MADISON - With the May 9 special election looming to decide if Madison transitions to a different style of government structure, two events last week further demonstrated the divide between the opposing views.
The Republican Women of Madison hosted a Madison City Governance Forum at Bob Jones High School last Tuesday night. It was designed to al-
low Madison citizens to hear both sides of the issue surrounding the proposed change in government organization in Madison from the current mayor/council organization to a council/manager organization.
The panel discussion was moderated by Michael Yaffee, WVNN talk show host. Representatives from two citizens’ groups served as panelists, Don’t Mess with Madison, which is opposed to the change, and Madison Forward, which is advocating for the city Mike Oliver shown speaking for Madison Forward at last week’s Madison City Governance Forum. See FORUM Page 8A
Bob Jones and James Clemens did battle over the course of three tightly contested games, and it was the Patriots who waltzed away with three victories.
Game 1 was the one that everybody went to. Game 2 was the one where Bob Jones took over. Game 3 was the best one of them all.
Game 3 was just a formality that didn’t matter. Maybe that was why half the crowd didn’t stay for it. Tell that to those two different dugouts. Bob Jones could smell the
sweep, while James Clemens was stewing with frustration and just wanted to spoil the Patriot party.
It was a wild affair that featured great pitching and timely hitting, but it was Bob Jones who eventually pulled it out with Braden Booth’s 2-run walkoff single to right that handed the Patriots the 7-6 victory in the bottom of the seventh.
The story of this game is not even about Booth who is seemingly always danger-
By STAFF REPORTS news@themadisonrecord.comMADISON – A debate is scheduled to give citizens a chance to speak out for or against changing Madison’s form of government on May 9. I Vote Madison is hosting a citizen debate on Wednesday, May 3, from 5:30- 7 p.m. at the Madison Public Library. Citizens may show up at any time during that time period. They will record the debate for those who are unable to attend.
“Participants are welcome to speak on why they are in favor of or against Madison changing to a council-manager form of government. Registration is preferred but not mandatory. Priority will be given to speakers who register,” I Vote Madison stated. The group advocates for citizens to become more involved in the governmental actions of the city.
Four speakers well versed on the issue, two pro/two con, will open the debate and each have four minutes to speak. Two questions will be taken from attendees and the speakers will have one minute to respond to each question.
Additional speakers will have three minutes, and the debate chair will alternate requests to speak between pro and con viewpoints. Priority will be given to individuals who register before the debate.
For more, go to ivotemadison.com.
MADISON – Authorities say a man who is part of a large cocaine distribution ring was arrested in Madison County.
According to the Huntsville Police Department, North Alabama Drug Task Force (NADTF) arrested Elvis Rivera of New Jersey for trafficking cocaine earlier this month.
Officials say Rivera is part of a multi-level cocaine distribution organization that stretches between North Alabama and New Jersey. When Agents stopped Rivera, he was on Highway 72 entering Madison County. He was found to be in possession of 2.2 pounds (1 kilogram) of cocaine.
Rivera was arrested and booked into the Madison County Jail. The investigation is ongoing.
“I Vote Madison” to host city manager debate on May 3 at public libraryPanoply Check out our guide to the 41st Annual Panoply Arts Festival this weekend at Big Spring Park. Page 6A
GENERAL INFORMATION 256-772-6677
To report news: 256-763-1150 news@themadisonrecord.com
To place an ad: Display: 256-714-7152
Classified: 256-260-2226
Public Notice: 256-382-7490
French Salter General Manager 256-772-6677 french.salter@ theredstonerocket.com
John Few Editor 256-763-1150 john@themadisonrecord.com
Gregg L. Parker News Writer gregg@themadisonrecord.com
Bob Labbe Sports Writer bob0873@yahoo.com
Donna Counts Advertising Sales 256-714-7152
SUBSCRIPTIONS In county one year .............. $30.89
Mail rates for state residents One year ........................ $123.56 For questions about subscriptions, please call 256-772-6677.
CORRECTIONS
The Madison Record will be happy to correct any errors which appear in the newspaper or clarify any statements which are unclear. To request a correction or clarification, call 256-7631150 between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday -Friday, or email news@ themadisonrecord.com.
COMMENTS
Have a comment about a story or a suggestion? Email news@ themadisonrecord.com
2ND CLASS POSTAGE PAID Madison Post Office Madison, AL 35758 (USPS 324-960)
“If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.”
- Mark Twain
Page 8A
teach-er Jonathan Bailey with MCS Superintendent Dr. Ed Nichols.
Bob Labbe, long-time TV and radio personality and writer for the Madison Record, alone climbed the steep bluff that is home to the long-standing, but many times forgotten, Indian Head Rock located in Harvest on Highway 53 to cut away trees and bushes that have hidden the natural rock for years. The rock is nature made and painted to look like a traditional Indian Head to honor Native American Indians who once lived the land in Harvest. For years, the rock was maintained and painted by local high school students, mainly from Sparkman High, but over the last decade or more the iconic landmark has been neglected. Labbe, who lives nearby, braved the rough terrain and possible snakes this weekend and cleared as much debris as possible. He is asking anyone, individuals, groups or businesses, in the community to assist in clearing even more trees surrounding the rock and repaint the rock to restore it’s long-standing overlook of Highway 53 and it’s lore of being a famous landmark that thousands of passing motorist can see. The rock is painted with red, blue, white and yellow colors. The before and after photos show how much of the iconic rock was hidden from view. Photos by Ava Malone
MADISON - The long-awaited
BJ’s Wholesale Club officially broke ground on its Town Madison location in a ceremony Thursday morning.
The location is major for both Madison and BJ’s. It is the first location for the wholesale store in the state of Alabama and the first of its kind in the city of Madison. It will be the chain’s 239th store in the country and part of the chain’s expansion further into the southeast.
Executive Director of the Madison Chamber of Commerce, Michelle Epling, expressed her enthusiasm for the convenience the new store will bring to Madison residents, “I am so excited and thrilled to now have our own wholesale store here in the
city limits of Madison, minutes from my house.”
The new store in Town Madison means Madison residents will no longer have to venture to Huntsville for wholesale shopping but will now have easy access right in their own city.
Peter Frangie, Vice President of Corporate Communications for BJ’s Wholesale, likewise shared their excitement to join the growing city of Madison, “We’re thrilled to be a part of this great community, and we’re looking forward to serving all the wonderful folks in greater Huntsville and in the Madison area.”
City council president Renae Bartlett spoke to the BJ’s representatives in thanking them for seeing the value in the city of Madison, “You are entering the hottest market in North Al-
abama. You are entering a city that has the number one school system in the state of Alabama and what that means, that’s a lot of families who will be buying groceries from BJ’s and they’re going to be loyal supporters, and they’re going to be thankful because they know that the revenue we’re going to produce is going to help support our schools.”
Dave Picot, Senior Vice President of Real Estate and Development for BJ’s, boasted that BJ’s grocery prices are 25% less than the average and that BJ’s has a strong philanthropy initiative that partners each club with local food banks. Emily McCann, of the philanthropy and community outreach arm of BJ’s, made a donation to and marked the beginning of the club’s relationship with the Food Bank of North Alabama. The partner-
MADISON – James Clemens High School has a new principal who needs no introduction.
When Dr. Kerry Donaldson became the interim principal at James Clemens in December when Dr. Brian Clayton became superintendent of the Hartselle School District, he was already a familiar face on the campus. Known affectionately as “Dr. D” by the students, staff and community at James Clemens, Donaldson did what he had always done -- lead by example with encouragement while guiding the school towards continued success.
Last week, the James Clemens community received something they had been hoping for, the interim title was removed and their beloved Dr. D was named the new head principal of the JCHS Jets. The Madison City school board voted to give him the position Thursday evening.
A native of Nashville, Donaldson is in
his 18th year as an educator – five in Madison City. He is well respected at James Clemens, the school district and community.
MCS Superintendent Dr. Ed Nichols told the school board Dr. Donaldson did a tremendous job serving as interim principal, as administrator of the RISE Academy alternative school and assistant principal before that. “He is enthusiastic and he brings vibrancy but he also is as humble as they come.”
Donaldson thanked Dr. Nichols, Assistant Supt. Mr. Eric Terrell who recruited him to MCS five years ago, and board members for their confidence. He said he is excited to move into the permanent leadership role to serve the students and faculty.
Donaldson, accompanied by family, friends and his pastor, got a standing ovation at the school board meeting. The crowd also sang him Happy Birthday in observance of that special day for him as well.
ship will continue as the club contributes volunteer hours and regular donations of food and goods.
