The Greene County Democrat

Author: greenecodemocratcom

  • 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.
     

  • Newswire : Alabama voting rights groups sue state over voter purge

    By Jacob Holmes, Alabama Political Reporter

    Numerous advocacy groups Friday filed a lawsuit on behalf of Alabamians they say have been unfairly targeted by the state’s illegal voter purge. The Southern Poverty Law Center, Campaign Legal Center and Fair Elections center filed the suit Friday on behalf of four individuals as well as the Alabama Coalition for Immigrant Justice, the Alabama NAACP and the League of Women Voters of Alabama.

    The lawsuit comes on the heels of a letter the advocacy organizations sent to notify Secretary of State Wes Allen that Alabama’s voter purge program, which purges naturalized U.S. citizens from the state’s voter rolls shortly before the 2024 election, violates the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA). 

    “Last month, the SPLC and our partners put the Secretary of State on notice for announcing plans to systemically purge individuals on the voter rolls who are naturalized citizens within the 90-day period stipulated by the NVRA,” said Jess Unger, senior staff attorney for voting rights at Southern Poverty Law Center. “Today, we are suing to end this discriminatory program that’s in clear violation of the NVRA – and to protect the rights of thousands of eligible voters that the state of Alabama is trying to silence. No matter what barrier is put in place, we will work to ensure every voice in Alabama is heard.” 

    The purge announced by Allen would remove 3,251 individuals from the voter roll because they, at some point, had been issued a noncitizen identification number. Allen admitted in his announcement that such an individual could have become a naturalized citizen and eligible voter since being issued that ID.

    “No American citizen should be denied their freedom to vote, and all Americans have the same freedom to vote regardless of where they were born. Instead of protecting Americans’ freedom to vote in the November election, Alabama is shamefully intimidating naturalized citizens and illegally purging qualified Americans from voter rolls,” said Bruce V. Spiva, senior vice president of CLC. “Our local election officials work hard to make sure only American citizens can vote. In practice, voter purges like what we are seeing in Alabama target naturalized citizens and prevent qualified Americans from exercising their right to vote. Our democracy works best when every American can participate without fear, and CLC will continue to fight for Americans’ freedom to vote.” 

    Allen has made election security a staple of his platform as secretary of state, focusing particularly on the prevention of undocumented immigrants from voting. His office was recently involved in the arrest of one such individual; however, they used identity theft to perpetrate the crime and were not themselves on the voter roll.

    “It is a foundational principle of our country that every citizen, regardless of where they come from, has a voice in our democracy,” said Michelle Kanter Cohen, policy director and senior counsel at Fair Elections Center. “What’s more, this is the time for election officials to be reaching out and encouraging new voters to participate, instead of engaging in last-minute election-eve attempts to make it harder to vote for naturalized citizens who have worked so hard for their opportunity to have a say.”

    “Secretary Allen’s actions are not making our elections any safer; instead, they are inactivating lawfully registered voters from the rolls and unnecessarily causing fear and intimidation,” said Kathy Jones, president of the League of Women Voters of Alabama. “Alabama voters need to know that the League is here to fight for them and is committed to ensuring all voters have the opportunity and accurate information to exercise their right to vote.”

    “The Alabama NAACP is again dismayed by the Alabama Secretary of State efforts to disenfranchise voters.  We know that this is a nationwide effort to provide excuses for certain candidates to use if they lose the elections on November 5.  We are committed to doing all that we can to ensure that every voter votes and that every vote is counted despite what obstacles are put in our path,” said Benard Simelton, president of the Alabama NAACP.

     

  • EDITORIAL

    Historical accuracy is important

    It has come to the attention of the publishers of the Greene County Democrat
    that the Greene County Historical Society of Alabama plans to give its Distinguished Service Award to Judge J. Dennis Herndon.

    Herndon is deceased and was a founder of the Greene County Historical Society, but there are some historical facts that suggest that his contributions to Greene County and adjoining counties were not worthy to be considered as “distinguished service” to a multi-racial democratic society, which most of us are trying to build.

