Greene County Democrat

Month: September 2024

  • OnMed Wellness Center opens at Boligee Complex

    Partners from Auburn University, the Greene County Extension Service, the University of West  Alabama, Town of Boligee Mayor and City Council, Greene County Commission  and OnMed  Representatives at the grand opening of wellness center.

    Through the collaboration of Auburn University, the Greene County Extension Office, City of Boligee and Greene County Commission, the grand opening of the OnMed Wellness Center at the Boligee Complex (former Paramount High School) was held September 22, 2024.
    Boligee Mayor Hattie Samuels and City Council, Commissioner Roshanda Summerville of District 5# and Greene County Extension Coordinator, Doug Fulghum with OnMed and Auburn University gathered to initiate a wide variety of health and wellness services to the community.
    The OnMed Care Station is available to community members for convenient access to affordable primary care, including diagnosis, referral, prescription, and treatment options.
    As a land grant university dedicated to improving the lives of people throughout Alabama, Auburn University is proud to launch its Rural Health Project. Auburn University faculty, staff and students will be participating in community events and through the Center to provide services including medication management support, education for self-care of chronic conditions, exercise and nutrition programs, COVID-19 vaccines and testing along with speech, language, and hearing evaluations.
    OnMed was founded on the commitment to make quality affordable healthcare accessible to all. The company was born out of an innovative spirit and belief that it could create a more effective way for people to receive care, including getting the medications they need quickly. The goal is to create a patient experience that maintained clinical standards and protocols to provide a highly personalized empathy-based clinician-patient connection.
    The OnMed Virtual Care Platform utilizes a broad range of diagnostic and interactive technologies to ensure a highly efficient and effective experience, but does not sacrifice the real-life dynamics of a traditional brick and mortar clinic setting.
    Beyond designing a new Primary Care model and patient experience with the OnMed platform, we also envisioned a new professional opportunity for clinicians to practice medicine and serve patients without the normal constraints or requirements of working inside hospitals or clinics. Going forward, OnMed will continue to expand the breadth of care provided and clinical needs addressed through new technologies and services, along with our on going commitment to deliver the best patient experience possible.
    Walk-ins always welcome. Walk out with what you need. No appointment needed, just enter and press START. Our OnMed clinicians will join you immediately via our interactive screen to introduce themselves and walk you through your entire appointment. Your visit will be private, safe and secure and the OnMed Care Station room will automatically clean and sanitize itself after you leave for the next patient.

    Meds in Minutes: OnMed’s proprietary robotic dispensary system allows our clinicians to provide you with the necessary OTC or prescription medications at the time of your visit.
    Your Vitals Matter: OnMed’s care visit includes real-time measurements of your key vitals for an accurate diagnosis and treatment experience. Your key health metrics are displayed instantly on the screen.
    Clean: The OnMed Care Station is carefully sanitized using UV lighting
    Private: Privacy when in use with LCD glass that is fogged completely when activated
    Accessible: Services available to anyone, anywhere, including rural and remote areas
    Affordable: Works with major insurance and only a fraction of the cost of a traditional doctor’s office visit
    Secure: HIPAA compliant transfer and storage of all patient data using advanced encryption technology
    Convenient: Open 5 days a week 8-4 hours and no appointment needed

  • Eutaw City Council hears citizen complaints about water quality in Boligee

    The Eutaw City Council met for its regular fourth Tuesday monthly meeting. All council members were present. The Council handled mostly routine business. In the public comment period, at the end of the meeting, several residents of Boligee complained about the quality of water they are receiving in Boligee.

    The residents who were complaining about the water felt they did not get adequate answers to their questions and wanted the Eutaw City Council to schedule a “town hall meeting” where residents could express their concerns and get better responses. Several members of the Council said they would consider the request for a town hall meeting in the future. They also said that residents could attend their work session meetings and raise questions in more detail.

