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Press Release

Judges selected, so send in your song: Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest

Hahira, GA, June 23, 2020 — From Nashville, Tennessee, Jacksonville, Florida, and Valdosta, Georgia, the WWALS Songwriting Contest Committee has selected judges for the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest.

“We have two returning judges and a judge from a younger generation,” said Contest Committee Chair Tom H. Johnson, Jr. “Submissions are due by July 8. We’d like songs from every age group and every genre.”
https://forms.gle/Ztxm8xmwwoAjPLj86

[Judges and banner]
Judges and banner

The new judge this year is Emmy Law, who made a name for herself in Atlanta, and has moved on up to Nashville, Tennessee. She has several songs published.

In his third year as judge, J. J. Rolle plays around Valdosta, Georgia, and has forged as far afield as some years in Ireland. He has a background in musical theater as well as his career as a solo musician.

Back from the first year, Cindy Bear is well known as a solo act around Jacksonville, Florida, and also as half of Bear and Robert (pronounced “Row-bear”), a Blues, Folk and Americana duo with her husband, Franc Robert.

This is the Third Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, this year at 7-9 PM, Saturday, August 22, 2020, in the Turner Center Art Park, 605 North Patterson Street, Valdosta, Georgia 31601. That’s across from the Turner Center for the Arts in Valdosta, GA, with plenty of room for physical distance.

Submissions can be songs about any river, stream, spring, sink, swamp, lake, or pond in the Suwannee River Basin or Estuary (except not the Santa Fe Basin; that has its own contest). Judging of finalists will take into account integrity and value of the waters, historical value, originality of lyrics and music and musical consistency between them, performance, and clarity of message. Extra credit for naming the most rivers (springs, etc.). Even listing them counts; tying them together in a way that shows their value is better.

After songwriters send in songs, the Contest Committee selects seven finalists.

Meanwhile, tickets are available, $10 online (children under 12 free), or $12 at the door. For VIP tables send email to song@suwanneeriverkeeper.org.

“The Master of Ceremonies will be Continue reading →

Steve Nichols Radio: Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2020-06-23

Update 2020-06-30: Stills, writeup, and links to the facebook live video.

Tuesday morning at 8:30 AM, I’ll be on the radio with Steve Nichols, talking about the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest: songs, judges, food, drink, prizes, and advocacy.

Steve Nichols radio 105.9FM WVGA

Song submissions are open until midnight July 8, 2020.

Tickets are available, $10 online (children under 12 free), or $12 at the door. For VIP tables send email to song@suwanneeriverkeeper.org.

WVGA FM says:

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.

You can listen at 105.9 FM, on the WVGA Live apps, through ValdostaToday.com (link on front page), on Alexa devices, or you can stream in-studio video at the official Morning Drive Facebook page.

Suwannee Riverkeeper on Steve Nichols radio 105.9FM WVGA, Stills

When: 8:30 AM, Tuesday, June 23, 2020

Where: 105.9 FM WVGA (see above for how to listen)

Event: facebook

Much more here, about the Third Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, at 7-9 PM, Saturday, August 22, 2020, Turner Center Art Park, 605 North Patterson Street, Valdosta, Georgia 31601.
https://wwals.net/pictures/2020-08-22–songwriting/ Continue reading →

Subaru featured Tom Potter for science, cleanup, outings, and water quality

“If you get people out on the river and they have a positive experience with nature, they will help protect it,” wrote Dr. Tom Potter, pictured during the March 2019 Onemile Branch Cleanup at Drexel Park during Azalea Festival.

Kara Pound, Subaru Drive, Winter 2019, 2019 Subaru Drive Community Champions,

We are thrilled to celebrate these exceptional Subaru owners who embody the Subaru Love Promise by giving their time and talent to help their communities.

[The catch]
Photo: John S. Quarterman for WWALS, Tom Potter at Onemile Branch Cleanup during Azalea Festival, Drexel Park, Valdosta, GA, 2019-03-10.

The Watershed Protector

Tom Potter, 69
Valdosta, Georgia
Vehicle: Subaru Outback
Volunteering: WWALS Watershed Coalition, which works to protect watersheds in South Georgia and North Florida

“I have a Ph.D. in environmental chemistry and a lengthy background in the science of water quality — I worked as Continue reading →

Video: Bring me home: two weeks to 2020 deadline, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest

Last year, Scott Perkins came down from Atlanta to sing “Waters of the Suwannee bring me home.”

Scott Perkins, Waters of the Suwannee bring me home, 2019 Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest

Only two more weeks to bring your song home by Wednesday, July 8, 2020, to the 2020 Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, and evening of outdoor musical fun, with prizes.

Please use this entry form.

Music lovers, tickets are on sale now for the Contest Finals on Saturday, August 22, 2020, 7-9 PM, at the Art Park in Valdosta, Georgia: $10 per person (children under 12 free), or $12 at the door. For VIP tables send email to song@suwanneeriverkeeper.org.

All about Songwriting 2020 here, including contest Rules:
https://wwals.net/pictures/2020-08-22–songwriting/

Here’s Scott Perkins singing “Waters of the Suwannee bring me home”: Continue reading →

Bird, rock, plant, platform: Within These WWALS #7 2020-06-20

You’ve probably seen all these things before. Well, maybe not the last one.

