Greene County Democrat

Tag: Sumter

  • Tonjula Carey holds kickoff rally in Boligee for her campaign to be District Judge

    Tonjula Carey holds kickoff rally in Boligee for her campaign to be District Judge

    by John Zippert, co-owner

    On Saturday, February 21, 2026, at the Boligee Town Hall, Attorney Tonjula Carey held a campaign kickoff for her run for Greene County District Judge. 200 friends and supporters from around the county attended the kickoff rally and enjoyed a dinner that was served after the program.
    Tonjula Carey is running for the Democratic nomination for the Greene County District Judge position, which will be vacant because the current District Judge, Lillie Osborne, is retiring. Carey is running against Rob Lee, a Eutaw based lawyer. His grandfather was Bill Lee, the last white Sheriff of Greene County prior to the election of Thomas Gilmore, as the first Black Sheriff of Greene County in 1970.

    Several friends and family members spoke in favor of Tonjula Carey and her support for them as well as her legal knowledge. Attorney Glenn McCord, who practices in Greene and Sumter counties said he was proud to support her for the position. “Although some will say she is too young and does not have the experience, I have watched her practice law in Greene County courts and she is well qualified. We need to put a Black person like her on the bench.”

    Tonjula Carey then spoke and introduced herself to the people present. “My family has lived in Greene County for generations. When I was six years old my mother moved me to Birmingham but I have come back often to visit and work in Greene County. I attended the University of Alabama for my undergraduate degree and the Thurgood Marshall School of Law Texas Southern University for my law degree in 2021. I have been practicing law since then in Alabama and Greene County.

    “My motto is fairness, integrity and concern for the people of Greene County and rendering service to them in their everyday struggles and challenges. I cannot afford to buy your votes, I can only ask that you support me in this primary election on May 19 and I will help and serve you as District Judge after that.”

    Judge Lillie Osborne also spoke to support Tonjula Carey. Osborne said, “Don’t say she is not ready. She has more than the four years of legal experience that is required to run for this position. I want someone to replace me that shares my passion for the people, especially the children of Greene County.”

  • Greene, Sumter, and Tallapoosa counties added to disaster declaration, now eligible for FEMA Assistance

    Greene, Sumter, and Tallapoosa counties are now eligible for FEMA assistance after the Jan. 12 severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornadoes in Alabama.
    Individuals and households in Greene, Sumter and Tallapoosa counties can apply for FEMA Individual Assistance, which may include temporary housing assistance, basic home repairs and certain other uninsured disaster-related needs.
    These counties join Autauga, Coosa, Dallas, Elmore, and Hale counties, which were previously approved for Individual Assistance.
    Mayor Latasha Johnson said, “We want to thank Congresswomen Sewell and Governor Ivey for working to include Greene County in the disaster declaration for these storms, which damaged our city and county. This means the City of Eutaw, as well as individual homeowners and renters, will be able to get Federal and state help for clean-up in areas affected by the storms.”
    Survivors can apply for disaster assistance at disasterassistance.gov, by using the FEMA mobile app, or by calling 800-621-3362. The helpline is open, and help is available from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time in most languages. If you use a relay service such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service.
    FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters.
    After applying for assistance from FEMA, you will receive an eligibility determination letter from FEMA in the mail or via email. Applicants may need to submit additional information or supporting documentation for FEMA to continue to process an application for financial assistance. Examples of missing documentation may include:
    Proof of insurance coverage
    Settlement of insurance claims or denial letter from insurance provider
    Proof of identity
    Proof of occupancy
    Proof of ownership
    Proof that the damaged property was the applicant’s primary residence at the time of the disaster
    Renters may also qualify for a grant under FEMA’s Other Needs Assistance program for uninsured essential personal property losses and other disaster-related expenses, including:
    Replacement or repair of necessary personal property such as school supplies, including textbooks, and also furniture, appliances, and clothing
    Replacement or repair of tools and other job-related equipment required by those who are self- employed
    Repair of primary and registered vehicles
    Uninsured or out-of-pocket medical, dental, childcare, moving and storage expenses
    Renters and homeowners are required to submit copies of insurance settlements because, by law, FEMA is prohibited from duplicating or paying for expenses already available or covered by insurance or other sources.
    After applying for FEMA disaster assistance, those affected by the tornadoes may be referred to the U.S. Small Business Administration for disaster caused or related personal property losses and vehicles related damages. SBA is the largest source of federal disaster recovery funds for individuals, families, and businesses.
    All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, you can call the Civil Rights Resource line at 833-285-7448.
    For information on Alabama’s disaster recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4684. Follow FEMA on Twitter at FEMA Region 4 (@femaregion4) / Twitter and at facebook.com/fema.