Columns Archive

PLEASE UNDERSTAND THIS!

– February 3, 2012Posted in: Columns, Ted Anderson

Written by Ted Anderson. Insurance agent Ted W. Anderson worked in sales for half a century, has lived in Albany since 1993. He is president of Dover Lane Neighborhood Watch. Send email to him at aj@thealbanyjournal.com.

Please understand what entitlements are and what they aren’t…esp. what they aren’t! This is especially important to understand this at this time during the election year when we have politicians out there spreading a lot of mistruths. One very important thing that entitlements are not is our Social Security. I guess that they think we are all stupid! Well, we aren’t all stupid!

Let me again make this very clear. Social Security is not an entitlement like politicians are stating. They don’t have to reduce it. It isn’t their money. It is all our money, every bit of it. On top of that they have been stealing it from us! You and I, and our employers too, are the ones contributing to this fund which totals 15 percent. Not one penny belongs to the government and they have been taking money out of this fund to pay for things where their programs are running short. This is definitely stealing and we need to get it stopped immediately.

This is a bigger Ponzi scheme than Bernie Madhoff ever even imagined and it has been going on a long time, I guess, because the citizens of our country don’t realize what is going on back there in Washington along with a lot of other things. We don’t have the money for a lot of things we are doing especially with regard to foreign countries including the homes of our enemies like Bin Laden.

For one thing, we are sending aid to Haiti, Chile, Turkey, and Pakistan. Hundreds of billions of dollars and tons of food is going to these and other countries while we have homeless all over the place in THIS country camping out under bridges! Many of our seniors are living in poverty because they are on small fixed incomes. We say that we don’t have money to take care of the wounds of our fighting men when they return home after risking their lives many times for people who come right out and shout that they hate us as they burn our flags! We have orphans who need a lot of help that aren’t getting it. America, shame on you!

How dare that our leaders allow this to happen. How do they go to sleep at night knowing that this is happening on their watch? All this is going on as our politicians live the life of luxury especially after they quit and continue their income until death, then their wives have that income to their death, and while they are alive, they have also a special medical care program different than ours, the general public, and which takes care of them very well. Shame on all of you responsible for this!

One last thing, I am told the following to be true. We and our employers put about 15 percent into the Social Security Fund so we can take care of ourselves after we retire (if the government doesn’t steal any of it). If you averaged only $30,000 in wages per year over your working life, you would accumulate about $220,000, I am told. If you received a simple 5 percent interest on your money, the future value of your money accumulated would be about $892,919 after 49 years. If you took out only 3 percent, I understand that you’d receive about $27,000 per year and it would last for 30 years! If the government left our fund alone, we would have reasonable amount to live on…not the way it is today. We are being robbed by our government which is not big surprise to me. Is it to you?

All this is going on as our government officials and employees live the life of luxury including the Golden Parachutes that they have set up for themselves. Get educated to what is really going on and don’t let these politicians fool you with all their lies.

Tags: Ted Anderson

I love the Internet

– February 1, 2012Posted in: Amanda Denton, Columns

Amanda Denton

So here I am- sitting, watching/listening to Modern Family, trying to think of a topic of a post (I’m working on one involving my best friend’s hatred of pork but that needs finessing) and I’m stuck.

Of course I turn to the internet.

I found a list of writing prompts and even though I don’t know the person/machine that generated this one, they clearly know me, and my mother.

…..5 quirks I like about my mother…..

Oh Mawtha, this is going to be fun.

1.Her proclivity for pluralizing. Example- as kids she would ask us to clean our rooms and when it wasn’t done she would come and point out things that we had missed. For this example let’s imagine that there is a hanger in the floor, a shirt hanging on a chair, and a book in the floor. My mom’s reaction would be to say “There are hangers everywhere! Shirts on every chair in here! Books all over the place!”

She has done this for as long I’ve known her and it has never ceased to be funny. I would not suggest laughing while she’s mad though, it never helps the situation.

2.When talking to her, she will mimic your facial expressions. It is especially hysterical when you are telling a funny or sad story.

3.She always tried to not let us see her laughing at us by hiding behind a napkin. Because it is perfectly normal dinner table behavior to cover one’s face with a napkin and shake while occasionally letting a snort escape. Totally fooled us.

