The Greene County Democrat

Category: General News

  • Advocates call for Student Debt Forgiveness despite new pause on loan repayments

    By Charlene Crowell


    (TriceEdneyWire.com) – In recent days, student loans and other higher education programs have been the focus of multiple initiatives. On April 6, President Biden extended the current pause on federal loan repayment through August 31. That announcement brought obvious appeal to the 44 million consumers who together owe an estimated $1.7 trillion.

    “I’m asking all student loan borrowers to work with the Department of Education to prepare for a return to repayment, look into Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and explore other options to lower their payments,” said President Biden.

    Days earlier on March 28, the Biden Administration submitted to Congress its FY2023 budget proposal with a promise to “grow the economy from the bottom up and middle out”, including more funding for the Education Department’s higher education appropriations.

    For example, an estimated 6.7 million students from low- and middle-income backgrounds eligible for Pell Grants would benefit from increasing maximum awards by $2,175 in the 2021-2022 academic year. Similarly, an increase of $752 million over the 2021 enacted level would enhance institutional capacity at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs). Another $161 million for the Department’s Office for Civil Rights – a 23 percent increase compared to the 2021 enacted level – would strengthen the agency’s capacity to protect equal access to education through the enforcement of civil rights laws, such as Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.

    Increased higher education funding was predictably welcomed by HBCU stakeholders.

    “[T]he request for the Pell Grant to be increased by $2,000 in the upcoming year is nothing short of landmark,” said Lodriguez V. Murray, United Negro College Fund (UNCF) senior vice president for public policy and government affairs. “If Congress follows through on President Biden’s UNCF supported request, it would be the largest single year increase to the Pell Grant, putting us on course to double the Pell Grant this decade, and be one of the biggest game-changers for low-to-moderate income students in our country in modern times.”

    Also noting the importance of Pell Grants as the “primary vehicle to make college affordable” for 75 percent of HBCU students, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) that includes both publicly supported HBCUs – over 80 percent of all students attending HBCUs – and Predominantly-Black Institutions (PBIs) — also called upon Congress to support the request to double the maximum Pell Grant award.

    “TMCF looks forward to working with Congressional leadership, the Congressional Black Caucus and the Bipartisan HBCU Caucus to adopt these historic proposals for the betterment of our institutions and their students,” said Dr. Harry L. Williams, the organization’s President and CEO.

    Yet other advocates raised other issues beyond annual budget appropriations.

    “While we applaud the Administration for allowing borrowers who were in delinquency or default to receive a ‘fresh start’ on their repayment plans and reenter repayment in good standing, their debts remain the same,” noted Jaylon Herbin, Outreach and Policy Manager with the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL). “Extending the payment pause once more is not enough to ensure financial fairness for the millions of Americans who were disproportionately affected by the burdens of the pandemic.”

    Herbin’s reaction repeated CRL’s earlier calls for debt forgiveness as well as reforms to income-driven repayment (IDR). This same goal is also shared by other consumer advocates.

    Months earlier CRL along with the Student Borrower Protection Center, and the National Consumer Law Center’s Student Loan Borrower Assistance Division jointly issued a policy brief entitled, Restoring the Promise of Income-Driven Repayment: An IDR Waiver Program Proposal, that calls attention to the unmet need to correct key players and programs that also share responsibilities for the nation’s student debt dilemma.

    “The historical failure of student loan servicers to keep low-income borrowers in over the long term presents an immediate policy problem,” states the brief. “Because of these failures, millions of borrowers remain trapped in the student loan system for decades on end. For many, their only prospect for relief is to begin again and spend additional decades awaiting debt cancellation as if they had just entered repayment.”

    “[O]ut of a total of 4.4 million borrowers in repayment for more than two decades, fewer than 200 student loan borrowers will benefit from debt cancellation under IDR between 2020 and 2025—or a 1-in-23,000 chance,” the paper continues. “Borrowers also report that they have encountered an array of problems arising from servicer incompetence, including processing delays and extensive periods in administrative forbearance, inaccurate denials, lost payment histories, lost paperwork, and insufficient information or guidance. These barriers have profound and long-lasting implications for millions of families.”

