Newswire Federal Agents search Ilhan Omar’s home just 22 days before election By BlackPressUSA and the Washington Informer
Congress woman Ilhan Omar of Minneasota Federal agents searched the D.C.-area home of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) on Monday, taking the extraordinary step of executing a criminal search warrant against a sitting member of Congress just 22 days before Election Day, as the Trump administration investigates allegations involving her family’s immigration records. See Ilhan Omar, p. 6
Tax break for Lowndes County data center developer draws NAACP backlash Advocates said a county commission vote approving tax developer tax breaks leaves residents without answers the proposed facilities impacts. By Wesley Walter, Alabama Political Reporter
Board of Education determines the school district’s projects for the next 5 years The Greene County Board of Education recently met for a capital planning meeting on Thursday, October 15th, and a regular session on Monday, October 19th. President Leo Branch and Carrie Dancy were the only board members present at the capital planning meeting. All board members were present for the regular session. The board approved the minutes from the September meeting and had no old business to address. Board member Veronica Richardson requested an executive session be added to the agenda after the Superintendent’s report. Before Dr. Timothy Thurman's Superintendent’s report, CSFO Marquita Lennon addressed the board regarding a CD currently open at Merchant and Farmer’s. The board received a competing offer from Synovus Bank with a
4.11% rate for 12 months, and a 4.34% rate for 24 months. Mrs. Lennon recommended that the board take into consideration how they would fund the proposed projects from the capital planning meeting. She also reminded them that transferring the CD before its maturity date would incur a penalty of 6 months interest.The board voted to move the CD to Synovus for the 24 month interest rate, with an estimated growth of $250,000. Following the CD discussion, Dr. Thurman stated that the overall district enrollment was 857 students with a total of 824 students counting toward district funding (Pre-k students do not earn funding). Over 300 of the district’s students are enrolled at Robert Brown Middle School.
Superintendent Dr. Timothy Thurman with Board President Leo Branch
See School Board, p. 5
Greene County
The Democrat Wednesday, October 21, 2026 Vol. 135, No. 42
75¢ Serving West Alabama Like No Other Community Newspaper
Aerial view of a Meta data center facility in rural Illinois. An Alabama resident and organizations, including the NAACP, voiced opposition Thursday to a tax abatement granted to developers of a proposed data center in Lowndes County. The Lowndes County Commission voted last Tuesday to approve a 20-year tax abatement for Project Red Clay, a proposed 800-acre hyperscale data center. The abatement provides more than $1.1 billion in tax relief to the proposed center’s developer, Cloverleaf Infrastructure. See Data Center, p. 6
Senator Raphael Warnock announces $97.1M in Federal funding for HBCUs to create next generation of scientists By Shaun White, HBCU News
New funding has been awarded to HBCUs to support the next generation of scientists. In a press release, Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), a Morehouse College alumnus, announced that 10 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) will receive federal funds totaling $97.1 million to advance science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). See Raphael Warnock, p. 6
Black Belt Community Foundation holds legacy dinner to honor Bryan Stevenson, Equal Justice Initiative leader The Black Belt Community Foundation (BBCF), held its Black Belt Legacy Dinner on Monday, October 5, 2026, at the Elevation Convening Center & Hotel located at 600 Montgomery St, Montgomery, AL. Established in 2014, the Black Belt Legacy Dinner honors leaders from throughout the state of Alabama who have distinguished themselves in providing leadership and support of BBCF’s mission. Funds raised in honor of these distinguished leaders provide grant support for nonprofits in the Black Belt Region. This year, BBCF’s Legacy Dinner honored Bryan Stevenson, founder and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI). Stevenson founded EJI to provide legal assistance to indigent Black prisoners on Alabama’s Death Row. He was successful in the exoneration and release of a number of innocent people from Alabama prisons.
“Lots of partners came together to make this happen for us.”
The Birmingham site pairs remembrance of the 1963 bombing’s victims with calls to confront injustice through truth and action.  By Alex Jobin, Alabama Political Reporters
The current training schedule is as follows:
Students taking the emergency vehicle operator course
The historic 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, recently opened a new Education and Visitor Center—63 years after members of the Ku Klux Klan bombed the church, killing four young girls. The new center aims to educate people about the 1963 terrorist attack while urging a recommitment to the struggle for justice embodied by the civil rights movement. See 16th Street Baptist Church, p. 2
He then diversified EJI to have a museum of civil rights contributions to the Montgomery area, a memorial to the hundreds of people who were lynched in Alabama, a sculpture garden, and other exhibits that measure the impact of slavery, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, and the civil
Greene County Health System offers free EMT training
16th Street Baptist Church opens new Education and Visitor Center
The 16th Street Baptist Church opens its new Education and Visitor Center. City of Birmingham
Bryan Stevenson, EJI leader, surrounded by BBCF Board of Directors, holds framed quilted patch from Gee’s Bend Quilters of Wilcox County
On Monday, October 19th, the Greene County Health System began a series of training workshops in response to ongoing emergency services struggles in Greene County. The health system is partnering with IN THE DOOR, a workforce and economic development organization, to pay students 16-24 years old. Although the sessions have already begun, CEO Rodgerick Williams encourages anyone 16 or older to sign up. “This is truly an amazing opportunity,” Williams stated.
EVOC (Emergency Vehicle Operator Course): October 19th, 9 am-3 pm EMR (Emergency Medical Responder): October 26th-30th, 9 am-4 pm High Quality CPR and AED: October 26th, 6 pm8 pm EMT (Emergency Medical Technician): November 2nd-13th Advanced EMT: November 16th-20th 24-hr Ride-Along: To be scheduled with EMTs Training will take place at Boligee Community Center (Paramount High School), 17404 County Road 20, Boligee Al, 35443. Please email stephanie.phifer@gcheutw. com or call 205-372-3388 for more information.
rights legacy of Alabama. In his remarks at the dinner, Stevenson said “I can’t think of a part of America that is more essential, more critical to the American story and culturally richer than the Black Belt. It’s also a region of this country that needs to be aided, not from a perspective of
charity, but from a perspective of obligation. We owe people in this region more than they have received. We owe them fairness. We owe them opportunities that they were denied and deprived for too long.” See BBCF, p. 2
Greene County Sheriff Department reports one arrest and several incidents Greene County Sheriff Department reported the following arrests. 10/13-James Garners 30 of Eutaw, AL was arrested for disorderly conduct. Greene County Sheriff Department reported the following incidents. 9/11- Severe Strode reported theft of property 2nd degree, Items Stolen: Three window air conditioner units valued at $1,500. 10/12- Marathon of Boligee reported theft of property 4th degree, Item Stolen: Little Debbie snack cake valued at $2.39. 10/12-Kenterrika Hopkins reported domestic violence 3rd degree and criminal mischief, Item
damaged: driver side of 2003 Tan Honda Odyssey valued at $150. 10/13-Greene County Sheriff’s Office reported disorderly conduct. 10/13-Matthew Templeton reported harassment. 10/19-Calvin Parrett reported aggravated theft by deception. 10/16-Paul Carlisle reported illegal possession of credit/debit card. 10/16-Audrey Carlisle reported illegal possession of credit/debit card. 10/14-Demarious Ward was released on a bond of $40,000 for receiving stolen property 1st degree, $100,000 for rape 1st degree, and $60,000 bond for robbery 1st degree. 10/15-James Garner was released on a bond of $1,000 bond for disorderly conduct.
Page 2, The Greene County Democrat, Wednesday, October 21, 2026
16th Street Baptist Church
Carol’s Notes Our parents, Oran and Marie Edolia Prejean shared a birthday month, same year, six days apart. Mother’s was Oct.16, 1915 and Daddy was Oct. 22, 1915 I salute them in the love of their seven children, three still on this earth.
Two People She was short, he was tall. She talked much, he talked little. She was opinionated and outgoing, he was quiet and wanted his alone time. Her love said we are living in hard times but I still need to laugh. His love said I am struggling to take care of you and that takes all my energy. She knew she loved him unconditionally. He knew she was the best thing that ever happened to him. Both found joy in their children. She encouraged us to be good and do good. He expected us to be great and do good. She was the treasure she gave us. He longed to give us his treasure. Together they gave us family. She was short, he was tall. She talked much, he talked little. Together they formed our lives, and fill them now with so many memories inviting pause and smiles and stories retold. She was short, he was tall. She was Mother. He was Daddy. They now hold new places in the Creator’s domain. Carol Prejean Zippert
Community Calendar October 26-28, 2026Revival Announcement The Greene County Community Choir invites you to join them in their Annual Fall Revival, 7:00 P.M. Nightly. Where: St. Matthew Watson Baptist Church Rev.Chris Spencer, Pastor 321 St. Matthew Road Boligee, AL 35443
Evangelists: Monday Night – Reverend Clarence Gary/Pastor First Baptist Church – Akron, AL Tuesday Night – Revered Joe N. Webb/Pastor New Generation Community Church – Eutaw, AL Wednesday Night – Reverend Dementrius Smith/Pastor Mt. Carmel Community Church – Duncanville, AL
November 1- Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church Boligee will host their 126th Anniversary Homecoming Service at 1:30 p.m. Rev. Randy Miller of Mt. Zion Mt. Hebron is the guest speaker along with his choir. Rev. Jefferey Kelly is church pastor. The Public is invited.
