Greene County Democrat

Category: Community

  • Eutaw City Council holds two called meetings; Audit for September 30, 2022 is approved

    The Eutaw City Council held two called meetings on January 22 and January 29, 2024 to deal with important business. It handled some of the business and deferred other matters to a proposed ‘work session” next week.

    At the January 29, 2024 meeting, the Council received a detailed report on the CPA audit of its finances for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022. Auditor Rick Harbin of Tuscaloosa presented the 47-page report and stated that his firm was able to issue a letter, at the beginning of the audit, that the statements “reflect fairly the financial position of the city and that the reports follow standard accounting principles accepted in the USA.”

    Harbin said the audit was clean and clear and represented the best efforts to account for the city’s assets, liabilities, and net position. Mayor Latasha Johnson thanked the staff, particularly Shakelvia Spencer and Joe Powell, as well as Financial Adviser Ralph Liverman for their work in keeping accurate records. “Having this audit, will allow us to receive and compete for state and Federal funding going forward. The funding sources are requiring us to have audits that show we are capable of handling and spending government funds,” said Mayor Johnson.

    The audit shows that the City of Eutaw has combined Assets between governmental and business (mainly the water and sewer system) of $9,739,000 as compared with $9,477,000, the previous year. The report shows total Liabilities of $2,933,000; and total Liabilities and  Net Position of $12,978,000.

    The 47-page audit contains many other financial statements and notes dealing with the finances of the city, which the councilmembers must review and study for guidance in making policy decisions. For instance, the report shows a negative $489,349 in revenues, compared with expenses for the water and sewer system. If this trend continues, the Council may need to raise water and sewer rates. The audit also shows $ 577,681 in revenues from Bingo distributions in FY 2022, The Sheriff has not provided bingo distributions to Eutaw and other Greene County municipalities since May of 2023.

    The Mayor presented a proposal at both meetings to re-organize the staff and give raises to employees accepting promotions to higher positions.
    These changes were necessitated by the illness and retirement of longtime city employee, Larry Sanford. The Council did not make a motion to approve these items and they were deferred for discussion to a working session to be held next week.

    At the January 22 meeting, the Council approved a Resolution on the Usage of City Vehicles, which stated that city employees who live outside the city police jurisdiction cannot drive city vehicles to their home. Mayor Johnson placed an item on the January 29, 2024 meeting agenda, to rescind this policy. Many police officers, who live outside the police jurisdiction want to drive city police cars home, so they can respond to emergencies more quickly. The Council tabled this matter and deferred it to the proposed work session.

    At the January 22nd meeting, the Council approved an agreement to allow the Alabama Forestry Commission to construct a 60-foot by 60-foot storage building to house its equipment on the city’s property behind the National Guard Armory. This will make the equipment more readily available than parking the equipment in Tuscaloosa. At the meeting the Council approved a plan for road improvements on the west end of Eutaw, under the Rebuild Alabama grant program. The Council also approved a $21,620 grant from Communities United for GIS mapping of city infrastructure, especially the water and sewer system. The grant requires a $1,000 matching from the city.

    At the January 29th meeting the Council approved a grievance procedure, under the Americans with Disabilities Act, where persons with disabilities may make written complaints to the City Clerk and get due process and consideration of their complaints. The Council also passed an ordinance (No. 2024-01-29 #5) for Public Tree Planting in the City of Eutaw, which will be printed in the public notice section of this newspaper.

    The Council was asked to approve use of the gym at the Robert H. Young Community Center (formerly Carver School) at a compensatory rate for IRS 501c3, non-profit organizations, for the Black Pearls Tru Partner’s event on February 24, 2024. The Council deferred in making a decision and referred this to the coming work session to develop a fee schedule for events to be held at city facilities.

