Madison Living Magazine - November 2021

MADISON LIVING THE GUIDE • AROUND TOWN • CHAMBER CONNECTIONS • OUT & ABOUT • AUTHOR’S CORNER

November 2021 / $4.95 madisonlivingmagazine.com

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Madison Living 3

Alison James John Few

MADISON CONTRIBUTORS MADISON Gregg Parker LIVING LIVING Bob Labbe

EDITORIAL Richard George EDITOR Rebekah Martin Joshua Berry JohnJames Few Alison Erin Coggins John Few Lee Marshall CONTRIBUTORS Mayor Paul Finley Bob Labbe CONTRIBUTORS MaryGregg LynneParker Wright Parker MaryGregg Anne Swanstrom Erin Coggins Bob Labbe Joshua Berry Richard George William Aycock MARKETING Joshua Berry Lee Marshall Donna Counts Erin Coggins John Peck Lee Marshall Mary Lynne Wright ADMINISTRATIVE Mayor Paul Finley Richard George Sierra Jackson Mayor PaulWright Finley Mary Lynne French Salter Mary Anne Swanstrom MARKETING ••• Donna Counts MARKETING

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by Madison Publications, LLC 4 Madison Living

4 Madison Living

and Dadeville, followed by a stop in Opelika before landing in north Alabama. She loves sharing the stories – and correcting the grammar of those stories – of the people and places that make north Alabama such a special place.

...

CONTRIBUTORS John Few, Editor Alison James, copy editor

John Few hasearned been in thebachelor’s field of newspaper journalism at and production for over 25 Alison James her degree in journalism Auburn University, years. Johninhas served staffher writer, editor and publisher for a variety of publications graduating 2012.

She as began career in community journalism in Alexander City in Alabama and Mississippi.

He was transferred 2009 toinbegin coverage of loves and Dadeville, followed by a stop in Opelika beforeinlanding northhis Alabama.

She Madison. covering thecorrecting City of Madison the past 10 years, John onplaces sharing theIn stories – and the grammar of those stories – ofhas the reported people and several key events, such as construction of the Hogan Family YMCA and James that make north Alabama such a special place.

Clemens High School. Over the years, as Madison has grown, John has been there to cover the news that has made Madison home. Together John and his wife, Lori, have seven children, ranging from 15-23 years old.

John Few, contributing writer Bob Labbe, contributing writer

Bob Labbe is abeen lifelong resident the Huntsville community.

He has beenfor innearly the local John Few has in the field ofofnewspaper journalism and production 25 news media for served 48 years, journalistTimes, in television, radio and print years.

John has as a multi-award-winning staff writer for The Demopolis the daily newspaper media. is a member of thefor Huntsville-Madison County HallGazette. of FameHe and has in West He Alabama, and editor the weekly newspaper theAthletic Black Belt was been nominated for to both the his Alabama Press Association Alabama of transferred in 2009 begin coverage of Madison.

Inand covering the Music City ofhalls Madison fame.

Bob hosted radio program, The Years,such for 29 on WLRH-FM the past 10 has years, Johna has reported onReelin’ severalinkey events, asyears construction of the Public Family Radio. He has also a local highHigh school basketball for 28 years andhas was Hogan YMCA and been James Clemens School.

Overreferee the years, as Madison a high school football 15 years.

Bob is anhas avidmade sportsMadison fan and home. collector of 45 grown, John has been referee there tofor cover the news that Together rpm records.

He once boxed Ali and was from the reporter who asked John and his wife, Lori, haveMuhammad seven children, ranging 15-23 years old. the famed Paul Bear Bryant his last question as coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Gregg Parker, contributing writer Bob Labbe, contributing writer

A graduate Mississippi State Gregg Parker relocated to Madison with Bob Labbe isof a lifelong resident ofUniversity, the Huntsville community.

He has been in the local Intergraph Corporation 1990 with wife Brenda and son For radio 15 years news media for 48 years, ainmulti-award-winning journalist in Andy. television, andGregg print wrote for Spirit” “Limestone Spirit” sections in “The Times.” media.