Carol Zippert’s Poetry Books Available Signed copies of Carol P. Zippert’s second book of poetry are available through the Greene County Democrat Meeting Myself ‘Round The Corner published by New South Books, Montgomery, AL Carol’s first book, I Don’t Want To Be Rich, Just Able is also available through the Democrat Poetry Book Order Form
Please Send ______ Copies of poetry book, Meeting Myself ‘Round The Corner, at $20; plus $5.00 shipping & handling to: ______ Copies of poetry book, I Don’t Want To Be Rich, Just Able at $20; plus $5.00 shipping & handling to: Name________________________________________ Address______________________________________ _______________________________________ Mail to Carol P. Zippert, P.O. Box 82; Eutaw, Alabama 35462
The opening of the Education and Visitor Center coincided with a memorial service for the four girls killed in the bombing. The service featured remarks from Bryan Stevenson, a public interest lawyer and founder of the Equal Justice Initiative. “We’re in a critical moment in America. There is a narrative struggle. There are people who are preaching the politics of fear and anger, and they want to govern through fear and anger,” Stevenson said. Stevenson stressed that, in addition to the Klan, a “whole network of elected officials” shared responsibility for the 1963 bombing through the implementation and enforcement of Jim Crow. “And today we have those same voices, and we have to stand against those voices by being committed to truth and justice,” Stevenson added. Terrence Brown, execu-
tive director of the Education and Visitor Center, echoed Stevenson’s message at the center’s opening. “People from every race and gender came out today to bear witness,” Brown said. “That means there are a lot of people who stand with this idea of remembrance. Now, we just have to move from remembrance to action.” Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin’s office also encouraged Birmingham residents to attend the newly opened center. “We encourage every Birmingham resident to go, reflect, and carry that call to action into the world,” the mayor’s office stated. Former Alabama Attorney General and Lieutenant Governor Bill Baxley—who successfully prosecuted one of the perpetrators behind the bombing in 1977—told APR that he is appreciative of the new center and the work the 16th Street Baptist
Church continues to do. “I think it’s a wonderful, wonderful thing,” Baxley told APR. “I think that this church continues to be one of the real beacons of the churches in Birmingham. It’s a real tribute to the congregation and the pastors and everybody that’s been there. I’ve got nothing but good things to say and think about them, and I’m thankful that we’ve got something like that in our community, in our state.” Located at 1512 Sixth Ave. N. in Birmingham, the center has space for various programming, including exhibits, artist residencies and speaking series. Church leaders say they envision the space as a place where visitors can reflect after attending the church and bombing site. Those interested in visiting the center can find more information on its official website.
mobs talking of “us” and “them.” Because the things we hold most dear in Alabama — barbecue and cornbread, football and song and the rhythm of the very words we speak — are stewed in a gumbo, formed by the collision of our cultures. Even if that collision did not come willingly. “We are better together, stronger when we are all strong. Yet we inevitably find ways to fight, to forget and to ignore the fact that people of all descriptions made this place what it is. For good or for ill. “Alabama does owe the people of the Black Belt something, and not just for age-old wrongs. It has in recent years refused to expand Medicaid and made healthcare in the region harder to find. It has made voting more difficult and representation less sure. It has neglected those who
need help the most, and those decisions don’t just taint us all, they limit our possibilities.” Chris Spencer, BBCF Executive Director, said one of the highpoints of the dinner was presenting Bryan Sevenson with a framed quilted patch made by the Gees Bend Quilters as part of honoring his contributions to the Alabama Black Belt. Over 150 business, civic, and community leaders gathered at the Legacy Dinner to celebrate their collective work in helping to transform the Black Belt Communities. The funds raised at the dinner from sponsorships and tickets sales will go to support the foundation’s community grants program. For more information on the foundation, you can visit the organization’s website: www.blackbeltfound.org
BBCF Stevenson continued, “It’s amazing that the rich cotton farmers and those groups that became wealthy off the backs and the sweat of the people in the Black Belt are the ones who are least likely to help us now. It is shameful to realize that those neglected people across the region found the means to contribute far more than labor to this land. “The art, the music, the traditions that have given America such visibility and such glamour and such notoriety,” Stevenson said, “many of them were formed in the Black Belt, from the quilts of the women in Wilcox County, to the blues that came out of the Delta, and the jazz, and all of these art forms that emerged in this region. “It’s one of those things that always confounds me when I see politicians trying to divide us, political
--NoticeThe Greene County Association of Volunteer Fire Departments is hosting its Tenth (10th) Fire Fighters Award Banquet Ball on Friday, October 23, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. at the Robert Young Community Center
The Renaissance Theater presents
Friday, October 23 at 6:00 pm Fr F re e A d m i s s i o n
720 Greensboro Street , Eutaw, 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. The doors will open at 5:00 p.m. Hodges Smith President Greene County Association of Volunteer Fire Departments.
Death of a Fat Man 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
Rev. Randy Miller Celebrates 32 Years of Ministry at Mt. Zion–Mt. Hebron Baptist Church
Rev. Randy Miller Celebrates 32 Years of Ministry at Mt. Zion–Mt. Hebron Baptist Church Faith, family and a commitment to preaching the gospel marked the celebration of Rev. Randy Miller’s 32 years as pastor of Mt. Zion–Mt. Hebron Baptist Church. The occasion honored his faithful leadership and the spiritual guidance that helped shape his ministry. Accepting the call of Jesus begins a journey that requires discipline, dedication and commitment. Reflecting on his early ministry, Pastor Miller recalled preaching at St. John Baptist Church when mem-
bers of Mt. Zion–Mt. Hebron invited him to preach to their congregation. He was initially hesitant because accepting the invitation would mean preaching at two churches. Seeking guidance, he turned to his father, Rev. Jessie L. Miller Sr., who assured him that God would place him wherever he needed to be. Pastor Miller expressed gratitude for that advice. What began with an invitation and a father’s encouragement became 32 years of service as the undershepherd of Mt. Zion–Mt. Hebron Baptist Church. The speaker for the occasion was Pastor Miller’s father, Rev. Jessie L. Miller
Sr., the 90-year-old pastor of Mt. Galilee Baptist Church in Northport, Alabama, who has served as a pastor for 49 years. His presence brought special meaning to the celebration, as the father whose counsel helped guide his son’s early ministry delivered a message on “The Power of Preaching,” drawing from 2 Timothy 4:1–2. Rev. Jessie Miller emphasized the sacred responsibility of proclaiming God’s Word. He reminded the congregation that preachers are called by God, describing preaching as a divine calling intended to persuade people to respond to the gospel. He urged ministers to remain at the foot of the cross and identified the Holy Spirit as the life of the church. Throughout his message, the elder Rev. Miller emphasized that preaching lifts burdens, brings the message of salvation and provides direction for daily living. He encouraged preachers to remain faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Connecting Paul’s charge to preach the Word with the proclamation of the gospel, he pointed to John 1, which
identifies the Word as being with God and being of God, and declares that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. At the heart of his message was Jesus Christ—the good news that preachers are called to share. Rev. Jessie Miller also spoke of God’s power to heal, restore sight, break yokes and lift heavy burdens. Referring to 1 Corinthians 4:2, he emphasized faithfulness in the responsibilities God entrusts to His servants. His message also included a reference to Hebrews 1:3 and the sustaining power of God’s Word. He cautioned listeners against allowing their feelings to cause them to miss the blessings of the Lord. In closing, he urged the congregation to meditate on the Word, love the Word and, above all, follow the Word. The anniversary offered a meaningful picture of faith shared across generations: a father whose counsel helped guide his son’s ministry, and a son whose 32 years of pastoral service reflect an enduring commitment to his calling.
UWA Representative visits Greene County High Seniors
Greene County High School would like to thank the University of West Alabama for visiting our campus and speaking with the Class of 2027 about admissions, academic programs, and scholarship opportunities. We appreciate UWA for taking the time to provide our students with valuable information as they begin making important decisions about life after high school. Thank you for helping our students explore their options and prepare for their next step.
Town Hall Rally PoliTical MeeTing Sunday, noveMbeR 1, 2026 4:00 P.M. wM bRancH couRTHouSe, euTaw, alabaMa gReeT and MeeT candidaTeS -SPeakeRS-Hon. eaRlene iSaac -Hon. loRenzo FRencH -Hon. JoHnnie Mae knoTT HelP oRganize a MaSS voTeR TuRn ouT TueSday, noveMbeR 3, 2026 SPonSoRed by gReene counTy execuTive coMMiTTee, gReene counTy elecTed oFFicialS and gReene counTy alabaMa new SouTH coaliTion
VOTING REMINDERS OCT. 27 Last day to apply for an absentee ballot by mail OCT. 29 Last day to apply for an absentee ballot in person
I, Carrie Dancy, am launching my write-in campaign for District 5 School Board Seat, for the November 3, 2026 General Election. I am a longtime servant of Greene County and a former member of the Greene County Board of Education, District 5.
NOV. 2 Last day for voters to hand deliver an absentee ballot NOV. 3 Absentee ballots returned by mail must be received by noon NOV. 3 2026 GENERAL ELECTION DAY!