BJ’s selected Madison for the city’s enormous growth and
promise of prosperity. Louis Breland of Breland Homes and Steve Harraway of the Madison County Commission and a former member of the Madison
A young man who has garnered national attention for his tributes to law enforcement and first responders was in Huntsville on Saturday to honor fallen Officer Garrett Crumby. At just 13 years old, Zechariah Cartledge is on a mission to support first responders killed or hurt in the line of duty. He founded Running 4 Heroes Inc., a non-profit that raises awareness and funds for those fallen in the line of duty. He runs a mile every time a first responder dies in the line of duty. “Even though it’s just a mile to me, it’s really helping out lots of people in the communities that I’m running for,” Zechariah said. Garrett’s squadmates and fellow HPD Officers ran and helped lead Zechariah on his 1-mile run through downtown Huntsville. Zechariah also presented Officer Crumby’s wife and mother with the two flags he has run with to honor him.
Huntsville Police Officers Chance Miller, Aaron Tucker and Kenneth Dees were awarded Lifesaving Medals.
MADISON – Huntsville Police Officers Chance Miller, Aaron Tucker and Kenneth Dees were recently awarded Lifesaving Medals for a shooting call they answered on Kirkland Circle.
In July 2022, the three officers arrived at the scene and multiple people outside advised that someone inside a home was shot. Officer Chance Miller entered the residence and located the victim laying
on the floor in the hallway bleeding profusely.
Officer Miller immediately provided pressure to the wound with a piece of clothing. Realizing the wound needed to be packed, he asked Officer Tucker to take over.
Officer Dees ended up returning to his patrol vehicle to retrieve gauze.
Officer Tucker and Miller continued to apply pressure to the wound until Officer Dees returned. Officer Dees was able to pack the wound with gauze and the offices continued to apply pressure and talk with
the victim to keep his conscious until paramedics arrived.
Huntsville Emergency Medical Services, Inc. (HEMSI) transported the victim to Huntsville Hospital with life-threatening injuries. The officers’ actions directly resulted in saving a life.
A statement from the Huntsville Police Department stated, “We are proud of these three officers for demonstrating the high quality of work, dedication and professionalism we work to always provide for our community.”
By JACK BURNS 1819News.comHUNTSVILLE - The fate of the headquarters for the United States’ newest military branch, the United States Space Force, is far from certain, despite a commitment from the Trump administration that it would be based in Alabama. One would think it would be easy to convince the current administration to uphold that agreement, given the influence of two stalwart Republican senators like Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt, paired with Mobile native and Auburn alumnus U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
Regardless of whether the Biden administration decides to headquarter the Space Force in our state, we know that Alabama is already a major part of Space Force, having played a role in America’s space and aviation pursuits from the beginning.
While the Wright Brothers famously flew their first test flight in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, it was a former cotton plantation just outside Montgomery that would house America’s first flight school started by the pair. That location later became another important aerospace institution, Maxwell Air Force Base calling that site home today.
America’s space program would have been grounded from the get-go were it not for Dr. Wernher Von Braun and his team at Huntsville’s Redstone Arsenal and Marshall Space Center. They designed and built the first rockets allowing mankind to finally go beyond this earth and find its way amongst the stars. Without the Saturn V rocket developed in the Rocket City, there would be no Neil Armstrong taking his one small step for man, nor any giant leap for mankind.
Our state has produced the following six astronauts:
• Birmingham’s Henry Hartsfield, who commanded the Space Shuttle Discovery’s maiden voyage
• Opelika’s Jim Voss, record holder for the longest spacewalk to date at 8 hours and 56 minutes
• Huntsville’s Jan Davis, who logged 11 million miles in space over the course of her career
• Montgomery native Kathryn Thornton, who flew on the maiden voyage for the Space Shuttle Endeavour
• Mobile-born Kay Hire, who spent more than 700 hours in space
• Decatur-born Mae Carol Jemison, the first black woman both to go into space and participate in the NASA Astronaut Training Program
Alabama was also crucial to making sure that the Apollo 13 astronauts made it back to Earth. Were it not for the education he received at Auburn
University, Ken Mattingly would not have been at Mission Control to help develop the fixes that saved the day.
The Kennedy Space Center has been led three times by directors educated in our state: Richard Smith, Lt. General Forrest McCartney, and James Kennedy. All three are Auburn alums.
The Hubble Space Telescope, that wondrous device allowing us to see and explore new parts we had never dreamed of in our solar system? It wouldn’t be here but for the leadership and direction of Jim Owen, who hails from the small hamlet of McKenzie, Ala., and the education he received at Auburn University.
Alabama’s contributions to the aerospace industry aren’t just astronauts and engineers, however. Our Marshall Space Flight Center boasts 47,000 jobs and a total economic output totaling more than $8.4 billion. More than 80,000 aerospace industry workers in greater Madison County alone call our state home, building on the legacy of the great engineers and scientists who went before, and providing the backbone of an industry garnering our state hundreds of millions in tax revenue and economic impact. Oh, and the new Space Launch System being developed to bring us back into space? While 44 different states are contributing to its development and construction efforts, it’s being led and managed by our team up at Marshall.
The Biden administration may ultimately decide to pull the plug on locating Space Force in Alabama. That would be regrettable, short-sighted, and a further example of the needless partisan politics that poison every facet of our current political system.
So, Mr. President, on behalf of the good people of Alabama, may we humbly ask that you leave Space Force in the place where it not only is needed but truly belongs – a state that made space exploration possible from its very start.
Because there’s something that we here in Alabama know darn well: you can take Space Force out of Alabama, but you can’t take Alabama out of the Space Force. We are already there, we’ve already been there, and we will continue to be there, leading, guiding, building, developing, and dreaming of the good we know we can help do.
Jack Burns is a graduate of the University of South Alabama. The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to Commentary@1819News.com.
Dear Editor,
On May 9th, I will be voting yes for Madison to transition its form of municipal government from Mayor-Council to Mayor/Council – City Manager. I offer the following rationale for why I am voting this way:
• Our mayor must focus much more on being a savvy politician to keep Madison recognized at the County, State and Federal levels due to north Alabama’s unprecedented growth. Gone are the days where a mayor occasionally attended a dinner or two with Huntsville and County Commissioners. Today, our mayor must understand the complex growth of industry and government across North Alabama and insert Madison’s best interests into the mix. It’s a significant job that takes time, relationships, study and strategy. Madison’s Mayor can no longer play regional checkers – it must play master-level chess!
• Madison has about 16 departments that execute the City’s business and service its citizens. Currently our mayor must be aware of and influence those department heads, settle personnel / funding conflicts when they happen, and try to collectively herd them all along the priority path set by Council. When one looks at the various needs of each department, the financial and staffing requirements, managing all that is huge.
• Currently, Council sets the City’s priorities and authorizes financial outlays. The mayor has no vote when Council decides an issue, passes a resolution or a municipal law (ordinance). If the mayor’s priorities are not Council’s, it is a real
problem. I personally experienced this as a Council representative when we had significant conflict with the mayor and poor communications. I’ve seen this work well and I’ve experienced it working poorly. A voting mayor that serves as Council president can help mitigate the disconnect that can arise in our current form of government.
A qualified and seasoned city manager relieves the mayor of the daily management of 16 department heads and allows him/her to focus on the strategic future and needed priorities of our city. As the mayor will become the Council president – coordination between district reps and the mayor will be much better. Mayor and Council are still subject to the citizen’s election and input. More importantly, they set the priorities for and oversee the City Manager.
There is a lot of negative fear about moving to this form of government and little of it makes sense to me. Most of the complaints I hear about Madison’s government are about our current mayor-council form of government! As with any organization, the key will be in finding and hiring the right person, but that is true with electing the right person. I watch the success of our City School System - the superintendent is essentially doing what a city manager would do. And notice that not one BOE member is elected – all are council appointed. Couldn’t mayor and council be trusted to hire the right city manager?
Finally, I look at many local businesses – many have office managers. It boils
If it had happened today, it would have been a major sports story - no, a major news story. There would have been iPhone videos going viral, and commentary on ESPN. Sports talk callers would have melted down the phone lines. Coaches would have been fired, and lawsuits filed. Someone may have even been publicly flogged. But none of that happened in 1968. It went unnoticed, unless
you were one of the players on the high school football field the day it happened. They remember this event the same way people remember where they were when Kennedy was shot.
It was spring of my high school freshman year. The school I was attending was brand new, so new, that it didn’t have juniors and seniors. We just had a freshman and sophomore class. That meant when we began spring training for football, only a small, inexperienced group was participating. And we actually thought it was supposed to be fun. It was a game, right?
Weren’t games played for fun?
Dear Editor,
I moved to Madison 10 years ago after living out of state for nearly 14 years. For me, Madison was a convenient spot nestled halfway between Huntsville and Decatur, where I work. I loved the slightly rural feel of the community with small hobby farms scattered around the city and it reminded me of Hoover, AL where I grew up.
I quickly fell in love with the Tennessee valley and was glad to live north of the chaotic traffic that plagues the Birmingham metro area. Since moving here, Madison has experienced a good deal of growth, which is similar to what Hoover experienced over the past 30 years.
Madison is projected to grow further, and some are suggesting we need a city manager to help manage this growth. My question is why? Why do we need to completely transform our local government because our city is growing? Hoover, AL more than doubled in size from a population of 41,000 in 1990 to over 92,000 in 2020, all without a city manager.