    The Council for the second time, tabled a motion to increase the salaries of the mayor and councilmembers. These increases would not go into effect until after the next municipal election for those persons elected at the next municipal election in August 2025. Mayor Latasha Johnson stated that she is opposed to these raises until the council approves raises for employees. These decisions will be made as part of the next fiscal year budget, which begins on October 1, 2024.

    Several projects were listed in the ‘old business’ section of the agenda, which are projects to clean vacant lots and remove unstable buildings, old cars and other problems. The areas listed were: Ditch between Edwards Drive and Roebuck Avenue, Burned house on Banks Avenue, Holes in the road by Mrs. Bessie Harris’ house, House on O’Neal Street next to Mollie Rowe’s house, and House on 3rd Avenue.

    Mayor Johnson said that the city was implementing a new ordinance, wherein, if the homeowners do not clean up these vacant lots, the city can do the clean-up and charge the property owners for the cost. The city has acquired the proper and necessary stickers and a police person, with a car, trained to act in accordance with the new ordinance. The Mayor said she would report on progress at these sites in future meetings.

    In other business, the Council acted on the following:

    • Approved registration, travel and per diem for Councilwoman Suzette Powell to attend the AARC Training Conference in Huntsville on October 6-9, 2024.
    •Approved registration, travel and per diem costs for Assistant Police Chief William Smith to attend a Command Leadership Institute in Huntsville on October 21-25,2024.

    • Received financial reports on City bank accounts in Merchants and Farmers Bank through August 31, 2024, from Financial Advisor Ralph Liverman. These reports will be used to prepare a budget for the coming fiscal year. Liverman plans to visit in early October to help prepare the budget in consultation with the Mayor and Councilmembers.

    • Received a letter on the new Alabama Municipal Official Training Act which requires the mayor and councilmembers to receive a minimum of 40 hours training in their first year of service and at least 5 hours of training every year thereafter.

    • Approved payment of outstanding bills.

    Mayor Johnson in her report said that she could not do her job, “without God, the Council, the staff and the residents of the City of Eutaw”.

    After adjournment, the Council opened for public comments and questions. Several Boligee residents asked about the safety of drinking water from the municipal system since it was often brown in color and seemed dirty to them. Iris Sermon asked about the Boligee sewage system,
    which was still spilling sewage on the ground at pumping stations.

    Delores Smith, a Lock 7 resident complained about land taken for eminent domain for the airport. She reported that the City was selling her land and wanted to get her land back since it had not been used for the airport. The Mayor said that she did not know about the sale of this land but would check with the Eutaw Airport Authority about the situation.

    Mayor Johnson indicated that she would try to schedule a meeting, with the city engineer present, to discuss the status and progress of the City of Eutaw – Boligee water and sewer improvement project. At this meeting, they would try to answer resident’s questions and concerns about the project.

  • Newswire : Some African countries will kill elephants and other animals to provide food for people starving because of drought

    Drought map showing lack of rainfall in southern Africa

    By: BlackmansStreet today

    Southern African countries Zimbabwe and Namibia have announced plans to slaughter hundreds of wild elephants and other animals to feed citizens who are starving because of the severe drought that began in 2024.
     
    Zimbabwe said Monday it would allow the killing of 200 elephants so that their meat can be distributed among needy communities. In Namibia the killing of more than 700 wild animals — including 83 elephants — is underway as part of a plan announced three weeks ago, reported the Associated Press.

    Tinashe Farawo, a spokesman for the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, said permits would be issued in needy communities to hunt elephants and that the agency also would kill some of the overall allotment of 200 animals.

    “We will start culling as soon as we have finished issuing out permits,” Farawo said.

    The elephants will be taken from an area where the population has become unsustainable, Farawo said. The hunting will take place in areas such as Hwange National Park in the country’s arid western region, where there has been increasing competition between humans and wildlife for food and water as rising temperatures make the resources more scarce.

    Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Zambia are among the countries in Southern Africa most affected by malnutrition caused by the drought.

    In early June, the United Nations World Food Programme highlighted the dire effects of the drought, particularly on communities already vulnerable to food shortages.

