The Madison Record - Feb. 22, 2023

The Madison City Council last week approved major funding items for Phase 1 of Toyota Field maintenance and Phase 1 of the Hexagon Project. Page 2A

Blackhawk pilots killed in Harvest crash considered heroes

By JOHN FEW news@themadisonrecord.com

HARVEST – Last Wednesday’s crash in Harvest of a Tennessee National Guard UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter could have been a lot worse. The incident tragically took the lives of the two pilots, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Daniel Wadham and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Danny Randolph.

2023 Goblin Cup

Some of their family members are saying it is likely the pilots worked to minimize potential causalities on the ground before the crash.

“The only thing I can say for sure is when the trajectory and flight plan, it looked like they fought the entire way down to keep that helicopter out of the neighborhood,” said Rose Heinge, Wadham’s ex-wife, in

an interview last week. “I know for a fact without a shadow of a doubt that he went down fighting to save as many lives as he could.”

The Tennessee National Guard said the pilots were conducting a training flight when they went down near Alabama 53 and Burwell Road. The Madison County Sheriff’s Department responded to the crash site

EDITORIAL

Letter to the Editor

Two “Letters to the Editor” submissions this week tackle the issue of Madison’s efforts to change the city’s form of government, Page 6A

Outreach Ministry

A group of residents has organized recently and, for its first project, agreed to supply daily essentials to prisoners without any relatives. Page 7A

ONLINE

and reported two crew members onboard were killed.

No other service members or civilians were harmed in this incident, the statement said.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of two Tennessee National Guardsmen, and our prayers are with their families during this heartbreaking tragedy,” Brig. Gen. Warner Ross,

See CRASH Page 3A

Madison man found not guilty in double murder trial

By STAFF REPORTS news@themadisonrecord.com

ATHENS - A Limestone County jury found a Madison man not guilty of capital murder on Friday.

At the end of a weeklong trial, the jury found Jacob Gideon Copeland, 24, of Madison, not guilty of two counts of capital murder.

Copeland had been charged in the deaths of Damian Blake Ricketts, 21, of Hazel Green, and Devin Edward Richard, 22, of Huntsville in 2017.

Mill Creek’s Mighty Mavericks rule

By GREGG PARKER gregg@themadisonrecord.com

MADISON – Hot off their fine showing at the Choccolocco Green Prix Race in Oxford, the Mill Creek Greenpower Racing Team outperformed 50-plus teams in the 2023 Goblin Cup at Milton Frank Stadium in Huntsville.

At the Goblin Cup, the Mill Creek Mighty Mavericks captured first place in the categories for Drag Racing, Overall Performance, Presentation and Circuit. Mill Creek claimed second place in Slalom. A National Board Certified Teacher, Jacqueline K. Smith is fifth-grade STEM teacher at Mill Creek and sponsors GreenPower.

The Mighty Mavericks include fourth-graders Savannah Barnard, Tyler Barnard, Harrison Bock, Austin Brown, Peter Gosier and Jaiden Lawrence, and fifth-graders

See MAVERICKS Page 5A

Officers found Richard and Ricketts dead in their vehicle, which was in the driveway of a home on Analicia Drive in East Limestone, on Aug. 31, 2017, sheriff’s spokesman Stephen Young said at the time.

Limestone County Sheriff’s Office investigators say an alleged dispute over drugs and a revolver led to the fatal shootings.

WAFF 48 reported that investigators on the scene discovered that both victims had been shot multiple times and their last contact was with Copeland. Investigators said when they went to Copeland’s home, he ran away.

When Copeland first appeared in court in 2017, he asked the judge if he could argue self-defense.

See COPELAND Page 3A

I-565 construction, new businesses discussed at city work session

By MARIA RAKOCZY news@themadisonrecord.com

MADISON – The I-565 Town Madison fly-over ramps and economic development were main topics of discussion at Wednesday night’s city council work session.

Construction of the much-an-

ticipated I-565 westbound exit ramps into Town Madison is beginning next week with a bang. A representative from consultant on the project, AECOM, told the council that blasting into the rock next to the interstate to make way for the fly-overs will last throughout next week causing lane closures. AECOM plans

to eventually establish a detour when the girders are placed across the roadway.

“A lot of thought went into traffic control associated with this project. We studied traffic patterns, and everything we do out there is meant to minimize the impact to the traveling public from work around the

holidays to work around rush hour. There’ll be time during construction where we’ll have a detour. There’ll be a complete shutdown of the roadway. It’ll be at night, and it’ll be when the girders are cast across the interstate,” the AECOM representative explained. AECOM is

See WORK SESSION Page 8A

At the pre-race for Goblin Cup 2023, the Mill Creek Greenpower Racing Team included Austin Brown, front from left, Peter Gosier, Julius Whitehorn, Clark Asher, Devansh Goyal, back from left, Jaiden Lawrence, Harrison Bock, Savannah Barnard, Eli Brow, Sophia Brown, Evelyn Mustell and Lillian McFadden.

The Mill Creek Mighty Mavericks captured first place in the categories for Drag Racing, Overall Performance, Presentation and Circuit.

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“When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” -Henry Ford

Madison City Council

City council approves first phase of Toyota Field maintenance and Hexagon project

By MARIA RAKOCZY news@themadisonrecord.com

MADISON – The Madison City Council on Monday approved major funding items for Phase 1 of Toyota Field maintenance and Phase 1 of the Hexagon Project.

The council authorized a total of $52,458 towards Toyota Field in Phase 1 of the efforts to comply with updated MLB stadium standards. Phase 1 includes the purchasing of lockers, a hydrotherapy tub, and a dishwasher.

The funds, which are just a fraction of the estimated total of $300,000 approved at the last council meeting, are coming from the MultiUse Venue Maintenance Fund, which council member John Seifert described as “a path and plan forward that put[s] money aside that comes from the proceeds at the stadium”.

Mayor Paul Finley announced in the “Presentation of Reports” that an auditor will be present at the next finance committee meeting on Feb. 27. In addition, a representative from Ballcorps will present last year’s numbers for Toyota Field and the revenue the city received from

it at the next city council meeting, also on February 27.

“That’s next meeting: auditor at 4:00, Ballcorps at the city council meeting, and I think the auditor comes at that point, too, to talk through the season and the excitement that we’ve had with that,” Finley stated.

Phase One of the Hexagon Project received $127,000 in funding out of the General Fund. The Hexagon Project will ultimately transform the former Hexagon facilities that the city purchased in 2022 into a recreation center and Fire Station 4 that will service the Town Madison and Triana areas. Phase 1 will convert four existing tennis courts into 12 pickleball courts and add lighting to the existing softball fields.

Council president Renae Bartlett, who is herself a pickleball enthusiast, observed, “There is tremendous demand for court space.”

The addition of pickleball courts will be a welcome one as court space at Dublin Park fails to meet the high demand of the Madison community.

read more about it at www.themadisonrecord.com.

Tennessee’s Adjutant General, said. “We ask Tennesseans to join us in supporting their families during this time of unthinkable grief.”

At the time of the accident, The Tennessee National Guard aircraft was approaching the Huntsville Executive Airport when the aircraft rapidly descended and impacted the ground.

Both Wadham and Randolph are now considered heroes, as a nearby neighborhood watched what they believe was the pilot trying to avoid people and cars.

Tammy Adams told WAAY-31 that she was driving along Alabama 53 in Harvest when she saw the helicopter fall and explode on impact.

“We heard a very loud — like a car without a muffler, but we knew it was in the sky. Looking up in the air, we saw the helicopter and BAM! We hear it hit. We saw it hit the ground, and it exploded,” Adams recalled.

“I just hollered, ‘My Lord!

My God!’ Because nobody could have survived that,” she said. The portion of the crash site along Hwy 53 was closed to traffic through Friday afternoon as cleanup and investigation ef-

forts continued. Wadham of Joelton had 15 years of service, and Randolph of Murfreesboro had 13 years of service. They were assigned to A Company, 1-230th Assault Helicopter Battalion, from Nashville’s Berry Field Air National Guard Base.

Officials have not yet released information about a possible cause of the crash. A safety investigation team from the U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center, headquartered at Fort Rucker in Alabama, will lead the investigation into the accident, Jimmie E. Cummings Jr.,

a spokesman for the U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center, wrote in an email. The center normally assumes the responsibility of lead investigating agency when accident findings may have an Army-wide impact, Cummings said.

In a statement released by newly sworn-in Madison County Chairman Mac McCutcheon, he recognized the quick and diligent work of the first responders and authorities who worked the crash site. “Chairman Mac McCutcheon sends his sincere appreciation to the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Mad-

Authorities investigate online threat made towards Sparkman

By STAFF REPORTS news@themadisonrecord.com

HARVEST – The Madison County Sheriff’s Office was investigating an online threat made toward Sparkman High School Friday morning. According to Sparkman principal Chris Shaw, school administration was made aware of the threat by an individual and immediately contacted the sheriff’s office’s SRO assigned to the campus.

“Along with the SRO, our team of school administrators is investigating this situation. Additional deputies will be on campus today to ensure student and staff safety,” Shaw stated in a Facebook post around 9 a.m., which has since been deleted. “We take any type of threat seriously and have the full cooperation

of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office.”

Shaw also warned about the consequences of using threats as pranks.

Local authorities have not said yet if they believe this particular threat was a hoax.

“I encourage you to talk with your child about the seriousness of threats and the importance of reporting suspicious activities, threats, or disturbing information to a trusted adult,” Shaw said in a statement addressed to parents

“Students also need to be aware that law enforcement agencies take these threats very seriously and pursue prosecution even when such incidents are intended as pranks. Please ensure your child knows these ramifications and that they understand hoaxes related to campus safety will not be tolerated.”

ison County Coroner Tyler Berryhill, Harvest Volunteer Fire-Rescue, Toney Volunteer Fire & Rescue, Monrovia Volunteer Fire-Rescue, Phil Vandiver and his employees, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Alabama Department of Transportation - ALDOT, US Army and Huntsville Fire and Rescue for their quick response to the tragic event that occurred on Highway 53,” the statement read.”

“The cooperative effort of these various agencies is awe-inspiring,” he continued. “We send our prayers for the families of those involved in this accident.”

Continued from 1A

In March 2021, a motion was filed by Copeland and his legal team arguing for immunity from prosecution. The motion stated that Copeland and his legal team would show that his use of deadly force was justified as self-defense.

Just over a month later, a motion to cancel the previous was filed. The new motion stated that Copeland’s legal counsel believes he would not prevail in his argument of self-defense. The jury agreed on Friday.

You can read more about the shooting a court case at www.themadisonrecord.com.

Jacob Gideon Copeland

Tennessee National Guard Chief Warrant Officer 3 Daniel Wadham and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Danny Randolph were killed last Wednesday in a Blackhawk helicopter crash in Harvest.

McCutcheon returns home as county’s commission chairman

By MARIA RAKOCZY news@themadisonrecord.com

MADISON COUNTY – Madison County Commission has a new chairman in town in the person of Mac McCutcheon.

