The Greene County Democrat

Tag: Tommy Tubberville

  • Eutaw City Council meets to approve paying bills and announces up-coming events

    Eutaw City Council meets to approve paying bills and announces up-coming events

    The Eutaw City Council met for its second regular meeting of the month, on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. All members of the Council were present: Valerie Watkins (District 1), Jonathan Woodruff (District 2), Tracey Hunter (District 3), Lorenzo French (District 4) and Carrie Logan (District 5) .

    Mayor Corey Cockrell, presided at the meeting, assisted by City Clerk, SheKelvia Spencer, Administrative Assistant, Joe Powell, Legal Counsel, Zane Willingham, and Kendrick Howell, Chief of Police.

    There were only two items of business on the official agenda, The Council approved both. The first was payment of $75.00 dues for 2026 to the Eutaw Area Chamber of Commerce. The second was to pay monthly bills for the City of Eutaw.

    Mayor Cockrell gave a report of his activities on behalf of the city and plans for future events. He said the city was planning a clean-up day for Saturday, April 11, 2026, to clean-up litter on the streets and roadways, especially around city facilities such as City Hall, Branch Heights Community Center, Robert H. Young Community Center and others. There will be a cook-out at City Hall to provide lunch for those who volunteer as part of the clean-up effort.

    The Mayor called attention to a financial report, compiled by James Lewis, the city’s financial advisor. The report is a revenue and expense statement for the City’s General Fund for the first five months of the fiscal year ending February 28, 2026.

    The report shows the city is following its budget for the year so far. Mayor Cockrell asked council members to review the report and address any questions to him or Mr. Lewis.

    Mayor Cockrell announced his plans for a “junior mayor and council program” to involve young people in understanding and making city policies and decisions. He introduced a student from Greene County High School, Elias McGhee, who will be part of the program.

    Council member Valerie Watkins reported that the city staff had corrected some sewage problems on Roebuck Avenue but was not sure that this was a permanent solution to the drainage problems in her neighborhood. Tracey Hunter reported that work has begun to fix the lagoon, which should alleviate long standing problems with sewage in Branch Heights.

    Councilwoman Carrie Logan thanked the city for sending her to the National League of Cities training in Washington, D. C. She met with Congresswoman, Terri Sewell, and presented her with a copy of the city’s plans that are in need of funding. She also met with Senator Tubberville and learned about Federal resources to support cities and small towns.

    Councilman Lorenzo French said he was helping with the April 11th clean-up day and asked for people to volunteer. Councilman Woodruff said he had no report but was trying to live up to the motto, “Let’s respect each other and respect ourselves, as members of the City Council”.

    John Cashin, recently selected as the Chairperson of the Greene County Airport Authority reported on efforts to raise funds for resurfacing the runway, cutting down trees that were obstructing visibility and general working to re-open the Eutaw Airport, as soon as improvements movement could be made and certified by the appropriate state and Federal aviation authorities.

    A young man wearing a black shirt and brown pants stands next to an adult man in a blue blazer and jeans, both smiling, in front of a plain background.
    Elias McGhee and Mayor Corey Cockrell

  • “I have given Alabama a voice, a clearer, more concerned, compassionate voice for all the people of the state, in the U. S. Senate, for the past two years,” says Doug Jones

    • Working through the Senate Armed Services Committee to provide support for military bases and defense contractors from Huntsville to Mobile.
    • Negotiating, together with Senator Richard Shelby and Congresswoman Terri Sewell an adjustment in the wage index rate for calculating Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements, which boosted the payments to all hospitals in the state who serve impacted patients.
    • Together with Republican Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, adding a section to the 2018 Farm Bill to assist farm families with Heir Property problems. This helped many African-American farm families, whose land is held as heir property, to access USDA farm credit and conservation programs. This section also authorized a new $5 loan program to assist families with heir property, to receive technical and credit assistance to clear their land titles and tenure arrangements.
    Jones said he is working hard to get another coronavirus relief package passed by the U. S. Senate, based on the $2.2 Trillion-dollar HEROES Bill passed by the U. S. House of Representatives. “People are unemployed and suffering, we need to do something that will help people make the rent and put food on the table, as well as implement a plan to control and contain the virus,” he said.
    Doug Jones is currently locked in a re-election battle with former Auburn football coach, Tommy Tubberville, which will be decided by the upcoming November 3rd General Election.
    “My opponent, Tommy Tubberville, uses talking points from Trump and McConnell, as his campaign program. He has not barthered to learn the issues that face our state, in terms of the coronavirus pandemic, economic impacts of the pandemic, voter suppression and voting rights and many others,” said Jones.
    “Tommy refuses to talk to the media and he is also not talking with the people and voters of Alabama. I, on the other hand, have been very transparent, talking to the media, holding telephone and Facebook townhalls ands trying to communicate with people in this state about my positions on the issues that face us,” said Jones.
    One of the things that I am most proud of is the annual reading of Dr. Martin Luther King’s 1963 “Letter from the Birmingham Jail” on the floor of the U. S. Senate, which I helped to initiate. This year the reading was postponed by the COVID-19 crisis and the death of George Floyd. “Having a bi-partisan group of my colleagues read this letter, on the floor of the U. S. Senate, after Floyd’s death was a profound and powerful moment, for our nation,” said Jones.
    After my interview with Senator Doug Jones, I am more committed than ever to vote for him for a full six-year term, as U. S. Senator.

  • Do not forget to vote – next Tuesday, March 3rd is a primary election day in Alabama

    Next Tuesday, March 3, 2020, is a primary election day in Alabama and 14 other states which has earned the nickname of ‘Super Tuesday’.
    In Alabama, there is a Democratic Presidential primary, where voters will award 52 delegates to a set of candidates including Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttagieg, Amy Klobuchar, Mike Bloomberg and Tom Steyer.
    In the Republican primary voters will choose a candidate to run against incumbent U. S. Senator, Doug Jones, among the candidates are Jeff Sessions, Bradley Byrne, Tommy Tubberville, Roy Moore and others.
    There are some statewide races for Public Service Commission, Supreme and Appellate Court judges.
    In Greene County, there are local contests for Revenue Commissioner, School Board seats in Districts 3 and 5. Incumbent Revenue Commissioner, Mary McShan is opposed by challenger, Arnelia ‘Shay’ Johnson. In School Board District 3, incumbent William Morgan is opposed by Veronica Richardson and in School Board District 5, incumbent Carrie Dancy is challenged by Mary Edwards Otieno.
    Another issue on the ballot is Amendment No. 1, which would move from an elected State School Board to a State School Board appointed by the Governor. The Alabama New South Alliance (ANSA) is recommending a ‘No’ vote on this amendment because it would limit democratic choice by the people of Alabama and give all of this decision making authority to the Governor.
    The ANSA has endorsed Joe Biden for President, Laura Casey for Public Service Commission and Billie Jean Young for State School Board – District 5.
    The local Greene County ANSA chapter has endorsed Arnelia ‘Shay’ Johnson for Revenue Commissioner, William Morgan for School Board District 3 and Mary Edwards Otieno for School Board District 5.