Oak Level Citizens Against Forced Annexation will be holding a rally at the Rocky Mount City Hall Building on December 3, 2008. The address for the location is 331 S. Franklin St., Rocky Mount, NC 27082.
Sphere: Related ContentThe co-chair of Barack Obama’s Transition Team, Valerie Jarrett, appeared on Meet the Press this weekend and used, shall we say, an interesting word to described what she thinks Barack Obama will be doing in January when he’s officially sworn into office. She told Tom Brokaw that Obama will be ready to “rule” on day one. It’s a word that reflects the worst fears that people have for Obama the “arrogant,” the “messiah,” that imagines he’s here to “rule” instead of govern.
Jarret told Brokaw that “given the daunting challenges that we face, it’s important that president elect Obama is prepared to really take power and begin to rule day one.”
Someone needs to get to Jarrett and inform her that American politicians are not Kings and do not “rule” from office. But if this is the attitude of Obama’s transition team, what does The One himself imagine he is about to unleash? Could the fears that Obama thinks he is being anointed America’s King be far off with this sort of talk flying about?
Sphere: Related ContentRocky Mount Electricities Utilities Online Petition
Text of Petition:
The Rocky Mount Utilities are outrageous and need to be lowered. We do not have a choice to get our power from Progress Energy, so we have to buy our electric from the City of Rocky Mount. I enjoy living in the city, but the electric and gas rates are too high. We the citizens of Rocky Mount want our gas and electric rates lowered and want them to be comparative to Progress Energy. Many residents electric bills are almost more than their mortgage payment each month. (Mine is one of them) If there is a law for Price Gouging, then this matter should be addressed and investigated as such. The City of Rocky Mount has to buy their electricity from NCEMPA (American Public Power Association, American Public Gas Association and Electricities). I feel if we had a choice, the citizens of Rocky Mount would choose a different provider for our utilities. Now they are talking about another price increase in 2009 after we already had one in 2008. Please reply to this petition. If I can get 1000 people to respond, I will go to the next step, but I am young, energetic, and motivated, so I am willing to try to get our voices heard. I need everyone to help get our voice heard. Please sign this petition. Comment your feelings. Tell everyone you know that cares about our town’s wellness to sign the petition as well.
Here are some very interesting Numbers from one of the recent blogs on the Telegram Page:
Progress Energy,
Nashville electric prices are; 9.67c July-Oct Kwh
8.67c Nov- June Kwh (A decrease)
Rocky Mount- 12.91c Kwh. all year long.
If you need to know more about ElectriCities look at these sites.
http://www.rockymountnc.gov/utilities/faqs.html#8
and
http://www.electricities.com/index.htm
ElectriCities is a not-for-profit organization that is financed through membership fees and dues, as well as through rate and service revenue and tuition from training programs and workshops. Rocky Mounts annual due is $46,046. It is just interesting to look at this.
Sphere: Related ContentRoanoke Rapids and its taxpayers were victims of a scam by Randy Parton and his partners to induce the community into building a multi-million theater with little chance of the entertainment venue succeeding, according to a lawsuit filed in behalf of a local resident Thursday.
Sphere: Related ContentWhile admitting his own complicity in the Randy Parton Theater fiasco, Councilman Jon Baker says the proposed 5-cent property tax hike is a necessary evil and he has lost faith in the mayor and all but one of his fellow council members.
Sphere: Related Content“The economy is getting hit by some body blows. The big question is whether the economy can withstand it or will it take a fall,” said Ken Mayland, president of ClearView Economics. Hiring practically stalled in December, driving the nation’s unemployment rate up to a two-year high of 5 percent and fanning fears of a recession.
Sphere: Related ContentA new crisis is emerging, a global food catastrophe that will reach further and be more crippling than anything the world has ever seen.
This is why we promote becoming self-reliant and preparing for difficult times that lay ahead. Visit Deep Creek Survival and stock up on preparedness supplies and emergency food storage supplies now, before it’s too late.
