Protests before Duke Energy CEO offered two awards
November 16th, 2009 by Rhiannon Bowman in Biz, News
About a dozen protesters hung out in front of the Mecklenburg County Courthouse this afternoon, some in costume. There were the usual picket signs, then there was the depiction of a coal industry executive forcing a blindfolded Justice to her knees. (Photos below.)
Originally, the group — which includes members of several environmental organizations — planned to protest during the trial of Ken Davies. He’s a local attorney who was arrested during the April protest at Duke Energy headquarters in Uptown, along with roughly 40 of his fellow protesters. (See photos from that protest here.)
The crime? They became trespassers when they voluntarily crossed a pink line spray-painted on the sidewalk. Of the 40 arrested in April, 30 have already paid their debt to society — either through community service or by paying court costs. The final 10? Their charges were dropped last week.
Davies attempted to subpoena Jim Rogers, the company’s CEO, to testify at his trial. He hoped Rogers would show and defend the company’s Cliffside Steam Station (a coal plant), located about 50 miles from Uptown Charlotte.
Bruce Lillie, a supervisor in the D.A.’s office, says — despite appearances — the court’s decision to drop their charges against Davies, and nine others, was coincidental and doesn’t have anything to do with Davies’ attempt to subpoena Rogers. More, Lillie says, he wasn’t aware Rogers was being honored tonight by the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce.
“Our feeling was we had convicted a lot of people already involved with this case,” said Lillie. Plus, he added, he heard that the protesters who didn’t plead guilty planned to use their court time to draw attention to their cause — and, he said, that isn’t a good use of the court’s time.
“From a practical standpoint,” he said, “the court doesn’t have the resources to turn a trespassing case into a 2-3 day trial.”
When Davies’ trespassing charge was dropped, plans for the protest got confused said Brian Seaton, one of the protests organizers. He expects a bigger crowd of protesters to show up tonight, at the Convention Center. The protest will begin at 5:30 and the group plans to hold their own award ceremony at 6:30.
Tonight, while Rogers is inside accepting the 2009 Citizen of the Carolinas Award, the protesters plan to honor him as Hypocrite of the Year.
They say he’s a “greenwasher” because he says he’s in favor of promoting alternative energy production while constructing a new coal fired plant.
“Among the things that are harmful to our planet,” said Donna Lisenby, of Appalachian Voices and the Upper Watauga Riverkeeper, “coal-fired plants are among the worst things.”
Duke Energy representative, Tom Williams, isn’t bothered by the protests. Instead, he says, “We admire the people who are protesting. We admire their passion and enthusiasm.”
He says his boss, Jim Rogers, has already testified under oath about Cliffside — to the North Carolina Utilities Commission and didn’t have anything to do with the protesters’ trespassing cases.
So far, all efforts by environmentalists to halt construction at Cliffside have failed.
November 16th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Thank heaven for the Greenwashers! They have enough common sense to know that this alt energy stuff is a bunch of BS.
I noticed the blind justice in the photo. Is this the same blind justice that is about to use a racial quota system to remove death sentences in NC due to racial statistics. The new law will ignore guilt and sickness of the murder victim. If you can prove blacks were convicted of killing white women above some set point and sentenced to death they will have their sentence reduced. Such a travesty coming from the liberals in NC.
I also think of our new supreme court judge that thinks Latina women can make better decisions and white men.
I love Tara’s show BTW
November 16th, 2009 at 11:00 pm
Frank, you sound like you’re stuck in a bygone era. Before you address the issue of common sesne, you had first better make certain that you have any sense, common or otherwise.
November 17th, 2009 at 9:54 am
So Mr Jack why not tell everyone where I am wrong? It should be very simple. I think you are stuck in a government school mentality, AKA ignorant. Just like 99% of every other liberal, you don’t even bother to point out what is wrong with what I have said. All you can do is toss around insults. Put up or shut up dude.
November 17th, 2009 at 11:12 am
Frank, it’s really interesting that you accuse others of tossing around insults. You insult everyone and rarely have a good word to say about anything.
As far as where you’re wrong — you’re wrong all the time. For someone to make a list would take entirely too long. Anyone who follows Creative Loafing’s blog and your daily comments knows you’re just full of spit, vinegar and GOP talking points.
As far as this post — Why wouldn’t you want the U.S. to gain an edge in the alternative energy industry? You say it’s B.S., then why is every other industrialized nation ahead of us? Why is Charlotte’s Duke Energy installing solar panels and in talks with China? The only thing about alternative energy that’s B.S. are your opinions.