4. Her overreactions to little things are a sight to behold. Example- she and my sister flew into Atlanta to visit Georgia Tech back when my sister was considering grad school. I went up there to pick them up and we were going to go to the CNN Museum before we headed down south. I pulled into the parking lot and as is custom with many pay lots, I rolled my window down to grap the ticket thingie. I don’t think to roll my window back up until we park. Now it is summer time in Georgia, so it was a wee bit hot, but but Mawtha’s reaction to this was a little bit extreme. She turned, noticed the open window, and in the most aghast voice possible goes, “WHY IS THE WINDOW OPEN?”. I would not expect her tone to be any different than if I had just murdered my baby sister right in front of her eyes. This open window? Treason of the highest order.

5. No matter how old we get, she never stops being our mom. One day I was standing in their kitchen eating something, and got a drip on my shirt. With cat like reflexes, my mom leaps across the kitchen, grabs a wet cloth, and starts cleaning my shirt. All while I stand there rather stunned that at 32 years old, my mom was cleaning me. Or when we were standing in line at something at their church and one of my sibling’s old teachers came by and asked how said sibling was doing. My mom feels the need to step in, “She’s GREAT! She’s doing this and that and oh and this and she’s just great!” My mom- a cheerleader to the end.

So there you have it- 5 quirks I like about my mother. Good times.

Tags: Amanda Denton

Raising teenagers means taking nothing personally

– February 1, 2012Posted in: Brett Buckner, Columns

Brett Buckner is an award-winning freelance newspaper/magazine writer who was raised in Albany.

I’ll admit to being wounded. Though I’ll never be confused as being overly sensitive in the weepy-power-ballad sort of way, I do have feelings, and they can be easily hurt.

Despite what most teenagers think, parents are people too.

Granted, I could’ve avoided such heartache had I only left the bedroom door closed, ignoring the mess within, but there was something on the other side whispering to me … “Come and see.”

Allow me to explain.

My Lovely Wife is a social creature while I’m as outgoing as the Unabomber, but compromise is what successful marriages (at least the ones that last longer than an episode of Celebrity Wife Swap) are all about. So I use cleaning as a coping mechanism for any welling anxiety – such as extended visits from her family, which is where our story begins.

The house doesn’t NEED to be cleaned, but it’ll make me feel less anxious, not to mention avoiding the temptation to open a frothy adult beverage hours before anyone arrives.

I dust. I vacuum. I piddle and pick stuff up. I arrange and rearrange. I fluff and fold laundry, wipe down countertops and scrub toilet bowls until I feel settled and ready to entertain.

With everything else finished, my eyes are drawn to the only closed door in the house. With fear in my heart and an armload of cleaning supplies, I take a deep and enter The Diva’s lair.

I’m not suppose to go in there, not out of some sort of “It’s her room and she deserves privacy” pledge. It’s because her room makes me itch. It’s almost impressive the mess that child can generate in such a relatively small space.

But because it was the day after it had been her duty to do so, The Diva’s room was supposed to be clean. I simply wanted to clean it better. If cleaning is an art, then The Diva still works with finger paints.

I’m lousy at parental discretion. I’m more like an atomic bomb, only instead of collateral damage I leave the scent of Lemon Pledge in my wake.

After dumping the paraphernalia of the teenager – dirty Q-tips, face-scrubbing pads, electric hair straightner – into an open drawer, I was about to leave when something caught my eye. Tossed in a dark corner was a family photo, one of the last pictures taken before Jellybean’s arrival.

But something was missing. In a fit of anger, The Diva had torn off my head.

I had known this day would come, though my imagination hadn’t conjured up this scenario. I assumed it would be her shouting, “You’re not my real father,” during an argument or waking up duct-taped and my bed on fire after asking her to clean up the dinner dishes.

This … was mean.

The night before, after dozens of reminders, I took her phone and TV privileges. This was met by huffing-and-puffing before finally being punctuated by the slamming of her bedroom door.

She’s still cute, even when acting possessed. But she finished her chores and got her phone back. I assumed that was the end of it.

I tried to laugh it off, putting it back on the night stand, like a warning. “Now you know that I know.” That was sure to keep her up at night.