    In other words, to resolve unsustainable student debt, increased higher education funding must be matched by corrective efforts that hold loan servicers accountable, and finally makes true the promise to manage IDR as originally intended. Actions such as these would make real the dreams of a college education as the bridge to a middle-class life and financial independence. Without these reforms, higher education will continue to bring deepening debts and loan defaults.

    “The Administration should provide student debt relief in the form of $50,000 in student loan cancellation per borrower, an amount that would eliminate or significantly reduce the debt burden for lower income, Black and Latino borrowers, provide a critical boost to the national economy and help bridge the racial wealth gap,” concluded Herbin.


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

  • Newswire: Florida bans 41% of math books because of CRT

    By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent


    The Florida Department of Education said the state has rejected more than 50 math textbooks ahead of the 2022-2023 school year. The department cited references to critical race theory among reasons for the rejections.
    Officials said they would not accept about 41 percent of the books – 54 out of 132 – to Florida’s adopted list because the works didn’t adhere to the state’s standards.
    
“Today, Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran approved Florida’s initial adoption list for mathematics instructional materials properly aligned to Florida’s Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.) Standards,” the department wrote in a news release.
    “The approved list followed a thorough review of submissions at the Department, which found 41 percent of the submitted textbooks were impermissible with either Florida’s new standards or contained prohibited topics – the most in Florida’s history.
    Despite rejecting such large percentage of the materials submitted, the department claimed that every core mathematics course and grade is covered with at least one textbook.
    The names of the rejected books were not included in the release. Florida’s new law states that instruction in schools must be factual and objective.
    Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ mandate specifically prohibits “theories that distort historical events” – which includes the teaching of Critical Race Theory.
Florida has banned such works as the Pulitzer Prize winning 1619 Project, which tackled the transatlantic slave trade.
    “They won’t tell us what [the banned books] are or what they say because it’s a lie,” Florida Democratic Rep. Carlos Smith wrote on Twitter.
“DeSantis has turned our classrooms into political battlefields, and this is just the beginning.”
    Added State House Member Anna Eskamani, “I get it. The goal of math is to solve problems which the Republican Party of Florida doesn’t like to do.”

  • More than 40 homes destroyed by
    tornado in Branch Heights; No fatalities,
    but more than 100 people displaced

    Mrs. Eula Lanier with Congresswoman Terri Sewell on the front of her damaged house.

    On Wednesday night, April 13, 2022 between 10:00 and 10:30 PM, an EF0 tornado, with winds of 65 to 85 miles per hour, passed through Eutaw and Greene County, Alabama. It did the greatest damage in the William M. Branch Heights community, which is a part of the city of Eutaw.

    “More than 40 homes in Branch Heights were visibly damaged and we are still discovering less obvious damage to bricks and foundations which may have been loosened and shifted,” said Anita Lewis, Greene County Housing Authority Executive Director.

    Lewis continued, “We have had more than 100 people displaced, made homeless, by this storm. Some have found shelter with family and friends but we have placed 24 families in a nearby hotel, near Greenetrack, which is  8 miles from their homes. Senator Bobby Singleton and Representative A. J, MacCampbell are seeking state resources to extend hotel stays as needed.”

    Branch Heights was built with HUD funds in the 1970’s as a major project of the newly elected African American controlled Greene County Commission. It contains over two hundred single family homes. Most of the homes are still rental units, under the control of the Greene County Housing Authority, but about a third of the homes have been purchased by the homeowners, as part of a special program, where people who had rented for 15 years, were able to purchase their units.

    Lewis said that the Greene County Housing Authority’s insurance company was still evaluating the damages but that 12 homes have only roof damage and these will be the first to be repaired, so families can return to their units. She said at least four families that owned their own homes did not have insurance to rebuild.