  • Oldest living Foot Soldier, George Sallie, crosses bridge for last time

    Submitted By: Jasmyn Bowie

    Meteorologists reported that a storm was brewing for Saturday morning. Perhaps it was just the sound of a giant crossing over. George Sallie was just that — a gentle giant. The oldest living foot soldier crossed that bridge over troubled water for the final time on Saturday. Sallie, a 94-year-old walking, talking history book, was honored with horse and carriage over the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, flanked by the rails that bridged the way for children, foot soldiers and community, as they crossed over with him.
    The crowd gathered with umbrellas, ponchos and other weather gear. But the rain suddenly
    stopped. It was a beautiful day to acknowledge a beautiful spirit. The horse, carriage and his
    family crossed first, with young leaders directly behind them and with them. Freedom songs
    rang out. They reflected Sallie’s journey — the man who made it his business to journey to the
    bridge each day to greet Selma’s visitors with a smile, a very gentle handshake and valuable
    history lessons. It was also there that he prayed daily for the state trooper who beat him, leaving
    a scar where he would point to on his forehead.
    Selma’s Foot Soldier and founder of Foot Soldiers Park & Education Center, Joanne Bland, felt it her duty to be present. “I know the angels are singing right now,” she said with a smile. She continued to speak on her fellow foot soldier. “As a foot soldier, I felt it was mandatory that I walk across the bridge with Mr. Sallie for the last time. He was an amazing man, I loved him dearly. And just a walking history book. The world lost a library when he died, but he lived a wonderful life. He was the most giving and forgiving person I’ve ever known. God’s not through with me yet. I pray that I get what George Sallie got before he left.”
    Sallie impacted so many lives. He met no strangers. Patricia Taylor of St. Francis Episcopal
    Church in Greensboro, North Carolina, traveled in on a charter bus with her church. “It was an
    awesome experience to be able to help send this gentleman home,” she said.
    Family was everything to Sallie, so we spoke with four young family members who traveled from Montgomery: Cedric Wright, Trayvon Wright and Tyrone Johnson (great, great nephews) and Gavin Johnson (nephew).
    “Going across the bridge one last time with Uncle George was something, it was heartfelt,” said Cedric Wright.
    As Gavin smiled, Trayvon spoke of the mood the day put him in. “It was surreal going across the bridge one last time with him. It was something he and our family were always proud about—he was part of real history. He was part of the original group. It was just cool to be in his presence because he was like walking history.”


    Tyrone added, “It was a special moment [crossing over today] to cherish and see, and basically
    write about.


    Speaking of young people, Sallie thoroughly enjoyed it when they gathered at the bridge to
    listen as he shared history with them. And, appropriately so, the first walking group behind his
    carriage line was a group of young people that has marked social justice as part of their
    mission—the National Youth Advisory Board of Foot Soldiers Park. They studied other parts of
    Sallie’s journey before arriving on Saturday for his crossing. They saw his fine lines, his scar, his
    hands and his eyes. So, they came bearing the banner that had been around for a while —
    more worn and well-traveled, with many stories in its creases — instead of bringing their brand
    new banner that was smooth, had traveled only once and was only months old.

    They said they felt honored to make the crossing:


    “It was such an honor to walk across with the very man that helped start it all. It was such an
    amazing privilege and honor,” said Micah Thomas Jr., a senior at Southside High School.

    Twins Carmen and Camron Benjamin, sophomores at Selma High School, agreed. “It was a
    great feeling to honor such a legend,” said Carmen. Camron stated that “it was a great feeling to
    be a part of this history and pay my respects to a fallen foot soldier.”

    “It was just an honor to honor the person who fought for us and prayed for us,” said Deanisea
    Sullivan, a junior at Selma High School. “It was a very, very powerful experience,” she added.


    Taniya Dixon, 2023 Southside High graduate and University of Alabama freshman, said “it felt
    historical walking after someone who marched for my rights when they were younger. So, I paid
    my respects by doing it while I’m young.”


    The Sun spotted foot soldier Albert Southall, as he crossed the bridge back into Selma.

    “I’m an original foot soldier,” he said. “My feelings were bouncing between when we marched to
    Montgomery, and we had rainy, muddy weather—some really bad weather. They gave us
    orange vests, and I think Mr. Sallie was one of the few foot soldiers that kept his vest. I was
    thinking about the trip and also counting my blessings.”


    There were so many personal stories on the bridge Saturday morning. So many who had
    honorable stories about Sallie. So many remembered how he forgave and taught God and
    forgiveness.


    “The fact that he would come to the foot of the Edmund Pettus bridge each day and pray for the
    state trooper that beat him on Bloody Sunday is a true testament to his character. He will be
    missed,” Joanne Bland said.

    The remains of a true hero, George Sallie, were lowered on Jan. 27 at or about 11:30 in the
    morning-time.

     

  • Newswire : U.N. Court will explore claims of Israeli genocide

    International Court of Justice ,at the Hague in the Netherlands, surrounded by Palestinian protestors

     

    Jan. 29, 2024 (GIN) –  The U.N.’s International Court of Justice (ICJ) has agreed to take up an application submitted by South Africa seeking an immediate suspension of Israeli military operations in and against the Palestinian people of Gaza.
     
