Greene County Democrat

Category: Health

  • With support from USDA, Southern Farmers Financial Association launches to help farmers access capital to begin and grow small farming operations

    Participants in SFFI Press Conference
    Front Row: L to R:  Farmer, Ben Burkett,  Farmer, Calvin King, Cornelius Blanding, Shirley Sherrod, Dr. Dewayne Goldman (USDA), Cornelius Keys, Zack Duchenaux(USDA). 

    ATLANTA, Ga., Oct. 31, 2024 – Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and partners announced the launch of the Southern Farmers Financial Association (SFFA), a new cooperatively-owned institution created to increase access to capital for its member-owners to begin farming or strengthen existing small farming operations and agriculture-based businesses in high poverty areas in the Southeast.

    The organization is supported with $20 million in initial funding from President Biden and Vice President Harris’s Inflation Reduction Act, which will be used to leverage private sector capital, recruit full-time staff, and begin outreach and lending efforts. The proposed service area of the SFFA is 12 states I the Southeast.

    The impetus for the creation of this new small farm financial institution grew out of a discussion on the use of the ‘ ci pres’ funds, remaining unused funds in the Pigford II Black Farmers Discrimination lawsuit. There is still $8 million left in these funds, which are subject to the decision of Judge Friedman, Federal District Judge who presided over this case.

    A committee of Black and small farmer advocates continued pushing to use these and other funds to create a financial institution responsive to small and Black farmers. This committee was headed by Cornelius Blanding, current Executive Director of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund. Calvin King, President of the Arkansas Land and Farm Development Corporation and Shirley Sherrod, leader of New Communities and the Southwest Georgia Project, worked with Cornelius to develop this new financial institution for small and Back farmers.

    The Southern Farmers Financial Association will be managed by Cornelius Blanding, acting chief executive officer; Shirley Sherrod, acting secretary; and Calvin King, acting treasurer, until a board is formed, and initial hires are made. Each of these individuals brings lifelong expertise and personal experience with farming, farm finance, and helping rural, smallholder farmers maintain farm operations in the face of challenging financial situations.

    “The launch of the Southern Farmers Financial Association furthers the Biden-Harris USDA’s vision to keep farmers farming, support rural economies by making it viable for small farms to stay in operation, and make USDA’s programs more accessible and inclusive for everyone who wants to participate in agriculture,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “This new organization will provide a vital bridge to those who may benefit from a different model of outreach, support, and farm lending.”

    Farming is a capital-intensive business. It can be difficult to begin or stay in farming without the financial foundation that comes with generational farm operations, and smaller farms are especially vulnerable to the financial blows that come with natural disasters, lost markets, or other sudden impacts. Under a cooperative agreement with USDA, the SFFA will improve land access by creating access to capital and technical assistance for farmers and other producers who have historically faced challenges getting the financing they need so their farms can grow and thrive.

    On Thursday in Atlanta, at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, USDA representatives and SFFA interim leadership gathered with stakeholders and farmers who would potentially receive funding from their new financial institution.

    Zach Ducheneaux, Administrator of USDA’s Farm Service Agency, who has spearheaded many changes at USDA to improve the farm lending process, applauded the organization’s launch. “As a child of the 1980’s farm crisis, I have seen firsthand the challenges farmers can have accessing capital, and the very difficult impacts that creates for individuals, families, and communities that stand to benefit from strong farming operations. I am excited to see these partners come together and reach farmers in a way that USDA recognizes we may not be able to.”

    “Every farmer needs affordable financing. Farmers must have reliable and consistent access to capital to be successful,” said USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development Dr. Basil Gooden. “For too long, access to capital has been out of reach for small farmers in the southeast region.”

    Support from the USDA will help bring other partners to the table so that SFFA can obtain strategic certifications and raise additional sources of capital. Examples include working with organizations like the Farm Credit system and Co-Bank to obtain Other Financial Institution (OFI) status, or working with the US Department of Treasury, Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Fund to become a CDFI, and continued engagement with USDA so that the institution can become a guaranteed lender with the Farm Services Agency.

    “Supporting southern farmers is essential to supporting rural economies in communities across the south,” added Shirley Sherrod, acting secretary of the SFFA.
    “The SFFA and USDA are building up the toolset southern farmers can use to support their family farms and pass them on to the next generations,” said Cornelius Blanding, acting Chief Executive Officer.

    “This agreement will open up new opportunities for historically underserved southern farmers to sustain and grow their businesses,” said Calvin King, SFFA acting treasurer.

    The SFFA will build on several steps USDA has taken under the Biden-Harris Administration to expand access to capital, keep farmers farming, and make its programs more accessible and equitable… This includes the work of the USDA Equity Commission, an Heirs Property Relending Program, to help families with heirs property issues, programs to help 1890 Land Grant Colleges and their students, and other measures.

    For more information about these efforts and more, visit USDA.gov/equity.
    USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.

    The Greene County Democrat will continue to follow progress toward the creation, operation and implementation of the programs of the SFFA financial institution going forward.

  • Newswire : Conflict-induced famine, hunger deaths likely in Gaza, Sudan in months: UN

    By: Al Jazerra News Service


    The Palestinian territory, Sudan and South Sudan, as well as Mali and Haiti, have been identified as the top five places most likely to see deadly hunger levels in the coming months, according to a new report by United Nations food agencies.

    The Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Food Programme said in a joint report on Thursday that “acute food insecurity is set to increase in both magnitude and severity” across 22 countries and territories.