    Congresswoman Terri Sewell who was in Greene County, on Tuesday morning, April 19, 2022 for a town hall meeting in Boligee, said, “My team and I toured the devastating storm damage in Branch Heights which has displaced over 100 residents. It was important to me to see this damage for myself and to join with the local community as they begin to rebuild. While it won’t bring back the homes and belongings that were lost, I was honored to buy lunch for some of my constituents who were affected. We all have a role to play when our community is in need. Now is the time to lend a helping hand.”

    Earlier at the Boligee meeting, Sewell in answer to a question from Commission Chair Allen Turner, on the need to secure a FEMA disaster declaration for small areas like Branch Heights, affected by storms, said, “Congress will have to change the FEMA designation but we will work to secure SBA long term low interest loans for rebuilding homes and businesses. We will also work to identify other state, Federal and private resources that can help with rebuilding.”

    In an interview on Monday, Lewis said, “The City of Eutaw, their police and street department are involved and helping us; the County, the Sheriff’s Department are also here and working very diligently on getting things put together and assessed and also assisting with our residents. This storm has been a challenge to all of our government and private aid agencies, including the Red Cross.”

    “We had to put displaced people in hotels because we have no vacant public housing units in the area. We may have to seek help from adjoining cities like Tuscaloosa, to house our residents. Now we have to arrange food, clothing, transportation, clothes washing and other services for our people,” said Lewis

    School Superintendent Dr. Corey Jones announced at recent board meeting that he will re-route school buses to accommodate students who have been placed at local hotels and other locations. Other assistance from the school system may also be available.

    Lewis said, “We need all the help we can get for our residents here in Branch Heights, especially the children. We also need volunteer manpower to clear debris and help with rebuilding. We are at the Greene County Housing Authority are willing to accept any assistance and donations. You can call us at: 205-372-3342 or by email at:gchauth@bellsouth.net

  • Newswire: Congolese immigrant family stricken by fatal shooting in Grand Rapids, Mich.

    Protest in Michigan for Patrick Lyoya

    Apr. 18, 2022 (GIN) – When Patrick Lyoya, a Congolese immigrant, died at the hands of a police officer in Grand Rapids, Michigan, his life was cut down by violence much like the home-grown executions Congolese have been facing in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for years.
    Close to a thousand summary executions take place in the DRC each year.  
    Women and children make up a large part of the victims, with a third of the killings carried out by uniformed security forces, the United Nations Mission in Congo (MONUSCO) said in an annual report on human rights violations in the DRC.
    In addition to the victimization by security forces, Congolese civilians have been targets of killings by a coalition of Rwandan and Ugandan soldiers looking to root out the remaining perpetrators of the Rwandan genocide.
    Over a five year period, 50,000 Congolese were resettled in the United States with Grand Rapids – “the No. 1 place” for such immigrants.
    Lynn Lawry from Harvard Medical School has studied mental health issues there. A 2010 study she conducted in the Congo found that half of all adults exhibited symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
    Many of them came to the U.S. without any English language skills and with trauma, depression and other scars of war. They were in need of mental health services — services that local providers feared would not be there.
    In 2014, the Lyoya family arrived in the U.S.  They had escaped the regime of Joseph Kabila, son of Laurent-Desire Kabila, a brutal autocrat who became fabulously wealthy after 13 years in power. He managed to accumulate 2 billion dollars during his reign but was assassinated in 2001 by an 18 year old boy, possibly a child soldier.
    Joseph Kabila was the number two man in a weak and poorly-trained army when he came to power. The DRC – sub-Saharan Africa’s biggest country five times the size of France – was trying to put down a rebellion that involved 25 armed groups and armies from at least eight African countries.
    The bloody conflict was billed as “Africa’s World War” started in 1998 and formally ended in 2003. It left more than two million dead and millions of others displaced.
    Dorcas Lyoya, Patrick’s mother, on learning of her son’s death at the hands of a yet-unnamed officer in Grand Rapids, said during a press conference this week that she was “surprised and astonished” her son was killed in the U.S.
    Patrick, 26, was her “beloved” first-born son, she said amid tears, and the family believed they had come to a safe place in America.
    Meanwhile, in a press conference, Dorcas Lyoya appeared with her family and national civil rights attorney Ben Crump to call for charges to be filed against the officer responsible for the fatal shooting. w/pix of protest for Patrick Lyoya

