Greene County Democrat

Month: May 2018

  • Newswire : Black jobless rate was 6.60% in April, the lowest since 1972, But…

    Special to the Trice Edney News Wire from NorthStarNewsToday.com

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     April Jobless Rate Chart: North Star News

    (TriceEdneyWire.com) – April’s jobless rate for Black men and Black women improved to 6.60 percent, down from 6.90 percent in March as the nonfarm business payroll increased by 164,000, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Friday.

    The jobless rate for blacks was the lowest since 1972 but that was because some African Americans stopped looking for work. There was a lower labor-participation rate in April for African Americans compared to March, according to BLS.
    The labor-participation rate was 61.9 percent in April, down from 62.7 percent in March. The labor-participation rate measures the number of people who are employed or are looking for work.
    The government counts a person as unemployed if he or she is out of work but looking for work. BLS reported that 18.9 million blacks were employed in April down from 19.0 million in March. The number of blacks not in the labor force in April was 12.4 million, up from 12.2 million in March.
    Although the unemployment rate for African Americans improved, it was still higher compared to whites, which was 3.60 percent. The jobless rate for Hispanics was 4.80 percent. Asians had the lowest unemployment rate of 2.80 percent.
    The overall unemployment rate dropped to 3.9 percent from 4.1 percent.
    The unemployment rate in April for black men 20 years old and older was 6.4 percent, up from 6.10 percent in March, BLS reported. The jobless rate for black women 20 years old and older in April was 5.30 percent down from 6.00 percent in March.
    BLS reported that employment increased in professional and business services, manufacturing, health care and mining.

  • Newswire : Obama calls Trump’s Iran announcement ‘misguided,’ decision to withdraw a ‘serious mistake’; Congresswoman Terri Sewell also questions decision

    Barack ObamaTerri_Sewell,_Official_Portrait,_112th_Congress
    Obama and Terri Sewell
    Former President Barack Obama has weighed in on President Trump’s announcement that the U.S. will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal.
    “There are few issues more important to the security of the United States than the potential spread of nuclear weapons, or the potential for even more destructive war in the Middle East,” Obama wrote in a Facebook post on Tuesday. “That’s why the United States negotiated the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in the first place.”
    “The reality is clear. The JCPOA is working – that is a view shared by our European allies, independent experts, and the current U.S. Secretary of Defense,” Obama added.
    The former president further called Trump’s announcement “misguided” and a “serious mistake.”
    “Walking away from the JCPOA turns our back on America’s closest allies, and an agreement that our country’s leading diplomats, scientists, and intelligence professionals negotiated. In a democracy, there will always be changes in policies and priorities from one Administration to the next. But the consistent flouting of agreements that our country is a party to risks eroding America’s credibility, and puts us at odds with the world’s major powers,” Obama noted.
    Alabama Congresswoman Terri Sewell issues similar statement
    On Tuesday, May 8, President Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal. International partners have urged the Administration to uphold the Iran Deal, which has substantially limited Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
    “After months of deliberation and extensive conversations with nuclear experts, military officials, and constituent groups, I decided to support the Iran Deal because I believed it was our best option for ensuring a nuclear-free Iran,” said Rep. Terri Sewell. “The Iran Deal was not perfect, but its collective enforcement by the international community made it the best path forward. President Trump’s reckless withdrawal from the Iran Deal has the potential to destabilize an already unstable region. As we lay the groundwork for a diplomatic breakthrough with North Korea, reneging on the Iran Deal could also endanger our chances at establishing another major international agreement. Unilaterally walking away from this agreement leaves America isolated and puts our national security at risk.”

  • Probate Judge Julia Spree proclaims May as Foster Care Month

     

    Foster Parents.jpg

    Shown above seated Judge Julia Spree, Wilson Morgan- DHR Director, Jacqueline Woods -Service /APS Supervisor, Beverly Vester-Q.A. Coordinator- Not Shown, Latonya Wooley- Foster Care/PS Worker, Kimberly Tyree -CA/N Investigator, Fannie Smith- Foster Parent Vice President, Mattie Gray- Foster Parent, Minnie Knox and Jimmie Lee Powell Zoppi Foster Parents not shown.