But I had to let it go. Raising teenagers means having a short memory. Besides, next week it’ll be My Lovely Wife’s turn to be focus of The Diva’s rage.

Guess I’d better hide the family photo album.

Contact Brett Buckner at brettbuckner@ymail.com

Tags: Brett Buckner

Chamber, CVB shake-up: After the dust settled

– February 1, 2012Posted in: Headlines, Walter L. Johnson II

Written by Walter L. Johnson II

Almost one full month into 2012, change has come to the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Albany Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Such changes have recently reached the top, as Catherine Glover left her job as President and CEO of the chamber at the start of the New Year, to take a position as the Vice President of Global Business Development at Equinox Chemicals.

But the changes don’t end at the top within the Chamber, as Jenny Collins, who served as the assistant to the president up until the end of 2011, left to become the Marketing and Communications Manager of the CVB to start 2012.

If that wasn’t enough, Deborah Bowie, replaced the late Wendy Martin as the Chamber’s Senior Director of Public Policy and Communications in June 2011. Martin died in May 2011 after a long battle with cancer.

It was just time to make a change

Glover, who started her new position at Equinox on Jan. 9, says that after more than two decades of working in chambers of commerce, it was simply time for a change.

“After almost a quarter of a century doing what I do, which is economic development and working with businesses, thousands of businesses, over that time, it was just time to make a change,” explained Glover.

“Although I wasn’t looking for this opportunity, when it came to my doorstep, it was absolutely ideal,” Glover added. “I could stay here in Albany, and I could work alongside a business owner that is growing, and someone that believes in Albany as much as I do.”

From the Chamber to the CVB

After working with the Chamber for almost 10 years, including the last several years as being the Assistant to the President, Jenny Collins began her tenure with the Albany Convention and Visitors Bureau as its marketing and communications manager at the start of this year.

An Albany native, Collins says her passion for understanding the needs of customers drew her to her current position with the CVB.

“I have always loved that field in relating to the consumer, and trying to see what the market is wanting, and providing it, so I’ve always had an interest in that,” Collins said.

Additionally, Collins added, the opportunity to sell her hometown to potential tourists and residents is the one of the things she likes most about her job.

“The aspect that really attracted me (to the position) is selling Albany to visitors, letting them know what we have to offer, and hopefully, make them love it as much I love it.”

Collins says that things are starting to come together for the CVB, including the formation of multiple committees.

“We’re really starting to, really build the committees that we have,” explained Collins, “with the hospitality committee, the sports marketing committee, really promoting Albany as a destination for some motor coaches.

“So we’ve got some wonderful ideas, down the pipeline in 2012, and I’m looking forward to working on all of them.”

Giving Georgia a “competitive” advantage

Although she has only been on the job for more than seven months, Deborah Bowie has already seen a significant difference between Albany, and her previous hometown of Birmingham, Ala.

“The Albany community is a “family-centric” community,” Bowie said. “I’m the mother of small children, of triplets. So, we were just in love with the community from the first visit here. It’s a great place to raise children, and it’s a town of convenience.

“I think that an outsider, you have a different perspective about what a community offers. To me, Albany is beautiful, has a moderate temperature, it’s located not too far from the beach, not too far from Orlando, it’s a great location.

“The industry here is diverse enough where I think the community has some layers of protection, that you don’t have all of your industry sectors in one place.”

Bowie also believes that a new initiative designed to help foster economic development throughout Georgia could help Albany and southwest Georgia a competitive advantage in the coming years.

“What there has not been is a comprehensive economic development initiative strategy,” Bowie said, “that now seems to be front and center in (Georgia Governor Nathan Deal’s) administration, it’s a plan that we support.

Protecting Albany’s status as a “Tier 1” community is also a high priority with the Chamber, Bowie added.

“We are also on the record with our legislative agenda to say to the Governor, that we want to protect as a “Tier 1” community,” Bowie said. “That is a status that we cannot afford to lose.

“It allows us certain incentives that other communities do not have, and so we see (2012) as a huge opportunity, not just for the state of Georgia, but particularly for regions of the state that will benefit from what we will know will happen in Savannah.”