     

  • Newswire: White House unveils steps to advance equity in America

    By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

    The Department of Health and Human Services said its increasing outreach to communities of color to encourage enrollment in free and low-cost health care, and the agency will address the maternal mortality crisis that disproportionately impacts Black and Native families, including by working with states to extend postpartum coverage in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

    Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security said its working to ensure that underserved communities are treated fairly in airport screenings by improving systems and enhancing training for officers.
    DHS officials said they’re also engaging with and improving underserved communities’ access to grant programs that help counter domestic violent extremism to better address the terrorism-related threat to the country posed by white supremacists and other domestic terrorists.
    The U. S. Department of Agriculture says in its statement, “All too often in the past, USDA programs and services were designed to benefit those with land, experience, money, and education while leaving behind those without means, resources or privilege of one kind or another. Over the course of decades, congressional reports, internal data, civil rights investigations, court actions, and stakeholder testimony have documented this long history of inequity and discrimination.”

    The USDA Equity Action Plan highlights a set of actions USDA will take to advance equity; these particular actions are highlighted in the plan because of their potential high impact for underserved farmers and ranchers, families and children, and rural communities. Below is a summary:

    Partner with trusted technical assistance providers
    Reduce barriers to USDA programs and improve support to underserved farmers, ranchers, landowners, and farmworkers
    Expand equitable access to USDA nutrition assistance programs
    Increase USDA infrastructure investments that benefit underserved communities
    Advance equity in federal procurement
    Uphold Federal trust and treaty Responsibilities to Indian Tribes
    Institutionalize an unwavering commitment to and actions towards ensuring civil rights

    On Thursday, April 14, each government agency also released plans that mesh with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ strategies and commitments in an overall Equity Action Plan.
    The plan results from an executive order that Biden almost immediately after taking office. The president said he’d set his sight on advancing racial equity and supporting underserved communities throughout the federal government.
The White House said the order marked a first for a U.S. president.
    “We set the mission and the mandate for every agency, the entire federal government, to center equity in all that we do,” stated Chiraag Bains, deputy assistant to the president for racial justice and equity.
    Following an extensive review, each federal agency released separate – but similar – action plans.
    Biden outlined the plan in January 2021 when he revealed over 300 strategies and commitments aimed at making federal policy fair for everyone, particularly poorer communities and neighborhoods of color.
    The president also detailed his desire to provide equal opportunity to individuals with disabilities and women and girls. “Advancing equity is not a one-year project – it is a generational commitment,” the White House said in a fact sheet.
    “These plans are an important step forward, reflecting the Biden-Harris Administration’s work to make the promise of America real for every American, including by implementing the first-ever national strategy on gender equity and equality; working to ensure the federal government is a model for diversity equity, inclusion, and accessibility; working to deliver environmental justice through the Justice40 Initiative; and working to prevent and combat discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation.”
    To ensure the broadest cross-section informs the government policies of Americans, the White House said agencies are engaging trusted intermediaries and tailoring outreach to make meaningful and authentic participation possible for a broader range of Americans.
    Also, as the largest buyer globally, the federal government will address racial and gender wealth gaps by leveraging the power of federal procurement to drive more significant investment in minority-owned and women-owned small businesses, officials stated.
    The White House has also pledged to deliver equity through grantmaking opportunities. The administration noted that persistent barriers make it difficult for under-resourced and underserved communities to be aware of, compete for, and effectively deploy federal grants for everything from infrastructure to medical research.
    “Agencies are addressing these barriers by helping underserved communities learn about and navigate federal funding opportunities, expanding capacity-building federal grants,” administration officials said.
    