McCutcheon retired from his former position as Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives in 2022 after sixteen years in the state legislature and six years as Speaker. Now, McCutcheon is serving North Alabama in a different way by filling out the rest of the term vacated by previous Madison County Commission Chairman Dale Strong, who is now a member of the United States House of Representatives.

The shift is something of a homecoming for McCutcheon, who accepted an appointment to the position from Governor Kay Ivey.

“It’s good to come home,” said the Madison County native. McCutcheon was born and raised in the Toney community and even met his wife at Sparkman High School. His dedication to serving Madison County is a personal and

By GREGG PARKER gregg@themadisonrecord.com

life-long one, stemming from his time in law enforcement.

Today, McCutcheon says he is looking to keep Madison County a beautiful place to live by improving local infrastructure, supporting public safety, and preserving the area’s natural resources. He stated he understands that the growth Madison County has experience in recent years has brought both blessings and challenges, and he is focused on tackling the challenges and enhancing the blessings. In this pursuit, McCutcheon plans to prioritize the upkeep of roads around the county, but especially the artery of Madison County, I-565.

“Madison County’s growing, and it’s bringing in more revenue than we’ve ever had, and that’s a good thing, but along with that comes the challenges to provide services for the roads, to provide highway systems and roads, where people can get to where they’re going without having to sit in traffic for hours and hours. All of these are great challenges we are facing,” McCutcheon shared.

MADISON – The fourth workshop in the series, “Mental Health Matters,” will review the lifestyle habits that can help in “Building Emotional Regulation Skills.”

This free program will focus on teaching children to understand their emotions, along with responding in a healthy, proactive way. The Mental Health Services Department for Madison City Schools has developed the workshop series.

“We are blessed in Madison City Schools to have parents take advantage of these opportunities to learn about and support their students’ mental and emotional well-being,” Stephanie Allen said. Allen serves as MCS District Mental Health Coordinator.

“In a ‘Mental Health Matters’ survey sent out this school year, helping build emotional regulation skills was a top interest to parents/guardians,” Allen said. “The importance of having an emotional vocabulary and ability to cope with feelings is essential.”

Madison Public Library, 130 Plaza Blvd. will host the workshop on Feb. 24 from noon to 1 p.m.

The workshop audience can learn about methods to help a child or teen build skills in a healthy way to manage emotions, such as stress, anger and frustration.

Dana Hampson, a Licensed Professional Counselor, will lead the workshop. “Teaching our children to understand their emotions as well as how to respond to them in a healthy, proactive way is a skill that will help them feel more confident and comfortable in their own skin and in their relationships with others,” Hampson said.

Hampson said she will talk about ways to foster emotional intelligence in a child or adolescent and give them a gift that will last a lifetime. Hampson is co-owner of The Balanced Life LLC, a counseling, training and practice-building group in Madison; she also is a certified yoga teacher. For information, visit thebalancedlifellc.com.

Parents or guardians who are concerned about a child’s mental health should consult the child’s doctor or pediatrician. Describe the conditions that cause concern, and ask for recommendations. The physician may provide a referral for a mental health professional.

In addition, parents should contact key people at the child’s school. In initial con-

Four charged with murder after burglary victim dies

By STAFF REPORTS news@themadisonrecord.com

HUNTSVILLE - The Huntsville Police Department (HPD) has charged 22-year-old Cameron David Robinson, one juvenile female and three juvenile males with murder following a burglary incident on August, 22, 2022.

According to the HPD, officers responded to the 4500 block of Judith Lane in August and found three individuals involved in the burglary suffering from gunshot wounds. Violent Crimes Unit Investigators learned the offenders broke into a residence and gunfire was exchanged between the burglary victim and offenders.

Public safety is another issue on his mind as a former member of law enforcement himself. He expressed his gratitude to law enforcement for their work in keeping Madison County a safe place to live and work. McCutcheon is looking forward, as well, to working with other community leaders to protect the natural beauty of the county.

“Let’s not forget about our recreation centers; let’s not forget about those nature trails that we can work on,” McCutcheon stated. “It’s all about quality of life.”

McCutcheon views the task of leading Madison County as a team effort requiring the collaboration of Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Madison Mayor Paul Finley, the chambers of commerce throughout the whole county, the leaders of the area’s universities, and the school district superintendents, among other community leaders.

McCutcheon is finishing the remaining two years of Dale Strong’s term as chairman. The seat will be up for election in 2024.

At the time of the shooting, three of the offenders were transported to the

hospital. One individual was listed in critical condition.

Investigators originally charged the offenders with burglary.

On Feb. 1, Dashaon Floyd, 22, died from the injuries as a result of the shooting. Investigators then upgraded the charges for the individuals involved to murder. Robinson turned himself in to police on Tuesday, Feb. 14, and was booked into the Madison County Jail. The juveniles were charged as adults and also booked in the Madison County Jail. An additional individual involved in the burglary is currently incarcerated in a state prison on unrelated charges. HPD said a murder charge is forthcoming for this individual.

Huntsville man arrested for string of armed robberies

By STAFF REPORTS news@themadisonrecord.com

ATHENS — Athens police charged a Huntsville man with Tuesday’s armed robbery of the Smoothie King, they said today, but he is being held in the Madison County Jail for robberies allegedly committed in Huntsville. Benny Ray Stafford, 38, allegedly pulled a gun and took a wallet from a victim inside Smoothie King. According to Athens police, their investigation revealed that the suspect in the Athens robbery closely resembled a suspect in several robberies over the last week in Huntsville. That

information was shared with the Huntsville Police Department, which located him in a hotel on Memorial Parkway and arrested him on three counts of armed robbery. HPD confirmed two of those charges were related to robberies at two different businesses on Jordan Lane on Sunday, February 12. A third business on University Drive was robbed on February 14. Stafford is currently being held in the Madison Co. Jail with no bond set. Athens police said an arrest warrant has been issued for Stafford in Limestone County on a charge of first-degree robbery.

U.S. Rep. Strong comments on ‘Ukraine fatigue’ — ‘My concern is about America’

The workshop, “Building Emotional Regulation Skills,” will be held at Madison Public Library on Feb. 24 at noon. Eighth-grader Ahnika Hess created this original artwork to illustrate the importance of caring for one’s mental health. Hess submitted her design to the MCS Art Showcase at the Mental Health Fair in fall of 2022.

versations, the school counselor is a great resource. A teacher also can provide insight, such as changes in the child’s behavior, and disclose if he or she has noticed similar behavior.

This article features original artwork by eighth-grader Ahnika Hess that illustrates the importance of caring for one’s mental health. Hess submitted her design to the MCS Art Showcase at the Mental Health Fair in fall 2022.

Allen said that Ahnika’s artwork shows that daily life brings stressors for both children and adults. “We’ve seen a rise in these stressors since the COVID-19 pandemic. Building emotional regulation skills helps us thrive in the midst of it all,” Allen said.

For concerns at school, Text to Protect is a confidential way for students to report situations that can affect students. Call 256-604-2345 or email texttoprotect@ madisonal.gov.

“Join us Feb. 24 to learn more about how to help your child or teen with recognizing and regulating their emotions,” Allen said.

The workshop is free to attend, but registration is needed. To register and for information about upcoming workshops, visit madisoncity.k12.al.us/domain/2411.

By DANIEL TAYLOR www.1819news.com

HUNTSVILLE — As the United States continues to support Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia, U.S. Rep. Dale Strong (R-Huntsville) is encouraging lawmakers not to lose sight of America’s own military readiness.

Recently, U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) introduced the “Ukraine Fatigue” resolution aimed at stopping funding to Ukraine and instead promoting a peaceful resolution between both parties. So far, Congress has approved nearly $30 billion in “security assistance,” including weapons and supplies to aid Ukraine’s war effort, money that could be spent on protecting American interests.

“I want to know what we’re going to do, number one, about America,” Strong said during a Wednesday press conference at his Huntsville office. “I understand we’re helping Ukraine knock back the Russian military. But my concern is about America. My concern is about the southern border. My concern is being sure that the US military has the weapons that they need if we have to enter into any war or conflict.”

Strong said the recent Chinese spy balloon incident should serve as a wake-up call that the United States needs to be ready to defend itself.

“Right now, we’re using a lot of hardware at other locations,” he said. “I want to get that stockpile back built up because you

never know when that situation may present itself, especially when you’ve got Chinese spy balloons going across the United States unchecked for weeks. I’m glad that these others, whether they’re balloons, whatever they are, are no longer flying over US airspace.”

While some are concerned the war in Ukraine could escalate into World War III, Strong seemed confident that Ukraine would emerge victorious.

“Based on the briefings that I’ve got, Ukraine is winning this war,” he said. “Russian never saw what they were getting into with the Ukrainian people.”

To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email daniel. taylor@1819news.com.

Mac McCutcheon was sworn in as Madison County Commission Chairman on Wednesday by Madison County Judge Frank Barger.

Feb. 24 workshop to review skills to regulate stress, frustration and anger

Tickets go on sale for first annual Madison Visionary Awards community-wide event

By STAFF REPORTS news@themadisonrecord.com

MADISON – Madison Visionary Partners (MVP) is hosting its inaugural Madison Visionary Awards, a community-wide event to celebrate the people who make Madison a great place to live, work and play at 11:30 a.m. on March 30 at the SportsMed Club at Toyota Stadium. Tickets are on sale and limited sponsorships are available until March 15.

During the luncheon, awards will be given to Community Volunteer of the Year, Youth Volunteer of the Year, Philanthropic Business of the Year and Madison Visionary of the Year.

“One of the elements of Madison’s success is its people and MVP thought it fitting to honor the volunteers who work every day to build community

in our city,” said Melanie Thornton, Executive Director of MVP. “We have many people doing good and most often, they are the ones working behind the scenes. What better way to bring them in the spotlight than through these awards?”

Finalists will be featured in the March edition of Madison Living Magazine.

“We had such a wonderful response from the community during the nomination process. We have a great group of volunteers and businesses who will be highlighted for their work in Madison,” said Thornton.

These awards highlight a key element in MVP’s mission as Madison’s community nonprofit. In addition to fundraising for large projects, MVP is also working on building a community of volunteers who want to bring small

Mavericks Continued from 1A

Clark Asher, Eli Brown, Sophia Brown, Devansh Goyal, Evelyn Mustell and Julius Whitehorn.

Mike Potter watched his grandson Harrison Bock working with his team.

“That group of kids was fantastic. They worked as a team, supported each other and encouraged all the other kids,” Potter said.

“Jacqueline Smith is a super teacher, mentor and leader. The experience was a real checkmark for Madison City Schools,” Potter said. “Mill Creek set a high bar in excellence.”

Mill Creek excelled in the following competition categories and used their fastest time for placement: Drag Racing, Slalom, Circuit: Teams, and

Presentation. To determine placement, officials totaled points for all four categories.

“The students were so excited about this win.