    Judge Herndon was the official responsible for deliberately leaving the names of Black officials, running with the National Democratic Party of Alabama (NDPA) off the ballot in 1966 and again in 1968. The NDPA had to challenge him in court and take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court to secure a special election on July 29, 1969, which led to the election of a majority Black County Commission and School Board. The Supreme Court of the United States held Circuit Judge J. Dennis Herndon in contempt for his actions to prevent Black people, in a majority Black County, from exercising their democratic right to vote for candidates of their own choosing.

    Another example of Circuit Judge Herndon’s inequitable administration of justice was his treatment of the Panola Land Buying Association (PLBA), when he blocked their efforts to purchase 1,164 acres of land in Sumter County for three years from 1967 to 1970. The 40 members families of the PLBA were tenant farmers evicted from plantations in north Sumter County for engaging in civil rights activities. They just wanted some land to continue farming and build housing. The PLBA and their supporters, worked together with a white merchant in Gainesville, who had lost three tracts of land in a foreclosure, to exercise his redemption rights, under Alabama law to recover the land.

    Every time the PLBA went into Judge Herndon’s court for three years he postponed and blocked a decision in their case. The lawyers for PLBA had to remove the case to Federal Court in Birmingham to get a judgement that adjudicated the redemption in their favor and allowed them to purchase the land. The Federation of Southern Cooperatives assisted the PLBA in purchasing, financing and paying for the land, a portion of which is now the organization’s Rural Training and Research Center.

    We raise these concerns because we feel the Greene County Historical Society needs to appreciate the full evaluation of Judge Herndon and other white people’s past actions before giving them awards. We hope our raising these concerns will lead to a more open and truthful dialogue between Black and White people in Greene County on how to work together for a joint future with truth and justice for all.

    CORRECTION

    Letter to the Editor

    Dear Editors

    Having read your editorial regarding the late Dennis Herndon and your calling for historical accuracy please check your facts regarding who served at the 17th Circuit  Court Judge during the time frame of your Editorial content regarding PLBA. 

    It was in fact, Emmett Hildreth, who was appointed by Alabama Governor Chauncey Sparks in 1943 to serve as Circuit Court Judge for the 17th Judicial District comprising of the counties of Greene, Marengo, and Sumter. Hildreth was subsequently elected to the position and was re-elected such that he served in the position for thirty years until his death in 1973. 
    

    Dennis Herndon served as the Probate Judge of Greene County from 1959-1971. 

    Sharon S. Trammell
    Editor
    Greene County Independent

    Editors Note: We stand corrected. We regret our error; however we understand that both
    Judge Herndon and Judge Hildreth used the Alabama judicial system in a racist and exclusionary manner toward Black people, during the period prior to 1970.

  • School board approves $16 million + for FY 2024-2025 budget; Sheriff Benison assists school system with gaming funds