The implementation of the president’s American Rescue Plan and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law also will help advance equity, the White House said.
“The President has made equity a priority in the implementation of two of the most ambitious legislative packages in generations, with the goal of ensuring an inclusive response and recovery from the pandemic and in rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure,” the officials concluded.

  • Superintendent presents spotlight on Career Center programs; highlights positive news in school system

    At the Greene County Board of Education’s monthly meeting, held Monday, April 18, 2022, Superintendent Dr. Corey Jones, as part of his report, called on Ms. Teresa Atkins, Greene County Career Center Director, to present a comprehensive report on the various courses and programs available to students at the Career Center. Ms. Atkins noted that the most effective message of the Career Center is Preparation for the Real World. The overall goal is to prepare well-rounded students for college, careers or the military.
    In her presentation, Ms. Atkins spotlighted the following offerings: Health Science, Cosmetology, Industrial Maintenance, Business, Career Preparedness, and JROTC. In addition to these, the Career Center offers Dual Enrollment courses in HVAC and Welding, through an arrangement with Wallace Community College Selma. She explained that the dual enrollment program gives students the opportunity “…to gain a jump start on the college experience.” This affords students the opportunity to receive the Associate Degree as well as High School Graduation certification.
    The preparations at the Career Center emphasize real-world skills, mentoring, and internships. This includes a focus on preparing students to earn national credentials in various career areas.
    Career Tech Student Organizations include active chapters in HOSA, Skills USA, FBLA and DECA.
    Continuing his report, Dr. Jones highlighted more positive news in the school system. These are featured below.
    The Technology Department has launched a new Mass Notification system with Blackboard. This system provides a more personalized way of communicating by sending messages to specific audiences. Stakeholders can receive messages simultaneously via phone calls, email, text messages and social media. The system also includes a feature to notify a parent once his/her child receives an unexcused absence in Power School.
    The Special Education Department attended and participated in Noah J 2nd Annual Autism Awareness Festival, Saturday, April 16, 2022.
    Eutaw Primary School completed ACAP testing on April 14, 2022. AIMSWEB-Scholars will be tested in various domains related to reading and math beginning April 25, 2022. May Day Celebration is tentatively set for the week of May 16, 2022. Scholars will be celebrated for their accomplishments during the 4th Nine Weeks.
    Robert Brown Middle School (P.A.W.S.) Parents Always Willing To Support nominees will be highlighted in newspapers and will receive certificates and gifts. On April 18, Greene County High School scholars spoke to RBMS students to stress importance of the ACAP test. Test Taking Pep Rally Scranton Scholars and ACAP All-Stars will be recognized and GCH band will participate. RBMS P.T.A. meeting is scheduled for April 28.
    Greene County High School Debate Team completed its final competition in Fairhope, AL. Jaila Brooks finishes her senior year with a total of four awards, three in first place. The GCHS Track Team is back. The boys competed at Central High School and performed well. The next track meet is April21, 2022. The Athletic Banquet was held April 14. Praise report from Program Manager from ACCESS: 30 students from GCH have a score of 70 or higher and is actively working in their ACCESS course. On April 15, Mu Alpha Theta (18 students ) traveled to Georgia to visit Great Wolf Lodge and Dave and Buster. Individual conferences have been scheduled with students to select courses for 2022-2023 school year. Eleventh grade students participated in ACT on March 29-31, 2022, with only two make-ups for 100% completion.
    Dr. Jones also announced that the Alabama Legislature has passed a 4% pay raise for all employees, effective October 1, 2022. This is combined with a new salary schedule which will affect most school employees.
    Superintendent Jones noted that the school system is coordinating efforts to assist the students whose families were affected by the recent tornado that hit the William M. Branch Heights community. He said buses will be re-routed to accommodate students who have been placed with their families in local hotels and other locations. Uniform dress requirements for those students have been suspended for the remainder of this school year. Other assistance that the school system can provide will be forthcoming.
    The board approved the following personnel items recommended by the superintendent.
    One-time supplemental payment for Janice Jeames Askew for additional duties Greene County High School.
    One-time supplemental payment for Rosalyn Robinson for additional duties at Robert Brown Middle School.
    The board approved the following administrative items:
    * Payment of all bills, claims, and payroll.
    * Bank reconciliations as submitted by Ms. Marquita Lennon, CSFO.
    * Memorandum of Agreement between Greene County Board of Education and Community Service Program of West Alabama, Inc. Head Start/Early Head Start.
    * Resolution for Conveyance of Birdine Property to Town of Forkland.

