Nation’s report card shows drop in Reading, Math, and Science scores
By Stacy M Brown Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent
Black students in high school class
The latest results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reveal troubling declines in academic performance among U S students, with twelfth-graders posting lower scores in reading and mathematics and eighth-graders showing setbacks in science
See Nation’s Report Card, p 6
NAACP sues Missouri and Texas over Congressional maps
By: Blackmansstreet Today
The NAACP the nation’s oldest civil rights organization, alongside the Missouri State Conference of the NAACP filed a lawsuit against the State of Missouri to stop an unlawful attempt to convene a special legislative session aimed at redrawing political maps in ways that would diminish the voting power of Black state residents
See NAACP, p 6
The violence Trump claims to fear occurs mostly in red states
By Stacy M Brown Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent
Donald Trump continues to attack cities and jurisdictions heavily populated by minorities often painting them as crime-ridden and unsafe despite evidence showing overall declines in many categories of crime Nowhere is this tension clearer than in Washington, D C where residents face relentless scrutiny from Trump while Red States many with far less diversity quietly struggle with some of the highest murder rates in the nation
See No More Violence, p. 6
NFL owners reap windfall from Trump-GOP Tax Plan while fans pay more for tickets
By Stacy M Brown Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent
NFL football game
As the 2025 NFL season kicks off, a new report from Americans for Tax Fairness (ATF) shows the massive divide between billionaire team owners and the fans who pack stadiums and stream games from home The study estimates that the average NFL franchise owner pulls in about $600 million annually, or 7,000 times the average fan’s income of $85 000
See NFL, p 6
Joseph McNeil, one of four college students who sparked sit-in protest movement, has died
By Blackmansstreet Today
Joseph McNeil, one of four North Carolina college students who sat in at the Whites-only Woolworth’s lunch counter 65 years ago sparking a nonviolent civil rights movement across the South died Thursday He was 83
See Greensboro 4 p 5
Cong r esswoman Ter ri Sewell holds Rur al Roundta ble at Feder ation’s Tr aining Center in Epes
Special to the Democrat by John Zippert, Co-Publisher
Congresswoman Terri Sewell held a Rural Roundtable, as part of her ‘Congress in your Community’ outreach program on Friday September 5 2025 at the Federation Rural Training Center in Epes, Alabama Over 200 people attended from Sumter Greene and other counties in her Alabama Seventh Congressional District Her Rural Roundtable included other speakers including Darren Beachem, ASAC State Coordinator; Loretta Webb Wilson, Administrator of Hill Hospital in York and representatives of the West Alabama Regional Commission Council on Aging and a Representative of Sumter County DHR to speak on changes in the SNAP (Food Stamps) benefits program
The Greene County Commission met for its regular second Monday of the month meeting All members of the Commission were present The meeting was opened by Garria Spencer Chairperson, a prayer was given, the previous minutes and agenda were approved as submitted
The Commission voted to approve documents concerning the Purdue Pharmacy and Sacker Family Bankruptcy for a payment in litigation over opioid abuse by the company The Commission voted to authorize the Chairperson to sign the documents
The Commission approved a recommendation from the County Engineer to zip up County Road 136 a short road south of Boligee, which is no longer in use The paved road will be made into a gravel road
Congresswoman Sewell opened the program with comments on the conditions in Washington, D C following passage of the budget reconciliation bill which President Trump calls his Big Beautiful Bil and the Congresswoman called “the Big Ugly Bill ” Sewell said “if there is one word to describe conditions in our nation s Capital, it would be chaotic! Trump changes his tariffs on a daily basis he is firing people for no reason, he is cutting Federal programs and contracts and then reinstating them when courts order him to do so Sewell said, I want him to succeed, he is the President but his policies are erratic and he has cut Federal programs for the most vulnerable people while giving tax breaks to the very richest in our country The tax cuts for the wealthy in the Big Ugly
to save on maintenance costs
The Commission agreed that its current lease agreement with Mr Gomez of Iron Wolf Media LLC, for repairs and use of the former Greenetrack facility will stand as submitted to the company The Commission owns the facility
They have held several meetings with Gomez mostly in Executive Session, concerning amendments and changes to the 15-year lease with 5-year renewals Commission Chair Spencer said, We have negotiated a solid agreement with Iron Wolf We and our attorney reached agreement with the company on certain changes, which they now want to revise again Our position now is they accept the lease as negotiated or move on to another location ”
Bill increase the national debt by $4 Trillion dollars In the bill, the average family gets a $200 tax cut but in exchange he is taking away healthcare which will cost the same family $2,000 a year in increased insurance payments, if they can afford these premiums or be left with no health insurance at all Loretta Webb Wilson spoke on the impacts of the healthcare cuts which she says will hurt rural hospitals, like hers in York, and may force many to close or reduce already strained services Sewell pointed out that the $50 billion fund for rural hospitals, is a five-year program with $10 billion a year to make up for $200 billion in annual health care cuts, some which start soon, and others are to go into effect after the 2026 mid-term elections Darren Beachum, Feder-
ation staff member and State Coordinator of the Alabama State Association of Cooperatives spoke about technical assistance and support for Black farmers and other family scale farmers from the Federation and ASAC Farmers can still get assistance in dealing with USDA agencies for credit, conservation, marketing and cooperative development from the Federation’s staff He pointed out that the Federation had lost support for “climate smart agriculture” initiatives and a marketing program to foodbanks, where local farmers had been contracted to provide fresh and nutritious vegetables for food banks serving lowincome families, who are suffering from hunger and food deficiencies
See Sewell, p 4
are Bingo funds in
The Commission appointed three of the five members of the Greenethumb Farmers Initiative Improvement District Board, to help secure additional financing for a medical marijuana raising project, licensed to George Poindexter, a Black entrepreneur, who has begun operations in the northern part of the county Sandra Walker was appointed for District 1, McDaniel Garner for District 4 and Kashaya Cockrell for District 5 The Commissioners for Districts 2 and 3 were not ready yet to make appointments The new board will be installed and instructed by County Attorney, Mike Parnell, as to their duties and responsibilities in the near future A financial report was submitted by Brenda Burke, which shows a total of $ 10 208 675 in funds in banks In Citizens Trust Bank has
Sherif f Depar tment r epor
Terri Sewell holds Rural Roundtable at Federation’s RTRC in Epes
Carol’s Notes
We’ll See What the Day Brings
Our Dad had a few wise sayings including a regular response to a morning greeting: How are you doing today?
‘We’ll see what the day brings’ was his mantra.
I still wonder if this ‘saying’ guided him to anticipate and to accept what the day brings I imagine he acknowledged that the day was given to him one day at a time and each day was unlike another
‘We’ll see what the day brings’ And our Dad’s day was always filled with work of some sort. He oftentimes concluded a day sitting in the backyard observing his garden and perhaps revisitingwhat that day had brought
Our Dad had a few wise sayings and his words:
‘We’ll see what the day brings’ still touches me as a humble prayer.
