Greene County Democrat

Category: Community

  • Newswire : Don Lemon made the headlines, but Georgia Fort’s arrest shows no journalist Is safe

    A professional portrait of a woman in a pink blazer and a man in a tuxedo, both posing confidently against a grey background.

    Georgia Fort and Don Lemon

    By Stacy M. Brown
 NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

    Famed journalist Don Lemon may draw the headlines, but Emmy-winning independent reporter Georgia Fort and Trahem Jenn Crews and Jamael Lydell Lundy were also taken into custody as federal agents moved against four Black journalists whose only apparent offense was documenting protests critical of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
    Lemon, a veteran broadcaster and longtime critic of President Donald Trump, was arrested late Thursday night in Los Angeles after livestreaming an anti-ICE demonstration connected to a January protest at a St. Paul, Minnesota, church. A short time later, Fort, a respected Minnesota-based journalist, was arrested by federal agents in her home state for reporting on the same protest, according to public statements and court records.
    Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the arrests signal a dangerous escalation by the Trump administration rather than any attempt to ease tensions following the fatal shootings of civilians by federal agents in Minnesot. She said Lemon was simply doing his job when agents arrested him and stressed that Fort’s detention made clear this was not an isolated incident but a broader assault on press freedoma.
    Federal authorities revived charges tied to a protest at Cities Church in St. Paul after a magistrate judge had already declined to approve arrest warrants against Lemon and others, citing insufficient evidence. Prosecutors then pursued indictments through a grand jury, a move civil liberties advocates say appears designed to sidestep judicial scrutiny and chill coverage of protests against ICE operations.
    Fort documented her own arrest in a brief livestream as agents arrived at her door, telling viewers she was being taken into custody for filming the protest as a member of the press. Her arrest, announced publicly by Attorney General Pam Bondi, placed an Emmy-winning journalist alongside protesters in a case the administration has described as a coordinated attack.
    Civil rights leaders said the symbolism was unmistakable. Rev. Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network, said Lemon’s arrest marked a direct blow against the First Amendment and warned that journalists critical of the president were being singled out.
    Press freedom advocates echoed those concerns. Lisa Gilbert, co-president of Public Citizen, said the arrests represent a constitutional crisis for journalism in the United States, adding that reporters have the right to document and share information with the public without fear of retaliation.
    Mayor Bass said she contacted the U.S. attorney to demand information about Lemon’s status and warned that arresting journalists for entering a church while reporting crosses a line the Constitution was written to prevent. “It’s an egregious assault on constitutionally protected First Amendment rights,” Bass said.

  • Roshanda Summerville seeking re-election for Commissioner, District 5

    A smiling woman with braided hair wearing a red and white shirt, against a blurred background.


    I am Roshanda Summerville, and I am seeking reelection for Greene County Commissioner of District 5. I ask the Citizens of Greene County, District 5, For your continued and unwavering support. You have a representative who has always been dedicated to serving the people of District 5 and all of Greene County. Together, let’s keep progress working for you.
    On May 19, 2026 voted and re-elect Roshanda Summerville, Commissioner of District 5.

    PROVEN. TRUSTED. STRONG.

  • Tennyson Smith announces candidacy for re-election for Commissioner, District #2

    A well-dressed man with a gray beard, wearing a suit and tie, standing in front of a brick wall.


    To the Citizens of Greene County and Voters of District 2. When I took the oath of an elected official years ago, I pledged to do my best to help improve Greene County and District 2. Today, I am pleased to say, I have done my best to uphold that pledge. Each decision and vote were made with you, the citizens, and voters of District 2, in mind. I am seeking reelection as Greene County Commissioner of District 2 in the May 19, 2026 Primary Election.
    *I am dedicated to the task that is before me.
    *I am available to you whenever you need me.
    * I operate an Open-Door Policy; no appointment is needed to see me.
    *I will continue to return each of your calls and check on and resolve all concerns and problems.
    Vote to re-elect experienced, Knowledgeable and Ready to Serve!

  • William Mack a candidate for Greene County Commissioner, District 3

    A man in a formal suit with a light pink tie, standing against a background featuring red and white stripes and a blue design.