  • Covid-19

    As of April 19, 2022, at 10:00 AM
    (According to Alabama Political Reporter)

    Alabama had 1,298,473 confirmed cases of coronavirus,
    (1,422) more than last week with 19,513 deaths (134) more
    than last week)

    Greene County had 1,871 confirmed cases, (2) more cases than last week), with 48 deaths

    Sumter Co. had 2,578 cases with 51 deaths

    Hale Co. had 4,722 cases with 106 deaths

    Note: Greene County Physicians Clinic has testing and vaccination for COVID-19; Call for appointments at 205/372-3388, Ext. 142; ages 5 and up.

  • Greene Co. Democratic Executive Committee
    holds political forum

    Jimmie Benison
    Beverly “Bev” Spencer
    Hank McWhorter

    The Greene County Executive Committee held a political forum on Thursday, April 7, 2022 in the gymnasium of the Robert H. Young Community Center (old Carver School). The forum was open to all candidates in the Democratic primary election on May 24, 2022 for local offices in Greene County. The candidates were given three minutes to  introduce themselves and an additional ten minutes for questions.

    Lorenzo French, Chair of the Greene County Democratic Executive Committee explained the purpose of the forum was to allow candidates to explain their platforms and reasons for running, as well as to answer questions from voters. French asked the audience to take note of those candidates who did not appear and ask them to be more accountable to the voters of Greene County.

    The hotly contested race for Sheriff of Greene County drew the most attention. Three of the four candidates were present, only the incumbent sheriff, Jonathan “Joe” Benison, was not present and did not speak to his accomplishments in office or answer voter’s questions.

    Jimmie Benison, candidate for sheriff explained his long career in law enforcement, including military service, previously working as a Greene County deputy sheriff and currently working for a Mental Health Law Enforcement program in Tuscaloosa.

    Jimmie Benison said, “I will be a fulltime sheriff dedicated to law enforcement and safety. I will stand for transparency, accountability, dependability and honesty in my role as sheriff. I will appoint a panel, similar to the “racing commission” that we had to operate, regulate and monitor greyhound dog racing, to operate electronic bingo in the county.”

    In answering questions, Benison said, “I am unfamiliar with the current rules that are being used by the sheriff to operate bingo but I feel that the panel I create will develop rules to make more funds available to Greene County government and agencies.”

    In answer to a question about reducing crime, he said, “I am in favor of more after school programs and activities for youth; I plan to revitalize the junior deputies program we had in the past, which will help to bridge the gap between the community and the police.”

    Hank McWhorter, another candidate for sheriff, said that he had 35 years of law enforcement experience, including ten years of service with the Greene County Sheriff’s Department.

    “Based on the funds coming through Greene County’s electronic bingo establishments, we should have the best roads, best services, best hospital, best ambulance service, best education, a high school football stadium, and best recreational services of any county in Alabama. The money is there but it is not staying in the county to help people here. I will work to fix this.”