He “Madison is a member of theand Huntsville-Madison County Athletic HallHuntsville of Fame and has His articles havefor been in numerous chamber of Alabama commerce publications, been nominated bothpublished the Alabama Press Association and Music halls of “Southern Family Magazine” and “Life on the Gregg considers a privilege to fame.

Bob has hosted a radio program, Reelin’ inWater.”

The Years, for 29 years onitWLRH-FM document Madison’s coming age high in hisschool hundreds of articles forfor “The Madison Public Radio.

He has also been aoflocal basketball referee 28 years and was andfootball “Madison Living” magazine.

Gregg spoiling his collector rescue dachshund, aRecord” high school referee for 15 years. Bob is an enjoys avid sports fan and of 45 rpm Francis He Underwood Parker; binge-watching Netfl series;and andwife records. once boxed Muhammad Ali and was theix reporter whovisiting asked Andy the famed Paul Saadia, bothhis physicians, in Nashville, Bear Bryant last question as coach ofTenn. the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Erin Coggins, Gregg Parker, contributing contributing writer

AErin graduate of is Mississippi University, Gregg Madison High with Coggins a scholasticState journalism adviser andParker historyrelocated teacher attoSparkman Intergraph in 1990 withand wifepublic Brenda and son Andy. ForHer 15 years Gregg School. SheCorporation is also a freelance writer relations consultant. writing muse is wrote “Madison Spirit” and “Limestone “The Huntsville Times.”

Worldfor War II war correspondent Ernie Pyle,Spirit” whom sections she fell ininlove with while a student His articles have been published in numerous chamberErin of commerce publications, studying communications at the University of Alabama. and her husband Jamie “Southern Family Magazine” and “Life on the Water.” Gregg considers it a privilege reside in Madison. to document Madison’s coming of age in his hundreds of articles for “The Madison Record” and “Madison Living” magazine. Gregg enjoys spoiling his rescue dachshund, Francis Underwood Parker; binge-watching Netflix series; and visiting Andy and wife Saadia, both physicians, in Nashville, Tenn.

Erin Coggins, writer Joshua Berry, contributing photographer

Erin Coggins a scholastic journalism adviser and teacher at Sparkman High Joshua Berryishas a degree in biology and works fullhistory time as an aquatic instructor for the School.

She is also aHe freelance writer public relations consultant.

Herdistances. writing muse is City of Huntsville. is also an avidand runner, ranging from short to long When World War II war correspondent Ernie Pyle, whom he sheenjoys fell in trying love with while a the student he’s not spending time with his wife and daughter, to capture perfect studying theowner University of Alabama.

Erin andhis heradvice husband Jamie momentcommunications on his camera. Asatthe of Everlong Photography, for beautiful reside in Madison. pictures is that nothing looks better than being confi dent in oneself.

Joshua Berry, photographer Joshua Berry has a degree in biology and works full time as an aquatic instructor for the City of Huntsville. He is also an avid runner, ranging from short to long distances. When he’s not spending time with his wife and daughter, he enjoys trying to capture the perfect moment on his camera. As the owner of Everlong Photography, his advice for beautiful pictures is that nothing looks better than being confident in oneself.

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11 ROUND TOP FOLK FESTIVAL Burritt on the Mountain to host inaugural event on Nov. 5-6 celebrating traditional art and music 17 CHRISTMAS MAGIC A preview of some of the area’s top holiday events that you can start looking for this month

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LIVING

11 IN EVERY ISSUE

7 The Guide 25 Shopping 36 Around Town 47 Madison Hospital 48 Madison City Schools 56 Out & About 60 Author’s Corner 63 Recipes 67 MCC Connections 70 In The Record

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THE GUIDE

YMCA Veterans Prayer Breakfast • Nov. 5 • 7:30 a.m. • Hogan Family YMCA This year marks the 15th year of the annual YMCA Veterans Prayer Breakfast to celebrate our Veterans. The event traditionally lifts up our military heroes in gratitude with prayer, song and an awards presentation. It will be held Friday, Nov. 5 at the Hogan Family YMCA in Madison. Registration is required. Seating is limited. Doors open at 7:15 a.m. Program will begin at 7:30 a.m. BG Christine A. Beeler, Commanding General, US Army Contracting Command, will provide the keynote for the program. For more information, go to www.ymcahuntsville.org.

