Hugine on Significance of Voting, p. 8 FREE Friday September 18, 2020 Vol. 7, No. 2 On Being Spiritually Ambidextrous, p. 2 ValleyWeeklyllc.com Butch Damson, p. 2 “Democracy is not just the right to vote, it is the right to live in dignity.” - Naomi Klein POSITIVE-INSPIRATIONAL-EDUCATIONAL Alabama Colleges Get $72M from CARES Act Festifall at the Garden Begins with Scarecrow Trail Festifall at the Huntsville Botanical Garden show- Meredith Culver cases the annual Scarecrow Tuskegee University Main Entrance Trail through October 5! The Scarecrow Trail is a Last Thursday, Septem- tions in the three broad College, $514,090; Selma Council’s District 5 Runoff family tradition featuring ber 10, Alabama Governor categories of state-funded University, $210,521; and fun, scarecrows created by Kay Ivey awarded over two-year institutions ($27.3 Talladega College, $30,178. Set for October 6 local community members. $72 million in CARES Act million), state-funded Other Valley-area The Scarecrow Trail is in- funding to higher educa- four-year institutions ($25 institutions receiving fund- The Huntsville City for City Council District 5. cluded with Garden admis- tion institutions in the million) and independent ing were: Alabama A&M Council canvassed and Voters will choose between sion. For more informa- state. colleges ($20 million). University, $2.96 million; certified the results of candidates Will Culver and tion, visit hsvbg.org. The money will allow Five private Alabama AAMU-Miles Consortium, the August 25 municipal John Meredith on October the schools to purchase HBCUs received funding: $1 million; Athens State election and declared the 6. Madison County additional technology and Tuskegee University, $1.9 University, $2 million; following candidates re- Meredith, son of the infrastructure related to million; Oakwood Uni- UAH, $3.3 million; and elected for a term to begin well-known civil rights Absentee Ballot providing remote instruc- versity, $1.5 million; Miles UNA, $2.7 million. on November 2, 2020: icon James Meredith, has Application tion and distance learn- Tommy Battle – Mayor said that education and ing, according to a press Devyn Keith – District 1 quality of life will be a pri- release. City Council Member ority. He is a retired owner Physical Address: 100 Northside Square, “COVID-19 has ex- Michelle Watkins – of the Meredith Advocacy posed deficiencies in our District 1 School Board Group. Huntsville, Alabama, 35801 remote learning capa- Carlos Matthews – District Culver was first elected bilities, and I am pleased 5 School Board Member to the Huntsville City Mailing Address: to award our institutions of INSIDE THIS ISSUE! In a separate action, Council in 2008 and served higher education the criti- Spotlight on Elders, Page 2 having opened and counted as President of the City 100 Northside Square, cal funds to enhance their H.C. Blake Art & History Center, Page 4 provisional ballots with Council for one year in Huntsville, Alabama, instructional experience,” Real Talk, M’Brothers, Page 6 City Clerk-Treasurer 2015-2016. He previously 35801 said Governor Ivey. PowerShot, Page 7 Ken Benion, the Council served as Chief Magistrate. The funding supported declared a run-off election Phone Number: A&M Hosting Virtua Hackathon, Page 7 (256) 532-3684 higher learning institu- Why You Should Vote, Page 8 2 September 18, 2020 Spotlight on Our Elders ... Featuring Mrs. Butch Damson Mrs. Butch Kohler Dam- committee member for numer- son was born in Pittsburgh, ous organizations. Pa., and moved to Huntsville, Some include: Chairman of Alabama, in 1953. She is the the Board, Burritt Museum; daughter of the late Mr. & Mrs. Founding member, Greater Otto Philip Kohler. Huntsville Humane Society’s Mrs. Damson attended Advisory Council; Member, Huntsville High School and Huntsville Hospital Founda- graduated in 1957. She pur- tion; President, Botanical sued her college education at Gardens, Board of Directors, the University of Alabama, Cancer Society; Board of Di- graduating with a Bachelor of rectors, The Land Trust; Board “Being a typical teenager isn’t easy. When you have Arts degree in 1961. of Directors, City of Huntsville In the Huntsville-Madison Beautification Board; and autism, it can be extra difficult. We need more public County community, she has Board of Directors, the Master Plan for Burritt awareness about these hurdles as well as compassion been actively involved in Voluntary Action Center. City. volunteering her time and While serving as a member In recognition of her contri- towards these young people.” - Holly Robinson Peete talent with various organiza- on many of the organizations’ butions to the community and tions for over 45 years. I Peter boards, she was the initiator of service to humanity, she has 4:10 states that, “As each has many programs and activities, received scores of awards and received a gift, employ it in such as the City of Huntsville honors. serving one another, as good Beautification Awards