Carol Prejean Zippert
--Community Calendar--
September 21- Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church Pleasant Ridge AL, cordially invites you and your church family to our choir concert to be held at 2:30 p m Guest speaker for this grand occasion will be Rev Antwon Plott, Pastor of Mt Zion Missionary Baptist Church, Cropwell, AL If you would like to participate in the concert feel free to contact Sis Ireka Hall for more details at 205-792-3148 We’re looking forward to have a
glorious time in the Lord Rev Kenneth Gilmore is Church pastor
September 22 thru 24Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church Family would lie to extend an invition to come share in our Annual Revival Service Monday- Pastor Cedric Royal of St Paul Baptist Church Tuesday-Pastor Michael Lavender of St John Baptist Church, Clinton Wednesday- Pastor Micahel Barton of St
Funeral Notice
Luke Baptist Church Boligee and Greater Worship Ministries will be the guest speaker for Wednesday Starting nightly at 7:00 p m
September 28- St Paul United Methodist Church will host the Annual Homecoming Program at 2:00 Pastor Michael Barton of St Luke Baptist Church will be the guest speaker The public is invited Pastor LaTonya M Brown is church pastor
Funeral Services for Rosemarie J Edwards will be 2:00 p m Saturday, September 13, 2025, at Boligee Community Center, Boligee, Alabama with Rev Kelvin Cockrell officiating The body will lie in state one hour prior to the service hour Burial will follow in the Crawford Cemetery, Boligee, Alabama Smith's Mortuary Boligee directing The Management and Staff at Smith's Mortuary offer our heartfelt and sincere sympathy to the entire family "We're Here When You Need Us"
PUBLIC NOTICE
Greene County Board of Education will conduct the following budget hearings for Fiscal Year 2026:
Budget Hearing #1 Wednesday, September 10, 2025
Beginning at 4:30 p.m.
Budget Hearing #2 Friday, September 12, 2025
Beginning at 2:00 p m
Both hearings to be held at: Board of Education Central Office 220 Main Street Eutaw, AL 35462
The public is invited.
The Greene County Board Of Education
REGULAR SESSION
Friday, September 12, 2025 at 4:30 p m in the central office auditorium.
GIANT KILLERS: MORE THAN TWO (2) BILLION DOLLARS FOR CLIENTS
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Don’t
Poetry
Celebr ating Six Decades of Memories
(Seated left to right) Gwendolyn Kirksey Change, Delois Morrow, Lovella Edwards
Daniels Adams (Standing left to right) William Spencer, Tommy Williams, Willie Fluker, Jr , Sam
line Bloxon Allen, Mary Dean Williams Mack, Council Morrow, Willie Bell Gandy, Otis
Jones Carpenter, Geraldine Walton Jemison and Ezra Norwood
Written by Mary Dean Williams Mack on behalf of the 1965 Reunion Committee: Jacqueline Bloxon Allen, Bobbie Jones Carpenter and Jessie Morrow
The Carver High School Class of 1965 was recognized for being outstanding participants in the 60th Class Reunion held from August 28 to August 31, 2025 All attending members were awarded certificates to commemorate the historic occasion We were
the class that did not have a formal graduation at Carver because of the Civil Rights Movement Instead, Dr Martin Luther King, Jr gave us a Freedom Graduation with diplomas in Selma Alabama It was a graduation that gave us back a sense of pride for the years of hard work and a dream of a future that we could achieve great things The class memorialized 30 classmates who transitioned with a table display showing their yearbook pictures and names with can-
dles and white flowers in the background The plaque read “Gone From Our Sight, But Never From Our Hearts”
We acknowledged that we’ve come a long way as stated in the song by Rebecca Williams McNeal as she entertained her classmates We were reminded that time does not stand still We didn t just reminisce, but celebrated the journey we’ve all taken the friendships we ve forged and the individuals we ve become
Str ode famil y makes donation to the Hope Lodge
Submitted by Johnni Strode-Morning
On Wednesday September 3rd 2025 a donation of hand sanitizers and face masks were made to HOPE LODGE at the American Cancer Center in Birmingham, Alabama Hope Lodge of Birmingham is one of three lodging facilities in the United States for cancer patients receiving cancer treatments who require lodging far, far away from home Hope Lodge becomes a home away from home for cancer patients and their caretakers, providing free lodging daily meals outside sponsors with cook-out meals, entertainment and recreation as well as a total family environment
Public Notices
Greene County EMA will be having a Hazard Mitigation plan (HMP) meeting to update our County Plan to provide to FEMA for the 2026 Renewal Year
We will be meeting on Tuesday September 16th, 2025 at the Forkland Town Hall at 5:00 p m We invite all who would like to be involved to come
Meeting hosted by Greene County EMA
Further, that we’ve closed another chapter but our story is not over The souvenir class book created by Bobbie Jones Carpenter contains informative and inspiring information such as letters from former teachers, Mrs Inez Singleton and Mr James E Morrow
Each classmate received ID badges with their yearbook picture to make the identification of each other easier after 60 years
The Reunion activities began with a Meet and Greet at the Cajun Café on
,
August 28, a Cookout on August 29 a Banquet with Saxophonist Marvin Turner on August 30 and a Farewell Brunch on August 31 at the LAW Building with lots of hugs and promises to stay in touch
How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong Because someday in your life you will have been all of these
-George Washington Carver
The reunion coordinator, Jacqueline Bloxon Allen did an amazing job and received a “Standing Ovation Award from her classmates Committee members, Bobbie Jones Carpenter Mary Dean Williams Mack and Jessie Morrow did outstanding work to make the reunion a success They received “Thank You Awards
-Memorial Service-
for Brian Jackson will be Sunday, September 14th at 12:15 p m at St Matthew Baptist Church County Road 174 Clinton, AL followed by a ballon releasing Everyone is invited
Pictured L-R Mrs Johnni Strode-Morning, Mrs Nedria, Mrs Severe Snoddy-Strode
Murray, Rebecca Williams McNeal, Melruth
Rice, Jr
Jessie Morrow, Jacque-
Allen, Hattie Wesley, Erskine Lockett, Bobbie
Welcome Back, Cowar ds
Chica go's str eets still moving to America's historic rhythms
By Ben Jealous
(TriceEdneyWire com)I started out this year, 2025 in Chicago honored to give the Martin Luther King Day address at Reverend Jesse Jackson s big gathering
The timing was unforgettable As I stepped to the podium on the South Side, Donald Trump was taking the oath of office in Washington D C His inaugural speech was a drumbeat for a new era of hostility toward immigrants and people of color Mine at that very moment was a call for Chicago s Black middle class to choose solidarity with recent immigrants in resisting such hatred and violence
That juxtaposition has stayed with me, and it came back into focus when I returned to Chicago more recently This city has always been a stage for America’s great struggles From the marchers for labor rights at Haymarket in the 1880s, to the rallies for civil rights in the 1960s, to the immigration raids and protests of this year Chicago has a way of putting our unfinished business right in front of our eyes Walking its streets in 2025, I was reminded of the 1920’s Then, too, Chicago was alive with both promise and peril Jazz poured from clubs in Bronzeville, poetry from the pens of the Harlem Renaissance and industrial might from the stockyards But alongside all that creativity came the sting of exclusion Prohibition raids gangland violence and the rise of a Ku Klux Klan that, for a time, had as many members in Indiana as in Mississippi A century later the echoes are unmistakable Today, Chicago is once again in the headlines as federal agents sweep through immigrant neighborhoods, as protests spill onto Lake Shore Drive, as tensions around race, belonging and identity bubble to the surface And just as in the 1920s, the people in the streets are not simply “angry mobs” as the headlines often portray them They are families fighting to be seen, communities demanding dignity, and young people refusing to
By Julianne Malveaux (TriceEdneyWire com)
- Members of Congress have slithered their way back to Washington, many Democrats continuing to silently cower in the face of injustice, many Republicans kissing the ring (or something else) of their dystopian distractive and disingenuous leader In the middle, the people or suffering, and while Democrats offer some lip service opposition to oligarchal tyranny, and Republicans continue to roll over like puppies on command working people are dealing with rising prices, economic uncertainty, and more
inherit a broken status quo
This is part of a longer American rhythm Our centuries often rhyme decade by decade The 1820 s, for example, saw Andrew Jackson’s populist movement rise to power It promised more democracy for white men, but it also unleashed brutal racism Jackson’s appeal rested on dispossessing Native Americans through forced removal and fanning hostility toward Mexicans and free Black people That brand of populism was intoxicating for some, but devastating for others A hundred years later, the 1920s played a similar tune: new cultural freedoms for some, paired with an immigration crackdown and a Klan resurgence And here we are in the 2020s, facing our own battles over who truly belongs It is tempting to despair to think the cycle means we are trapped But history shows something else The “20s” are turbulent, but they force the country to face its contradictions The 30s bring reckonings, the “40s” wars of ideas and arms the “50s” fresh anxieties the “60s” bursts of reform And the 70s ?