    My name is William Mack and I am a candidate for Greene County Commissioner, District 3.
    I have been married for 16 years to Rosie Mack. We have four children and 3 grandchildren. I attended school at Caver High School. I furthered my education in Detroit Michigan at Old Eastern High School.
    Later on I obtained my Associate degree at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
    After become a minister, I worked for Mac’s Trucking Co., in which we built Highway & Express way for 39 years. I am now a retired CME Pastor. I drive school bus for the Greene County Board of Education. I am running because I believe our community deserves leadership that is honest, accountable, and truly committed to serving the people. As a Pastor and lifelong servant of the community. I understand the importance of listening, standing up for what’s right and working together to build a stronger future for our county.
    My mission is to advocate for our families and improve our infrastructure, support economic growth, and ensure that every voice is District 3 is heard and respected.  I believe in leadership rooted in faith, integrity, and service -not politics as usual.
    I humbly ask for your support and your vote as we work together to move Greene County forward. Vote William Mack for Greene County Commissioner, District 3 together

    WE CAN MAKE A
    DIFFERENCE!

  • Mayor Corey Cockrell and Eutaw City Council hold meetings

    By John Zippert,
    Co-Publisher

    This is a report of the Eutaw City Council regular meeting on January 27, 2026, and a Community Informational Meeting, the next day on January 28, 2026 also at Eutaw City Hall.
    The January 27th meeting of the Eutaw City Council dealt with routine business. The Council approved a 020 Restaurant Retail Liquor License for Main Street Grill. Representatives of Main Street Grill were present and thanked the Council for its support.
    The Eutaw City Council also agreed to approve payments for required training courses provided on on-line for the Mayor and Council members. The Council also approved a $200 registration fee for Councilwoman Carrie Logan to attend the National League of Cities Conference in Washington, D. C. On March 16-18, 2026. Later in the meeting, the Council approved registration and travel expenses if other council members wanted to attend this NLC Conference.
    The Eutaw City Council reappointed James Powell to the Eutaw Housing Board. They also approved payment of monthly bills.
    Mayor Cockrell in his report recognized Julia Carter, the new Water Clerk, who will be handling billing and collection for the Water Department. The Mayor also explained he was working on steps to improve the conditions of the City Hall, tennis courts, National Guard Armory and Robert H. Young Community Center (formerly Carver School) and other City owned facilities so they could be fully utilized by city residents.
    The January 28, 2026 Community Meeting, was one of several that the Mayor has set up around the city to provide information to residents, most of the City Council members also attended this meeting.
    The first item on the agenda dealt with the operation of the Water Department. The Mayor asked anyone with complaints about the quality of water, coloration, or billing to contact him and the Water Department in City Hall to correct the problems. Payment plans can be developed for high water bills, caused by leaks. Insurance is also available, at moderate cost, to cover leaks on the resident’s side of the meters. Mayor Cockrell urged everyone to pay their water bills on time, to avoid late charges, and allow the system to operate properly.
    The next agenda item concerned improving the community appearance by not littering and not putting furniture, appliances, electronic devices or other large materials by the side of the road. The Mayor said the City was arranging a schedule to pick up furniture and other large items.
    Before placing any items, other than tree limbs and other organic yard waste, on the side of the road, contact City Hall and arrange for pick-up. A ‘Community Clean-up Day’ will be held on Saturday, April 11, 2026 to help pick up litter and beautify the city.
    The Mayor also advised that the Police Department would be enforcing ’Noise Ordinances’ which prohibit playing loud music, especially at night, when other residents and neighbors are asleep. The Mayor introduced Kendrick Howell, Chief of Police who said he was running a ‘community oriented police force’ with an open door policy and was ready to meet with citizens and businesses to improve public safety in the city.
    The Mayor also mentioned his efforts to repair and improve major city owned buildings so that they could be fully utilized for activities to improve quality of life for residents. The next Community Meeting will be held February 11 at the Presbyterial Church Fellowship Hall.