    The Rome-based UN agencies warned that the spread of conflict, particularly in the Middle East – coupled with climate and economic stressors – was pushing millions of people to the brink.

    The report spotlighted the regional fallout from Israel’s war in Gaza, with Lebanon also engulfed in conflict, and warned that the La Nina weather pattern could affect the climate through March next year, threatening fragile food systems in already vulnerable regions.
    “Without immediate humanitarian efforts and concerted international action to address severe access constraints and advocate for the de-escalation of conflict and insecurity, further starvation and loss of life are likely” in those spots, it found.

    Of “very high concern” are Nigeria, Chad, Yemen, Mozambique, Myanmar, Syria and Lebanon, it said. In those countries, conflict was either a key driver of hunger, or a contributor.

    With its focus on the most severe and worsening countries, the UN agencies said the report did not “represent all countries/territories experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity”.

    The agencies said 2024 marked the second year of declining funding for humanitarian assistance, while 12 appeals faced funding shortfalls of more than 75 percent, including for Ethiopia, Yemen, Syria and Myanmar.


    Gaza

    A surge in hostilities in the Gaza Strip has raised concerns that the “worst case scenario” of famine will materialize, said the report.

    It estimated that 41 percent of the population, or 876,000 people, will face “emergency” levels of hunger from November until the end of April.
    Nearly 16 percent, or 345,000 people, will experience the most serious “catastrophic” levels.

    As of mid-October, 1.9 million people in Gaza have been displaced, the report said.

    Sudan
    In Sudan, hundreds of thousands of people displaced by conflict will face famine in the Zamzam camp in North Darfur, predicted the report.

    In South Sudan, the number of people facing starvation and death is projected to have nearly doubled in the four months between April and July 2024 compared with the same period last year.

    But those numbers are expected to worsen from next May with the lean season between harvests.

    More than a million people have been affected by severe flooding this month in South Sudan, found the report, a chronically unstable country plagued by violence and economic stagnation.

    Haiti and Mali

    The ongoing unrest in Haiti due to gang violence, together with an economic crisis and hurricane activity means that critical levels of hunger are likely to worsen in the impoverished Caribbean state, the agencies said.

    Escalating conflict in Mali, where the UN withdrew its peacekeeping mission in 2023, will likely worsen already critical levels.Armed groups are imposing blockades on towns and roads, impeding humanitarian aid, the agencies said.

    The direct and indirect effects of conflict on food insecurity are vast, found the report, going well beyond the destruction of livestock and crops.

    Conflict forces people to flee their homes, “disrupting livelihoods and income, limiting market access, and resulting in price fluctuations and erratic food production and consumption”, the report said.

    In regions of high concern, extreme weather caused by the possible recurrence of La Nina – a naturally occurring climate phenomenon that can trigger heavy downpours or worsen droughts and heatwaves – could exacerbate hunger conditions, said the report.

  • Newswire : Legendary producer Quincy Jones dies at 91; Leaving a monumental legacy in music and culture

    By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

    Quincy Jones, the record producer, arranger, and cultural trailblazer whose influence spanned more than seven decades, has died at 91. His publicist, Arnold Robinson, confirmed his death in a statement, noting that Jones died peacefully at his home in Bel Air. The statement did not specify the cause.

    Known for producing Michael Jackson’s landmark albums, “Thriller” and “Bad,” Jones’s career far exceeded even those iconic works.

    Jones transformed genres, introduced new styles, and championed Black artistry in a largely segregated industry. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which inducted him in 2013, called him a “Jack of All Trades” but noted that Jones “excelled at every role he took on.” His contributions as a record producer, arranger, composer, and performer reflect a boundless curiosity that kept him at the cutting edge of music across generations.

    His presence shaped countless albums, film scores, and even social movements, making him a bridge between jazz, R&B, pop, and hip-hop and between Black and white audiences.
    Jones began as a jazz trumpeter, arranging for bands like Count Basie’s and becoming a respected composer in his own right. His compositions for films, including The Pawnbroker and The Color Purple, displayed his extraordinary range, mixing classical, jazz, funk, and Afro-Cuban influences. His television scores, such as those for Sanford and Son and Ironside, brought Black music to mainstream audiences, shaping a generation’s auditory landscape.

    The three Jackson albums Jones produced — Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad — stand among his most famous works. The albums broke sales records and redefined the global pop music industry, bridging racial divides and setting new standards for production. But Jones’s career had already reached milestones before those records. He had become the first Black vice president at Mercury Records in 1964 and had garnered critical acclaim for his arrangement of Count Basie’s “I Can’t Stop Loving You.” Over time, he received 28 Grammy Awards from 80 nominations, a record surpassed only by a few.

    Born in Chicago on March 14, 1933, Quincy Delight Jones Jr. faced a childhood filled with challenges and resilience. According to his official biography, Jones was primarily raised by his father, a carpenter, after his mother was diagnosed with schizophrenic disorder. Moving to Seattle in his early teens, he honed his craft in a music scene as diverse as his musical inclinations. By 15, Jones had already earned a spot in Lionel Hampton’s band, launching a career that would take him across the globe and into the company of jazz greats like Dizzy Gillespie and Ray Charles, who would become a lifelong friend and collaborator.