Proponents of city manager also suggest this change is needed to help our schools. I ask again, why? Madison already has a plan for building additional schools based on expected future population growth. In fact, since I’ve lived here, a new high school and a new elementary school have been built, and a new middle school will open next year. Last month, the Madison City School board announced another new elementary school will be built in Limestone County next year. Madison is already building new schools without a city manager.
Wrong. This was the heyday of Bear Bryant football, and to our coaches, that meant taking this stuff seriously. No one took football more seriously than the newest coach on our staff, Bobby Johns. He was a three time All SEC, two time All American, defensive back at Alabama in 1965 thru 1967. Johns was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs, but eventually chose to come back home and coach high school football. Pro football was nowhere near as financially lucrative then as it is now. So, Johns returned to Birmingham and began his career by reaching out to his former high
How much will the city manager cost taxpayers? We don’t know, the city council can’t tell us anything until after voters approve the change. We should look at a city like Dothan, AL with a similar population (71,000) to Madison to get an idea. Dothan is more comparable to Madison in terms of population than two cities used as examples in the Madison government transition public meetings, Mountain Brook (22,000) and Vestavia (39,000). So why wasn’t Dothan used as an example or investigated by Madison’s governance transition committee? Most likely because it is fraught with controversy. In April 2019, Dothan hired its current city manager at a base salary of $190,000 plus a $700 per month auto allowance. A similar salary has been discussed as consideration for a city manager in Madison. So, what’s the catch? Within in a year of his hiring, Dothan’s city manager convinced the board of commissioners (city council) to hire an assistant city manager at a salary of $154,000 plus a $500 car allowance. The idea of an assistant city manager and the additional salary wasn’t mentioned at all by the transition committee or those who support this change in Madison. Other costs like moving expenses, health insurance, and other benefits also have to be considered.
Madison doesn’t need a city manager. I suggest voters mark your calendar now for May 9 and vote no.
school coach, Dewell Crumpton. Crumpton had recently become the head coach at our new school. With that connection, Johns quickly joined his staff.
Within a few weeks, spring training started. And from the first day, the coaches were unhappy with our efforts. Maybe it was because the freshmen weren’t used to thinking about football in late March. Maybe the sophomores were focused on harassing the freshmen. It didn’t matter. We were considered one team, a team that needed an attitude adjustment.
The coaches tried everything. They screamed, deprived us of
water, and made us run extra wind sprints. Nothing got our attention - until that afternoon.
I remember it clearly. I was leaving history class, headed to the gym to get dressed for practice, when I saw two of my teammates. They looked like they had just seen the angel of death.
I said,” Hey guys. Everything all right?”
“No. You haven’t heard?”
“Heard what?”
“Just go inside the gym, and look on the bleachers. You’ll see.”
And they continued walking, shaking their heads. This se-
is the fear of other people’s opinions. It’s a rare social phobia that’s characterized by an irrational and overwhelming fear of what other people think.
HUNTSVILLE – This weekend marks the 41st edition of the Panoply Arts Festival April 28-30. Held at Huntsville’s Big Spring Park, Panoply has evolved over the years into a premiere arts weekend showcasing the greater Huntsville area’s innovative spark through a three-day celebration of art, music, and more.
Panoply’s 41st celebration kicks off at 5 p.m. on Friday, April 28, showcasing regionally celebrated bands and musicians, the fan-favorite juried Art Marketplace, art and STEAM interactives, a largescale community art project, food trucks and more. This year the festival will
On
1986 - A devastating environmental catastrophe occurred early this morning in 1986 when an explosion and fire at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine released large amounts of radioactive material into the atmosphere.
again span across Church Street and into Big Spring Park East.
FEATURED MUSIC
Panoply 2023 will feature over 30 bands and musicians that make Huntsville the place to be for music today. Performers from all genres — jazz, rock, R&B, indie rock, blues, pop and more – will entertain festivalgoers on Panoply’s two stages: the Indie Stage and the Showcase Stage, presented by Pepsi.
The Showcase stage will feature a homegrown favorite, The Wanda Band, on Friday. Wanda made her solo debut at Panoply in 2012 as a Panoply Homegrown Talent Winner and in 2019 she debuted her band at Concerts in the Park.
She has carved out a name for herself regionally, gracing the stage at last year’s Shoals Fest, and she was recently named one of the “5 Huntsville Bands with the best shot to become Famous” by Matt Wake, Entertainment Reporter with Alabama Media Group.
Saturday features a medley of music that starts when the gates open at 10 a.m. The festival welcomes eight regional powerhouses that are gracing the Pepsi Showcase stage for the first time. Some Saturday performers include: newly-formed Trick Zipper Trio (comprised of Aaron Stapler, Dusty French, and Billie Allen) and Karmessa, a singer-songwriter known locally for her performances with Element XI and touring nationally with Ruben Studdard. Closing out Saturday night is Huntsville’s own Rob Aldridge and the Proponents. Uncut Magazine wrote in 2022 that “Rob is an Alabama native who is finally starting to get noticed as a songwriting frontman capable of gnawing a hook and a finely weighted turn of phrase,” and NPR calls them “an Alabama rock & roll band you need to know.”
On Sunday, the Showcase Stage will kick off with The Silver Silos featuring local favorite Alan Little on drums and close out with up-and-coming 17-year-old country music singer/songwriter Jackson Chase. In between, performers Pat Jamar, Luna Koi, Remy Neal and Moontown Music will take the stage.
While the Showcase stage features local and regional bands, Panoply’s Indie Stage, located in Big Spring East, plays host to many of Huntsville’s singer/ songwriters, duos, and instrumentalists such as Josh Taylor, Winslow Davis, Chelsea Who, WD Flow, Christie and Alli and one of Huntsville’s favorite husband and wife duos, Common Man.
COMMUNITY ART
Festivalgoers of all ages will stretch their creative muscles again with a hands-on large-scale community art activity, “UNITY.” It has been six years since “UNITY” premiered at Panoply. “UNITY” is a larger-than-life structure that helps us celebrate our uniqueness and strengthens our ties to each other. Nancy Belmont created “UNITY,” an interactive public art project, to raise consciousness about the labels we give ourselves and others and to explore how those labels support and limit building interconnected, interesting communities.
ART OUTLOUD STAGE
Panoply welcomes the return of the Art OutLoud Stage featuring spoken word performances from local literary figures and poets including, but not limited to: CeCe the Poet, author Betty
Bolte, the A&M Bulldog Players, and Andrew Gonzales. (Full schedule available on artshuntsville.org.)
ART MARKETPLACE
The Art Marketplace provides prime shopping in a beautiful setting. This year Panoply’s juried Art Marketplace will welcome more than 100 visual artists. One of the most popular features of the festival, the 2023 Art Marketplace will showcase both longtime festival artists as well as over 40 first-time Panoply exhibitors. This year’s artists come from 23 states, with some traveling from as far as Connecticut to New Mexico and Wisconsin to Florida for Panoply 2023.
STUDENT ART TENT AND FACE PAINTING TENT
The Student Art Tent, presented by Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Alabama, will once again be located in Big Spring Park East.; this popular festival destination features artwork from students of all ages that attend public and private schools across Madison County. Across the park, festivalgoers will also celebrate their creative side at the Panoply Face Painting Tent.
ARTS IN ACTION
Local artists will offer demonstrations of their craft at Panoply’s Arts in Action tents, where festivalgoers can get a firsthand look at the process of book binding, paper flower making .and street art creations.
This Day in
By MARIA RAKOCZY maria@themadisonrecord.com
MADISON - The first annual Bless Fest celebrates spring in Alabama the last weekend in April with family fun, community gathering, and local arts and crafts shopping in an outdoor setting.
The event is hosted by Most Merciful Jesus Catholic Parish off of Segers Road in Madison and is in its first year. Bless Fest organizer and parishioner, Roman Chomskis, says it is starting small but hopes Bless Fest will grow to become a local tradition for years to come.
“We wanted to start out small and then every year we would grow,” Chomskis said.
The outdoor festival is an opportunity for a day of family and community fun in the beautiful, Alabama spring. It will feature eighteen vendors selling a variety of artisan products. There will be games for the kids, food for all, and an auction for those wanting to try their luck. Bratwurst, hamburgers, hot dogs, and ribs will fuel the fun that will include activities such as basketball, a cakewalk, and more. Those interested in walking away a winner are invited to enter a raffle that features a first grand prize of $3,000, a second grand prize of a family vacation, and a third grand prize of $500.
“If people are looking for a good time and warmth, I invite them to come and participate,” Chomskis stated.
The Bless Fest has been the result of the hard work and enthusiasm of the church’s parishioners. A group of one hundred eighty volunteers are donating their time over the days of Saturday and Sunday, and even more volunteers, like Chomskis, have given their time and talents beforehand to make the festival possible. Chomskis described the outpouring of help with the festival, “It’s a fantastic community! It’s a friendly community. It accepts everybody and when somebody’s asking for help, we’re always there to help each other.”