     

    On Tuesday, May 1, Greene County Probate Judge, Julia Spree issued the following proclamation declaring May as Foster Care Month.
    “Whereas, During the month of May, we observe national Foster Care Month and recognize the progress that has been made in finding permanent placements for those children in foster care with a goal of adoption; and,
    Whereas, National Foster Care Month in May provides an opportunity for people nationwide to get involved as foster parents, volunteers, mentors, and employers. It’s also an opportunity to show our appreciation for the dedication of the foster families who care for foster children and youth, and the social workers who support them; and
    Whereas, there are 3 Foster Family Homes in Greene County and there is still a greater need for more foster care providers; and
    Whereas, Foster families are children’s champions, serving as the primary source of love, support and protection to many vulnerable children; and
    Whereas, Every child deserves to grown, learn and dream in a supportive and living environment. A tremendous demand exists for foster and adoptive families across the state. Together, we can and we must raise awareness about the need and inspire volunteers to step forward and invest in the lives of our youth through our foster care system and to ensure all youth can grown up in a family who will nurture, guide and love them so they can reach their full potential;
    Therefore, I, Honorable Judge Julia Spree, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Probate Judge of Greene County,  do proclaim the Month of May in the year of 2018 to be Foster Care Month.

  • Newswire; Bill Cosby found guilty on all charges in sex assault trial, Remains free on $1 million bail

    By Stacy M. Brown (NNPA Newswire Contributor)

    Bill Cosby.jpg
    Bill Cosby

    NORRISTOWN, Pa.—Convicted comedian Bill Cosby will remain on house arrest until he’s sentenced this summer following his conviction on three counts of aggravated indecent sexual assault.
    Judge Steven T. O’Neill ordered Cosby to get written permission from adult probation officials, if he wants to leave his Philadelphia area home to visit his doctor or to meet with lawyers.
    Those are the only movements he’s allowed, and they must be within a five-county radius of Montgomery County. Cosby has been fitted with a tracking device, so that court officials can monitor him. “This was a man who had evaded this moment for far too long,” Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said after the verdict.

    Steele said that Cosby had “shown his true colors,” when the legendary actor called the prosecutor an “a—hole” after Steele argued that he should immediately be locked up following the verdict.
    O’Neill ruled that Cosby could remain free on the same $1 million bail he posted when he was arraigned in December of 2015.
    “We still believe that Mr. Cosby is innocent of these charges,” lead defense attorney Tom Mesereau said. “The fight isn’t over.”
    An emotional Andrew Wyatt, Cosby’s chief spokesman, said the trial was reminiscent of Emmett Till, the 14-year-old Mississippi African American whose lynching after he was accused of whistling at a White woman, ignited the Civil Rights Movement.
    “This became a public lynching,” Wyatt said. “What Gloria Allred was able to do, she took a salt and pepper shaker. She [shook] out a lot of salt and sprinkled in a little black pepper and the South came east.”
    Ebonee Benson, who joined Wyatt on morning television shows after the verdict, said the comparison to Emmett Till is real. “We can take a look at Emmett Till,” she said. “Since when are all women honest?” Several television analysts questioned the verdict.
    Lawyer and famed CNN legal analyst Joey Jackson, who before the verdict said the case should have been declared a mistrial, said after the decision that Cosby’s team has “many grounds for appeal.” He said he was stunned by the verdict as well as the swiftness in which the jury delivered it. “Certainly, the prosecution put up vigorous case … but I thought the defense did a significant job of discrediting Andrea Constand giving the jury an indication that there was a number of lies she told over a period of time,” Jackson said.
    Jackson continued: “The first trial took them 52 hours and they were hung. This time it took 15 hours and they convict, so here we go. I think the most significant grounds were the five accusers. In the first trial, there was one and when you have five, they just have such prejudicial value and I think it just overwhelmed the jury. That’s probably the biggest point in attempting to get Bill Cosby a new trial.”
    Jackson called the issue “significant” and one that might allow Cosby, whose facing 30 years in prison, to remain free through the appeal process.
    This article was originally published on BlackPressUSA.com.