    Jones’s time as a jazz bandleader and arranger in the 1950s established his name in elite music circles, but his ambitions led him into film and television scoring, where he created iconic soundtracks. Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Jones’s music could be heard in theaters and living rooms, with scores for films like In Cold Blood and The Deadly Affair and contributions to Alex Haley’s Roots, the celebrated mini-series. His soundtrack for The Color Purple in 1985, adapted from Alice Walker’s novel, remains a cultural milestone.

    In 1985, Jones united more than 40 of the world’s biggest music stars for the charity single “We Are the World,” raising awareness and funds for famine relief in Africa. The project’s success further cemented his reputation as a visionary capable of bridging divides for a greater cause. His label, Qwest, produced a roster as diverse as his interests, featuring artists from George Benson to the experimental jazz saxophonist Sonny Simmons.

    Through the 1990s and 2000s, Jones expanded his reach beyond music, producing television hits like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and the magazine Vibe. In his later years, he remained active, working on projects that celebrated his love for jazz and hip-hop alike. In 2022, he collaborated with The Weeknd on Dawn FM, delivering a spoken monologue reflecting his decades of life and artistry. His work became a rich tapestry, woven with threads from every major genre and cultural moment in modern American history.
    “He always is soaring ahead and doesn’t like to look backwards,” Oprah Winfrey said of him during his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction.

    Jones leaves behind seven children: Jolie, Kidada, Kenya, Martina, Rachel, Rashida, and Quincy III in addition to his brother Richard, sisters Margie Jay and Theresa Frank.

     

  • Newswire: ACA Marketplace enrollment opens with expanded options and subsidies

    President Obama signs the Affordable Care Act

    By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

     

    The Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace opens its 2025 enrollment season, offering millions the opportunity to secure or adjust health insurance plans. This year’s opening enrollment is vital, particularly if Donald Trump is re-elected. The twice-impeached former president and MAGA Republicans have vowed to repeal the healthcare law, which would deprive an estimated 40 million Americans of coverage. Under Trump’s plan, millions of individuals with pre-existing conditions would also lose health insurance.

    In 2024, approximately 4.2 million Floridians enrolled in an ACA health plan, marking a more than 200% increase from 2020, according to White House data. Florida, one of 10 states that hasn’t expanded Medicaid, is seeing around 823,000 residents lose Medicaid coverage.

    More than 418,000 Michigan residents signed up for new health plans through HealthCare.gov—a nearly 30% increase over 2023. In Wisconsin, over 250,000 residents secured ACA coverage, as state officials reported. Meanwhile, 1.26 million Georgia residents enrolled, reflecting a 206% rise from 2020, with about 96% receiving an advanced premium tax credit to help cover premiums.

    Maryland also saw a 33% increase in Black enrollees and a 30% increase in Hispanic enrollees. In Virginia, 389,568 residents enrolled, marking a 67% increase since 2020, with 88% receiving advanced premium tax credits to help cover costs. Meanwhile, 11,910 District of Columbia residents enrolled, although enrollment has decreased by 26% since 2020 — about 22% of D.C. enrollees qualified for advanced premium tax credits.

    With increased enrollment nationwide, this year’s Marketplace offers more options than ever. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), consumers can choose from a broader array of plans, with benchmark silver plans averaging a 4% premium increase and bronze plans up by 5%. However, enhanced subsidies introduced under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) continue to make coverage affordable, capping monthly premiums at a percentage of income. Most enrollees on HealthCare.gov can find plans for under $10 per month, despite unsubsidized premiums reaching $497 for a 40-year-old on a benchmark silver plan. KFF researchers noted that some states, like Vermont, Alaska, and North Dakota, face double-digit premium hikes, while others, like Louisiana, see decreases in low-cost plans.

    Under the Biden-Harris administration, the ACA Marketplace has expanded to include more insurers, with an average of 9.6 participating insurers per state, allowing 97% of Healthcare.gov users to choose from at least three insurers. The range of options includes silver and bronze plans tailored to meet different healthcare needs. Silver plans, which serve as the basis for subsidy calculations, offer a balance of coverage and cost, while bronze plans provide lower premiums but higher deductibles.

    Federal funding has also been allocated to ensure continued support for enrollees. The Biden-Harris administration committed $100 million to the Navigator program, providing more resources to help Americans understand and select the best health plan.

    Enhanced subsidies—initially introduced under the American Rescue Plan Act and extended by the IRA—are set to expire at the end of 2025 unless renewed by Congress. Without renewal, millions would face premium hikes in 2026, with costs doubling in some cases. A young family of four in Pennsylvania earning $125,000 would see an annual increase of $6,448, while a 45-year-old in Wisconsin with a $60,000 income would experience a $1,354 hike.

    DACA recipients are eligible for ACA coverage for the first time, with subsidies that help reduce costs. Effective November 1, this new eligibility offers a special enrollment window for an estimated 100,000 DACA recipients despite ongoing litigation. Additionally, states like California and New Mexico are leveraging federal tax credits to reduce deductibles, enhancing affordability for those with lower incomes.

    KFF found that further safeguards and protections accompany this year’s enrollment. Stricter fraud protections require brokers to secure consent before making plan changes and respond to complaints about unauthorized plan modifications. Non-ACA-compliant short-term plans are now limited to four months and must display clear disclaimers noting they lack comprehensive health coverage. Similarly, fixed indemnity plans, which pay a set amount for specific medical events but lack ACA protections, now carry required disclaimers.