    In its 84 page petition to the court, South Africa cited military operations that have devastated hundreds of schools, including those run by the U.N., destroyed educational infrastructure, and left thousands of beleaguered students suffering from mental trauma.
     
    Close to 45 percent of residential buildings in Gaza have been damaged or ruined beyond repair, according to a recent report by the World Bank. These alleged damages and the deaths of some 25,000 Palestinians are violations by Israel of its obligations under the Genocide Convention, South Africa claims.
     
    In its response on Friday, Jan. 26, the panel of 17 judges agreed that South Africa had jurisdiction to bring the case against Israel and that there was plausible risk that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. The finding, read out by Joan Donoghue, president of the court, was applauded by the South African delegation.
     
    South Africa’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the decision a “significant milestone in the search for justice for the Palestine people. The decision is momentous… “
     
    In the court’s ruling, Israel is ordered to take steps to limit harm to Palestinians, preserve evidence of genocide, and submit a report within a month on all measures in response to the court’s order. The judges rejected Israel’s request to throw out the case and ordered Israel to take “immediate and effective measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance to address the adverse conditions of life faced by Palestinians.”
     
    “At least some of the acts and omissions alleged by South Africa to have been committed by Israel in Gaza appear to be capable of falling within the provisions of the (genocide) convention,” Judge Donaghue said.
     
    While the court failed to order a ceasefire, Columbia University Professor Mahmood Mamdani in an interview with the news show DemocracyNow, opined that the court had indeed called for a ceasefire.  “If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it just may be a duck,” he said humorously.
     
    In a serious note, Mamdani continued: “The South African case has a strong side and a weak side. The strong side is its content, its substance, and that is based almost entirely, from what I can see, on U.N. documents. So the court is not going to question the authenticity or the veracity of those documents. Almost everybody agrees that the intellectual case is very strong.
     
    “It’s interesting that the lawyers for Israel did not claim that a genocide was unfolding,” he added. “They questioned whether South Africa was the appropriate party to bring this question to the court. And they said that South Africa had not taken into consideration Jewish holidays, belittling the substantial question, which is genocide.”
     
    Still, the preliminary court ruling offers only a glimmer of hope for the more than 2 million Palestinian civilians suffering in Gaza, as the ruling alone cannot put an end to the atrocities and devastation Gazans are experiencing.
     
    For its part, Israel has rejected the accusations of genocide as baseless and said South Africa was acting as an emissary of the Hamas terror group, which seeks to eliminate the Jewish state. The Israel Defense Forces is targeting Hamas terrorists, not Palestinian civilians, they said, but that civilian casualties in the fighting are unavoidable as terrorists operate from within the population.
     
    In a worrying development, it was reported in the Times of Israel that thousands of right-wing activists are getting ready to resettle Gaza after the war. ‘Gaza City will be Jewish’  one leader was quoted to say; adding that core groups of potential residents are being assembled. 
     
    Mamdani continued: “Israel has had a record of sheltering under American power, both hard power and soft power. This time, whether it will be able to do so is also questionable.
     
    “The Israeli stance has been that the international community has no moral standing when it comes to Israel, because: Where were they when the Holocaust took place? There’s some truth in this, except that it doesn’t apply to most of the Third World which wasn’t part of the U.N. when the Holocaust took place. It also doesn’t apply to South Africa, which had an apartheid government. And that government was in cahoots with Israel, and Israel was one of the major foreign parties strengthening that government. 
     
    “South Africa has the moral standing to bring the claim of genocide, which others lack. So who else but South Africa can stand up for victims in Israel?”

  • Newswire: Jackie Robinson statue found burned and in pieces after it was cut off at the ankles and stolen

