Greene County Democrat

Category: Community

  • Newswire : Student loan debt drops $10 Billion due to Biden Administration forgiveness

    by Charlene Crowell, Center for Responsible Lending

    (TriceEdneyWire.com) – As consumers struggle to cope with mounting debt, a new economic report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York includes an unprecedented glimmer of hope. Although debt for mortgages, credit cards, auto loans and more increased by billions of dollars in the second quarter of 2024, student loan debt decreased by $10 billion.

    According to the New York Fed, borrowers ages 40-49 and ages 18-29 benefited the most from the reduction in student loan debt.

    In a separate and recent independent finding, 57 percent of Black Americans hold more than $25,000 in student loan debt compared to 47 percent of Americans overall, according to The Motley Fool’s analysis of student debt by geography, age and race. Black women have an average of $41,466 in undergraduate student loan debt one year after graduation, more than any other group and $10,000 more than men.

    This same analysis found that Washington, DC residents carried the highest average federal student loan debt balance, with $54,146 outstanding per borrower. Americans holding high levels of student debt lived in many of the nation’s most populous states – including California, Texas, and Florida.

    The Fed’s recent finding may be connected to actions taken by the Biden administration to rein in unsustainable debt held by people who sought higher education as a way to secure a better quality of life. This decline is even more noteworthy in light of a series of legal roadblocks to loan forgiveness. In response to these legal challenges, the Education Department on August 1 began emailing all borrowers of an approaching August 30 deadline to contact their loan service to decline future financial relief. Borrowers preferring to be considered for future relief proposed by pending departmental regulations should not respond.

    If approved as drafted, the new rules would benefit over 30 million borrowers, including those who have already been approved for debt cancellation over the past three years.

    “These latest steps will mark the next milestone in our efforts to help millions of borrowers who’ve been buried under a mountain of student loan interest, or who took on debt to pay for college programs that left them worse off financially, those who have been paying their loans for twenty or more years, and many others,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona.

    The draft rules would benefit borrowers with either partial or full forgiveness in the following categories:

    Borrowers who owe more now than they did at the start of repayment. This category is expected to largely benefit nearly 23 million borrowers, the majority of whom are Pell Grant recipients.
    Borrowers who have been in repayment for decades. Borrowers of both undergraduate and graduate loans who began repayment on or before July 1, 2000 would qualify for relief in this category.
    Borrowers who are otherwise eligible for loan forgiveness but have not yet applied. If a borrower hasn’t successfully enrolled in an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan but would be eligible for immediate forgiveness, they would be eligible for relief. Borrowers who would be eligible for closed school discharge or other types of forgiveness opportunities but haven’t successfully applied would also be eligible for this relief.
    Borrowers who enrolled in low-financial value programs. If a borrower attended an institution that failed to provide sufficient financial value, or that failed one of the Department’s accountability standards for institutions, those borrowers would also be eligible for debt relief.

    Most importantly, if the rules become approved as drafted, no related application or actions would be required from eligible borrowers — so long as they did not opt out of the relief by the August 30 deadline.

    “The regulations would deliver on unfulfilled promises made by the federal government to student loan borrowers over decades and offer remedies for a dysfunctional system that has often created a financial burden, rather than economic mobility, for student borrowers pursuing a better future,” stated the Center for American Progress in an August 7 web article. “Meanwhile, the Biden-Harris administration also introduced income limits and caps on relief to ensure the borrowers who can afford to pay the full amount of their debts do so.”

    “The Center for American Progress estimates the interest waiver provisions would deliver relief to roughly 6 million Black borrowers, or 23 percent of the estimated number of borrowers receiving relief, as well as 4 million Hispanic or Latino borrowers (16 percent) and 13.5 million white borrowers (53 percent).”

