Who is GSI Professional Corrections?

This is my best guess. (4.00 / 1)

GSI is a major subsidiary of L-3 Communications, a Fortune 500 company. Retired Lieutenant General Paul Cerjan took GSI's helm in May, after spending a year running Halliburton's multi-billion dollar military logistics contract in Iraq and around the world. source

After reading quite a bit about GSI, L3 communications, and particularly Halliburton's "logistics contracts", I'd bet even money that GSI parlayed with Halliburton to be the #1 subcontractor to build this proposed green zone-style dungeon -er "detention center" in Pendleton, WV. Particularly after checking out what retired Army lieutenant general Paul Cerjan did as vice president of KBR Worldwide Military Affairs, and before "taking the helm" with GSI.

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by: One Citizen @ Tue Aug 18, 2009 at 19:15:15 PM UTC

That almost seems to have (0.00 / 0)

a hint of a paranoid liberal fantasy with that assumption?  There are lots of companies both large and small named GSI.
While it may be entertaining to fantasize about some high powerful right-wing boogie man coming into WV, the reality is much smaller.
A few phone calls to a couple of those unnamed county officials or even the local press show the evidence to be far less synister than your "best guess".  

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by: carlomarx @ Thu Aug 20, 2009 at 16:54:55 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

sorry - sinister - n/t (0.00 / 0)

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by: carlomarx @ Thu Aug 20, 2009 at 17:03:47 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

please do illuminate (0.00 / 0)

Welcome to West Virginia Blue.

A small bit of advice. Starting off with negative comments about other commenters isn't going to earn a lot of credibility around here.

We're all very curious to learn more about GSI and the proposed detention center. If you want to persuade us there is no "right-wing boogie man coming into WV" (your words), the best way is to lay out the facts, not to cast aspirations on anyone else.

So, what did you find out from a few phone calls to "a couple of those unnamed county officials or even the local press"?

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by: Clem Guttata @ Thu Aug 20, 2009 at 20:25:23 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Thanks for the welcome. (0.00 / 0)

Advice noted, but I don't recall making negative comments about any commenters. The comment itself on the other hand deserved some light-hearted mockery. Especially since we have all seen lately how damaging and counterproductive it is when people with little to no knowledge of a situation make claims not backed up with fact.

Here is a link you can copy and paste: http://www.dnronline.com/detai...
Read that and plan to attend the public information meeting August 27th, 7pm at the Community Center in Franklin, WV.

After you read what passes as journalism in the DNR, scroll down and read the comments. They are a fabulous indication of not just some reality concerning the question posed by this diary, but also a nice glimpse into the sort of gross racism that is rampant in West Virginia.

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by: carlomarx @ Thu Aug 20, 2009 at 22:32:49 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

okay... and? (0.00 / 0)

Point well taken, you did well at making a negative comment about a comment, not the commenter. So far, though, other than providing one newspaper link, your comments have shown "little to no knowledge of a situation" as well.

Looking through those article comments all I learn about GSI is "GSI is a warehousing and shipping company with offices in Winchester, Va." There's nothing there to source that information--so far it is no more or less credible than the guess One Citizen made.

You made some bold assertions in your opening comment, implying you had definitive information about the company and project through independent research. Were you blowing smoke or can you say with certainty that this project was cooked up by a shipping company in Winchester with no expertise in the detention industry?

If you have more to share, please share it.

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by: Clem Guttata @ Thu Aug 20, 2009 at 23:11:10 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

If it is your opinion (0.00 / 0)

that I have little to no knowledge of the situation, then simply ignore me. If on the other hand you choose to believe I posted here in order to steer this community away from comically wild speculation and toward fact, then do a simple search using information found in those comments and come to the informational meeting in Franklin, WV.
As you can tell from the article, this has provoked some strong responses in that community and the public forum will provide ample information for those who come prepared for a dose of small town reality.

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by: carlomarx @ Thu Aug 20, 2009 at 23:49:45 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

okay, no planning commission (4.00 / 1)

The Pendleton County Economic & Community Development  Authority was established in March of 1990 by a resolution from the Pendleton County Commission.  The Board is bound to rules set forth from the WV State Code: 7-12.  Currently, the Board consists of 18 members from around the community and from an array of industries and organizations.

NFTT: Support My Team or I Will Dance

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by: CA Berkeley WV @ Fri Aug 21, 2009 at 01:47:55 AM UTC

http://theintermountain.com/page/content.detail/id/521439.html?nav=5014 (4.00 / 1)

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by: JAWVMM @ Wed Aug 26, 2009 at 00:36:35 AM UTC

So GSI is that warehouse company in Winchester? (0.00 / 0)

from the link above

Barlow's business background is in transportation and warehousing.

"My brother, who is a prison warden, gave me the idea for this facility. He has put me into contact with an excellent management team."

Barlow will finance the facility himself without federal funding.

by the layout, The Inter-Mountain must be another Ogden rag

NFTT: Support My Team or I Will Dance

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by: CA Berkeley WV @ Wed Aug 26, 2009 at 03:38:29 AM UTC