  • Newswire : Philadelphia sues after slavery exhibits were taken down from President’s House site

    Newswire : Philadelphia sues after slavery exhibits were taken down from President’s House site

     Staff dismantling slavery exhibit in Philadelphia

    The lawsuit says the National Park Service removed the displays referring to slavery “presumably pursuant to the mandate” of an executive order from President Donald Trump.

    By Joe Kottke and Phil Helsel NBC News

    The city of Philadelphia sued the Department of the Interior and the acting director of the National Park Service on Thursday over reports that slavery exhibits were being dismantled in the city’s historic district.
    The suit, filed in federal court, seeks a preliminary injunction to restore the exhibits at the President’s House Site, part of Independence National Historical Park.
    The lawsuit says that “the National Park Service has removed artwork and informational displays at the President’s House site referencing slavery, presumably pursuant to the mandate” of Executive Order No. 14253, which President Donald Trump signed in March. 2025.
    The city said in the suit that it learned Thursday that the educational panels that referred to slavery had been removed.
    “Removing the exhibits is an effort to whitewash American history,” Philadelphia City Council President Kenyatta Johnson said in a statement Thursday. “History cannot be erased simply because it is uncomfortable. Removing items from the President’s House merely changes the landscape, not the historical record.”
    NBC Philadelphia aired video Thursday that shows people with crowbars taking down panels, one of which reads “The Dirty Business of Slavery.”
    The suit says the city was given no notice about the change to the President’s House.
    It calls the removal of the displays “arbitrary and capricious.”
    “Defendants have provided no explanation at all for their removal of the historical, educational displays at the President’s House site, let alone a reasoned one,” the lawsuit says.
    White House spokesman Davis Ingle said Trump “continues to fulfill his promise to restore truth and common sense to the United States and its institutions.” 
    “President Trump is ensuring that we are honoring the fullness of the American story instead of distorting it in the name of left-wing ideology,” Ingle said in a statement. 
    A spokesperson for the Department of the Interior, which oversees the National Park Service, said “all federal agencies are to review interpretive materials to ensure accuracy, honesty, and alignment with shared national values” while it implements Trump’s executive order.
    “Following completion of the required review, the National Park Service is now taking appropriate action in accordance with the Order,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
    The National Park Service did not immediately respond to NBC News’ requests for comment late Thursday.
    Trump’s executive order directs the Department of the Interior in its materials not to include “descriptions, depictions, or other content that inappropriately disparage Americans past or living (including persons living in colonial times).”
    It instructs the department to “instead focus on the greatness of the achievements and progress of the American people or, with respect to natural features, the beauty, abundance, and grandeur of the American landscape.”
    The order, titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” has been criticized.
    The American Historical Association said it “egregiously misrepresents the work of the Smithsonian Institution,” which the executive order criticized by name.
    “Historians explore the past to understand how our nation has evolved. We draw on a wide range of sources, which helps us to understand history from different angles of vision,” the group said March 31.
    “Our goal is neither criticism nor celebration,” it said. “It is to understand — to increase our knowledge of — the past in ways that can help Americans to shape the future.”
    The President’s House is a site where President George Washington resided in Philadelphia, and he brought slaves who were in the home, according to the lawsuit and the National Park Service’s webpage about the site. President John Adams also lived there.
    A spokesperson for the National Parks Conservation Association said the dismantling of the exhibit is “an insult to the memory of the enslaved people who lived there and to their descendants.” and “sets a dangerous precedent of prioritizing nostalgia over the truth.”
    The House of Representatives urged the National Park Service in 2003 to recognize the slaves there. The agency and the city entered into a cooperative agreement in 2006 to establish an exhibit about the site, the suit says.
    A memorial and panels about slavery at the President’s House have been up since it opened in 2010, according to the suit.
    The Black Journey, a group that conducts walking tours in Philadelphia about Black history, said removing the panels can’t erase the past.
    “The Black Journey is outraged and deeply disappointed by the removal of this important and irreplaceable piece of American history,” Raina Yancey, president and CEO of The Black Journey, said in a statement. 
    Yancey said the group will continue to lead weekly tours and pursue its mission “to tell the full and truthful history of our ancestors,” saying “no political action will silence this history.”
    She added that since the removal occurred, she has heard from fellow tour guides and individuals who have taken tours. 
    “Their messages make it clear: the public will not accept the erasure of history, and neither will we,” she said.
    U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., whose district includes part of Philadelphia and the President’s House, also condemned the removal.
    “Philadelphia and the entire country deserve an honest accounting of our history, and this effort to hide it is wrong,” he said in a statement.
    CAIR-Philadelphia Executive Director Ahmet Tekelioglu said the civil rights organization “stands in solidarity with the City of Philadelphia, advocacy groups, civil rights leaders, and historians.”
    Tekelioglu said the exhibit’s removal “has drawn widespread condemnation from community leaders, historians, and elected officials who argue that understanding the full scope of American history — including the brutal reality of slavery — is critical to our collective progress.”
    During the Trump administration, the National Park Service has made other changes that have backtracked on previous information.
    In February, before the executive order, the National Park Service website for Stonewall National Monument’s web page was changed to erase references to transgender and queer people.
    The Stonewall Inn is the site of a milestone in the fight for gay rights, recognition and the fight to end persecution by authorities.