    These pending regulations would further expand the $168.5 billion in financial relief that the Biden Administration has already provided to borrowers:

    $69.2 billion for 946,000 borrowers through fixes to Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).
    $51 billion for more than 1 million borrowers through administrative adjustments to IDR payment counts. These adjustments have brought borrowers closer to forgiveness and addressed longstanding concerns with the misuse of forbearance by loan services.
    $28.7 billion for more than 1.6 million borrowers who were cheated by their schools, saw their institutions precipitously close, or are covered by related court settlements.
    $14.1 billion for more than 548,000 borrowers with a total and permanent disability.
    $5.5 billion for 414,000 borrowers through the SAVE Plan.

    More information for borrowers about this debt relief is available at StudentAid.gov/debt-relief.

    Charlene Crowell is a senior fellow with the Center for Responsible Lending. She can be reached at Charlene.crowell@responsiblelending.org. 

  • Newswire: Lawmakers face September 30 deadline to avoid government shutdown

     U. S. Capitol building with yellow tape

    By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent


     
    After a six-week summer recess, lawmakers return to the Capitol on Monday with a looming crisis: preventing a government shutdown. They have just three weeks to act before federal funding runs out on September 30, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. The twice impeached and 34 times convicted former President Donald Trump has urged Republicans to embrace a shutdown unless his demands are met, putting millions of jobs and essential services at risk just weeks ahead of the 2024 presidential election.

    The prospect of a shutdown would close federal agencies and national parks and curtail essential public services while furloughing millions of federal workers. The presidential race overshadows this impending crisis, as Congress will break again at the end of the month, not returning until after the election. Before leaving in July, the political landscape shifted when President Joe Biden exited the presidential race, positioning Vice President Kamala Harris as the new Democratic standard bearer. In the campaign’s final weeks, Republicans under Trump are preparing to change their strategy against Harris.

    At the heart of Congress’s immediate challenge is securing a funding bill to keep the government operational. With an unlikely complete funding agreement, lawmakers are looking for a stopgap measure. But even that has become a political minefield. Under pressure from Trump and right-wing factions, the Republican-led House proposed a stopgap bill that would extend funding through March 28, 2025. However, it comes with a controversial addition—the SAVE Act, a GOP-backed measure that would overhaul national voting laws by requiring proof of citizenship to vote.
    Democrats have vehemently opposed the act, arguing it would disenfranchise voters by making it harder for eligible Americans to access required documents like passports or birth certificates.

    Beyond the political gamesmanship, the consequences of a shutdown would hit home in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, where federal workers and government operations are crucial to local economies. National landmarks like the Smithsonian Museums and the National Zoo may remain open temporarily with prior-year funding, but there is uncertainty about other attractions like the National Mall’s memorials.

    The economic impact could be severe in Maryland, home to over 240,000 federal worker households. State officials are preparing to use local funds to offset the disruption, but workers commuting to Washington, D.C., or Northern Virginia may be furloughed.

    Virginia would bear the brunt of the shutdown, with its substantial federal civilian and military workforce. The state’s economy is deeply intertwined with federal spending, particularly in regions like Hampton Roads, home to a significant number of active-duty military personnel. The shutdown could jeopardize essential programs, including the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and affect operations at Virginia’s 22 national parks.

    The ripple effects would extend to the Washington, D.C., Metro system, which relies heavily on federal workers for ridership. With the Metro system already facing challenges in recovering from pandemic-related drops in usage, a shutdown could be another blow.

    “There’s no question that this is not a good thing for the country, but it’s certainly not a good thing for Metro specifically,” Randy Clarke, Metro’s general manager, said during a recent interview. “And the timing is really challenging because ridership is really starting to grow back. So, you know, we’re going to be watching this very closely, and we’re hoping that if

  • Rescheduled for September 26, 2024 -Medicare 2025 Education Event

  • Eutaw Police Night Out rescheduled

  • Rosie Lee Carpenter dies at age 102

    Rosie Lee Carpenter, educator and longtime civil rights and community leader in Greene County died peacefully, surrounded by family on August 31, 2024, at the age of 102, at her daughter’s home in Bowie Maryland.

    Born January 25, 1922, in Mantua community of Greene County. Rosie Carpenter’s father, a sharecropper, died when she was two years old. Her mother died in a 1943 tornado. Rosie and her younger siblings went to live with her older sister, Annie Thomas in Eutaw. Rosie decided to pursue a career in education after leaving the plantation where she was born.