The logo for the festival is even the original work of one parishioner who submitted the design and name in a contest held by the church. The springthemed logo encompasses the theme of Bless Fest and will grace t-shirts avail-
In the little moments and major milestones of childhood
families
helping, healing, teaching and discovering
Continued from page 5A quence of events filled me with a curious dread. Obviously, something had terrorized my buddies. But what could that be?
I got my answer when I walked through the double doors, and passed the concession stand. There, sitting on the bleachers, was the angel of death - in the person of Coach Bobby Johns. He was lacing up his cleats, fully dressed out in pads and helmet.
My heart jumped in my throat. I knew what this meant. We were about to pay for our slothfulness. An All-American defensive back was about to practice with us.
to have a city manager.
As you might expect, our locker room was like a sweaty funeral home. If anyone talked at all, it was just above a whisper. My fellow linemen were silently thanking the Almighty that we did not touch the football. I knew today was going to be a bad day if you were a running back or receiver.
To be honest, I don’t recall a lot of specifics about the practice. I suppose that’s because the mind tries to block out traumatic events from its memory. I do remember how much Coach Johns looked like a football player.
To read more about the city manager issue and the May 9 special election, go to www.themadisonrecord.com and click on the “May 9 Special Election” tab.
Madison Forward claims that transitioning to a council/manager form of government would free up to the mayor to become the political visionary of the city and bring in a qualified professional to handle the details of city operations.
“The role of the manager is to implement the will of the city council,” stated Madison Forward co-founder Terri Johnson when asked how much autonomy the city manager would have. She also emphasized that the city manager is not a political leader and does not create policy.
Don’t Mess with Madison claims that putting an unelected official in charge of the day-to-day operations of Madison would eliminate the voters’ power to select who runs the city. Don’t Mess with Madison representative George Berry discussed the dangers of election vs. selection.
“Are we going down the road of election vs selection?” Don’t Mess with Madison representative George Berry asked. “We in Madison have created what I think is a marvelous city, through the form of government that we have.”
One of the major concerns with the council/manager form is the city manager has no term of office and can remain in the position indefinitely.
Don’t Mess with Madison representatives claimed that it would be dangerous for someone to have an unlimited term of power. Tiffany Knox described their concern.
“Under our current form of government,” Knox said, “if we don’t like how things are going in the city, we can vote out the people who are in the government. With the city manager their term is indef-
Everything he wore - shoulder pads, pants, helmet, fit perfectly. On the other hand, my ill-fitting uniform made me look like a 6-year-old on Halloween night. All I was missing was a bag of candy. There’s a term old timers use to describe hard hits passed on a football field: “the pads popped”. I had no idea what that meant until the scrimmage began. Then Coach Johns hit one of our running backs. Those pads didn’t pop - they exploded. He was like a piranha in a school of minnows, running from side-
inite…if the citizens don’t like the direction Madison is heading in, our recourse for that is taken away.”
In discussing the indefinite term of a city manager, Mike Oliver, representative of Madison Forward, pointed out that the city council has the ability to fire the manager at any time.
To read more about the forum, see the full story by Kassidy Wilkins at www.themadsonrecord.com.
In another event related to the city manager issue, Jason Grant, a representative of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), gave an informational presentation Wednesday evening at the Madison Library on the Manager-Council system.
Grant argued that the city manager offers more efficient processes as merely an executor of city council policies. The manager will be responsible for seeing through the implementation of the city council’s approved budget and ensures that the council’s vision and policies “are carried out fully and faithfully by staff regardless of personal or political sentiment toward the Council’s vision or policies.” The system will require fewer staff to manage the responsibilities of the mayor’s office by consolidating those duties in the two positions of mayor and manager.
“[Mayors] set up authorities and committees, generally to help make sure they can manage it because there’s no way they can do all their work as an elected mayor, including running a city. So, the actual size of bureaucracy grows under mayor-council versus council-manager,”
Grant explained.
Attendees of the meeting debated amongst themselves the legality and ethical integrity of a city manager government for Madison.
To read the full story by Maria Rakoczy go to www.themadisonrecord.com.
line to sideline, hitting anything that moved. This was especially disturbing to me. I was an Alabama fan, and just a few months ago, Bobby Johns was a beloved hero of mine. Now he was right in front of me, mowing down my teammates. It was like learning that Tom Hanks was a serial killer. As the carnage unfolded, once again, I thanked God I wasn’t out there.
I heard some parents weren’t too happy about what happened that day. I don’t know. But I do know this: the rest of our spring practices were pretty dang good.
Continued from page 5A
down to finding the right person and as long as the mayor/council can hire and fire a city manager, I believe it is in our best interest to give it a shot.
Continued from page 2A
about the weather, it was evident that the safety of our children were first and foremost in their minds,” wrote parent Michelle Gentil in a letter shared by Dr. Nichols. “Erring on the side of caution when these events are so unpredictable and we have had a very eventful start of the tornado season was indeed the right thing to do.”
There’s nothing like the threat of an all-star defensive back murderizing your teammates to give practice an extra spark. And you can be sure that for the rest of spring training, we always checked the gym bleachers before we went in the locker room.
Joe Hobby is a comedian from Alabama who wrote for Jay Leno for many years. Find more of Joe’s stories on his blog: mylifeasahobby.blogspot.com. Also, on Facebook at: Joe Hobby Comedian- Writer
Michael T Potter Ex District 4 Councilman (2012-2016) Planning Commissioner (2008 – present) HOA board member, president (2003-present)
Dr. Nichols commended the teachers for their quick thinking and regard for student safety. Gentil also praised the program. “The STEM education and support they have also given my child, and other children, has been invaluable in every aspect,” she said. “My daughter is more confident, learned so much this year.”
Continued from page 7A
able to purchase at the festival.
Chomskis believes the event is truly an opportunity for the community to come out and come together. “It is important because our community has grown, and the community is growing now even more with the factories being built and our temporary church needs to expand,” he said. “Everybody’s assistance and help is certainly appreciated.”
The festival benefits Most Merciful Jesus Church Parish’s efforts to build a permanent church. The parish was founded in 2017 to serve the religious needs of the growing population of Madison. The church currently utilizes a building
meant for temporary use and has plans to begin construction preparation on a permanent structure in the next three years. Bless Fest is a fundraiser for the church to continue meeting the religious needs of Madison in a more appropriate setting.
Bless Fest is taking place on the church grounds at 10509 Segers Road on Saturday, April 29 9am to 7pm and Sunday, April 30 12:30pm – 7pm. Tickets are $3 per person and $5 per family. Raffle tickets can be purchased at $3 a piece or $15 for five tickets and t-shirts will be available for $11. All are available to be purchased at the door.
Continued from page 3A
city council attested at the groundbreaking to the long process of bringing BJ’s to Town Madison and the growth that attracted the wholesale club to the area.
The store is aiming to open in November in 2023 and will have the store and a fuel station, which will have savings
on gas for BJ’s credit card holders. BJ’s Wholesale is currently offering a deal for the Madison club that includes a $40 gift card with the purchase of a new membership. To learn more about the club and to sign up for memberships, visit bjs. com.
The University of
in
MADISON – Despite a quick start at the plate, the Rocket City Trash Pandas ended their homestand with a 7-3 loss to the Biloxi Shuckers on Sunday afternoon in front of a crowd of 5,148 at Toyota Field.
The visiting Shuckers clinched a series win with Sunday’s triumph, taking four of six from the Trash Pandas, including the final three games over the weekend.
Although he retired the first two batters of the game, Trash Pandas starter Mason Erla nearly didn’t escape the top of the first. A single and three walks gave the Shuckers a 1-0 lead before Erla induced a ground out from Carlos Rodriguez to end the inning.
Mustang Mud Run
With a record attendance of 840 participants, and with 40-plus volunteers assisting into making for a flawless day, the sixth annual Mustang Mud Run again showcased determination and fun all wrapped up in one event. Page 3B Reflections
SCHOOLS
The talents of Madison City Schools students are undeniable. In the PTA Reflections fine arts contest, MCS students won more total awards in state-level judging than any school district in Alabama. Page 5B
MADISON - It’s Thursday afternoon at the James Clemens Jetplex and the excitement about the Bob Jones series has been building all week.
Blue and White balloons adorn the fence near the field and paper signs at the gate say things like “Bob Who?” and “Countyline Culture.”
Television equipment is staged in front of the concession stand and yellow tape whips in the wind as fans begin to claim their spots for this huge game.
All the hype is for Game 1 on April 20 and the aces will be on the mound.
For Bob Jones it is the 6-foot-7
senior right hander Sam Mitchell who has committed to play college baseball at Alabama.
On the mound for James Clemens is the 6-foot-4 junior righty Luke Davenport who plans to take his talents to Auburn after his time with the Jets.
Both of these guys are dominant arms in the area, so naturally the anticipation for this game was overflowing.
Mitchell, clad in his road gray Patriots uniform, is stretching before the game with a pair of black headphones.
“I’m a rap guy,” Mitchell said.