What does what happens in Savannah have to do with what eventually might happen in Albany? Bowie says that has to do with the potential widening of the port in coastal Georgia’s largest city.

“Even (Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed) has been on record supporting the widening, (the) deepening of the Savannah port, because we all understand that all regions of Georgia together, can be a very strong player on the economic development, international stage, if we make all the right investments.”

Encouraging new ideas

Although her tenure as the President and CEO of the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce is over, Glover’s quest to bring meaningful jobs to Albany is far from over.

As a Massachusetts native who has called southwest Georgia home since late 2008, she encourages longtime residents and newcomers to accept people with new ideas, as well as new ways of thinking.

“Although I’ve only lived in Albany a little more than three years now, it is my home. My parents have lived in Fitzgerald, and they’ve been (there) almost 18 years now.

“So, coming here, and staying here, and wanting to be here, is important, and I encourage the residents of Albany, and the businesses of Albany, to embrace people like me, who come in with new ideas and new opportunities, and don’t want to leave, and accept change.

“I’d like to say how much I appreciate living here, and I appreciate this community,” Glover said. “I appreciate the close-knit family feel, the quality of life truly, that we have here, and the ability to stay in this community, and to be successful with a very successful company.”

Tags: chamber of commerce, cvb, Walter L. Johnson II

Far- Infrared Sauna; the Warmth of the Sun

– January 30, 2012Posted in: Columns, Nature's Cure

What is Far-Infrared heat? Infrared light is part of the sun’s invisible spectrum. One of Far-Infrared light’s characteristics is the ability to easily penetrate human tissue. When this happens, it creates a natural resonance, which has many beneficial properties. The Far-Infrared heat (FIR light waves) penetrates your skin, giving you that wonderful natural warmth. You can be exposed to Far-Infrared heat for hours and it will never cause your skin to burn. Far Infrared heat is completely healthy and safe for all living things.

Far-Infrared Sauna Treatment; In today’s world, everyone is exposed to toxins and is carrying a heavy toxic load. Far-infrared sauna therapy is one of the safest and most powerful ways to eliminate toxic metals, toxic chemicals and chronic infections. Fat-soluble chemicals and toxins can be concentrated in the fat storage tissues of the body (primarily adipose tissue). To mobilize and eliminate these unwanted chemicals and toxins low temperature saunas can be very useful.

Detoxification; In one study performed by American researchers, the sweat of people using a conventional sauna was found to be 95 to 97% water while the sweat of those using an infrared thermal system was 80 to 85% water with the non-water portion principally cholesterol, fat soluble toxins, toxic heavy metals (such as mercury and aluminum), sulfuric acid, sodium, ammonia and uric acid. This unusually high concentration of heavy metals and other fat-soluble toxins is not found in the sweat from normal exercise.

Heart Disease; 25 patients were treated in an Infrared Sauna for 15 minutes once a day for 2 weeks. The results showed significantly lowered blood pressure, measureable weight loss, lowered cholesterol, and increased blood flow.

Some other health benefits of Far-Infrared Sauna are:

Weight loss: Can help burn up to 600 or more calories in just one 30 minute session.
Beauty: Is excellent for increasing blood circulation to the skin, which is essential for beautiful, youthful, glowing skin
Scars on skin: Scars fully formed may be gradually softened. Burns and other wounds or incisions may heal with significantly reduced scarring.
Cellulite: European beauty specialists confirm that a Far Infrared Sauna will greatly speed any anti-cellulite program.
Pain relief: Effective for arthritis, back pain, muscle spasms, headache, etc.
Relaxation & Meditation: Stress reduction, relaxation and general wellness.
Cardiovascular benefits: Provides cardio training without exertion.

Jami Jones is a Natural Health Consultant and owner of Nature’s Cure in Albany.

Tags: Health, Nature's Cure

Southernese

– January 30, 2012Posted in: Bill Waller, Columns

billwaller Written by Bill Waller. Mr. Waller is a author and contributor local blog, Southwest Georgia Politics. He enjoys writing, traveling, and researching history. He currently resides in Albany, Georgia.