    By NBC News and AP

    Fire crews found the burned remnants Tuesday of a prized bronze statue of Jackie Robinson that was stolen last week from a public park in Kansas, an incident that sparked outrage across the city of Wichita.
    The Wichita fire department received a call around 8:40 a.m. about a trash can on fire at Garvey Park in the southern part of the city and discovered what appeared to be pieces of the statue, according to police spokesperson Andrew Ford. At a news conference Tuesday, he described it as “not salvageable.”
    The statue, which was cut at the figure’s ankles, disappeared Thursday morning. It honors the first player to break Major League Baseball’s color barrier in 1947.
    “If it turns out it was racially motivated, then obviously that is a deeper societal issue and it certainly would make this a much more concerning theft,” said Bob Lutz, executive director of the Little League nonprofit that commissioned the sculpture. “We’ll wait and see what this turns out to be.”
    League 42, which is named after Robinson’s Dodgers number, paid about $50,000 for the model, which was installed in 2021 in McAdams Park, where roughly 600 children play in the youth baseball league. It also offers educational programs.
    The police spokesperson said that with assistance from arson investigators, they have conducted more than 100 interviews. Surveillance video shows two people hauling the sculpture away in the dark, to a truck that was later found abandoned.
    “Yes, it’s really disheartening to see the remnants of the statue and the disgraceful way in which it has been disrespected,” Wichita police Chief Joe Sullivan said, describing the discovery of it as a “direct indication of the pressure” suspects felt from the ongoing investigation.
    He said police are conferring with the prosecutor’s office on a regular basis.
    “There will be arrests, but we’re going to make sure that when we do, we will have a solid case,” he said, adding that for anyone involved in the theft “it is only a matter of time.”
    Robinson played for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues before joining the Brooklyn Dodgers, paving the way for generations of Black American ballplayers. He’s considered not only a sports legend but also a civil rights icon.
    Lutz, the nonprofit director, said there will be a new statue installed that will look exactly like the old one, which was made by his friend, the artist John Parsons, before his death. He said the mold is still viable and anticipated that
    “I’m trying to keep it together,” he said, adding: “The statue that reappears at McAdams Park will be the work of John Parsons.” He stressed that “we are ready for some joy.”
    The theft was discovered shortly before Black History Month. But Lutz said in an interview after the news conference that he was hopeful the motive wasn’t racial, but that the thieves just saw the bronze as monetarily valuable.
    Council member Brandon Johnson described the statue as a “symbol of hope” and said donations for the replacement are coming from local businesses and through an online fundraiser.
    “This now lets us know that we need a new statue,” he said of the destroyed remains. “We’re no longer looking for a complete intact statue. We know we need to raise the money to replace it, and we will do so.”

  • Newswire: Report reveals racial wealth gap widens in the United States

    By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

    A new report from WalletHub, a personal finance website, has found that the racial wealth gap in the United States is alive and well. The report, titled “2024’s States with the Biggest & Smallest Wealth Gaps by Race/Ethnicity,” compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 21 key metrics, ranging from the median household income gap to the unemployment rate gap.

    The report found that the median household wealth for Black Americans is just $14,100, compared to $187,300 for non-Hispanic white households. Hispanic households also lag behind, with a median household wealth of $31,700.
    “The racial wealth gap is a persistent problem in the United States,” said Jill Gonzalez, a WalletHub analyst. “There are many factors that contribute to this gap, including unequal access to higher education and employment for minorities, as well as residential segregation.”
    The report also found that the racial wealth gap is more expansive in some states than others. For example, the District of Columbia has the broadest racial wealth gap, with a median household wealth of $281,700 for non-Hispanic white households and just $11,100 for Black households.
    “Even decades after the Civil Rights Movement, there is still a high degree of wealth inequality among racial groups in America,” WalletHub Analyst Cassandra Happe stated. “These gaps persist not just in held wealth but also in wages, poverty rates, homeownership rates, and unemployment rates. Part of this wealth disparity is due to unequal access to education, which can put some people on a better financial footing from the start.”
    Statistics show that the racial income gap grows larger and larger each year, said Irving L. Joyner, a law professor at North Carolina Central University’s School of Law. Joyner said the growth of the gap has grown because those with more wealth have benefitted more abundantly from their investments and ability to survive the economic downturns within the economy while poorly individuals, mainly racial minorities, were forced to consume their meager resources to survive day-to-day and did not have resources which they could invest.
    “For those individuals who have the financial capacity, knowledge, and needed resources to engage in entrepreneurial pursuits, those programs can and do benefit them,” Joyner remarked. “Those opportunities, however, are not readily available for the vast majority of African Americans because of the absence of the resources and business skills that are required to begin and sustain these efforts.
    Hawaii has the smallest racial wealth gap, with a median household wealth of $104,300 for non-Hispanic white households and $87,300 for Black families.
    “The racial wealth gap is a complex issue with no easy solutions,” said Gonzalez. “However, the findings of our report suggest that there are some states that are making progress in closing the gap. We hope that other states will learn from their example.”