“The beat gets me in the zone.”
A fan of Drake, Sam uses the music to flip the switch in his mind before he takes the mound.
Across the diamond Luke Davenport, in his favorite white uniform, is over in the James Clemens bullpen stretching out with training equipment while his catcher Colten Payton relaxes nearby.
Luke’s sunglasses gleam in the afternoon daylight as he puts on his cleats.
It is nearly go time.
The ping sound of the ball hitting the Bob Jones catcher Zach Johnson’s glove echoes as Mitchell takes some warm up throws before the game begins.
Davenport took the mound first for the Jets and he walked the first two batters he faced.
“I just didn’t feel super-timed up in that first inning and I just didn’t execute pitches really
See ACES Page 4B
The Trash Pandas responded in the bottom half against former teammate Adam Seminaris. Kyren Paris got the inning started by crushing Seminaris’ first pitch over the wall in right-center for a leadoff homer, his third home run of the season to tie the game at one. Later in the inning, Jeremiah Jackson’s RBI ground out plated Edgar Quero to put Rocket City ahead.
In the second, Aaron Whitefield led off with a walk and quickly stole second. Quero knocked him home with a sharp single to right, putting the Trash Pandas up 3-1. Erla held the lead in the third and fourth. But in the fifth, the Shuckers turned the game around. Felix Valero singled and Isaac Collins walked to put two on with nobody out. Two batters later, Tyler Black hit a three-run homer to right, his fourth of the season, to put Biloxi up 4-3. The visitors wouldn’t relinquish the lead.
In his third start of the season, Erla (L, 1-1) took the loss after allowing four runs over five innings with four walks and two strikeouts. For Biloxi, Seminaris (W, 1-2) earned the win, giving up three runs on six hits with two walks and six strikeouts over five innings.
José Soriano was stellar out of the Trash Pandas bullpen, tossing three scoreless innings to keep the deficit at one. But in the ninth, the Shuckers broke the game open with a bases-clearing three-run double from Jackson Chourio against Ben Joyce to make it a 7-3 game.
Rocket City struggled against the Biloxi bullpen. In relief of Seminaris, relievers Ryan Middendorf and Darrell Thompson (S, 1) combined to throw four scoreless innings, allowing no hits and striking out seven to finish the win for the Shuckers.
Quero led the way for the
JACKSON, Tenn. – The No. 4 University of Alabama in Huntsville softball team became the 2023 Gulf South Conference Regular Season Champions with an 8-1 victory at Union to cap off a conference series sweep on Sunday afternoon. UAH improves to 39-7 (24-2 GSC), while UU slides to 24-21 (13-12 GSC).
The victory secures the Chargers as the No. 1 seed at the upcoming 2023 Gulf South Conference Softball Championships at Choccolocco Park from May 3-6. This is the third time in the GSC’s non-divisional era UAH has earned the league’s regular season title.
UAH finishes the 2023 regular season road slate with a 15-1 record that was capped off by 11 consecutive GSC road wins. This was also UAH’s seventh straight win over Union.
Both sides were tied 1-1 after one run apiece in the first inning until the Chargers pulled ahead with a two-run top of the third that would carry UAH to the 8-1 victory to seal the series sweep.
Josie Thompson had a strong start in the circle for the Blue & White, hurling the full 7.0 innings with one run allowed, zero walks and a season-high nine strikeouts. She improves to 5-1 in 2023.
Kaylee Vaught capped off her weekend with 2-for-4 performance
that featured one double and one. Vaught collected a total of seven runs driven in during the weekend series to increase her team-leading RBI total to 41.
Laura Harbin drove in a roster-best four runs on the day, as she mashed a grand slam as part of a five-run top of the seventh. Harbin now has six home runs this season.
Kinley Adams scored a teamhigh three runs on Sunday, while also drawing two of the Chargers seven walks on Sunday.
Saturday’s Games
UAH 8, Union 3
UAH scored two or more runs in the first four innings to amass an 8-2 lead over Union, as the advantage carried to an 8-3 final score in game one.
Kaylee Vaught put up a stellar offensive performance in the gameone victory with a 3-for-4 day at the plate with one double, two runs and three RBI.
Both Maddie Cartron and Lila Young had one base hit and two RBI in the contest, as Cartron notched a two-RBI double as part of a fourrun fourth and Young posted a twoRBI single in the third.
Megan Shurtz tossed the full 7.0 innings of the series-opener with three runs allowed and five strikeouts to improve to 11-3 on the year. She has now hurled 10 complete games in 2023.
UAH 8, Union 3
The Chargers notched their second win of the day by another 8-3 final score, with the squad starting off the game with a four-run rally in the first that carried the squad to completing the doubleheader sweep. Vaught displayed her power prowess in the first inning with a three-run homer to left, followed by a solo shot by Cartron to center for the four-run rally. Vaught now has six homers this season, while Cartron hit her team-leading seventh round-tripper.
Both of Vaught’s two hits in the game went for extra bases as she also notched a double, as she went 2-for-4 with two runs and three RBI to lead the offense.
Kinley Adams generated a teamhigh three hits in four trips to the plate, with the Chargers recording nine hits as a team. Cartron and Gracie Green also both had two-hit performances.
Katie Bracken limited the Bulldogs to two earned runs over 7.0 innings in game two, while striking out 10. Bracken improves to 14-1 this season and increased her season strikeout total to 128.
The Chargers are back in action on Friday and Saturday at Charger Park for the final weekend of the regular season with a three-game series against Auburn Montgomery.
By STAFF REPORTS news@themadisonrecord.com
JACKSON, Tenn. – The University of Alabama in Huntsville baseball team completed a weekend sweep on the road on Sunday in the final matchup of a three-game series against Gulf South Conference opponent Union.
The Chargers record improved to 27-17 (18-9 GSC) in the 12-5 victory, while the Bulldogs fell to 13-28 (819 GSC). The series win marks the fifth consecutive series win and the second straight road sweep for the Chargers.
Garrett Bodine led the way at the plate for the Chargers as he went 3-for-6 with a double, two RBI, and two runs scored. The redshirt senior has scored 191 career runs and is now just five runs away from tying the UAH record.
Carson Villalta, Brennan Vasquez, and Colin Baeder each contributed a pair of hits in the game. Baeder came on as a pinch hitter and proceeded to go 2-for-3 with three RBI.
On the mound, Landon Singley earned the win with a seven inning
performance as he struck out nine Union batters, gave up four hits, and surrendered just two earned runs.
UAH 10, UU 6
In the first game of the series, UAH got out to a 2-0 lead in the third inning before Union drew even in the bottom half of the inning. Three more runs were added in the sixth inning by the Chargers, but the Bulldogs kept up with the pace and the game was tied heading into the seventh.
UAH would go on to score the next five runs of the game while Union was held to just one, ending the game at 10-6.
At the plate, Will Noles led the way for the Chargers with a 2-for-4 game with one home run and three RBI. Caleb Mahan, Landon Ezzell, and Jackson Lindsey each chipped in with multi-hit games, recording two apiece. Making the start for UAH was Connor Brooks, who pitched 5.2 innings, struck out three, and gave up three earned runs. Cory Hagood earned the win in relief with 0.2 in-
nings pitched as he struck out two.
UAH 7, UU 1
The Chargers got out to a 2-0 lead once again in game two in the second inning, with the two run lead proving to be enough for the win as they would go on to win 7-1.
Ezell extended his hitting streak to 18 games in the game two win and belted one home run, his eighth of the season. Carson Villalta contributed his fifth home run of the year in a 2-for-4 showing at the plate.
Hunter Tillman drove in three runs for the game while going 2-for-3.
Andre Orselli improved to 5-2 as he made the start on the mound for the Chargers and threw six innings.
The Lake Orion, Michigan, native struck out five, surrendered one run and gave up just three hits in the win.
Trey Wright pitched one inning in relief, gave up no hits, and struck out one.
The Chargers head to Young Harris on Wednesday for a midweek contest before returning to Huntsville for their final regular season series of the season against Auburn Montgomery this weekend.
By BOB LABBE bob0873@yahoo.com
MADISON - With a record attendance of 840 participants, and with 40-plus volunteers assisting into making for a flawless day, the sixth annual Mustang Mud Run again showcased determination and fun all wrapped up in one event.
Hosted by Madison Academy and held on its campus on Slaughter Road bordering Indian Creek, the 5K (3.1-mile) obstacle course where participants ran, swam, jumped, climbed and crawled through 23 pre-arranged obstacles in the fundraising event for the private school with the end result of helping others while having fun. The event was not a competition, but a show of a little survival skills, along with athletic skills and the willingness to get down right dirty; in the case of the event, muddy.
In attendance were 60 JROTC Cadets from area high schools Buckhorn, Madison County and Sparkman. There were numerous teams engaged in the event including the local FBI office, Officer Training School of Prattville, and corporate teams such as i3 Cares, Dean
Plumbing, Healthsource Chiropractic, and many others. The winner of the trophy representing the largest group to participate was Burn Boot Camp which had 100 CrossFit members take the plunge into the muddy mess of Indian Creek.
