Greene County Democrat

Category: Health

  • Federation holds weekly meetings to explain and help farmers fill out DFAP applications

    Thursday briefing at the Federation’s Rural Training and Research Center, near Epes, Alabama on USDA DFAP process

    The Federation of Southern Cooperatives is holding a weekly meeting,
    on every Thursday at 10:30 AM, at its Rural Training and Research Center,
    between Epes and Gainesville, Alabama on Sumter County Road 20, to assist farmers, who have been discriminated against by USDA in farm loans. to fill out applications for the USDA Discrimination Financial Assistance Program (DFAP).

    After the initial explanation of the overall process, eligibility and other issues, the Federation has staff available to meet individually with farmers and other claimants to begin the 40-page DFAP application process. The Federation staff is also providing appointments with farmers to complete the process of filling out the lengthy application, which also requires the scanning and uploading of documents.

    USDA announced this DFAP program in mid-July of this year, to implement Section 22007 of the Inflation Reduction Act, which provides $2.2 Billion of assistance to farmers who were discriminated against in the farm loan process, prior to January 1, 2021. There is no minimum payment, but the maximum has been set at $500,000. The deadline for filing an application has been extended from the original date of October 31, 2023, to January 13, 2024.

    “We welcome all farmers interested in this program to attend our weekly Thursday briefing on the DFAP program to learn the details of the program and documentation that will be required to prove discrimination, such as a land deed or lease, farm plans, farm receipts, correspondence with USDA, statements from non-blood relatives concerning the discrimination and other papers,” said John Zippert, Federation Program Director Emeritus, who has been brought back from retirement to help with the process.

    The Federation is encouraging farmers and people who attempted to farm, by applying to USDA credit agencies – Farmers Home Administration (FmHA) and Farm Services Agency (FSA)- for a farm loan to go to the official USDA website at http://www.22007apply.gov, to get more information on the program. This website also has the access to the text and on-line versions of the 40-page DFAP application, instructions, answers to frequently asked questions, and other valuable information about DFAP.

    Zippert said, “The DFAP process is similar to but different from the prior Black farmer (Pigford) lawsuits, native American (Keepseagle) and Women and Hispanic Settlement processes. In this case, applications must be made for a live person, no estates, heirs, or deceased people are eligible to apply for this program. The standards of proof are similar but different and require more documentation than the lawsuits. If you participated in the lawsuits and were successful or unsuccessful, you are still eligible to participate in this process.”

    Zippert continued, “We have found it takes two visits with our staff and five hours of consultation to fill out and complete the full application, including scanning in documents, after the initial two-hour Thursday briefing on the program. At the briefing, we will give you a shorter survey/screening form, which will raise the questions and issues that you will need to answer and seek documentation to be able to complete the full application. We advise farmers to do their “homework” to fill out this survey, to capture your story of USDA discrimination, which will help speed up filling out the 40-page application.”

    The Federation of Southern Cooperatives has been contracted by USDA to provide technical assistance and help to farmers in filling out the DFAP applications. There is no charge for the Federation’s services. Other organizations and lawyers are providing application services for a fee.

    “The Federation wants to submit a quality application for farmers, and we are going to add our name as technical assistance providers and preparers to your application. We want you to have a good chance of receiving some monetary assistance for your experience of discrimination in USDA credit programs, as specified by Congress in Section 22007 of the IRA,” explained Zippert.

    For more information on the Thursday DFAP briefings and the process, Alabama farmers may call the Federation’s RTRC at 205-652-9676. The Federation’s Rural Training and Research Center is located at 575 Federation Road, Epes, AL 35460.

    Farmers in other states may call the Federation’s DFAP call center at 1-888-533-3271 or email: 22007dfap@federation.coop for more information and assistance in filing DFAP applications.

  • USDA extends application deadline for Discrimination Financial Assistance Program to January 13, 2024