    Carpenter started teaching at the Burton Hills School in Union, Alabama. During the summers of her teaching career, she attended Alabama State University, earning her undergraduate and master’s degrees in education. Later, Carpenter married Willie James Carpenter, her brother’s best friend. They had two children, Joyce Lynett Carpenter (Dasher) and Charles Earl Carpenter.

    Throughout her life, Carpenter was passionate about fighting for civil rights. She and her sister, Annie Thomas, were pioneers in Alabama’s Civil Rights Movement. They assisted Hosea Williams and Ralph Abernathy in designing winning strategies for the special Greene County election on July 29, 1969. Williams and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) used Thomas’s and Carpenter’s home to conduct field Voter Registration and Get Out the Vote campaigns.

    Greene County’s actions in civil rights afforded opportunities for many Black residents, including Carpenter’s close friend, Robert Brown, who served as the first Black school superintendent. Rosie Carpenter was one of the few teachers brave enough to participate in the civil rights movement despite constant attacks and efforts to get her fired.

    Even as Carpenter and Thomas sustained their leadership roles and political activities in Greene County, they traveled throughout Alabama to assist other communities with boycotts and election strategies after the historic Greene County election in 1969,  which gave control of the County Commission and School Board to Black citizens, who were the population majority in Greene County

    In 2008, Alabama’s Congressman Artur Davis dedicated the Rosie L. Carpenter Haven apartment complex on Annie Thomas Circle based on the sisters’ courageous efforts during the Civil Rights Movement. As a result of Carpenter’s life of service, Greene County has African American representation at all levels of government. Carpenter also impacted her community through involvement in non-profit organizations that provide housing services and resources to young women and community organizing.

    At the 50th Anniversary celebration of Freedom Day on July 29, 1969 (July 27, 2019), Elder Spiver W. Gordon’s Alabama Historical Movement, Inc. dedicated a monument for Justice and Voting Rights at the home of sisters Thomas and Carpenter for their tireless efforts in fighting for the rights of the disenfranchised in their community.

    Mrs. Rosie Carpenter’s funeral is now set for Saturday, September 14, 2024, at 11:00 AM at First Baptist Church in Eutaw.

  • Eutaw City Council tables most agenda items

    The Eutaw City Council tabled most items on its agenda for its regular fourth Tuesday meeting on August 27, 2024, pending further study and discussion. Many of these tabled items were deferred to a ‘work session’ to be held on September 5, 2024, to make additional decisions on these items.

    The work session on September 5th at 11:00 AM will also allow the Council to interview two applicants for the District 5 seat vacancy on the council. Jacqueline Stewart resigned effective August 15, because she moved out of her residence in the district and purchased a home in another part of the city.

    Ralph Liverman, Financial Adviser sent the city council members a memorandum suggesting that they restrict travel requests and expenses for the period of mid-August to mid-November, due to limited cash flow, in the General Fund, during this period. Several agenda items, dealing with travel requests for staff and council members were tabled.

    The Council received another communication from Financial Adviser Liverman that he had requested $30,000 from the Sheriff, from the bingo funds that he controls, to pay for the increase in engineering costs on the Street-Scape Project. The Sheriff agreed to the city’s request for $30,000.

    There was a discussion with a member of the Dangerous Divas’ Social and Savings Club concerning their request to use the Robert H. Young Community Center and adjoining park for a Class Night Out program to be held in October. The Council tabled discussion of this agenda item until the upcoming work session, to recheck the prices and deposits charged for use of the city facilities.

    The Eutaw City Council did approve the Severe Weather Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday, scheduled for February 21 to 23, 2025.The council also approved a reimbursement of $3,500 to Robert Rose for a mathematical error on a building permit charge. They also approved payment of bills.

    The Council tabled a claim from Dave and Ethel Black for some repairs to their fence and property caused by the city. The claim was tabled because there was no specific amount requested. Later in the public comment session, Ms. Black said that until the city removes some tree branches from the fence that she could not determine the amount of damages
    She urged the city to do their part, so she could determine the damages.