Lots of great teams were at this race so my kids knew it was going to be a challenge,” Smith said.

Smith’s students showed team spirit and supported each other. “We were all cold, wet and tired by the time scores were tabulated, but seeing the excitement on my kids’ faces when the overall team winner was announced was just priceless,” Smith said.

Funding for Mill Creek Greenpower Racing Team is provided in part by a grant from STEDTRAIN or “Science and Technology EDucation and TRAIN-

projects, events and programs to Madison.

“Madison’s leaders have a vision for our community that MVP, along with other community organizations, can help bring to reality,” said Jeff Showalter, Chair of the MVP Board of Directors.

“Support for our mission is integral as we continue to grow as a city and a region.”

Also part of the awards program will be the presentation of recipients of the first Community Impact Grant. Also in its first

year, MVP is granting $15,000 to local nonprofits for programs and events that will benefit the community.

“Any way we can enhance and support the nonprofit activity in Madison is going to be beneficial to the community. We have some great projects that are going to get funding,” said Thornton.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit mvpmadison. org/visionaryawards. Tickets will be on sale until March 15.

ing.”

The Mighty Mavericks said their most important lesson was learning how to work together as a team. “We learned a lot of new things, like how to build and race a car. Our suggestion is to have more races for Goblin cars,” the team said.

The competition spirit hasn’t diminished. Several of Smith’s fifth-graders are applying for the middle-school Greenpower teams.

EDITORIAL

Failed energy policies leading to rising costs

By TOMMY TUBERVILLE United States Senator

WASHINGTON DC -

This winter, prices for the main energy sources used to heat homes have continued to skyrocket. Families are forced to pay 45% more for heating oil, 25% more for natural gas, and 11% more for electricity. It is projected that these price increases will only get worse as temperatures drop. This leaves some families with an unthinkable choice. More than 40% of the households in Alabama had to reduce or skip necessities such as food or medicine to keep their lights on. I don’t want Alabamians to be forced to choose between feeding their families or keeping their houses warm, but unfortunately this is the new reality brought on by the Biden administration’s war on American energy.

For the past two years, President Biden slashed our energy production, emptied our petroleum reserves, and increased our reliance on foreign energy sources under the guise of a so-called ‘climate crisis.’

On his first day in office, he canceled the Keystone XL

Questions remain about Madison’s possible governance transition

pipeline, costing American jobs and telegraphing to the world that American energy independence is no longer a priority. President Biden’s cancellations didn’t end there, as he then delayed permits required to bring additional production online from offshore federal oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico.

In addition to cutting domestic production, the Biden administration began aggressively draining our strategic petroleum reserve for political gain, bringing it to its lowest level since 1984 by releasing up to one million barrels per day — the largest release in history. If that wasn’t enough, President Biden willingly handed

The 57-year-old grudge

By JOE HOBBY Columnist

Well, the Super Bowl is history, which means football season is finally over, and husbands are talking to their wives for the first time in months. It also means we’ve seen the last of the office betting pools until September. Everyone knows that football and office pools go together like peanut butter and Ritz Crackers. Even Baptists know how they work: you buy a square with a random number for each team. If your numbers match the last two digits of both team’s final score, you win the cash. And I can’t think about office pools without thinking about my dad and laughing. My father hated the University of Nebraska. Ev-

erything about that school revulsed him, even the “N” on their helmet, which became a joke he told all the time. “Do you know what the N on Nebraska’s helmet stands for? Knowledge!” His favorite two teams were Alabama, and whoever was playing Nebraska. It was unnatural for an Alabama fan to have such loathing for any team not named Auburn, but he

Editor’s note: The following is a letter to the editor submitted by Heather Morgan, Co-founder of “I Vote Madison”. To learn more about “I Vote Madison” and their efforts to help Madison citizens stay informed on issues and actions of our local government, check out www. ivotemadison.com. Also, you can read the entire letter to the editor (it was edited due to space limitations) at www.themadisonrecord.com. See related story on the website.

As with all letters to the editor and editorial columns, the opinions expressed within them are not necessarily the views of “The Madison Record”.

Dear Editor,

Starting at the end of last fall, the leaders of I Vote Madison started looking back at what we have seen happen since the Governance Transition Committee first presented its report to Council and Mayor Finley. With the knowledge that the petition was close to reach-

ing the required signatures, we realized we needed to take stock of our role and our efforts thus far and plan what actions we wanted to take next in case a special election drew near.

To help guide us, we considered information that was presented by the city, citizen groups who support the transition, and also the opinions and concerns expressed by residents at meetings and on social media. Residents have voiced concerns not only about a council-manager government but about the steps being taken to place it in front of citizens on a ballot.

After sorting through this information, which included re-watching recordings of town hall meetings, we realized several questions and concerns posed by residents to the city over the last year had still not been addressed. Requests for information were still unfilled.

This led us to two overarching questions:

1. Has the city presented the in-

Rep. Strong: ‘TikTok is a threat to America’

By DANIEL TAYLOR www.1819news.com

As more states ban TikTok on government devices, talks of a blanket ban at the federal level are becoming more frequent. However, U.S. Rep. Dale Strong (R-Huntsville) said the best thing outside of outlawing the app would be for Americans to stop using it.

“I support banning it,” Strong said of TikTok. “But the thing that we need is parents and people from here to stop using it.”

Strong said the dangers of the app, both in terms of data security and psychological manipulation, should be enough to scare people away from using it.

“You don’t need govern-

ment to tell you that TikTok is a threat to America,” Strong declared.

“Everybody here knows that that is a platform that is taking U.S. information to the Chinese government, to the Chinese people. And again, they’re watching everything that we do. But it shouldn’t take the government making this move. The people of America ought to take the move themselves.”

As pervasive as the app already is in the United States and around the world, Strong said it might take being personally impacted by the negative side of the app for people to either stop using or ask for more government intervention.

formation in the most objective, transparent, and accessible way possible?

2. Do citizens have enough information to make a truly informed decision if this is placed on a ballot?

Our answer to both of these questions was “not yet.” We decided that reaching out to our city leaders would be a good first step in addressing those two questions. A main role we have played in Madison thus far has been filling in gaps. It made sense to us to first give our elected leaders an opportunity to fill those gaps.

Below is part of the email that we sent to Mayor Finley, Council President Bartlett (who was also in charge of the education and outreach efforts the city undertook related to this issue), and the city attorney on December 8, 2022. (For the entire email, go to www.ivotemadison.com and www.themadisonrecord.com. The Record did

City manager form of government wrong choice for Madison

Editor’s note: The following is a letter to the editor submitted by Madison resident Jennifer Coe about the issue of transitioning the city of Madison to a city manager form of government. It was edited for space considerations. As with all letters to the editor and editorial columns, the opinions expressed within them are not necessarily the views of “The Madison Record”. We do reserve the right to editor them as we deem necessary.

To begin with, the committee reports provided by the Governance Transition Team were biased. The transition team was hand-

picked by Mayor Finley. These biased transition team members promoted only one side of the argument which was to change or modify the structure of the Madison City Government. It seems they conducted only pro-transition interviews. Could they not have interviewed anyone who held an opposing viewpoint? Did this transition team ever read or do any research which included news articles that were critical of city manager-council governments? There are examples of failed council-manager governments all over the United States.

See STRONG Page 8B See LETTER Page 8B

Now you know

The Grinch - In the story, the Grinch laments that he has had to put up with the Whos’ celebration of Christmas for 53 years. Dr. Seuss was 53 when he wrote and published the book.

Joe Hobby

SEN. TUBERVILLE’S MONTHLY COLUMN

US Sen. Tommy Tuberville

A battle is growing over what form of government will shape Madison’s future. Pictured above: Madison’s city hall.

Local faiths form Madison Interfaith Council to focus on outreach project

By GREGG PARKER gregg@themadisonrecord.com

MADISON – A group of residents has organized recently and, for its first project, agreed to supply daily essentials to prisoners without any relatives.

The new organization, Madison Interfaith Council, has supplied hundreds of personal hygiene items and snacks that local congregations have collected for indigent inmates at the North Alabama Community-Based Correction Facility and Work Release.

Since September 2022, representatives from several local churches have been meeting together as the Madison Interfaith Council. The group includes representatives from Grace Covenant Worship and Outreach, Messiah Lutheran Church, Restoration Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a member of Baha’i Faith and Most Merciful Jesus Catholic Church.

“The group meets regularly to discuss the needs in the Madison community and the surrounding areas, looking for specific ways they can work together to meet those needs. The meeting is open to any local pastors or designated representatives,” Charity Stratton said. Stratton serves as Communications Director for the Madison Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

When Madison Interfaith Council met in October 2022, one pastor mentioned that prisoners often are overlooked at

Christmastime. The council agreed that their first joint project would be collecting items for local inmates.

Council members asked their contacts to establish a connection with a local prison. “After a few dead ends, they contacted retired Rev. David Varner, Chaplain at the North Alabama Community-Based Correction Facility,” Stratton said. “David uses his church, Abundant Life Ministries Internationally, to supply indigent inmates with hygiene items monthly.”

The correction facility houses a range of 550 to 700 inmates at any time. “Thirty to 50 of those inmates have no outside support and depend on help from David’s church for hygiene items,” Stratton said.

In December 2022, Madison Interfaith Council members and their congregations collected 1,336 hygiene items, including deodorant, safety razors, shaving powder, toothpaste, toothbrushes, bodywash and bar soap. The group also collected 997 snacks approved for distribution. The council delivered donations during the week before Christmas.

“Thank you so much for doing this. It is a blessing for the guys. I’m still giving it out,” Varner said about the donated supplies.

“Madison Interfaith Council is looking forward to other ways they will work together to help and bless the community in 2023,” Stratton said.

For more information, email charitystratton@bellsouth.net or visit Facebook/Madison Interfaith Council.

Barlow Blake, from left, Charity Stratton and Eugene Folks with Madison Interfaith Council accept donations from Rev. David Varner with Abundant Life Ministries Internationally for individuals in the North Alabama Community-Based Correction Facility and Work Release.

Tuberville Continued from page 5A over nearly a million barrels of oil from our emergency stockpile to China. However, China was likely able to secure much more than a million barrels from America’s inventory as sales from the strategic petroleum reserve are unrestricted. Now, the reserves have around 372 million barrels—almost half of its 726.6-million-barrel storage capacity. The strategic petroleum reserve was established to serve as a reliable source of energy in the event of a catastrophe, not to give our enemies like China a leg up. Depleting the

strategic reserve is a dangerous short-term fix to a long-term problem. The real solution is to work with American oil and gas producers to increase domestic energy production.

Instead of undermining the domestic energy industry and emboldening foreign adversaries, we should unleash American energy to restore our energy independence and provide relief for Alabamians and families across the country.

I supported the Keystone XL pipeline as a commonsense approach to bolster American energy independence. The pipe-

City council Continued from 2A

Phase 2 of the Hexagon Project, coming later, is expected to explore options for attracting pickleball tournaments to the new facility.

