Congressional Black Caucus presses companies in the US to oppose Republican redistricting push by
Matt Brown, AP News
WASHINGTON (AP) The Congressional Black Caucus on Tuesday called on major corporations across the U S , including those that previously expressed support for voting rights and racial justice, to oppose redistricting efforts by Republican-led states that seek to eliminate majority-Black U S House districts In a letter sent to more than 250 companies, members of the Black Caucus urge them to condemn the redistricting efforts, which the lawmakers describe as “coordinated efforts to silence Black voices at the ballot box
See CBC, p 6
SNAP Cuts Threaten Food Security in Vulnerable Communities, New Data Show by
Sunita Sohrabji
During a period marked by soaring food prices, more than 3 million people have lost access to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program SNAP over the past 10 months
An additional 1 million more are expected to lose the critical food safety net over the next 6 months as new work requirements roll out for more states, according to new data released by the Congressional District Health Dashboard Black Latino and Native American households face greater food uncertainty than the population at large, according to CDHD data
See SNAP, p 6
Former NBA star Derrick Coleman rejects Alabama honors over redistricting by Joe Jurado, NewsOne
Former NBA player Derrick Coleman is taking a stand against Alabama’s redistricting efforts after announcing he will not attend his induction ceremony into the Mobile Sports Hall of Fame “I declined because this moment is bigger than an award ” Coleman wrote in the Facebook post announcing his decision
See Derrick Coleman, p 6
Music Is Medicine: A Love Letter To Black Music Month by
Eboni Williams LPCC, NewsOne
In honor of Black Music Month I believe it is necessary to give flowers to my very favorite medium of expression: music
Coming from a musical family and having multiple symbols of music tattooed on my skin I know intimately that few things can capture the full spectrum of human emotion the way music does And I mean the full spectrum The kind of range that makes you laugh, ugly cry, throw your hands up, and feel seen, all within the same three minutes and forty-two seconds
See Black Music Month, p 9
Go Vote on June 16th: Run-off Election
Gr eene County’s candidates for June 16 r un-of f
Garria Spencer Larry Smith Latasha Johnson Jacqueline Stewart
The Democratic and Republican Primary Run-off Election will be held in Greene County, Alabama June 16th, 2026. The following County and State Offices will be on the ballot to be voted on: local race County Commissioner of District 1: between incubment Garria Spencer and Larry Smith District 3 racing includes incubment Latasha Johnson and Jacqueline Stewart in State Race. Lieutenant Governor, United States Senator, Greene
Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, State Auditor, Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries and Public Service Commission, Place No . 2
Greene County
City council ad dr esses sud den water bill incr eases and announces a myriad of June events
On Tuesday, June 9th, the Eutaw City Council met for its regular session
All city council members were present for the session, with Councilwoman Watkins arriving shortly after new business discussions began
The City of Eutaw's water system recently received updates through satellite upgrades and new meters Mayor Cockrell explained that the city was previously operating under a billing rate from 2024 and was required by state auditors to implement the 2026 rate moving forward "We are working diligently to improve the water system, Mayor Cockrell began, "We want to serve every customer the right way " Cockrell acknowledged that many citizens are receiving heavily inflated bills due to antenna readings that do not account for water leaks He urges citizens to come to city hall to have their rates adjusted and that city
workers are working up to 14-hour days on leaks
New pipe installations are underway as well
During council member reports, Councilman Woodruff also testified to the city workers' efforts We have some tremendous workers," he stated as he recounted personnel answering a 5:00 am call on a Friday morning in his district Workers solved the issue in less than 2 hours and continued to work well into the evening ensuring water services were not impeded by any leaks
Council members and attendees also presented several upcoming events across the city this June: June 13: Councilwoman Watkins will be handing out free fresh produce at 218 Boligee St at 10:00 am June 16: Councilman French reminded everyone that there are run-off and Senate elections to vote for June 19: Councilman Woodruff announced a
Juneteenth Celebration at Boligee Community Center Stadium from 5:00-8:30 pm June 20: Councilman French announced a community play on bullying in Demopolis performed by local youth June 27: Councilwoman Logan announced a 250 Years of America Celebration starting with a parade at 3:00 pm and ending with fireworks at R H Young Community Center at 8:30 pm The following business items were approved or discussed during the session:
- Approved the proposal from Shawn Home Improvement, LLC for painting of the gym; Councilwoman Logan opposed Council confirmed that there is no mold in the building
- Approved travel registration and meals for Councilwoman Hunter to attend CMO training ALM 2026 in Birmingham AL
on June 25, 2026 Approved travel registration and meals for Councilwoman Logan to attend CMO training ALM 2026 in Montgomery, AL, on July 30 2026
- Approved travel registration, and meals for Chief Kendrick Howell to attend a Conference in Fort Payne AL June 9-12 2026
- A p p r o v e d ARSES/APEAL's Retiree Longevity Bonus Legislation (Act 2026-608)
- Discussed intent to renegotiate Property Use Agreement between the City of Eutaw and the Sixth Days Saddle Club
The next regular session will be held on June 23, 2026 at 5:00 pm Please urge your fellow citizens to attend and bring any concerns before the council As Mayor Cockrell stated, the council is eager to "follow up on community engagements for ideas and visions from citizens "
County commission secur es new cor oner vehicle and names CR-170 after Mr. Car lisle
The Greene County Commission met for a work session on Wednesday, June 3rd, and a regular session on Monday, June 8th During both sessions, all commissioners were in attendance
During the CFO report, the commission's total unrestricted funds in Citizen’s Bank were listed as $2,489,530 24 A full financial report for May 2026 will be uploaded to The Democrat’s website: greenecodemocrat com
Following the financial report, the commissioners discussed their continued support of the EMS and naming County Road 107 after Lesley V Carlisle, who was killed in September 2023 during a head-on collision Mr Carlisle was a beloved school bus driver from Boligee, AL During public comments Mr Williams from the EMA board extended his thanks to the commission for helping the board
get the ambulance “back on its feet He particularly wanted to highlight Commissioner Tennyson’s contribution of $3 000 from his discretionary fund
The following are ratified and tabled agenda items for the regular session: - Ratified the contribution to EMS on May 21, 2026, of $5000, opposed by Turner - Ratified travel for as-
sistant engineer and EMA director to conference in Mobile, AL, June 8-10
- Ratified assistant engineer and 1 crew leader to attend the conference in Opelika AL, on May 14th
- Naming County Road 107 after former bus driver, Mr Carlisle - Renewing CD with Merchants and Farmers Bank for 7 months
- Approval of the Insolvent Error Litigation and