The annual trek through mud, and sometimes blood and tears of joy, also featured the Lil’ Muddy 1K for youngsters ages six and up with over 100 little runners making their way through a predetermined course for their own wet and muddy extravaganza. After sloshing through the creek and conquering a couple of obstacles, each of the Lil’ Mudders were sent crawling into the mud and then onto the finish line for their own personal finishing medal and photo.
Proceeds from the event will not only provide infrastructure upgrades for Madison Academy but will also help the First Stop organization meet the needs of another growing population of the homeless in the Huntsville area.
Enrollment for Madison Academy is now over 800 students and expected growth in the next several years is anticipated.
For the first time in the school’s history that St. John Paul II Catholic High School baseball moves on to the second round of state Class 4A baseball playoffs after an 11-4 win over Oneonta in Game 3 of the series. The Falcons host Brooks on Friday at 4:30 p.m.
Training programs scheduled to prepare for upcoming races
By BOB LABBE bob0873@yahoo.com
MADISON - May seems to be the month of training regimens for runners of all ages in preparation for numerous upcoming events in the immediate area. From beginners to elite runners, all are covered in an array of training programs, which are designed to help any participant with safety, proper technique, and overall success.Fleet Feet of Huntsville/Madison host many training programs geared to assist runners of all levels of experience to get into physical shape or remain in tip-top condition in preparation for scheduled events.
Sundays in May (7, 14, 21, 28) are
“Preview Runs” for the scheduled Cotton Row 10K on Monday, May 29,
ous with the bat in his hands.
There was one player who pitched through minefield after minefield until time ran out and he had to take the fall.
Game 3 was the moment where Hunter Harris found another level.
It was the second inning and Jets starter Satchel Wheeler had pitched into a jam.
James Clemens had tallied five runs in the first inning to set an early tone in this game, only to have Bob Jones answer in the bottom of the first with two 2-run home runs by Sammy Vander Hill and Aidan Doyle to cut the advantage to just 5-4 JC.
A single and two walks followed by a Sam Mitchell RBI single in the bottom of the second tied the game at 5-5 and sent James Clemens head coach Johnny Johnson out to the mound to get Wheeler.
Welcome to the game Hunter Harris. The bases were loaded and there were no outs.
“Losing the first two games, we knew we didn’t want to get swept by Bob Jones,” Harris said.
“I knew I had to come in here and kind of just compete. I’ve had a rough two past outings also so I knew today was my day to step up.”
As Harris warmed up, his practice throws would go flying past Jets catcher Colten Payton where they would smack the backstop pad.
But once the Patriots stepped into the box to face him, Harris locked in and he started blowing guys away.
The first two Bob Jones batters he faced went down looking, and the last guy he faced at least swung the bat when he struck out.
The next inning was more of the same as Harris struck out two more Patriots for another spotless frame.
“That kid’s out there throwing 86 to 90 with a 78 to 89 mph slider at times,” Johnson said.
“Those guys get outs when they are throwing strikes.”
After starter Tanner Hermesch gave up five runs in the first, Booth came in to pitch for Bob Jones in the second inning and Patriot pitcher got into a groove of his own.
“We faced some adversity in the series,” Bob Jones head coach Jared Smith said.
“It’s nice to see our guys compete. We go down 5-0 in the first here and could have folded and we came back and walk it off at the end.”
Booth and Harris helped keep the game deadlocked until the Jets broke through in the top of the fifth with an RBI single by center fielder Aidan Cook that made it 6-5.
After pitching around a fifth inning error with two more strikeouts, the James Clemens pitcher
Memorial Day in downtown Huntsville. The weekly jaunts across the course of the Cotton Row Run in downtown Huntsville will begin at 7:00 a.m. Each participant is invited to grab breakfast at Honest Coffee Roasters, located on Clinton Ave. in downtown Huntsville, immediately following the workout. Each participant will receive a 10-percent discount on their selected breakfast.
Triathlon 101: Kickoff meeting is scheduled on Tuesday, May 16 beginning at 6:00 p.m. with a 12-week training course for the Huntsville Sprint Triathlon scheduled for Aug. 5. The training will consist of weekly training on Tuesdays at 6:00 p.m. and some Saturdays and Sundays in preparations for the annual Sprint Triathlon. Details are available at www.fleetfeethuntsville.com/train-
ing. Ultra Training: For those with a little more get-and-go, the Ultra Training program is set for those wishing to train for an array of distance races including the 40-mile, 100km, and 100-mile. The goal race for this segment of training is the Blue Heron Hundreds or any fall ultramarathon. This training for elite athletes runs May 29-Sept. 2 and will be led by coaches Robert and Kathy Youngren. The sessions feature personalized weekly schedules using the Vdot app with group runs at least once per month for long-distance training runs. Terrain will vary from paved to dirt/crushed gravel roads. For additional details, visit www.fleetfeethuntsville.com/training or e-mail kathy@fleetfeethuntsville.com.
well in that first inning,” Davenport said. “I felt like after that, I really locked in.”
The fourth batter of the first inning who stepped into the box against Luke was Mitchell.
The two aces looked at each other for a second.
“He is a really good pitcher,” Mitchell said.
“He throws strikes, but none of them are easy so you are just trying to find something that you can hit.”
The first duel of Luke versus Sam ended with Mitchell swinging and missing for a strikeout.
When the Patriot pitcher put a toe on the rubber, he was locked in striking out nine James Clemens batters through the first four innings.
Bob Jones head coach Jared Smith was on the mower cleaning up the outfield grass before the start of Game 2. In the second game, Davenport was not in the lineup, while Mitchell was slotted in at first base.
It is a role that the Patriot plays proudly.
“I always love to be able to make plays to help the team win,” Mitchell said.
“Being on the field, it’s a great opportunity to really impact the game. Especially first base because, you get a hit, you go to first base.”
Bob Jones ended up winning the second game 9-5 as Sam walked and reached on an error in four at bats.
Luke was in the dugout with his team watching the action.
Harris was back into the fire in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Bob Jones was hungry to mount a comeback in the sixth and with two outs, it looked like the wheels were beginning to fall off for Harris and the Jets.
The rally started when a diving Cook couldn’t bring in a ball dropping fast in front of him in shallow center.
Two walks later, Harris had his back against the wall with the bases loaded.
With his cap a little crooked from throwing a pitch, Harris took a deep breath and delivered another pressure pitch to a pinch-hitting Zach Johnson who grounded out to second base for a massive escape for James Clemens.
Such a moment just had to mean that the Jets were going to find a way to finally vanquish the Patriots in this third game.
The truth is, baseball isn’t like the movies unless you are Derek Jeter.
It can be brutal, harsh and beautiful all at once.
Up one going into the bottom of the seventh inning, it was Harris back on the mound tasked with getting the final three outs.
The guy who had dug so deep through the bulk of this game gave up two singles and a walk to load the bases for Booth of all people.
The rest of the game went according to the script. Booth came through and he was mobbed by his jubilant teammates who stormed the field to celebrate the sweep.
Bob Jones had ripped their hearts out at the last second yet again.
While the Patriots roll into a home playoff series against Chelsea this weekend, James Clemens hits the road to face Spain Park
with the knowledge of what they have in Hunter Harris.
“He grew up a little bit today. I hope that carries into the playoffs,” Johnson said.
“If so, him mixed with the Davenports and some of those guys, all of a sudden we become dangerous.”
Game 2: Saturday, April 22:
Bob Jones 9, James Clemens 5
Bob Jones played loose and relaxed in the first Saturday game as the Patriots pulled away from the Jets with a barrage of runs.
Ben Arn was effective on the mound tossing six innings despite allowing five runs on six hits.
“Even though the game doesn’t matter, it is true that we run this city,” Arn said.
“They think they have a shot, and they think that it is close every year and they come here to find out that it is not.”
A Braden Booth 2-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning was the key moment of the game.
Game 1: Thursday, April 20: Bob Jones 4, James Clemens 2
The first game of this intense rivalry went to the Patriots in front of a large crowd and a television broadcast at the Jetplex.
The signature moment of this battle was when Bob Jones shortstop Nate Mayfield cranked a 2-run home run over the fence in the sixth inning to break a 2-2 tie and push the Patriots over the top.
In the head-to-head showdown of the top pitchers, it was Bob Jones’ Sam Mitchell who got the better of the Jets’ ace Luke Davenport.
While both hurlers went the distance, it was Mitchell who struck out 10 and allowed two runs to Davenport’s four runs allowed while he fanned seven Patriot batters.
“I like good baseball like anyone and this is one of the best games we have played so far this year,” Mitchell said. “I just enjoyed every bit of it.”
Luke didn’t get to bat in this game, but he did end up facing Sam two more times where he struck him out each sequence.
While Davenport went seven innings with seven K’s and gave up four runs in the 4-2 loss to Bob Jones, Mitchell’s seven strong innings and 10 strikeouts ended up earning the Patriots the win and area championship.