Paid Political Advertisement by Friends to Elect Carrie Dancy
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The Greene County Democrat, Wednesday, October 21, 2026 Page 3
Tyasia Cheatem attends Military Service Academy Information Session
Greene County High School would like to commend Tyasia Cheteam for taking an important first step toward exploring a future military career. Tyasia attended the Military Service Academies Informational Session hosted by Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell and Senator Katie Britt at Marion Military Institute. This opportunity allowed her to learn more about military service academies, the application process, and the many pathways available through military service. We are proud of Tyasia for being proactive, exploring her options, and investing in her future. Keep striving, Tyasia — your future is full of possibilities
Page 4, The Greene County Democrat, Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Greene County The Democrat
Workers lose 52 cents of every dollar gained to pay down debt, says new report
The Greene County Democrat newspaper is published each Wednesday by the Greene County Democrat Newspaper Company, Inc., 206 Prairie Avenue, Eutaw, Alabama (USSR 700680). Subscription rate in county is $25 per year; elsewhere in Alabama, $30; and out of state, $35. Publishers: John and Carol Zippert Editor: Maya Quinn Office Manager: Barbara Hunter The Greene County Democrat 206 Prairie Avenue P.O. Box 598 Eutaw, AL 35462 Phone: 205-372-3373 Fax: 205-372-2243 Website:greenecodemocrat.com & facebook
Record interest rates on auto loans and credit cards also drive consumer delinquencies. By Charlene Crowell
Editorial YOU MUST VOTE When you receive this newspaper, it will be a few days before the November 3rd. General Election. If you have not voted absentee or voted early, YOU MUST VOTE in this election. This is your chance to express opposition and resistance to the policies of President Donald Trump and his Administration. The Trump policies on the economy, inflation, civil and voting rights, immigration, tariffs, healthcare, education, environment, and foreign policy are a national disgrace. Everyone of these immoral, indecent and corrupt policies is a “voting issue”. These Trump policies are on the ballot on Nov. 3rd. YOU MUST VOTE in this election to show Trump and his corrupt family and cabinet members that you disagree with the direction he is taking this country. By electing Senators, Congress-people, and state officials who oppose President Trump’s policies, you are voting for a course correction in a reckless and corrupt Administration and a chance for accountability and reversing many of the budget cuts, i.e., SNAP (food stamps), Medicaid, Medicare, LIHEAP, and many other programs that benefit poor and working people. Your vote will help to correct the burdens of tariffs, the War in Iran and other foreign policy decisions that have not been authorized by Congress or approved by the American people. Do not wake up on Wednesday morning and say I should have voted, or I could have voted, or my one vote doesn’t count. Your vote does count and it is needed now to save democracy, liberty and justice for all. YOU MUST VOTE!
We the People wear the crown
By Marc H. Morial, President and CEO, National Urban League (TriceEdneyWire.com) "Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown." — Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 2 Many know this line as a metaphor for the weight of leadership in the face of adversity. Despite the efforts of the White House and its devoted followers, the crown in America belongs to We the People, not the President. Not now and not ever. To share the burden of this moment, when we must push back against tyranny, the theft of our civil rights, and the destruction of our democracy, I will join the Urban League movement at the No Kings Rally in Atlanta, Georgia, this Saturday, October 17. We are answering this call and urging you to answer yours by voting early in this midterm election. In Georgia, where we're gathering alongside Black Voters Matter, early voting began Monday, October 12. This is our chance to
turn months of mobilizing, phone calls, door knocking, and campus canvassing into action before Election Day on November 3. This is not an election to sit out, and this is not the time to wait. The President himself has challenged the legitimacy of mail-in ballots, threatening the voting rights of members of the military, the elderly, people with disabilities, and working people who can't always make it to the polls before they close. The threats don't stop at the post office. Some administration officials have even suggested that immigration enforcement will monitor polls to ensure an "honest election." Even as a suggestion, this is intimidation, and it flirts dangerously with authoritarianism. Calling voter suppression what it is, and standing united against it, is what No Kings is about. That is why I am standing in solidarity, lending my voice, and representing this 116-year-old vanguard of freedom in southwest Atlanta this Saturday. Now is not the time to sit silent while every right we fought for is eroded by a man unworthy of a crown, in a country founded on freedom. Let's protect our rights and our democracy by saying "No Kings" and by voting.
As consumers continue to struggle with still-rising costs of living, new research proves that rising household debt levels are as much a cause for concern as prices. The Century Foundation, a progressive, independent think tank, finds that debt payments are rising eight times as fast as take-home pay. As a result, 52 cents of every worker dollar gained has been lost to paying down debt. “You cannot assess whether workers can truly afford to live without accounting for what they owe and more recently, working families are finding themselves in unprecedented levels of household debt,” states the report. Further, this research concludes that racial and gender wealth gaps together make it harder for people of color to pay off these debts – especially for credit cards and auto loans. “In general, people of c o l o r pay higher interest rates on credit so that a dollar of debt costs more to service, widening the gap between gross pay and what a worker keeps even more… The racial income gap grows after including debt obligations because workers of color carry more debt, at higher interest
rates, and with less savings to cushion against shocks. The affordability crisis is not race neutral.” To put it another way, consumers with low or no financial cushions are hit the hardest when rising levels of debt come due. “[S]pending sustained by rising debt means households are borrowing more to maintain a standard of living their wages no longer support. This is neither sustainable nor a sign of financial health,” adds the report. “Over the decade from 2013 to 2023, credit card interest rates have skyrocketed, from 12.90 percent in 2013 to 22.8 in 2023, and are now at the highest level ever recorded. Workers whose paychecks are already not going nearly far enough are spending billions on interest payments alone each year.” These disparities are not explained by differences in creditworthiness. Among super-prime borrowers, Black workers’ payments still claim 13.6 percent of take-home income compared with 8.4 percent for white workers. The racial gaps exist within every credit tier and income quintile. The most recent Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit, reached a similar conclusion: credit card balances rose by $21 billion and stood at $1.26 trillion, and auto loan balances increased nationwide by $28 billion to $1.71 trillion. “[N]ew delinquencies for auto loans and credit cards remain at elevated levels, a trend we’ll continue to monitor,” said Joelle Scally, the bank’s Economic Policy Advisor. This September, Experian, one of the nation’s major credit bureaus,
“Consumers with excellent credit may qualify for rates in the mid-teens or lower, while those with fair or poor credit often see rates in the 20 to 30 percent range,” according to Experian. Auto lending is another significant debt sphere for the nearly 92 percent of American households who rely on a personal vehicle to manage their daily lives. At mid-year, the average monthly payment for a new car was $765, and the average payment for a used car was $542, according to Experian. But consumer credit scores bring vast differences in interest rates that determine how challenging payments become. Today’s average 21.62 percent interest rate charged for used car buyers with deep subprime credit scores ranging from 501600, are three times higher
to a campaign against Catholic immigrants and their American-born children. Being White was not enough. Catholics were accused of owing allegiance to a foreign pope. The Klan targeted their churches and the schools their children attended. Maine became a Klan stronghold, and the people it went after were French Canadian Catholics. Nobody today would hesitate to call them White. My father was born in Biddeford. My father is White. On Labor Day in 1924, about three hundred Klansmen marched through neighboring Saco. Biddeford's mayor, Edward Drapeau, the son of Canadian immigrants, warned them to remain in Saco "at all times thereafter." He ordered police to guard the bridges. The Klan did not cross. Biddeford's mayor today keeps that newspaper page in his office. He pulled it out again in July. The Catholics the Klan hunted did something else. The Knights of Columbus named themselves for a Catholic explorer America had made a hero. Then they commissioned W.E.B. Du Bois to write a history of Black Americans' contributions, to answer what their historical commission called "the wave of racial and religious ostracism" sweeping the country. The Gift of Black Folk appeared in 1924. The Klan was coming for them. They spent their money making somebody else's case. In 2009, during my tenure leading the NAACP, the Knights put that book back into print for the association's hundredth anniversary. Len Riggio chose the same way. Len was a friend. I once asked the
man who built Barnes & Noble into a national chain why he cared about racial justice. "Because I'm old enough to remember when my people were lynched too." Len was Italian American, born in Little Italy. He supported the NAACP in New York. He and his wife, Louise, funded a chapel at the Children's Defense Fund's Tennessee farm. It carries his name and Bill Lynch's, the Black organizer who became New York's deputy mayor and served on that board beside him. Both men are gone. Their names remain together. My father's grandfather chose another way. A Protestant of northern English stock, himself the grandson of immigrants, he disinherited my father for marrying my mother, who is Black. My father's mother and brothers refused to go along. A family can produce a bigot and still refuse to follow him. In 2011, Paul LePage, raised in a French Canadian Catholic family in Lewiston, told the NAACP to "kiss my butt." I was the association's president. I reminded him that he owed his own chance to people who stood up to the Klan in his state. This September he said a member of his own family faced deportation despite holding a work permit. "That's not right," he said. I am glad he said it. But ICE arrested 488 people in Maine through July, more than in 2024 and 2025 combined, according to federal data, and one analysis found nearly 89 percent had no criminal conviction. LePage has learned the wrong lesson if concern stops at his own family. The family down the street deserves the same. Thirty-nine senators de-
found that while the average credit card rate was 19.25 overall rates ranged from 7.9 percent to as high as 34.52 percent. Interest rates varied due to the card type, issuer and whether the card offers rewards, cash balance transfers, introductory low APRs, or cash advances. In general, cards that include cash advances typically charge the highest APRs, and low introductory rates escalate after the promotional period ends.
than the 6.29 percent average for super prime borrowers whose credit scores are 781-850. Subprime borrowers make up nearly two-thirds of all delinquent loans – those with payments at least 90 days late - according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. Moreover, 62 percent of these loans taken out from 2021-2023 were in default by this April with higher debt-to-income ratios across all credit score categories. “Rising household debt is a symptom of broader failures within our economy, and in order to address those challenges, policymakers need an agenda that not only addresses the immediate problem of outstanding debt but also takes steps to head debt off at the source,” concludes The Century Foundation report. “Enacting debt relief, raising wages and expanding bargaining rights, cracking down on predatory lenders and financial practices, and expanding public provisioning are all necessary steps to strengthen the labor market.” Charlene Crowell is a senior fellow with the Center for Responsible Lending. She can be reached atCharlene.crowell@responsiblelending.org
Three Months, No Charges
By Ben Jealous (TriceEdneyWire.com) Months after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement shot and killed Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Biddeford, Maine, no one has been charged. He was 25. He was Colombian. He had a 3year-old daughter. He had a federal work permit. Homeland Security says its officer feared for public safety. Senator Angus King's office says Durán Guerrero was not the operation's target. The agency acknowledges granting him that permit last year. A fear, a wrong man, and a work permit. One dead man, no charges. The agents wore no body cameras. It may surprise people today, but from the first colonies right through this year's ICE operations, this country has treated immigrants from Catholic countries as expendable. Of every color. In 1891, a mob stormed the parish prison in New Orleans and killed eleven Italians and Italian Americans. Emmanuele Polizzi was dragged outside, hanged from a lamppost and shot as he hung there. Some were citizens. A grand jury refused to indict anyone. Nobody answered for those eleven men, because nobody with power was made to look. When the Klan was refounded in 1915, it joined its war on Black freedom
manded answers from Homeland Security in July. House Democrats held an unofficial hearing in Biddeford in August, because the majority would not call a real one, and even they could not get ICE to confirm whom its agents were looking for. Susan Collins chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, which writes Homeland Security's budget. She was not among the thirty-nine who signed. It is time for her to demand that the administration account for how a hardworking father with a work permit was shot dead on a Biddeford street despite not being the target of the operation, and that every report, every radio log, every witness statement go to Maine's attorney general. No U.S. senator should have to think twice about asking that question. Congress should also put body cameras and visible identification into law. That is how a country finds out what happened. It is what nobody did in 1891. Most Americans understand we need to move past our nation's patterns of racism and antisemitism. As we do, let us widen the coalition to root out every pattern of abuse built on White supremacy and religious intolerance. Ask your children how your family became American. Tell them who opened the door. Tell them who tried to close it. We came here in different boats. We are in the same boat now. It only stays afloat if we keep one another from sinking. Ben Jealous is a professor of practice at the University of Pennsylvania and former national president and CEO of the NAACP.