    “Rural communities we have met on the ground tell us they have never seen anything like this. They are extremely worried about their future,” said Reena Ghelani, the UN climate crisis coordinator for the El Nino response.

    Southern Africa saw its driest February in 100 years, the UN reported. The area received only 20 percent of the usual rainfall. 

  • Newswire : Justice Department opens civil rights investigation Into Rankin County Sheriff’s Department

    By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent


    The U.S. Department of Justice launched a civil rights investigation into Rankin County, Mississippi, and the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD). The probe will determine whether the RCSD engages in unconstitutional practices, including excessive force, unlawful stops, and racially discriminatory policing. Rankin County, which has a population of about 160,000, is located 30 minutes east of Jackson, the state capital.

    The investigation follows the highly publicized case involving the so-called “Goon Squad,” a group of five former Rankin County deputies convicted for the brutal assault of two Black men, Michael Jenkins and Eddie Parker, in January 2023. Those deputies were sentenced to federal prison, but the Justice Department is now examining whether the issues within the department are more widespread.

    “We are launching this investigation to examine serious allegations that the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department systematically violates people’s constitutional rights through excessive use of force, unlawful stops and arrests, and discriminatory policing,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland.

    The investigation will scrutinize the RCSD’s use of force, including deadly force, and evaluate whether officers have engaged in unlawful searches, stops, and arrests in violation of the Fourth Amendment. The Justice Department will also assess claims of discriminatory policing practices that could violate the 14th Amendment, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and the Safe Streets Act.

    Rankin County officials have pledged their cooperation with the investigation. The DOJ said it would review the sheriff department’s policies, training, and oversight systems. Investigators will gather information by meeting with community members, law enforcement officers, and department leadership.

    Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division referenced the Goon Squad case in remarks about the investigation, stating, “Although the Goon Squad deputies are now serving time, we have received numerous reports that their actions were part of a broader pattern of misconduct that persists within the sheriff’s department.”

    Officials said the investigation is being conducted under the authority of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, which allows the Justice Department to address law enforcement misconduct through civil litigation. This marks the 12th such investigation into law enforcement practices opened by the Justice Department during the Biden administration. Recent investigations into departments in Phoenix and Louisville have led to significant reforms.

    “The pursuit of justice is not just about punishing individual officers; it’s about ensuring that the culture of policing reflects the values of our Constitution,” Garland said. “No community should live in fear of those sworn to protect them.”

  • Newswire : New report exposes tax system’s role in widening racial wealth gap, calls for urgent reforms 

    By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

     

    Color of Change, the nation’s largest online racial justice organization, and Americans for Tax Fairness released a damning report Thursday exposing the deep racial inequities entrenched in the U.S. tax system.

    The issue brief “How Tax Fairness Can Promote Racial Equity,” written by Color of Change Managing Director Portia Allen-Kyle and Americans for Tax Fairness Executive Director David Kass, exposes the systemic flaws in tax policy that have widened the racial wealth gap and prevented economic mobility for Black, brown, and Indigenous communities.

    The report urgently calls for sweeping reforms to stop the flow of tax benefits to the wealthiest Americans — who are overwhelmingly white — while offering concrete solutions to make the tax code work for everyone, not just the top 1%.

    “An equitable tax system does two things,” Allen-Kyle asserted. “It narrows the racial wealth gap from the bottom up and spurs economic mobility for Black, brown, and Indigenous individuals and families. Our current tax code fails on both accounts. It’s a prime example of how so-called ‘colorblind’ systems actively prevent Black families from building generational wealth and economic security.”

    Tax Code Deepens Racial Disparities, Experts Say

    The brief pulls no punches in describing how current tax policies disproportionately benefit wealthy white families, further deepening racial inequalities. By giving preferential treatment to wealth over work, the system locks in economic advantages for white households while leaving communities of color to bear the brunt of these inequities.

    “Our tax system is not only failing to address racial wealth inequality, it’s exacerbating it,” Kass warns in the report. “We privilege wealth over work, fail to adequately tax our richest households and corporations, and allow inherited fortunes to compound unchecked by taxation. This perpetuates a legacy of racial inequality.”