  • Newswire: Three Black U.S. Army reservists killed in drone attack near Syrian border

    Three Black soldiers killed in drone attack

    By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
    

    Three Black American reservists from the 926th Engineer Brigade, based at Fort Moore, Georgia, lost their lives in a drone attack on a U.S. base near the Jordan-Syria border. Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh identified the fallen soldiers as Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, 46, of Carrollton, Georgia; Spc. Kennedy Ladon Sanders, 24, of Waycross, Georgia; and Spc. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett, 23, of Savannah, Georgia.
    The tragedy occurred at the logistics support base at Tower 22 of the Jordanian Defense Network, where approximately 350 U.S. Army and Air Force personnel are stationed. That base plays a crucial role in providing support for the coalition’s efforts against ISIS, according to Central Command.
    The attack marks the third drone strike on the outpost in the past six months, with the first two occurring in the latter half of the previous year being unsuccessful. Lt. Gen. Jody Daniels, chief of the Army Reserve and commanding general of the U.S. Army Reserve Command, said the murders of the three Black reservists cut deeply.
    The U.S. government has determined that Iran was responsible for the attack, prompting President Joe Biden to vow a response. “There will be a response,” Biden declared.
    In her last conversation with her mother, Sanders reportedly expressed aspirations to elevate her military career upon returning home from the Middle East. She also revealed her intention to purchase a motorcycle. Sanders was actively involved in coaching soccer and basketball in her hometown of Waycross, Georgia, and worked at a pharmacy. She was pursuing college courses to become an X-ray technician.
    Sanders’ parents shared that she volunteered for deployment to experience different parts of the world. With a history of military service in the family, Sanders had previously deployed to Djibouti and later volunteered for Kuwait, including a stint in Jordan near the Syrian border.
    Rivers enlisted in the Army Reserve in 2011 as an interior electrician, according to the U.S. Army Reserve Command Public Affairs Office.
    He served “with courage, honor, and a deep sense of duty, embodying the best of New Jersey and our nation,” said Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.). “His death is a profound loss to his family, friends, colleagues, and our entire country, and a reminder of the heavy debt we owe to our military families for their sacrifice.”
    U.S. Rep. Andy Kim (D-N.J.), who represents Willingboro, said in a statement that Rivers served this country and local community with great honor and bravery. “We are indebted to him and his loved ones for their service and sacrifice,” Kim stated. “We will never forget what Sergeant Rivers and his fellow fallen soldiers, Spc. Kennedy Ladon Sanders and Spc. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett, gave for our nation. May their memory live on in our continued service to our military families.”
    Moffett reportedly was no stranger to the military as both of her parents were veterans. “I was like no you should, but you know she went anyway, because of her dedication to her county, she really really honored her job,” Saryha Truell, one of Moffett’s lifelong friends, told WTOC-TV.
    “We are reminded that the brave men and women who defend our great nation put their lives on the line each and every day to keep our country safe,” said Brig. Gen. Todd Lazaroski, Commanding General of the 412th Theater Engineer Command.
    “Their service and sacrifice will not be forgotten,” General Daniels stated.

  • Greene County MLK programs challenge us to vote and work harder to realize “the dream”

     

    Atty. Phyllis Craig Taylor


    Elder Spiver Gordon, Councilwoman Valeria Watkins, Anita Lewis, Director of GCHA, Mollie Rowe, Director of EHA, GCHA Boardmember Carolyn Branch and
    Professor Phyllis Craig Taylor guest speaker.

    Dr. Carol P. Zippert, Dr. Dione Edison, Dale Lanier, Lester Cotton, Gus Richardson, Mr. and Mrs. Coleman with Spiver Gordon at New Peace Baptist Church

    “Godly Men” at Unity Breakfast at the Eutaw Activity Center

    Elder Spiver Gordon presents award to
    Bishop Glen McCord

     