  • Newswire : Senator Kamala Harris says she won’t take PAC money

    By Lauren Victoria Burke (NNPA Newswire Contributor)

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    Senator Kamala Harris (D. CA)

    California Democratic Senator Kamala Harris announced on April 23 that she will reject corporate money from political action committees (PAC). Sen. Harris’ announcement was made on the popular New York radio show, “The Breakfast Club.”

    Harris joined Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), who have also publicly announced that they would not accept corporate PAC money.
    The Citizens United decision handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2010 created a situation where seemingly endless amounts of money can flow into the political system.
    “I think that money has had such an outsized influence on politics,” Sen. Harris said on The Breakfast Club. “We’re all supposed to have an equal vote, but money has now really tipped the balance between an individual having equal power in an election to a corporation. So, I’ve actually made a decision since I had that conversation that I’m not going to accept corporate PAC checks.”
    Harris, who has been thought of as a possible presidential candidate in 2020 ,but has not said she is running, said that a recent exchange at a town hall influenced her decision not to take corporate PAC checks.
    “I was asked that question and I wasn’t expecting the question. And I thought about it afterwards. I think that money has had such an outside influence on politics, and especially with the Supreme Court determining Citizens United, which basically means that big corporations can spend unlimited amounts of money influencing our campaigns, right? We’re all supposed to have an equal vote, but money has now really tipped the balance between an individual having equal power in an election to a corporation. So, I’ve actually made a decision, since I had that conversation, that I’m not going to accept corporate PAC checks. I just…I’m not,” the California Senator said.

    “Now Kamala Harris has pledged not to take corporate PAC money. Let me be clear about who did this—@justicedems. When that group started, Washington laughed and said almost no one would take that pledge. Now almost all of the Dem front-runners have!” Tweeted a gleeful Cenk Uygur of “The Young Turks,” an online news show, after the news of Harris’ decision emerged.
    Many remarked that public pressure has worked regarding the issue of taking PAC money. Sen. Bernie Sanders made corporate influence on politics a centerpiece of his 2016 campaign for the White House. He raised record amounts of small campaign donations.
    .

  • Newswire : Nigerian leader promised banned military aircraft at meeting with Trump

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    Nigerian President Buhari with President Donald Trump

     

    WASHINGTON, D.C.—At a long-awaited meeting between President Donald Trump and Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, the U.S. president announced the approval of a dozen war planes for Nigeria whose sale had been frozen by former President Barack Obama.

    Rebuking his Nigerian counterpart for the proliferation of violence throughout that country, Trump expressed concern for “the burning of churches and killing of Christians.”

    President Buhari blamed the violence on militia trained by the late former Libyan President, Muammar Gadaffi. He thanked the U.S. for “giving us the aircraft that we asked for,” adding “We’re even more grateful for the presence of U.S. military advisors in Nigeria.”

    President Trump called the sale of 12 A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft “the first-ever sale of the American military weapon to Nigeria. This new aircraft will help Nigeria target terrorists and protect civilians.”

    In fact, the planes were in the pipeline since the Obama administration but the sale was frozen in one of Obama’s last decisions in office after a Nigerian fighter jet mistakenly bombed a government-run refugee camp, killing over 100 refugees including Red Cross volunteers.

    The 12 aircraft, with weapons and services, are worth $593 million and include thousands of bombs and rockets. The plane, with reconnaissance, surveillance and attack capabilities, is made by Brazil’s Embraer and in Jacksonville, Florida by Embraer and the Sierra Nevada Corp.

    But fighting Boko Haram requires much more, commented Prof. Stephen Onyeiwu of Allegheny College in Pennsylvania. “Unrest within West Africa is driven by local grievances, corruption and weak governance, human rights violations, and imported religious ideology.

    “Buhari could also do with substantial non-military assistance. In particular, he needs help to address two huge social problems in Nigeria: the fact that 70% of Nigerians live in abject poverty, and that more than 50% of the country’s young people are jobless.

    “But Buhari should not count on Trump to increase aid for the kind of economic transformation the country needs,” Onyeiwu continued. “In the 2017 financial year, the US budgeted a mere $608 million in foreign assistance to Nigeria, a number which eerily echoes the price tag for the 12 fighter jets Nigeria wants to buy.”