It seems that Hollywood, especially reality TV shows, cannot get enough of all things southern! Sons of Guns, Call Of The Wild Man, Swamp People, Bayou Billionaires, My Big Fat Redneck Vacation, Moonshiners, are all shows about us unique southern people. Some of those shows are less than flattering towards us, but we have captured the interests of television producers none the less.

One of the things that make the south so unique is our way of talking. The southern accent sets us apart from the rest of the nation. I recently read a news article that said the new Apple’s Siri, which responds to voice commands, cannot figure out the southern accent. Siri allows a person to operate their iPhone using his or her voice. (Honestly, sometimes I think that technology is becoming a bit too spooky, but that is for another article.) Siri does not speak Southernese, and yet they call it a smart phone? Hmm… Apple uses a song from Albany’s own Ray Charles in their official commercial for Siri, but it is unlikely that Siri would be able to understand Ray’s voice. Ain’t that the berries?

There are various expressions that used to be part of everyday speech here in the south. With so many outside influences on the southern culture today such as television, much of that is fading away. Hold on to your hats now y’all because I’m fixin’ to tell you some!

I did some work with an older gentleman during the summer last year who would instruct me to “…grab that board over yonder and slide it in my direction just a scosher tad.” Now, every self respecting Southerner knows the difference between a scosh, a scosher tad, a smidgen, and just a tad. For our northern neighbors, a tad is a small, almost insignificant amount, a smidgen is less than that, a scosher tad is really quite small, and a scosh is the smallest of all.

One day I asked when we were going to tackle a project around the house, and the old man said that we would get on it directly. That of course meant that we would work on it when we got around to it, but it would likely be sooner rather than later. He has some health issues and on an average day when I asked him how he was doing, he will tell me that he was fair to middling. I knew then that things are not great, but they could be worse.

I reckon some of y’all ain’t heard these ol’ sayings in a coon’s age. That is rather sad too. I ‘spect that it won’t be long before they are all gone with the wind. Our speech and our colloquialisms are a rich heritage. It is such a blessing to be born in the Southland

Tags: Bill Waller

Helpful tips from Dougherty County Sheriff Kevin Sproul

– January 30, 2012Posted in: Columns, Kevin Sproul

Kevin Sproul has been with the Dougherty County Sheriff’s Office since 1982 and has served as sheriff since 2008.

TASERs

As the Sheriff of Dougherty County I have the opportunity to speak to many civic groups and organizations throughout our community. During these times, I am often asked questions about the operation of the Sheriff’s Office or about law enforcement issues. Lately, however, I have been asked a surprising number of questions relating to TASERs and stun guns. Many people are curious, not only about the devices being used by law enforcement, but about those available to civilians.

I think it is important for anyone who is interested to have the best, most accurate information available. One thing I can tell you is that you will not get accurate information by watching television. The effectiveness of a TASER or stun gun is greatly dramatized on television. Do they work? Yes. Do they knock someone unconscious? No. They simply disrupt the normal electrical flow through some of the body’s nerves.

There is a difference between a TASER and a stun gun. TASERs and similar devices fire small projectiles called “probes” that are connected to the hand-held unit by small filament wires through which the energy is conducted. Stun guns are hand-held units that have stationary probes mounted on one end of the device and require the operator to place the unit in direct contact with the target in order to deliver the charge. Both units use high levels of voltage but very low amperage to achieve their effect without causing significant injury.

You can think of the body’s nerves as “internal wiring.” The energy from the TASER or stun gun passes through the tissues of the body between the probes of the device. While travelling that distance, the energy passes through nerves and then enters the body’s “wiring system,” causing the desired effect. The greater the distance between the probes, the greater the effect on the target. TASERs and similar devices which fire projectiles usually achieve greater separation of probes than stun guns. That is one reason why law enforcement prefers them. Another reason is that TASERs can be deployed from a distance, which is safer for the law enforcement officer.

Many civilians are attracted to the safety and effectiveness of TASERs as well, which generally allows the subject to be incapacitated from twice the effective distance of pepper spray. Interestingly, the TASER was originally developed for civilians, not law enforcement. The idea was to give people an option of incapacitating a subject while they escaped the situation. TASERs for civilians are generally a bit less expensive than a handgun and may be a more acceptable solution for personal safety than a deadly weapon. More information may be found at the company’s website.