Unsold Tax Lien report for 2025 as prepared by the Revenue Commissioner
- Replacing the Golf Course building roof has been tabled until next month, no bids were received
The commission’s next work session will be held on Wednesday July 1st and the next regular session will be held on Monday, July 6th
Carrying For Us
There’s always someone Carrying the light Keeping the vigil Living the hope
There’s always someone Teaching the truth Leading the struggle Bearing the risk
There’s always someone Happy at heart High in spirits Filled with smiles
There’s always someone Lifting us up Ready to die for our living Even as we sleep
You must know That someone Who cares for us
Carol Prejean Zippert
Death of a Fat Man
June 15 thru 17New Light Missionary Baptist Church will hold Revival Service nightly at 6:30 p m Rev T L Davis pastor of the 1st Baptist Church, L i v i n g s t o n , A L will be the Evangelist for the occaison Rev Brian E Croom is church pastor The public is invited
A novel by Senator Hank Sanders
Available at The Greene County Democrat $26 plus $4 shipping and handling
Contact: The Greene County Democrat P O Box 598, Eutaw, AL 35462
-Announcement4th Annual Spiver W. Gordon Day Honoring and saluting Elders, Stewards, Deacons and Christian Friends will be held Saturday, June 13, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. at the Branch Heights Community Center Eutaw, Al 35462
Announcements
Revival Services
Mt Olive Missionary Baptist Church, Boligee, will hold revival services Monday, June 8 – Wednesday June 10, 2026 beginning at 7:00 p m each night Pastor Demario Brown of Christian Faith Missionary Baptist Church, Columbus, MS will be the guest evangelist Rev John C Glass, Jr , pastor The public is invited
The Greene County Board Of Education will meet in a REGULAR MEETING Monday, June 15, 2026 @ 4:30 p.m. in the Central Office Auditorium
The Greene County Baptist District Deacons’ Wives is sponsoring a FREE “LOVE GIVEAWAY” on Saturday, June 27, 2026, from 10:00a m -2:00p m The event will take place in the parking lot of The Greene County Baptist District Christian Center located at 684 Finches Ferry Road Eutaw, AL 35462 Free new and gently used items will be available If additional information is needed, please contact Mrs Glenda Hodges at 205-496-1709 or Mrs Katie Jones-Powell at 205-3729612/205-919-9921
(205)
eutawrenaissance theatre@gmail com Friday, June 12, 2026 Movie this weekend:
6:00
GIANT KILLERS: MORE THAN TWO (2) BILLION DOLLARS FOR CLIENTS
We, Chestnut, Sanders & Sanders, have won more than two (2) Billion – that’s billions not millions - of dollars for our clients We take on the giants – giant insurance companies, giant corporations, giant governments, etc We are the Giant Killers You need the Giant Killers to fight the giants when you have an injury from an auto accident or other harm
Specifically, if you have any of these injuries, call the Giant Killers
ROUNDUP – Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Cancer - Call the Giant Killers
HERNIA MESH – Problems from hernia mesh implant - Call the Giant Killers
TALCUM POWDER, BABY POWDER & SHOWER TO SHOWER
BODY POWDER – These products may cause Ovarian Cancer –Call the Giant Killers
IVC FILTER – IVC Filters to treat embolism may cause breathing problems and death – Call the Giant Killers
LUNG CANCER – Lung Cancer may be caused by various chemical products in the work place – Call the Giant Killers
SEVERE LUNG DISEASE – Severe Lung disease may be caused by exposure to various chemical products in the work placeCall the Giant Killers
XARELTO – If you took the blood thinner Xarelto and suffered serious bleeding – Call the Giant Killers
PELVIC MESH/TRANSVAGINAL MESH IMPLANTS – If you had a pelvic mesh implant following a hysterectomy or to treat pelvic organ prolapsed and/or urinary stress incontinence – Call the Giant Killers
Don’t
Reaching citizens thr ough film
Every Friday at 6:00 pm, the Renaissance Theater will screen movies that introduce uplifting stories and life lessons to the community through film Admission is free and snacks can be purchased for as little as $1 Sandra Walker, chairwoman of REACH “Love Tree” is the current operator of the Renaissance Theater at 214 Prairie Avenue, Eutaw, AL 35462, formerly known as Old Hook Theater The building was purchased by The Greater Christ Temple Apostolic Church along with a few other buildings on Prairie Avenue The church s vision for the theater and surrounding buildings is to increase black entrepreneurship within the com-
munity “We are bringing attention to the city Walker stated The hope for these screenings is to instill a sense of pride within Eutaw s black citizens Walker noticed that, all too often, the leading narrative
of black history revolves around slavery instead of notable contributions in business, engineering, and humanities To combat this Walker screened movies such as Sarah s Oil and The Lion King She wants the people of Greene
County to know that “when you put your mind to it you can be just as smart, just as important
This Friday, June 12th, there will be a screening for the animated musical David From the songs of his mother's heart to the whispers of a faithful God, David's story begins in quiet devotion When the giant Goliath rises to terrorize a nation, a young shepherd armed with only a sling a few stones and unshakable faith steps forward Pursued by power and driven by purpose, his journey tests the limits of loyalty love and courage culminating in a battle not just for a crown, but for the soul of a kingdom” (IMBD summary)
Commissioner Tennyson Smith donates to EMS
Commissioner Tennyson Smith gave $3,000 00 of his discretionary funds to Greene County EMS board for payroll EMS Ambulance service provides critical emergency operation services for Greene County resident’s In fiscal year 2026, County commission allocated $5,000 00 to each commissioner that they can allocate to county agencies or other 501-3 (c) non-profit organizations Companies must be a state, or local agency or provide proof of its 501-3 (c) non-profit designation and submit a request to commission indicating how funds will be used Each commissioner and finance review each request prior to approval
One ar r ests and sever al incidents
The Greene County Sheriff Department report the following arrests
6/3- S h a r - M a r q u e s Daniels 22, of Boligee, was arrested for domestic violence assault 3rd degree Daniels was released on a bond of $4,000
The Greene County Sheriff Department report the following incidents
6/2- William Cochran reported theft of property Item Stolen: 2 German Sheppard puppies value unknown
Damaged: 2017 Kia Soul front passenger window valued at $450 6/6- Wanda Carpenter reported theft of property, Item Stolen: Five containers of water value unknown 6/6- Vanessa Hibbler
Public Hearing
The City of Boligee is applying to the Alabama Department of Transportation for a federal capital funding award under Section 5310 of the Federal Transit Act. This funding is for capital assistance to help meet the transportation needs of seniors and individuals with disabilities in Greene County, Alabama.
A public hearing will be held on June 12th at noon in the cafeteria at the Boligee Town Center at 17404 Co Rd 20 Boligee, Alabama for public comments.
Contact Information: Mayor Hattie Samuels, City of Boligee, 205 336 8531, boligeemayor@yahoo.com
reported assault 2nd degree
6/6- Travis Norfleet reported theft of property 4th degree, Item Stolen: currency in the amount of $180
6/6- J a i h q u e v i o u s Rice reported a burned vehicle
Sunday, July 14, 2026 @ 3:00 P.M., St. Matthew Watson Baptist Church, 321 St. Matthew Road, Boligee, AL, Reverend Christopher Spencer, Pastor.