    McWhorter suggested that Greene County residents get the public documents from IRS on the bingo charities, their 990 disclosure forms and others, to see what they are doing and how much they are paying their staff and what they are giving to Greene County. He also said there are bingo controlled “political action committees” (PAC’s), like Citizens for Lawful Government, which are trying to buy the election for the incumbent sheriff.

    In a separate interview with this reporter, McWhorter said he feared for his life and that of his family because he was revealing the truth about the corruption of bingo in Greene County.

    Beverly “Bev” Spencer, the third candidate for sheriff, challenging the incumbent said, “I was born in Greene County, lived here all of my life and plan to die here. I have no law enforcement experience but I have common sense and I know what the sheriff is supposed to do.”

    “Greene County is not getting its fair share of bingo funds. I estimate $300 to $400 million dollars annually is flowing through bingo and Greene County gets $6 or $7 million a year out of this. We should be getting at least 10% or $30 million which could be used to help Greene County,” said Spencer.

    “I will create an 8-member committee, 3 whites and 5 Blacks, to regulate and supervise bingo in Greene County; I will be the ninth vote to break a tie. This committee will change the rules and see if we can get every single person in Greene County a small check from bingo funds as well as fund the charities, agencies and government services,” said Spencer.

    District Attorney Greg Griggers and his challenger Barrown Lankster, who has held the position in the past discussed their different approaches to the position of District Attorney for the 17th Judicial District, which includes Greene, Sumter and Marengo counties. Lankster said he would be more pro-active in working with educational programs for young people to prevent crime. Griggers touted various special courts he had created for mental health and juvenile crimes.

    The program lasted for over three hours from 5:00 PM to after 8:30 PM and also heard from candidates for County Commission and School Board. We will cover those races in the six weeks ahead until the May 24th. Primary.

    There was also a fiery keynote address by civil rights and voting rights activist Rev. Wendel Paris of Jackson, Mississippi. Paris is a native of Sumter County and played a major role in political activism in the Alabama Black Belt for many years. “All of us must vote in every election. We need to strive for 90% turnout in the Alabama Black Belt and we can win statewide elections. You must go out and vote because your vote can make a difference in your daily life, and if you don’t vote, please do not complain about the results,” said Paris.

  • County Commission deals
    with financial matters

    Rev. James Carter
    1961– 2022

    Rev. James Carter, a former Greene County Commissioner
    District 4 passed away on Sunday, April 10, 2022, after a
    long illness.

    Carter was honored earlier that same day with a benefit program
    to raise funds to help his family with expenses. Members of the Eta Mu Sigma
    Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Paramount Class of 1979, members of churches
    he pastored and others supported the program.

    Funeral services will be held Saturday at 1:00 PM at
    Carver School gymnasium.

    The Greene County Commission held a special meeting on March 31 and its regular monthly meeting on April 11, 2022 to mostly deal with and approve financial matters.

    The special meeting was called to approve a refunding of the county’s bond issue for construction of the William McKinley Branch Courthouse and the Jail. There are 15 years left on the 2007 warrants, with a balance of $3,855,000 remaining, with an interest rate of 4.61%, after the February 2022 annual payment.

    The bonds were refinanced by PiperSandler Investment Corporation, at 2.99% for remaining 14 years of the warrants from February 2023 to February 2037. The county will realize a net savings of $339,263 on the transaction (around $25,000 per year), which includes payment of issuance and placement fees and restoration of the bond warrants fund. Walter Lewis, a former University of Alabama quarterback, represented the company and secured placement of the bonds at a more favorable interest rate.

    At the April 11 regular meeting, CFO Mac Underwood reported that the bond refinancing had been completed as of April 5, 2022, at the rates promised.

    At the start of the April 11 meeting, the Commission observed a moment of silence to honor the late Rev. James Carter, who had served as a commissioner for District 4 in the past.