    The Alabama Civil Rights Freedom Movement, under the direction of Spiver W. Gordon held a series of programs during the weekend of Dr. Martin Luther King’s Birthday, to honor his legacy and challenge the people of Greene County and the western Alabama Black Belt, to work harder to realize the dream of justice and equality for Black people.
    A youth educational program on Black history on Friday, January 12, 2024, was limited because 11th and 12th graders, who were scheduled to attend, did not have school because of the weather. Several adults attended the meeting at New Peace Baptist Church and discussed the importance of reaching out to involve young people in the continuing movement and struggle.
    Two hundred people attended the Unity Freedom Breakfast at the Eutaw Activity Center, on Monday morning, January 15, 2024. Mayor Latasha Johnson of Eutaw, Commissioner Garria Spencer, Commissioner Allen Turner, Herbert Lavender of Pickens County, John Zippert, Co-Publisher of the Greene County Democrat, and Dr. Monty Thornburg were among those who gave greetings.
    Attorney Glen McCord, a native of Wilcox County, who has a law office in Eutaw, was the primary speaker. McCord said he was glad to be working in Greene County and “to be grafted in” by the residents here. He said that there was great potential for growth in Greene County because Highway 43, will soon be 4 lanes, and the double Interstate Highway of 59 and 20, that go right by Eutaw and Greene County. We have the potential to grow as part of Tuscaloosa, but we must take care to preserve our own identity.
    McCord celebrated Dr. King’s work and accomplishments. He said, “Be as humble when you are successful, as you were when you had nothing.” Gordon gave awards to group of men, who worked to support their communities and churches.
    He also memorialized a group of people, who died during the past year, “who gave time, service and dedication to support the cause of freedom, justice and equity” in Greene County.
    Gordon and a small group marched uptown, from the Activity Center to the Courthouse, followed by a dozen or more cars with people who felt too old to walk or too uncomfortable in freezing temperatures to walk.
    Another program was held at the Courthouse to mostly honor women who participated in movement and church activities. After a spirited devotion, led by women and several selections from the Greene County Community Choir, several women including Mayor Latasha Johnson of Eutaw, Carolyn Branch of the Greene County Housing Authority, Johnnie Knott, former Circuit Clerk, and leader of “Woman to Woman”, and former Probate Judge Earlean Isaac, brought greetings and spoke to the legacy of Dr. King.
    Dr. Carol P. Zippert, Co-Publisher of the Greene County Democrat introduced the guest speaker, Professor of Law Phyllis Craig Taylor, who is a native of Choctaw County, daughter of Thelma Craig and a law professor at North Carolina Central University in Durham, NC. Zippert, who has known Phyllis Craig Taylor since she was a young girl, stressed her connections to the Black Belt.
    Dr. Taylor spoke to the issue that there are “new Confederates” in America, who want to take us backwards. “We must be aware that systemic racism is making a comeback in our nation. There are attacks in every state against our voting rights. These people feel threatened by the skills, spirit and unity of Black people. They have become afraid of us, and they want to stop our progress,” she said.
    “We must do like we did in the times after slavery and in Reconstruction, when Black people bought and owned 13 million acres of land; built hundreds of schools, through the Rosenwald school’s model; and provided teaching excellence in our schools before integration. Do not underestimate our enemies. Dare to organize and invest in our communities and people. Take our voting rights back. Do not vote sometimes, but all the time, and for every office on the ballot. We must send our enemies back to the pit of darkness, where they came from,” Taylor said.
    At the end of the program, Spiver W. Gordon again gave out numerous awards and citations to women who had been active in the movement, church, and community.

  • Attorney Rob Lee announces candidacy for Circuit Judge


    To the Citizens of Greene County.

    My name is Rob Lee and I am a candidate for Circuit Judge in the March 5, 2024 Democratic Primary Election. I have been practicing law for 25 years and have a wealth of experience in civil, domestic, and criminal law; all of which are important to serve as Circuit Judge. I am well-versed in the courtrooms of this circuit and other areas across the state. I received my Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Alabama and my Law Degree from Mississippi College School of Law.

    I was raised in Greene County and have lived in Eutaw, Alabama with my family for 26 years. My wife, Robin, has been an educator for 29 years and is from Thomaston, Alabama. She currently works as a Regional Literacy Specialist with the Alabama Reading Initiative. We have three children: Seph (21), Marilyn (17), and Bill (14). Our children attend the Demopolis City Schools and we are members of St. Stephens Episcopal Church.

    As your Circuit Judge, I will serve with integrity and honesty and I will strive to uphold the law and rule accordingly. I look forward to meeting each of you as I continue to visit in and around your communities. I humbly ask for your support and your vote in the Democratic Primary March 5, 2024. Please join our team and help elect me, Rob Lee, as Circuit Judge for the 17th Judicial Circuit.