Tr uth seeking mission to Cuba
Dr E Faye Williams
(TriceEdneyWire com) -
I was afforded the honor of traveling to Cuba Representing Mayor Johnny Ford and the World Conference of Mayors Dr Lezli Baskerville of HBCU’S and The Dick Gregory Society, on a factfinding mission with about 25 others Dr Ron Daniels leader of the Institute of the Black World, invited us to go to Cuba to do fact-finding about the situation there since the total blockade of their nation by the Trump Administration led by Secretary Marco Rubio (a CUBAN)
The country is not bothering the United States As a matter of fact the Cuban people have done a great job defending people around the word, including the Congo, that is now in need of much help with Ebola
By Marc Morial, President and CEO,
Urban League
(TriceEdneyWire com)"Every gun that is made every warship launched every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed "President Dwight D Eisenhower
$100 billion
That is the cost to date of the war in Iran on American households since it began on February 28th of this year, according to Moody s
$25 billion
The U S tax dollars spent to fund the conflict that has grown to now include Lebanon and a complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the vital water way that is responsible for 20% of the world’s oil supply
$125 billion In four months Let that figure sink in
Next, let s compare that to federal policies that would improve the lives of person in this country
Healthcare for All
$450 billion per year
Sounds like a lot?
Compare it to the $25 billion spent on this war in four months the $70 billion in additional funding being pushed on us for funding immigration enforcement, and the $1 6 billion slush fund for January 6 rioters that is currently on the table
If that doesn’t upset you do you remember the tariffs? Congress found that we, consumers and American households, bore roughly 86%–96% of the tariff costs, totaling over $231 billion in costs be-
tween February 2025 and January 2026
Combine that all with the cost we ve incurred from this war, we ve spent over $350 billion and the only thing we’ve seen in return is a struggling job market political division and increased energy uncertainty
Universal Pre-K
$351 billion over a 10year period according to research from the University of Pennsylvania
Today parents pay upwards of $15,000 a year to have a place for their children to learn in a safe environment while they work
Just so you’re clear that’s $35 billion per year In four months, we’ve spent $25 billion on a war with no end in sight
Free College
$58 billion per year
Is the cost of the government were to pay for the full cost of tuition before grant aid is applied
Again, we ve spent nearly half of that in Iran and nearly 4x that on tariffs in the last year
Student Loan Forgiveness
$355 2 billion ($10,000 per borrower)
As a reminder our households spent a collective $231 billion on tariffs in the last year alone
Ending Homelessness
$20 billion to $30 billion in initial upfront investment, followed by an estimated $10 billion to $15 billion annually to sustain housing services and prevention programs
We’ve spent that on the war in Iran in four months
These are real figures from real analysis based on real costs And the spending is real The next time you hear the government say it can’t afford to improve the lives for every day people, remember it’s not that the funds aren t being spent, our priorities are misaligned
The Cubans are not bothering us They are known for helping the United States with COVID containment and training young doctors who might never have had an opportunity to study medicine As a matter of fact we were blessed to meet two young students from the United States who are currently studying in Cuba They were eloquent in sharing with us their challenges with studying and doing simple things like preparing their meals due to the U S blockade of essentials like fuel to keep the lights on and the inability to use their gas stoves Many of the doctors there are trained and return to the United States, others go back to their home countries or to other countries often in crisis
We visited a hospital where doctors nurses and key personnel shared with us the high rise of deaths of innocent babies and mothers Due to this severe blockade several doctors were choked up telling their stories about their experience without proper medication and equipment to provide their patients with the best service The other challenge for them and others is to get to work due to the lack of fuel to
drive
We saw neighborhoods in the city without the ability to have garbage pickup due to the lack of fuel to run the trucks No one should have to live under the harsh conditions caused by the United States and our uncaring regime While we in the United States are suffering from the actions of the leaders of this country, we are not prevented from getting help from others Yes, under the current administration, we are experiencing hard times in this land of plenty but it’s hard to find a word to describe what our so-called leaders are doing to innocent Cubans School children are experiencing hard times studying at night because the power is frequently off While in restaurants at night the lights go off in the middle of dinner; yet the Cuban people welcomed us and gave us their very best They love the people of America and can t understand why Trump and Rubio have chosen to deny them basic goods and services with this inhumane blockage
We mostly met with ordinary citizens who shared their challenges with Trump, Hegseth and
Rubio’s challenges What is it that makes them feel heroic about killing babies, denying medicine to the sick and what causes little children to be on the street begging for something to eat?
We spent much of our time with ordinary people, but we were blessed with meetings of substance with neighborhoods to high level officials such as the General Assembly Deputy Ministers that included women in very high positions and the Cuban President all of whom are facing challenges by the blockade just to do their jobs for the people Not just what we heard, but what we witnessed it was easy to label the U S Administration CRUEL and UNCARING about the suffering of the people
So many people in the world including Americans, have benefitted from the research, the medical and military assistance yet our leaders turned a blind eye to their goodness and want to go to war against innocent Cuban people to prove their manhood!