    The Council agreed to a motion presented by Councilwoman Hunter to repair the roads in Branch Heights that had been damaged by work on sewage pipes. Mayor Latasha Johnson said there was a long list of roads that needed to be fixed, and some were in worse shape than the ones in Branch Heights. She felt the Council should prioritize the list of repairs and seek funding on that basis. Th Council ignored this recommendation and approved the resolution.

    Councilwoman Valerie Watkins spoke up about dealing with vacant lots like the one at Roebuck and Edwards Drive that she has been complaining about for years. She also said something had to be done about people  taking care of their property on O’Neal Street.

    City Attorney Zane Willingham said the new procedures for dealing with vacant lots in the city that had not been maintained was pending the receipt of citations that could be issued by police to landowners who were not taking care of their properties. After the official citations were given, the owner would either clean-up or the city would clean-up at the owner’s expense.

    The Council tabled the final item on the agenda for a discussion of raising Mayor and Council salaries in 2025 for further discussion at the work session.

  • Newswire : Suspected Boko Haram militants kill at least 37 in Nigeria attack

    Trucks drive bodies through the streets of Nigeria

    By Ahmed Kingimi, Reuters

     

    MAIDUGURI, Nigeria, Sept 3 (Reuters) – Suspected Boko Haram Islamist militants roared into a northeastern Nigerian village on motorcycles, opened fire on a market and set shops and homes ablaze, killing at least 37 people, according to a military official.

    Residents said the death toll could be even higher, with villagers still missing and feared dead after fighters chased them into the bush.
    The attack took place on Sunday afternoon in Yobe, one of three states at the frontline of an insurgency that has lasted 15 years. Thousands of Nigerians have been killed and more than 2 million displaced.

    Yobe police spokesperson Dungus Abdulkarim said the attack in Yobe’s Mafa village was apparent retaliation for the killing of two suspected Boko Haram fighters by local vigilantes.

    After shooting at the market and torching buildings, the militants chased other residents into the bush and shot them, Abdulkarim added.
    “The terrorists killed many people, but we are yet to ascertain the actual number of casualties,” Abdulkarim said.

    A military official who accompanied the army’s commanding officer for Yobe to Mafa on Monday evening said the route to the village had been rigged with explosives, which troops managed to defuse.

    “We recovered 37 corpses and brought them to Babangida General Hospital,” said the official, who declined to be identified because he is not authorized to speak to the media.

    Modu Mohammed, a resident, said several more residents were missing and estimated the death toll at over 100. He said some corpses were still in the bush.

  • Newswire : As a new school year starts, Black student enrollment is down at multiple elite colleges

    By Kay Wicker, The Grio

     

    The first freshman class is entering college since the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action last year — and multiple elite colleges have already reported a decline in Black student enrollment.

    After the Massachusetts Institute of Technology announced a decline in Black student enrollment, two more schools in the state are reporting the same. Amherst College and Tufts University, both in Massachusetts, as well as the University of Virginia, have reported drops in Black student enrollment to varying degrees. The schools in Boston have been hit harder, with Amherst’s Black student enrollment decreasing by a full 8%, according to the New York Times (NYT).

    Initially enacted in 1965 and updated in 1968 to include gender, affirmative action ensured the equality of employment opportunity without regard to race, gender, religion, and national origin. Affirmative action in higher education ensured that all students received fair consideration for admission.

    As the NYT further reports, many of the nation’s most elite and selective colleges have yet to release their data. The enrollment numbers across other races have also not been widely reported. However, the data that has been reported doesn’t bode well for what this could mean about Black student enrollment.

    Meanwhile, according to a recent study by the American Institute for Boys and Men, historically Black colleges and universities are experiencing a decline in Black male enrollment. The report found that presently, Black men account for 26% of the student population at HBCUs, down from 36% in the mid-1970s.

    According to the study’s authors, there are several factors that have led to the decline in Black male HBCU students, including a lack of proper K-12 integration. “Targeted interventions in K-12 education in Black communities, increasing the representation of Black male teachers and expanding funding opportunities for HBCUs and their potential students could all help increase Black male enrollment,” the authors wrote, adding, “Reforms in these critical areas could help HBCUs realize their full potential in supporting the educational and economic advancement of Black men.”