    New network adequacy standards for federal Marketplace plans also ensure timely access to care. Wait times are capped in 2025 at ten business days for behavioral health, 15 days for primary care, and 30 days for non-urgent specialty care. Compliance will be monitored through “secret shoppers” surveys to verify access.

    Health officials said the ACA Marketplace’s enrollment success reflects expanded access under the Biden-Harris administration. However, political opposition from Trump and MAGA Republicans threatens these gains.

    To register for health insurance for 2025, visit www.Healthcare.gov.

     

  • Newswire : South Carolina to build state’s first individual monument honoring an African American

    Robert Smalls’ gravesite in Beaufort, S. C.

    By The Associated Press

    BEAUFORT, S.C. — South Carolina is preparing to put up its first individual statue for an African American on its Statehouse lawn, honoring a man who put on Confederate clothes in order to steal a slaveholder’s ship and sail his family and a dozen others to freedom during the Civil War.

    But Robert Smalls isn’t just being honored for his audacious escape. He spent a decade in the U.S. House, helped rewrite South Carolina’s constitution to allow Black men equality after the Civil War and then put up a valiant but doomed fight when racists returned to power and eliminated nearly all of the gains Smalls fought for.
    Rep. Jermaine Johnson can’t wait to bring his children to the Statehouse to finally see someone who is Black like them being honored. “The man has done so many great things, it’s just a travesty he has not been honored until now. Heck, it’s also a travesty there isn’t some big Hollywood movie out there about his life,” said Johnson, a Democrat from a district just a few miles from the Statehouse.

    The idea for a statue to Smalls has been percolating for years. But there was always quiet opposition preventing a bill from getting a hearing. That changed in 2024 as the proposal made it unanimously through the state House and Senate on the back of Republican Rep. Brandon Cox of Goose Creek.

    “South Carolina is a great state. We’ve got a lot of history, good and bad. This is our good history,” Cox said.

    What will the Robert Smalls memorial look like?

    The bill created a special committee that has until Jan. 15 to come up with a design, a location on the Statehouse lawn and the money to pay for whatever memorial they choose.
    But supporters face a challenging question: What best honors Smalls?

    If it’s just one statue, is it best to honor the steel-nerved ship pilot who waited for all the white crew to leave, then mimicked hand signals and whistle toots to get through Confederate checkpoints, while hoping Confederate soldiers didn’t notice a Black man under the hat in the pale moonlight in May 1862?

    Or would a more fitting tribute to Smalls be to recognize the statesman who served in the South Carolina House and Senate and the U.S. House after the Civil War? Smalls bought his master’s house in Beaufort in part with money made for turning the Confederate ship over to Union forces, then allowed the man’s penniless wife to live there when she was widowed.

    Or is the elder Smalls who fought for education for all and to keep the gains African Americans made during the Civil War the man most worth publicly memorializing? Smalls would see a new constitution in 1895 wipe out African Americans’ right to vote. He was fired from his federal customs collector job in 1913 when then President Woodrow Wilson purged a large number of Black men out of government jobs.

    Or would it be best to combine them all in some way? That’s how Republican Rep. Chip Campsen, an occasional ship pilot himself, sees honoring one of his favorite South Carolinians.

    “The best way to sum up Robert Smalls’ life is it was a fight for freedom as a slave, as a pilot and as a statesman,” Campsen said. Location, location, location

    Then there is the matter of location. While South Carolina has a monument with multiple panels honoring the struggle of African Americans from their journey on slave ships through today, it doesn’t honor an individual Black man or women among the two dozen monuments scattered around the Statehouse.

    At least six different monuments honor people like Dr. J. Marion Sims, who some consider the father of modern gynecology but who underpinned his research operating without anesthesia on enslaved women and girls. There are several honoring Confederates who fought to protect slavery in the state that started the Civil War and hangs a marble copy of the Articles of Secession in the lobby between its House and Senate chambers.

    The dubious list includes “Pitchfork” Ben Tillman, a governor and U.S. senator who bragged about how he led groups of whites who killed Black men trying to vote during the election of 1876 which led to the end of Reconstruction, the return of all-white rule and the collapse of everything for which Smalls had worked. None of that is on the plaque for Tillman’s statue.
    Some supporters have suggested Smalls’ statue could stand nearby and be taller and more prominent than Tillman’s to give Smalls a triumph some 130 years in the making.

    Once design and location are determined, organizers hope raising the money gets easier with a concept in mind. “We have to get the narrative right,” Republican Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey said. “This is going to tell a story. I think it is important that we tell that the right way to honor him and to honor South Carolina. I think it’s really cool.”

    Robert Smalls’ monumental life

    Robert Smalls was born in 1839 in Beaufort and died in 1915 in his hometown a free, but somewhat forgotten man who lived a life unimaginable to a woman holding her son born into slavery. Supporters now have a chance to make sure he never fades into obscurity.

    “Robert Smalls writes a new future for this county that in the moment no one can see is happening,” said Chris Barr, the Chief of Interpretation for the Reconstruction Era National Historic Park in Beaufort as he stood beside the a bust of Smalls near his grave in his hometown.

    Driving a Confederate boat to freedom is what captures the most attention in that remarkable life, Barr said. “If you’re an enslaved person working on one of these boats around the Charleston Harbor like Robert Smalls, you’ve got the tools, you’ve got the talent, you’ve got the boat and you know how to drive it,” Barr said “And you can literally see freedom floating in the form of the United States Navy just a few miles offshore. All you need is an opportunity.”