In “Department Reports”, Engineering offered several items for major road improvements around the city. The council approved $5,000,000 in Federal Highway Administration funds and $1,250,000 of City Match Funds in an agreement with Alabama Department of Transportation for Madison Blvd Resurfacing and Safety Improvements and then approved $279,774 of the total $6,250,000 for engineering design services from Morell Engineering, Inc. on the project.

The city is dedicating another $23,905 to an agreement with S&ME Inc. for Alabama Department of Environmental Management Permit Application, documentation, and inspection on Balch Road improvements. Those improvements will include the widening of a section of the road between Neldabrook Way and the intersection of Balch and Gillespie Roads along with drainage work.

The council celebrated the winners of the Arbor Day Contest presented by Carolyn Reagle from the Madison Beautification Board. The theme of the contest this year was “Trees are Terrific, Forests are Too” inspiring second graders to celebrate the natural environment while expressing their artistic creativity. Several students were selected from Horizon Elementary, Columbia Elementary, St. John the Baptist Catholic School, Midtown Elementary, Mill Creek Elementary, Rainbow Elementary, and Madison Elementary for recognition. Their artwork will be on display in the Madison Library for public enjoyment.

Council member Karen Denzine, who is a liaison for the Beautification Board congratulated all the winners, “I would just like to congratulate all the children. Their artwork is just amazing, and you can go and look at it. It’s in the public library on display for everyone to see. The creativity is just wonderful. Thank you so much to the teachers who took charge of this program to make this possible.”

The next city council meeting will be on Monday, Feb. 27 at 6 p.m. in the council chambers in city hall.

line stood to transport more than 800,000 barrels of crude oil per day, which would drastically reduce our reliance on foreign adversaries such as Russia, Iran, and Venezuela. The Keystone XL pipeline would have also strengthened our economic security, providing up to 59,000 jobs and injecting an estimated $9.6 billion into the economy. I also called for the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to quickly end their de facto ban on new drilling that rapidly diminished the share of royalties from the oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico shared with

Questions Continued from 6A

edit the full “letter to the editor” for space considerations).

We have still not received responses to these questions.

Good afternoon,

As you probably know, I Vote Madison has made efforts to help inform residents, provide objective information, and increase everyone’s ability to understand this possible governance transition.

We have mostly echoed the information the city has presented, but we want to make sure we do our due diligence to address the questions and concerns those opposed to it have. Our organization continues to neither support nor oppose a transition. We want to continue our efforts, and we have new questions for you as we move forward.

We ask these questions after having taken in all we have seen from the beginning of this process (from the committee’s recommendations, the city’s communication and education efforts, and what citizens are saying about it), and after asking ourselves two questions:

Do citizens have enough information to make a truly informed decision if this is placed on a ballot? Has the city presented the information in the most objective, transparent, and accessible way possible?

The sections below contain our questions for you.

Laws governing a transition to Council-manager government

The laws we have found do not negate what the city has presented (and we are not calling into question whether the city is circumventing the law), but to make sure we have accurate information so that we can continue to address the misand possible dis-information we have seen, we’d like more information. Opinions of the Mayor and Council

Is there something, legally speaking, that would prevent the mayor and council members from expressing their opin-

The journey to mend his heart led

Alabama via the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA).

In order for domestic producers to be successful, we must roll back radical regulations and restrictions that stifle the production and transmission of oil and gas. These producers are the backbone of the world’s largest economy, but they have come under attack by politicized federal agencies like the Department of Interior (DOI) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). To restore energy independence and end the crusade on fossil fuels, we

ions publicly (and reasons for their opinions) on this possible transition?

It seems pretty clear that Mayor Finley supports it, and Councilmember Shaw has spoken in a way that indicates support. We get the feeling that there is overall support for it from the city. We know the committee’s report said that our department heads are favorable to the transition as they would have a clear chain of command. But let’s say the city, including many leaders and even department heads, didn’t feel it was a good change or were just outright opposed. Would the city still be presenting this possible transition in the same way? Would the mayor still have appointed a committee to research it?

We’d like to know what other members of the Council think, even if they can’t (other than casting their own personal vote at the ballot box or choosing to sign the petition), stop it.

A problem/solution lens

Often when there is a big change, whether it is in an individual’s life, a business, or an organization/institution, it is because something is not working; there is a problem. After identifying that problem, brainstorming for possible solutions happens. These possible solutions are then researched and steps are taken to implement the solution and fix the problem.

Although citizens have been presented with how this transition to a council-manager government will benefit our fast-growing city, (stability, reduce politics in the administration of the city, and be more efficient), straightforward and specific messaging about what is not currently working hasn’t been relayed. What exactly is not working? How do we know it’s not working (is there a problem within our city that has manifested from instability, inefficiency, or politics)?

We’ve heard citizens speak from an if-it-

must ease regulatory burdens on companies, rescind the moratorium on gas leases, and bar restrictions that reduce American energy security.

Climate fearmongers are disconnected from reality.

Unaware or untroubled with the problems facing everyday Americans, green activists continue to pursue actions and implement regulations in response to a crisis yet to materialize. Alabamians are tired of paying for these games. It is time to unleash American energy to lower costs, create jobs, and strengthen our national security.

ain’t-broke-don’t-fix-it perspective. Our city has ranked, repeatedly and recently, highly among the best places to live, and our schools rank highly as well, so it does make sense to ask, “What exactly is broken”?

Now we understand that there is a proactive element to this push for a transition, but we think it makes sense to clarify what specific problems will arise if Madison continues to grow without shifting to a council-manager form of government. We think it would be beneficial to look at the issue and present information about it using a problem/solution lens.

So, what is the identifiable problem(s) that a transition to a council-manager form of government would solve? And if a problem(s) can be named, is there perhaps more than one possible solution?

With growth being a main reason given for needing this transition, is there a concern that a mayor-council form of government will not be able to manage it as efficiently as a council-manager government? Growth is a big topic for Madison residents. How much to grow and how. What does “manage” mean exactly in this context? Does it involve being able to continue to grow but providing the infrastructure and other things to support that growth? Does it mean curbing growth? Being more thoughtful and strategic about growth?

We think addressing these questions and being more clear and precise would help citizens understand, lessen the distrust some residents have, and hopefully reduce the misinformation being spread in our community. If this issue makes it on a ballot, voters will have the chance to shape our city in a big way. It’s quite a responsibility. We think everyone needs to know as much as possible before casting a vote.

Heather Morgan Co-founder, I Vote Madison

Qua was born with tricuspid atresi d a series o e s a teen his health took a dramatic turn. Qua’s pedia g ed g wasn t right with his heart and sent him to Children s e arrived by helicopter and within two weeks he rece back at home a few weeks later, thanks to the ex

Learn more at ChildrensAL org/heart

James Clemens baseball played host to a pair of games on Saturday,

18, hosting Ardmore and Hazel Green, Page 3B

By BOB LABBE bob@themadisonrecord.com

HUNTSVILLE - Facing the toughest competition is always a challenge for any athlete. For high school wrestlers, there is no help from teammates as you’re individually on your own once you hit the wrestling mat for a match. For those gifted enough to qualify for the 68th AHSAA State Tournament, competition is always staring at your face and local wrestlers rose to the occasion with Bob Jones, James Clemens and Sparkman High Schools athletes going the dis-

Saturday’s win secured first round hosting rights for the 2023 GSC Men’s Basketball Championships for the UAH Chargers. Page 3B

tance at the state meet held at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville.

The Bob Jones Patriots placed seventh scoring 98.5 points in the Class 7-A division while James Clemens came in No. 21 with 15.0 points and Sparkman posting just two points finishing No. 27.

Individually, local wrestlers had two third place finishes as Ben Crouse and Maddox Sunderman of the Patriots claimed the highest finishes of the local contingent. Fourth place finishers included Kaden Clark and Ronin Amsler of Bob Jones and

a sophomore at Alabama A&M when he was tragically killed in an auto crash in 2016. His parents began the Danny Kendall Johnson Foundation for the battle against impaired drivers.

Ethan Johnson of James Clemens. A fifth place finish came from Zander Samargia and Troy Henningan of Bob Jones and a sixth place finish by Tafari Alcime of Bob Jones.

The finals results of those wrestlers making the top six in their weight classes included: 285- 3. Maddox Sunderman, Bob Jones, Sr., (47-4) defeated Chris Moore, Jeff Davis, Sr., (19-5) TB-1 4-3; 220- 6. Tafari Alcime, Bob Jones, Jr., (54-10) lost to Lance Peterson, Smiths Station, Jr., (35-7) Dec. 3-1; 195- 3. Ben Crouse, Bob Jones, Jr., (38-19) defeated

By BOB LABBE bob@themadisonrecord.com

HUNTSVILLE - A moment

in time is helping change the future of many. A moment in time made up of sadness is now filling others with joy through the work of the Danny Kendall Johnson Foundation formed five and a half years ago soon after the death of the Foundation’s namesake.

Bob

Jones Lady Patriots advanced

regional finals this week, Jets knocked out by Hoover

By CALEB ODOM caleb@themadisonrecord.com

HANCEVILLE - The Lady Patriots of Bob Jones defeated Vestavia Hills 42-31 on Thursday, Feb. 16 at Wallace State Community College in the 7A Regional Semi-Finals.

With the victory, Bob Jones (26-3) advanced to take on Hoover (23-1) in the Northwest Regional Final on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at noon. (Due to the print deadline for The Madison Record being Monday, we will have to bring results from the finals online at www.themadisonrecord.com.)

The Lady Bucs took down James Clemens 50-20 on Friday, Feb. 17 to earn their spot in the final against the Lady Patriots.

Bob Jones relied on the scor-

ing of Alana Obianozie with 13 points and six rebounds while Janiyah Bone’s 11-point performance helped keep the Lady Patriots firmly in control.

“Janiyah really stepped up for us today on both ends of the court,” Bob Jones head coach Jazmine Carr said.

Soon, the Danny Kendall Johnson Foundation will host the first annual Scout Bowl football game, featuring local football players who will have an opportunity to receive collegiate exposure from numerous conferences throughout college football divisions. Players who have graduated high school or are scheduled to do so in 2023 are eligible to participate in the game set to be played April 1 at Huntsville’s Milton Frank Stadium with kickoff at 7:00 p.m. The event has gained the approval of the Athletic Directors of both Huntsville and Madison City Schools, the Alabama High School Athletic Association and a bevy of law enforcement agencies from across Alabama.

The event will kick off with Media Night on March 25 from 7:00-10:00 p.m. at the Von Braun Center North Hall. The gathering is for the All-City/All-Region players, coaches, sponsors

The 2023 AHSAA State Wrestling Tournament was held at the Von Braun Center

The Lady Patriots opened up their regional tournament action with a win over Vestavia Hills in the semi-finals. That earned them a trip into the Elite 8 and a match-up with Hoover for the regional final.