Sphere: Related ContentLink to Article on WRAL-TV.com
The Roanoke Rapids City Council voted to replace Randy Parton as manager for the Randy Parton Theatre. The theatre has been having trouble breaking even ever since it’s beginning. Parton’s salary, paid by the taxpayer, will be slashed to $250,000 a year, down from 1.5 million per year. Poor Randy will have to live on hard times in one of the poorest counties in NC
You see, this is why public-private partnerships are BAD, BAD, BAD news for the taxpayer. Did I say it was bad? Some on the Roanoke Rapids City Council, who made the original contract with Randy Parton, thought that since it was a private venture (though using PUBLIC FUNDS) the theatre didn’t need to disclose the finances to the public. Au Contraire, Mon Fraire! That sounds like an easy way to cover fraud and corruption of select individuals in on the deal in the first place. But the City Council now promises that full transparency will be allowed. We shall see. Hey, where are all those jobs promised? Restaurant and retail jobs don’t pay enough for people to live on, you know.
Now, since Randy Parton’s salary is to be cut, will this also reduce the property tax burden recently endured by the people in Halifax County? I sincerely doubt it, at least not immediately. When it was announced that Carolina Crossroads and the Randy Parton theatre was to be built, property values in Halifax County started reaching astronomical values. Folks, who had worked all their lives and used their earnings to build themselves a place to call home, only to move because a few charlatans saw dollar signs, excuse me, tax revenue, is a sad aftershock of ridiculous deals, such as this.
All this, again, in one of the most poorest counties in North Carolina.
I remember one evening, I was visiting my parents a few years ago, when the phone rang. I answered it and a lady on the other line from somewhere in Raleigh, NC was asking if we had any property to sell. Why would someone, out of the blue no less, call up asking us that question. I told her in no uncertain terms that there was no way in heck we were selling anything to her or anyone else. Click. The real estate sharks looking to pilfer and profit off the local residents had begun. It was sickening to me to see that my hometown was to be carved up by greedy politicians and self-serving individuals, so that they could play bigshot for a day.
I’m going to repeat what Robert and I say on the show on a regular basis. Government cannot GIVE, what it MUST TAKE from you. This is why public-private partnerships are an unhealthy alliance of corrupt politicians and profit-driven corporations.
Let’s just hope Mr. Parton doesn’t sue the City of Roanoke Rapids and Halifax County like he did his sister Dolly Parton, because they wouldn’t give him anymore money to keep wasting away. The people of Roanoke Rapids and Halifax County should not are NOT beholden to Randy Parton.
Sphere: Related ContentA court ruling has given the Nash-Rocky Mount Board of Education possession of Life United Pentecostal Church’s land, but a price for the property is undetermined.
“We still don’t want to sell the church,” said Nick Ellis, Life United Pentecostal’s attorney. “They’ve taken it without our permission, but the law has said they can do that.”
Sphere: Related ContentThe following was a letter sent to the Rocky Mount Telegram. I suggest that we give Jennifer and Joshua Hammett support in what they’re doing. Here’s the letter.
Sphere: Related ContentThis letter is a call to arms of the citizens of Rocky Mount. We are looking for individuals who are tired of Rocky Mount city utility prices. So many people are tired of being robbed by this city, and it’s time that someone does something about it!
Families and individuals are moving out of Rocky Mount at a record rate. Most are looking to leave the city power behind and go somewhere more reasonable. Our power is higher than Raleigh, and there is no reason for it.
Rocky Mount does not have the income for the prices that are being charged. We live in the county and pay county taxes, yet we are forced to pay Rocky Mount city utilities. That is not right. Rocky Mount receives its utilities from Carolina Power & Light. Why does the city charge such a high premium? It is time to cut out the middleman and restore some integrity in Rocky Mount.
We are looking for individuals who are fed up with the nonsense. It is past time that we take a stand against our city of Rocky Mount and its council members and get something accomplished for the good of our city.
You can call us at 252-557-1146. We will compile a list and present it to the City Council.
Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.
JENNIFER & JOSHUA HAMMETT