    The racial wealth gap has exploded in recent years, with the median wealth gap between Black and white households jumping from $172,000 in 2019 to over $214,000 in 2022. Economic crises such as the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic further entrenched these divides, benefiting the already wealthy, while leaving Black, brown and Indigenous communities further behind.

    The Racial Wealth Gap and Homeownership

    Homeownership, long touted as a primary means of building wealth in America, has failed to deliver for Black families. The report points to factors such as biased home appraisals and a regressive property tax system as key reasons why Black homeowners have been unable to accumulate wealth at the same rate as their white counterparts.

    As the brief notes, with critical provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) set to expire, now is a pivotal moment for tax reform. “We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reform our tax system to address racial inequality,” the report states, comparing recent monumental legislation like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act.

    Three Key Reforms to Tackle Racial Inequity

    The report lays out three central reforms aimed at curbing the wealth concentration among the ultra-rich and dismantling the racial inequities baked into the tax code:

    Taxing Wealth Fairly: The report calls for equalizing the tax rates on wealth and work. Currently, capital gains — profits from investments — are taxed at a far lower rate than wages earned by working people, a disparity that overwhelmingly benefits white households. The vast majority of capital gains income flows to white families, who comprise only two-thirds of taxpayers but receive 92% of the benefits from lower tax rates on investment income.

    Strengthening the Estate Tax: The estate tax, which is supposed to curb the accumulation of dynastic wealth, has been weakened over time, allowing large fortunes — primarily held by white families — to grow even larger across generations. The report calls for stronger enforcement of the estate tax to prevent the further entrenchment of wealth and power within a small, overwhelmingly white elite.


    Targeting Tax Deductions to Benefit Lower-Income Households: Deductions for mortgage interest, college savings, and retirement accounts disproportionately benefit wealthier, predominantly white households. In order to prevent lower-income and minority households from falling behind due to policies that are currently biased in favor of the wealthy, the brief advocates for restructuring these deductions.

    Biden-Harris Administration and Senate Proposals for Change

    Both the Biden-Harris administration and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden have proposed addressing the racial wealth gap. The Billionaire Minimum Income Tax (BMIT) and the Billionaire Income Tax (BIT) would ensure that the wealthiest Americans — who often go years without paying taxes — contribute their fair share. These proposals would raise over $500 billion in revenue over the next decade, which could be reinvested in healthcare, education, and housing for communities of color.

    As the report points out, our current tax system is skewed in favor of the ultrawealthy. It allows the rich to avoid paying taxes on the increased value of their investments unless they sell them. They often borrow against these growing fortunes, further delaying taxation, which allows white billionaires to accumulate vast wealth while paying a fraction of what working families pay in taxes.

    A Call for Urgent Action

    The message from Color of Change and Americans for Tax Fairness is clear: America’s tax system is broken, and without immediate reforms, the racial wealth gap will continue to widen.
    “Addressing the insidious racial preferences in our tax code is one of the most direct ways we can not only help Black communities grow here and now but for generations to come,” Allen-Kyle concludes.

  • Newswire : Birmingham 5 Points South mass shooting: $100,000 reward offered; 2 victims had faced murder charges

    Crime scene in Birmingham, AL

    By Carol Robinson, AL.com

     

    As the search continues for the gunmen sought in the weekend mass shooting in Birmingham’s Five Points South that killed four and wounded 17 others, authorities on Monday announced reward money of up to $100,000 offered by the FBI and Crime Stoppers.

    Police Chief Scott Thurmond said investigators are still working on the theory that the barrage of automatic gunfire was a “hit” — a murder-for-hire targeting at least one of the men killed in the shooting.