Dr E Faye Williams is President of The Dick Gregory Society
Reconciling Andr ew Jackson and Jesse Jackson
By Ben Jealous
(TriceEdneyWire com) -
The party of Andrew Jackson has spent a decade running from him It should keep the two things he got right
I was 14 the first time I raised my hand to volunteer I was short for my age I had a bad stutter The campaign was Jesse Jackson’s in 1988 They made me a precinct captain anyway
Thirty years later, I was my state’s Democratic nominee for governor
So I have been active in this party most of my life
Long enough to love it
Long enough to fight it from the inside Long enough to know it is named for a man whose plantation I will visit this Juneteenth
Last week I wrote that I am going down to the Hermitage to help celebrate Black music It was Andrew Jackson’s plantation, outside Nashville More than 300 men, women and children were enslaved
there The ground is sacred and it is stained The man who made it was a proponent and often an active participant, in nearly every vicious form of racism of his day
For that reason the party he founded has spent the last decade distancing itself from him Dinners renamed I get it As a former head of the NAACP, I will say it plainly: most of Andrew Jackson’s legacy troubles me deeply
And yet
His is the third most-visited presidential plantation in America Presidents made the trip In less than fully honest years, they came to pay homage to the man who founded a party to fight for working people
He was wrong about almost everything that matters
And yet, again He was right about two things
Working people deserve a party that will fight for them And they deserve a party with the courage to take on the financial powers that strip-mine families and would wreck the American dream itself
Those two convictions are the only true spine this party has ever had They carried it through Franklin Roosevelt They carried it through Lyndon Johnson Both men had real sins Roosevelt put Japanese American families behind barbed wire Johnson sank
us into Vietnam And on those two things the worker, and the powers arrayed against the worker they held the line The country was stronger for it
Jesse Jackson spent his life on a single idea That working people of every color belong in one coalition He called it the Rainbow Coalition, and the name was the argument That is Andrew’s principle finished Andrew fought for the working man and drew the circle around white men only Jesse drew it around all of us One Jackson started the fight
The other widened it to everyone Andrew left out They came for Jesse in 1984 and again in 1988
They came for Bernie Sanders in 2016 and again in 2020 Each time the offense was the same: a candidate who would not choose between fighting for working people and fighting the powers that prey on them Like a lot of Democratic economic populists since Johnson’s day I bear a few of those scars myself It is never what happens to one candidate that matters It is the pattern
The pattern is a class of corporate consultants who hijacked the party of the working man and rented it back to the highest bidder They poll-tested the conviction out of it They taught it to fear its own base and court its own predators They called this
strategy It was a sellout, and it lost
We climbed the mountain on race the work of generations, against fierce resistance much of it our own I gave my life to it
But somewhere on the way up we let go of the ground we started from Fighting for working people and standing against the powers that prey on them was not a plank It was the cornerstone Pull the cornerstone, and one day the house comes down Rip the spine from a body, and it does not wait that long
So where did the party lose its way? It strayed from the only two things the two Jacksons ever agreed on That the American worker deserves a champion That the greediest interests in this country deserve a foe That is the reconciliation I am after Not of the men The two Jacksons will never sit easy together, and they should not It is the principles Keep the two they shared Finish the work the first one would not I will stand on that ground this Juneteenth Sacred and stained Named for a man I cannot celebrate in a party I have not given up on Ben Jealous is a professor of practice at the University of Pennsylvania and former president and CEO of the NAACP
By Mike Clardy
AUBURN UNIVERSITY, Ala The scales are open for the Alabama Cooperative Extension System s Grow More Give More 250 Pound Challenge This statewide effort invites gardeners to grow extra this season and share the bounty with people in need The challenge also celebrates the nation’s 250th anniversary while giving Alabama gardeners one more reason to put their summer harvest to work
From Memorial Day May 25 through Labor Day Sept 7, Alabama Extension is challenging every county to grow and donate at least 250 pounds of fresh produce The effort is rooted in the same community spirit that launched
Grow More Give More during the COVID-19 pandemic when home gardeners were encouraged to plant an extra row and pass along what they picked Today the program continues to pair research-based growing advice with simple ways for gardeners to share the fruits and vegetables of their labor close to home
“People can grow produce in several acres or in several containers on their back porch,” said Bethany O’Rear an Alabama Extension home horticulture agent at Auburn University and leader of the Grow More, Give More project “When it’s time to harvest, set the extra aside to donate Every pound counts whether it goes to a local food bank community kitchen, place of worship
or even a family member or neighbor in need It s a simple way to let your garden do a little more and share the harvest with others ” Make it Count
The challenge is open to gardeners of all experience levels from first-time growers to seasoned hands Recommended crops include beans, squash, zucchini cucumbers peppers tomatoes, southern peas and okra These are all dependable choices for Alabama gardens and generous producers once summer gets rolling Participants are encouraged to weigh each donation and report it through the Grow More, Give More donation form so every tomato, pepper and basket
of squash can count toward county totals and the statewide tally To report donations, visit aces edu/go/250Challenge
The challenge builds on a program with a strong record of impact In 2025
Grow More, Give More participants donated 21 563 pounds of produce helping more than 3,000 Alabama families With counties across the state joining in Extension leaders hope the 250 Pound Challenge will spark friendly competition, strengthen local food networks and show that even one extra row can grow into something big for communities across Alabama For more information on the program, visit the Alabama Extension website at aces edu
T
he Tr ump Administr ation's misaligned priorities
If Jim Cr ow r etur ns, America will lose mor e than its democr acy It will lose its soul
By Barbara Reynolds
(TriceEdneyWire com)
- When Rep James Clyburn recently warned that America risks sliding backward toward the postReconstruction era, many heard the words but failed to grasp the horror behind them
They should The soft-spoken South Carolina congressman is not given to exaggeration When Clyburn invokes the specter of post-Reconstruction America, he is not quoting a distant chapter in a textbook He is warning of a period so brutal, so morally disfiguring that its scars remain visible in the American landscape more than a century later
His warning came after he narrowly survived a congressional redistricting battle pushed by the Supreme Court and President Trump It threatened to erase the district he represents Had it succeeded about 1 4 million Black South Carolinians would have been left without a single Black member of Congress representing them For many redistricting can seem like a technical debate over maps and voting boundaries But his choice of words should not be whitewashed Gentile one-liners or mellifluous phrases won t do The headlines should be bloodsoaked, screaming and explosive Clyburn's warning reminds us of the terrible tyranny after slavery ended
After the Civil War, America entered Reconstruction which lasted from about 1865 to 1877 For the first time, nearly four million formerly enslaved people were recognized as citizens rather than property They could finally be treated as humans owning their own bodies
The passage of the 13th amendment abolished slavery, the 14th granted citizenship –although millions had been enslaved since 1619 the 15th protected voting rights of Black men
Those legal actions produced remarkable results Black Americans voted They organized They built businesses, churches schools and communities More than 1 500 African Americans held public office Twenty served in the U S House of Representatives Two served in the U S Senate Then came the backlash
The U S Supreme Court aided and abetted a rising anti-black campaign to dispel Black political advancement The most egregious case was the 1857 Dred Scott decision delivered by Chief Justice Roger B Taney ruling Blacks had no rights that whites had to respect In 1896 the high court s Plessy V Ferguson decision legalized racial segregation Without the protection of the legal system, the KKK and white vigilantes