    The much-heralded meeting of Trump and Buhari struck a sour note for the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria.

    “One wonders if Trump is not aware or deliberately ignored the murder of several Muslims in a mosque at the University of Maiduguri, or those killed in mosques in Yobe and Zamfara and many other parts of the country,” said Saheed Ashafa, student group president.

    “As Muslims, we condemn and reject all forms of terrorism, insurgency and oppression in whatever name being perpetrated. We should also remember that in Nigeria, most families are composed of Christians and Muslims alike, just as we have other faiths.

    “Trump’s call for separatism when the world is advocating for collectivism is not a healthy offer.”

  • Newswire : Equal Justice Initiative opens museum and memorial in Montgomery, Alabama on lynching

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    A bronze statue entitled “Raise Up”, is included at the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, a new memorial to honor thousands of people killed in lynchings and Map of United States showing lynchings

    The National Memorial for Peace and Justice, also referred to as the lynching museum, opened in Montgomery, Alabama, last Anderson/AP
    The memorial and museum are a project of the nonprofit Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), a legal advocacy group that hopes to create a site for reflection on America’s history of racial inequality.
    AP The idea for the memorial came out of the EJI’s investigation into the history of lynchings in the American south. The group documented more than 4,400 lynchings between 1877 to 1950, visiting thousands of lynching sites, collecting soil and erecting markers along the way. The soil is now part of the museum’s display, with each jar labeled with the name of a victim.
    Mickey Welsh/Montgomery Advertiser via USA Today Network
    The six-acre site includes a memorial square and 800 six-foot monuments symbolizing each county in the United States where lynchings took place and engraved with names. A second set of identical monuments left unadorned wait to be claimed and installed likely in the places where the lynchings occured.ndersoP
    The group hopes the site helps people more honestly confront the legacy of slavery, lynching and segregation.
    “Our nation’s history of racial injustice casts a shadow across the American landscape,” EJI Director Bryan Stevenson said. “This shadow cannot be lifted until we shine the light of truth on the destructive violence that shaped our nation, traumatized people of color, and compromised our commitment to the rule of law and to equal justice.”
    The lynchings forced Blacks to flee in terror from the South to the North. “Black people living in Oakland, California, Chicago, and New York are refugees from terror. They fled the South to escape lynching,” said Bryan Stevenson, executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, which had the museum constructed to pull the wraps off an untold story of America’s history. The story will make some Blacks as well as Whites uncomfortable and even angry.

    Historically, however, lynchings entertained some Whites. Some made a day of it, attending with picnic baskets. The museum, which is located in Montgomery. Alabama, the state’s capital and one-time seat of the Confederacy, was founded by The Equal Justice Initiative, a non-profit advocacy organization based in Montgomery. EJI published “Lynching in America: Confronting the Legacy of Racial Terror.”
    Since the report’s release, EJI has supplemented its original research by documenting racial terror lynchings in states outside the Deep South. Lynchings, for example, occurred in Minnesota, Indiana, Illinois, West Virginia and Nebraska.

    On June 15, 1920, a mob dragged Elias Clayton, Elmer Jackson and Isaac McGhie, employees of the John Robinson Circus, from their jail cells and lynched them for allegedly raping Irene Tusken, a 19-year-old, although Dr. David Graham’s examination of Tusken found no evidence of sexual assault.
    That information did not prevent newspapers from publishing numerous stories about the alleged rape. The story about the lynchings is told in the 1979 book “The Lynchings in Duluth,” by Michael Fedo. A photo of the three men who had been lynched was made into postcards at the time and shown throughout Duluth.
    Bob Dylan’s song “Desolation Row” recalls the lynching. Dylan was born in Duluth but grew up in Hibbing, Minnesota.
    There is an admission fee and fees to attend other museum events. During the museum’s opening week, speakers will include Michelle Alexander, author of the book “The New Jim Crow,” former Vice President Al Gore, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D. NJ), and Ray Hinton, who spent nearly 30 years on Alabama’s death row for a crime he did not commit.

    Last Friday, the museum hosted a concert for the opening, featuring performances by The Roots, Dave Matthews, Usher, Common, and more.
    AP