     

  • U.S. Reps. Sewell, Crockett and former AG Eric Holder campaign for Figures in AL-2 race

    Congresswoman Jasmin Crockett and Terri Sewell of Alabama

    By Jacob Holmes, Alabama Political Reporters

    U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Alabama, was joined by U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, Sunday in Montgomery to urge women voters to support Shomari Figures in the race for Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District.

    The congressmembers were joined by attorney Tamika Reed, wife of Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed, and Kalisha Figures, wife of Shomari Figures, to round out the “Women for Figures” panel at Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church.

    After a legal battle over the percentage of Black citizens in the district, a federal court redrew the map to give Black voters a better opportunity to elect the candidate of their choice. This has created the only competitive congressional race in the state between Figures and the Republican nominee Caroleene Dobson.

    Crockett urged that if Kamala Harris wins the presidency, she will need Democratic control of the House and Senate to bring her policies to reality.

    “I need better co-workers,” Crockett said. “I need people that actually want to work for the people. Right now, this has been the most unproductive Congress in the history of Congress.”
    Sewell emphasized the roles of Montgomery and Selma in the Civil Rights movement and said the new district needs to help continue that trend of making progress.
    “It’s high time that we get more representation, fairer representation in Alabama, in Congress,” Sewell said. “So I am thrilled I didn’t have to be bludgeoned on a bridge. I just had to give up Montgomery County for progress, and progress we will have if you go to the polls.”

    The panel emphasized the future of abortion rights. The U.S. Supreme Court rolled back a federal right to abortion access in its landmark Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health in a major victory for Republicans.

    ”You don’t have to be pro-choice,” Crockett said. “You can do whatever you want to with your uterus or the fact you don’t even have one. We’re not asking you to agree.”

    Kalisha Figures said childbirth is scary and noted the travel times to hospitals that deliver babies for rural Alabamians.
    “I have three times given birth,” she said. “It is scary, on face value, if you are healthy and well. It is scary. So to not have access to that care, to have to drive 60, 90 minutes in labor to get care, these are the issues we’re talking about when we talk about the state of women, right in Alabama, in this district.”

    Former AG Eric Holder also visits Alabama to campaign for Shomari Figures

    Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder arrived in Mobile to bolster Shomari Figures’ campaign for Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District. Holder, known nationally for his advocacy on voting rights and redistricting fairness, emphasized the importance of this election in the broader movement to protect democracy and ensure equitable representation.

    Holder’s support for Figures underscores the high stakes of this congressional race, which has garnered attention for its potential impact on state and national redistricting debates. As the first African American U.S. Attorney General, Holder has been a pivotal voice against gerrymandering through his work with the National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC), where he has actively campaigned to secure fair elections across the nation. His presence in Alabama signals the importance of securing fair representation in regions where voting rights have been an ongoing battle.

    The day’s events began at 2:50 p.m. with a press conference at Figures’ campaign headquarters on Government Street. Holder then visited Great Day Latte on S. Conception Street, showcasing support for local businesses. The evening continues with Holder joining Figures at a campaign phone bank back at headquarters before a Get Out the Vote (GOTV) rally at 6 p.m. at Big Zion A.M.E. Zion Church on S. Bayou Street. This rally will be a key event as Holder and Figures emphasize their shared commitment to a just political system that champions voting rights.

    Holder’s visit comes at a time when Alabamians are increasingly engaged in discussions around voting rights and political representation. His alignment with Figures not only strengthens the candidate’s platform but also reinforces the national focus on the significance of fair elections and civil rights advocacy.

  • Newswire : Harris rises, Trump falls among Black men

    Screenshot

    By Richard Prince

    
Special to the Trice Edney News Wire from Journal-isms

    (TriceEdneyWire.com) – Vice President Kamala Harris is gaining among Black male voters and Donald Trump’s appeal is declining, the NAACP said Monday, unveiling fresh survey information just days before election day Nov. 5.
     
    The nation’s oldest civil rights organization attributed whatever success the Republican former president has had with Black men to misinformation and disinformation on social media, which has usurped both broadcast and cable television as media of choice for younger Black voters, as well as a decline in civics education in the nation’s schools. Those who favored Trump were also the least likely to vote, they said.  
     
    At a midday press briefing, NAACP President Derrick Johnson also faulted the news media for focusing too much on “side issues, when there is a clear and present danger that should be addressed head on.” Trump supporters are seeking to create a “Jan. 6 reality,” he said.
     
    The organization found that from August to October, Black men under 50 decreased their likelihood to vote for Trump (27-21%) and increased their likelihood to vote for Harris (51-59%). The number of Black people who are certain Trump voters has declined by 11 percent since a September survey, while support for Harris has risen by 6 percent, the survey found.
     
    “Black men are the least Trump male voters in America,” said Joshua Doss, senior pollster and political strategist at HIT Strategies, which conducted the polling for the NAACP, yet media coverage has been “a little misleading,” with the exaggerations “popping up in focus groups.”
     
    NAACP officers and HIT pollsters also said they were heartened by results showing that discussion of health issues was resonating with Black men and that more than half said they planned to vote in down-ballot races, indicating that their perception of the value of “community power” was on the rise.
     
    “The concept of voter apathy is declining” among those surveyed, said Phaedra Jackson, vice president of unit advocacy and effectiveness at the NAACP, perhaps a natural consequence of the truism that more people pay attention to the election after Labor Day.
     