Among the coaches for the Rocket City Trash Pandas in 2023, Southern League Manager of the Year Andy Schatzley is returning to lead the Minor League team for another season.

Trash Pandas announce 2023 coaching staff

By STAFF REPORTS news@themadisonrecord.com

MADISON – In conjunction with the Los Angeles Angels, the Rocket City Trash Pandas today unveiled the 2023 on-field coaching staff, led by returning Manager Andy Schatzley.

“I’m honored to have the opportunity to return to the Trash Pandas and be a part of best-run affiliate in Minor League Baseball,” Schatzley said. “It’s a privilege to be a part of the Angels and this affiliate, and to be able to do it with this staff really excites me. I’m ready to get to work.”

The full on-field coaching staff for the 2023 Trash Pandas features:

• Manager: Andy Schatzley (2nd season with Trash Pandas)

• Hitting Coach: Sean Kazmar Jr. (1st season with Trash Pandas)

• Pitching Coach: Michael Wuertz (3rd season with Trash Pandas)

• Coach: Dann Bilardello (2nd season with Trash Pandas)

• Strength & Conditioning

Coach: David Robertson (1st season with Trash Pandas)

• Athletic Trainer: T.D. Swinford (1st season with Trash Pandas)

“Everyone on our staff

has a unique background and set of life experience,” Schatzley said. “The differences and the uniqueness of their backgrounds make them uniquely qualified to help our players. Everyone adds to what we do as a staff and I’m looking forward to working with them and learning from them.”

The second manager in Trash Pandas history, Schatzley guided the team to the top of the Southern League standings in 2021, winning both first and second half North Division titles for the best record in the league at 81-57. The 2022 Trash Pandas marked the first time the Angels’ Double-A affiliate reached the postseason since the Arkansas Travelers accomplished the feat in 2015.

Following the season, Schatzley was named the 2022 Southern League Manager of the Year, becoming the first Trash Pandas manager to win the award. He debuted professionally with High-A Tri-City in 2021, coaching numerous future Trash Pandas standouts including Livan Soto, Ky Bush, and Kolton Ingram. He earned the 2021 Preston Gomez Award as the Angels’ Minor League Man-

See TRASH PANDAS Page 7B

High School Scoreboard and Schedule

BASEBALL

Feb.

Feb.

Feb.

Bob Jones vs Grissom at home - 4:30 p.m.

James Clemens at Hazel Green - 4:30 p.m.

Sparkman vs Buckhorn at home - 6:30 p.m.

SOFTBALL

Feb. 23

Sparkman vs Athens at home - 4:30 p.m.

Bob Jones vs Westminster at home - 5 p.m.

Feb. 24-25

Sparkman at Buckhorn Tournament

Feb. 28

James Clemens vs New Hope at home - 4:30 p.m.

Sparkman at Buckhorn - 4:30 p.m.

SOCCER

Feb. 23

Sparkman boys vs Tanner at home - 5 p.m.

Feb. 24 James Clemens boys vs Crossville at home - 7 p.m.

Feb. 28

Bob Jones girls at Austin - 7 p.m.

Bob Jones boys at Austin - 7 p.m.

James Clemens boys at Decatur - 7 p.m.

Sparkman girls at Vestavia Hills - 4 p.m.

Sparkman boys vs. Grissom at home - 5 p.m.

GOLF

Feb. 27-28: Bob Jones Golf in Patriot Open at North River Yacht Club in Tuscaloosa

Do you not see your team’s scores or schedule? Send them to us at john@themadisonrecord.com and we will include them.

Huntsville to host USTA Pro Circuit Championship in May

By BOB LABBE bob@themadisonrecord.com

HUNTSVILLE - North Alabama has a long-standing reputation of hosting and supporting tennis events of all divisions. Next up for the southern hospitality of the Tennessee Valley will be the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Pro Circuit Championship scheduled for May 22-28 at the Athletic Club of Alabama (ACA) located in Huntsville.

The USTA Southern Section is launching a four-tournament playoff series culminating with the May week-long event. The winner of each playoff series tournament will earn a wild card into the USTA Southern Pro Circuit $15-thousand Tournament main draw, while the finalist will get a qualifying wild card. All players must be eligible to represent the United States as per ITF and

Olympic rules and regulations.

“Thanks to the strong relationships with all of our partners, we welcome the USTA Southern Section Pro Circuit Championship to Huntsville,” said Judy Ryals, President and CEO of the Huntsville/ Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The Athletic Club of Alabama, located on Leeman Ferry Road in Huntsville, is no stranger to elite style tennis tournaments as the location has hosted an array of elite player tournaments through the years. Even ACA owner Eddie Jacques grew up at the club and went on to an outstanding playing career in tennis. He, too, is excited about the elite event choosing Huntsville as its home base.

“We are proud to host this championship and look forward to a great event that will feature some of the top young talent in the country,”

said Jacques. “It’s exciting to see the USTA Southern Section create opportunities for a diverse set of players to get experience and learn the ropes of life as a professional.”

Mark Russell, Executive Director of the Huntsville Sports Commission, and former member of the Huntsville City Council for 16 years, said, “Huntsville has a strong tennis community, and it is good to see that continue in partnership with the USTA Southern Section to create this event for professionals in the region. We welcome all the competitors to the Rocket City for a great week of tennis.”

The USTA Playoff Series expands the pathways for juniors and young adults of all ages to move from the amateur tournament play to a professional-level competition. Additional details on the rising tennis stars’ event will be available at a later date.

The Bob Jones High School baseball team participated in the Prep Baseball Report - Alabama Kickoff Classic over the weekend. The Patriots defeated Phenix City on Friday, 7-5, top ranked Hoover on Saturday, 5-3, and lost to Oxford, 2-8. They will return home after a short road trip to Muscle Shoals on Feb. 24. Bob Jones will host a double-header against Smith Station and Hazel Green on Saturday at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

The Sparkman High School softball team wrapped up the Vestavia Red and Blue Classic on Saturday with a first place finish, winning in dramatic fashion over Hartselle in the championship game. Tied 1-1 after six innings, Sparkman pushed across a pair of runs in the top of the seventh and the Senator’s Fiona East retired Hartselle in the bottom of the inning to secure the win. They will play Atens at home on Thursday at 4:30 p.m.

UAH secures GSC tournament first round hosting rights in win in Memphis

By STAFF REPORTS news@themadisonrecord.com

MEMPHIS – The University of Alabama in Huntsville men’s basketball team finished off its regular season road schedule with an 86-71 victory at Christian Brothers on Saturday afternoon in Gulf South Conference action. UAH improves to 22-6 (17-5 GSC), while CBU slides to 5-20 (5-16 GSC).

James Clemens Jets open baseball season at home with double-header

By CALEB ODOM caleb@themadisonrecord.com

MADISON --- James Clemens baseball played host to a pair of games on Saturday, Feb. 18 where the Jets lost to Hazel Green 8-0, but defeated Ardmore 10-1.

A barrage of bats and solid pitching against Ardmore proved to be too much for the Tigers as James Clemens scored early and often.

A 4-run second inning that was led by Jets’ first basemen Colten Payton, who cracked a 2-run single to right field that made the score 4-1 James Clemens.

“I knew first pitch he was going to throw me a fastball right down the middle,” Payton said.

“So I went greenlight that AB. I knew it was coming, so I drove it to right field for that single.”

The game definitely had moments of becoming a conga line for James Clemens, as the Jets worked counts, and coached walks

that turned into runs.

On mound, James Clemens relied on newcomer Hunter Harris, who tossed four innings of 4-hit ball with six strikeouts and three walks while allowing one run.

The former Nashville-based right-handed pitcher, who used to play at Ensworth High School battled through cramps that affected his right hamstring throughout the game.

“Every time I start, I usually have a problem with cramps,” Harris said.

“I just basically kind of have to fight through that. Today, I just think we played good and I knew it was senior day so I had to push through that and get the win.”

A run by James Clemens in the bottom of the first inning matched the lone run scored by Ardmore in the top of the first.

After the 4-run second, the Jets tallied two more in the third inning due to a big swing from designated hitter, Grant Gage, who

recorded an RBI single.

James Clemens lost their catcher JT Johnson in the third inning when a pitched ball ran in and hit his ear flap and then busted his lip.

The Jets batter left the game and ended up needing a total of nine stiches.

A 2-run fifth inning and one more run for good measure in the bottom of the sixth, gave James Clemens plenty to cheer about from the dugout.

“We’ve preached through the offseason that we want to be a state championship team,” Payton said.

“We want to go and we want to compete big. We have thought of 109 miles to Jacksonville State for that state championship.”

The first game of the day for James Clemens was a different story.

The cold air cut through the loyal fans that morning as the Jets toiled offensively, trying to

Saturday’s win secured first round hosting rights for the 2023 GSC Men’s Basketball Championships for the Chargers, which will be on Tuesday, Feb. 28. Further details on game time and ticketing information will be available soon.

UAH had a balanced attack on offense against Christian Brothers with a total of six players scoring 10 points or more, led by Luke Burnett with a team-high 22 points in addition to five assists and two steals. He went 6-of13 from the floor, 5-of-9 on

three-pointers and a perfect 5-for-5 from the freethrow line.

Chaney Johnson and Max Shulman each rated second on the roster with 12 points apiece, with Johnson adding a teambest six rebounds and Shulman recording a roster-leading six assists.

Tanner Shulman (11 points), Jack Kostel (10 points) and Daniel Saylor (10 points) rounded out the Chargers in double-figures on Saturday.

UAH shot 53.4 percent from the field (31-for-58) that includes a 41.2 threepoint percentage (14-34).

The Chargers also held the edge over the Buccaneers in bench points (2419), steals (11-4), points off turnovers (20-7), and points in the paint (32-22).

The Chargers look ahead to the final two home games of the regular season this week, starting on Thursday with a visit from West Florida.

Andrea Lemmond is the first coach to reach 100 wins in UAH women’s basketball program history.

Lemmond notches 100th career victory in UAH win at CBU

By STAFF REPORTS news@themadisonrecord.com

MEMPHIS – The University of Alabama in Huntsville women’s basketball head coach Andrea Lemmond achieved her 100th career victory in an 80-78 win over Christian Brothers on Saturday afternoon in Gulf South Conference action.

UAH improves to 8-18 (8-14 GSC), while CBU slides to 11-15 (8-14 GSC).

Lemmond is the first coach to reach 100 wins in UAH women’s basketball program history.

The Chargers offense featured four players with 10 points or more in the victory, led by Jesse Jennings with 20 points on the day to go along with six rebounds and two assists. She went 6-for-8 from the field and 8-of-10 from the free-throw line.

Alaina Taylor rated second on the team

with 18 points as she sank a team-high four three-pointers, followed by Andie Flatgard with 16 points and Olivia Howard with 10 to round out the Chargers in double-digit scoring.

Haley Nichols nearly achieved a double-double with a team-high 13 rebounds to go along with nine points on the day.