School Board This increase from last year’s 807 enrolled students granted the district an additional $133,000. The district will receive their Federal Report Card Score on Monday, October 26th. Dr. Thurman also summarized the points of interest for the capital planning meeting. He explained that the district was required to submit an annual 5 year capital planning proposal to the Alabama State Department of Education. Staff present for the capital meeting suggested the following projects for the plan, listed from highest to lowest priority: stabilizing the foundation at Greene County High School, construction of a new transportation shop, renovations and a multipurpose room at Eutaw Primary, and plumbing maintenance at Robert Brown Middle School. Before concluding his report, Dr.Thurman revealed that the school system established a new fund called the Miles Family Caring Neighbor Fund at Eutaw Primary School. The fund was created in honor of the district’s newest supporter, Michael Corey Miles. Miles, who goes by Corey, has committed to donate $150 monthly to the district, with $25 designated for the fund. The Board approved the following action items recommended by Superintendent Dr. Thurman: *Contract between the Greene County Board of Education and Dr. Rhonda Moore for external evaluation services for the 21st Community Century Learning Centers program at Greene County High School, effective September 25, 2026 *Five Year Capital Planning Projects for the Greene County School System *Payment of all bills,
claims, and payroll *Out of state travel for GCCC Career Coach, Lamonica Little and Guidance Counselor, Lorissa Holder to attend the 2026 ACTE Career Tech VISION Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana December 1 – 5, 2026. The Board approved the following personnel items recommended by Superintendent Dr. Thurman: Retirement Jerome Jackson, Custodian, effective July 31, 2026. Resignation Samon Sanders, Mental Health Coordinator – RBMS, effective October 9, 2026. Shirleria Willaims, Cook - RBMS, effective September 18, 2026. Camren Parker, Cook – GCHS, effective September 22, 2026. Employment for the 2026 – 2027 school term: Alexus Cooper – Custodian – GCHS. Charmaine Spencer – Cook – RBMS. Additional Personnel for Saturday School sessions at Robert Brown Middle School. Jacqueline Raby – Nurse Rosalyn Griffin – ACCESS Instructor. Additional Personnel for After-school tutorial programs for Eutaw Primary School and Robert Brown Middle School, effective Oct 1, 2026. Jacqueline Raby – Substitute Nurse. Rate increase for approved athletic event workers at Greene County High School from $125 to $150 per event, effective October 19, 2026; Carrie Dancy opposed. Three Year Principal Contract for Dr. Brittany Harris. Three Year Principal Contract for Ms. Andrea Perry.
We Are Preparing to Launch Project Holiday Express It is once again time to celebrate joy and essences of the holiday season! At the Greene County Department of Human Resources, we are thrilled to assist those in need, and we wish to share that enthusiasm with you. We kindly ask you to take a moment from your hectic schedule to adopt a family in need. Any contribution will be immensely appreciated. If you wish to donate non-perishable food, toys, or clothing (only new items please), we would be happy to accept them. We are situated at 36 Park Street in Eutaw, AL. If you wish to make a financial contribution, you can either deliver it in person to the Greene County DHR or send a check made out to the Greene County Department of Human Resources at the following address: P.O. Box 311 Eutaw, AL 35462 For additional information, please reach out to Kimberly Tyree, Rebecca Pendergrass or Yolanda Young at 205-372-0500. Director Wilson Morgan, LICSW/PIP
The Greene County Democrat, Wednesday, October 21, 2026, Page 5
Senate Sketches #2052.....by Hank Sanders
Divide and Conquer/Divide and Rule Divide and Conquer/Divide and Rule. This is an age-old saying dating back to Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire some 2,400 years ago. It is a tactic well used in today’s world and especially in today’s elections. I see it in election after election. I see it in governing strategies in between elections. I see it in business. I see it in sports. I see it in families. I see it in communities. I see it in institutions. I see it in nearly everything. Divide and Conquer/Divide and Rule. I cannot address all or most or in fact more than one of these areas of Divide and Conquer/Divide and Rule in this Sketches. Therefore, I want to address just one of these areas. Because the 2026 general election is just weeks away, I choose to address it in elections. Divide and Conquer/Divide and Rule. Race is an ever-present Divide and Conquer/Divide and Rule factor. It is present in this election as usual. One Divide and Conquer/Divide and Rule tactic involves DEI. There is No DEI. Rather, DEI is substituted for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to make it appear bad. This country was built on Diversity and Inclusion, if not equity. There have been diverse populations since 1619. Native Americans were diverse before Europeans arrived and Africans were brought here by force. Every time immigrants arrived, there was more diversity. Initially, diversity was a point of pride. Inclusion came more slowly and equity even slower. But all three—Diversity, Equity and Inclusion—came for most, except for African Americans and Native Americans. These two were the very last to be included. Divide and Conquer/Divide and Rule. White nationalists are the foremost proponents of using race and ethnicity as Divide and Conquer/Divide and Rule tactics. The attacks on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are just one approach. They include a broad range of peoples of color, not just African Americans. White nationalism is the antithesis of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. It says that White peoples are entitled exclusively to everything in this country including being the only peoples in this country. Divide and Conquer/Divide and Rule. The United States Supreme Court, after years of supporting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in its rulings, is now opposed to all three principles. Its decisions on redistricting wipe out a number of majority African American congressional districts is just one brazing example.
In truth, it was a joint initiative between the Trump Administration, the U.S. Supreme Court and the legislatures and governors of certain states. It was classic Divide and Conquer. Divide and Conquer/Divide and Rule. Immigration is being used as a Divide and Conquer/Divide and Rule tactic. The President of the United States of America welcomes White South African immigrants. He says that immigrants should come only from Norway, Denmark and Sweden (the whitest of countries), not “shithole countries” (as he called them) from Africa, Asia and South America. The President is married to a European immigrant. In fact, this is his second marriage to a European immigrant. Yet his policies and those of his Administration shout loudly and use violence and force against immigrants. He and his Administration are anti-immigration only for peoples of color. Divide and Conquer/Divide and Rule. The Trump Administration and his fellow travelers used “trans issues” to Divide and Conquer/Divide and Rule. Fewer than 1 percent of the 349 million Americans who live in this country are transgender people. Those who want to play girls sports are fewer than 1/100 of that 1 percent. Yet it is a major political issue, another way to divide citizens of these United States of America. Divide and Conquer/Divide and Rule. Violent crime has been a long running Divide and Conquer tactic. It married violent crime to race and immigrants of color. It makes many citizens who are in the same economic boat afraid of each other. In fact, peoples from all sides want less violent crime. It should be a uniting factor but it is used as a dividing issue by wrongly attributing violent crime just to certain peoples. Divide and Conquer/Divide and Rule. Religion is another Divide and Conquer issue. Muslims are special targets, Muslim candidates are under great attacks. The U.S. Senate Democratic nominee in Michigan is one example. He was born in the United States. He went to public schools in the United States. He worked as a medical doctor in Michigan in the United States for years. The Congresswoman who is Muslim from Minnesota had her home searched last week. She is continuously and viciously attacked by President Trump. Sharia Law is part of the religious divide and conquer tactic. There is no actual issue of Sharia Law in the USA. Jews are also used as a divide and conquer initiative but in a different manner.
Colleges and universities are being attacked by the Trump Administration allegedly because they are discriminating against Jewish students, professors, etc. It is a creation to divide. Divide and Conquer/Divide and Rule. Public education is also being used as a Divide and Conquer issue. Public health is being used as a divide and conquer issue. Public welfare is being used as a Divide and Conquer issue. Rural vs. urban issues and areas are being used as a divide and Conquer issue. Patriotism is being used as a divide and Conquer issue. Gay rights is being used as a Divide and Conquer issue. Poverty is being used as a Divide and Conquer issue. There are so many Divide and Conquer issues in our elections. Divide and Conquer/Divide and Rule. When all is said and done, Divide and Conquer tactics help those in power to stay in power by causing others to fight against each other rather than them. The rich and powerful continue to rule as others are divided. Divide and Conquer/Divide and Rule. Now on to the Daily Diary. Saturday, October 9, 2026 – I handled many matters as I worked into the night. Among others, I communicated with the following: Community leader and builder par excellent Faya Rose Toure; former Administrator of Lowndes County Jackie Thomas; Alabama New South State Coordinator Shelley Fearson; Ainka Sanders Jackson of the Selma Center for Nonviolence and the Bridge Crossing Jubilee; and Karen Jones of Montgomery.
ilyn Cosby and Karen Jackson of Selma; Lowndes County School Superintendent Samita Jeter and Board Chair Steve Foster; Youlanda Curtis of Mobile/Washington Counties; and Coumba Toure Ba of Senegal, West Africa. Tuesday – I handled many matters and worked into the night. Among others, I communicated with the following: Dr. Quinton Ross of Alabama State University; Former Alabama New South Coalition President Everette Wess; and Lametrius Dillard of Selma. Wednesday – I handled many matters, traveled to Montgomery, returned to Selma, chaired a meeting, attended a birthday gathering. And worked into the night. Among others, I communicated with the following: Montgomery businessman Frank Jenkins; Teosha Edmonds of Jackson, Mississippi; Judson Garner and Steve Thompson of Montgomery; and Geraldine Wofford of Selma. Thursday – I handled various matters, traveled to Montgomery, then to Lowndes County for two meetings and returned to Selma. Among others, I communicated with the following: Robert Baxley of Jefferson County; Selma businessman Raymond Craig; Lowndes County School Board members Ben Davis, Travis Rogers and Brant McCray; and Dr. Sonya Webb of the Lowndes County School System.