  • Newswire : New Trump Tax Law locks in gains for the rich, leaves Black households behind

    Newswire : New Trump Tax Law locks in gains for the rich, leaves Black households behind

    By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

    President Donald Trump’s new tax law is now in force, and as the 2026 filing season begins, economists say the damage is not theoretical. It is already written into the tax code. The legislation locks in and expands Trump’s 2017 overhaul while layering on new provisions that funnel wealth upward, raise taxes on millions of low-income Americans, and deepen racial inequities that have defined the U.S. economy for generations.

    “This massive tax-and-spending package does more to transfer wealth upward than any other single piece of legislation in decades while penalizing lower-income Americans and cutting public benefits,” the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy said in its analysis of the law.

    According to ITEP, the poorest 40 percent of Americans will pay more in taxes under the new law, while the middle fifth receives only marginal relief. The richest 1 percent, however, will take home more benefits than the bottom 80 percent combined in 2026. The racial divide is stark. High-income households are disproportionately white, while Black and Latino families are far more likely to be concentrated in income groups that lose ground.

    At the center of the imbalance is the expanded pass-through business deduction, increased from 20 percent to 23 percent. Treasury Department data show that nearly all of the $1 trillion in tax cuts generated by this provision over the next decade will flow to the top 1 percent. Hispanic taxpayers, who account for 15 percent of the population, receive about 5 percent of the benefit. Black taxpayers, 11 percent of the population, receive roughly 2 percent.

    The law also sharply weakens the estate tax by permanently raising the exemption to $15 million for individuals and $30 million for married couples, indexed to inflation. Economists say the change all but eliminates the tax for ultra-wealthy families while locking in racial disparities tied to inherited wealth. White families are about three times as likely as Black families to receive an inheritance, and the median inheritance for White families is roughly 25 percent higher.

    Supporters of the law point to larger tax refunds expected this year as proof that working Americans are benefiting. The Tax Foundation estimates individual income taxes were reduced by $129 billion for 2025, with as much as $100 billion likely to be paid out through higher refunds during the 2026 filing season. Average refunds could rise by several hundred dollars, and in some cases close to $1,000.

    But analysts say those refunds are largely the result of delayed withholding adjustments, not sustained gains in wages or financial security. Many low-income filers, particularly those with little or no tax liability, receive little to nothing. ITEP said provisions marketed as help for working families continue to bypass the poorest households, many of them Black.

    The child tax credit was raised to $2,200 per child, yet it remains only partially refundable and far below its 2021 level. Millions of very low-income families are still excluded. Census data show that nearly one in five Black and American Indian people lived below the poverty line in 2024, placing them among those least likely to see any benefit.