    Two of the victims, Carlos De’Juan McCain, 27, and Roderick Lynn Patterson Jr., 26, both were charged in past Birmingham homicides. McCain was acquitted of murder and attempted murder in 2017 in the shooting death of 15-year-old Kelvon Julius, who police said was killed in retaliation for another shooting in 2015. A young woman was also wounded in the gunfire that killed Kelvon. Kelvon’s slaying happened June 4, 2016, on 12th Street South. A second suspect pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

    Patterson was previously charged with murder in the 2021 shooting of 20-year-old Dentarius Maurice Jackson, who was gunned down at the gas pumps at the Chevron on First Ave. North. In 2022, the murder charge against Patterson was dismissed at the request of prosecutors citing “death, unavailability, and non-cooperation of witnesses.”
    Court records show no criminal histories for the other two people killed – Anitra Hollomon, 21, and Tahj Booker, 27.

    Thurmond said he would not yet identify who investigators believe was the targeted victim in Saturday’s mass shooting, and said police are still trying to determine whether a second victim was also targeted. “There could be multiple motives for the one individual we believe was targeted. Others could have been targeted,’’ Thurmond said. “We’re still looking into that.”

    “Some of the individuals killed have extensive criminal histories and because of that, there’s often motivation from others, and there’s people willing to pay to have them killed,’’ the chief said.

    Thurmond, Mayor Randall Woodfin and other law enforcement officials held a news conference Monday to update the investigation and announce the reward. FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton Peeples announced the reward for information on arrest and conviction. Frank Barefield of Crime Stoppers said its reward is for information leading to the identity of the suspects and is the largest ever offered by them.

    The previous record was $25,000 after the abuduction of Kamille “Cupcake” McKinney. The 3-year-old was abducted from a birthday party in 2019 and later found murdered. Two people were arrested and convicted.

  • For November 5th election – October 21st is last day to register; Absentee Ballot mail applications are due by October 29th

    Today we are less than seven weeks from the November 5, 2024 General Election, when we will vote for the 47th President f the United States, a Vice-President and all the 435 members of the U. S. House of Representatives. One third of the states will be electing a U. S. Senator.

    The Presidential race between Kamala Harris, current Vice- President, and Donald J. Trump, former President, has attracted a lot of attention but there is a long ballot of state and local officials to also vote for on Nov. 5th.

    Monday, October 21, 2024, is the last day to register to vote in the November 5th General Election. In Alabama, registration ends 14 days before an election. You have more than 30 days to register, if you will be 18 years or older on election day. You can also change your precinct and place to vote if you have moved since the last election.

    As of August 2024, there are total of 3,768,164 registered voters in Alabama, a nearly a 60,000 person increase from 2020. In Greene County, we have 6,800 people registered voters. More may be added by election day.

    If you were previously incarcerated and lost your voting rights, for a crime that was not of moral turpitude, you may be able to get your voting rights restored. There are several organizations in the state that specialize in restoring voting rights google and contact them if you need help with this process.

    According to Greene County Circuit Clerk, Veronica Morton-Jones, “You can submit an application for an absentee ballot, for the November 5th General Election, now until October 29th for a mail in ballot. We have had our ballots since September 12, 2024, so we are ready for people who want to vote absentee.”

    You are eligible for an absentee ballot, if you are out of the county on election day; if you are disabled or unable to get to the polls on election day; if you have to work beyond the polling hours; and if you are out of town for employment or studying (college students) reasons, you are eligible to vote an absentee ballot.

    Jones said, “If you need an absentee ballot, you can call my office at 205-372-3598, to request a ballot and we will mail it to you. If you mail in your request for an absentee ballot, you can only mail one request in an envelope. The request for a mail-in ballot must also be accompanied by a copy of your voter’s photo identification. Your request must reach us by October 29th. Since the mails are slow, I urge you to send your absentee ballot requests now so they will not be made late by the postal service.”

    Jones also indicated that you can walk into her office in the William McKinley Branch Courthouse and request an absentee ballot because you will not be in the county on election day and vote right then. This is a way for voters to select a convenient time for them to vote if they will be away or have difficulty getting to the polls o election day. The deadline for walk-in absentee voters is October 31, 2024.

    If you vote absentee be sure to follow the instructions on the return envelope. You must sign your ballot and have the signatures of two witnesses or a notary to certify your signature. If you walk in to vote at the Circuit Clerk’s office, all of the personnel are notaries and can certify your signature on the ballot.