    WASHINGTON, Sept. 22, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture is extending the deadline for the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program to January 13, 2024, to give eligible farmers, ranchers and forest landowners more time to apply for assistance. The original deadline was October 31, 2023.
    This deadline extension is responsive to feedback from potential applicants, nongovernmental program administrators and community-based organizations working closely with USDA to inform and assist eligible individuals. The new deadline will allow more time to reach and help farmers, ranchers and forest landowners through direct, no-cost technical assistance and training sessions. The extension will also ensure everyone has adequate time to apply, including producers whose harvest season falls during the original application period.
    “USDA knows it must earn the trust of the farmers, ranchers and forest landowners who are eligible for this program. That makes transparency in the administration of the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program crucial,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “In that spirit, after receiving feedback from organizations that have been supporting producers throughout the application process, we have made the decision to extend the deadline. We believe this is the appropriate action to take to ensure all eligible individuals wishing to apply are adequately informed about the program and have the opportunity to receive any necessary assistance.”
    Cornelius Blanding, Executive Director of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/LAF , a cooperator organization that has been assisting with outreach and technical assistance on DFAP applications, said “ We are pleased that USDA has extended the deadline to January 13, 2024. This will give us a chance to reach the hundreds of farmers who have contacted our offices across the South seeking assistance in filling out their DFAP applications. We will be able to devote time to planning and preparing quality applications for each farmer instead of rushing to meet the October deadline.”
    This program delivers on Section 22007 of the Inflation Reduction Act, which provides financial assistance for farmers, ranchers and forest landowners who experienced discrimination in USDA farm lending programs prior to January 2021. Congress provided a total of $2.2 billion for this program. The amount of money awarded to individuals through this program will depend on the number of eligible applicants and the consequences of the discrimination. Eligible individuals have the option to apply online or by submitting paper-based forms via mail or in-person delivery to local program offices. Applicants are not required to retain an attorney and should take precautions to protect themselves from potential scams.
    In addition to the application deadline change, the deadline to request records from USDA’s Farm Service Agency for use in applications has been extended to Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The application process was designed so that FSA records are not required, though relevant records may be attached to an application as additional evidence if they are available.
    To learn more about the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program or receive assistance in English or Spanish, visit www.22007apply.gov, email info@22007apply.gov or contact the national call center at 1-800-721-0970 from 8 a.m. ET to 8 p.m. PT, every day except federal holidays. If you use sign language to communicate, you can use the 711 relay service to call. You may also email or contact the national call center if you have a disability and need another accommodation. Information about the program, resources, recent office openings and local events across the country is also available through a weekly e-newsletter.
    Persons interested in contacting the Federation of Southern Cooperatives for technical assistance in filling out applications may call : 1-888-533-3271 or contact: 22007dfap@federation.coop to schedule an appointment for technical assistance in the application process.

  • Newswire : Remembering Hollis Watkins, Veteran of Mississippi Civil Rights Movement ,who died at 82 last week

    Hollis Watkins Muhammed

    Bio compiled by Mississippi Department of Archives and History

    A native of Mississippi, Hollis Watkins, was born in 1941 and grew up on a small farm in Chisholm Mission and became one of the first young Mississippians to commit to full-time work with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Watkins also served as founder and president of the Pike County Nonviolent Direct Action 
    Committee,

    He was a field secretary for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), and a county organizer in the Mississippi Freedom Summer Project.
    Inspired by civil rights leader Bob Moses, Watkins began organizing local voter registration drives within the Pike County community. He organized one of the first sit-ins in McComb at a Woolworth’s lunch counter with fellow activist Curtis Hayes and was arrested and jailed multiple times for participating in various demonstrations.
    Watkins was known for his use of freedom songs as an inspiration to encourage others to join the movement. He traveled across the state and worked on voter registration campaigns with other civil rights leaders such as Vernon  Dahmer. Watkins was also involved in the 1964 Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party that challenged the state’s 
    all-white delegation at the Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

    “Hollis Watkins dedicated his entire life to improving the lives of Black Mississippians,” said Michael Morris, director of the Two Mississippi Museums. “He was heavily involved in the creation of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, lending his voice to the museum’s central gallery. Museum staff are disheartened to learn of his death, but
     his legacy continues to inspire us.”

    In 1989, Watkins co-founded Southern Echo, a community organization which works to develop leaders and empower local residents in support of the welfare of African American communities throughout Mississippi. He also served as chair of the Veteran of the Mississippi Civil Rights Movement. Watkins was honored with a Fannie 
    Lou Hamer Humanitarian Award from Jackson State University in 2011 and received an honorary doctorate from Tougaloo College in 2015.
    Watkins died on September 20, 2023, at the age of 82.

  • Greene County hosts its 2023 homecoming: GCHS Tigers took on Tuscaloosa Academy Knights in its Friday night contest

    By: Kayla Nickson
    Greene County High School Student

    Greene County Tigers played in a 2A area competition game on Friday, September 15, 2023, at Tiger Stadium. The Tigers took on the Tuscaloosa Academy Knights. Tuscaloosa Academy defeated Greene County with the final score being 48 – 7. Greene County Tigers Quarterback Ronald Wilder (Sophomore) had a total of 108 passing yards. Wilder also led the team in rushing yards with quarterback keepers. Markevis Collier (Sophomore) led the Tigers with the most receiving yards during Friday night’s contest. On the defensive side of the ball Shayla Hill (Junior) led the team with 4 solo tackles and 3 assisted tackles. Although the Tigers didn’t get the outcome hoped for, the week was filled with a lot fun activities during its homecoming spirit week. Greene County Tigers will now move on to face Winston County on Thursday, September 21, 2023 at Winston County. The Tigers record is now 2-2 (0-2 in the 2A region 5). The Tigers are still looking forward to your continued support as we continue this season. Goodluck to the team and coaching staff this Thursday.