As far as the death penalty, several people on death row — across the country — have been proven innocent. Are you suggesting we not review that system?
And, your next to last point — about Judge Sotomayor — didn’t make any sense. As if you can’t finish a thought during your drunk commenting tirades.
As far as Tara’s show, never heard of it. I listen to news not opinion, facts not hearsay.
November 17th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Its good of you to make an honest attempt What?.
Let school begin!
“You insult everyone and rarely have a good word to say about anything.”
I do not insult everyone. You would be correct if you said insult those who insulted me and/or people that say crazy stuff.
“For someone to make a list would take entirely too long.”
I did not ask anyone to make a list! I asked for an example. I see that you have taken my advice even if you did not know it hehe.
” Why wouldn’t you want the U.S. to gain an edge in the alternative energy industry?”
Because alt energy is a net loser. It causes lots of pollution to make solar and wind machines. It would take many many years to break even Co2 wise and many might never have a payback in real dollars cost wise. With Man Made Global Warming being a myth, the uninformed will pay for a solution without a problem.
“You say it’s B.S., then why is every other industrialized nation ahead of us?”
In rare capacity we are in the lead. As a percentage of power we are not in the lead. Due to what I said above this is a good thing. This means that we are not the biggest loser. So you statement shows that every other industrialized nation is behind us.
‘Why is Charlotte’s Duke Energy installing solar panels and in talks with China?”
The government is providing subsidies that make green energy affordable and profitable. This is why Duke energy is installing them at the moment. If you take the free government money away I bet they would scrap any future development.
To help you understand the economics of this I will help you out. If a solar panel costs 100 dollars to produce but the break even cost was say 80 dollars then most people will not buy them. If the government provides a free 50 dollars for every solar panel you buy all of a sudden it becomes a great deal for the individual. The customer would see 100 – 50 = 50 dollars for the panel. Since 50 dollars is well below the break even point it makes for a good decision to buy one. The real cost of the panel is still 100 dollars and we as a society will suffer since the money used to buy the panel came from tax payers hence the line there are no free lunches. It also reminds me of the line of visible beneficiaries (whoever bought the panel) and invisible victims ( the tax payers ). So anyways, Duke is profiting while we all lose money on every single panel that they buy.
“The only thing about alternative energy that’s B.S. are your opinions.”
This puts you into which box I created for you hehe. I could provide you with links but you need the exercise so go gettem tiger.
“As far as the death penalty, several people on death row — across the country — have been proven innocent. Are you suggesting we not review that system?”
The legislation I am referring to has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with guilt or innocence. If an above average number of blacks were convicted and sentenced to death for killing white women, they can have their death sentence reduced to life. It is all based on stats and nothing about it is based on guilt or how horrible the crime was for the victims.
I have no problem with reviewing cases, especially if an innocent person is in jail but like I said what I am taking about has nothing to do with guilt or innocence and that is why it is so bad.
“And, your next to last point — about Judge Sotomayor — didn’t make any sense. As if you can’t finish a thought during your drunk commenting tirades.”
I did go way off on a tangent with this thought. Soto is a direct result of the softening of liberal grey matter. A judge that shows racist and sexist comments being made a supreme court judge just fit in so well with liberal stupidity. I also had the image of the scales of justice in mind at the time, due to the picture.
So there yea Mr. What?. Are my thoughts crazy and if so why. Restrict yourself to the points we have discussed because I know you liberals love to change the topic whenever you get yet another verbal thrashing.
BTW Tara’s show is 3-6 PM right after Rush’s show on 1110 AM if I remember correctly.
November 17th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
What a bunch of hypocrites! If you don’t like Duke Energy, then by all means disconnect your home’s electrical service and go back to using candles.
No one –ABSOLUTELY NO ONE– is forcing you to buy electricity.
So quit being such hypocrites and disconnect your electrical service if you truly despise Duke Energy.
And quit complaining about China you morons. Every decade Americans pick a country to hate. Back in the 80’s it was Russia, back in the 90’s it was Iraq, now, it’s China.
Get a life!
If it wasn’t for China you wouldn’t even be able to afford a cheeseburger!
November 17th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
I see you are keeping it real Brickell!
Nice post.
December 1st, 2009 at 9:34 pm
[...] on, November 16, protesters objected to two awards given to Duke CEO Jim Rodgers by the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce. Protesters offered their own awards to Rodgers in a mock [...]