     

  • Newswire : Reparations gained historic momentum in 2023 because of California’s efforts

    By Curtis Bunn, NBC News

    For the first time, this year advocates seeking reparations for the harms inflicted on Black people during centuries of slavery in America saw a movement for redress that elicits hope.
    Many municipalities either started or are forming commissions to address compensation to the descendants of enslaved Africans.
    California has made the most zealous effort. The state’s reparations task force spent two years researching the impact of the generational damage of the discriminatory practices and produced a 1,100-page report with comprehensive recommendations that it considers to be the blueprint for other cities and states — and the federal government — to follow.
    The blockbuster file includes a method to calculate financial compensation for those eligible for redress. More than 400 organizations have signed on to support reparations in the country’s most populous state. 
    While Evanston, Illinois, became the first city in the country in 2021 to actually pay reparations to its eligible Black residents, and New York recently enacted a commission to study the effects of slavery there, California’s push represents a major swing in the decades long fight for reparations. Yet Californians are looking ahead to the next year to see if any of these recommendations will actually come to fruition — and if there is enough political will to make it so.
    Indeed, the road to reparations remains arduous. Opposition is significant. California’s efforts surpassed those of the federal government. And while many cities and states are creating reparation committees, they are far from getting money into people’s pockets. 
    And then there’s the underlaying reticence of a significant part of the population: “Public opinion — meaning white people and white politicians — is not sympathetic to our plight and how it is tied to slavery,” said Jonathan Wright, a Los Angeles entrepreneur who attended three of the dozen California reparation public hearings. 
    In fact, a 2022 Pew Research Center poll said that 77% of Black adults believe descendants of enslaved Africans in the U.S. should receive reparations in some way, but only 18% of white respondents agreed.
    “Call me a pessimist,” Wright said. “They have benefited from slavery and discrimination for centuries, but they can’t even tolerate the idea that our families for generations have been impacted by this. It’s OK for them to benefit, but not for us to be compensated. That’s what we’re dealing with and that makes me pessimistic.” 
    Those pushing for reparations understand Wright’s position. But many in California and beyond who are committed have a strategy they believe will be decisive. Their plan is to educate the naysayers or uninformed on why reparations are deserved and needed and use that newfound support as leverage with politicians who could bring forward reparation studies and proposals.
    To that end, Assembly member Reginald Jones-Sawyer, who was on the California Reparations Committee, has spent much of his time since the publication of the recommendations report visiting groups and communities of all races, sharing knowledge about reparations, how they would work and why they are important.
    “And I will tell you, it’s been received well,” Jones-Sawyer said. He said there has been strong engagement and people asked questions that conveyed their interest. “We dispelled a lot of misconceptions” and “explained why this push for reparations is still needed in 2023, 2024 and beyond if we’re going to make this a just society.”
    The committee’s report lays out 112 recommendations that include programs around housing, education and public health, among many others. The California Legislative Black Caucus has hired a team of experts to whittle down the massive report to a digestible length. That condensed report will be shared with the public and the California Assembly, which will have to vote on bills based on the recommendations.
    Jones-Sawyer said the group plans to ultimately create and present 12 bills that will cover the report’s recommendations. He said the first five bills will be introduced at the start of 2024 and “will span just about every category in the report, whether it’s racial terror, education, the criminal justice system, incarceration rates, homeownership, the wealth gap.” 
    The members of the CLBC have distinct expertise in each area, Jones-Sawyer said. “We’re going to tackle just about every field of human endeavor. And we have people that have the ability to be able to carry those bills because of their backgrounds.”
    The California Senate is made up of 80% Democrats, which could be a positive for these bills. Gov. Gavin Newsom has expressed support for reparations efforts in the past. However, in September he made a point of emphasizing that reparations in the form of cash payments may not be the recourse. “Dealing with that legacy is about much more than cash payments,” the governor said at the time.  
    Still, for some Black people in California, the hard work does not translate into optimism. Take Amina Ali, a 52-year-old Oakland resident who has followed the reparations hearings since Newsom gave the go-ahead two years ago to create a commission.
    “I won’t hold my breath,” Ali said. “I want it as badly as the next Black person. But I also live in the world. I know the reparations people worked hard for a long time to make the case. I commend them. And they made their very strong case. But I know that there are enough people against it to keep it from happening. Be real: White people don’t want us to have an even playing field.”
    But Kamm Howard, founder of the organization Reparations United and co-chair of the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America, is looking to level the field across the nation. He said the Black voting bloc is so strong that it can influence a federal reparations movement, as President Biden is working to avoid Black voter defection in next year’s election. Black voters have a transformative moment to use their influence to “make a demand of the president and the party,” Howard said.
    “We’ve amassed a significant amount of power within the party by voting Democrat 80%, 90%, for years. We’re a dependable base within the party. And they know that they cannot win an election without us at this point,” the Reparations United founder said.
     “And if he’s totally dependent on the Black vote, then we have the power to leverage that for a reparations commission,” Howard continued. “I believe that the only way Biden can earn the vote and energize Black people and reverse a potential defection of Black voters is to make executive order to create a reparations commission before the election.”
    In 2021, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden supported studying reparations for Black people. Two months later, the House Judiciary Committee voted to advance H.R. 40 to a full vote, the furthest a bill to create a commission to study the effects of slavery has ever moved in Congress in the three decades since the legislation was first proposed. H.R. 40 was re-introduced in 2023; on the federal level, movement beyond that has been slow.  
    Howard said California’s in-depth work is a benchmark on what could be done on a federal level. “What California did was tremendous,” he said. “We want to make reparations and the redressing of past social ills and crimes in America a standard in America, something that is appreciated for the benefit that it will produce.”
    In 2020, a Citigroup study indicated that the U.S. cost itself $16 trillion in the last two decades alone because of racism. “That shows that reparations is not a drain on America,” Howard said. “It would be an investment in America. Every dollar spent on reparations, you get that dollar back plus another dollar or $2 in return on the investment, particularly around Black business development.”
    All of this hopeful thinking requires patience. “We didn’t just get into this position overnight. This is 400 years in the making,” Howard said. “So it’s not something that happens quickly. But I’m in it for the long haul. And a lot of other people are, too.”

