Update 2023-03-27: Correction: Pickleball courts to be on other side of Two Mile Branch from 2007-proposed detention pond 2023-03-07.

On the radio this morning, Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson and Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman talked trash, and many other subjects. See it for yourself in these WWALS videos.

Come to the Two Mile Branch Cleanup tomorrow (Saturday) morning at 8 AM.

Radio and Two Mile Branch 2023-03-24

Cleanups are necessary, but not enough. We discussed Valdosta’s history of publishing plans to deal with trash and then not doing anything. Valdosta Engineer Ben O’Dowd seems to have started some action, and more is needed.

Below are links to each WWALS video of each topic, some with a brief summary, followed by a WWALS video playlist.

• Trash talk before going on air

  The picture Valdosta chose to illustrate the Saturday cleanup shows a waterway about as wide as Two Mile Branch is wide.
  

  Video.

• WWALS and Suwannee Riverkeeper

  Suwannee Riverkeeper is a project and a staff position of WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc., as the Waterkeeper Alliance member for the 10,000 square mile Suwannee River Basin and Estuary in Florida and Georgia.
  

  Video.

• Two Mile Branch Cleanup

  Come to the Two Mile Branch Cleanup tomorrow (Saturday) morning at 8 AM.
  

  Video.

• Comment to GA-EPD against mine too near Okefenokee Swamp

  You can still send your comment to TwinPines.Comment@dnr.ga.gov. Floridians, you, too. Join the more than hundred thousand comments so far, including from all nine Riverkeepers of Georgia, and from Waterkeepers Florida, representing all fifteen Waterkeepers of Georgia, as well as from WWALS.
  

  Video.

• WWALS Development Director Veronica Oakler 2023-04-28

  She started March 1, 2023, and is busy with fundraising and community outreach. The Mayor invited her to co-host his radio show on April 28 from Jasper, Florida. She only has to drive across the Withlacoochee River from Madison where she lives.
  

  Video.

• WWALS Gala w. Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2023-09

  Veronica with a committee appointed by the WWALS board is organizing the first ever WWALS Gala, and we’re rolling the Songwriting Contest into it.
  

  Video.

• Kayak Raffle of boat donated by Scott James Matheson

  Scott James mentioned that I said while accepting his gift that it would not stop WWALS from criticising the City of Valdosta.

  The raffle drawing will be in November in time for holiday giving. Online tickets will be available soon. Meanwhile, you can get them at cleanup tomorrow morning, or any other WWALS outing or event.
  

  Video.

• Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle, Langdale Park to Troupville 2024-03-??

  If Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter and the WWALS Outings Committee agree, the next Mayor and Chairman’s paddle will go four miles from Langdale Park to the YMCA near Sugar Creek, and another four miles to Troupville Boat Ramp. We will paddle past most of the riverside of Langdale Park, as well as the entire river frontage of the land Lowndes County recently purchased from Helen Tapp for a Troupville Nature Park.
  

  Video.

• Troupville Nature Park, thanks Helen Tapp and Lowndes County

  Somebody needs to find ongoing maintenance funding for the park before September, which is when pre-applications open for the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Grant. Maybe One Valdosta-Lowndes.
  

  Video.

• Trash in 2007 Two Mile Branch Watershed Management Plan

  I noted it was before his time, and not surprisingly the Mayor had not heard about the Valdosta Two Mile Branch Watershed Management Plan, nor its implementation schedule for detention ponds to deal with trash, nor that the 2010 Stormwater Master Plan ignored all that and listed two of the same projects as “proposed”. Neither were ever built.
  

  Video.

• Trash traps at Oak Street and Berkley Dr. on Two Mile Branch

  We both lauded City Engineer Ben O’Dowd for his plans to put two trash traps on Two Mile Branch. Some action is maybe a start towards more action.
  

  Video.

• Hightower Creek at St. Augustine Road 2022-12-15

  It’s been three months since I videoed the Mayor at a trash problem parking lot on Hightower Creek at St. Augustine Road. Looking forward to some action.
  

  Video.

• After chat
  

  Video.

Here’s a WWALS video playlist:

Videos: Trash, Okefenokee, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting, WWALS Gala on Scott James radio 92.1.FM 2023-03-24
Videos by John S. Quarterman for WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS).

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

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