UAH shot 45.8 percent from the field (27-59) for the game including a 33.3 three-point percentage (9-27), while holding CBU to 44.4 percent on field goals (2863).

The Chargers additionally held the edge over the Bucs in rebounds (39-32), bench points (31-20), and second-chance points (13-7).

UAH returns home for the final two games of the regular season this week starting on Thursday with a visit from West Florida.

The Jets split Saturday’s double-header at the James Clemens JetPlex against Hazel Green and Ardmore.

Luke Burnett had a team-high 22 points in addition to five assists and two steals.

526844-1

Madison’s Willis Mbandi delivers tennis knowledge to coaches from across the state

By BOB LABBE bob@themadisonrecord.com

MONTGOMERY- Madison’s Willis Mbandi believes in nurturing a strong and everlasting culture in athletics. His involvement in the sport of tennis began at age 11 and soon transformed the native of Kenya to a longtime tennis coach at both the Madison Tennis Center and for the Alabama A&M University Bulldogs. The 41-year old extended his knowledge of the game he once considered an elite cultural sport to other tennis coaches from across Alabama as an instructor for the AHSAA Lunch & Learn event held in Montgomery.

“I was invited by the AHSAA for the Jan. 12 event as each year the AHSAA invites coaches who have enormous success in their sport and present a coaching clinic to fellow coaches,” said Mbandi. “My audience was high school and middle school coaches and went through two 45-minute sessions stressing the importance of building the correct culture for the student-athletes.”

The experience for Mbandi was indeed one of his highlights of his coaching career, but the session was also one little known fact about the former No. 1 player and team captain while playing at Alabama A&M and graduating in 2006. The effort in Montgomery was his first ever public speaking engagement.

“I think I did well and I wasn’t nervous,” said Mbandi. “I was confident as I was prepared as I knew the subject and have the knowledge for the presentation.”

The numerous coaches who were attendance were presented with three subject topics: building the right culture, using the correct body language along with focus and improving your practice court. The classroom style presentation featured a slide presentation Mbandi put together in two hours. The lunch and learn also scheduled a two-hour outdoor teaching session, but severe weather forced the session to be held indoors. “My court presentation was to emphasize on

the points being the building blocks of the game,” added Mbandi. “We don’t practice the 0-4 rally in tennis.”

Mbandi took over the Alabama A&M tennis program in 2012. He also gathered the reins of the head pro at the Madison Tennis Center about the same time. Besides his continued work for a college program and directing programs in Madison, he also offers private lessons for high performance players. The multi-talented athlete also plays in local adult soccer leagues.

“I was honored to be picked by the AHSAA to talk about the game I love,” said Mbandi. “I hope others benefited.”

No. 20 UAH completes series sweep of Lee

By STAFF REPORTS news@themadisonrecord.com

HUNTSVILLE - The No. 20 University of Alabama in Huntsville softball team completed the Gulf South Conference series sweep of Lee with a walk-off 12-4 victory in six innings on Sunday afternoon at Charger Park. UAH improves to 9-3 (3-0 GSC), while LU slides to 3-9 (0-3 GSC).

The Chargers were hot in the early going with an

eight-run rally in the bottom of the first that sent 12 batters to the plate, as UAH would carry that lead to a 12-4, six-inning win over LU with Kaylee Vaught sending a walk-off solo home run in the bottom of the sixth.

Freshman Alexa Douthitt had a stellar game offensively with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate with a team-high four RBI, as she clubbed a three-run home run in the first to kickstart the eight-run rally. The Madison, Alabama, native hit two home runs in the series and now has three in the 2023 campaign.

Lawren Hayes, Sadie Thompson and Kaylee Vaught each collected two hits, two runs and one RBI, while Kinley Adams and Lila Young both had one base hit and two RBI apiece.

Maddie Tankersley started for the Chargers, turning in 3.0 shutout innings with three hits allowed for a no-decision.

Megan Shurtz picked up the win in relief to improve to 3-1 this season, as she tossed the final 2.0 innings with no runs or hits allowed.

UAH 5, LU 4 (9 innings)

The Chargers became the victors in extra-innings on Saturday afternoon, as the Blue & White battled back from being down three runs in the bottom of the ninth to winning 5-4 over the Flames.

Maddie Cartron showed her clutch prowess again late for the Chargers, as she slugged a game-tying, three-run home run to centerfield in the ninth. She went 2-for-4 on the day as one of three Chargers with multi-hit perfor-

mances, and she now has two home runs in the 2023 campaign.

Alexa Douthitt also clubbed her second home run of the season with a solo shot that put UAH ahead in the bottom of the first. She finished the game going 2-for-3 with a teamhigh two runs scored, one RBI and one walk.

Kinley Adams rounded out the Chargers with multi-hit performances with a 2-for-4 day at the plate.

Megan Shurtz tossed the full 9.0 innings for the Chargers, while recording five strikeouts and allowing four earned runs to improve to 3-1 on the season.

UAH 5, LU 0

After four scoreless innings by both sides, UAH broke through with a three-run fifth to go along with two insurance runs in the sixth to win it 5-0 in game two on Saturday.

Katie Bracken earned the complete-game victo-

ry with zero runs allowed and 12 strikeouts across her 7.0-inning performance. She improves to 3-0 with the win.

Jessica Edde gave UAH the lead in the fifth, thanks to a two-RBI double to left center that was followed up by a pinch-hit RBI single up the middle by Heather Phillips as part of the three-run rally.

Sadie Thompson gave UAH two insurance runs in the sixth one a twoRBI double down the right-field line. Edde and Thompson tied for the team lead with two RBI. Catron notched her second multi-hit performance in the game-two victory, going 2-for-3 with one run scored.

The Chargers are back in action with the NFCA Division II Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Georgia, this weekend with games slated against Georgian Court, Wilmington, Northern State, Carson-Newman and LeMoyne.

Willis Mbandi addresses fellow coaches from across Alabama as part of the AHSAA Lunch & Learn for coaches. Mbandi met with tennis coaches sharing his in-depth experiences as a longtime tennis coach. Photo courtesy of AHSAA

The UAH Lady Chargers celebrate their weekend sweep over Lee on Sunday. They will be on the road this weekend, traveling to a tournament in Columbus, GA.

ALASKAN CITIES WORD FIND

ALL ABOUT ALASKA

Alaska is the largest and Northernmost state of the 50 U. S. States, and it is separated from the continental United States by Canada. While it is the largest in size, it has the fourth smallest population. The Capital of Alaska is the City of Juneau. The land was purchased from Russia on March 30, 1867, and it became a state in 1959. The purchase of the land was negotiated by Secretary of State William H. Seward. As a result, it earned the nickname Seward’s Icebox; it is also called the Last Frontier. Gold discovered in the late 1800’s attracted many people. Alaska is vast and diverse with sections in the Arctic Region, the treeless tundra, the Alaska and Aleutian Mountain ranges, the Yukon River, and a chain of islands called the Aleutian Islands to the southeast. The State of Alaska has more coastline than the rest of the United States combined. Alaska is also home to active volcanoes, and it frequently experiences earthquakes. Alaska has around 100,000 glaciers. Approximately five percent of the state is covered in glaciers. The largest one, called Malaspina, is 850 square miles. The highest peak in North America, Denali, is in Alaska and rises to a height of 20,310 feet. The mountain was once known as Mount McKinley, but it was renamed to Denali in 2015 to honor the indigenous people of Alaska. The word Denali means “High One.” The indigenous people of Alaska are known as the Inuit and are composed of several different cultures and tribes. The main industries today in Alaska are oil, fishing, and tourism. The State is also known for it’s abundant wildlife and the Northern Lights.

ALASKA’S BIG 5 ANIMALS

Alaska is home to many animals, including whales and puffins. Unscramble the letters below to find out which are the most commonly observed land animals in the State.

Did you know that the State of Alaska is more than twice the size of the State of Texas? If Alaska was placed on top of the 48 contigous States, it would take up one-fifth of the entire Country!

Lakes, North Pole, Seward, Sitka, Skagway, Steele Creek, Tanaina, Unalakleet, Wasilla

ARCTIC ICE

MATH MAZE

Did you know that the top of Alaska is located within the Arctic Circle? The Far North region of the State is home to Arctic Animals, including the Walrus. Help him off the ice by solving the equations and

1. EBSRA

2. VLOWES

3. OMOES

4. BRIOCUA

5. LALD EHESP

Stuck in the time machine

By DAWN REED

Stop getting rattled, just praise Jesus!

By BECKY MILLER God’s Lemonade Stand

Peace, I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid. John 14:27

Instead of believers getting sucked in and agitated by controversy why not stay glued together for the kingdom. God knows who His sheep really are so trust Him ok?

Focus on Christ alone nothing else. Pray. Love. Be kind. Share with others. Smile. No doubt your blood pressure will go down and you will be a more settled person. This doesn’t give you the license to not care but to truly give things to the Lord. Once you do leave them there.

Focus instead on being a loving kind spouse,

daughter, son, grandparent, friend, sister, brother, and neighbor, and shake off the things Satan wants to use to make you steaming mad. Chill, be still, and focus on Him.

PRAYER: Give me a heart like yours whose love knows no bounds and who doesn’t want to see anyone end up in hell. Use me to spread peace not turmoil. In Jesus’ name.

Amen.

God’s Lemonade Stand is written by former Madison resident Becky Miller. Her daily devotions appear on Facebook or at godslemonadestand.blogspot.com.

The timer started when the door closed. We were in a 1950’s living room. Clues were hidden about; we just had to find them.

Our niece, Cassie, recently stopped in Lexington on her way to Vermont. Our son thought it would be great to do an escape game while she was there. He chose “Time Machine” at Countdown Games. He knew I’d jump at the chance to join them.

A quick search of the living room revealed hints behind a picture on the wall. After a moment of pondering, we realized they were directing us to the black and white floor model TV. We turned the knob to the correct channel to get the next clue. Eventually, one of us needed to go through the fireplace. Cassie volunteered for the task. No longer able to see her, we heard a click. She had unlocked a side door that gave us entrance to a 1970’s kitchen.

We explored the kitchen, opening cabinets, looking behind pictures, even in the refrigerator and freezer. One clue had us go back to a safe hidden under the previous room’s rug. Returning to the kitchen, we heard a scraping noise. Unable to find the source, we opened the fridge. The back had opened showing a passageway through the

refrigerator into a kid’s bedroom from the 1990’s.

The clock continued to count down. We had a wall-sized puzzle to put together and more clues to solve. I’m glad my son and Cassie were there. They were young and smart with their brains clicking on all cylinders.

I do love a good escape game. It’s always fun and I learn something every time. I reflected as we traveled back home.

This time I found that because we were racing against the clock, we didn’t pay full attention to the instructions. Excited to accomplish our tasks, we rushed through the words and ran full steam to the next place. Many times, we had to return to the previous room to review the clues and connect the dots. We would have saved time and steps if we had taken more than a moment to read all the words and process the instructions before racing off.

