Update 2023-11-07: Pictures: Banks Lake Full Hunters Moon Paddle 2023-10-28 2023-10-28.
Leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle, right after the Halloween full moon costume contest.
When: Gather 5:40 PM, launch 5:45 PM, moonrise 6:45 PM, sunset 6:48 PM, end 7:45 PM, Saturday, October 28, 2023
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
![[Banners, Boating witch, Lights 2020-10-31]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-10-28--banks-lake-full-hunters-moon-paddle/many.jpg)
Banners, Boating witch, Lights
2020-10-31
Update 2023-09-26: Curious omissions from the minutes; see Packet: Golf carts, mental health, wetland credits, regional transit, Lift Station and Fire Station Access Roads, 2 TIA Road Bids @ LCC 2023-09-25.
The Lowndes County Commission unanimously denied the inappropriate 2.5-acre rezoning proposed on minimum 5-acre and predominantly agriculture, forestry, and conservation Quarterman Road, after five local residents spoke against and nobody for.
![[Collage, Quarterman Road rezoning denied by Lowndes County Commission 2023-09-12]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-09-12--lowndes-county-denies-quarterman-road-rezoning/many.jpg)
Collage, Quarterman Road rezoning denied by Lowndes County Commission 2023-09-12
Thanks to all who signed the petition against that rexoning, who called or wrote County Commissioners, who spoke in the Planning Commission or County Commission meetings, and thanks to the County Commisisoners for denying the rezoning.
Among the five who spoke at the County Commission were Gretchen Quarterman (who also took the videos for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE)) and Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman (details on both are below). He made sure the Commissioners had a copy of the WWALS letter that had mysteriously been left out of the board packet; thanks to WWALS President Sara Jay Jones for signing that letter.
This denial comes after two previous denials, both also in an Agriculture/Forestry/Conservation Character Area, both also provoking many petition signatures and speakers in opposition, including WWALS.
Maybe developers will get the picture that development is not appropriate in such a Character Area, especially when wetlands and waterways are affected.
It is interesting the extent to which a development mindset can color a presentation by a County Planner. I was just going to mention one example of that, but as I listened to the LAKE video of his presentation, I kept noticing more examples. Continue reading
Yesterday, September 11, 2023, the Clinch County Commission unanimously passed a resolution supporting the Okefenokee Swamp and the Suwannee River against the proposed titanium mine, and set aside $50,000 as cash match for a Dark Sky Observatory next to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge (ONWR).
![[Resolution and Clinch County Commission 2023-09-11]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-09-11--clinch-county-resolution-against-mine-for-okefenokee/many.jpg)
Resolution and Clinch County Commission 2023-09-11
You can help stop that mine.
Ask your city council or county commission to pass a resolution.
Here are other things you can do:
https://wwals.net/issues/titanium-mining/
The Clinch County resolution includes:
“7. Request the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to move the
Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge from a tentative list to become
a full UNESCO World Heritage Site, and support a bill by a
bipartisan coalition of members of Congress in support of that move.”
As Chairman Henry Moylan remarked, the UNESCO World Heritage List is a big deal, since it goes through the U.N. and includes sites like the Pyramids and the Grand Canyon. Getting ONWR on it should attract more visitors. That list also includes Yellowstone, Yosemite, Great Smoky Mountains, and Everglades National Parks, so it’s a bit puzzling why ONWR is not already on there.
Resolution Against Strip Mine in the Okefenokee Swamp
Video: https://youtu.be/36S7GqrfdWE
The Dark Sky project involves Continue reading
Thanks to “friendly, bubbly” Meredith Crosby for leading this outing, to Rebecca Galardo for reporting on it, to Tony Galardo for taking her out in the Lanier EMA boat to do that, thanks to James Barnes, Lanier County Code Enforcement, for unlocking the boats, and thanks to Lanier County for letting WWALS rent the boats to paddlers for free.
![[WWALS Banks Lake Full Sturgeon Moon Paddle in Lanier County Advocate]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-08-01--banks-lake-full-sturgeon-moon-lanier-advocate/many.jpg)
WWALS Banks Lake Full Sturgeon Moon Paddle in Lanier County Advocate
Plus of course thanks to everyone who paddled on the Banks Lake Full Sturgeon Moon Paddle, 2023-08-01. The next full moon paddle is at the end of August: Banks Lake Full Blue Supermoon Paddle 2023-08-30.
For more WWALS outings, see:
https://wwals.net/outings
Rebecca Galardo, Lanier County Advocate, Banks Lake paddling event held August 1, Continue reading
Update 2023-09-12: Clinch County Resolution against strip mine, for Okefenokee Swamp 2023-09-11.
In addition to its usual business of roads and taxes, the Clinch County Commission discussed with Suwannee Riverkeeper outings, boat ramps, and a proposed resolution against the strip mine too near the Okefenokee Swamp.
![[Collage @ Clinch County Commission 2023-08-07]](https://wwals.net/pictures/2023-08-07--clinch-county-commission/many.jpg)
Collage @ Clinch County Commission 2023-08-07
For the boat ramp, Clinch County can apply to the GA-DNR Recreational Trails Program, Nonmotorized. Andrew Schock, writing for the landowner, The Conservation Fund, sent a letter saying that among the half a dozen possibilities he favors Drawdy Mill Landing on Drawdy Mill Road, which is about half way between Griffis Fish Camp and Fargo Boat Ramp.
