.C., June 13, 2018 — WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) prepares to sue the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for shirking its legally-required oversight of inland liquid natural gas (LNG) terminals. “LNG trucks barrel down I-75 right by my old high school in Lowndes County, Georgia,” said Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman, after meeting with WWALS’ attorneys in Washington, D.C. “Those trucks from LNG terminals in Alabama and Georgia pass a technical college, a conference center, motels, homes, and businesses, going to I-10 for Jacksonville, Florida, where that LNG goes at least as far on ships as Puerto Rico.”
Since the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in 2015 abdicated its jurisdictional duties under the Natural Gas Act to regulate the siting, construction, operation and maintenance of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) small-scale inland export facilities, instead these facilities operate with basically no Federal oversight.
“I am greatly concerned that an LNG commercial project of this magnitude is not only planned, but that apparently has slipped through the cracks of local and federal regulators,” said WWALS member Harriet Heywood of Citrus County, Florida.
At the ends of the Sabal Trail pipeline chain in Florida, trucks go out from half a dozen LNG export operations authorized by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Fossil Energy (FE). If any of those trucks wrecks, federal standard everyone should be evacuated half a mile downwind, including high schools and hospitals. Very few local emergency responders know this and fewer have appropriate emergency plans.
Vulnerability of LNG by Rail, by Martin County Fire Rescue, December 15, 2015.
“The unintended consequences of FERC’s abdication of Congressional jurisdictional authority are mind-boggling,” said WWALS member Cecile Scofield of Palm City, Martin County, Florida, “They include Continue reading
Sunday 2PM in Valdosta, the Committee meets about the First Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest. And song submissions are open!
When: 2-3 PM Sunday 29 March 2018
Where:
Cheddars Scratch Kitchen, 270 Norman Dr, Valdosta, GA 31601
aka Cheddar’s Casual Cafe,
Off I-75 Exit 16, US 84, West Hill Avenue.
What:
More judge candidates, and event logistics including sponsors, food, beverages,
and the crawl afterwards, when finalists will play at local venues in Cedar Key.
Like every committee meeting, you can also participate by telephone;
inquire within for how.
Event for the committee meeting: facebook, meetup
Event for the songwriting contest: facebook, meetup
Map: Google Street View
![[Julie Shutters, Ronnie Thomas, Erica McLelland, Shirley Kokidko, Joanne A. Wardell, Gretchen Quarterman, Bobby McKenzie, John S. Quarterman (hat)]](http://www.wwals.net/pictures/2018-09-16--wq-training-pictures/20180916_132727.jpg)