    Johnson called the misinformation and disinformation on social media the biggest obstacle to getting African Americans to cast ballots, saying media consumption habits were generational. The median age for African Americans is 32.
     
    The difference between the broadcast media and cable, favored by previous generations, said Johnson, is that “You have social media without any guard rails.” And “you have a whole generation who never had civics making bad choices, including not to vote.” 
     
    The NAACP is meeting the change in media habits by “meeting people where they are” — through digital media — but Johnson also said “the biggest hurdle now is an education hurdle.”  
     
    The get-out-the-vote drive is operating on many fronts, including the courts. The officials pointed to a victory this month in Nebraska, where a state Supreme Court ruled that state election officials must comply with a law allowing former felons to vote immediately after they complete their sentences instead of waiting two years.
     
    “To date, NAACP’s $20 million civic engagement program has reached over 60 million Americans through canvassing, digital outreach, community outreach, and digital, print & radio ads,” the organization added.
     
    “The NAACP has successfully ended Georgia’s Hand Count rule, prevented the disenfranchisement of thousands of WA voters, and halted Alabama’s ‘Purge Program’ through coordinated litigation.”
     
    Meanwhile, the Democratic National Committee Monday announced “a first-ever seven-figure ‘I Will Vote’ ad campaign targeting Black voters through ads in 55 Black publications and on 48 Black radio stations across the country. The historic ad campaign will feature radio spots from Kerry Washington, LeToya Luckett-Coles, John Legend, and Stevie Wonder,” it said. 
     
    “This strategic investment comes on the heels of several paid ad campaigns launched by the DNC and the Harris-Walz campaign aimed at turning out and mobilizing Black voters – a critical voting bloc this election. The DNC’s ‘I Will Vote’ campaign directs voters to the DNC’s most complete, accurate, and up-to-date national coverage of polling places and voter education information all in one place to empower Black communities with the information they need to exercise their right to vote in this critical election cycle.” 
     
    In another development, BET Media Group announced Monday it will premiere the ‘BET Black Men’s Summit,’ hosted by comedian, actor, and radio host D.L. Hughley. Airing on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, at 10 PM ET/9 PM CT and streaming on BET+, BET.com, and across the BET social media platforms.”

  • Newswire : Kamala Harris draws historic 75,000 at D.C. rally, pledges’ We Won’t Go Back’

    VP Kamala Harris on stage at rally

    By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

     

    With just one week to Election Day and over 51 million ballots already cast, Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris delivered a historic closing argument before an enthusiastic crowd estimated at over 75,000 at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C. Initially planned as an intimate gathering of around 8,000, the rally quickly transformed into a record-breaking show of support, highlighting Harris’s momentum in the final days of her campaign as she aims to become the first woman, and first Black woman, to serve as President of the United States.

    At 7:37 p.m. EST, Harris took the stage to a thunderous, rockstar-like reception, complete with red and blue lights strobing and a standing ovation that roared on. “Good Evening America!” Harris greeted the crowd. “Thank you for taking the time out of your busy lives,” she said, as chants of “Kamala, Kamala” echoed through the crowd.

    “One week from today, you will have a chance to make a decision that directly affects your lives, the lives of your family, and the future of this country. It will probably be the most important vote you’ve ever cast,” she continued. “It’s more than just a choice between two parties and two different candidates. It’s about a choice of whether you have a country of freedom, or one ruled by division.”

    Harris drew a sharp contrast between herself and her opponent, former President Donald Trump, who held his farewell rally at Madison Square Garden two days prior, a gathering that featured racially charged rhetoric. Standing at the same Ellipse where Trump, on January 6, 2021, encouraged his supporters to march to the Capitol, Harris recalled that tragic day.

    “We know who Donald Trump is. He is the person who stood at this very spot nearly four years ago and sent an armed mob to the U.S. Capitol to overturn the will of the people in a free and fair election — an election that he knew he lost,” Harris said during her 30-minute speech. “Americans died as a result; 140 law enforcement officers were injured.” The crowd’s response was electric as Harris continued, “While Donald Trump sat in the White House watching as the violence unfolded, he was told the mob wanted to kill his own vice president, and he responded with two words: ‘so what.’ That’s who Donald Trump is. He wants you to give him another four years.”
    In an unflinching critique, Harris called Trump “unstable, obsessed with revenge, and out for unchecked power,” and warned that a Trump administration would mean more division, chaos, and retribution. “Donald Trump wants to avoid his problems. He intends to use the U.S. military against Americans who simply disagree with him,” Harris charged. “He’s not focused on making your life better. He’s consumed by grievance.”

    Harris emphasized her dedication to uniting the country, saying her focus was on “common ground and common-sense solutions.” She pledged to be president for all Americans, a theme underscored by banners reading “Freedom” and “USA” that adorned the event space. “I am not looking to score political points; I am looking to make progress,” she asserted. “Unlike Donald Trump, I don’t believe people who disagree with me are the enemy. He wants to put them in jail.” Harris assured the crowd, “We have to stop pointing fingers and start locking arms. It’s time to turn the page on the drama, conflict, fear, and division.”

    The atmosphere, likened to a festival with loudspeakers blaring upbeat music and flags distributed to attendees, deeply moved Southeast D.C. resident Fatimah Glasnow, who arrived five hours early to secure her spot. “The feeling here is hope, love, and peace,” Glasnow said. “An America where we can all thrive, regardless of our race or gender. I needed this kind of energy in my life.” She expressed confidence in Harris’s promises, particularly on issues of social and maternal justice. “She’s advocated for social justice and, really, justice itself.”