Oddly enough, the 70s tend to be the decades when the nation exhales and reimagines itself
The 1770s gave us the American Revolution and the Declaration of Independence proclaiming that all men are created equal and endowed with inalienable rights life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness The 1970s saw the end of the Vietnam War, the fall of Jim Crow, and the rise of new movements for women’s rights environmental protection and inclusion If the pattern holds, the 2070s could be the moment when our grandchildren inherit a democracy closer to the promise in our founding documents
Each American century moves to a similar rhythm
The 20s are always turbulent testing our patience and our faith But they also call forth courage creativity and the determination to build something better
As I tell my son all the rising generations must do is make sure American democracy survives to the 2070s After all, in America the “70s” tend to be much better than the 20s
Ben Jealous is professor of practice at the University of Pennsylvania and former national president and CEO of the NAACP
described by Jasmine Crocket as a “bleached blonde bad built butch body, weighed in to support Eptein’s victims breaking ranks with her master
How did these people connect? How could they overcome the same partisanship that increases hunger, homelessness, and decreases health access, to deal with Epstein? Democrats and Republicans both are guilty of buying into the President s distractionary tactics And prices keep rising And some of our streets are being occupied And the cowards keep cowering around economic issues while pandering to the sideshow
but they are letting the president snatch their authority by taking funds away from already Congressionally funded initiatives His impoundments outlawed by the Congressional Budget and Impoundment act of 1974, are patently illegal and he knows it But he believes he is above the law, and the Congressional cowards are unwilling to check him I don’t begrudge the Epstein survivors their two-hour press conference and moment in the sun, but why not a press conference with some of the entrepreneurs who are hit by these wilily nilly random tariffs that are slowing our economy?
These people are capable of bipartisanship when it serves them For example, Congressional members Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) and Ro Kahana (D-California) jointly held a press conference to highlight the women exploited by Trump’s buddy Jeffrey Epstein Even Marjorie Taylor Green, the Trump ally so accurately
I’m not excusing the Epstein violations, nor the fact that this administration has pandered to the Epstein legacy by moving his pardon-seeking partner Ghislaine Maxwell from a restrictive prison to one of those country club ones But I’m wondering when this president and his team of sycophants move from the distractions to the real deal Trying to fire people like Federal Reserve governor Dr Lisa Cook, or CDC director Susan Monarez generates headlines but what about the economy? Trump said he d fix it He hasn t The cowards are back after heir undeserved break now what is their agenda? Congress holds the purse strings, by law,
This President is hell bent on implementing his Project 2025, the one whose complicity he denied during the campaign
The cowards in Congress on both sides of the aisle seem powerless to stop him Democrats offer great lip service but little more Republicans simply kowtow And the people suffer Congress has authority, but they fail to use it The president cannot fire heads of independent agencies and the courts are telling him so He knows he can’t fire these people, but he is doing it anyway He ought to have better things to do than to meddle with our museums, but he is so determined to erase history that he would change the way the National Museum of African American His-
tory and Culture showcases our horrible legacy of enslavement He summoned Smithsonian Director Lonnie Bunch to a White House lunch probably to simply flex his muscles and exert his authority Bunch’s term ends in 2026 I’m apprehensive that the next Smithsonian director will check more of the Trump boxes This president is shamelessly chasing a Nobel Peace Prize which he is unlikely to catch He promised to end the war in Ukraine Not He promised to end the conflict in the Middle East Not You don t get peace prizes for deporting legal citizens, nor for flooding cities with the National Guard The delusion of the Nobel Peace Prize should be enough for the president’s close associates to invoke the 25th Amendment the one that would declare him medically unfit to hold office
Meanwhile the world is looking at us with shock and awe, wondering whether there is a grownup in government to stop this madness The Congressional clowns are back, willing to go along with insanity rather than stop it
Dr Julianne Malveaux is a DC based economist and author Juliannemalveaux com
Louisiana’s attack on the Voting Rights Act deepens America’s Civil Rights State of Emer gency
By Marc Morial, President and CEO, National Urban League
(TriceEdneyWire com) -
The vote is precious It is almost sacred It is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have in a democratic society, and we must use it ” – Congressman John Lewis
American democracy is under siege As the nation approaches landmark civil rights anniversaries, efforts are underway in several states to dismantle longstanding protections, most alarmingly Louisiana’s recent petition to gut the Voting Rights Act (VRA)
Louisiana has taken the extraordinary step of refusing to defend its own congressional map which includes two majorityBlack districts and instead urged the U S Supreme Court to strike down raceconscious redistricting
Sewell
The speaker from the Tuscaloosa Office on Aging talked about information and resources for elders available from her office The speakers from the Sumter DHR Office spoke on coming changes in the SNAP (food stamp) program Work requirements will be imposed on those from 18 to 64, in place of the current 55-year age limit Work and alternative community service requirements of 20 hours per week, will be more strictly enforced and regularly reported, despite reductions in DHR staffing to handle the additional paperwork The State of Alabama will have to pay more of the administrative costs for SNAP from its already strained budget C o n g r e s s w o m a n Sewell then took about a half an hour of questions from the audience about the presentations In an-
frameworks established by Thornburg v Gingles in 1986 That precedent ensures minority populations have a fair chance to elect representatives of their choosing The state s attorney general argues that such redistricting is unconstitutional under the Equal Protection Clause, effectively challenging the applicability of Section 2 of the VRA The case is scheduled to return to the Supreme Court on October 15 2025 as reported by MSNBC
This move is more than a legal maneuver It is a direct assault on Black political power Legal scholars warn that if successful it would pave the way for fewer majority-minority districts not only in Louisiana but across the nation decimating representation in Congress, statehouses and local governments
The stakes are stark As the 2025 State of Black America® report reveals America’s civil rights and democratic systems are in a state of emergency The report outlines escalating efforts, from legislative rollback to coordinated disinformation aimed at erasing decades of hard-won protections This year ’s
swer to a question from Sumter County Commissioner Drucilla Jackson District 1 a b o u t cutbacks in funding for storm shelters and expansion of broadband to rural communities, Sewell said some of the direction and resources for these programs was still undecided but there would be cuts There is no way to dressup these cutbacks in funding in Trump s budget bill We are going to have to fight back and try to restore these funding cuts now or after the 2026 midterms In answer to questions about Black farmers she said she would refer them to the Federation for assistance She pointed out that she had voted for the Discrimination Farmers Assistance Program (DFAP) in the Inflation Reduction Act which provided a claims process for farmers to re-
theme is clear: democracy cannot withstand silence or delay
Louisiana’s maneuver arrives at a critical moment Black Louisianans make up nearly one-third of the state’s population
Only after extensive legal pressure did the state adopt a second majority-Black district for the 2024 elections That change came following a federal court ruling in favor of Black voters under Section 2 of the VRA which the U S Supreme Court allowed to stand in 2024 Now the very legal framework that enabled that progress is under attack
This is not an isolated incident It is part of a national pattern of voter suppression by design The State of Black America report outlines that 27 states have passed legislation in the past five years that directly restricts access to the ballot through voter roll purges, reduced polling locations gerrymandering and ID laws that disproportionately harm communities of color
But dismantling the Voting Rights Act is not only a legal loss It is a political and moral crisis Black elected officials, advocates, and all who believe in rep-