conducted a reign of terror since it was not against the law to murder Blacks In fact, more than 6,500 Blacks were lynched according to the Equal justice Institute from 1830 to 1950 It was not unusual for pastors to pause church services for their congregants to watch lynchings of Black people and return to church observances as if nothing inhumane had happened
Incidents like the Tulsa massacre of 1921 were not unusual A white mob attacked a prosperous Black neighborhood of Greenwood in Tulsa Oklahoma destroying homes and businesses About 300 Blacks died there
Courts weakened civil rights protections States erected barriers to voting Poll taxes literacy tests grandfather clauses, and intimidation campaigns transformed constitutional rights into empty promises
Legal segregation meant Blacks were forced to suffer the indignity of Jim Crow laws which mandated they could not play cards nor checkers with whites or participate in integrated sports They had to enter white restaurants through back doors and be off the streets at sundown Schools parks movies hotels were segregated and when they died Blacks were buried in segregated graves
Today similar circumstances that disenfranchised Black people are arising today The Supreme Court recently passed legislation that virtually gutted the rights of Black voters
In addition, President Trump has instituted one of the most Anti-Black campaigns that suggests the return of the Post Reconstruction PeriodFiring of black leaders the dismantling of civil rights protections the gutting of federal jobs that helped build the Black middle class and canceling diversity programs that aided Black colleges In fact, 300,000 jobs held by Black women were terminated last year
In the wake of falling election poll numbers
Trump officials are ordering GOP leaders in Southern states to gerrymander voter districts to curtail Black voters who are key to the Democrats base That is why Clyburn's warning deserves attention
He recounts in his book
The First Eight, how eight Black men from South Carolina were elected to Congress during the Post Reconstruction era Yet within a decade, a combination of violence voter suppression and legal barriers drove them from office It would take nearly a century before another Black South Carolinian James Clyburn himself would be elected to Congress in 1992
As the doors of democracy begin to close again we must remember: What is taken from one group is taken from us all
If America returns to the spirit of Jim Crow, the greatest loss will not be Black political representation alone It will be the moral core of the nation itself
And as Clyburn warns some damage would take generations to undo
Senate Sketches #2033.....by Hank Sander s The Modern-Day Tar Baby Story
The Age-Old Tar Baby Story This Folk Tale is grounded in African Folklore It sprung forth in slavery but was grounded in African Culture forged well before slavery Some parts of it provide lessons for today’s world The Modern-Day Tar Baby Story In the Tar Baby Story
Br er Fox was tired of being outsmarted by clever
Br er Rabbit Br er Fox set up a pool of tar shaped as a lifelike doll in the road
Br ’er Rabbit comes hopping down the road, and he comes upon the Tar Baby Br ’er Rabbit spoke to the dressed up Tar Baby The Tar Baby did not respond Br ’er Rabbit was insulted that the Tar Baby did not respond to his powerful presence After all, Br er Rabbit was male and the Tar Baby was female The Modern-Day Tar Baby Story
Br ’er Rabbit hits the Tar Baby with his right paw It gets stuck Br ’er Rabbit tries to get his paw loose but can t Br er Rabbit becomes more insulted and madder He then hits the Tar Baby with his left front paw, which gets stuck as well Br ’er Rabbit gets even madder, demanding that Tar Baby turn him loose He then hits Tar Baby with his right hind paw which gets stuck Then he hits Tar Baby with his left hind paw which gets stuck Finally, he butts the Tar Baby with his head, which gets stuck as well He is stuck, stuck, Stuck! There is more to this Folk Tale but this is where I stop for now I want to apply the foregoing Tar Baby Folk Tale to a current situation with some alterations of characters The ModernDay Tar Baby Story Iran is the modern-day Tar Baby It appeared to President Donald John Trump and his War Department (formerly Defense Department) leader Pete Hegseth that it could be taken at will After all they had just attacked Venezuela removed and jailed its elected leader and are now taking their oil
During Trump s second term, they sized up the Tar Baby Iran It was a baby doll to be easily taken They initiated deceitful negotiations with secret plans of taking the Tar Baby But the story starts well before the Trump Second Presidency The Modern-Day Tar Baby Story In 1951, Iran instituted a democratically elected government The Prime Minister was Mohammad Mosaddegh Under his leadership, the Iranian government nationalized the Iranian oil industries that had been controlled by foreign nations The United States and Great Britain, which are herein designated as Br er Fox #1 and #2, did not like this democratically elected government They wanted the oil They hit the Tar Baby with their joint right paws overthrowing the government They were certain that this solved their problem for the foreseeable future The Modern-Day Tar Baby Story
Br er Fox #1 and Br er Fox #2 replaced the democratically elected government with a monarchy acceptable to them The Shah of Iran immediately signed over 40 percent of its oil resources to U S and British companies However, the people rose up and overthrew the monarchy in 1979, breaking loose from Br er Fox #1 and Br ’er Fox#2 again This new government was even more objectionable to
Br ’er Fox #1 and Br ’er Fox #2 Br er Fox #1 immediately imposed crippling economic sanctions on Tar Baby Iran with the full support of Br er Fox #2 The Modern-Day Tar Baby Story Ever since Iran overthrew the foreign Installed government the United States Great Britain and other countries have tried to forge ways to overthrow Iran s government They made repeated declarations that Iran was a threat to the world Each U S government looked at Iran and declared that it was a terrible threat This started with the Reagan Presidency and continued through the Bush #1 Presidency the Clinton Presidency the Bush #2 Presidency, the Obama Presidency, the Trump #1 Presidency, and the Biden Presidency Now we are in the Trump #2 Presidency The ModernDay Tar Baby Story
The Obama Presidency decided to negotiate with the Iran Tar Baby to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons The Obama Presidency was convinced that nuclear weapons were the real problem After nearly two years of negotiations, an agreement was reached Five “Great Powers” signed the agreement along with the United States: China; France; Germany; Great Britain and Russia The multinational agreement prohibited Iran from developing nuclear weapons for at least 15 years Intense and ongoing international inspections were implemented The Iran Tar Baby fulfilled every element required by the agreement The Modern-Day Tar Baby Story
During his first term President Trump literally tore up the Agreement The Agreement completely fell apart President Biden came along and tried to reinstate the Agreement, but Iran did not trust the United State based on its previous experiences so nothing was accomplished President Biden and his Administration were wise enough to leave the Tar Baby alone The ModernDay Tar Baby Story
When Trump won a second term, he and the Prime Minister of Israel were determined to deal with the Iran Tar Baby Trump became Br ’er Fox #1 and Netanyahu became Br ’er Fox #3 They commenced negotiations as a ruse, sending Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of Br er Fox #1 and real estate businessman, Steve Witkoff, to appear to negotiate Then after just a couple weeks of negotiations Br ’er Fox #1 and Br ’er Fox #3 jointly hit the Tar Baby with their powerful paws They hit hard on June 22, 2025, and declared victory several days later They declared that they had destroyed every aspect of the Iranian Tar Baby’s nuclear program They were proud that they hit so hard and so fast without suffering many repercussions and did not get stuck as some advised The Modern-Day Tar Baby Story
Then Br er Fox #1 and Br er Fox #3 decided to hit the Iran Tar Baby again After all, nuclear weapons were never the underlying concern: they wanted the oil just like in Venezuela They again commenced deceitful negotiations with the same decoy negotiators On February 28, 2026, while negotiations were progressing, both Br er Fox #1 and Br er Fox #3 hit Iran with all eight of their collective paws They pounded the