    In its second Budget Hearing, held Tuesday, September 10, 2024, the Greene County Board of Education approved the system’s FY 2024-2025 proposed annual budget with projected revenues of $16,258,410 and expenditures of $16,151,057, which must be submitted to the State Department of Education by September 15. The budget decrease of approximately $5 million is due primarily to the exhaustion of the multi-year ESSER funds appropriated through the Congressional CARES ACT (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act) to support school districts in addressing the impact of COVID 19. Board members present included Mr. Leo Branch, Mr. Robert Davis and Ms. Veronica Richardson.
    The system currently has 145 employees, a decrease of 20 from the previous year. State earned units support 82.33 personnel; other state funds support 31.51 personnel; federal funds support 24.49 and local funds support 6.72 – totaling 145.05 school personnel.
    Greene County Sheriff Jonathan Benison has entered into an agreement with the Board of Education to provide $60,000 per month (Gaming Funds) to assist the system in the following areas: Teacher and student aide salaries and benefits; Classroom technologies and supplies; Teacher enrichment expenses; student enrichment activities including field trips. Currently 4.5 teachers are budgeted from these funds, with two position expected to be added.
    Regarding investments, the system’s CD at Synovus Bank has a current balance of $2,547,420.76, indicating an interest growth of $124,562.78. Lennon noted that new negotiations are underway for a rate increase.
    Budgetary Highlights for FY 2025 included the following: System average daily Membership (ADM) decreased by 2.90; Funded teacher units decreased by 2.07; Classroom instructional supply funds – $900 per unit; Technology support – $500 per unit; Library enhancement – $157.72 per unit; common purchases – $100 per unit; Foundation Program increased by $417,397; Transportation funding decreased by $50,987; Capital funding increased by$5,853; Local millage match decreased by $63,055.
    The system’s Federal Funds for FY 25 will be allocated as follows: Title I – Two teachers, one aid, and the overage of the Math Coach and Reading Intervention at EPS; Four teachers, one aid and the overage of Math Coach at RBMS; Two teachers and 40% of the Assistant Principal at GCHS. Title II – Employ one classroom reduction teacher at RBMS and support professional development across the District. Title IV: Phase 3 playground at RBMS and support study abroad for GCHS scholars. Title V: Technology for Career Center and support of the Peer Helper Program.
    Child Nutrition Program revenues are budgeted at $900,000.
    Ms. Marquita Lennon also presented the FY 2024 Wrap Up indicating supplemental appropriations for the following: Alabama Reading Initiative Grant for After School funded at $50,000; Education Trust Fund supplemented at $861,900; Career Tech O&M supplemented at $19,938; Textbook supplemented at $47,704; Nurses Salaries supplemented at $26,468 – all totaling $1,000.601.
    In other business, the board approved the following personnel items recommended by Superintendent Dr. Corey Jones.
    Resignation: Jasmine Armstead, Science teacher – GCHS, effective August 7, 2024.
    Employment for the 2024 – 2025 school year:Mary McMillian – Bus Aide – GCSS; Debra Waiters – Part-time Parent Facilitator – GCSS; Marva Smith – Long-term substitute (ACCESS) – GCHS; Carla Russell – Bus driver for mid-day CTE route from GCCC to RBMS.
    Authorization of the following employees to work Concessions and Ticket Booths for the 2024-2025 school year at the Greene County High School principal’s discretion: La Tanya Cockrell; Tracey Hunter; Sarah Brewer; Twelia Morris; Sharon Washington; Mary Henderson; Wanda Gaitor; Jacqueline Edwards – Custodial Services; 3-year Contract for CSFO, Marquita Lennon, effective September 1, 2024.
    Additional Service Contracts 2024 – 2025 for the following employees at Greene County High School: (Separate Contract); Patricia Maiden – Assistant Volleyball Coach.
    The board approved the following administrative items.
    * Travel to the 2024 CTE Vision Conference December 4-7, 2024 in San Antonio, TX for the following potential attendees: (pending budget approval):Teresa Atkins; Andrea Perry; Tamika Thompson; Angela White.
    * Contract between Greene County High School and West Central Volleyball Officials Association for volleyball officials for the 2024 – 2025 school year.
    * Contract between Greene County High School and West Central Football Officials Association for football officials for the 2024 – 2025 school year.
    * Agreement between Greene County Board of Education and Integrity Event Security Providers, LLC to provide concealed weapons detection services at Greene County High School and Robert Brown Middle School for the 2024 – 2025 school year.
    * Payment of all bills, claims, and payroll.
    * Bank reconciliations as submitted by Mrs. Marquita Lennon, CSFO.
    * Purchase of a copier for central office from Dex Imaging in the amount of $14,590.

  • Eutaw City Council accepts bid for resurfacing West End Avenue;Also discusses racial fallout of selecting a new Council member

    Shown above Judge Lillie Jones-Osborne swearing in newly selected City Council person of District 5, Suzette Powell, accompanied by family. Also City councilpersons Tracy Hunter Larrie Coleman, Suzette Powell and Mayor Latasha Johnson.