Where do you go for answers or clues about life? Google is great for finding lyrics to Yakety Yak, checking out a sloth’s claws, or to see if Jalen Hurts played for Alabama (my recent inquiries), but for real life, God and His Word are the best first choices.

In our regular lives, we, too, are racing against the clock. One day has 24 hours. They pass quickly. We can get in such a rush each morning, that we don’t take time to read the Bible-God’s instructions and guide. He has given us

His Word, not because He is bossy, but because He knows we need it. Through it He directs our steps, plus other good things. It’s not enough to skim it on Sunday mornings-it’s for every single day. Like in our escape game, it’s good to keep going back to. If you don’t understand something the first time, keep at it. When we were really stuck in the game, we only had to speak out loud, “We need a clue,” or “We need help.” The game watcher answered immediately. God listens when we call out to Him every single time! After the final puzzle was solved, the exit door opened. We high-fived each other and then checked our time. We had made it out in under an hour.

When our time on earth is done and our game of life is over, if we know Jesus as our Savior, our exit will be an entrance to heaven. There will be lots of high-fiving there!

Due to injuries sustained from a bike accident in July, Amy Grant had been advised by her doctors and team to postpone her fall tour dates. The Sept. 29 show in Huntsville was rescheduled and the new date is fast approaching. She will be at the VBC April 26. For more information, go to www.vonbrauncenter.com.

“I’m really proud of the commitment she had defensively and the confidence she had offensively.”

Bone attacked the rim for the Lady Patriots and racked up seven important rebounds.

Bob Jones narrowly led the game by a score of 9-8 after the first eight minutes.

By halftime, the scoreboard glowed 17-16 Lady Patriots.

Carr noted that the energy and mindset that Bob Jones carried into the game didn’t change compared to how they took the court last week.

“We have a ton of respect for Vestavia and their program,” Carr said.

“We knew it wouldn’t be an easy game so we prepared for it by sticking to our process.”

All week, leading up to the game, Bob Jones put in the time with quality practices, film study and believing in the gameplan.

The preparation had carried them through two quarters with a slight edge and in the second half, Bob Jones began to wear down Vestavia Hills.

A 27-22 advantage for the Lady Patriots after three quarters still left Vestavia Hills some hope of a comeback, but the subsequent 15 points scored by Bob Jones in the final period slammed the door shut.

Another factor that told the story of this game was the distribution of scoring by the two programs.

Bob Jones had five different scorers to Vestavia Hills’ two scorers.

Anna Towry had 19 for the Rebels while Sasha Gordon finished with a dozen points.

“We have a group of talented girls who are committed to playing the right way,” Carr said.

“When that happens, scoring can really come from a variety of players at different times.”

Wrestling

A prime example of this type of play was Lady Patriots’ Ja’Kyah Smith tallying nine points while teammate Zamrya Goode ended up with six points and five rebounds.

Bob Jones’ Feb. 21 opponent was determined due to James Clemens (18-8) falling short to the Lady Bucs 50-20 on Friday.

The Jets were supposed to play on Thursday, but the threat of severe weather caused the postponement of the game.

The contest was rescheduled for the next day in the afternoon.

Led by Reniya Kelly’s 16-point performance and Layla Etchinson, who ended up with 11, Hoover overpowered James Clemens.

“I think we fought hard against a team that has one of the best players in the country,” James Clemens head coach Monica Maxwell said.

Hoover’s strength and athleticism proved too much for the Jets from the beginning as the Lady Bucs took a 15-4 lead into the second quarter.

By the midway point, the score was 27-7 with Hoover firmly in control.

It was more of the same in the second half as the Lady Bucs padded the lead and made it 4014 with eight minutes to play.

In a game that didn’t go James Clemens’ way, one Jets player still caught the attention of her coach.

Alexa Moore, who ended up with seven points and four rebounds for the girls in light blue, played with heart for her team despite the crooked numbers on the scoreboard and the season fading away.

“She never quits,” Maxwell said.

“She plays until the clock hits zero. She displays the type of work ethic that I’d like every athlete that comes through my program to have.”

Continued from page 1B

Ian Osbourn, Chelsea, Sr., (36-16) Dec. 15-11; 182- 4.

Ronin Amsler, Bob Jones, Sr., (37-10) lost to Nathan Black, Thompson, Jr., (3813) MD 9-1; 132- 4. Ethan Johnson, James Clemens, Jr., (30-9) lost to Hastings Roberts, Vestavia Hills, Sr., (27-10) MD 10-2; 120- 5. Troy

Henningan, Bob Jones, Sr., (37-13) defeated Bennett Ashley, Vestavia Hills, So., (20-13) SV-1 3-2; 113- 5. Zan-

der Samargia, Bob Jones,

Scout Bowl

Continued from page 1B and members of the media with keynote speaker Jordan Matthews, the NFL player who most recently played for the San Francisco 49ers and who earlier starred at both Madison Academy High and Vanderbilt University. The event is free for the players, their head coach and two additional guests and will feature food, fellowship and a chance to hear from an experienced professional football player.

“The game will need 50 players to take part as the players will be divided into two teams for the first game at Milton Frank Stadium,” said Danny K. Johnson, Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation and father of the Foundation’s namesake. “This is what Danny would want.”

Danny Johnson was killed in a car crash on March 24, 2016, at 8:10 a.m. at the intersection of Alabama Highway 40 and Jackson County Road 124 in Scottsboro’s Jackson County. The 20-year old Johnson was a passenger in a 2011 Kia, which was driven by his girlfriend Selina Brown, 19. Their car collided head-on with a 1999 Dodge pickup driven by Travs Clifford, 21, of Dutton, Ala. Johnson was attempting to shield his girlfriend when he saw the truck headed at their Kia. It was determined the accident was caused by Clifford who was under the influence. Both Clifford and Brown survived the incident that occurred on a cool, cloudy morning. Johnson was a sophomore at Alabama A&M where he was studying

Hobby Continued from page 6A

did.

It all began on January 1, 1966. Alabama was playing Nebraska in the Orange Bowl for the National Championship. But that wasn’t the only reason the game was so important. My Dad was participating in a huge office betting pool. Since this was such a big game, the price of the office squares went for $25 each - an unheard-of number back then. This made the total winnings worth $2,500. Adjusted for inflation, that is almost $23,000 today. My Dad didn’t draw very good numbers: Alabama 9, and Nebraska

7. Since the money pot looked to be a long shot, it wasn’t on his mind as kickoff approached.

Fr., (43-16) defeated John Shattuck, Grissom, 8, (3915) Dec. 3-0; 106- 4. Kaden Clark, Bob Jones, 7, (6013) lost to Cale Tucker, Vestavia Hills, Sr., (24-8) Dec. 5-2. The final team results showed Vestavia Hills won the state championship with 210 points while Thompson was runner-up as they posted 195 and Huntsville third with 157.0 points.

The game was a thing of beauty if you wore crimson and white. Bear Bryant’s game plan kept Nebraska dizzy. Alabama kicked on-sides kicks. They tossed long passes out of the end zone. They were even throwing the ball to their linemen! Nebraska was ill prepared for such an aerial onslaught. Consequently, the Tide took a comfy 24-7 halftime lead.

biology with dreams of becoming an anesthesiologist. He was a two-year starter for the Bulldogs’ football team on defense. His twin brother, Devon, was a wide receiver on the team before he transferred to Tennessee State where he became an All-American receiver. He currently works as a surgical tech at Huntsville Hospital.

Danny Johnson loved football. He attended Madison Academy, Monrovia Middle School, Sparkman and Johnson High Schools before making his way to college at Alabama A&M. The foundation named in his honor is chiefly operated by his parents Danny K. and Susan Johnson and the main goal is to change the Alabama State Law to increase the penalties for such crimes that caused the untimely death of the young Johnson.

“With the help of many we got the Alabama State Legislature to adopt the “Danny Law,” which allows law enforcement officers and first responders the right to swob a possible accident-causing driver for evidence of being under the influence instead of allowing that person to leave the scene of an accident and lose the effects of what caused them to be under the influence and become an impaired driver,” said Johnson. “We’re trying to do this right for Danny and the community.”

The Foundation is searching daily for sponsors which can help the efforts support through scholarships and educational summits. The ef-

ficult. They would need to score 5, 15, or 25 points to come up with a total ending in 9 - Dad’s winning number. Highly unlikely.

forts have gained the support of law enforcement agencies in all counties in Alabama, while Governor Kay Ivey is an honorary member of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees. One of the efforts of the Foundation is to provide young student-athletes continue their love for football through the Senior Scout Bowl.

“Every year we want graduating seniors to play in this game and gain tremendous exposure to help them in the dream of playing football on the next level, much like Danny did,” said Johnson, who is the author of the book “I Wish I Knew,” and is on the Advisory Boards for MADD in both Alabama and Georgia while he currently attends law school. “Each player will be a big part of the game and keep their uniforms after the game has been played.”

Registration for the April game and March Media Day is open. The fee is $750 for the Scout Bowl and free for Media Night. One half of the fee is tax deductible. You can submit an application, with photo, to seniorscoutbowl@gamil.com or at dannyjohnson914@gmail.com. Deadline for Media Night is March 20.

Registration deadline is coming soon and fees can be paid by certified check or Paypal. Additional information available by contacting Johnson at 256-658-9722. Players must provide their own helmet, shoulder pads, cleats and mouthpiece. Uniform will be provided via the fee. The Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) organization.

territory, and with time winding down, scored a touchdown!

angelo.

Jets baseball

“We were just working backwards on some stuff,” Hunter said.

“Started out with some sliders. I really pounded the fastball late in the game though. But it seemed to work though, working backwards.”

Harris’ pearly white cleats with the script Alabama A’s on them gleamed on the mound as the righthander struck out seven Jets batters, while only allowing two walks.

“When you get down and know that guy’s on the mound, then you start to press offensively and it just gets ugly,” James Clemens head coach Johnny Johnson said.

“So I just felt like it was a really ugly game. But that’s not indicative of who we are going to be.”

The Trojans took the lead 2-0 in the top of the third inning when two walks eventually came in to score.

Back to back 3-run innings in the fifth and sixth innings would put an emphatic end to a one-sided first game.

Continued from page 3B

Follow updates on sports at: themadisonrecord.com.

As the bands played, my dad was doing some math. If Nebraska went scoreless in the second half, or if they finished with a total of 17, 27, or 37 points, he was halfway there.

The third quarter began with Nebraska scoring a touchdown and missing on a two-point conversion, making the score 24-13. Alabama answered with a steady drive - scoring 6 points and making their two-point conversion. Now the lead was 32-13, and my dad began moving to the edge of his seat. One of his legs started shaking nervously because the planets had begun to align. All he needed was another touchdown by Alabama, and two more by Nebraska, to hit the jackpot. The fourth quarter started, and Nebraska moved down the field. Within a few minutes, they scored another touchdown and PAT, making it 32-20. Dad began pacing. Once again, Bama shredded Nebraska’s defense thru the air. Another easy TD and the score was 3920. Time was running out. The game was essentially over for everyone but my dad. The tension in our den rose when Alabama kicked off. My father began cheering for Nebraska like an alumnus from Omaha. It seemed to work. The Cornhuskers drove into Alabama

Dad leaped, did a pirouette, landed on his feet, and began doing a little jig. Our den was a happy, joyous place. It’s 39-26! Dad began singing, “Kick the PAT and its cash for me! A PAT and cash for me!”