    CFO Mac Underwood provided a financial report as of March 22, 2022, which showed $6,627,903 in various accounts in Citizens Trust Bank, $4,981,946 in Merchants and Farmers Bank and several certificates in Robertson Bank for a total of $11,971,738, plus an additional amount for the county’s bond fund in the Bank of New York. He also presented a report showing $640,650 in claims and payroll for March and $138,000 in electronic payments for taxes and retirement funds.

    All agencies including the General Fund and Sheriff’s Department are in line with the budget and have spent around half of their budget funds by this mid-point in the fiscal year which began October 1st. Underwood recommend an increase of $14,500 in the Coroner’s budget due to high cost for transportation for people who died from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Commission approved the financial reports, payment of claims and the budget amendment.

    The Commission heard a report from County Engineer, Willie Branch, and approved his recommendations, including:

    • Awarding a bid of $197,715 to ST Bunn Construction for Project No. RA-GCP 01-02-2022 for spot leveling and patch county roads.

    • Awarding a bid of $549,735 to ST Bunn Construction for Project No. RA-GCP – 01 -01-2022 for patching multiple sections of CR 117,120 and 154.
    • Approving a Memorandum of Agreement with ALDOT regarding federal exchange funds.

    • Approving a proposal from JM Wood Auction for sale of equipment at the June action and declaring that equipment as surplus.

    The Commission also acted on a request from Phillis Belcher, Executive Director of the Greene County Industrial Development Authority (GCIDA), agreeing to serve as a co-applicant for EDA, Infrastructure Appropriations and Broadband grants for 2022-2023, including a proposal to repair transportation network roads in the Crossroads of America Industrial Park and Port.

    The Commission tabled a request from the GCIDA for improvements to its office building on the Courthouse Square, across from Eutaw City Hall. The GCIDA and the Eutaw Chamber of Commerce jointly lease this building, for a nominal amount, from the County Commission. Commission Chair Turner requested a meeting with the GCIDA and Chamber of Commerce to consider sharing the cost of these expenses for the building.

    At the Special Meeting on March 31, 2022, the Commission adopted a resolution to ask its attorney Mike Parnell to request an opinion from the State Attorney General on the use of county facilities, like the Courthouse and Eutaw Activity Center for “political meetings”. In the public comments section of the meeting, John Zippert, Democrat Co-Publisher, asked why an AG’s opinion was needed for a practice of using public buildings for political meetings, that Greene County had been implementing for fifty years.

    Attorney Parnell said that he wanted to be sure it was legal to use county-owner facilities for political meetings. Zippert asked if the decision would be available before the May 24th Primary Election. Parnell said he hoped to have the decision before the November general election.

    All Commissioners were present either in person or on the phone for both meetings,
    except that Commissioner Corey Cockrell was absent for both meetings.

     

  • Newswire: Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is confirmed to the Supreme Court

    Judge Jackson with Vice-President Harris

     

    By vote of 53 to 47, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson was confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday as the first Black women on the court, but only Republican Sen. Mitt Romney (R., Utah) joined Democrats celebrating her high honor as other Republic Senators fled the senate floor.

    Judge Jackson, 51, will replace Associate Justice Stephen Breyer, 83, who is retiring either in late June or early July.

    Judge Jackson went over the top when Sen. Mitt Romney (R., Utah) and Lisa Murkowski (R., Alaska), announced they would vote to confirm her. Susan Collins (R., Maine) had said earlier she would vote for Judge Jackson. Sen. Tim Scott, (R., N. Carolina) a Black senator, also voted with the other Republican Senators against Brown Jackson.

    Vice-President Kamala Harris presided over the U. S. Senate for the vote to confirm Judge Jackson, in case her vote was needed to break a tie and to help make history.

    The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to send Brown Jackson to floor of the Senate an 11 -11 vote. There have been 144 associate justices in the history of the U.S. Supreme Court.

    Judge Jackson currently sits on the District of Columbia Circuit Court, which is widely considered the second most powerful court in the land.