    The study also noted many of the benefits of an HBCU education, including that HBCUs have a higher track record of enrolling lower-income students compared to non-HBCUs, and these students are more than nearly twice as likely to experience upward economic mobility.

    As PWIs and other non-HBCUs continue to grapple with the lack of affirmative action, it will be interesting to see how HBCUs’ numbers are impacted. While more data is needed to fully understand the picture that is potentially being painted, college admissions have also been bracing for steep enrollment declines across the country for various reasons. Younger generations are choosing vocational programs over four-year institutions in greater numbers. Many are foregoing college and entering the workforce, citing the high costs of higher education. Not to mention, with declining American birth rates, there are simply going to be fewer younger adults.  

    When affirmative action was first placed on the chopping block last year, many Black leaders in higher education spoke up to warn against what could happen. 

Carlotta Berry, a Black professor based in Indiana, said at the time, “When I sit back and reflect on the amount of microaggressions and bias that I have seen students experience, even in a world with affirmative action, I just don’t want to imagine what Black and brown students may experience now when they go from [being] one of two or three to possibly one of one.”

  • Newswire : Poll: Figures takes big lead in CD2 race

    Shomari Figures and Carolean Dobson, candidates in the Alabama 2nd. Congressional District contest

    The new SPLC Action Fund poll shows Figures with a lead among likely voters, thanks to a big boost from Vice President Kamala Harris.

    By Josh Moon, Alabama Political Reporter

    With a boost from Vice President Kamala Harris, Shomari Figures is pulling away in the race for Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District, according to a new poll from the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Action Fund. 

    The poll, which collected information from 400 likely voters, found that Figures held a 51-39 lead over Republican challenger Caroleene Dobson. He also holds significant advantages over Dobson in both favorability and name recognition. Also, respondents were much more enthusiastic about voting for Figures. 

    “The enthusiasm is a big shift from the polling we did earlier this year,” said Brandon Jones, the director of political campaigns for the SPLC’s Action Fund. “Enthusiasm was down significantly with President Biden in the race, and we were very concerned about the turnout that we would see in this race. But it’s very obvious that (Harris) has sparked real enthusiasm and that has translated to more enthusiasm down the ticket as well.”

    Alabama’s 2nd District will be one of the more closely watched races in the country, because of the voter dynamics within the district. Drawn by court order, and specifically by a special master, the district was designed to give Black voters an opportunity to elect a candidate of their choosing by joining like-minded white voters. 

    According to recent statistics from the newly drawn district, it would have elected a Democratic candidate in most of the recent elections, despite white voters holding a slight demographic advantage. Still, the district is very competitive, and a Republican blowout at the top of the ticket could spell doom for a Democrat in a House race on the same ticket. But that doesn’t seem like an issue now. 

    “Harris’ entry into the race really sparked a turnaround,” Jones said. 
    While that wasn’t really a surprise, given the national response to Harris’ campaign, there were some surprises within the polling, Jones said. For example, for all the talk of the border and abortion policy, they didn’t score highly on the list of top concerns for voters in the district. 

    Respondents rated K-12 education issues, crime and gun violence as their top issues. Securing the border rated ninth-most important, while restoring abortion rights rated 11th, in the 11-item survey. 

    Also, respondents said their vote was important in both the presidential election and in determining control of the House. 

    “I think people sometimes forget that while Donald Trump on the ticket creates a lot of excitement for (conservative) voters, the same is true for those voting against him,” Jones said. “The numbers for those who felt their vote was important in determining control of Congress were very high, and that tells you that people realize what’s at stake. And even if their vote can’t stop Trump from becoming president, maybe they can have some say in stopping his agenda.” 

  • Newswire : In first major interview as Democratic nominee,VP Harris forcefully defends her record

    Tim Walz and VP Kamala Harris

    By Stacy M. Brown
    NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

    Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, made a strategic decision to sit down for her first major interview since President Joe Biden withdrew from the race, selecting CNN as the platform despite the network’s heavily criticized moderation of the controversial June debate between Biden and former President Donald Trump.