    There is a new law passed in Alabama that makes it more difficult to help your relatives, friends and neighbors to vote absentee. You cannot accept funds for work in helping people to apply for and vote absentee – this will be considered “ballot harvesting” and subject to criminal penalties. You cannot collect numerous ballots and mail them in the same envelope. Each ballot must be sent in an individual envelope signed by the voter and witnessed.

  • Greene County School Board looks to restore Modern Manufacturing curriculum; Superintendent reports on academic progress

    At the regular monthly Greene County Board of Education meeting on September 16, 2024, the board heard a report from Donny Jones, Director of Alabama Works on ways the school system could restore the Modern Manufacturing program. This program prepares high school students to enter technical job fields, related to the automobile industry in the state.

    Donny Jones indicated that this program was now operating in 34 school systems in the state and as coordinated with the needs of industry, such as Mercedes Benz, Honda, Hyundai, and Toyota around the state. Students get the basics of manufacturing including safety, work ethics, hand-tools, fixtures and gauges, basic measurement, critical thinking and leadership. They can also take electives in specific technical areas, like welding, robotics and industrial maintenance, as a dual degree student at a two-year community college, like Wallace Community College in Selma.

    The dual enrollment provisions allow local student to finish high school and a two-year community college program at no tuition cost to them. Donny Jones said,” We do not want our rural students to leave their home communities. We encourage them to live in their home communities. We help them to get the training needed to take high paying jobs with local industries.”
    Superintendent Corey Jones said he was working closely with Alabama Works to bring the program, which builds on past program to Greene County by next school year.

    Superintendent Jones continued with his report on progress in the three
    branches of the Greene County school system. He noted that the Eutaw Primary School had received a $1,050 grant from Blue Cross-Blue Shield to teach children shapes. Robert Brown Middle School received $4,500 from Representative Curtis Travis for match coaches. The school also had a successful grand-parents day in September. The Greene County High School received a grant of $ 8,021.20 from Representative Curtis Travis or a September 8th ‘college fair and help on the career tech programs.
    Superintendent Jones went on to discuss academic proficiency in the school system. In Eutaw Primary, the grade 1 to 3 increased reading proficiency from 17% to 32% and math proficiency from 15% to 18%. For Robert Brown Middle School, reading proficiency went to 3.3% and math proficiency to 3.8%, leaving room for continued growth. For Greene County High School, reading proficiency was at 5.8% and math at 2.7%, as measured by the ACT test, a college admissions test. Jones commented that “many school system were trying to get a different test, than the ACT, to measure proficiency in the high school populations.

    The Board went into Executive Session to discuss employment, policy and legal matters. After the session, the Board approved the following recommendations from the Superintendent.

    On Personnel Service recommendations, the Board approved:
    Employment for the 2024 – 2025 school year
    Samon K. Sanders – Mental Health Coordinator – GCSS
    Zaddrick Smith – Physical Education Teacher – EPS (RECALL)
    Vernon Strode – Lead Maintenance – GCSS
    Lorissa Holder – Biology Teacher – GCHS

    On Administrative Service items, the following were approved:
    Five Year Capital Plan for the Greene County School System

    Contract between Greene County Board of Education and Corey Morton to serve as technology assistant and provide technical support for the district

    Proposal from Vector Security to replace door station units at RBMS in the amount of $8,940

    Estimate from Darden Communications Consultants INC for transportation communication system and monthly subscription for school buses in the amount of $10,613.60

    Proposal from Criterion Consulting LLC for Administrator Evaluation Support Services for the 2024 – 2025 school year

    Quote from Imagine Learning for purpose prep program for Alternative School curriculum

    MOU between the Greene County and The Foundation for the Art and Science of Learning (FASL) for Teams Improving Practice to provide professional development and consulting services to the district for teachers