  • Newswire: Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson speaks at 60th anniversary Birmingham bombing event

    Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson

    By: Associated Press

     

    BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Standing at the pulpit of the Birmingham, Alabama, church where four little girls were killed by a Ku Klux Klan bomb in 1963, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said the nation must remember and own the uncomfortable moments of its past in order to move forward.

    Jackson, the first Black woman to serve on the nation’s highest court, spoke at the 60th anniversary of the Sept. 15, 1963 bombing at 16th Street Baptist Church.
    “Today we remember the toll that was paid to secure the blessings of liberty for African Americans and we grieve those four children who were senselessly taken from this earth and their families robbed of their potential,” Jackson said.
    She said the country should celebrate the great strides that have been made since 1963 but that there is still work to do. ”The work of our time is maintaining that hard-won freedom and to that we are going to need the truth, the whole truth about our past,” Jackson said.
    Jackson said she knows that atrocities “like the one we are memorializing today are difficult to remember and relive” but said it is also “dangerous to forget them.”
    “If we are going to continue to move forward as a nation, we cannot allow concerns about discomfort to displace knowledge, truth or history. It is certainly the case that parts of this country’s story can be hard to think about,” Jackson said.
    Jackson did not mention any of the efforts in Republican-led states to place parameters on how race is discussed in classrooms. Instead, Jackson, who was born in 1970, gave the example of how her own parents made sure, even at a young age, that she learned about what happened in Birmingham, Selma and other battlegrounds of the Civil Rights Movement.
    “Yes, our past is filled with too much violence, too much hatred, too much prejudice, but can we really say that we are not confronting those same evils now? We have to own even the darkest parts of our past, understand them and vow never to repeat them,” Jackson said.
    Klansmen had placed a bundle of dynamite outside the church under a set of stairs on that day in 1963. The girls were gathered in a downstairs washroom before Sunday services when the blast exploded at 10:22 am. The explosion killed 11-year-old Denise McNair, and Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson, and Addie Mae Collins, all 14. A fifth little girl, Sarah Collins Rudolph, the sister of Addie Mae, was in the room and was severely injured — losing an eye to the explosion— but survived.
    The bombing came during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, eight months after then-Gov. George Wallace pledged, “segregation forever,” and two weeks after the Rev. Martin Luther King’s “ I Have a Dream” speech at the 1963 March for Jobs and Justice in Washington, D. C.

    Hundreds of people, Black and white, filled the church Friday for the remembrance. The church bell tolled four times as the names of the girls were read. The crowd also stood to honor Rudolph, the “fifth little girl” in the room that day.
    U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell said they were standing on solemn ground where the senseless deaths “awakened a slumbering consciousness of America and galvanized the Civil Rights Movement.”
    For many, Jackson’s presence at the church was a poignant moment. Sewell and other speakers on Friday said the lives of the four slain Black girls are in a way intertwined with Jackson’s. They said she is the embodiment of what civil rights foot soldiers in the 1960s dreamed would be possible, and the Voting Rights Act and other gains that followed paved the way for the first Black woman on the Supreme Court.
    “It has been 60 years in the making. Dr. Martin Luther King said that these girls would not have died in vain and our speaker, Ketanji Brown Jackson, is the personification of that today. She is that hope,” former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones said.

  • Newswire: Coco Gauff, 19, makes history: youngest U.S. Open Champion since Serena Williams in 1999

