Tenn Tom Community Development Incorporation donated $3,500.00 to the Greene County Hospital Friday. Pictured l to r: Mrs. Janice Benison, Mrs. Carolyne Hobbs, GCH Chief Executive Officer, Elmore Patterson and TTCD Executive Director Rugenia Gulley.
The Democrat has learned from reviewing court records and interviews with knowledgeable sources that the TennTom Development Corporation Inc. of Forkland, Alabama has replaced the Young People Alliance Association for Youth Development (YPAO) of Mantua, Alabama as the primary charity operating at River’s Edge Bingo. River’s Edge Bingo is located on U.S. Highway 11 south of the Knoxville exit on Interstate 20/59.
Court records show that the YPAO was evicted from their lease of the River’s Edge Bingo facility on June 6, 2016 for non-payment of rent. YPAO was ordered to vacate the property and surrender it to Mario and Mary Chang of Greene County Investments LP and Dynasty Investment Group LLC of Rosemead, California.
Ken Hobbs of Tuscaloosa, who is a partner in Greene County Investments and manages River’s Edge, is also mentioned in the court documents.
YPAO has appealed the eviction which is pending in Circuit Court before Judge Hardaway. YPAO was required to vacate the premises during the appeal.
Sheriff Joe Benison of Greene County, assisted by his attorney Flint Liddon of Birmingham, selected and licensed a new charity for the River’s Edge Bingo operation. Sheriff Benison is empowered by Alabama Constitutional Amendment 743 to regulate bingo in Greene County.
It is worthy of note that the Sheriff did not make any public announcement of this choice of a new charity nor did he solicit nominations from the public of non-profit charitable organizations that may be interested in operating bingo in Greene County.
The TennTom Development Corporation is a non-profit operating in Forkland and the lower reaches of Greene County. Finest Miles and other board members of this charity are family members of the Sheriff.
The Democrat has also learned that the Tommy Summerville Law Enforcement Foundation may be under consideration as a co-charity with TennTom Development Corporation in the operation of the River’s Edge Bingo. This foundation named for the now deceased former Police Chief of Eutaw was established to provide equipment and support for law enforcement in Eutaw and Greene County.
Greenetrack CEO Luther “Nat” Winn has stated to the Democrat many times that, “Greenetrack is the only bingo facility in Greene County, owned by Greene County people and dedicated to the needs of Greene County. The other bingo facilities are owned by people, from as far away as California and elsewhere that are not as concerned about Greene County people, charities and organizations as they should be.”
Many people contacted for this story, expressed concern that the bingo operations in Greene County were not operated in any open, fair and transparent way to fully benefit the people of Greene County.