While TASERs and stun guns are not deadly weapons, they are still weapons of self defense and should be treated with respect. Anyone considering purchasing and carrying any type of weapon should become familiar with the law regarding the legal possession of the weapon they choose, as well as any locations at which such weapons are prohibited.

If you have any questions about TASERs, stun guns, or other personal safety options, please feel free to contact my office at (229) 430-6508.

Tags: Dougherty County Sheriff Kevin Sproul

College Costs

– January 27, 2012Posted in: Columns, Jim Wilcox

Written by Jim Wilcox, general manager of WALB.

The Georgia Student Finance Commission told lawmakers recently that lottery proceeds cannot keep up with the demand for scholarships. That means the financial burden on the student and his family will increase, and it’s no wonder.

The problem is that the cost of higher education has grown at a ridiculous rate.

The College Board says tuition and fees at public universities have surged almost 130% over the last 20 years — while middle class incomes have stagnated.

Since 1988, if incomes had kept up with surging college costs, the typical American would be earning $77,000 a year. But according to the latest data available — the median income was $33,000. Adjusted for inflation, the middle class actually earned $400 less than it did in 1988.

CNN contributor Richard Vedder, director of the Center for College Affordability and Productivity, said recently that Americans spend 42% more on higher education now than we did in 2000.

Again, while real spending power has declined for the middle class.

Vedder, who knows higher education from the inside, says that too many times, the customer is seen as faculty, influential alumni, administrators, and politicians.

But college presidents and their governing boards need to understand who the customer is.

He is the student and family members who are on the hook to pay for college. And higher education needs to get that message sooner than later.

New GHSA Rules

The Georgia High School Association last week voted to hold separate championships in all sports for public and private schools in Class A.

The move will most likely keep a large number of small public schools, many here in south Georgia, from leaving the GHSA to form their own league.

The Class A public schools believe they are not able to compete on a level field against private schools who are able and have to recruit students.

To back up their claim, The public schools point to the high number of state titles private schools have won in Class A in all GHSA athletic and academic competitions.

Private schools are naturally not happy and now some of them are said to be considering leaving the GHSA for the Georgia Independent School Association.

If some of them do, it might be best for everyone concerned since the GISA membership consists of private schools who have similar missions and also have to recruit students.

The disturbing trend in high school sports is the emphasis for some private and public high schools to win championships.

While the purpose of athletic competition is to of course to win, it is also important to have students participating in the extracurricular athletic and academic activities.

And it is hard to get kids to put down their computer games and ipods to take part in activities when even they can see the playing field is not fair.

Tags: Jim Wilcox, WALB

MUSLIM LAWS USED IN THE USA?

– January 27, 2012Posted in: Columns, Ted Anderson

As most of you know, Dearborn, Michigan has a large population of Muslims and now, I understand that they have threatened and convinced the State of Michigan to allow them to apply their laws to their people living in that state. That’s right, they are living in the United States and they don’t have to pay any attention to OUR laws……only their own Sharif Law. That’s like saying that they are taking over now that we allowed them to come to our country and live here. Can you imagine us going to say France and telling them that we are moving there and not paying any attention to their laws?

Why are we letting them get away with this behavior? Remember, regardless what others are saying, these people are our sworn enemies and it is their object to get rid of (literally) anyone that doesn’t agree with the Koran or their way of thinking. It is their way or the highway. They have everyone afraid of them and who wouldn’t be with all their threats and living in many countries that are extremely afraid to stand up to them. And now we are starting to fall into that same category here in the good ole USA. It is time to stop all this type of thinking and get us a strong President not the type that we currently have in place at the moment. I have never felt so embarrassed as I have since the Liberals voted in Obama.

How about you? Or do you think that we are a strong nation with a lacking in the area of programs that provide a living to those who refuse to work and who want Big Government to take care of them? I certainly hope that the past four years have demonstrated how very weak Obama is and how lacking in experience he is pertaining to being the leader of the Free World.

I will bet that you have heard what the President in Australia is making very clear in her country. Australia is their (Australia’s) country and those who come there to live must speak THEIR language, follow their laws, and if they don’t like it, they can leave their country immediately. They aren’t putting up with any of the horse manure that is going on in our country these days. It seems to me that WE used to be strong and were in control in this land of ours. What happened here? Oh, how I would like Ronald Reagan to reappear and make us feel good again about our country. There has to be another Ronald Reagan out there somewhere that we could convince to run for our President.