    By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire

    Coco Gauff has etched her name in tennis history as she clinched the U.S. Open singles title, becoming the youngest player, at 19, since Serena Williams’ historic victory in 1999 when she was just 17 years old. Gauff’s remarkable triumph came after an intense three-set battle against Aryna Sabalenka, with a final score of 2-6, 6-3, 6-2.
    Amidst the crowd’s roar and the flashbulbs of countless cameras, Gauff stood on the iconic Arthur Ashe Stadium, her trophy shining brightly, and her victory speech filled with a sense of readiness for the fame that will undoubtedly come her way. “I’m ready,” Gauff proclaimed, her youthful confidence evident. “I embrace it. I know how to keep my peace but also embrace all of this around me.”
    As Gauff accepted her winner’s check of $3 million, she took a moment to graciously thank tennis legend Billie Jean King, who stood alongside her on the stage. King is a long time advocate for equal treatment and payment of female athletes in all sports. The gesture highlighted Gauff’s perspective, humor, and charm that has set the stage for American sports’ next global superstar.
    “She is so humble,” said Pere Riba, Gauff’s coach, in the post-match interview. “Her work ethic is so strong, so professional, and she has very good manners. Put all of that together, and she will only get better. She can handle it all.”
    Gauff has long been earmarked as one of tennis’ next superstars. Her maturity on and off the court, intelligence, and ability to articulate herself have endeared her to the American public and the global tennis community.
    Even prominent figures in the political arena couldn’t contain their excitement. President Joe Biden took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to congratulate the young champion. “Congrats to U.S. Open Champion Coco Gauff,” he tweeted. “You electrified Arthur Ashe stadium and the entire nation – the first of more to come and proof that anything is possible if you never give up and always believe. You’ve made America so proud.”
    Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama, who cheered Gauff during her first-round match against Laura Siegmund, also extended congratulations. “We couldn’t be prouder of you on and off the court – and we know the best is yet to come,” Barack Obama wrote. The former First Lady paid tribute to Gauff’s “hard work and grit” and shared a cherished photo of their meeting after that memorable first-round match.
    
Former President Bill Clinton joined the chorus of praise, describing Gauff’s victory as “incredible” and expressing optimism for the future of American tennis. Serena Williams, whom Gauff credits for inspiring her dreams, shared her excitement on Instagram, writing, “Ahhhhh!!!! Amazing!!!!”
    Gauff reflected proudly on her victory. “My dad took me to this tournament, sitting right there, watching Venus and Serena compete, so it’s really incredible to be here on this stage,” she stated.

  • Newswire: University of Alabama condemns fans’ use of racist, homophobic slurs in viral video from Texas game

    By: Wilton Jackson, Sports Illustrated

    Alabama fans were overheard shouting racist and homophobic slurs at three Texas players in a viral video filmed during the Crimson Tide’s 34-24 loss to the Longhorns on Saturday night.

    Fans behind the Texas sideline at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., yelled homophobic and racist language at Longhorns defensive backs Jelani McDonald and X’Avion Brice as well as running back Quintrevion Wisner.
    Among the slurs that can be heard on the video are Alabama fans calling the Texas players –“faggots” and advising them “to go back to the projects”.
    In the wake of the video’s circulation on social media, Alabama released a statement to The Austin American-Statesman, saying the university does not condone the behavior and that such behavior “will not be tolerated” in its venues.
    “We are disgusted by reports of vile language and inappropriate behavior Saturday night,” the statement read, per Danny Davis of The American-Statesman. “It’s not representative of UA and our values. We expect all attendees to act with class and respect towards others. Fans are strongly encouraged to report issues to our security resources on-site. Game day and delayed reports are appropriately addressed, and anyone found to be in violation of our rules and expectations will be promptly removed and may be banned from future events.

  • Team effort makes Mantua Storm Shelter accessible

    Shown above are  L to R : Fred Hughes of the Mantua Volunteer Fire Department and County Commissioner (District 1), Garria Spencer reviewing the construction that solved the problem of a ditch hindering access to the storm shelter.

    Materials and labor for the project were provided by the Greene County Commission, Mantua Volunteer Fire Department and Greene County Sheriff, Jonathan Benison.

    A conduit pipe was placed in the ditch and a road way concreted over the ditch. “Now our shelter is wheelchair accessible and that,’ solved our greatest concern,” stated Hughes.

  • Newswire: Abortion Fund sues Alabama Attorney General after he threatens criminal prosecution for helping abortion seekers leave the state

    By: Kendra Majors@alvalues.org

    07.31.23 – Today the Yellowhammer Fund asked a federal court to prevent the Alabama Attorney General from making good on his threats to criminalize people that help pregnant Alabamians leave the state to access legal abortion. 
    The Attorney General’s threats specifically target helpers like the Yellowhammer Fund, an organization that provides funding and practical support to pregnant Alabamians who are forced to leave their home state and often travel hundreds of miles to access legal abortion care.  Even though Alabama has no power to criminalize lawful activity that takes place in other states, the consequences of the Attorney General’s threats are significant and have forced Yellowhammer Fund to stop operating its abortion fund due to fear of prosecution.
    People and organizations that provide aid in helping people exercise rights are often the unsung heroes of protecting civil rights.  Those who participated in the Freedom Rides in Alabama were helpers as were the publishers of The Green Book.  Organizations like the Yellowhammer Fund are helpers in the battle for reproductive justice.
    