  • Newswire: The Sentencing Project unveils final report in ‘One in Five’ series reveals mass incarceration’s negative role: deepening inequality and harming public safety

    By Stacy M. Brown
    NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

    The collateral consequences of a criminal conviction often amount to a lifelong disadvantage, particularly for African Americans. According to the Sentencing Project, in 2010, one in three (33%) African American adult men had a felony conviction on their record, compared to 13% of all adult men. 

    Researchers found that employers discriminate against job candidates who have criminal histories, especially against those who are Black. Further, application questions about criminal histories deter some people from applying to certain jobs and colleges, with a 2017 study finding that nearly half of unemployed men had a criminal conviction. Additionally, almost one-third of all U.S. jobs require an occupational license, and many licensing boards bar or impose cumbersome obstacles for people with criminal records.
    Fee-based programs to seal criminal records also exacerbate racial disparities., and the Sentencing Project noted that these policies stand in stark contrast to a growing evidence base showing that post-incarceration employment prevents recidivism and that tackling heightened labor market discrimination against Black people with criminal records would reduce recidivism rates.
    The Sentencing Project has again highlighted a critical element causing inequalities in incarceration with “One in Five: How Mass Incarceration Deepens Inequality and Harms Public Safety.” The report highlights laws and policies that worsen inequality and unfairly burden communities of color. Initiated to provide an in-depth analysis of racial inequities within America’s criminal legal system, the series of reports covers a spectrum of topics. 

    From the progress made in the 21st century in reducing the U.S. prison population to disparities in crime and policing, the series also explores the key causes of racial and ethnic disparities in imprisonment. Additionally, it highlights reforms that have played a pivotal role in mitigating these sources of disparity.
    “A primary driver of disparity within the U.S. criminal legal system is the multitude of laws and policies that intensify economic and social inequalities, diverting public spending from effective public safety investments,” stated Nazgol Ghandnoosh, Co-Director of Research with The Sentencing Project and lead author of the report.

    Ghandnoosh emphasized the importance of protecting and expanding promising reforms initiated by states and local jurisdictions nationwide.
    The report delves into various criminal legal laws and policies, including fines, fees, predatory pricing, exploitative wages, collateral consequences, and the diversion of adequate investments in public safety.  The report proposes two key strategies to eliminate racial disparities in incarceration, including addressing sources of inequality by limiting socioeconomic disadvantage resulting from a criminal conviction and significantly increasing investments in effective public safety programs.

    The “One in Five” series concludes with a call to action, emphasizing the need for durable investments in communities of color, a reduction in policing footprint, and ongoing efforts to tackle critical drivers of racial disparity.
    “Certain regulations intensify the marginalization of justice-involved people – who are disproportionately people of color – by wearing down economic and social buffers against crime and increasing the likelihood of police contact,” added Ghandnoosh