Sunday – I hosted the Sunday School Lesson with Dr. Margaret Hardy on Facebook Live and worked into the night. Among others, I communicated with the following: Sharon Wheeler of the Selma to Montgomery March Foundation; Josephine Curtis and KC Bailey of Selma; Greene County Leader/Community Builder Dr. Carol P. Zippert; and Former Alabama State Senator Malika Sanders Fortier.
Friday – I handled many matters, voted absentee and worked into the night. Among others, I communicated with the following: Law Professor Kindaka Sanders; Jennifere Smyley of the Craig Field Authority Airport and Industrial; Dr. Fannie McKenzie of McDougal, Georgia.
Monday – I handled various matters, participated in multiple conference calls and worked into the night. Among others, I communicated with the following: Jonathan Raulston of Jefferson County; Lee Copeland of Montgomery County; Amadi Sanders of Selma, Phanecia Young of the National Voting Rights Museum; Karla Wright of Jackson, Mississippi; Mar-
Epilogue – When an approach or tactic has been in use for centuries, that tells us that it is unusually effective. Divide and Conquer/Divide and Rule has been in use for many centuries. The words were used. It was used for centuries well before that time. It is usually a tool of destruction, but it is a reality we have to deal with. Divide and Conquer/Divide and Rule.
Page 6, The Greene County Democrat, Wednesday, October 21, 2026
EarthTalk® From the Editors of E The Environmental Magazine Dear EarthTalk: With all the recent development in robotics, what are some ways environmental advocates are deploying these machines for the benefit of the planet? – Paul U., via email Advanced technology and automated systems are becoming a big part of environmental conservation. Researchers are starting to use smart machines to
Advanced technology and automated systems are becoming a big part of environmental conservation. Credit: Pexels.com tackle large-scale ecological challenges that used to be too hard or dangerous to handle. These tools are changing how scientists protect nature and study our changing planet. While strictly “humanoid” robots—those with two legs and a humanlike torso—are still mostly in the testing phase for rugged outdoor
Raphael Warnock
terrain, highly automated, specialized robots are already making a massive impact on global conservation efforts. One major use is tracking wildlife and keeping an eye on habitat health. Automated ground rovers and flying drones can travel into harsh, remote places—like thick forests or high moun-
Secured through the Department of Defense’s HBCU/MSI program, the funding will support the universities, all of which are actively pursuing R1 status, “the highest classification awarded to research universities in the United States,” according to American University’s Kogod School of Business. Only Howard University has received the distinction, The Washington Post reports. The following universities will be awarded: Clark Atlanta University ($9.78 million); Delaware State University ($10 million); University of the District of Columbia ($9.98 million); Florida A&M University ($10 million); Morgan State University ($10 million); Jackson State University ($7.57 million); Fayetteville State University ($9.90 million); North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University ($10 million); Prairie View A&M University ($9.86 million); and Texas Southern University ($10 million). “For too long, HBCUs have gone unrecognized for their contributions to our nation’s leading STEM industry,” Warnock said in the press release. “These institutions serve as stewards of academic excellence and innovation, and this federal investment specifically
tains—without disturbing the animals living there. Armed with artificial intelligence and thermal imaging, these machines monitor endangered populations and track poachers in real time. Experts note that “The application of robotics in the field of biodiversity presents innovative solutions to complex environmental challenges.” In the water, specialized marine robots and automated sailboats dive deep into the ocean. Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) check water quality, measure carbon levels, and assess damage in fragile coral reefs or deep-sea areas where humans cannot easily swim or stay for long periods. Some underwater robots are even designed to map the seafloor or track the migration patterns of marine megafauna, providing critical data for creating
marine protected areas. Robots are also stepping in to handle invasive species and help restore damaged environments. As these machines work outdoors, “These robots can work tirelessly to control populations of species that threaten biodiversity, using physical removal methods or administering targeted treatments with minimal impact on native species.” For example, autonomous underwater drones are deployed to eliminate the destructive crown-of-thorns starfish on the Great Barrier Reef. On land, advanced robotic systems can pull agricultural weeds mechanically without chemical pesticides, or fire seed-pods into deforested areas to plant new trees much faster than human crews. On the industrial and city side, automated systems are
cleaning up urban spaces. Air quality monitoring robots check pollution levels in real time, while smart recycling plants use machine vision and robotic arms to sort waste quickly, keeping useful materials out of landfills. All of these tech tools connect directly to larger international environmental goals. According to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), “Environmental Stewardship: The use of robots extends to recycling, waste management, and renewable energy, demonstrating their role in promoting sustainability.” By taking over dangerous, repetitive, or logistically impossible tasks, robotics has transitioned from a futuristic concept into an essential toolkit for safeguarding Earth's future.
in STEM programs honors that legacy of greatness and expands opportunity for the next generation of scientists.” Since he started his term in 2022, Warnock has helped HBCUs in the U.S. receive $17 billion in funding, with nearly $275 million allocated to those universities in Georgia. HBCU Research Capacity Act Warnock’s additional efforts include the bipartisan HBCU Research Capacity Act, which was introduced March 24, 2026, alongside Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) in the presence of more than 30 HBCU presidents, as AFROTECHTM previously reported. It would support a federally coordinated website to make STEM research and development funding opportunities more accessible to HBCUs. “Despite not always having every tool at their disposal, HBCUs continue to make massive contributions to the research and development community,” Warnock said at the time. “This bipartisan bill will make securing federal dollars for their research efforts that much easier, and I am proud to work alongside another champion of HBCUs in Senator Katie Britt.”
Ilhan Omar The search immediately drew accusations of political intimidation from Omar’s supporters, who pointed to President Donald Trump’s repeated attacks on the Minnesota congresswoman and questioned the timing of an investigation targeting one of his most outspoken critics. “Representative Omar is a dedicated public servant and a true ally for working families, and Donald Trump has done nothing but use racist tropes and stereotypes to attack her,” said Joel Payne, MoveOn’s chief communications officer. “Now, he’s abusing his power to physically intimidate and harass her.” A Justice Department spokeswoman acknowledged that Homeland Security Investigations agents, part of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, searched a District residence as part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation. The ICE spokeswoman declined to provide additional information or publicly identify the person under investigation. According to published reports, the warrant identified possible violations involving false statements, immigration document fraud and conspiracy. Federal investigators have also examined questions concerning Omar’s finances, campaign funds and interactions with foreign citizens. No criminal charges against the congresswoman were identified, but Monday’s search occurred less than four weeks before voters decided whether to return Omar to Congress. The investigation follows months of public accusations from senior Trump administration officials, including Vice President JD Vance, who previously claimed that Omar committed immigration fraud. In an interview with conservative commentator Benny Johnson, Vance asserted, without publicly presenting evidence, that the administration believed Omar had broken immigration laws. He also said he and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller had discussed how to pursue the allegations. “What are the legal remedies now that we know that she’s committed immigration fraud?” Vance asked during the interview. “How do you go after her? How do you investigate her?” Omar has repeatedly rejected the accusations, including claims that she married her brother to facilitate immigration fraud. Her office dismissed Vance’s allegations in March as fabricated and defamatory. Questions about the investigation intensified in August when Immigration and Customs Enforcement refused to release records sought under the Freedom of Information Act concerning allegations surrounding Omar’s 2009 marriage to Ahmed Nur Said Elmi. Other news outlets suggested that Omar had falsified her age at 17, rather than 18, at
the time her father became a naturalized US citizen. At the age of 17, she was automatically granted citizenship, as a minor under her father’s citizenship application. If she was 18, at that time, she would have had to submit a separate application for citizenship, on her own. The agency cited an exemption allowing law enforcement authorities to withhold records when disclosure could interfere with enforcement proceedings. The refusal did not establish that Omar committed fraud or, at the time, confirmed that she was personally under investigation. Omar, who came to the United States as a refugee from Somalia, was elected to Congress in 2018 and became one of the first two Muslim women to serve in the House. She represents Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, which includes Minneapolis, and has frequently challenged Trump over immigration enforcement, civil rights, and his administration’s treatment of immigrant communities. Her confrontations with the administration have made her a recurring target of the president’s political attacks. The criminal investigation also follows a frightening incident earlier this year in which Omar was physically attacked during a public appearance. On Jan. 27, a man attacked Omar during a town hall meeting at the National Urban League’s Twin Cities headquarters in Minneapolis. The incident prompted condemnation from the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation and its Black Women’s Roundtable, which demanded accountability and warned against political violence. “We are shocked and extremely disturbed by the attack on Rep. Ilhan Omar yesterday while she attempted to address the critical issues and chaos swirling around in Minneapolis,” Melanie L. Campbell, president and CEO of the coalition and national convener of the Black Women’s Roundtable, said in a Jan. 28 statement. Campbell praised Omar for continuing to speak out despite threats against her. “We believe that NO public official should be threatened or physically attacked, especially when they are serving in the best interests of their constituents,” Campbell said. “Political violence and intimidation have no place in our democracy.” Former President Obama also issued a statement in support of Congresswoman Omar and argued that she was being unfairly harassed by the Trump Administration. MoveOn, the progressive advocacy organization, accused Trump of using federal law enforcement to intimidate a political opponent and urged voters to respond at the ballot box. “On Nov. 3rd, we get our chance to fight back and hold him and his corrupt administration accountable,” Payne said.