ceive $2 2 Billion for past discrimination in farm loans by USDA $384 million was distributed to over 10 000 BIPOC farmers in Alabama, many in her district Farmers in the audience pointed out that the Federation helped them file the 40-page application for DFAP assistance Another farmer pointed out that the DFAP assistance was taxable, as opposed to the Pigford funding which was not considered taxable income by IRS Recently one farmer, the Federation helped to receive the maximum $500,000 payment, had to pay IRS $127 000 of his award for Federal income taxes Sewell went on to warn that voting rights were under attack by Trump and his Republican supporters She pushed for passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advance-
resentative democracy must respond with urgency What must be done: • Hold national leadership accountable Congress must act immediately to reauthorize and strengthen the Voting Rights Act by passing legislation such as the John R Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act Mobilize civic resistance Civil rights organizations, faith-based coalitions, and local community leaders must engage in robust organizing, voter education and legal defense efforts to effectively address the challenges facing their communities • Invest in political equity Foundations public institutions, and allies must direct resources toward safeguarding Black electoral participation and representation The crisis is clear The solutions are within reach The legacy of John Lewis, Fannie Lou Hamer and so many others reminds us that the right to vote must never be taken for granted To be equal we must protect the most powerful tool we have, the vote, and resist every attempt to take it away
ment Act that she is the major sponsor She said there is a case from Louisiana to come before the U S Supreme Court this term, which could strike down “majority-minority Congressional districts by invalidating Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, and move the voting rights progress in our nation back by decades She urged that Alabama voters need to watch this case closely because it could end in redistricting our state and end any Congressional representation for Black people in the state Sewell ended the Rural Roundtable by saying, Rural people are resilient and what goes around, comes around on Federal funding so keep working, keep fighting and keep praying for better times
McNeil was just 17 years old at the time but he participated in a simple act of defiance that helped ignite the sit-in movement across the country at Woolworth s lunch counter back in 1960
On the sit-in’s first day, the four young men stayed until the store closed
The photo above captures them leaving the store
More protesters joined the next day and days following, leading to at least 1,000 by the fifth day Within weeks, sit-ins were launched in more than 50 cities in nine states
The Woolworth’s counter in Greensboro about 75 miles west of Raleigh was desegregated within six months
McNeil was one of the final two living members of the A&T Four; Jibreel Khazan (formerly Ezell Blair Jr ) is now the only survivor David Richmond passed away in 1990, and Franklin McCain died in 2014
McNeil was born in Wilmington, N C In 1963, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering physics from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical University He was commissioned as a second lieutenant through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program He served on active duty as a KC-135 navigator at Ellsworth AFB S D until 1969
He retired as a major general from the U S Air Force in 2000
Note of Thanks
I would like to take a moment to thank the citizens of Union for selecting me to continue to serve as your mayor
I am humbled and honored I will listen to your concerns and will always put the best interests of the citizens first
I will always work on a foundation of respectable values – honesty, integrity and transparency
Thank you all for making this possible I look forward to serving you.
Thank You
James
Gaines,
Jr Mayor of Union
Senate
Sketches #1994.....by
Hank Sander s “A Republic, if you can keep it. "
In 1787, as Benjamin Franklin was leaving the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia he declared “A Republic if you can keep it ” A woman named Elizabeth Willing Powel had asked Franklin whether the United States of America was a republic or a monarchy That question elicited Franklin s famous response, “A Republic, if you can keep it ” We are now in the midst of the most serious threat to the Republic “A Republic if you can keep it
I was a history major in college I have loved reading history ever since I could read I have been involved in politics for more than sixty years I even served 35 years in the Alabama State Senate However I never thought the Republic could face the threat of disintegration this fast A Republic if you can keep it
I have personally experienced the limitations of the Constitution of the United States of America I have personally experienced the limitations of the democracy of the United States I have struggled to remedy the constitutional defects I have struggled to expand the democracy represented by the United States I have struggled to expand the economic and social rights in the United States Many struggled before me Many continue to struggle It has been a slow process covering nearly 250 years from the Declaration of Independence to this day A Republic if you can keep it
The crafters of the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were noble in purpose but imperfect in execution They reached compromises that embedded imperfections in the very foundation of the country For example the original draft of the Declaration of Independence opposed slavery However, the condemnation of slavery passage was removed because so many of the crafters were enslavers Further in spite of their noble purpose the crafters of the Constitution tried to avoid the word slavery so they designated Black persons as 3/5 persons for representation and taxation purposes In a third compromise, the crafters of the Constitution left the right to vote to be determined by the individual states “A Republic if you can keep it ”
The founders of the United States of America were extremely fearful of and opposed to a monarchy They had terrible experiences with King George III and other Kings before him The last thing they wanted for the United States of America was a monarchy To minimize the possibilities of monarchy they created three equal branches of government: (1) The Legislative Branch composed of a House of Representatives and a Senate; (2) The Executive Branch headed by a President; and (3) a Judicial Branch headed by a Supreme Court “A Republic if you can keep it ” I learned from history that a core purpose of the founders was for each branch of government to serve as a check on the other two branches to prevent any person or small group of persons from be-
coming all powerful It is called “checks and balances ” It takes all three branches of government to accomplish and sustain major feats If one goes wrong there are two others to check that one A Republic, if you can keep it
Another part of checks and balances was the allocation of certain specific authority to the federal government, certain specific authority to the states and all the remaining authority to the people It is a noble purpose but imperfections abound A Republic if you can keep it
To empower the people as a check on the government, the Bill of Rights was enacted It provided many freedoms, including freedom of speech religion press assembly and petition; freedom from unreasonable search and seizure; speedy trial by jury; rights of the accused in criminal cases; and more The experiment worked for nearly 250 years The democracy grew slowly, expanding the right to vote from only white men who owned land to white men who served in the Revolutionary War to white men who paid taxes (except for Jews and Catholics) to all white men, to white women to native Americans and finally to descendants of the formerly enslaved and people 18 years of age or older Not only did the right to vote continue to expand over this 250-year period but many other legal rights did as well So did Economic rights A Republic, if you can keep it
The United States of America, in spite of imperfections in its democracy, became a powerful symbol and force for democracy around the world As I traveled to countries in five of the seven continents (I have not been to Australia or Antarctica), I met many citizens and leaders who praised the democratic example represented by the United States of America People from all countries and every walk of life wanted to come to the United States They wanted their country to be like the United States of America It was a powerful beacon of hope A Republic, if you can keep it
Now within an eightmonth period, the entire democratic experiment is unraveling The right to vote is being suppressed Freedom of speech is being suppressed The right to freedom from search and seizure is being violated Freedom of the press is being suppressed The freedom of and from religion is being compromised A police state is being constructed A monarchy-like presidency is emerging The rights reserved to States and the people are being overrun The Republic is being crushed on so many fronts A Republic, if you can keep it