Tags: Ted Anderson

Moving Dollars Around Isn’t Growth

– January 27, 2012Posted in: Columns, Headlines, Lon McNeil

Lon McNeil is an independent marketing consultant in Albany and can be reached at lonmcneil@gmail.com.

For as long as I can remember, Albany’s plan for economic development has always centered on building up, or rejuvenating specific geographical sections of our community. When I was a kid, the buzz was all about expansion efforts in Northwest Albany. The Albany Mall, Wal-Mart, and a host of mini-strip outlets, slowly drove the vast majority of shoppers and businesses away from our core, and out to the burbs and beyond. All was well.

The future seemed bright until we turned around to see the big empty spot where retail was once king; Downtown Albany. As businesses left there, government and professional offices moved in. Vital aspects of our city to be sure, but not the sort of development that one can get excited about. Then SPLOST money and other government funded programs gave us a “new” downtown. The multi-million dollar Flint Riverquarium, Ray Charles Park and the riverfront improvements, The Hilton Garden Inn, upgrades at Thronateeska Heritage Center, including a one-of-a kind planetarium, and a revitalized CVB Welcome Center at the Riverhouse, all played a role in our efforts to turn Downtown Albany back into the center of social and economic strength it once was.

Yet, we still struggle. True, this may not be the best time in the economy to take an honest look at how we are doing in Albany, but it’s not something we can put off. The offerings of both the Northwest retail districts, Lee County, and Downtown Albany, all have merit and play a key role in our future. The problem is not the ideas, or the geography. The problem is the people. We just don’t have enough people, with enough money to spend here, to keep all segments busy at the same time.

With large plant closings, a rising crime rate, and other concerns, our population has steadily dropped. This leaves businesses and our attractions fighting for those remaining pocket books. If Downtown takes off like everyone hopes it will, there will be a drop in business somewhere else. We desperately need to attract new people to Albany, either as visitors, shoppers, or residents. That is the only way we will have real growth.

It’s never a good sign when regional attractions such as Chehaw and Riverquarium spend so much of their time, money, and effort to get the local community through the doors, and even to become a “member” of their organization. They are failing to understand that their real value to the community is not what they can do for us, but what they can do to attract visitors, dare I say, tourists, to the Good Life City.

I’ve used this example before, but it’s a good one. Back in the mid-90s I lived in St. Augustine, Florida. I served on the marketing committee of the St. John’s County Chamber of Commerce. Not once, in all the many development meetings I participated in, was there any concern given to how best to get the locals into the Wax Museum, The Spanish Fort, The Old Jail, or Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum. They understood the basic math. Getting that demographic to spend money at the attractions was simply moving the local dollars around. It would add no new growth to the local economy. Their focus was on regional and national marketing programs and ad campaigns. That can be expensive, but it’s a certainty that any revenue generated was new money, not recycled money. Now, I’m not saying that we are on par with such a tourist centered economy as St. Augustine, but we can learn something from them.

Instead of our attractions all competing for local attention and wallets, they should combine their limited marketing budgets with the major hotels, restaurants, and the local arts institutions to develop a single message about Albany, and how we can be a great “weekend get-away”. That message should be delivered to the major cities around us like Tallahassee, Columbus, Jacksonville, Macon, Savannah, and even Atlanta. We should never hear about it. Those of us that have lived here for a long time, may not easily see what a great offering we have, but to those living in larger metropolitan areas, we make a great mini-vacation location to get away from the fast pace they are accustom to.

But our attractions and institutions do not work together to that mission. They see each other as competition, not partners. Nobody wants to surrender any control of their own message, so instead of having one powerful story to tell the outside world, we have half a dozen short stories we keep telling ourselves over and over, wondering why things don’t change.

Albany’s historical, territorial attitude, that keeps us debating on which portion of our community we should support, leads to our collective loss in serious growth. Maybe these hard times will force us to speak with one voice that will put new dollars in our one pocket called Albany.

Tags: Lon McNeil