Data Center The proposed facility would occupy farmland in Burkville near the junction of U.S. 80 and Alabama 21. The agenda for the commission’s 10-minute Tuesday meeting included a resolution to call a special meeting later this month to consider the tax break. Commissioner Robert Harris instead moved to vote on the abatement itself, and the commission approved it 32.A Lowndes County resident and leaders of the NAACP, the Alabama Rivers Alliance, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Southern Environmental Law Center condemned the commission’s decision to grant the tax break without prior public notice or time for public comments. They criticized what they described as a lack of transparency surrounding the proposal. In a written statement Thursday, Abre’ Conner, the NAACP’s director of environmental and climate justice, argued that the commission disregarded residents’ concerns about the project’s environmental impacts and previous calls for greater public transparency by approving the tax break. “The vote in Lowndes County represents a larger trend in the state and in the County to leave the people most impacted out of the decisions and force data centers into places that are already bearing the brunt of environmental and climate harms,” Conner said. “This comes for the vague possibility of economic gain. The reasonable questions that residents want to understand are regarding the environmental impacts, and the County refuses to respond despite its legal duty to do so.” “If the community’s life span decreases because of empty promises of a better future, does the County believe that justifies rewriting clear open meeting act rules? We will fight to ensure that fossil fuel infrastructure is not forced into places without even a fair opportunity for meaningful engagement,” Conner said. The site is roughly six miles southwest of Montgomery along the historic Montgomery Civil Rights Trail. Because the proposed center’s site is in an unincorporated area, the county does not have planning and zoning authority over the property. If completed, the facility would become Alabama’s largest data center and would be approximately four times the size of Meta’s existing facility 12 miles away in Montgomery County. The developer estimated the facility would need up to 10,000 gallons of water per day from the Pintlala Water System and is requesting 1.5 gigawatts of power—equivalent to the electricity demand of roughly 900,000 Alabama homes. “What we witnessed on Tuesday was disgraceful. Lowndes County government officials have blatantly discouraged public access and input into such a consequential decision that will impact generations to come,” Ryan Anderson, a staff attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center, said. “Residents deserve far better than unchecked claims of economic benefit and backroom deals when a decision of this magnitude is made on their behalf.” Charles Miller, policy director of the Alabama Rivers Alliance, similarly described the approval as part of a trend of data center developers pushing projects forward without considering Lowndes County residents’ concerns. “For going on two years now, we’ve seen out-of-state developers force hyperscale data centers into Alabama communities where they are not wanted. We’ve seen local politicians do the bidding of big tech, while ignoring their constituents,” Miller said. “Ifthis is ‘just how things are done,’ in Lowndes County or anywhere else in our state, something has to
change in Alabama.” The data center is projected , , after allowance for the abatement to generate $124 million in local tax revenue and $25 million in state revenue annually. Construction is expected to begin as soon as 2027. The NAACP said the developer has not disclosed its wastewater disposal plan, raising concerns that Lowndes County is ill-equipped to handle the proposed facility’s increased water demand and wastewater output. If built, the project would be in a community where 80 percent of residents lack a reliable sewage system in their homes. “This is not a county with surplus water, power, or sewer capacity waiting to be put to use,” the NAACP wrote. “Lowndes County draws national and international attention for its sanitation crisis.” Todd Gleason, senior litigating counsel for the Natural Resources Defense Council, argued that the commission has undermined its constituents’ trust through what he described as a lack of transparency from the commission and developer about the center’s potential impacts. “The Lowndes County Commission serves the people first. But their continued underhanded, back door deals are fueling distrust in this project and in the commission,” Gleason said. The commission and the facility’s developer, Houston-based Cloverleaf Infrastructure, have not disclosed the data center’s end user. Cloverleaf Infrastructure was incorporated in 2024 and has collaborated with tech giants such as Nvidia, Meta, OpenAI, Oracle and Google on data center development projects. “Cloverleaf is in the press saying they won’t ‘work in communities where this type of development is unwelcome.’ I don’t think there’s a place in this country where Cloverleaf is less welcome than Lowndes County,” Lowndes County resident Adrian Johnson said. “These developers have completely underestimated Lowndes County, thinking we would fall for their dubious claims. Cloverleaf has made it clear they do not respect our community, or way of life.” In August, more than 350 Lowndes County residents signed a petition urging the commission to take steps they said would improve public transparency surrounding the hyperscale data center proposal. Signatories requested that the commission: Comply with an Open Records Act request submitted by the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Southern Environmental Law Center by providing all records on the proposed data center. Make public the entities involved in developing Project Red Clay. Disclose all data on water and energy use projections, wastewater disposal plans, economic projections, employment estimates, infrastructure impacts and all other details. Develop a county-run online dashboard to house all relevant information on Project Red Clay and make it publicly accessible. APR left a message with Cloverleaf Infrastructure seeking a response to the statements from Johnson, the NAACP, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Southern Environmental Law Center and the Alabama Rivers Alliance. This story will be updated if the company responds.
The Greene County Democrat, Wednesday, October 21, 2026, Page 7
--Statewide Amendments-STATE OF ALABAMA PROCLAMATION BY THE GOVERNOR WHEREAS the Alabama Legislature at its 2026 Regular Session enacted Act No. 2026-341 (SB271), Act No. 2026378 (HB380), Act No. 2026-379 (HB511), and Act No. 2026-424 (SB5), proposing amendments to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022; WHEREAS, in conformity with Section 284 of the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, as amended, the Legislature has ordered an election by the qualified electors of the state upon such proposed amendments; and WHEREAS notice of this election, together with the proposed amendments, is required by law to be given by proclamation of the Governor, which shall be published once a week for at least four successive weeks immediately preceding the day appointed for the election; NOW, THEREFORE, I, Kay Ivey, as Governor of the State of Alabama, do hereby give notice, direct, and proclaim that on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, an election will be held in the State of Alabama in the manner and form provided by law upon the following proposed amendments to the Constitution of 2022 of the State of Alabama: AMENDMENT PROPOSED BY ACT NO. 2026-341 PART I. Section 127 of the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, is amended to read as follows: “Section 127 (a) In case of the governor's removal from office, death or resignation If a vacancy occurs in the office of the governor, the lieutenant governor shall become governor. (b) If both a vacancy occurs in the office of the governor and the office of the lieutenant governor be removed from office, die or resign more than sixty 60 days prior to the next general election, at which any state officers are to be elected, a governor and lieutenant governor shall be elected at such election for the unexpired
term., and in the event of a vacancy in the office, caused by the removal from office, death or resignation of the governor and lieutenant governor, pendingDuring such vacancy and until their successors shall be elected and qualified, the office of governor shall be held and administered by either the president pro tem.tempore of the senate, speaker of the house of representatives, attorney-general, state auditor, secretary of state, or state treasurer in the order herein named. (c) In case of the impeachment of the governor, his or her absence from the state for more than twenty days, unsoundness of mind, or other disability or incapacity to serve, the power and authority of the office shall, until the governor is acquitted, returns to the state, or is restored to his mind, or relieved from other disabilityno longer incapacitated, shall devolve in the order herein named,described in subsection (b) upon the lieutenant governor, president pro tem.tempore of the senate, speaker of the house of representatives, attorney-general, state auditor, secretary of state, and state treasurer. If any of these officers be are under any of the disabilities herein specified, the office of the governor shall be administered in the order named by such of these officers as may be are free from such disability. (d) If the governor shall be is absent from the state over twenty days, the secretary of state shall notify the lieutenant governor, who shall enter upon the duties of governor; if both the governor and lieutenant governor shall be are absent from the state over twenty days, the secretary of state shall notify the president pro tem.tempore of the senate, who shall enter upon the duties of governor, and so on, in case of such absence, he or she shall notify each of the other officers named in their the order of succession herein provided, who shall discharge the duties of the office until the governor or other officer entitled to administer the office in succession to the gover-
nor returns. (e) If the governor-elect fail or refuse from any cause to qualify, the lieutenant governor-elect shall qualify and exercise the duties of governor until the governor-elect qualifies.; and in the event both If both the governor-elect and the lieutenant governor-elect from any cause for any reason fail to qualify, the president pro tem. tempore of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the attorney-general, state auditor, secretary of state, and state treasurer, shall, in like manner, in the order named, administer the office until the governorelect or lieutenant governor-elect qualifies. (f) If a vacancy occurs in the office of the lieutenant governor more than 60 days before the next general election at which any state officers are to be elected, a lieutenant governor shall be elected at such general election for the unexpired term.” PART II. The following provision is added to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022 to read as follows: Notwithstanding any other provision of the constitution: (1) The Lieutenant Governor and officers of both houses of the Legislature shall be paid an amount set by joint resolution; and (2) Any expenditure of funds appropriated for use by members of the Legislature for travel shall be approved by an officer of the Legislature elected from the full membership of the respective chamber. AMENDMENT PROPOSED BY ACT NO. 26378 (a) Whenever two or more contiguous county boards of education deem it advisable to consolidate the administration of their respective county school systems under one remaining controlling multicounty board of education, each county board of education shall adopt and record within the minutes of each board an agreement providing for the consolidation. A formal resolution adopted by all members of the agreeing boards shall
detail and provide for the payment of their respective indebtedness, specify how the consolidation will take place, identify how the remaining controlling multicounty board of education will operate, provide for the roles and duties of the resulting multi-county board members, and designate the time frame during which the consolidation will be implemented. Subject to subsection (c), the consolidation shall be finalized as designated in the formal resolution. (b) Before a consolidation may occur, the State Board of Education shall conduct an impact study on the potential effects of the proposed consolidation, including, but not limited to, the impact on students, families, educational quality, educational programs, staff, facilities, transportation and operations, finances and taxes, community identity, and governance. At least 30 calendar days before adopting the formal resolution finalizing the consolidation, the State Board of Education shall post a copy of the impact study on the public website of the State Department of Education. (c)(1) If, within 30 days after the adoption of the formal resolution, 25 percent of the qualified electors residing within the boundaries of any of the school systems proposing consolidation submit a protest, in writing, to any of the affected county boards of education, the consolidation may not occur unless the consolidation is approved by a majority of the qualified electors residing in each county or counties wherein all affected county school systems are located who vote in a referendum election as provided in this subsection. (2) The consolidation shall become operative only if approved by a majority of the qualified electors who reside within the combined territory of the affected county school systems who vote in a referendum election to be held on the date of the next regularly scheduled general election. The order setting the election shall be en-
---Legal Notices-INVITATION TO BID Sealed bids will be received by the Greene County Board of Education at its Central Office, at 220 Main Street, Eutaw, Alabama 35462 for petroleum products. Bids shall be sealed and marked "BID on Petroleum Products 2026-2027" and delivered or mailed to reach said office by 9:59 a.m. on October 29, 2026. Bid packets may be obtained by visiting the Board's website, greenecoboe.greene.k12.al. us or by calling the Greene County Board of Education at 205-372-3109. If additional information is required, please contact: Dr. Timothy Thurman, Superintendent or Mr. James Gaines, Transportation Supervisor 4tcg 10, 7, 14, 21, 28 A D V E RT I S E M E N T FOR BIDS GREENE COUNTY INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY 111 MAIN STREET EUTAW, ALABAMA 35462
Separate sealed BIDS for the WHERETO ROAD RESURFACING PROJECT will be received by THE GREENE COUNTY INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (GCIDA) at the GCIDA conference room, located at 111 Main Street, Eutaw, Alabama, 35462, until 10:00 o'clock a.m. (local time) Wednesday, November 11, 2026, and then at said office publicly opened and read aloud. The project will consist of the following approximate quantities of work: approximately 900 tons of Asphalt Wearing Surface and 100 tons of asphalt patching and all other labor, material, equipment, and work required or implied by the Contract Documents (Plans and Specifications). The CONTRACT DOCUMENTS may be examined and obtained at The Greene County Industrial Development Authority, located at 111 Main Street, Eutaw, Alabama, 35462 or by emailing
bruce@porterhigginbotham.com. Contract Documents may be obtained upon deposit of $75.00. Deposit will be refunded, less the cost of printing, distribution, and reproduction, assuming documents are returned in reusable condition within 10 days of bid opening.