Of course, this widespread attack on the Republic did not just commence when President Donald Trump assumed office It did not just start with Project 2025 It did not just start with the Election of Donald J Trump as President I shall share my perceptions of how it started A Republic, if you can keep it
Of course, I may be wrong, but I believe it commenced with a long-
range plan to stack the United States Supreme Court The Supreme Court is the only unelected branch of the federal government Its members are nominated by elected Presidents and confirmed by elected United States Senators However, U S Supreme Court Justices are appointed for life and can only be removed by impeachment in the House of Representatives and a trial and conviction by a twothird vote in the U S Senate “A Republic if you can keep it As I perceive it some rich and powerful persons wanted to establish an oligarchy if not a dictatorship or monarchy (Oligarchy is the rule of the many by the few ) They reasoned that the body they needed to control first was the U S Supreme Court It required decades of planning and implementation Little by little they secured the majority they sought on the Supreme Court This majority permitted unlimited money in elections It limited voting rights It made the president immune from criminal prosecution The Supreme Court ceased to be a check or balance The Senate and House of Representatives ceased to be checks or balances We have ceased to keep the Republic! A Republic, if you can keep it
Now on to the Daily Diary
SATURDAY, August 30, 2025 – I handled various matters shared lunch and worked into the night Among others, I communicated with the following: Faya Rose Toure of the Bridge Crossing Jubilee; Wallace Community College Selma former President Dr James Mitchell; Charles Sanders of Baldwin County; and Former Alabama State Senator Malika Sanders Fortier
SUNDAY – I hosted the Sunday School Lesson with Dr Margaret Hardy on Facebook Live and Z105 3 FM Radio Station, attended the Tabernacle Church of God in Christ and worked into the night Among others I communicated with the following: Sharon Wheeler of Montgomery; Selma Mayor James Perkins, Jr; Law Professor Kindaka Sanders; and Josephine Curtis of Selma
MONDAY – This was Labor Day and I labored by working into the night Among others I communicated with the following: Allen Garner of Dallas County; Charlene Williams of Selma; Fourth Judicial Circuit Judge Marvin Wiggins; and Dr Carol Prejean Zippert of the Black Belt Folk Roots Festival
TUESDAY – I walked handled many matters and worked into the night Among others, I communicated with the following: Greene County School Superintendent Dr Corey Jones; Elouise Robinson of Baldwin County; Lowndes County Sheriff Chris West; Cynthia Ross of Detroit Michigan; Montgomery Businessman Frank Jenkins; Lowndes County School Superintendent Samita Jeter; Rosie Whiting of Lowndes County; and Marilyn Cosby, Geraldine Wofford and Karen Jackson of Selma
WEDNESDAY – I traveled to Lowndes County, handled certain matters, shared breakfast with a fellow lawyer, returned to Selma participated in meetings and worked into the night Among others I communicated with the following: Marion Mayor Dexter Hinton; Jonathan Raulston and Robert Baxley of Birmingham; LaTanya Crockrell of Greene County; Rebecca Marion and Yomi Goodall of the Bridge Crossing Jubilee; Dallas County Probate Judge Jimmy Nunn Lula Palmer of Conecuh County; Latonia Tisdale of Alabama Power; and John Soloman of Kappa Alpha Psi
THURSDAY – I walked, handled many matters, traveled to Montgomery returned to Selma participated on a National Zoom call and a night conference call and worked into the night Among others, I communicated with the following: Montgomery County Circuit Judge James Anderson; Lowndes County Administrator Jackie Thomas; Willie “Boo” Parker of Baldwin County who is in New Orleans receiving a Kidney Transplant; retired Judge John England Jr; Gloria Watts of Gadsden; Cornelius Blanding of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives; Andrew Marks of Washington, D C ; Greg Francis of Orlando, Florida; Dr Calvin King of Arkansas; Shirley Sherrod of Albany Georgia; and Jeffrey Easley of Perry County
FRIDAY – I handled many matters and worked into the night Among others, I communicated with the following: Shelley Fearson of Alabama New South Coalition; Ainka Jackson of the Selma Center for Nonviolence and the Bridge Crossing Jubilee; Youlanda Curtis of Mobile; Greene County Democrat Co-Publisher John Zippert; Alabama New South Leaders Everette West, Robert Turner and Sylvia Fitts; James Duncan of the Railroad Company; Azali Fortier of Spelman College; and Dr Ernest Okeke of Selma
EPILOGUE – When Benjamin Franklin responded to the woman in 1787, with A Republic, if you can keep it,” the emphasis was on “you” which became “us” or “we” That means we cannot depend on the leaders to save the Republic; we have to save the Republic Every one of us must put in our drops of effort so that they become trickles and eventually streams finally rivers of opposition to the destruction of the Republic The world is depending on all of us to keep the Republic “A Republic if you can keep it ”
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EarthTalk® From the Editors of EThe Environmental Magazine
Dear EarthTalk: Are escaped balloons a problem for the environment and what can we do to prevent it from happening?
-- Meg D , Larchmont, NY
Escaped balloons have become a prevalent source of land and marine pollution worldwide, so much so that balloons were ranked as the third deadliest form of marine debris behind fishing gear and plastic bags Marine debris, defined as human-created waste in large bodies of water has significant nega-
Escaped balloons are increasingly becoming a nuisance and a contributor to the degradation of our natural environment Credit: Pexels com
tive impacts on wildlife human health and safety, global economies and habitats
One way balloons can impact wildlife is by entangling animals, leading to serious injury or death in extreme cases Animals may also attempt to consume balloons, causing throat or digestive tract obstruction and gut damage
Christian Daniels creator of the Desert Balloon Project explained, Desert tortoises mistake them for flowers and will eat them The desert tortoises are already in danger with the constant building and loss of habitat
and predation and the mylar balloons cause another disturbance with them ” Besides desert tortoises birds and bighorn sheep are also often impacted
Beyond impacts on marine life, balloons are a big contributor to marine and land pollution, as they re able to travel vast distances over a thousand miles in certain cases Foil
Mylar balloons cannot break down and instead simply divide into smaller pieces of plastic While the standard latex balloon is biodegradable the breakdown process takes several
That divide will only grow under the Republican tax-and-spending plan enacted this summer According to the Tax Policy Center, the wealthiest 0 1% of households, where every NFL owner resides will enjoy average tax cuts exceeding $286 000 in 2026 Meanwhile typical fans will see modest cuts erased by higher consumer costs driven by Donald Trump s tariffs, leaving them about $700 poorer each year
“Economic inequality and price gouging are as much on display in the new NFL season as peak athleticism acrobatic catches and explosive runs ” said David Kass ATF’s executive director “The fans who loyally support their favorite teams through good years and bad, putting up with steadily rising ticket prices, streaming costs, and concession-stand gouging, have little in common with the billionaires who own their franchises It s the owners who will benefit from Trump-GOP economic policies in the form of huge tax cuts for billionaires and economic elites like themselves while fans will lose money from a combination of cuts to vital public services like Medicaid and SNAP and Trump s chaotic tariff regime
Rising Costs for Fans
The ATF study shows the growing financial burden for fans Average ticket prices across the league now sit at $125, with some teams charging more than double that In Detroit, the average ticket runs $254, while in Las Vegas it s $243 Even basic stadium staples cost more: beers top $12 in San Francisco, hot dogs go for $8 49 in Los Angeles, and tariffs on Canadian pork and Mexican beer add another $2 23 and $2 29 respectively to game-day concessions Beyond stadium walls costs to follow the sport from home have soared Fans must now subscribe to multiple streaming services to watch every game, a bill that can exceed $1,000 annually
Billionaire Owners and Tax Breaks
Nation’s Repor t Car d
In reading, the 2024 national average for twelfth graders was three points lower than in 2019 and ten points lower than when the assessment was first administered in 1992 Scores fell across nearly all percentiles, with only the highest-performing students at the 90th percentile holding steady The percentage of students performing at or above the NAEP Proficient level declined to 35 percent in 2024 compared to 37 percent in 2019, while 32 percent of students scored below the NAEP Basic level