     

    By John Zippert, Co-Publisher

    At its regular meeting on September 10, 2024, voted to accept the low bid of $383,343.82 from S.T. Bunn Construction Company for the repaving of about three miles of West End Avenue, from the city limits to Highway 11.

    The State of Alabama, Rebuilding Alabama Program, is providing $316,671.81 in two grants toward the project. The City of Eutaw must provide  $113,671.81 in matching funds, including $47,000 of engineering services and the rest to match for construction costs, with no allowance for cost overruns.
    Mayor Johnson said the city’s matching funds would come out of the 4 and 7 cent gas funds for road repair.

    Ms. Suzette Powell was selected by the Eutaw City Council, at a Special Meeting on September 6, to fill the remaining term of Ms. Jacqueline Stewart who resigned because she moved out of District 5. Ms. Powell was sworn in by District Judge Lillie Osborne a few hours before the meeting.

    The Council approved Resolution 2024-27 for the Rental of City Park, the R. H. Young Community Center and other areas. This policy provides a $75.00 per day charge for parking RVs on city property.

    In other business, the Eutaw City Council:

    • Approved travel  and expenses for Magistrates to attend training classes in Montgomery, either in November or December.
    • Approved travel and registration for Mayor Johnson to attend the 2024 AARC Annual Training Conference in Huntsville on October 6 to 8, 2024.
    • Approved allowing Deep South Rodeo to use the City Park and Hose Arena for a rodeo to benefit the Greene County Ambulance Service on October 4 and 5, 2024.
    • Tabled discussion of claim by Dave and Ethel Black for property damage.
    • Agreed to share costs 50-50 with the Greene County Housing Authority to repair a sewage line.
    • Discussed and tabled a discussion of raising the Mayor and Council salaries for those elected in 2025.
    • Approved payment of bills.

    Racial fallout from discussion of new Council member

    At the end of the meeting, when the Mayor, Council members and the public have a chance to speak, Councilwomen Valerie Watkins raised the point that she had been spoken to disrespectfully at the end of the September 6 Special Meeting.

    The Council had interviewed two candidates for the District 5 Council position, Suzette Powell, who is Black and previously worked at Piggly Wiggly and Carrie Logan, who is white and serves as President of the Eutaw Chamber of Commerce. The Council chose Powell over Logan. Mayor Johnson was not pleased with the decision and voted against it, because she had hoped to add a white voice to the Eutaw City Council for more diversity of representation.

    After the September 6th vote, Danny Cooper, retired Alabama Power employee and Chair of the Greene County IDA was visibly angered and spoke disrespectfully to some of the Council members. He has since apologized to Councilwoman Watkins. At the meeting, Danny Cooper gave another heartfelt  statement of his “love for Eutaw and Greene County”.

    Corey Cockrell, Chair of the County Commission, who was in the audience, spoke and said, “We really need more honest and genuine cooperation and discussion with Black and White people in Greene County. We need white people to support and let their children attend the Greene County public schools if we are really going to work together for a common future.”

    Mayor Johnson closed the meeting saying, “We all need to work together and have more honest discussion of the problems we face in our city
    going forward.”

  • Greene County Commission deals with routine business at regular September 9, 2024 meeting

    At its regular meeting on September 9, 2024, the Greene County Commission reviewed and passed a number of routine business items.

    The Commission approved the extension and renewal of a variety of contracts, including the Alabama Department of Youth Service, for dealing with detention of youth offenders; the ACCA Workmen’s Compensation Self Insurance Fund; and the CIMS contract for soft wear at $750 a month for the
    Greene County Highway Department.

    The Commission also approved the 2025 Weather Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday for February 21-23, 2025, which exempts certain needed item from taxation for that designated weekend.