    For Harris, the event carried personal significance, serving as a moment to explain what drives her as a leader. “There’s something about people being treated unfairly or overlooked that, frankly, just gets to me,” she shared. “I don’t like it. It’s what my mother instilled in me — a drive to hold accountable those who use their wealth or power to take advantage of others.”

    Addressing the fall of Roe v. Wade, Harris assured the crowd that she would fight to restore the reproductive rights she argued Trump and his Supreme Court appointees had taken away. “I will fight to restore what Donald Trump and his hand-selected Supreme Court justices took away from the women of America,” she declared, reiterating her commitment to preserving and expanding civil rights.

    Capitol Hill resident Leander Davis, a social services worker, said Harris’s words resonated deeply. “She’s all of us,” Davis said. “She’s been criticized, ostracized, demonized, and called all sorts of names, yet she hasn’t stopped fighting for what’s right. When she’s president, we will all be better off.”

    Harris emphasized that her campaign was about more than just policy changes; it was about ensuring fairness and justice for every American. “If you give me the chance to fight on your behalf, there is nothing in the world that will stand in my way,” she promised, highlighting her experience as a prosecutor who fought against cartels, banks, and for-profit colleges.

    Harris’s electrifying rally at the Ellipse, with its powerful visuals of American flags and banners of unity, drew a clear contrast with Trump’s rhetoric. “If elected, Donald Trump would walk into that office,” Harris said, gesturing toward the White House, “with an enemies list. When elected, I will walk in with a to-do list.” She stressed that her administration would prioritize solutions to lower costs, support working families, and restore a sense of unity and purpose.

    Harris emphasized that, despite her time serving under President Joe Biden, her presidency would take a different course because of the unique difficulties that America is currently facing. “I have been honored to serve as Joe Biden’s vice president,” she said. “But I will bring my own experiences and ideas to the Oval Office. My presidency will be different because the challenges we face are different.”

    The vice president also tackled the political lightning rod of immigration. “Politicians have got to stop treating immigration as an issue to scare up votes in an election, – and instead treat it as the serious challenge that it is,” Harris said, “that we must finally come together to solve.”

    “I will work with Democrats and Republicans to sign into law the border security bill that Donald Trump killed,” she demanded.

    Harris said while she will focus on prosecuting cartels and transnational gangs, “we must acknowledge we are a nation of immigrants.”“And I will work with Congress to pass immigration reform, including an earned path to citizenship for hardworking immigrants, like farmworkers and our laborers.”

    At the close of her speech, Harris delivered a final rallying cry. “America, for too long, we have been consumed with division, chaos, and mutual distrust. But it doesn’t have to be this way,” she asserted. “It is time for a new generation of leadership in America, and I am ready to offer that leadership as the next President of the United States.”

    She said she “grew up as a child of the civil rights movement, my parents would take me to marches in a stroller where crowds of people of all races, faiths and walks of life came together to fight for the ideals of freedom and opportunity. I’ve lived the promise of America.”

  • School Board approves expenditures for student services including after-school tutorial, STEM, College and Career Readiness and TEAMS

    School board members receive Certificates of Completion from the Alabama Association of School Boards in recognition of successfully completing all School Board Governance Improvement Act training requirements for 2023-2024. L to R: Board members Robert Davis, Carrie Dancy, Board President Leo Branch, Vice President Veronica Richardson, Board member Brandon Merriweather and Superintendent Dr. Corey Jones.