Mathematics results tell a similar story The average score for twelfth graders in 2024 dropped three points from 2019 and stood three points lower than in 2005 the year the current trend line began Scores declined across nearly all percentiles except the 90th Just 24 percent of twelfth graders scored at or above Proficient in 2024 while 40 percent scored below Basic up from 37 percent in 2019 Eighth-grade science results also fell sharply The 2024 average score was four points lower than in 2019, with declines across all five reported percentiles Thirty-eight percent of eighth graders scored below the Basic level compared to 33 percent in 2019 Students from nearly every demographic and parental education group saw declines, particularly at the lower percentiles Confidence in science ability also fell, with fewer students reporting that they “definitely” could perform key science tasks
Further African American students remain disproportionately represented among lower performers nationally Across reading, mathematics, and science, they continue to score below the overall national average with larger percentages falling below the NAEP Basic level and fewer reaching Proficient or Advanced Although overall national scores declined in 2024, the long-standing gap between African American students and their White and Asian peers has not narrowed The assessments administered between January and March 2024, covered tens of thousands of students nationwide Reading and math were given to twelfth graders, while science was assessed at the eighth-grade level In addition to academic content students completed questionnaires about learning opportunities, absenteeism, and engagement, data that NAEP officials say may help explain trends NAEP, often referred to as the Nation’s Report Card is the largest continuing and nationally representative measure of U S student achievement The results are closely watched by educators, policymakers, and researchers as indicators of how students are faring and where learning gaps are widening
months The plastic pieces that do not break down end up as microplastics, turning up in lakes or rivers that are used as drinking sources These microplastics can also degrade the beauty of coastal environments, leading to economic loss in tourist areas
Furthermore, balloons are infrastructure hazards, as they can cause power outages This is due to the conduciveness of their foil layer Released balloons can also become entangled in power lines leading to outages and damage to transmission equipment These effects are so prevalent that Clean Virginia Waterways of Longwood University gathered evidence that up to 20 percent of electrical power outages are caused by balloons making contact with power lines
To combat balloon pollution, various policies have been passed For example as a result of Christian Daniels s efforts, Nevada Governor Lombardo signed AB194 into law, which effectively banned balloon re-
leases in the state Nine other states in the U S have implemented laws against balloon releases while several colleges have stopped balloon releases at football games
Community efforts can help further tackle pollution Thus far the combined efforts of 16 million volunteers for the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup have collected 340 million pounds of trash Other effective methods include ceasing balloon releases particularly in large amounts reusing balloons in good condition, and giving latex balloons to local recycling facilities after use Through these collective efforts the negative environmental effects of balloons can be significantly mitigated
CONTACTS: How to Responsibly Dispose of Balloons HYPERLINK "
Billionaires dominate NFL ownership The mean average wealth of team owners is $10 6 billion Rob Walton of the Denver Broncos, heir to the Walmart fortune, holds an estimated $77 4 billion in net worth ATF noted that 29 owners collectively stand to gain tax breaks large enough to buy more than 66 000 game-day tickets The financial gulf also extends to players, who earn an average of $860,000 annually with careers lasting only about three years Income players make is taxed at up to 37%, while owners’ investment income faces only a 20% top rate IRS records reviewed by ProPublica previously showed that some billionaire NFL owners paid effective tax rates in the low teens or even single digits, despite billions in income
A Different Model in Green Bay
Billionaire owners are not essential to a team’s success The Green Bay Packers the NFL s only publicly owned franchise are operated by more than 500 000 fan-shareholders No individual can own more than 4% of shares, and ownership yields no dividends Yet the Packers are among the most profitable and competitive teams in the league, valued at $6 3 billion and ranking 12th in revenue in 2024
Policy Debate Democratic leaders have offered proposals aimed at narrowing the divide Former President Joe Biden called for taxing investment income at the same rates as wages, while Vermont Democratic Sen Bernie Sanders has proposed lowering the estate-tax exemption to ensure massive family fortunes contribute more Oregon Democratic Sen Ron Wyden also has pushed for an annual tax on billionaires unrealized gains The contrast between billionaire owners and working-class fans couldn’t be clearer,” Kass stated “The tax code should work for everyone, not just the wealthiest
NAACP
The NAACP has already sued Texas over its new unconstitutional map NAACP charged that Texas would eliminate five Democratic congressional seats The NAACP filed the lawsuit on Tuesday arguing the new congressional map "was enacted with an impermissible and controlling discriminatory purpose based on race " It names Texas Gov Greg Abbott and Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson as plaintiffs
The NAACP's lawsuit is one of the first lawsuits against the new congressional map Plaintiffs in other ongoing lawsuits against Texas congressional maps have also filed supplemental filings that argue the new maps are discriminatory as well according to the Texas Tribune In the case of Missouri "This case is about defending democracy and protecting the voice of every voter," said NAACP President & CEO Derrick Johnson The Missouri legislature's attempt to force a rushed, unconstitutional redistricting process in a special session is a blatant effort to silence Black voters and strip them of their fundamental rights We will not stand by while elected officials manip-
No Mor e V iolence
The District of Columbia recorded the nation s highest murder rate in 2023 at 39 per 100,000 residents, with 265 murders Despite local efforts to address violence, Trump routinely depicts the city as unlivable To many residents the greater tragedy is not just the crime itself but the reality that the capital of the United States now looks like an occupied third-world country, with National Guard and federal troops visibly stationed throughout the city Washingtonians who have already been denied full congressional representation have become political pawns in Trump s rhetoric What Trump avoids mentioning is that several Republican-led states top the list of the deadliest places Louisiana had a murder rate of 14 5 per 100 000 recording 663 killings in 2023 New Mexico Alabama Tennessee, and Arkansas all governed by Republicans in recent years also posted murder rates higher than 9 per 100,000 residents In Missouri another GOP stronghold the murder rate stood at 9 1 per 100 000 with 564 murders disproportionately concentrated in cities like St Louis and Kansas City South Carolina, Alaska, and Georgia each ranked high, while Mississippi often touted by conservatives as a bastion of “traditional values ” has at times led the nation in murder rates Meanwhile, states with larger minority populations that Trump targets including Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Maryland often have lower murder rates than many of these Red States Illinois home to Chicago recorded a rate of 6 56 per 100 000 below Alabama Tennessee, and Arkansas
Critics argue this is no accident Trump’s fixation on minority-heavy jurisdictions is part of a long-standing strategy of scapegoating urban areas with large Black and Latino populations while sidestepping the systemic problems facing states where his support is strongest Murders were far more common in [Mississippi] than they were nationwide,” the World Population Review reported with Louisiana Alabama Missouri and Arkansas following close behind The report s numbers show that while Trump fixates on minority-heavy cities, the deadliest conditions are playing out in Red States that rarely draw his attention “Murders are disproportionately concentrated in urban areas especially in New Orleans and Baton Rouge the researchers concluded
ulate the system to weaken our power and representation "
The NAACP s filing requests immediate judicial intervention to block the governor and legislative leaders from moving forward with the proposed special session The lawsuit underscores that such actions violate both the Missouri Constitution and the principles of fair representation guaranteed to all citizens "Our communities already face systemic barriers to full participation in our democracy " said Nimrod T Chapel Jr President of the Missouri State Conference of the NAACP "This attempt to redraw maps behind closed doors and outside of regular order is nothing more than an attack on Black Missourians' ability to choose leaders who reflect and respect their needs We will use every tool at our disposal to stop it "