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THE GUIDE

Madison City Farmers Market • Saturdays • 9 a.m. - noon • Trinity Baptist Church • 1088 Hughes Road Madison City Farmers Market, open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon, is the area’s original local, producer-only farmers market, founded in 2007. Everything sold at the market is grown or crafted by local farmers and craftspeople. The vendors provide a wide selection of the freshest local veggies, fruits, cheese, eggs, meats, milk, herbs, honey, jams, relishes, home-baked goods, plants and flowers. The Madison City Farmers Market is Located at 1088 Hughes Road in Madison. Check online for more information and updates: www.madisoncityfarmersmarket.com

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EVENTS

THE GUIDE

ROUND TOP FOLK FESTIVAL Burritt on the Mountain to host inaugural event on Nov. 5-6 celebrating traditional art and music STORY BY JOHN FEW

Madison Living 11

B

Burritt on the Mountain and the Burritt Folk School are planning the inaugural Round Top Folk Festival. Named for the mountain on which Burritt sits, the festival will feature traditional art and music, Nov. 5-6.

Festival organizers say over 30 local demonstrators, artisans, musicians, and more will be participating this year with unique items for sale, as well as special demonstrations representing traditional art and culture of north Alabama.

Microwave Dave and the Nukes will kick off the weekend festivities on Friday, Nov. 5 at 6 p.m. Guests can enjoy a variety of beverages available at a cash bar, with S’mores and food truck fare also available for purchase.

This concert is sponsored by Huntsville’s Amphitheater.

On Saturday, Nov. 6 from 10-4, a wide selection of traditional musicians will play throughout the Historic Park and over 30 local demonstrators and artisans will share their crafts and skills through demonstrations with items for sale. These skills, all taught at the Burritt Folk School, preserve the traditional arts of our ancestors in the Cumberland Plateau region.

Valley Road Bluegrass Band will perform live at 2 p.m. on the Gazebo. Visitors are encouraged to enjoy lunch

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from the food trucks and a variety of craft beer and wine will be available for purchase throughout the day. This concert is sponsored by Tyonek.

“Burritt has long been a place to enjoy the outdoors for both recreation and history. We preserve traditional arts, skills and handicrafts and offer opportunities for guests to experience the way things once were done. The Round Top Folk Festival is an expansion of our Folklife Festival and has combined the incredibly important traditional arts with something Burritt does remarkably well…concerts!

This fits seamlessly into our mission to enhance lives and build community through educational, artistic, and recreational experiences while preserving our heritage, land, and historic structures,” said Leslie Ecklund, Burritt CEO. Tickets can be purchased at burrittonthemountain.com.

All concert goers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets.

“This is a great opportunity to enjoy the mountain air and visit with some of our Folk School instructors as they demonstrate their crafts. Our studio and workshops spaces will be open as well as the historic buildings throughout the park. I invite people to come see for themselves and be a part of our creative community,” said Jana Parris, Folk School Program Manager.

To view the full list of artist vendors, demonstrators and local musicians, visit burrittonthemountain.com for up to date listings.

The festival itself is mostly outside throughout the museum grounds and Historic Park. However, as part of precautions for COVID-19, Burritt on the Mountain requests all guests wear masks when indoors.

Why the name Round Top Folk Festival?

Did you know that Burritt on the Mountain actually sits atop Round Top Mountain? Round Top Mountain, at 1,585 feet elevation, is identified as the the southwestern knub, or plateau, of Monte Sano Mountain and is listed in the Summit category in Madison County. Burritt sits within the natural beauty of Round Top Mountain, overlooking the City of Huntsville.