    The Greene County Board of Education met in regular session, Monday, October 21, 2024 with all board members present. The board’s preliminary activities included roll call, welcome to visitors and approval of the various minutes including called meetings for Budget Hearings I and II; September 16 regular meeting and September 20 called meeting.
    Superintendent t Dr, Corey Jones report began with the statement that there were no COVID cases reported at the schools since the last board meeting. He also gave positive news updates on student and community activities at each district school including guest speakers, PTA meetings, students participation in WOW activities as well as students visits to various HBCU’s ( Historically Black Colleges and Universities) in Alabama. He noted that similar visits are scheduled for HBCU’s in Mississippi.
    The board approved the following personnel service items recommended by Superintendent Jones.
    * Additional Service Contracts 2024 – 2025 for the following employees at Greene County High School: (Separate Contract): Zaddrick Smith, Assistant Football Coach; Lorissa Holder, Assistant Girls Basketball Coach; Quentin Walton, Baseball Coach.
    * Stipend in amount of $1,500 for services rendered, attendance/participation in the Black Belt STEM Institute Program and implementing the program at Greene County High School and Robert Brown Middle School for the following teachers: (Funding: UWA Black Belt STEM Institute): Krystal Flantroy – GCHS; Nashondra Ruffin – RBMS.
    * Greene County School District After-School Tutorial Program 2024-2025 for the following at a rate of $30 per hour for teachers, $25 per hour for aids, and $22 per hour for bus drivers (2 hours per day):
    Eutaw Primary School – Shelia Tillman – Kindergarten; Ms. Pamela Pasteur – 1st Grade; Montoya Binion – 2nd Grade; Keisha Williams – 3rd Grade – Accountability Grade Level; LaShaun Henley – 3rd Grade – Accountability Grade Level; Gwendolyn Webb – Aide; Carla Durrett – Lead Teacher/Coach.
    Robert Brown Middle School – Demetris Lyles – 4th Grade and 5th Grade; Ashley Binion Lilly– 4th Grade and 5th Grade; Naomi Cyrus – 6th – 8th Grade; Felecia Smith – Lead Teacher/Coach; Raven Bryant – Special Services.
    Greene County High School – Janice Askew – Lead Teacher; Drenda Morton – Aide; Tura Edwards – English/Science; Tameshia Porter – Reading/English; Angela Harkness – Special Services; Dutchess Jones – Math; Patricia Maiden – History.
    * Permission to pay the following for any approved College and Career Readiness (CCR) activities for fiscal year 2024-2025. May include after-hours Career Readiness Indicators (CRI) study sessions, ACT Prep workshops, college/industry visits, etc.: Paula Calligan, Tomora Morris, Shamyra Jones, LaMonica Little, Patricia Rhone, Tamika Thompson, Angela White, Tweila Morris, Teresa Atkins, Andrea Perry, Tura Edwards, Tamesha Porter, Janice Askew, Jaqueline Raby, Kirin Greene.
    * TEAMS Contracts 2024 – 25 for the following: Funding: ALSDE: Dutchess Jones – GCHS, Math (1 Year Contract); Dena Jordan – RBMS, Math (1 Year Contract); Krystal Flantroy – GCHS, Science (1 Year Contract); Lorissa Holder – GCHS, Science(1 Year Contract); Nashondra Ruffin – RBMS. Science (1 Year Contract); Talicia Williams – RBMS, Math (1 Year Contract); Kaneeda Coleman – GCHS, Math (Year 3, Expires June 30, 2027).
    The administrative items approved by the board included the following.
    * MOA between Greene County Board of Education and Alabama A&M University Graduation Social Work Program to host social work internships.
    * Contract between the Greene County Board of Education and Druid City Basketball Official Association for basketball officials for the 2024 – 2025 school year at GCHS.
    * Contract between the Greene County Board of Education and West Central Officials Association for football officials for the 2024 – 2025 school year at RBMS.
    * 2.5% raise for support staff, effective October 1, 2024.
    * Updated support staff salary schedule to reflect 2.5% increase.
    * Out of state and overnight field trip request for Ms. Lamonica Little and select students to travel and participate in a Mississippi HBCU College Tour on November 13 – 14, 2024 (CCR Grant Funds).
    * Contract between Greene County Board of Education and Zachary Rutledge to do Welding Enrichment on the 1st and 3rd Friday of each month (CCR Grant Funds).
    * Lowest bid submitted by W.H. Thomas Oil for gas and diesel for the 2024 – 2025 school year.
    * Lowest bid submitted by Pruett Oil Company for motor oil products for the 2024 – 2025 school year.
    * Retention bonus for bus drivers in the amount of $1,500 to remain a bus driver for the school district for a period of two years.
    * Payment of all bills, claims, and payroll.
    Mental Health Coordinator salary in the amount of $40,000.
    The Financial Snapshot for the previous month was not presented at this meeting since the CSFO and the financial team are preparing the financial closeout reports for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024.

  • James Morrow selected as Distinguished Fire Fighter of the Year

     

    The Greene County Association of Volunteer FireFighters Departments (AVFD) held its 9th Annual Volunteer FireFighters’ Banquet and Awards program, Friday, October 18, 2024 at the Robert Young Community Center (The former Carver High School).
    Mrs. Mary R. McInnis served at mistress of order, greeting was presented by Mr. Hodges Smith, President of Greene County Association of Volunteer Fire Departments, Mr. Billy Doss President of the Alabama Association of Volunteer Fire Department, Garria Spencer, Vice Chairman of the Greene County Commission and Mayor of Eutaw Latasha Johnson.
    Mr. James Morrow was selected as Distinguished Fire Fighter of the Year for 2024 and presented with a plaque by Hodges Smith, President of the Greene County AVFD.

    Morrow was recognized for Exceptional Courage and Dedicated Service to the Citizens of Greene County.
    1st place went to Mr. Lester Cotton Eutaw Volunteer Fire Department, 2rd place, Mr. Keith Young, Dollarhide Volunteer Fire Department, receiving 3nd place was Henry Harkness, Union Volunteer Fire Department.
    Sharon Warren received the Presidential Award.
    Ms. Severe Strode of Lower Gainesville Road Volunteer Fire Department presented a Memorial Tribute with Hodges Smith, ringing the bell in honor of fallen firefighters. Fallen firefighters included: Mr. Willie Mack Nickson- Lower Gainesville Road VFD, Mr. Bobby James Davis -Dollarhide VFD, Mrs. Rosie Mae Smith- Knoxville VFD, Mr. Roy D. Jines-Forkland VFD, Mr. James C. Lashley, Jr.- Eutaw VFD and Mrs. Barbara Dukes- Clinton VFD. Featured speaker for the occasion was Comedian Lamar Pullom (LP) of Tuscaloosa, AL with an ensemble featuring Mr. Marvin Turner, Ms. Lauren Smith, Felecia Smith and Mrs. Eddie Mae Brown.
    Each of the 14 Volunteer Firefighters Departments received a Good Standing Membership Award.
    The planning committee for the program including Geraldine Walton Chairperson, Hodges Smith, Bennie Abrams, Iris Sermon, Mollie Gaines and Willie Mae Austin would like to thank all supporters and sponsors of this event. “All Ready to Fight the Fight.”