    Science Textbook adoption committee 2024 – 2025

    Renewal terms 12-Months @ 4.10% for CD at Synovus Bank

    Quote from Divot Assets to perform Fixed Asset Physical Inventory Services District Wide in the amount of $12,710 for FY 2024

    Payment of all bills, claims, and payroll

    Bank reconciliations as submitted by Mrs. Marquita Lennon, CSFO

    Robotics in the Black Belt Partnership Agreement between Greene County Board of Education and Black Belt STEM Institute

    The summary financial report from Mrs. Marquita Lennon, CSFO indicated:

    General Fund Bank Balance $5,264,125.63
    *reconciles to the Summary Cash Report
    * Accounts Payable Check Register $2,487,446.07
    * Payroll Register $935,563.94
    *Total gross pay, to include employer match items
    * Combined Ending Fund Balance: $7,104,088.20

    Total Local Revenues from property and sales taxes, and Amendment 743 (bingo) was $154,160.77.

    After these reports and motions, the meeting was adjourned.

  • Newswire : Haiti – Blinken on visit announces US support for Kenyan Peace Keeping Force

    UN Peace Keeping Forces in Haiti

    By New York Carib News

     

    Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Haiti to demonstrate American backing for an international initiative aimed at reducing gang-related violence in the Caribbean country.
    On September 5, 2024, Blinken landed in Port-au-Prince, where he presented a fresh round of assistance to refugees and met with interim prime minister Garry Conille.

    Blinken informed reporters, “At this critical moment, we do need more funding, we do need more personnel to sustain and carry out the objectives of this mission.” Since President Jovenel Moise was assassinated in July 2021, gangs have taken control of large areas of Haiti. Eighty percent of Port-au-Prince, the capital, is included in this estimate.
    Amidst its crisis of legitimacy, the Haitian government has found it difficult to retake power and preserve calm. The violence in Haiti has spread to ten departments, and the interim administration there widened the country’s state of emergency just one day before Blinken’s arrival.

    Before, the Ouest department—which includes Port-au-Prince—was the only territory covered by the state of emergency. However, a spokesman for Prime Minister Conille claimed that the enlarged emergency designation is a reflection of gang conflicts occurring in departments such as Artibonite, which is a sizable area that grows rice.

    The United Nations estimates that in 2024, the violence will have pushed a record 578,074 people from their homes, making it the world’s greatest internal displacement disaster due to crime. An estimated 2,500 people lost their lives or were injured in the ongoing conflict in only the first quarter of 2024.

    However, to support Haiti’s law enforcement, the Kenyan government dispatched 200 police personnel in June. Out of an anticipated 1,000 Kenyan policemen, a second wave of 200 came the next month. Nevertheless, Blinken cautioned that the Kenyan military might not be sufficient to stem the flow of gang-related violence on their own.

    He has publicly asked whether a UN peacekeeping force is necessary, as have other US officials. However, it is a contentious idea in Haiti, where on their most recent deployment, UN forces caused a fatal cholera outbreak.

    Between 2010 and 2019, the illness claimed the lives of around 10,000 individuals.
    Many in the country view international troops with caution due to the lengthy history of foreign intervention. The priority, according to Blinken during his visit, was to make sure the international community was ready to help the Kenyan soldiers going forward, who had arrived as part of a mission known as the Multinational Security Help Mission.

    Last October, the operation was authorized for a one-year duration. The UN should get together again and decide on an extension, according to Blinken. “The mission itself needs to be renewed,” he noted. “That’s what we’re working on right now. But we also want something that’s reliable, that’s sustainable, and we’ll look at every option to do that. A UN peacekeeping mission is one option.”

    The US has provided the most financial assistance for the project, with a $360 million pledge from President Joe Biden’s administration.

    Recent news of an extra $45 million in humanitarian relief for Haiti was released.
    During his visit, Blinken again emphasized the need to have a stable, democratically elected administration. He urged Haitian authorities to organize fresh general elections for the next year. “That is the critical next step,” he noted. “We want to make sure Haiti is back on a clear democratic track.”
    Previous to the killing of President Moise, Haiti had not had federal elections. Its most recent democratically elected authorities reached the end of their terms in January 2023, and there was nobody to take their place.