    The Commission also approved several requests from the Greene County Highway Department:

    • Agreed to purchase a new garbage truck for $268,394, based on a budgetary plan for trading in used equipment for new vehicles;
    • Clean up scrap and garbage on County Road 210, outside of Boligee;
    • Approved advertising for an Assistant Superintendent; and
    • Approved travel for the County Engineer to attend the Alabama Road Safety Conference on October 15-17, 2024, in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

    The Commission accepted the low bid of $105,020 from Just Rite Heating and Cooling, for HVAC units at the County Courthouse. The Commission also accepted the low bid of $32,500, from M & H Construction Company for replacement of doors at the Eutaw Activity Center.

    The Commission received and accepted a report from CFO Mac Underwood on the financial status of the Commission as of August 31, 2024, the eleventh month of the fiscal year. The Commission has $2,848,852 in unrestricted funds and $3,676,857 in restricted funds deposited with Citizens Trust Bank. In Merchants and Farmers Bank, the Commission has $3,088,151 in unrestricted bingo funds and $1,723,584 in restricted funds. The total unrestricted funds are $5,937,004 and $ 5,400,442 in restricted funds. The Commission also has $899,569 in bond sinking funds.

    For the month of August, the Commission spent a total of $803,667 and an additional $71,057 in electronic claims. All the departmental budgets are in line with the budget as of August 31, 2024.

    A separate report was presented on the use of American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funding given to the County, showing $67,790 in unexpended funds.
    On the report there is a note that the E-911 Board requested additional operating funds and that the Greene County Industrial Development Authority requested funds for building renovations. All the ARPA funds must be obligated by the end of this calendar year.

  • Newswire : Republican Party attempts to strike 225,000 voters from North Carolina election rolls

    NC voting place

    By Sunita Sohrabji

     

    SPECIAL TO THE TRICE EDNEY NEWS WIRE FROM ETHNIC MEDIA SERVICES

    (TriceEdneyWire.com) – A group of civil rights organizations announced Sept. 5 they are challenging a lawsuit by the Republican Party, which seeks to deem 225,000 registered voters in North Carolina ineligible to vote.

    The lawsuit impacts any voter in North Carolina who does not have a Social Security number and a driver’s license — or other DMV document — on file with the North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE).

    Election officials note that this could be a fault of human error, and that such documents were not required before 2005, when the federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) took effect.In its lawsuit filed Aug. 23, the RNC stated that the NCSBE allowed over a quarter million people to register to vote with registration forms that failed to collect required identification information. The RNC deemed it a violation of HAVA.

    “Because of these errors, the North Carolina voter rolls are potentially replete with ineligible voters — including possible non-citizens — all of whom are now registered to vote,” declared the RNC in its lawsuit.
    RNC Chairman Michael Whatley said in a press statement: “The NCSBE has once again failed in its mandate to keep non-citizens off the voter rolls, fueling distrust and jeopardizing our elections. We are committed to the basic principle – and commonsense law – that only Americans decide American elections.”

    Voting by undocumented immigrants is extremely rare, reports the Brennan Center. In a survey of 23.5 million ballots, the organization found only 30 fraudulent votes, just 0.0001 percent of the votes cast. The Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, also reports that non-citizens do not vote in detectable numbers. Non-citizens who attempt to vote can be criminally prosecuted and deemed ineligible for citizenship.


    Motion to Intervene

    The North Carolina State Conference of the NAACP, along with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Southern Coalition for Social Justice filed a motion to intervene Sept. 4, on behalf of the North Carolina NAACP, and Sailor Jones, associate director of Common Cause, North Carolina, who is directly affected by the RNC lawsuit. The NAACP notes that Black voters would be disproportionately impacted, should the RNC’s lawsuit prevail.

    In an interview with Ethnic Media Services, Jones said he has voted in North Carolina for decades. But he re-registered to vote on July 8, 2022, after changing residences. Neither his social security number or his driver’s license show up in voter files, thus he would be deemed ineligible to vote, should the RNC prevail. Jones said he provided his driver’s license when voting in the 2024 primary election, and has provided his Social Security number to election officials in the past.