    In that debate, CNN anchors were widely condemned for allowing Trump to spread untruths and disinformation unchecked. On Thursday, Aug. 29, Harris used that same network to set the record straight and present her vision for America alongside her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.

    The interview in Georgia during their ongoing bus tour marked a critical moment for Harris, who has lit a fire under a once stagnant Democratic Party and galvanized donors as she’s taken the lead in almost every national poll. Dana Bash, who conducted the interview, opened by questioning Harris about her priorities if she were to win the presidency.

    Harris, clear and direct, outlined her immediate goals: “On day one, we’re going to bring down the cost of everyday goods, support small businesses, and invest in American families. We’re not going back—we’re moving forward.” Her response was a sharp contrast to Trump, who vowed that he’d be a dictator on day one.

    Walz, seated beside Harris, praised the proposed agenda, highlighting its practical success in Minnesota. “The child tax credit, for example, reduced childhood poverty by a third in our state. With a federal partner, the impact could be even greater,” Walz said.
    The discussion quickly pivoted to the economy, with Bash pressing Harris on why some Americans might, according to Bash, feel nostalgic for the economic conditions under Trump. Harris responded by highlighting the dire situation she and Biden inherited—a nation reeling from a pandemic, with millions of jobs lost and a collapsing economy. “We inherited a nation in crisis,” Harris said, recalling the early days of the Biden administration. “We’ve brought inflation down to under 3%, but we know prices, especially for groceries, are still too high. That’s why my agenda is focused on real solutions—tackling price gouging, investing in affordable housing, and providing a $25,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers.”

    Harris also addressed her past positions on fracking and immigration, clarifying that her views have evolved as she gained more office experience. On fracking, she stated clearly that while she once supported a ban, she now believes in a balanced approach that doesn’t jeopardize jobs in key sectors. “In 2020, I made my position clear and kept my word. My values haven’t changed, but my experience as vice president has shown me that we can achieve a thriving clean energy economy without banning fracking,” Harris asserted.

    When the conversation turned to immigration, Harris didn’t hold back in criticizing Trump’s handling of the issue, particularly his role in blocking bipartisan efforts to secure the border. “We had a bill that would have added 1,500 agents to the border and increased fentanyl seizures, but Trump killed it because it didn’t serve his political interests,” Harris said. She pledged to sign that bill into law if elected, underscoring her commitment to enforcing immigration laws with the experience she gained as California’s attorney general.

    Bash also brought up Trump’s recent comment questioning Harris’s authenticity as a Black woman. Harris responded with a sharp dismissal, labeling it “the same old, tired playbook” and quickly shifting focus back to the issues.

    Despite the network’s poor performance during the June debate, Harris’s choice to give her first major interview to CNN was calculated. CNN’s moderators were widely criticized for failing to challenge Trump’s flood of misinformation, a decision that cast a long shadow over the network’s journalistic credibility. By engaging with CNN now, Harris signaled a willingness to confront her critics and take control of the narrative as she moves toward Election Day.

    In the interview’s more personal moments, Harris and Walz reflected on their families and the emotional support they received. Bash asked Harris about a viral photograph showing her grand niece watching her accept the Democratic nomination. Harris, visibly moved, said, “It’s humbling. This campaign is about what we can achieve together as a country. I’m running because I believe I’m the best person to lead this country forward—for all Americans.”

    Walz, when asked about his son Gus’s emotional reaction during his speech at the Democratic convention, underscored the importance of setting a positive example for the next generation. “To have my son feel that pride in me, to know I’m trying to do the right thing for our country—that’s what this is all about,” Walz said.

    As the interview closed, Harris made a powerful appeal to voters, framing the upcoming election as a critical turning point for the nation. “This election is about the kind of future we want to build,” she asserted. “Do we lift each other up, or do we tear each other down? I’m running because I believe in America’s potential to rise above division and hate. Together, we can turn the page on the last decade and write a new chapter in our nation’s history.”