Iran Tar Baby hitting more than 2000 targets with 2000 missiles and bombs, as well as thousands of other weapons They even bombed an elementary school killing 165 Iranian school girls The ModernDay Tar Baby Story Br ’er Fox #1 and Br ’er Fox #3 named the attacks Operation Roaring Lion and Epic Fury Iran fought back This time Br er Fox #1 and Br er Fox #3 got stuck because Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, which is the passageway for 20 percent of the oil and gas fueling the world’s industry and 30 percent of the world’s fertilizer used to grow crops The Tar Baby took a terrible beating Br er Fox #1 and Br er Fox #3 announced that the Tar Baby must declare total surrender However, the Tar Baby did not give up It held on The Modern-Day Tar Baby Story No total surrender declaration was issued Br ’er Fox #1 and Br ’er Fox #3 called for regime change They killed the Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei However, another leader was soon selected He is Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the former Supreme Leader There was no regime change Br ’er Fox #1 and Br ’er Fox #3 called on the people of Iran to openly rebel There was no open rebellion The screws of economic sanctions were tightened A sea blockade was implemented by Br er Fox #1 After all this, the Iran Tar Baby still did not turn loose Br ’er Fox #1 and Br ’er Fox #3 had greatly misjudged the Tar Baby They were stuck stuck stuck! The ModernDay Tar Baby Story The world s economies were adversely impacted by the huge reduction in the supply of energy, fertilizer and other resources The U S was greatly impacted even though it produces plenty of oil and gas Still the price of gasoline and diesel rose more than 50 percent within the country Also transportation and other items, including agriculture products, increased in cost Inflation increased Polls reflected dramatic decreases in favorability ratings for Br ’er Fox #1 (U S President)
Special elections across the country were lost by the political party of Br ’er Fox #1 The Tar Baby just refused to let go There have been numerous failed efforts to negotiate an Agreement in the Iran Tar Baby War Brer Fox #1 and #3 are stuck It is an unbelievable sight to see the most powerful leader in the world stuck on Black Tar dressed as a baby doll The Modern-Day Tar Baby Story
Now on to the Daily Diary
Saturday, May 30, 2026
– I handled many matters and worked into the night
Among others I communicated with the following: Faya Rose Toure of the Bridge Crossing Jubilee; Dr Carol Prejean Zippert of Lake Charles, Louisiana; Former Camp Hill Mayor Ezell Smith; Thurgood Marshall Law School Professor Kindaka Jamal Sanders; and Alabama Post Secondary Education Chancellor Jimmy Baker
Sunday – I hosted the Sunday School Lesson with Dr Margaret Hardy on Facebook Live and Z105 3 FM Radio I attended the Freedom Baptist Church and worked into the night
I communicated with a number of persons including my retired Secretary, Gloria Pompey; Sharon Wheeler of Montgomery; and Shelley Fearson of the Alabama New South Coalition
Monday – I walked handled various matters traveled to Montgomery to handle other matters returned to Selma and worked into the night Among others, I communicated with the following: Marilyn Cosby and Karen Jones of Selma; Farmer CEO of the Greene County Health System Dr Marcia Pugh; Pernilla Stanley Brown of Jackson Mississippi; Coumba Toure Ba of Senegal, West Africa; and Dorothy Hulett and Rosie Whiting of Lowndes County
Tuesday – I handled many matters and worked into the night Among others I communicated with the following: Josephine Curtis Junior Oliver and Jessie Sanders of Selma; Ainka Sanders Jackson of the Selma Center for Nonviolence and the Bridge Crossing Jubilee; and Retired Wilcox County Sheriff Prince Arnold Wednesday – I walked handled various matters participated in meetings and worked into the night Among others, I communicated with the following: Allen Garner of Dallas County; Richard Graham of Jefferson County; Latonia Tisdale of Alabama Power Company; Elizabeth Rutledge and Geraldine Wofford of Selma; Jeannie Frasier of Philadelphia Pennsylvania; and Selma Businessman Frank Blockton
Thursday – I handled many matters, participated in the SOS Connections podcast, did a conference call chaired the Dallas County Alabama New South Coalition meeting and worked into the night Among others I communicated with the following: Television Reporter George McDonald; Andrew Marks of Washington, D C ; Greg Francis of Orlando, Florida; Law Professor Emerita Martha Morgan; Karen Jones and Judson Garner of Montgomery; and Latia Parker of Selma
Friday – I walked, handled many matters and worked into the night Among others, I communicated with the following: Phillis Belcher of the Greene County Industrial Development Authority; Retired Judge John England Jr on his birthday; John Hagood of Montgomery on his birthday; and Dr Ernest Okeke and Yolanda Howard of Selma
Epilogue – The powerful does not always prevail in life When the less powerful is attacked but holds on and holds out the more powerful sometimes gets stuck Even the most powerful countries in the world should beware of the Tar Baby The Modern-Day Tar Baby Story
EarthTalk®
From the Editors of E -
The Environmental Magazine
Dear EarthTalk: What is the “white roofs” movement all about and could this really be an effective way to combat climate change? --
K M , via email
The white roofs” movement is a clever way to combat sweltering summers and reduce greenhouse gas
emissions White roofs have been a long-standing solution to the heat in many countries with intense climates with even the ancient Greeks and Egyptians building white roofs to keep out the heat U S Energy
Secretary Steven Chu declared that white roofs “are
Der rick Coleman
one of the quickest and lowest cost ways we can reduce our global carbon emissions and begin the hard work of slowing climate change ”
With a coat of fresh white paint, the interior temperature of a house can be cooled by up to 41 degrees
“We are living history all over again The Supreme Court has weakened the Voting Rights Act and the fight for our vote our voice and our future remains under attack Even now, federal courts continue to strike down voting maps designed to unlawfully discriminate against Black voters In Alabama, a federal court ruled that the state’s congressional map unlawfully diluted Black voting strength Yet despite these rulings battles over voting rights district maps ballot access and political representation continue across the South ” Coleman added
As Coleman noted in his statement, Alabama has continually tried to push forward a map that was previously found to be racially gerrymandered The map was so racist that a court order banned Alabama from any redistricting efforts until 2030 After the Supreme Court decided to gut the Voting Rights Act it also told a lower court to take another look at the decision barring Alabama from redistricting the map
What makes that second part even more absurd is that the Supreme Court itself found that Alabama’s map was racially gerrymandered only three years ago While the Supreme Court’s decision to gut the Voting Rights Act significantly raised the bar for what’s considered a racial gerrymander, Alabama s map is so racist that a federal court still found it to be racially gerrymandered under the new laws Alabama officials are expected to appeal that ruling to the Supreme Court
While Coleman declined his invitation to the induction ceremony Stephen Clements chairman of the Mobile Sports Hall of Fame board told ALthat he will still be inducted Derrick Coleman is exactly that kind of individual, and while we respect his decision not to attend, we will proceed with his well-deserved induction together with other members of the Class of 2026,” Clements said Coleman’s decision comes a month after theNAACP called on fans and athletes to boycott athletic programs in states that are engaging in redistricting efforts to undermine Black voting power
“People fought, bled, marched, organized, and died for these protections To accept personal recognition while Black voters and other voters of color continue to face challenges to fair representation would be a contradiction of everything my journey represents ” Cole-
CBC
Some of the companies had cosigned their own message to Congress five years ago urging lawmakers to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, a Democratic proposal to restore and update the Voting Rights Act
That 2021 coalition, Business for Voting Rights, was backed by many of the country s most valuable and influential companies including Apple Amazon Google Meta Microsoft Tesla Salesforce Target PayPal Intel and Starbucks
Tuesday’s letter is the latest effort by the Congressional Black Caucus and its allies to gather support for preventing more Republican-led states from redrawing their legislative maps in ways that would dilute Black political representation Several states have moved to eliminate congressional districts represented by Black Democratic lawmakers after a U S Supreme Court ruling last month that severely weakened a key provision of the Voting Rights Act
Corporations that have profited from Black consumers, relied on Black workers, and amassed wealth in part from Black communities cannot look away while Black political power is dismantled in plain sight Rep Yvette Clarke chair of the Black Caucus said in an interview