    The RNC’s ‘Desperate Move’

    “Now I am one of hundreds of thousands eligible North Carolina voters whom extremists want to deny their freedom to cast a ballot just days before voting begins in our state,” he said, characterizing the lawsuit as a “desperate move.”

    The East Carolina University Center for Survey Research released a poll Sept. 3, which showed Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump in a one-point lead against Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic Presidential candidate. Dr. Peter Francia, Director of the East Carolina University Center for Survey Research said in an interview with CBS17 that the razor-thin lead was well within the 3 point margin of error.

    Jones said he expects more North Carolinians coming to the polls to rebuke the Republican Party’s extreme policies, including restricting abortion access, new cuts to public education, and penalties for publicly protesting.


    American Basketball Player Ineligible to Vote

    “While these extremists may have wanted North Carolina voters to be discouraged by this latest political ploy, they forgot we live in a state known for breaking voting records regardless of the barriers in place,” he said.

    Jones provided to EMS the full list of a quarter million people who would be deemed ineligible to vote. (The list can be searched by downloading the spreadsheet. While the list has over 750,000 names, only those missing both a driver’s license and a Social Security number would be potentially ineligible to vote).
    Jones noted that one of his favorite basketball players, University of North Carolina’s Armando Bacot, is on the list. “When you mess with college basketball in North Carolina, you mess with all of us,” said Jones. Bacot, 24, was born in Richmond, Virginia; he is Black.

    The North Carolina State Board of Elections has not commented on the lawsuit. It does encourage people to check its database to see if they are still actively registered to vote. People who are listed as inactive can re-register up to 30 days prior to the election. For voters who lack a Social Security number or driver’s license, North Carolinians can submit a photo ID, along with a utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows a name and address.

  • Newswire : James Earl Jones, Iconic Voice of Darth Vader and EGOT Winner, Dies at 93

    James Earl Jones

    By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

     

    James Earl Jones, the legendary actor whose deep, resonant voice became synonymous with some of the most iconic characters in film history, passed away today at his home in Dutchess County, New York. He was 93.

    His representatives at Independent Artist Group first confirmed the actor’s death to Deadline. Over a remarkable career that spanned six decades, Jones earned an indelible place in both Hollywood and Broadway. He became one of only a few entertainers to achieve the prestigious EGOT, winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony.

    Best known to many as the commanding voice behind Darth Vader in Star Wars, Jones brought depth and gravitas to the villainous character, making him one of cinema’s most unforgettable antagonists. He reprised the role in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005) and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), further cementing his legacy in the galaxy far, far away.

    Born on January 17, 1931, in Arkabutla, Mississippi, Jones’s contributions to the arts extended far beyond Star Wars. He voiced the beloved character Mufasa in Disney’s animated classic The Lion King (1994) and again in the 2019 live-action remake. His unmistakable voice was also a signature of CNN’s “This is CNN” campaign.

    Jones’s acting career began on the stage and in film with his breakout role in Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove (1964). His powerful on-screen presence led to roles in a variety of acclaimed films including Conan the Barbarian (1982), Coming to America (1988), The Hunt for Red October (1990), and The Sandlot (1990). He earned an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Jack Jefferson in The Great White Hope (1970), a role that also won him his first Tony Award.

    On Broadway, Jones was a force to be reckoned with. He earned four Tony nominations and took home two wins for The Great White Hope in 1969 and August Wilson’s Fences in 1987. His contribution to the stage was celebrated with a Special Tony Award in 2017.

    Jones’s talents were equally recognized on television, where he won two Primetime Emmys in 1991 for Gabriel’s Fire and Heat Wave. His voice and presence on-screen were magnetic, a testament to his versatility as an actor who could excel in drama, comedy, and everything in between.

    A recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors in 2002, Jones’s lifetime of achievements earned him accolades from SAG-AFTRA and the National Board of Review and a Grammy for Best Spoken Word Recording in 1977.