“Today, we filed this lawsuit in the courthouse next to the Freedom Rides Museum in Montgomery, Alabama challenging the State’s efforts to restrict travel for abortion care.  The symbolism is not lost on us,” said Jenice Fountain, Executive Director at the Yellowhammer Fund.
    
 “Abortion funds do more than simply provide aid. They send a message of solidarity to those who are persecuted by the State of Alabama for seeking to control their reproductive health. That message is both that our humanity and dignity are interconnected and that the State’s efforts to isolate and oppress pregnant people cannot break that bond. The attorney general objects to that message and has targeted us and those who wish to help pregnant people leave the state for lawful abortion care.”
    The need for abortion funding and support has only increased since the fall of Roe, particularly in Alabama.  Abortion is banned in Alabama, the state has the third highest maternal mortality rate in the country, and Alabama is the sixth poorest state in the country.  In 2021, before abortion was even banned in the state, nearly two thousand people traveled out of state to obtain needed abortion care.  These burdens fall most heavily on Black people and communities of color, people who also face a heightened risk of criminalization.    
    The Attorney General’s threats violate Yellowhammer Fund’s constitutional rights to free expression, association, travel, and due process and intrude on the sovereignty of states where abortion is legal.  This is the second civil rights lawsuit filed this month challenging a state’s efforts to infringe upon the right to travel for abortion care; the first challenges an Idaho law that criminalizes assistance to young people seeking abortion care  without parental knowledge.
    Yellowhammer Fund is represented by the Lawyering Project and the Southern Poverty Law Center.  
    A similar case was filed in the Middle District of Alabama today by the ACLU on behalf of West Alabama Women’s Center, Dr. Yashica Robinson, and Alabama Women’s Center.

  • Harvard’s legacy admissions under federal investigation amid civil rights concerns

    Students walking across Harvard University campus in Cambridge, Mass.

    By:  Michael Mitsanas, NBC News

     

    The Education Department is investigating Harvard University’s use of legacy admissions following a complaint from advocacy groups alleging that the practice violates federal civil rights law.
    In a letter Monday, the department notified an attorney for Lawyers for Civil Rights, which filed the complaint against Harvard this month, that it had opened a probe into the school’s admissions process.
    An Education Department spokesperson confirmed Tuesday that its Office for Civil Rights is investigating Harvard for possible violations of Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act but declined to provide additional comment.
    “We do not comment on open investigations,” the spokesperson said.
    A 31-page complaint, filed July 3 by the Greater Boston Latino Network and other advocacy groups, argued legacy admissions at Harvard systematically disadvantage applicants of color and contradict the university’s stated commitment to campus diversity.
    The complaint argues that the need to end so-called legacy admissions — the practice of giving preferential treatment to the children or other relatives of alumni in college or university admissions — is particularly acute at Harvard after the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action programs at two universities, ending the systematic consideration of race in the admissions process.
    In the court filing, the advocacy groups asked the Education Department to declare that Harvard must end the practice if it is to continue to receive federal funds and argued that legacy admissions “are not justified by any educational necessity.”
    “Harvard cannot show that the use of these preferences is necessary to achieve any important educational goal,” the filing said. “To the contrary, the preferential treatment is conferred without regard to the applicant’s credentials or merits — the benefit is derived simply from being born into a particular family.”
    Asked to respond to the legal groups’ allegations and comment on the federal investigation, Nicole Rua, a spokesperson for the university, said Harvard is conducting a wide-ranging review of “aspects of our admissions policies” in light of the Supreme Court’s ruling.
    “Harvard remains dedicated to opening doors to opportunity and to redoubling our efforts to encourage students from many different backgrounds to apply for admission,” Rua said in a statement.
    Legacy admissions at Harvard, along with other universities, have come under increased scrutiny since the court’s ruling — President Joe Biden said last month that legacy admissions “expand privilege instead of opportunity.” The NAACP called on universities to end the practice this month, arguing that it unfairly advantages white applicants.
    The July 3 complaint cites Harvard data, released after the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action, indicating that 70% of the university’s donor-related and legacy applicants are white and that they are six times more likely to be admitted.
    “A spot given to a legacy or donor-related applicant is a spot that becomes unavailable to an applicant who meets the admissions criteria based purely on his or her own merit,” the complaint said. If legacy and donor preferences were removed, it adds, “more students of color would be admitted to Harvard.”