permits required by applicable law, rule, or regulation of the performance of the work. Upon submission of proposal, Bidders must submit their Contractor’s license number and a copy of said license. Any bid not containing a current license number shall be rejected.
The GCIDA will not enter a contract with a nonresident corporation or entity which is not qualified under State law to do business in the State of Alabama.
Each Bidder must submit with its bid a cashier’s check drawn on an Alabama bank or a fully executed bid bond on the form that is contained in the Contract Documents executed by a surety company duly authorized and qualified to make bond in the State of Alabama. All bonds, sureties and/or cashier checks shall be made payable to the Greene County Industrial Development Board for an amount not less than 5 percent of the Engineer’s estimated cost of the project or of the total bid in the proposal. In no event shall the amount be more than $10,000.00.
All Bidders shall possess all other licenses and/or
See Legal Notices , p. 9
Prequalification of Bidders is not required. However, Bidders must meet the minimum requirements included in the Contract Documents. Attention of Bidders is called to the provisions of State law governing “General Contractors”, as set forth in AL Code 34-8-1, et seq. (1975), and rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto.
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tered by the judge of probate of each affected county within one month after the expiration of the 30-day time period provided in subdivision (1). Notice of the election shall be given by the judge of probate of each county, and the election shall be held, conducted, and the results canvassed in the manner as other county elections. The ballots shall have printed at the top a statement of the purpose of the referendum election and directly underneath, in plain type and on different lines, the words, “For Consolidation,” and “Against Consolidation.” If a majority of the qualified electors voting in the combined territory of the affected county school systems vote to approve the consolidation, the consolidation shall be finalized as designated in the formal resolution. (d) The consolidation shall not operate to relieve any board of education, or other governing body, of liability for obligations previously incurred, or to impair rights existing before the consolidation. The agreement and formal resolution shall be binding on the combining county boards of education. If a consolidation occurs, the remaining controlling multi-county board of education shall have the right to compel the execution of contractual obligations made to any of the boards before the consolidation. (e) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules as necessary to provide for the implementation of this section. (f) The Legislature, by general or local law, may enact legislation to implement approved board consolidations pursuant to this section. AMENDMENT PROPOSED BY ACT NO. 2026-379 (a) Each local board of education shall adopt a policy requiring each public K-12 school under its jurisdiction, at the beginning of each school day, to conduct The Pledge of Allegiance to the United States flag and give all students the opportunity to voluntarily recite The Pledge of Allegiance to the
United States flag. (b) Each local board of education shall adopt a policy requiring each public K-12 school under its jurisdiction to allow a prayer to be conducted, provided that: (1) The prayer must be initiated by and led by a student; and (2) No student may be required to participate in a prayer. (c) Any policy adopted by a local board of education pursuant to this section shall ensure that students have the right to opt out of participation in the Pledge of Allegiance or the prayer based on their own beliefs. (d) Violations of this section may be reported to the local superintendent of education. The local superintendent of education shall review the violation. AMENDMENT PROPOSED BY ACT NO. 2026-424 (a) Each local board of education shall adopt a policy requiring each public K-12 school under its jurisdiction to broadcast The Star-Spangled Banner during school hours, at least once per week. (b)(1) A local board of education shall select for broadcast, pursuant to subsection (a), any recording of the first stanza of The Star-Spangled Banner that is archived within the Library of Congress and available on the Library of Congress website. (2) A local board of education, alternatively, may adopt a policy allowing, during school hours, for the performance of the first stanza of The StarSpangled Banner from original sheet music, archived within the Library of Congress and available on its website, by a schoolsanctioned band program, choral program, vocal group, or vocalist. FURTHER, I proclaim and direct that this proclamation shall be published once a week for the four successive weeks immediately preceding Tuesday, November 3, 2026, in every county as required by law. 4tcg 10/7,14,21,28
Page 8, The Greene County Democrat, Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Zion Friendship Baptist Church celebrates Pink Sunday
First Lady Bert Coleman (left), guest speaker Linda Davis, and Reverend Harrison Coleman
Examples of the London Fog winter coats donated to children present at Pink Sunday
What a blessing it was at Zion Friendship Baptist Church last Sunday. Not only did we celebrate Pink Sunday with our special guest speaker, Ms. Linda Davis, but we were also blessed with a donation of new London Fog children's coats to distribute to families throughout our community! What a beautiful reminder that ministry extends beyond the walls of the church. As we raise awareness, encourage one another, and celebrate God's goodness, we are also called to be a blessing to others. We are grateful for Ms. Davis, everyone who joined us for Pink Sunday, and those who helped make this opportunity to serve our community possible. Faith in action. Love in action. Ministry in action. "Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." — 1 John 3:18
GREENE COUNTY GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 3RD , 2026 ELECTION POLL WORKER LIST DISTRICT 1:_MACHINE_1 (WILLIAM MCKINLEY BRANCH COURTHOUSE) INSPECTOR/PROVISIONAL OFFICER: Anastashia Rice INSPECTOR/PROVISIONAL OFFICER: Julia Carter REGISTRATION CLERK: Jonathan Woodruff BALLOT COUNTER CLERK: Earnestine Saxton DISTRICT_1:_MACHINE_2 (MANTUA FIRE DEPARTMENT) INSPECTOR/PROVISIONAL OFFICER: Norman L. Cotton INSPECTOR/PROVISIONAL OFFICER: Lucy Spann REGISTRATION CLERK: Kathy Morrow BALLOT COUNTER CLERK: Veola Talley DISTRICT_1:_MACHINE_3 (JENA FIRE STATION) INSPECTOR/PROVISIONAL OFFICER: Natasha Ward INSPECTOR/PROVISIONAL OFFICER: Devin Underwood REGISTRATION CLERK: D’Eric Dixon BALLOT COUNTER CLERK: Antoinette S. Ward DISTRICT_1:_MACHINE_4 (UNION FIRE STATION) INSPECTOR/PROVISIONAL OFFICER: Helen Sanford INSPECTOR/PROVISIONAL OFFICER: Rosa Carpenter Davis REGISTRATION CLERK: Gene Colvin BALLOT COUNTER CLERK: Betty Turman DISTRICT_1:_MACHINE_5 (KNOXVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT) INSPECTOR/PROVISIONAL OFFICER: Latitia Rodgers INSPECTOR/PROVISIONAL OFFICER: John Earl Smith REGISTRATION CLERK: Sabrina Davis BALLOT COUNTER CLERK: Fayrene Smith DISTRICT_2:_MACHINE_1 (NATIONAL GUARD ARMORY) TABLE #1 INSPECTOR/PROVISIONAL OFFICER: Pinnia Hines INSPECTOR/PROVISIONAL OFFICER: Kimberly Tyree REGISTRATION CLERK: Stephanie Kiel REGISTRATION CLERK: Mary Joyce Hann BALLOT COUNTER CLERK:
Clara Woods TABLE #2 REGISTRATION CLERK: Alexis Jordan REGISTRATION CLERK: Marilyn Cork BALLOT COUNTER CLERK: Willie M. Davis DISTRICT_2:_MACHINE_2 (BAMA BINGO) INSPECTOR/PROVISIONAL OFFICER: Felicia Smith INSPECTOR/PROVISIONAL OFFICER: Mollie Gaines REGISTRATION CLERK: Ernest Coleman BALLOT COUNTER CLERK: Hattie Sanford DISTRICT_3:_MACHINE_1 (EUTAW ACTIVITY CENTER) INSPECTOR/PROVISIONAL OFFICER: Veronica Jordan INSPECTOR/PROVISIONAL OFFICER: Cynthia Crawford REGISTRATION CLERK: Marnesha Brooks BALLOT COUNTER CLERK: Jessie W. Underwood DISTRICT_3:_MACHINE_2 (BROWN-MORROW CENTER-BRANCH HEIGHTS) INSPECTOR/PROVISIONAL OFFICER: Jacqueline Allen INSPECTOR/PROVISIONAL OFFICER: Joe L. Powell REGISTRATION CLERK: Martha Brooks BALLOT COUNTER CLERK: Elzora Fluker DISTRICT_4:_MACHINE_1 (FORKLAND CITY HALL) TABLE #1 INSPECTOR/PROVISIONAL OFFICER: Ridgeway Gaines INSPECTOR/PROVISIONAL OFFICER: LaMeka Woods Bryant REGISTRATION CLERK: Lula McClore REGISTRATION CLERK: Fannie Croxton BALLOT COUNTER CLERK: Daisy Gilbert TABLE #2 REGISTRATION CLERK: Lillie R. Thomas REGISTRATION CLERK: Breneeshia Turner BALLOT COUNTER CLERK: Dorothy Vasser DISTRICT_4:_MACHINE_2 (TISHABEE COMMUNITY CENTER) INSPECTOR/PROVISIONAL OFFICER: Debra Waiters INSPECTOR/PROVISIONAL OFFICER: Bettye Jo Blake REGISTRATION CLERK: Maketia Bevelle BALLOT COUNTER CLERK: Nicole Henley DISTRICT_5:_MACHINE_1 (BOLIGEE FIRE STATION)
TABLE #1 INSPECTOR/PROVISIONAL OFFICER: Jacqueline Archibald INSPECTOR/PROVISIONAL OFFICER: Valerie Walton REGISTRATION CLERK: Teresa B. Constantine REGISTRATION CLERK: Sharlene French BALLOT COUNTER CLERK: Maggie Oliver TABLE #2 REGISTRATION CLERK: Jennifer Watkins REGISTRATION CLERK: Carrie Merritt BALLOT COUNTER CLERK: Ida Bonner DISTRICT_5:_MACHINE_2 (WEST GREENE FIRE DEPT) INSPECTOR/PROVISIONAL OFFICER: Brenda Speights INSPECTOR/PROVISIONAL OFFICER: Rosa Stewart Davis REGISTRATION CLERK: Peggy Craig BALLOT COUNTER CLERK: Willie Cheatem DISTRICT_5:_MACHINE_3 (THE SPOT) INSPECTOR/PROVISIONAL OFFICER: Daisy Hutton INSPECTOR/PROVISIONAL OFFICER: Grace Summerville REGISTRATION CLERK: Sara Simpson BALLOT COUNTER CLERK: Marstine Rice ABSENTEE (CITY HALL) INSPECTORS/PROVISIONAL OFFICERS: Ezra Kenneth Aycock Edna James CLERKS: Vivian Jordan Murcury Lee COUNTING CENTER: (W.M. BRANCH COURTHOUSE) INSPECTORS/PROVISIONAL OFFICERS: Mia Jordan Melinda Oates CLERKS: Jimirriam Roscoe Emma Jackson This certifies that the names listed herewith have been appointed to serve as POLLING OFFICIALS for the NOVEMBER 3RD, 2026 GENERAL ELECTION. NOTE: IF FOR ANY REASON ONE NAMED CANNOT SERVE, PLEASE CONTACT THE ELECTION MANAGER IMMEDIATELY AT: (205) 3726945. THE APPOINTING BOARD: CHIEF ELECTION OFFICIAL/PROBATE JUDGE: Rolonda M. Wedgeworth CIRCUIT CLERK/ ABSENTEE MANAGER: Veronica Morton Jones SHERIFF APPOINTEE: Teresa Carpenter
The Greene County Democrat, Wednesday, October 21, 2026, Page 9
Carolyn’s Tid Bits...by Carolyn Young line. They put in just enough effort to get a passing grade. Then there are those how realize that just enough is not good enough. They excel in anything they commit themselves to doing. They constantly raise the bar to see just how high they can jump. Do no settle for just enough. There are those who do just enough to get by. They slip in just under the dead-
Happy Birthday to Willie Atkins, Jr., Augustus Cook, LaChardonnay
Chisolm, Brooklyn Bester, Long, Christyn Jordan Callanan, Alberta Mildred Johnson, Catherine Hodges Bell, Donna Davis, Jake Anderson, III., Randell Curtez Byrd, Paulk, Nicole Henley Longmire, Larry Rogers, Morgan Palmer, Marlon Palmer, Kameron Craig, Keisha Williams, Rongie Wesley, Jamarcus Crowell, Shaneen Morrow, Morgan Palmer, Tamela Rancher, Landon Johnson, Carlos
Jackson, Eric Fields, GreShatara gory Taggart, Hunter, Aleria Young, Portia Crawford, Ava Elise Walton. Happy Anniversary to Mr. and Mrs. Cleve & Valentine Spencer. “Never say never. Sommetimes the things you think’ll never happen, do .”
2tcg 10. 2, 28 NOTICE OF ELECTION GREENE COUNTY, ALABAMA PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE GENERAL & CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT ELECTION WILL
BE HELD ON THE DATE LISTED BELOW AT ALL REGULAR POLLING PLACES IN GREENE COUNTY FROM 7:00 A.M. TO 7:00 P.M. GENERAL AND CONSITUTIONAL AMENDMENT ELECTION GREENE COUNTY, ALABAMA NOVEMBER 3RD, 2026 THE FOLLOWING OFFICE WILL BE ON THE BALLOT TO BE VOTED ON: GOVERNOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR UNITED STATES SENATOR UNITED STATES REP7TH RESENTATIVE, CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY GENERAL SENATOR, STATE DISTRICT NO. 24 STATE REPRESENTATIVE, DISTRICT NO. 72 ASSOCIATE JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT, PLACE 7 ASSOCIATE JUSTICE
OF THE SUPREME COURT, PLACE 8 COURT OF CIVIL APPEALS JUDGE, PLACE 4 COURT OF CIVIL APPEALS JUDGE, PLACE 5 SECRETARY OF STATE STATE TREASURER STATE AUDITOR COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE AND INDUSTRIES PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, PLACE NO. 1 PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, PLACE NO. 2 STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION, DISTRICT NO. 4 DISTRICT COURT JUDGE, GREENE COUNTY, PLACE NO. 1 GREENE COUNTY SHERIFF GREENE COUNTY COMMISSION, DISTRICT NO. 1 GREENE COUNTY COMMISSION, DISTRICT NO. 2 GREENE COUNTY DISCOMMISSION, TRICT NO. 3 GREENE COUNTY
The Greene County Highway Department is seeking:
HEAVY EQUIPMENT MECHANIC •Drivers License Required •Repairs Automotive & Heavy Equipment •Performs Maintenance on Automotive & Heavy Equipment
TEMPORARY WORKERS FOR HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT •Driver License is required •Semi-Skilled Work •Operates Light to Heavy Equipment Apply at Greene County Highway Department 521 Prairie Avenue Eutaw, Alabama 35462 (205) 372-3302
--Legal Notice-Notice is Hereby Given that the following vehicle has been left abandoned and unclaimed on the property of Christopher McCollum, Sr. Vehicle Description: 2012 Brown Kia Soul The owner of this vehicle is hereby notified that they must contact Christopher McCollum, Sr at (205) 292-0788 within 35 days from the date of this to make publication arrangements to remove the vehicle and satisfy the outstanding charges. If the vehicle is not claimed and removed within the specified time frame, it will be declared abandoned, following the expiration of this notice.
NOTICE
COMMISSION, DISTRICT NO. 4 GREENE COUNTY COMMISSION, DISTRICT NO. 5 GREENE COUNTY REVENUE COMMISSIONER GREENE COUNTY CORONER GREENE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION, DISTRICT NO. 3 GREENE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION, DISTRICT NO. 4 GREENE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION, DISTRICT NO. 5 STATEWIDE AMENDMENT 1 STATEWIDE AMENDMENT 2 STATEWIDE AMENDMENT 3 STATEWIDE AMENDMENT 4
Hours of Operation: 7:00 am-3:00 pm Monday –Friday Timeline to Apply: Ongoing Greene County Highway Department Is an Equal Opportunity Employer
___________________ ROLONDA M. WEDGEWORTH PROBATE JUDGE AND CHIEF ELECTION OFFICIAL
GCHS seniors attend College Fair in Demopolis
read the Greene County Democrat online at: www.greenecodemcrat.com
Greene County High School seniors participated in the Marengo/Greene/Sumter College Fair at Demopolis High School. Students had the opportunity to connect with college recruiters from across Alabama, explore their college options, and gather valuable information as they prepare for their next chapter after high school. We’re excited to see where the future takes them.
Page 10, The Greene County Democrat, Wednesday, october 21, 2026
JoSHUa J. SWorDS
The Democrat
“Serving West Alabama like no other Community Newspaper”
SUBSCRIPTION Name____________________________________ RATES $25 Greene Address__________________________________ County residents City________ State______________ Zip________
Attorney at Law Tuscaloosa County Office 600 Lurleen B. Wallace Blvd S. Courthouse Plaza, Suite 120 Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
JSwords@Swordslaw. com Phone: 205-409-0673 Facsimile: 205-409-0672 Tuscaloosa, Al 35401
email_________________________Phone_____________
$30 alabama residents
PHONE : 205-372-3373
$35 out-of-State residents
FAX: 205-372-2243
Mail to: The Greene County Democrat P.o. Box 598 eutaw, al 35462
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