    The law offsets tax cuts at the top by reducing funding for health care, food assistance, and other programs relied upon by working families. Economists warn that the long-term costs will fall heaviest on younger Americans. Millennials and Gen Z, the most racially diverse generations in U.S. history, will inherit higher deficits and fewer public resources.
    The Internal Revenue Service began accepting 2025 returns on Jan. 26 and expects to process roughly 164 million filings this year.

    New deductions for overtime, tips, auto loan interest, and seniors are now available, though many phase out well before reaching higher income levels. Analysts note that administrative readiness does not change who ultimately wins and loses under the law.

    ITEP said Congress had options that would have protected working families without deepening inequality, including limiting tax extensions to households earning under $400,000 and restoring the expanded child tax credit. That approach would have delivered larger tax cuts to the bottom 60 percent of Americans at a fraction of the cost.

    “This law harms the economic well-being of poor and working families of all races, especially people of color,” ITEP said. “The new tax and spending law doesn’t meet the basic test of fairness, and it falls tremendously short.”

  • Newswire : Trump Administration scrambles to blame Alex Pretti for his own death; Undermining 2nd Amendment in the process

    Makeshift memorial to Alex Pretti, at the site of his death in Minneapolis, Minnesota

    By Zack Linly, NewsOneInsert

    It’s quite possible that the Trump administration has finally flown too close to the sun, regarding its latest narrative of observably false propaganda against the latest victim of a killing by immigration cops in Minnesota.
    When 37-year-old Alex Pretti was gunned down by ICE agents while trying to protect a woman an agent had pushed to the ground and started pepper-spraying for no discernible reason, the Trump administration began its usual routine of trying its best to get ahead of the media by smearing the victim and claiming the agents were in imminent danger and in fear of their lives.
    White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, who has falsely claimed that immigration agents have“immunity” from prosecution, called Pretti a “domestic terrorist” and an “assassin” who “tried to murder federal agents” in a tweet that was re-tweeted by Vice President JD Vance, according to CNN.
    Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told reporters Saturday that Pretti “impeded the law enforcement officers and attacked them,” and that he “had a weapon on him, and multiple dozens of rounds of ammunition; wishing to inflict harm on these officers, coming, brandishing like that.”
    Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara refuted Noem’s claim about Pretti “brandishing” his gun — which he carried legally, and which video clearly shows that he never even touched, let alone brandished — saying, “I don’t have any evidence that I’ve seen that suggests that the weapon was brandished.” Noem also said in a Fox News interview Sunday that Pretti was “laying hands on law enforcement,” which video footage also shows is simply untrue.
    Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino — who has been at the center of clashes between immigration cops and protesters almost everywhere agents have been deployed, and has been ripped to shreds multiple times by federal judges for violating their orders restricting certain uses of force and for lying about protest violence to justify it — claimed it “looks like” Pretti “wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement.” He also claimed Pretti “assaulted federal officers” during an interview with CNN’s Dana Bash, but when asked where in the viral video footage that happened, Bovino had no answers.
    Make no mistake, they lied on Renee Nicole Good the same way, expecting us to ignore video footage that showed her attempting to drive away from ICE agents before she was shot and killed by one, in favor of nonsense about her attempting to weaponize her vehicle against ICE, which is the same lie DHS told after agents shot Marimar Martinez as she sat in her vehicle, and after agents shot Richard LA, the TikTok influencer who documents ICE activities, in Los Angeles. In both cases, criminal charges against the victims were dropped because evidence proved the government was lying.
    This time, the Trump administration has gotten so desperate to smear Pretti the same way that it’s even going against conservative America’s sacred pro-Second Amendment doctrine by essentially claiming Pretti had no right to be armed.
    Perhaps this is why even Republican senators are calling for a fuller investigation into Pretti’s death.
    Meanwhile, Democratic senators are now vowing to oppose funding for homeland security over federal violence in Minnesota, threatening to cause yet another government shutdown on President Donald Trump’s watch.
    Has any administration ever been the cause of all of its own issues the way this one has? It just keeps shooting itself in the foot and blaming everyone else.