Then my father glanced at the TV and saw Nebraska Coach Bob Devaney holding up two fingers. They weren’t going to kick. They were going for two points!

The dancing and singing stopped. Darkness fell over the room. Instantly, my father became the Spawn of Satan. His face turned red. His eyes bulged. Veins popped out. He began stomping and cursing loudly. My dog ran out of the room.

Nonetheless, I was torn between staying in the den with Beelzebub, or hiding under my bed with my dog. I kept my seat.

Mother walked in from the kitchen with her arms folded, and watched in silence. She rarely swore, so she did not approve of this insanity - but allowed it to go on for a few minutes. Wisely, Mom knew this was like letting the steam out of a pressure cooker.

Finally, she spoke calmly.

“James, that’s enough.” He wasn’t ready to give it up. “That stupid, ignorant, Devaney! He didn’t even have to go for two!

That’s $2,500! I was going to use some of that money to buy Joe a car in a couple of years!”

Whaaat? It just got personal. My head snapped around, and I joined in.

“That low-life, piece of crap, fat excuse of a football coach, Bob Devaney!”

For the record, the game ended 39-28. Alabama won the title, Dad didn’t get the money, and I didn’t get the car - but I got a story to tell for the rest of my life. And also for the record, I still don’t like Nebraska either.

Alabama was more dif-

This was not stuck-intraffic, gonna-be-latefor-the-movie, kind of cursing. What came out of my dad’s mouth was something I had never heard before. He was using words that I still don’t know today. A few years later I went to see The Exorcist, and was struck by the similarity between the possessed girl and my father. Except he wasn’t acting. I was terrified - but strangely, found myself admiring this tantrum. If anger and rage was art, then my dad was Michel-

Find more of my stories on my blog: mylifeasahobby.blogspot.com. Also, follow me on Facebook at: Joe Hobby Comedian- Writer. figure out Hazel Green pitcher, Jackson Hunter who tossed five innings of one-hit baseball that kept James Clemens quiet.

ager of the Year. In 2020, Schatzley was tabbed to manage the Rookie-Level Orem Owlz in his first professional season before the minor league season was cancelled. Schatzley joined the Angels after eight seasons in college baseball with Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas.

Hitting Coach Sean Kazmar Jr. joins the Trash Pandas after making his coaching debut with the Arizona Complex League Angels last season. That job followed an 18-year-playing career, in which he appeared in over 1,700 professional games, including stints with the San Diego Padres in 2008 and the Atlanta Braves in 2021.

On April 17, 2021, Kazmar returned to the big leagues with Atlanta, pinch-hitting that day at Wrigley Field. That was his first MLB appearance since September 13, 2008 with San Diego, a span of 4,589 days, the biggest gap between MLB appearances for any player since 1949. Kazmar ended his professional career with a World Series ring after the Braves defeated the Astros in the fall classic.

Pitching Coach Michael Wuertz is back in 2023, the only member of the staff to remain with the Trash Pandas for their first three

seasons. Under the direction of Wuertz, 10 former Trash Pandas pitchers made their MLB debut for the Angels over the past two seasons. The 2023 season will be Wuertz’s sixth season in the Angels organization, having previously worked with High-A Inland Empire and Rookie-Level Orem.

As a player, he pitched for eight seasons between the Chicago Cubs (2004-08) and Oakland A’s (2009-11), posting a 21-11 record and 11 saves with 444 strikeouts in 426 career relief outings. In 2009, he led all American League relievers with a career-high 102 strikeouts, becoming the third A’s reliever after Hall of Famers Rollie Fingers and Dennis Eckersley to fan 100 in a season.

Coach Dann Bilardello is back with a wealth of playing and coaching experience in his second season in the Angels organization. Playing mainly as a catcher from 1978-94, Bilardello hit .204 with 18 home runs and 91 RBI in 382 MLB games over eight seasons between the Cincinnati Reds (1983-85), Montreal Expos (1986), Pittsburgh Pirates (1989-90), and San Diego Padres (1991-92). During his career, Bilardello was a teammate of Hall of Famers Johnny Bench, Andre Dawson, and Tony Gwynn.

After his playing career, Bilardello spent most of the past two decades as a Minor League manager, winning a Pioneer League Champinoship with the Great Falls Dodgers in 2002 in his debut season. Most recently, he managed High-A Palm Beach in the Cardinals’ system, winning a Florida State League title in 2017 and being named the league’s Manager of the Year in 2018.

Strength and Conditioning

Coach David Robertson joins the Trash Pandas and the Angels organization after earning Northwest League Strength and Conditioning Coordinator of the Year honors in 2022 for High-A Hillsboro in the Arizona Diamondbacks system.

Prior to his coaching career, Robertson spent a total of 14 years in the United States Army’s Special Operations Command, earning the rank of Major. He took part in Operation Gothic Serpent, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom. Robertson also spent five seasons as a professional baseball umpire from 2005-09, including a stint in the Southern League. Athletic Trainer T.D. Swinford joins the Angels after spending the previous 12 seasons with the

Washington Nationals’ organization, including the last four seasons with Double-A Harrisburg.

Before joining the Nationals organization, he worked in the Baltimore Orioles’ system for seven seasons. Swinford graduated from McKendree University in 2003 with a degree in athletic training and physical education.

Rounding out the Trash Pandas coaching staff will be Game Planning Strategist Alex Pimentel, Video Assistant Isom Ford, and Clubhouse Manager Bubba Hearn.

The Trash Pandas begin the 2023 season at home against Chattanooga on Thursday, April 6. First pitch at Toyota Field is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Single game tickets go on sale on Saturday, Feb. 25.

Golf tournament planned to help Next Step Farms

Next Step Farms Golf Tournament will be hosting a golf tournament at Huntsville Country Club Course on Monday, March 13 with lunch at 11 and a shotgun start by 12:30. Next Step Farms is an adult special needs day program for individuals with cognitive disabilities. Register at www. nextstepfarms.org.

Trash Pandas Continued from page 2B

Work session

Continued from page 1A

working with the city, police department, and contractor on the project to primarily work during low-traffic hours of the day and night.

The entire project is expected to be completed by November of 2024. It is a combined effort between the city of Madison, who is paying for the initial work, and the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) who, will manage maintenance of the ramps once construction is complete.

Mayor Paul Finley debuted a new proposed CIP list that featured the extension of Royal Dr., Bradley St., and Reserve Way, the mitigation of erosion along Portal Ln. and Mill Rd., a police and fire training center, and the Hexagon Project. The list now awaits cost estimates and the official consideration of the council.

Strong

“We kind of need to know what it’s actually going to cost and then bring council this list back with actual numbers, or close to actual numbers, where you guys could help prioritize what you wanted to do,” Finley stated. Director of Development Services Mary Beth Broeren presented a summary of last year’s economic development and expected businesses for 2023. 2022 saw a slight, but not insignificant, increase in new businesses from 2021 and added 275,000 square feet of business space to the city. Another 269,000 square feet has already been approved or is under construction for 2023.

Broeren called the progress, “a nice number of new businesses given all of the challenges people are facing with supply chain and COVID

Continued from page 6A

“In many cases, people want less government, ‘Let us have whatever platform we want,’ but whenever you start talking about other countries taking an app and taking that data and compiling it and using and

Letter

against the people of our country, that’s whenever it’s a little different situation,” he added.

Strong connected TikTok to the recent Chinese spy balloon incident, saying both are examples of the communist country’s

Continued from page 6A

the United States.

One example of a failed city manager-council government is the Bell California Scandal, which involved the misappropriation of public funds, voter fraud, graft, and corruption which led to convictions of the city manager, assistant city manager, and mayor in Los Angeles County Superior Court. This was all well documented in the Los Angeles Times and easy enough to access.

The most salient point of the Bell California scandal was the lack of a strong checks and balances system. According to the author of The Failure of Governance In Bell, California, “While the level of checks and balances vary across cities….the systems failed all at the same timeor were virtually nonexistent when needed most...”

The city manager-council government system lacks checks and balances. The system of city manager-council governance is not a panacea against corruption. In fact, it operates like a corporate board of directors and removes the checks and balances provided by the cur-

and finding labor”.

Among the businesses expected for this year are BJ’s Wholesale, Cava Grill, Starbucks, Edgar’s Bakery, Marriott, and Region’s Bank in Town Madison and Humphrey Brothers cigar lounge and restaurant, the expansion of Lemon and Lavender, and Bellehouse, an event space, in downtown. Rocket City Armory will be opening on Plaza Blvd, Dogtopia is under construction on Hughes Blvd.

Several gas stations and convenience stores will call Madison home on Hughes Blvd., Sullivan St., Madison Blvd., and County Line Rd. Madison will also welcome a FedEx distribution center, Sunbelt Rentals facility, and warehouses on Palmer Rd., Royal Dr., and in the Jetplex area.

ongoing efforts to collect American’s sensitive information.

“A lot of that ties in together, but we’ve got to protect our country. We’ve got to put America first,” he said. TikTok is one of the

rent mayor-council government that we already have. The mayor-council government has three separate branches of government, the executive, legislative, and judiciary. In fact, the checks and balances that we currently have will be compromised if we do hold a special election and Madison Forward gets their wish, because the current city council will install a manager BEFORE the next municipal election in 2025. Our elected officials have not been transparent about how the transition government will work if this change gets voted in. After the election, they will write a resolution that will form a new government in a multi-year transition plan. If the mayor is at large, we will lose at least one district. This will be a less representative form of governance in a growing city, and we will lose our voice at the polls. Without a strong mayor to counterbalance the legislative/managerial side of government, the wishes of the voters or their point of view will be diminished if the CEO of the city is appointed by a unified city council. We

most popular apps in the world, with a reported 2 billion downloads worldwide.

To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email daniel. taylor@1819news.com.

will end up with a layer of bureaucracy that distances the voters from their elected representatives.

So, in effect, a city manager-council government will not magically make Madison less corrupt or do a better job controlling the explosive growth. In fact, it might only make it worse.

According to Thom Reilly, author of The Failure of Governance in Bell, California, “There is no evidence to confirm that there are systemic differences in the two systems in how they respond to powerful constituencies, levels of citizen participation, quality of services or operational effectiveness.” Research does show that residents in city manager-council governments are less likely to vote in municipal elections than residents in mayor-council cities.

In fact, in the city of Madison, it looks as if a coalition of interest groups has found a way to dominate both the executive and legislative branches by consolidating the two branches of government into a corporate board.

- Jennifer Coe