For the
resolution supporting the Okefenokee Swamp and the Suwannee River against the proposed strip mine,
the Commissioners chose to take another month to read it thoroughly,
with a vote next month, which should be 6PM, Monday, September 4, 2023.
The resolutions already passed by other cities and counties,
including
the one passed last week by Echols County,
are
on the WWALS website.
For more about that mine, see
https://wwals.net/issues/titanium-mining
Thanks to Chairman Henry Moylan and the Commissioners for their hospitality, to Clinch County Administrator Jaclyn James for ongoing communications, and to WWALS member Etta Lee for talking to Commissioners and for being at the meeting; also for dinner.
Below are pictures, videos by Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange of the relevant agenda item, and links to documents.
Here is a WWALS video playlist of the relevant LAKE videos.
For the entire meeting, see the LAKE blog post, Videos: Boat Ramps, Okefenokee Swamp, LMIG, Taxes @ Clinch County Commission 2023-08-07.
Continue readingUpdate 2023-08-29: Cancelled: Banks Lake Full Blue Moon Paddle 2023-08-30.
Join us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle.
This will be the only blue moon of 2023 (second full moon of a month), and is expected to be the biggest and brightest supermoon this year. It will be the third supermoon of this year, “when the moon’s orbit is closest to Earth at the same time the moon is full.”. According to NPR, this will be the only blue supermoon of 2023, and there won’t be another until 2032.
There may still be bats.
When: Gather 7 PM, launch 7:30 PM, moonrise 8:08 PM, sunset 7:58 PM, end 9 PM, Wednesday, August 30, 2023
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
![[Sunset 2023-03-07, Moonrise 2018-12-22; Full Blue Moon Paddle, Banks Lake, Lakeland, GA 2023-08-30]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-08-30--banks-lake-full-blue-moon-paddle/many.jpg)
Sunset 2023-03-07,
Moonrise 2018-12-22;
Full Blue Moon Paddle, Banks Lake, Lakeland, GA 2023-08-30
People are often confused: what are WWALS and Suwannee Riverkeeper, where did they come from, how are they related, and what do they do?
Well, it’s a long story. Here is the first of several parts.
![[Black and white square WWALS and Suwannee Riverkeeper logos]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/logo/square-wwals-suwrk-logos-bw.jpg){kind=logo}
Black and white square WWALS and Suwannee Riverkeeper logos
You’ll probably see this reposted on Walk Around Lowndes:
https://walkaroundlowndes.spyderserve.info/
Justin Coleman is walking every road and street in Lowndes County, Georgia, and blogging about it, featuring Suwannee Riverkeeper.
Sun, moon, bats, and planets, on a balmy night, last full moon at Banks Lake.
Come on out tonight at 6:45 PM and see for yourself!
![[Sunset, Bats, Planets, Moonrise @ Banks Lake 2023-03-07]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-03-07--banks-lake-full-worm-moon-pictures/many.jpg)
Sunset, Bats, Planets, Moonrise @ Banks Lake 2023-03-07
Join us on a leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle on Banks Lake, our mini-Okefenokee just west of Lakeland, Georgia.
Will Hart and Amy Meyers will lead this one for their first time.
Also, Amy Meyers is the new Chair of the WWALS Outings Committee.
When: Gather 5:30 PM, launch 6 PM, moonrise 6:54 PM, sunset 6:35 PM, end 8 PM, Tuesday, March 7, 2023
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
![[Banks Lake Boat Ramp, Boats on the lake, sunset, moonrise 2021-02-2021]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-03-07--banks-lake-full-worm-moon/many.jpg)
Banks Lake Boat Ramp, Boats on the lake, sunset, moonrise 2021-02-2021
Update 2023-05-06: Dollar General developer and property owner sue Lowndes County about rezoning denial –VDT 2023-05-03.
Update 2023-01-29: Lowndes County nixes planned Dollar General –VDT 2023-01-26.
Update 2023-01-24: Videos: new attorney, VLDA appointment, Dollar General rezoning, 2 infrastructure, special assessment rate, VOCA @ LCC Work 2023-01-23.
I sent this letter to the Lowndes County Commission today as PDF.
Here’s how
you can also ask the Commissioners to deny this rezoning.
http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/?p=23351
![[Please deny commercial rezoning in agricultural area --WWALS to Lowndes County Commission 2023-01-23]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-01-23--wwals-lowndes-county-dollar-general/many.jpg)
Please deny commercial rezoning in agricultural area –WWALS to Lowndes County Commission 2023-01-23
January 23, 2023
To: Lowndes County Commission and Staff
Re: REZ-2022-20 for a Dollar General, GA 122 @ Skipper Bridge Road
Please deny the proposed rezoning at GA 122 and Skipper Bridge Road from Estate Agriculture to Crossroads Commercial.
We don’t need more clearcutting, impervious surface, petroleum runoff, and trash, uphill from the Withlacoochee River, setting a precedent for further sprawl into a forestry and agricultural area, costing the county money, and everybody downstream as well.
This rezoning decision affects the entire county and everybody downstream all the way into Florida, for drinking water, flood prevention, wildlife, river water quality, and quality of life. Continue reading