Clarke described the letter as “putting corporate America on notice ” but she said the caucus was not seeking an adversarial relationship with corporations Among those receiving Tuesday’s letter were companies based overseas that have a significant presence in the U S The caucus last week called for Black athletes to boycott public universities in states that are gerrymandering their congressional maps to eliminate districts held by Black lawmakers The 59-member Congressional Black Caucus consists entirely of Democrats, including more than a third from Southern states
Some lawmakers have said mass protests and federal legislation might be necessary to undo the efforts underway in Republican-led states Any new federal voting rights law would almost certainly require Democrats to secure majorities in both chambers of Congress and win the presidency
It is unclear how companies will respond to the demands One firm, the outdoor clothing company Patagonia, said that it had received the caucus’ letter and endorsed its message
“A healthy business depends on a healthy democracy,” said Corley Kenna, an executive at Patagonia Patagonia stands with those who work to increase representation and defend free and fair elections
The Associated Press reached out for comment to dozens of companies that were sent a letter by the caucus but did not receive a response from most firms Microsoft declined to comment
“Many companies that previously issued statements after the murder of George Floyd, pledged billions toward racial equity initiatives, and spoke forcefully in defense of democracy following January 6 now face a defining test of whether those commitments were rooted in principle or convenience,” the caucus’ letter states
It also represents the latest instance of the caucus expressing frustrations with corporate America A 2024 Black Caucus report noted that lawmakers were troubled that some corporations that made pledges in 2020 have taken several steps in the opposite direction such as rolling back or failing to follow through on pledges to diversify their workforces
“We understand who the occupant in the White House is and the reality of Republicans being in charge,” Democratic Rep Steven Horsford of Nevada said of the caucus’ message “But what corporate America also understands is that there will be a shift at some point ”
The letter calls on companies to publicly condemn the redistricting plans, meet with Black Caucus members to discuss corporate America’s role in protecting voting rights and disclose their political donations to Republican politicians in states that are redistricting their congressional maps
President Donald Trump last year kicked off the unusual mid-decade round of congressional redistricting when he pushed Texas lawmakers to redraw their maps in a way that would add Republican seats Democratic-led California responded but it has been mostly Republican states redrawing their lines since as the party tries to maintain its majority in the U S House during this year ’s midterm elections
The effort was supercharged by the Supreme Court decision, which allowed even more Republican states to redraw congressional maps that previously had protected minority communities
Horsford, who chaired the Black Caucus during President Joe Biden’s Democratic administration, said the caucus is demanding that companies stand on the side of democracy, fairness and equal representation
This is about power who holds it and what it s used for he said And when you re diluting Black economic and political power we need to know where these companies stand in this moment, and what side of history they’re on ”
Fahrenheit, making air conditioners less needed and therefore fighting carbon emissions But what is the science behind this? Well, have you ever been told not to wear black clothing on a hot day? The opposite is true for white White does not absorb any visible wavelengths; All light is reflected On the other hand darker colors absorb light which contributes to hotter surface temperatures in an urban setting
Taking steps like this to conserve energy is crucial, and white roofs are part of the overall fight A benefit of white roofs is the low cost and immediate effect On a large scale, white roofs can reduce city wide temperatures and mitigate hot climates where the heat
is typically trapped in darker buildings
Critics call the white roof movement greenwashing, because by encouraging it as the solution to global warming some people don t understand its real limits In colder climates, reflecting light may actually increase the demand for heat It has even been suggested that white roofs could potentially cause increased global temperatures since light is reflected into the atmosphere Using white roofs is still a valuable tactic, especially in hot climates and if it ever got to a worldwide scale it would be as if we had stopped using 300 million cars for 20 years Scientist at the Berkeley Lab Surabi Menon notes that These
offsets help delay warming that would otherwise take place if actual CO2 emissions are not reduced
To skillfully create a white reflective barrier to the sun it is important to identify existing issues with your roof, a budget, and the right products and suppliers Painting your roof white can be a great way to reduce both your carbon footprint and the amount of money you spend on electricity As a community it is important to spread awareness about this potential solution Through social media family and friends encourage others to educate themselves about white roofs to understand whether it would be most beneficial to them and the environment
man wrote Coleman achieved much during his tenure in the NBA He was the 1991 Rookie of the Year, an NBA All-Star, and a two-time All-NBA Third Team In 1994, he was on the USA National Team that won the FIBA World Championship His post-NBA tenure has Coleman regularly engaging in community activism through both basketball programs like DC Elite and volunteer work At the height of the Flint Water Crisis Coleman would regularly drive 65 miles to deliver cases of water to those in need
At a time when it feels like more and more notable people are staying silent to protect their bag, it’s admirable to see Derrick Coleman using this moment to raise awareness of the efforts to disenfranchise Black voters by state legislatures throughout the South
SNAP
This is not just a nutrition program SNAP is one of the most amazing public health policies and programs that we have in our country ” said said Dr Giridhar Mallya senior policy officer at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Speaking at an American Community Media news briefing May 22 Mallya noted that the new SNAP cuts were the deepest ever since the program rolled out in 1964
California is one of the states with the highest levels of SNAP participation said Dr Lorna Thorpe, chair of the Department of Population Health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and co-principal investigator of the dashboard project In California s 21st Congressional District, centered around Fresno, and the 22nd District near Bakersfield, more than half of households participate in SNAP, according to the dashboard s thirdquarter 2025 data
New work requirements
Last summer Congress passed HR1 also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill The legislation cut almost $1 trillion from critical health and food safety nets It also imposed new eligibility requirements including working at least 80 hours per month The budget of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program SNAP was slashed by $187 billion through 2034
Alaska, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Nebraska, South Carolina, Texas, and West Virginia began strictly enforcing the work guidelines shortly after HR1 was passed Illinois and Ohio also began counting work hours for SNAP eligibility later that summer California s work requirements for SNAP eligibility begin June 1
SNAP supports seniors and children
The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities estimates that 700,000 low-income children have lost food aid since HR1 took effect last July CBPP surveyed 12 states for which data was available 38 million people including families children the disabled and the elderly people currently use SNAP to buy food
The program supports individuals living at or below 130% of the federal poverty level about $42 900 for a family of 4
SNAP supports 1 out of 4 children living in the US, notes the CBPP About 8 million elderly people also rely on the program according to the National Council on Aging For 2026, an eligible SNAP recipient receives about $204 per month, working out to $2 20 per meal
Rising food prices, less food security
The Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index notes that in the past 13 months, food prices rose by 2 9% American families now spend about $345 per week on groceries about $1,380 per month