Many don’t know there is a distinction, but Dr. Burritt made certain to identify Round Top by name in his will, leaving his house and land to the City of Huntsville to use as a museum for all to enjoy. Today, Burritt boasts over 4 miles of nature trails that circle around Round Top Mountain and connect to the Land Trust of Madison County and Monte Sano State Park. The 2 newest trails being Old Quarry Trail and Viduta Trails completed Spring 2021. Our trails are filled with history and other little known facts, as well as the natural beauty of the mountain.

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Madison Living 15

the City of Huntsville, Burritt on the Mountain became the first museum in Huntsville and, 66 years later, Dr. Burritt’s vision has been realized as the park welcomes thousands of visitors a year. Not only is Burritt on the Mountain one of Huntsville’s staple tourist attractions, it also is a vibrant center for historical, cultural, educational, and entertainment activities for visitors of all ages. Huntsville is unique in that the city proudly displays where it is going and, through Burritt, where it has been.

Looking down from the bluff, Burritt visitors can locate evidence of the city’s high-tech economy: the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, a towering Saturn V rocket, NASA buildings, and an Army research and development base. Do an about face and the view shifts to 19th- and 20th-century Alabama. Historic cabins, the Old Country Church, and living farm and folk life displays dot the park, staffed with interpreters in period dress.

Whether in the Burritt Mansion, at a Folk School class, attending a children’s camp or enjoying Cocktails at The View, Burritt’s mantra is Heartfelt Hospitality. We think that Dr. Burritt would have wanted it that way!

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EVENTS

THE GUIDE

CHRISTMAS MAGIC Here is a preview of some of the area’s top holiday events that you can start looking for this month STORY BY JOHN FEW

Madison Living 17

I

It’s that time of year again -- the magical time of Christ- events were still being finalized. Here are a few top events mas. Getting excited for the holidays has never been hard we do know about and are excited to share with you. Later for me. In fact, my children roll their eyes when I start in November, we will publish a complete holiday event playing Christmas music throughout the house starting in guide in The Madison Record and The Redstone Rocket.

September. I love Christmas and everything about it. I was You will also be able to download a digital version at www. themadisonrecord.com. Be sure to watch for it. even born on Christmas.

We also plan to have some special Christmas features in In Madison and Huntsville, we have a wealth of great holiday events for the entire family to enjoy and make last- the December issue of Madison Living Magazine.

All of us at Madison Living Magazine and The Madison ing memories. At the time we were getting this issue of Madison Living Magazine ready to print, plans for some Record wish you and your family a very happy Thanksgiving.

Christmas Card Lane, an outdoor, life-size card exhibit located in the Madison’s historic district, will be held again this year. You’ll find whimsical, traditional, and religious themes among the more than thirty designs on display. Drive along Church and Front Street, in the historic downtown neighborhood, to enjoy this visual holiday delight.

18 Madison Living

You do not need a special event to enjoy Madison’s downtown during the holidays.

Starting with the Christmas tree lighting ceremony on Dec. 2, the historic downtown area will be aglow each night with thousands of twinkling lights along Main Street and beautiful window displays. Add the Christmas Card Lane, and you have a scene straight out of your favorite holiday movie -- unless that movie is Die Hard, of course.

A magical Christmas

in downtown Madison

Polar Express Christmas Tree Trail

• Sponsored by the Madison Station Historic Preservation Society and the City of Madison • Official Tree Lighting will be Dec. 2 at 6 p.m.

• Music by the Madison Community Orchestra • Polar Express reading by the Madison Public Library • Hot chocolate and cookies served by the Rotary Club

1st Annual Wassail Fest

• Sponsored Madison Downtown Merchants • Thursday, Dec. 2 • Main and Church Streets following the Polar Express Tree Lighting at 6 p.m.

• Come enjoy samples of their best Wassail recipes, vote for the best, register for door prizes and shop!