in 1975, Mrs. Damson is married to managers of the grace of God The Clean Community Pro- Mr. Jerry L. Damson, and they in its various forms.” gram now called The Green are the proud parents of two As a volunteer in the com- Team, the Botanical Gardens’ (2), Deke and Susan Park, and munity, she serves and has Welcome Center, The BMW they have six grandchildren. served as a Board member and Brunch, Burritt’s Barnyard and SEPTEMBER 18 - HOLLY ROBINSON PEETE - Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is most well known for her television roles on the crime series 21 Jump Street from 1987 to 1991, Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper from 1992-1997. - BlackinTime.info self-righteousness or in a trust in the Omniscience that lets us know that we place of despondency and and Omnipotence of God. can struggle and trust at Called by Pastor/Founder Preach Michael D. Rice 2 defeat. The struggle is both Thank God for Jesus’ the same time; we can be Grace Gethsemane Mission Church real and regular, but Jesus example from the Garden spiritually ambidextrous. shows us from the Garden “On Being Spiritually Ambidextrous” of Gethsemane, that the Matthew 26:43-46; the life of a growing be- struggle is not an absence Philippians 4:6-7 liever involves struggles. of faith. There is no time when a In His prayer He asked Being ambidextrous believer’s faith remains for the cup of suffering to means being able to use unchallenged, therefore, pass from Him but added one’s left and right hand waiting on that season is that adamant adverb of with equal “dexterity.” a waste of time. However, nevertheless to express That means one can Jesus and Paul have some while at the same time a deeper desire for the write with both hands leg- holy hints in the above- trusting God. Without this Father’s will rather than ibly or a baseball player mentioned texts that helps understanding, a believer His own. Paul teaches that can hit from the right or us to be spiritually am- ends up in one of two anxiousness is a sign of a left side of the plate. The bidextrous, meaning, ac- places. Either they settle predilection for a premedi- Bible is clear that living knowledging the struggle into a mindset of arrogant tated outcome rather than September 18, 2020 3 nia wildfires. He then went to the measure this week. York Mayor Mike Bloomberg The U.S. Department of Phoenix, Ariz., for a campaign 4. The House Subcom- has committed to spend at Labor (DOL) Strengthening Washington in One Minute event. On Tuesday, he hosted mittee on Government least $100 million in Florida Community College Training a ceremony at the White Operations on Monday held to help elect Joe Biden over Grants (SCCTG) submission House, where the United Arab a hearing on Postmaster Gen- the next 7 weeks In other deadline is October 8, 2020. Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain eral DeJoy’s alleged conflicts news, the Post also reported This new program provides a signed agreements to recog- of interest and his leadership’s on Saturday that the Senate funding opportunity for work- nize the State ++of Israel. On possible impacts on mail- Homeland Security Commit- force education. Wednesday, the President in voting. On Tuesday, the tee will soon release a report Hamm Consulting Group spoke at a National Republi- House Civil Rights Subcom- criticizing Hunter Biden’s role 400 North Capitol Street, NW can Congressional Committee mittee held a hearing on the on the board of the Ukrainian Suite 585 Washington D.C. 20001 fundraiser and on Thursday infiltration of police depart- company Burisma at the same T: 202-596-8384 he hosted a credentialing cer- ments by white supremacists. time the firm was lobbying the [email protected] emony for newly-appointed 5. According to The Wash- Obama Administration’s State www.hammconsulting.com Here are the happenings in ing federal judges and other ambassadors. ington Post, former New Department. Washington, D.C., this week: Trump Administration nomi- 3. According to The Hill 1. The House and Sen- nees this week. Last week, the newspaper, House Democrats ate are in session this week, Senate failed to get 60 votes to are currently split on whether although there will be no bring its $500 billion corona- to accept a temporary FY2021 Albert’s Flowers votes on Friday in observance virus relief bill #5 to the floor spending bill that goes into Located Downtown in Medical District; Closest Florist to Huntsville Hospital of Rosh Hashanah. The (on a mostly party line vote of December 2020 (a timeline Free Delivery to Huntsville Hospital and Local Funeral Homes House will consider 35 bills 52-47), which would have pro- supported by Republicans) or 716 Madison Street - Huntsville, AL 35801 on the floor, including a bill vided additional unemploy- push for a measure that would to ban discrimination against ment benefits and a plus-up go into early next year, when FLOWERS, GIFTS, pregnant workers, requiring for the PPP loan program.