So you can answer Within These WWALS #7, using this form:
https://forms.gle/vMW4f37MNBSv9mii7

[Flying, Porous, Carnivorous, Sleeping]
Flying, Porous, Carnivorous, Sleeping

Please answer by midnight at the end of Saturday, July 11, 2020.

Please identify (by scientific or common name) each of the items highlighted in a set of photos and then come up with the name of the WWALS waterway where all the photos were taken.

The first correct set of answers wins a packet of WWALS photo notecards from that watershed, sent via postal mail from WWALS charter board member Bret Wagenhorst.

There’s also a facebook event this time, but remember to answer in the google form.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!

Outside in the Art Park, Scott James as M.C.: Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest

Hahira, GA, June 16, 2020 — The new Turner Center Art Park, across from the Turner Center for the Arts in Valdosta, GA, has plenty of room for physical distance while listening to the finalists play in the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, 7-9 PM, Saturday, August 22, 2020, at 605 North Patterson Street, Valdosta, Georgia, 31601. (See also PDF.)

Scott James, Talk 92.1 FM

“I’m honored to be the Master of Ceremonies for this celebration of our rivers, creeks, swamps, and springs,” said radio personality Scott James, of Talk 92.1, WDDQ, out of Valdosta, GA.

“Songwriters, don’t forget to send in your song by Wednesday, July 8, 2020!” said Laura D’Alisera, our 2018 overall winner and 2019 headliner, and now two years on the organizing committee.

[Third Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest]
Third Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest

Submissions can be songs about any river, stream, spring, sink, swamp, lake, or pond in the Suwannee River Basin or Estuary (except not the Santa Fe Basin; that has its own contest). Judging of finalists will take into account integrity and value of the waters, historical value, originality of lyrics and music and musical consistency between them, performance, and clarity of message. Extra credit for naming the most rivers (springs, etc.). Even listing them counts; tying them together in a way that shows their value is better.

“Tickets are on sale now, Continue reading →

Please ask your elected officials to stop strip mine near Okefenokee Swamp –Suwannee Riverkeeper on WKUB 105.1 FM

Are 60,000 comments over two comment periods enough to stop a titanium dioxide strip mine within miles of the Okefenokee Swamp? We don’t know. So please ask your elected officials, local, state, and national, to stop the mine, or at the very least to demand an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Follow this link for how.

[Heavy Mineral Mining In The Atlantic Coastal Plain-0006]
Heavy Mineral Mining In The Atlantic Coastal Plain-0006

Here’s the rest of the interview of Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman by Brian Blount of WKUB 105.1 out of Blackshear, Pierce County, Georgia, north of Waycross and the Swamp.

If you have any trouble listening to it, you can download it from the WWALS website.

See the first Suwannee Riverkeeper comment to the Corps for more about slimes and hydrology.

For much more about this bad strip mine idea, see
https://wwals.net/issues/titanium-mining

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!

Okefenokee Swamp more important than a titanium mine –Suwannee Riverkeeper on WKUB 105.1 FM

Update 2020-06-08: Part 2, Please ask your elected officials to stop strip mine near Okefenokee Swamp –Suwannee Riverkeeper on WKUB 105.1 FM.

The Okefenokee Swamp is a gem, locally, nationally, and internationally, too important to risk for profit by a few miners for paint. This is in a radio interview of Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman by Brian Blount of WKUB 105.1 out of Blackshear, Pierce County, Georgia, north of Waycross and the Swamp.

[WKUB 105.1 FM]
WKUB 105.1 FM

Here is an introduction by Wade Scott, and my request for people to ask the Army Corps to deny the permit application by Twin Pines Minerals, LLC, or at least to require an Environmental Impact Statement broad enough to cover the whole Swamp and the Suwannee and St. Marys Rivers, as well as the existing titanium mines in north Florida and south Georgia, plus the phosphate mines current and proposed in north Florida. Continue reading →

WWALS Trivia Online Tuesday, 2020-06-02

It was fun last time, so let’s do it again: WWALS Trivia Online Tuesday. Follow the above link for the zoom parameters to join us 7PM Tuesday, June 2, 2020.

Our host, new WWALS board member Shelby Miller, will lead us through questions about rivers, plants, animals and minerals.

[Shelby Miller to draw]
Shelby Miller to draw

When: 7 PM, Tuesday, June 2, 2020

Where: Online.

Event: facebook

WWALS Advisor Joe LaForest will be behind the scenes keeping everything running.

Most of the questions came from charter board member Bret Wagenhorst.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!

Winner: Raptor, flower, paddling organization, tree base: Within These WWALS #6 2020-05-16

The winner of Within These WWALS #6 is…

Emmy Kidder.

She wins a packet of WWALS photo notecards from that watershed, sent via postal mail from WWALS charter board member Bret Wagenhorst.

Swamps and Springs WWALS picture notecards

Here are the answers to Within These WWALS #6.

Name this native raptor that can dive into water and catch live fish, has white under its wings making it easier to identify from below, and builds its nests atop trees over bodies of water, like this one shown atop a cypress at dusk.

Osprey, Pandion haliaetus.

We paddle by this nest most every time on our Banks Lake Full Moon paddles. The next one is coming up Continue reading →