    At that moment, the late Moise nominated former prime minister Ariel Henry to lead the cabinet soon before his passing. However, because Henry was an unelected official and hence not very popular, local gangs took advantage of this mistrust of the government to further their own agendas and become more powerful.

    In the end, Henry resigned in April, which made way for the formation of a transitional council entrusted with restoring democratic standards. “Much remains to be done, and we’re determined to continue,” Blinken noted. “It’s starting to move.”

  • Newswire : Biden-Harris Administration commits record $17 Billion to HBCUs, driving unprecedented educational and economic impact

    By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent



    The Biden-Harris administration’s mission to strengthen educational equity and economic opportunity was on full display again as the White House announced an additional $1.3 billion in federal investments for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The new funding brings the administration’s total investment in HBCUs to an unprecedented $17 billion since Fiscal Year 2021, setting a new record and further displaying the administration’s commitment to institutions that have long served as beacons of opportunity and excellence for Black Americans.

    Though representing only 3% of all U.S. colleges and universities, HBCUs play a crucial role in fostering economic mobility. According to White House officials, HBCUs enroll twice as many Pell Grant-eligible low—and middle-income students as non-HBCU institutions, producing a significant percentage of Black professionals in critical fields—40% of engineers, 50% of teachers, 70% of doctors and dentists, and 80% of judges. Officials touted Vice President Kamala Harris, an alumna of Howard University, as an example of these institutions’ profound impact on shaping national leadership.

    A White House fact sheet highlighted how HBCUs are not just educational powerhouses but also drivers of economic growth. Research by the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) shows that HBCUs help more than five times as many students move from the bottom 40% to the top 60% of U.S. households compared to Ivy League and other elite non-HBCU institutions. Further, a report from the Council of Economic Advisors (CEA) links HBCU enrollment with higher graduation rates and increased household incomes, affirming their role in advancing social and economic equity.

    Economically, according to the UNCF, HBCUs contribute $16.5 billion annually to the U.S. economy, generate over 136,000 jobs, and produce $146 billion in lifetime earnings for their graduates. The administration’s investments aim to amplify this impact, particularly by enhancing HBCUs’ research and development (R&D) capacities in STEM fields.

    The new $1.3 billion investment includes $188 million in competitive grants for R&D capacity building and $1.1 billion in funding to support students directly through need-based grants and programs like Pell Grants. According to the fact sheet, this action builds on a series of initiatives launched to expand HBCUs’ influence and capabilities, including:
    Innovation in Defense: The Department of Defense created the first-ever HBCU-led University Affiliated Research Center (UARC). Howard University, leading a $90 million program over five years, focuses on advancing autonomous technologies for Air Force missions.

    Bridging the Digital Divide: The Department of Commerce’s Connecting-Minority-Communities program funds 43 HBCUs to secure high-speed internet, equipment, and IT personnel, directly addressing the digital divide.
    Leading in Clean Energy: The Department of Energy’s $7.75 million HBCU Clean Energy Education Prize is designed to enhance STEM education and inspire future leaders in clean energy fields.

    Diversity in Agriculture: The Department of Agriculture’s $262.5 million investment supports 33 projects to train over 20,000 future food and agricultural leaders, emphasizing diversity in the agricultural sector.

    Officials said that the unprecedented support for HBCUs reflects the administration’s broader agenda to promote educational excellence and equity. Reestablishing the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through HBCUs further signifies this commitment, they said. Further, according to the fact sheet, the administration’s diversity is a testament to this focus, with many HBCU graduates, including Harris, holding key roles.

    The new funding coincides with Forbes magazine’s recent ranking of HBCUs. Forbes named Howard University the number one HBCU. It was ranked 273rd among the top 500 colleges and universities, ahead of Spelman, Morehouse, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU), North Carolina A&T, and Hampton University. The rankings showcase HBCUs’ ability to produce high-earning, influential graduates from diverse economic backgrounds, often with lower student debt.