The mission of MCDW is to support the principles of the Democratic Party, to elect Democrats to public offices on local, state, and national levels, and to initiate and carry out programs and projects on behalf of the Party. To that end, we host monthly luncheons with lively discussions of current topics, we provide a forum for candidates to get their message out, we sponsor and support scholarships for college-bound students to recognize excellence in Madison County, and we have a robust agenda of growth and activity.
DOGE FIRINGS SO FAR
We’re updating this running total of DOGE firings weekly. We are working from reliable media sources. In spite of the claim that DOGE is transparent, they do not have much information on their website, which contains a list of Tweets with very little data.
Please keep people in mind who are losing their jobs or being terrorized by the “Fork in the Road” email that many people in Huntsville received. Let’s think of ways to help them.
To express your concerns, call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask for your representative.
Updated Feb. 20, 2025
James Earl Carter, Jr
1924-2024
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter Passes Away at 100
Dec. 29, 2024
ATLANTA (Dec. 29, 2024) — Jimmy Carter, 39th president of the United States and winner of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, died peacefully Sunday, Dec. 29, at his home in Plains, Georgia, surrounded by his family. He was 100, the longest-lived president in U.S. history.
President Carter is survived by his children — Jack, Chip, Jeff, and Amy; 11 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Rosalynn, and one grandchild.
“My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love,” said Chip Carter, the former president’s son. “My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honoring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs.”
There will be public observances in Atlanta and Washington, D.C., followed by a private interment in Plains, Georgia. The final arrangements for President Carter’s state funeral, including all public events and motorcade routes, are still pending. The schedule will be released by the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region at https://jtfncr.mdw.army.mil/statefunerals/.
Members of the public are encouraged to visit the official tribute website to the life of President Carter at www.jimmycartertribute.org. This site includes the official online condolence book as well as print and visual biographical materials commemorating his life.
The Carter family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to The Carter Center, 453 John Lewis Freedom Parkway N.E., Atlanta, GA 30307.
Join Us on Thursday, March 6, 2025, at 11:30 AM at the Huntsville Country Club
We will be celebrating Women’s History Month.
The cost for lunch is $20.00.
Make your reservation here.
Miss Hannah Stanley
Hannah Paige Stanley is a dedicated student who is passionate about community involvement and education. She will graduate from New Century Technology High School in 2024. While in high school, she pursued the Biomedical Strand and Dance Magnet program. With aspirations for a career in the biomedical research field, Hannah will embark on her undergraduate journey in chemical/biomedical engineering, blending her interests in science and technology. During high school, Hannah actively engaged in various extracurricular activities, showcasing her leadership skills and commitment to service. She served as student director of the Lee High School Dance Magnet Ensemble, captain of the varsity cheerleading team, vice president of the National Honors Society for Dance Arts, and vice president of Jack and Jill. With over 60 hours of community service completed through Girls Inc., National Honors Society, HEALS Clinic, and more, Hannah has shown her commitment to giving back to her community. Hannah has strived to gain experience in her field, from gaining hands-on experience in laboratory research as a Hudson Alpha biotech Intern to participating in summer programs like Jills Take Spelman and Tuskegee Mentoring Into Engineering II. Throughout her journey, Hannah has been recognized for her outstanding achievements. She received awards such as the Jack and Jill Outstanding Female Athlete, Breakout Artist Winner at NUVO Dance Convention, Scholar-Athlete Award, and a consistent presence on the A/B Honor Roll.
Miss Madelyn Stovall
Madelyn Stovall attended New Century Technology High School, where she had the chance to grow academically and personally. She will graduate in May 2024. She has received the Patient Care Technician Certification awarded by the National Healthcare Association and the ACT 30+ Club Award, the Spanish I award, the Algebra II and Trigonometry award, and the A/B Honor Roll. Further, she has had the opportunity to apprentice at the University of Alabama in Huntsville’s microbiology lab through the Army Educational Outreach Program. She is hugely grateful for the opportunities she has had thus far and looks forward to what the future holds for her. This past fall, she was accepted into Tuskegee University, where she will continue her academic journey, majoring in biology with a focus on biotechnology. This will further her professional goal of working for the Department of Defense to expand the U.S.’s biotechnology capabilities to support the warfighter and ensure the nation's security domestically and abroad. She is very excited to begin this new journey as she transitions into college and young adulthood with the support of the JFK Scholarship. She is humbled to have been chosen as an awardee by the Madison County Democratic Women.
Blue Bucket Scholarship Fund
For more than a decade, Madison County Democratic Women have placed a blue bucket on the tables at our monthly luncheons to collect donations to our JFK scholarship fund. In our 56th year of providing scholarships to deserving students, we offer a virtual blue bucket for scholarship contributions. Please consider donating to our scholarship fund using the link below. “Be kind to the blue buckets”
Welcome to Dem Women!
We are a group committed to democracy and upholding the principles of the Democratic Party. We believe in strengthening our democracy by educating the electorate and supporting democratic candidates. We have regular education meetings and participate in special programs.
Thank you to Senator Doug Jones and all who attended our inaugural Dems After Dark Event.
November Meeting
Sheila McNeil, Chair of the Madison County Democratic Executive Committee, shared her vision for the party at our November meeting.
During our October meeting, we were joined by Clete Wetli, the Communications Director for the Alabama House Democratic Caucus. Just before the meeting, the newly approved congressional map for Alabama was released by the Federal court. Clete quickly adapted and discussed the implications of the new map, as well as the legislative initiatives of the Caucus.
October Meeting
September Meeting
MCDW members had the opportunity to learn from Pat McCay of the North Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force at our September meeting.
April Program
In our April program, MCDW had the honor to hear from Carla Crowder, the Executive Director of the Alabama Appleseed Center for Law and Justice. This organization is dedicated to tackling the challenges of Alabama's prison system through research, policy change campaigns, coalition building, and direct action. We encourage you to follow this link: https://alabamaappleseed.org to find out more about this organization and ways to support its work.
We welcome two area journalists at our Thursday membership meeting: Keneisha L. Deas, Main Evening Anchor for FOX54 News in Huntsville, and Alex Torres-Perez, anchor/reporter/producer at WAAY31 News in Huntsville.
Keneisha graduated from Howard University in Washington D.C., and earned her B.A. in Broadcast Journalism with a full-paid scholarship. There, she served as Metro Editor for the highly regarded student-run newspaper The Hilltop, interned at the CBS-Affiliate news station In D.C., and wrote for the Howard University News Service.
She’s the Main Evening Anchor for FOX54 News in Huntsville, Alabama. Prior to working in the Rocket City Keneisha worked as an on-air Multimedia Journalist for an ABC-affiliate station in Panama City, Florida, and a News Writer for a FOX-affiliate station in Miami.
Alex Torres-Perez often refers to herself as the "Swiss Army Knife of WAAY 31" because she wears many hats. Depending on the day, Alex could be anchoring, reporting, producing, or being the videographer for a special project. Whether it's behind or in front of a camera, her main goal is to make sure people are informed about what's going on in their community. She started working at WAAY 31 in 2018 after graduating from the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, FL.