“Nobody wants to lose,” Mitchell said.
“You lose, you still move on with the season. JC’s right here. This is for bragging rights and this is for the City of Madison. We have got to come out with a little bit more intensity.”
Friday April 21
The next day, Luke had class where he was studying for a calculus exam that is coming up in a couple of weeks.
Not the most social person, Davenport said that this week was not very different for him in terms of students asking him about the rivalry games.
For Sam, who has finished up his high school classes and is now taking a couple of courses at Calhoun, his Friday was really just taking a breath before the Saturday games.
“I try to get my work done early in the week,” Mitchell said.
“Basically, Thursday and Friday is just baseball. You have just got to focus on your opponent. We kind of do a little bit of scouting, but nothing too serious.”
Saturday April 22
It was around noon when the school bus pulled into Bob Jones High School and the Jets climbed out of the bus in their navy blue jersey tops and gray pants.
Davenport doesn’t care for the navy jerseys like the white ones because it doesn’t fit him as well.
Trash Pandas offensively, going 2-for-3 with a run scored, a walk, and an RBI.
“I’m just on the railing kind of taking in the game,” Davenport said.
“Add energy when I need it. I probably don’t talk the most out of everybody, but just staying focused and stuff. Being ready for my named to be called if I need to go out there.”
In between Game 2 and Game 3 there was a 30 minute break for the teams and Mitchell was all smiles as Bob Jones had won and was in position to go for the sweep of the Jets.
In the other dugout, Davenport was fueling up with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich as he got his mind right to play first base in the finale.
As the fielder at first and later on just serving as the designated hitter, Luke struck out in the first inning but bounced back at the plate with single and a walk.
Meanwhile, Sam struck out and collected an RBI single, a fielder’s choice and a walk.
It was a close game that came down to the wire, but Bob Jones ended up winning 7-6 with a walkoff in the seventh.
As both of these players move into the playoffs this weekend, that rivalry series was one of the final times that these two aces will face each other.
Mitchell is set to graduate and move onto Alabama in the fall, Davenport has one more year at James Clemens.
Moments like Thursday are the type of things that people will look back at when they facing each other in the SEC and beyond.
“You have got to balance it,” Mitchell said on Saturday with the Bob Jones baseball field gleaming behind him.
“Your mind is going to drift to Alabama and all of that stuff, but you have got to be able to be present in the moment and have fun while you are here. Enjoy the good old days.”
a six-game series against the Chattanooga Lookouts (8-7), which started last night. First pitch tonight at AT&T Field is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. Josh Caray will be on the call for 103.9 FM
THE UMP
to
By GREGG PARKER gregg@themadisonrecord.com
MADISON – The talents of Madison City Schools students are undeniable. In the PTA Reflections fine arts contest, MCS students won more total awards in state-level judging than any school district in Alabama.
In addition, Madison students claimed the most first-place awards of all Alabama school districts. After winning at local, regional and state levels, these students have advanced for competition at the national level of Reflections.
“A big congratulations to all the talented students advancing to the National Reflections Awards,” Madison City PTA officers posted on Facebook.
The following list states Madison’s winners, their school and the Reflections category in which they competed:
• Olivia Lekas -- Bob Jones High School, Visual Arts.
• Lara Lum -- Columbia Elementary School, Dance Choreography.
• Meera Vinod -- Columbia, Dance Choreography.
• Maximus Turner -- Colum-
bia, Dance Choreography.
• Geena Roberts -- Discovery Middle School, Literature.
• Jillian Washburn -- Discovery, Visual Arts.
• Cora Oliver -- Heritage Elementary School, Film Production.
• Camden Roy -- Heritage, Photography.
• Zoey Mulloy -- Horizon Elementary School, Literature.
• Wylie Savage -- Horizon, Music Composition.
• Andrew Carlson -- James Clemens High School, Film Production.
• Jason Davies – James Clemens, Music Composition.
• Oviya Gowder -- James Clemens, Photography.
• Urvi Mysore -- James Clemens, Photography.
• Elizabeth Nolan -- James Clemens, Photography.
• Anaya Naphade -- James Clemens, Literature.
• Shayan Rajput -- James Clemens, Film Production.
• Sahishnu Saha -- James Clemens, Photography.
• Harshtha Chander -- Liberty Middle School, Dance Choreography.
• Daniel (Aiden) Dean -- Lib-
erty, Film Production.
• Laya Gowder -- Liberty, Photography.
• Julia Holkem -- Liberty, Visual Arts.
• Tejas Akshai Iyer -- Liberty, Music Composition.
• Ishita Rajput -- Liberty, Music Composition.
• Arush Sharma -- Liberty, Photography.
• Norah Basham -- Midtown Elementary School, Music Composition.
• Zayna Killedar -- Midtown, Literature.
• Madison Mosbarger -- Midtown, Visual Arts.
• Peter Gosier -- Mill Creek Elementary School, Visual Arts.
• Alice Grieve -- Mill Creek, Visual Arts.
• Ananth Ravishekar -- Mill Creek, Music Composition.
• Hannah Williams -- Mill Creek, Photography.
• Miette Zimmerman -- Mill Creek, Music Composition. Madison City PTA held an awards ceremony for Reflections on March 2 at Columbia Elementary School. A packed audience of contestants and their parents/guardians assem-
In PTA Reflections fine arts contest, these students won in the Photography division at the city level for Madison City Schools. From all Madison schools, 33 students earned first place at the state level, advancing them to the National Reflections Awards contest.
bled for the event.
Volunteers grouped students’ submissions by grade levels: primary, intermediate, middle and high school.
MCS Assistant Superintendent Eric Terrell attended the ceremony and celebrated with
MADISON – Noel
Newquist, known by students across Madison as ‘Mr. New,’ has received the “Outstanding Educator Award” from the Alabama State PTA.
“Over the last 15 years, I have taught visual arts at all of the elementary schools in Madison City: Heritage, Columbia, Madison, West Madison, Horizon, Rainbow, Mill Creek, Midtown and the Pre-Kindergarten Center,” Newquist said.
“My current position is split between Heritage and Midtown,” he said.
His time with Madison City Schools started in the 2008-2009 school year. “One of the reasons I wanted to work for Madison City Schools is because I grew up here, and I am a product of the district. It’s home for me,” Newquist said.
In working with his students, he “believes that learning is, and always should be, fun. If you’re not engaged and interested, you’re not truly learning.”
Newquist enjoys observing his fifth-graders compare portraits that they created in January to their March portraits.
“They see how much they’ve grown in that time. Huge success, every time!” Newquist said.
This scenario reminds Newquist’s students “that, even though they won’t be Leonardo da Vinci tomorrow, they can still continue to grow and improve
every day. One step at a time.”
“At the end of the day, love is what matters. Even if all my lessons flop, at least I end the day knowing that I’ve loved my students,” he said.
Newquist earned a bachelor’s degree in arts education from Flagler College in St. Augustine, Fla. in 2006 and a master’s degree in educational theory and practice from Arkansas State University - Jonesboro in 2011. He has been a National Board Certified Teacher or NBCT in Early-Middle Childhood Visual Arts since 2018.
His wife Laura is a stayat-home mom. Their children are Scott, 12, who attends Liberty Middle School; John, 9, a student at Heritage; and Jackie, 4, who attends Trinity Baptist Church Pre-Kindergarten.
“I enjoy voice-acting all the different characters whenever I read books out loud,” Noel Newquist said.
“In what spare time I have, I like to read, watch movies, play video games, hike and barbecue.”
recipients for their awards. Madison City PTA leaders who have commitments with Reflections include Ricki Schwartz and Beth Green, who both serve as Reflections Co-Chairpersons. For more information, visit alabamapta.org/reflections.
MADISON – Darci Kilpatrick entered the Madison Optimist Club’s Essay Contest without any expectations. In fact, the essay was required work for all students in a writing class at Bob Jones High School.
Darci, a 15-year-old freshman at Bob Jones, is enrolled in Brandy Panagos’ creative writing course this semester.
“Everyone in the class received the assignment to write and submit written works to the Optimist contest, but Darci is the only student in her class to win a prize,” Charity Stratton said. Stratton serves as Publicist for the Madison Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Stratton and Darci are members of LDS.
“Darci never expected to walk away with first place and a check for $300. But that is exactly what happened,” Stratton said.
Darci’s winning essay focused on her mother, who was diagnosed with breast cancer a few months ago.
“My essay was about my mom and about how, even when she was going through her cancer treatments, she was still super optimistic and how that optimism brought out the optimism in me,” Darci said.
In other honors, Darci was recognized as a Fiction Finalist, along with earning third place for her poem, in Alabama Writers Forum’s contest. The forum was founded in 1993 to honor the state’s literary heritage and to support its ongoing literary culture.
“For a few years, Darci has wanted to do something with writing in her future, although she doesn’t know just what that will look like yet,” Stratton said.
