VALDOSTA —
Despite months of warning that the sequestration budget cuts would bring large segments of American society to a halt, the nation continues to move forward nearly a week later.
We seem to have avoided the immediate chaos, panic and financial collapse once predicted as the aftermath of sequestration.
Compared with Valdosta’s flooding and subsequent infrastructure failures within the wastewater treatment plant, sequestration seems like some distant Washington, D.C., thing that has little to do with life in South Georgia.
Nonetheless, we are feeling the effects of sequestration — perhaps not as a flood, but as a slow and persistent drip that could increase here, there and everywhere in the coming weeks and months.
Though it had been planned for several months, The Times received a call early last week that sequestration may cancel the U.S. Coast Guard Band show scheduled for Valdosta. By the end of the week, the Coast Guard Band’s entire tour had been canceled.
This week’s edition of the Moody Volunteer, the Air Force base’s newspaper, reports that sequestration has cut aviation support at public events. This means aerial performers such as the Air Force Thunderbirds will be ending their seasons as early as April 1. Among other things, it also means the end of flyovers even for military funerals and graduations.
Meanwhile, as airports wrestle with losing towers to sequestered funding, Valdosta Regional Airport’s private status will allow it to continue operating.
In the coming weeks, South Georgia and the rest of the nation will likely experience the effects of other cuts. None possibly as sudden, drastic or dire as originally predicted. Perhaps, they may be small, yet, persistent and unexpected, but hopefully never enough to evoke the imagery of the ancient Chinese method of torture: Death by a thousand cuts.
What We Think
The first of a thousand cuts?
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Tornado: An aftermath of help
Seeing the massive path of destruction left in the wake of tornadoes in Oklahoma Monday was a sobering reminder of the power of spring storms.
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Thoughts on graduation
Graduation ceremonies reflect how life marches on. For the students receiving their diplomas and degrees, graduation is a culmination of the majority of their lives’ work.
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Thumbs up, thumbs down
THUMBS UP: To Dr. John Gaston, retiring dean of Valdosta State University’s College of the Arts. For the past 10-plus years, Gaston has worked to build a more interconnected program with various artistic and communications departments working together. Given that you are likely to see one College of the Arts department collaborating with another during events is proof of Gaston’s success.
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On the go this weekend
Take a breath.
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Sharing the roads with motorcycles
With the recent pleasant temperatures and sunny skies, the number of motorcycles on area roads has increased.
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Thank your local law enforcement today
Today, May 15, was designated Peace Officers Memorial Day back in 1962 when President John F. Kennedy was in office.
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Visit musical roots this weekend
Beginning Saturday, May 18, Nashville, Ga., will be hosting a special Smithsonian exhibit, “New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music.” The exhibit will continue through the end of June and Nashville has done a tremendous job in promoting and planning for the exhibit.
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Happy Mother’s Day!
A few years ago, a television commercial asked, Who first believed in you? Many folks may have instinctively answered by simply saying, Mom.
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Thumbs up
THUMBS UP: To mail workers, volunteers and food bank staff for gathering food for the annual Stamp Out Hunger postal food drive today. A plastic bag designated for canned goods and other non-perishable food items should have arrived in your mailbox earlier this week. If you haven’t already, take a few moments to fill the bag with food and hang from your mailbox. If you didn’t receive the special Stamp Out Hunger bag, any plastic bag filled with food will do. This food drive helps feed thousands of South Georgians annually. Valdosta-Lowndes County often donates more food than nearly all other cities and counties in Georgia.
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Celebrating nurses
She is considered the founder of modern nursing so it seems only natural that National Nurses Week would include Florence Nightingale’s birthday.
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Tornado: An aftermath of help