Beginning this year states must assume a larger share of SNAP administrative costs rising from 50% to 75% Starting in 2027, states also will be required to cover between 5% and 15% of SNAP food benefit costs
The changes could force difficult budget decisions nationwide Many states that are unable to pay their share may drop out of SNAP entirely
Reductions could worsen hunger
Black households Latino households and certain Asian American and Pacific Islander communities are overrepresented in the SNAP program This is because of longstanding economic inequality, Mallya said at the briefing So when SNAP participation declines, those communities are disproportionately affected,” he said
Mallya warned the reductions could worsen hunger, increase malnutrition and intensify chronic health conditions among vulnerable populations
Research consistently links SNAP access to improved infant health, better educational performance and reduced hospitalizations among low-income seniors Mallya said
There s good evidence that seniors who receive SNAP are better able to afford medications and manage chronic illnesses ” he said
Onerous work requirements
Mallya also criticized the new work requirements for SNAP eligibility
Expanded work requirements now apply to adults ages 55 to 64 and parents of children as young as 14 He noted that the documentation requirements create bureaucratic burdens that are difficult to navigate by particularly vulnerable individuals
The majority of SNAP recipients who can work already do work, he said They do very little to increase employment but they lead to huge drops in participation And that’s because the paperwork is very confusing and time consuming
Immigration enforcement Immigration enforcement actions are creating additional fear among mixed-status families experts said discouraging eligible citizen children from enrolling in SNAP or Medicaid
“We are seeing citizen children lose benefits because parents are afraid to engage with government programs,” Mallya said “That fear is understandable ”
Undocumented immigrants have never been eligible for SNAP benefits But advocates say anti-immigrant rhetoric and data-sharing policies have created a chilling effect across immigrant communities
California’s Central Valley
The new SNAP data establish an important baseline for tracking the effects of the policy changes said Thorpe at the May 8 briefing
Our data show that more than one in six households in the United States participate in SNAP But geographically there is tremendous variation between congressional districts ” she noted
The dashboard found SNAP participation ranging from as low as 3% of households in some districts to nearly 60% in others
Already vulnerable communities hit hardest
Thorpe noted that many of the districts with elevated SNAP participation also experience high unemployment lower incomes and other indicators tied to poorer health outcomes
“What the dashboard allows people to see is how federal nutrition policy intersects with housing poverty employment and health she said
The dashboard also includes demographic breakdowns by race, ethnicity, age and sex for many health measures, helping reporters and policymakers identify disparities within districts In California s 12th Congressional District, which includes Oakland and Berkeley, Thorpe demonstrated how life expectancy and breast cancer mortality differ sharply among racial groups Black residents in the district experienced lower life expectancy and higher breast cancer mortality rates than white Hispanic and Asian residents
The demographic breakdowns help illustrate longstanding racial and economic inequities affecting health outcomes said the researcher
If we all painted our roofs white, we might just be able to beat climate change Credit: Pexels com
TBOC (Taking Back Our Community) will host a Summer Enrichment Pr og r am
June 8 through July 24, 2026, Operation Taking Back Our Community (TBOC) will host a Summer enrichment program for youth ages 4-18 The program will be held Monday-Friday from 10:00 a m -2:00 p m at 113 Tuscaloosa Street TBOC is a Domestic Non-Profit Corporation organized by Directors Gloira McCruter and Betty Wilder on November 14, 2011 Over 80 students will participate from Greene, Tuscaloosa, Pickens, and Hale County The six-week program features enrichment for math, english, reading, science, and bible study as well as field trips. Some students will have the opportunity to serve as prep teachers.
Sister Edith Lugo and Sister Marta Tobon from the Guadalupan Missionary Sisters of the Catholic Center of Concern in Eutaw along with Eutaw’s Mayor Corey Cockrell delivered words of encouragement and pledged to support their efforts Sister McCruter would like to thank Attorney John Stamps, Next Level Leader, and District 5 Commissioner Roshanda Summerville If interested in the program, call 205-239-4230 or stop by during operational hours
Peace of Mind in the Golden Year s
Submitted by Tameka King, Extension Agent
EUTAW, Ala – In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month senior citizens in Greene County gathered at the Eutaw Activity Center on Thursday May 28 for an informative and uplifting program titled Peace of Mind in the Golden Years
The program focused on promoting mental wellness emotional health, and over-
all well-being among older adults Guest speaker Dr Zina Wiggins of Perception Counseling Services in Tuscaloosa Alabama shared valuable insights on managing stress, recognizing the importance of mental health and maintaining a positive outlook during the aging process Participants were encouraged to prioritize self-care, stay socially connected and seek support when needed The event provided sen-
iors with practical tools and resources to help enhance their quality of life while fostering open conversations about mental health
The program was hosted by Tameka King, Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Agent; Shenell Edwards 4-H/Youth Development Agent; and Alshantynea Carpenter, Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) Agent all representing the Tuskegee Uni-
versity Cooperative Extension Program Attendees enjoyed an engaging presentation and meaningful discussions that reinforced the importance of mental wellness The event served as a reminder that maintaining peace of mind is an essential part of healthy aging and living well during the golden years
Gover nor Ivey Invites Ala bamians to Cast a Line on Fr ee Fishing Day
MONTGOMERY – Gov-
ernor Kay Ivey on Monday announced that on Saturday June 13 2026 Alabamians and out-of-state visitors alike will have the opportunity to fish for free in most public waters including both freshwater and saltwater Free Fishing Day allows residents and non-residents to enjoy the outstanding fishing Alabama has to offer without purchasing a fishing license There’s something special about a day spent on the water and in Alabama we are blessed with some of the finest fishing anywhere in America,” said Governor Ivey “As our nation prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, Free Fishing Day is a great example of how the simple traditions that have brought generations together are still some of our very best Whether you are introducing a child to their very first cast or simply enjoying the beauty the good Lord gave us, I encourage folks across our state to grab a rod head outdoors and get to the waters The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources encourages both seasoned anglers and
first-time fishermen to take advantage of this annual tradition
“Free Fishing Day is the perfect opportunity for anyone who has never experienced casting a line to give it a try ” said Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
(ADCNR) Commissioner Chris Blankenship “Fishing provides many mental and physical health benefits as well as access to a sustainable, healthy source of protein It’s also a great way for families to spend time together outdoors We encourage anyone with an interest in fishing to take advantage of this outdoor recreation opportunity
Free Fishing Day takes place during Alabama’s red snapper season Saltwater anglers will not need a saltwater fishing license or reef fish endorsement on June 13 Fishing license and reef fish endorsement requirements will be in effect for the remainder of the year
Alabama’s State Public Fishing Lakes still require a fishing permit on Free Fishing Day, and fishing in a private pond requires the pond owner ’s permission Some piers may also require fees and permits An-
glers looking for a new public fishing spot are encouraged to explore the fishing section of www outdooralabama com
ADCNR promotes wise stewardship management
and enjoyment of Alabama’s natural resources through four divisions: Marine Resources State Parks State Lands, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries
Learn more at www outdooralabama com
Tombigbee RC&D Council
awar ds g r ant
Congratulations Ms Pamela McGee! Ms McGee is a first grade teacher at Eutaw Primary School, and she is a proud recipient of the Tombigbee RC&D Council Grant to purchase educational supplies and technology and equipment A huge thank you goes to Tombigbee RC&D Council for making this possible