“Darci socializes a lot, but mostly with her family, going on walks and doing things together. She claims she is ‘boring outside of school,’” Stratton said. Darci’s ‘hobbies’ actually are self-improvement exercises, planning for her future and preparing for college.
As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, she attends an early morning seminary
Darci Kilpatrick holds her first-place certificate for superior writing in the Madison Optimist Club Essay Contest.
class with other teens before her school day starts. The class meets at 6:30 a.m. on Monday through Friday to study the New Testament and life of Jesus Christ.
Darci is saving most of her prize money for her college fund. However, she is looking forward to spending a little bit for something fun.
For more information about Madison Optimist Club, call 256-461-8787.
“Mr. New” reflects on teaching style after being receiving Outstanding Educator Award from Alabama PTA
Noel Newquist
A Paleontologist is a scientist who studies fossils. Fossils are the remains of animals that have been preserved, sometimes for millions of years. Many people think the only fossils that are found are dinosaur bones. There are many types of fossils that have been found, ranging from the bones of animals, like dinosaurs, to insects, plants, and even bacteria. Most organisms can become fossils if the right conditions are present when they die, even humans. There are a few different ways that a fossil can form. The most common fossils come from the bones or hard part of species. They were at some point under water and covered with many layers of soil and sediment and compressed. Over time this sediment turns into rock, and the bones also turn into rock. Therefore, most fossils must be dug out from rock. Some small fossils, such as bugs, are covered in a substance called resin which is a sticky substance that looks like syrups from trees that hardens into a form called amber. Inside the amber, the species is preserved. Other fossils have formed in the ocean, or even in tar pits such as those found in California. When looking for fossils in the ground, scientists carefully dig them up. They must be very careful so that they do not damage any part of the fossil, and they can do this by using small hand tools like those used in a Dentist’s office. Some fossils are so large that they take months or even years to completely uncover. The information that they obtain from them is called the fossil record. The fossil record helps us to piece together parts of the history of the Earth and of our species.
The fossil shown in the grid is called an Ammonite. It is one of the most commonly found fossils. It is a squid-like animal that lived in the oceans. It became extinct with the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. Use the grid to draw an Ammonite.
Anyone who has watched the news has probably heard of fossil fuels. But what are fossil fuels, anyway? Fossil Fuels are coal, petroleum, and natural gas. They are the remains of animals from millions of years ago that turned into these resources from being compressed in the ground; they are not actual fossils like the ones above.
Listed below are the steps in which some fossils are created. They are not in the correct order. Read each one and decide the correct order of events to create a fossil.
Amber, Bones, Dig, Dinosaurs, Fossils, History, Layers, Ocean, Paleontologist, Record, Resin, Rock, Science, Sediment, Species, Tar Pits, Tools
By GREGG PARKER gregg@themadisonrecord.com
MADISON – A little help from empathetic volunteers to assist in-need people has proven that many individuals still do care about others.
Huntsville Assistance Program or HAP recently faced a crisis because food pantry shelves were empty of cans, jars and boxes at their Madison annex. “After an urgent request from Dr. Wendy Kirk with the Huntsville Assistance Program, congregations across Madison started collecting food items to help replenish the pantry,” Charity Stratton said.
Stratton serves as publicist with the Madison Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, along with being the secretary of the Madison Interfaith Council.
“With the skyrocketing cost of groceries, the local food pantry found that they were critically low on the most basic items,” Stratton said.
Claire Strand, who serves as Director of Missions and Outreach at Messiah Lutheran Church in Madison, brought the urgency to the attention of the Madison Interfaith Council, in
which Strand is a participating member. Madison Interfaith Council unanimously voted to hold a food drive to benefit HAP.
“When six cars and trucks pulled up with food donations, Kathy and Joe Long with the help of Andrew Riley unloaded the vehicles. Kathy and Joe Long have helped with the food pantry for the last three years,” Stratton said.
“After Kathy’s husband retired in Colorado, they moved to Madison to be closer to family and now spend time volunteering their time at the food pantry.
Kathy said she has ‘always been interested in feeding people,’” Stratton said.
HAP is a group of Christian congregations who desire to provide a ministry of assistance and referrals to needy individuals and families of Madison County. HAP also makes every effort to cooperate with the different organizations, agencies, ministries and other faith groups with similar desire to support the needy and HAP’s mission.
HAP strives to achieve its mission by pooling volunteers, information and financial resources from its members.
The food drive was held
throughout February and March by several Madison churches, including Most Merciful Jesus Catholic Church, All Nations Great House Ministry, Messiah Lutheran Church, Grace Covenant Worship and
Outreach Center, Restoration Church and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Madison or west location of HAP is inside Harvest Pointe Methodist Church at 103 Gin Oak Court in downtown Madi-
son, just south of Main Street. If your church wants to participate in projects like this food drive with Madison Interfaith Council, email charitystratton@ bellsouth.net or visit Facebook/ Madison Interfaith Council.
Panolpy
Continued
Each year, Arts Huntsville commissions an artist to create an art piece that captures the spirit of the festival and the community. This year’s Panoply poster artist is Denise Onwere. While Denise is new to Panoply, she’s already well-known as an artist and arts educator at Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment.
Denise grew up in Los Angeles, the daughter of Grammy-nominated jazz artist Jeff Clayton of The Clayton Brothers. As a child, Denise watched her father perform with the likes of
Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, BB King, and Madonna, and music served as an early inspiration in her self-taught career as a visual artist.
“We knew when we asked Denise to create our Panoply 2023 poster artwork that she would capture the energy and excitement of Huntsville’s arts, entertainment, and music scene,” said Arts Huntsville Executive Director Allison Dillon-Jauken.
“Denise’s celebration of Panoply showcases iconic highlights of the festival’s setting in Big Spring Park. It celebrates the
art, music, and fun that festivalgoers of all ages have experienced at Panoply for over four decades in a dynamic way.”
Onwere will sell her original paintings at Panoply Arts Festival, and festivalgoers can purchase merchandise featuring her artwork at the Panoply Stores. Arts Huntsville will also offer a limited number of signed posters for the public to purchase.
HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES
Panoply’s STEAM Street, presented by Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Alabama, will celebrate the 41st anniversary of the Panoply Arts Festival with special activities:
• Huntsville City Schools Magnet Programs ‘ Kinetic Kaleidoscopes!’ presented by Intrepid –Make a kaleidoscope and learn about light and how it travels.
• Huntsville Ballet’s ‘Science of Soaring Sauté’ presented by KBR – Learn the physics of a Sauté through demonstrations, practicing jumps and creating a take-home Soaring Sauté Dancer.
• Creative Launchpad’s “Circuit Board Dance Challenge” presented by Hexagon – Make a simple circuit and learn how electricity is conducted as festivalgoers make a DIY dance pad.
• National Space Club’s “The Art of the Universe” STEAM Exhibit featuring recent images from Marshall Space Flight Center missions.
This year’s Creativity Corner presented by Virginia and Parker Griffith will offer Art Adventures for all to enjoy:
• ‘Block Printing’ presented
by Parkway Place Mall – Learn a simple printing technique using foam, paper, and paint.
• ‘Mixed Media Monsters’ presented by Huntsville Hospital’s Women and Children – Festivalgoers will piece together a monster and create its world using a vast array of materials.
• ‘Pointillism’– Learn about pointillism and recreate works using this technique from the pioneers of Pointillism, Georges Seurat and Paul Signac.
• ‘Haiku Art’– Create a traditional Japanese haiku using nature as inspiration and add a unique illustration using watercolors.
• Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Guilds ‘Discover Music – The Symphony Guild’s popular musical experience introduces young people to musical instruments.
MILITARY SALUTE NIGHT
The Panoply tradition of Military Salute Night, presented by Northrop Grumman, continues Friday, April 28. All active-duty military and Armed Forces reserves and their dependents are welcomed to the park for a free evening of entertainment. Military personnel will be asked to show their current military ID at the entrances.
PANOPLY FESTIVAL FOOD
Along with Panoply’s diverse array of art and music, festivalgoers can enjoy local tastes from 13 food trucks. This year, the popular Craft Beer and Wine Tent moves to a central location between the main park and Big Spring East and will feature craft beer from Yellowhammer
and Straight to Ale.
FESTIVAL SEATING AND FIREWORKS
Enjoy Panoply’s music and performances with open-air seating. Festival patrons are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets to sit on as they enjoy the lineup of Panoply performers. Friday and Saturday nights will end with a stunning firework display presented by Delta Research.
TICKETS
Arts Huntsville is once again offering a Panoply weekend pass available online in advance for $18. The pass provides an affordable way to enjoy Panoply’s diverse entertainment all weekend. Weekend passes are only available until 4 p.m. on Friday, April 28. Day passes are $10 if purchased in advance online until 4 p.m. on Friday, April 28. After that, day passes are available for purchase for $15 online and at the festival ticket booths, sponsored by Redstone Federal Credit Union. Children 12 and under are free of charge. Tickets are on sale now at artshuntsville.org. Festival entrances are presented by Huntsville Utilities and TVA.