• Participating Businesses: Old Black Bear, Noble Passage Interiors, Black Realty, Main Street Café, Lemon & Lavender, Filthy Gorgeous, South & Pine, Madison Station Antiques, The House of Pilates, Hook and Frog, Pure Barre

The Madison Christmas Parade

• Dec. 11, time TBA (check www.themadisonrecord.com) • Route – Plaza Drive ending at the Skate Park

Madison Christmas Capers

• Sponsored by the Madison Station Historical Preservation Society and the City of Madison • Dec. 12 at 4 p.m.

• Main Street in front of Hughes Drugstore • Music by the Madison Community Orchestra • Hot chocolate and cookies by the Rotary Club of Madison • The Downtown merchants will be open regular hours

Madison Christmas Movie at Homestead Park

• Sponsored by the City of Madison and Torch Technologies • Dec. 12 at 5:30 p.m.

• Homestead Park • Food Trucks

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Madison Living 19

What is Christmas Capers?

Christmas Capers is a re-enactment of one of Madison’s most charming traditions will have another reprisal in 2021. The custom of Christmas Capers originated in 1925 when George Walton ‘Doc’ Hughes rented the Humphrey-Hughes property at 200 Main St. in downtown Madison. Doc Hughes opened his drug store business at that location, which he operated until 1972. During years of the Great Depression in the early 1930s, Hughes started a holiday tradition dubbed the “Christmas Chicken Capers,” according to “Madison Station, Historic Downtown Madison, 1856-2015” by Madison Station Historical Preservation Society. On Christmas Eve, ‘Doc’ Hughes threw live chickens from the roof of his business. The chickens had tags attached to their legs, and people could redeem the tags for prizes in Hughes’ store. Anyone who caught the chickens (sometimes turkeys, some people say) received the prizes and kept the chicken for Christmas dinner. In recent years, the Christmas Chicken Capers evolved from live chickens to rubber chickens with gift cards from local retail stores. See page 19.

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20 Madison Living

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The U.S. Space & Rocket Center is offering two new experiences in our Underwater Astronaut Trainer!

With SeaTREK, museum visitors don a specialized diving helmet for a fully guided underwater walking experience for all skill levels, ages 10 and older. DIVR+ is a virtual reality snorkeling system with sensory feedback, providing an unbelievably realistic VR experience suitable for ages 7 and up.

Galaxy of Lights • Nov. 11-Jan. 1 • Huntsville Botanical Garden • www.hsvbg.org/galaxy.

Galaxy of Lights, an annual holiday light experience at the Huntsville Botanical Garden, will return for its 26th season from Nov. 11 through Jan. 1. With both walking and driving experiences, Galaxy has become a regional holiday tradition. For the first time at Walking Nights, a special path will lead guests through the interior of the Garden, making this year’s Walking Nights experience distinct from Driving Nights. Along the path, guests will find familiar Galaxy features, such as traditional light displays and holiday music, combined with new lighting techniques and special effects. Other returning Galaxy favorites include Dog Walking Nights on Mondays and Tuesdays during Walking Nights (Nov. 15, 16, 22 and 23) and the Galaxy of Lights 5K Race and 3K Fun Run on Nov. 29 and 30. Galaxy of Lights Walking Nights will take place Thursday, Nov. 11, through Sunday, Nov. 28, from 5:15 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. (time of last admission). The event will be closed on Thanksgiving Day. Galaxy of Lights tickets are available at the Garden front desk during regular business hours or online at hsvbg.org/galaxy.

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Madison Living 21

The Nutcracker • Dec. 10-12 • Mark C Smith Concert Hall at the VBC • huntsvilleballet.org The Huntsville Ballet Company celebrates the 2021/2022 season with our 53rd annual production of the Nutcracker.

This Holiday classic is a favorite Huntsville Tradition. This enchanting story comes to life at the Mark C. Smith Concert Hall with Tchaikovsky’s iconic score, masterful choreography, enchanting scenic designs, brilliant lighting and stunningly crafted costumes.

Enjoy a classic Holiday tale, with the beloved characters we have come to know and love over the years; lovely Clara, her brave Nutcracker, the mysterious Drosselmeyer, the magical Sugar Plum Fairy and all the inhabitants of The Land of Sweets. It’s an exciting and entertaining ballet for all ages.