The NAACP remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring equal representation and safeguarding the rights of Black voters nationwide We fight to ensure that democracy works for all "
NOTICE OF CIVIL ACTION
Jeffrey Harris whose whereabouts are unknown must answer the State of Alabama’s Petition for Condemnation related to the seizure of $3,000 00 in U S currency during a traffic stop on March 1, 2025 in Greene County, Alabama, by the 13th day of October, 2025, or, thereafter, a judgment by default may be rendered against him in Case No CV-2025900075, Circuit Court of Greene County Veronica Morton-Jones, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Greene County Zane L Willingham 315 Main Street
Eutaw AL 35462
Attorney for State of Alabama
tcg 8/20 27 9/3 10
LEGAL NOTICE
Cornerstone Civil Contractors, LLC hereby gives notice of completion of contract with the Greene County Water and Sewer Authority for the construction of Project No FS010431-01 Greene County Water Project This notice will appear for four consecutive weeks beginning on 8/15/25 and ending on 9/12/25 All claims should be filed at PO Box 20225 Tuscaloosa AL 35402 during this period
Cornerstone Civil Contractors LLC
4tcg 8/20 27 9/3 10
Notice of Sale
The following abandoned vehicle(s) will be sold on October 03, 2025Time - 9am, if not claimed20679 County Rd 20, Boligee AL 35443
2009 Honda Accord 1HGCP26829A149455
8/20, 8/27, 9/3
NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE
Default having been made in the payment of the indebtedness secured by that certain mortgage dated August 1 2024 executed by Lisa Algiere and Ronald Algiere wife and husband as joint tenants to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc , solely as nominee for Innovative Mortgage Services Inc, its successors and assigns, which mortgage was recorded on August 5, 2024, in Book 95, Page 38, of the mortgage records in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Greene County, Alabama and which mortgage was duly transferred and assigned to United Wholesale Mortgage LLC notice is hereby given that pursuant to law and the power of sale con-
tained in said mortgage the undersigned will sell at public outcry to the highest bidder for cash in front of the Main entrance to the Greene County Courthouse at Eutaw, Alabama during the legal hours of sale on September 25, 2025, the following described real estate, situated in Greene County, Alabama, to-wit:
A lot or parcel of land containing 1 25 acres, more or less, being a part of the H A Kirksey property, and lying in the NW 1/4 of NE 1/4 of Section 33, Township 22 North, Range 2 East and in the corporate limits of the Town of Eutaw Said lot or parcel of land is more particularly described as follows to wit: Beginning at a stake at the Southwest corner of said lot herein described said point of beginning also being the Southeast corner of lot conveyed to William W Humphries and recorded on page 620 of Deed Book 50, and as shown by map on page 624 of Deed Book 50 and also being at Location State 9/28 4 on the North margin of a proposed street leading easterly from Mesopotamia Street through said H A Kirksey property From point of beginning run North 12 degrees 00 minutes East a distance of 146 8 feet; thence North 0 degrees 49 minutes West a distance of 208 9 feet to the Northwest corner of said lot herein described; thence North 82 degrees 38 minutes East a distance of 189 3 feet to the Northeast corner of said lot herein described; thence South 0 degrees 49 minutes East a distance of 225 feet to a point on the North margin of said proposed street and the Southeast corner of the lot herein described; thence in a Southwesterly direction along the North margin of said street, curving concave right along a 930 37 feet radius a distance of 180 6 feet; thence South 59 degrees 00 minutes West a distance of 86 2 feet to a point of beginning The lot hereby conveyed being shown and designated on map or plat prepared by Otis Wilson Reg #1799 and dated March 9 1957
Also a triangular shaped parcel of land off the East side of three lots now owned by Margaret H Brown, one which was conveyed to Margaret H Brown from Mrs Janie C Kirksey, deed for which is recorded on Page 794 of Deed Book 52, and two which were conveyed to William W Humphries, deeds for which are recorded on Page 620 of Deed Book 50 and Page 51 of Deed Book 51 and were later conveyed to Margaret H Brown but deeds have not been recorded Said tri-
angular shaped parcel of land herein conveyed contains 0 015 acre more or less and it more particularly described as follows to-wot: Begin at the Northeast corner of the lot described on Page 794, of Deed Book 52, the point of beginning, and run South 00 degrees 49 minutes East along the West boundary line of the lot now owned by J C Jones, Jr a distance of 208 9 feet; thence South 12 degrees 00 minutes West along said West boundary of Jones lot a distance of 28 6 feet; Thence North 0 degrees 43 minutes East a distance of 236 83 feet to point of beginning
Less and Except: A triangular shaped parcel of land off the West side of lot conveyed to J C Jones Jr from Mrs Janie C Kirksey deed for which is recorded on Page 43 of Deed Book 51 Said triangular shaped parcel of land herein conveyed contains 0 027 acre, more or less, and it more particularly described as follows to-wit: Begin at the Southwest corner of said lot described on Page 43 of Deed Book 51, the point of beginning, and run North 12 degrees 00 minutes East a distance of 118 23 feet along the East boundary line of the lot now owned by Margaret H Brown; thence South 0 degrees 43 minutes West a distance of 101 87 feet to the North margin of Kirkwood Drive; thence South 59 degrees 00 minutes West along said North margin of Kirkwood Drive a distance of 27 15 feet to point of beginning
This sale is made for the purpose of paying the indebtedness secured by said mortgage as well as expenses of foreclosure This property will be sold on an as is, where is basis, subject to any easements, encumbrances, and exceptions reflected in the mortgage and those contained in the records of the office of the Judge of Probate of the County where the above-described property is situated This property will be sold without warranty or recourse expressed or implied as to condition title use and/or enjoyment and will be sold subject to the right of redemption of all parties entitled thereto
Alabama law gives some persons who have an interest in property the right to redeem the property under certain circumstances Programs may also exist that help persons avoid or delay the foreclosure process An attorney should be consulted to help you understand these rights and programs as a part of the foreclosure process
The successful bidder must tender full funds at
the conclusion of the sale in the form of a certified check made payable or endorsed to Padgett Law Group No personal checks will be accepted To this end you must bring sufficient funds to outbid the lender and any other bidders Insufficient funds will not be accepted Amounts received in excess of the winning bid will be refunded Padgett Law Group reserves the right to award the bid to the next highest bidders should the highest bidder fail to timely tender the total amount due
UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE LLC
PADGETT LAW GROUP
6267 Old Water Oak Road Ste 203 Tallahassee FL 32312 25-009801
Greene County Democrat September 03, 2025, September 10, 2025, September 17, 2025
ABANDONED
VESSEL SEA RAY SUNDANCER SRV 300 HULL# SERT 73049K586 SERIAL# 300DA1291 BOW# MC9558ND RANDY BELCHER 5999 SNOWVILLE BRENT RD DORA AL 9AM: to 5PM 205 703 6 2 2 3
RECOVERY FEE APPLY: RECOVERY $500 00 STORAGE FEE$25 PER>DAY 45 day at this point $1125 00 2tcg 9/3,10
NOTICE OF M O R T G A G E FORECLOSURE SALE
STATE OF ALABAMA COUNTY OF GREENE
Default having been made of the terms of the loan documents secured by that certain mortgage executed by George Hall to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems Inc as mortgagee as nominee for USAA Federal Savings Bank its successors and assigns dated December 14 2021; said mortgage being recorded on January 24, 2022 in Deed Book 90, Page 785, in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Greene County, Alabama Said Mortgage was last sold, assigned and transferred to Nationstar Mortgage LLC by assignment recorded in Deed Book 211, Page 863, in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Greene County, Alabama
The undersigned Nationstar Mortgage LLC under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in
said mortgage will sell at public outcry to the highest bidder for cash before the main entrance of the Court House in Greene County Alabama during the legal hours of sale (between 11am and 4pm), on June 24, 2025 the following property, situated in Greene County, Alabama, to-wit:
FIVE ACRES MORE OR LESS IN THE SE 1/4 OF NE 1/4 OF SECTION 3 TOWNSHIP 21 NORTH RANGE 1 EAST DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: COMMENCE AT THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF THE SAID SE 1/4 OF NE 1/4 AND RUN WEST ALONG THE SOUTH LINE OF SAID SE 1/4 OF NE 1/4 A DISTANCE OF 200 FEET MORE OR LESS TO A POINT TURN THENCE RIGHT 87 DEGREES 30 MINUTES AND RUN NORTH A DISTANCE OF 81 FEET MORE OR LESS TO AN IRON PIPE ON THE NORTH MARGIN OF A BLACK TOP ROAD WHICH IS THE POINT OF BEGINNING CONTINUE THENCE NORTH ON THE SAME STRAIGHT LINE A DISTANCE OF 640 FEET MORE OR LESS TO AN IRON PIPE TURN THENCE LEFT 87 DEGREES 30' AND RUN WEST A DISTANCE OF 400 FEET MORE OR LESS TO AN IRON PIPE TURN THENCE LEFT 92 DEGREES 30' AND RUN