  • Newswire : Midnight Friday deadline nears as Congress risks another shutdown

    By Stacy M. Brown
    NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

    The federal government is once again facing a shutdown deadline, with funding set to expire at midnight Friday, January 30, just two months after the nation emerged from a prolonged lapse that disrupted lives far beyond Washington.
    That October to November shutdown left deep scars across the country. Families who rely on federal nutrition programs saw benefits delayed, reduced, or halted altogether. Some households receiving SNAP and WIC assistance stopped getting benefits entirely, while others received only partial payments. Many of those families are still struggling to recover, juggling rent, utilities, and food costs after weeks of instability caused by the funding lapse.
    Despite those recent consequences, Senate Republicans are moving ahead with plans to advance a sweeping funding package as a single vote, even as Democrats warn that no workable agreement has been reached.
    A Senate Republican leadership aide told NBC News that GOP leaders intend to press forward.
    “Government funding expires at the end of the week, and Republicans are determined to not have another government shutdown,” the aide said. “We will move forward as planned and hope Democrats can find a path forward to join us.”
    Democrats say discussions with Republicans and the White House have not produced a viable solution. A Senate Democratic leadership aide said outreach has occurred but “have not yet raised any realistic solutions.”
    The timeline remains tight. The House is on recess for the week, making it unlikely that any revised package requiring another vote could be approved before the deadline. Severe winter weather has also disrupted congressional schedules, further narrowing the window for negotiations as the clock runs down.
    Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats will block the current Department of Homeland Security funding bill, tying the standoff to broader concerns about immigration enforcement and public safety nationwide.
    “Senate Democrats will not allow the current DHS funding bill to move forward.,” Schumer stated. “The appalling murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti on the streets of Minneapolis must lead Republicans to join Democrats in overhauling ICE and CBP to protect the public. Senate Republicans must work with Democrats to advance the other five funding bills while we work to rewrite the DHS bill.”

  • Larry Smith announces candidacy for County Commissioner, District #1

     

    I am Larry Donald Smith and I am proud to announce my candidacy for County Commissioner District 1.

    My decision to run for County Commissioner was inspired by the encouragement of concerned citizens and much spiritual reflection. I see that our county has been in a holding pattern, with little development or growth for some time. I believe that collaboration and teamwork are essential to progress. Just like in sports, every player has a vital role, but true success only comes when we work together as a team. Greene County has tremendous potential, and I am ready to provide the leadership needed to help move us forward. Together, we can achieve more and build a brighter future for our community.

    As a native of Greene County, I was born and raised in the Springfield community and I graduated from Eutaw High School, Class of 1976.

    Upon graduating, I entered the U.S. Army and served in leadership roles across the United States, Southwest Asia, Europe, South Korea, and Bosnia. My service included participation in the Grenada, Bosnia, and Iraq conflicts. In 2001, I retired as Chief Warrant Officer Four, concluding 25 years of distinguished service.

    Following my military career, I taught high school in Greene County School System and Tuscaloosa City School System, where I served as Director of the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC), and Military Science Instructor. During my tenure at Tuscaloosa City Schools, I served as team leader for the Principal Leadership Team, Graduation Ceremonies Coordinator, and school system validation certification coordinator. After 21 years as a high school educator, I retired in 2022.

    My wife and I are owners of L.L. Smith Inc. and proudly support locally owned businesses.

    I hold a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, a Bachelor of Science in Business Science, and an Associate Degree in Liberal Arts. Additionally, I possess numerous certifications in leadership, cyber security, ethics training, procurement, accreditation standards, and contracting.

    As a member of the New Generation Community Outreach Center, I actively support the church’s mission through service on the Board, the Men’s Ministry, and the Development Committee. My community support also includes being a member of the Alabama Retired Teachers Association and President of the West Alabama Corvette Club.

    My spouse, Lila Chambers-Smith, is also a proud native of Greene County. We have a large and loving family—eight children, twenty-one grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. After spending 45 years away, we chose to return to Greene County, the place we have always considered our true home. Our decision was driven by a deep sense of belonging and a desire to give back to the community that shaped us.

    I humbly ask for your support throughout my campaign and for your vote on May 19, 2026, to elect me as your candidate for County Commissioner, District # 1.