SOUTH A DISTANCE OF 466 FEET MORE OR LESS TO AN IRON PIPE ON THE NORTH MARGIN OF THE AFOREMENTIONED BLACK TOP ROAD RUN THENCE LEFT 68 DEGREES 30' AND RUN SOUTHEAST ALONG THE NORTH MARGIN OF SAID BLACK TOP ROAD A DISTANCE OF 430 FEET MORE OR LESS TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING
Said property is commonly known as 1570 County Road 133 Boligee AL 35443
Should a conflict arise between the property address and the legal description the legal description will control
Said property will be sold subject to any outstanding ad valorem taxes (including taxes which are a lien, but not yet due and payable), the right of redemption of any taxing authority, all outstanding liens for public utilities which constitute liens upon the property, any matters which might be disclosed by an accurate survey and inspection of the property any assessments liens encumbrances easements
rights-of-way zoning ordinances restrictions special assessments covenants the statutory right of redemption pursuant to Alabama law, and any matters of record including, but not limited to, those superior to said Mortgage first set out above Said property will be sold on an "as-is" basis without any representation, warranty or recourse against the above-named or the undersigned The successful bidder must present certified funds in the amount of the winning bid at the time and place of sale
Alabama law gives some persons who have an interest in property the right to redeem the property under certain circumstances Programs may also exist that help persons avoid or delay the foreclosure process An attorney should be consulted to help you understand these rights and programs as a part of the foreclosure process
The sale will be conducted subject (1) to confirmation that the sale is not prohibited under the U S Bankruptcy Code and (2) to final confirmation and audit of the status of the loan with the holder of the Mortgage
N AT I O N S T A R MORTGAGE LLC as holder of said mortgage McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce LLP 505 20th Street N Suite 1775 Birmingham, AL 35203
Telephone: (205) 216-4238
FT21@mccalla com File No 2506754AL w w w f o r e c l o s u r e h o tline net
Greene County Democrat
05/28/2025,06/04/2025,06/ 11/2025 09/10/2025
AMENDMENT TO NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE
The sale date under the above mentioned Notice of Mortgage Foreclosure Sale has been postponed until September 26, 2025, and public notice thereof having been given, the above notice is hereby republished with this amendment
Greene County Democrat, September 10, 2025
25-06754AL
September 9 - GCHS Sports and Entertainment Marketing students Elias McGhee, Darryl White, Jr , and Will Mack had the opportunity to meet with Superintendent Dr Corey Jones and the contractors of the new Track and Field Project at Greene County High School These students are gaining firsthand experience by discussing the progress of the field and learning more about the construction process What an amazing way to connect classroom learning with real-world opportunities
Bobcat Day 2025
Saturday, August 30, Bobcat Day was held at the Boligee Community Center formerly known as Paramount High School or the Greene County Training School The roar was heard and again the pack came out in heards Bobcat Day is an annual event to raise funds for scholarships, fellowship and reminisce. Numerous classes participated in the annual event
Cor r ection
Correction: In
2025 Municipal Run-Off Election absentee voting starts Monday, September 8th at the Eutaw City Hall
Walk Ins
Schedule: Monday- Wednesday: 8:004:00 p m
Thursday- Friday 8:00 - 12:00 Noon Thursday, September 18, 2025: 8:00- 4:00 p m
September 16th last day to receive an application for a regular absenee ballot by mail
September 18: Last day for a voter to hand deliver an application for a regular absentee ballot For more information, please call 205-372-4212
GCHS scholar s visit Ala bama A& M Univer sity
September 8- GCHS senior toured the A& M University Campus Principal Perry stated, “On behalf of Greene County High School, we extend our sincere appreciation to Alabama A&M University for warmly welcoming our students to your campus The visit was both educational and inspiring, offering our students a valuable glimpse into college life and the opportunities that await them We also want to personally thank AAMU Alumni for your continued support, encouragement, and connection to our students Your presence and involvement truly made the visit even more special Thank you all for your commitment to education and to the future of our students
--Obituar y---
Laura Kate Oliver Fluker A celebration honoring
the legacy of Sister Laura Kate Oliver Fluker 95 who transitioned on August 18 2025 was held at the First Baptist Church, Eutaw, Alabama on August 23, 2025
She passed away peacefully at the Greene County Hospital where she retired with 48 5 years of service Laura Kate joined the First Baptist Church in 1952 where she remained a faithful, virtuous member Truly a woman of God She read her Bible daily and shared her knowledge of Jehovah
Gods’ goodness and glory with her children other relative and friends To cherish fond memories are her seven children: Willie Jr (Elzora), Cecil (Lesteen), Eugene (Patricia) Joe (Mary) Bernice (Bruce) Buenia, Rickie (Rosalind), many grand children, great grandchildren great -great grandchildren nieces nephews and friends Rest peacefully, Mom, We will never, ever forget the love that you showed and your beautiful smile
Dear Friends and Neighbors
I want to take a moment to extend my heartfelt gratitude for the trust and confidence you showed me during the recent election Your encouragement, your votes, and the countless ways so many of you gave your time, energy, and support mean more to me than words can fully express
Because of your dedication, we have advanced to a runoff election for District 4 on September 23, 2025
This is an exciting and important next step for our community
The work is not yet finished, and I humbly ask once again for your continued support as we move forward together
This election is about ensuring that our community’s value, priorities and future are represented with energy, integrity, and vision I remain committed to listening to your concerns, protecting our shared interest, and working tirelessly toward the goals we all believe in - strong families, a thriving local economy, and a community we are proud to call home
With your partnership and your vote in the upcoming runoff, I am confident we can achieve lasting progress together
Please encourage your friends, neighbors and family to join us at this important moment Every single vote will make the difference
Thank you once again for standing with me I am deeply honored by your trust, and I look forward to the opportunity to continue serving you.
With appreciation and determination,
Sincerely
Paramount High School Class of 1980 celebrates 45th class reunion, the faculty was miss indentifed Show above: Mr Stafford, Mrs C Cheeseboro, Mrs C Reeves, Mrs A Crawford, Mrs I Atkins and Mrs N Cole
Have
Carolyn’s Tid Bits...by Carolyn Young
Happy birthday to Adaryl Thomas, Brittany Purse Jennifer Reeves Kamya Webb Arthur Sermon, Jayla Colvin, Maya Lipsey, Cheldia Ann Fairly Joyce Armstrong Christin David Felder Khadaija Webb, JD Spencer, RobDrikus Woods, TruLicia Austin, Kayleigh Alexander Brooklyn Taylor Kiasia Branch, Boyce Williams,III , Marcus Jackson, Hildegrard Robinson Corena
-Pastor Wanted-
First Baptist Church Union is seeking an Enthusiastic, Visionary, Experienced and God-Called Pastor to lead our congregation and serve as a Spiritual Guide for our Church Family and the community
Some of the responsibilities we are seeking in our new Pastor but not limited to are:
Preach and Teach the Word of God, providing Sound Biblical Instruction, Have A Deep Love for God, and the Bible, with a Passion for Evangelism and Discipleship Be an Ordained/ Licensed Baptist Minister Provide Pastoral Care and Counseling to Church Members if needed, have high moral values, serve as a Spiritual Leader, mentor and be an example for the congregation, Be committed to the Baptist Faith, Have the ability to lead and motivate a congregation
If you are dedicated to spiritual growth, community engagement and embody our values, we invite you to consider joining our welcoming community.
To apply we invite you to send:
A letter of Interest expressing your desire to serve
A Current Resume highlighting your experience and qualifications Copies of Ministerial License and Ordination Certificate
Please submit your application by mailing it to: Marilyn Sanford, Church Clerk
on
October 17, 2025 at 7:00 p m at the Boligee Community Center (formerly Paramount High School) located at 17404 County Road 20, Boligee, AL For additional information, please contact Hodges Smith, President, at 205-657-1294 Geraldine S Walton, Banquet Chairperson at 205-799-1394 or your local fire department located in Greene County The seating is limited, and there will be no admission collected at the door
Hodges Smith President Greene County Association of Volunteer Fire Departments
Will Sit with Elderly For more information call 205 - 344-2718 or 1-659-216-4529
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