The Huntsville Ballet will present a special performance of The Nutcracker on Military Night on Thursday, December 9, a tradition they have come to cherish deeply.

A Christmas Carol • Dec. 3-5 & 10-12 • VBC Playhouse

www.fantasyplayhouse.org On Christmas Eve, solitary businessman Ebenezer Scrooge receives a haunting visit from the ghost of his old business partner, Jacob Marley, in this classic Dickens’ tale. The ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future take Scrooge on a supernatural journey to show him what truly matters. Enjoy one of the greatest ghost stories of all time with your family this Christmas season! Presented by Fantasy Playhouse Children’s Theater. Suitable for ages 6 and up.

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22 Madison Living

Rocket City Christmas Light Show & Winter Wonderland • Nov. 12-Jan. 2 • 5-9 p.m. • Toyota Field • trashpandasbaseball.com Hundreds of thousands of lights will be on display for all to enjoy this holiday season! The Rocket City Christmas Light Show and Winter Wonderland returns to Toyota Field on Friday, November 12th and runs through Sunday, January 2nd. Following the light show, wander into the Winter Wonderland presented by CTG for a whole host of holiday activities. The Winter Wonderland will be open through Dec. 24 during all Christmas Light Show hours.

Cirque Dreams Holidaze • Nov. 24

7:30 p.m. • Mark C. Smith Concert Hall at the VBC • www.vonbrauncenter.com Set in a multi-million-dollar wonderland of elaborate scenes and dozens of original holiday production numbers, audiences nationwide will celebrate the most wonderful time of the year as they experience over 300 spectacular costumes and 20 of the world’s most astonishing acts.

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Christmas Markets NEACA Christmas Craft Show • Dec. 3-5 VBC South Hall • www.neaca.org Hosted by the North East Alabama Craftsmen’s Association, and features needlework, ceramics, flower arrangements, jewelry, decorated and hand-woven baskets, pottery, stained glass, clothes, toys, woodwork and other items. The goal of this non-profit organization is to encourage craftsmen to continue and improve their crafts through workshops, meetings and craft shows. Currently, NEACA has over 100 members offering a wide range of handicrafts.

All proceeds generated by the NEACA shows are used to provide donations to Huntsville charities and scholarships for local students.

Under the Christmas Tree • Nov. 5-7 • Randolph School

Randolph School’s Under the Christmas Tree will return to the Von Braun Center’s South Hall on Nov. 5-7. There will be plenty of special events, children’s activities, and specialty merchants. The three-day marketplace will be a great opportunity to find unique gifts for everyone on your holiday shopping list. Under The Christmas Tree is Randolph’s biggest special event annual fundraiser. It contributes more than $100,000 to Randolph’s Tailored Tuition program. For more details, go to www.underthechristmastree.net.

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Kris Kringle Market 2021 • Nov. 20 • Discovery Middle

Kris Kringle Market will be on Nov. 20, 9 a.m.- 4 p.m., at Discovery Middle School gym with a new theme, “Welcome Home to Madison”. This theme hopes to bring a more “down home” feel to KKM and Madison. The 2021 location will be in the main gym at DMS. There will be crafters, artist, food, music and yes Santa. They will also have lantern-making and craft workshops for children so parents can shop along with various food and drink option for patrons. For more information, go to www.artsmadison.org.

St. John’s Craft Fair • Nov. 20 • St. John’s Parish Hall

The St. John’s Craft Fair has moved from their usual spring date at Lent and has become an Advent fair planned for this month. The craft fair will be held Saturday, Nov. 20, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. It will be held at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Parish Hall, 1055 Hughes Road. The mission of the craft fair is to offer handmade items that are not readily available in the Huntsville area, and to provide a place for local artisans and vendors to share their God given talents with their community. Proceeds from the fair will benefit The Riley Center, a non-profit behavioral and education center with a mission to provide gold-standard services to children and families affected by autism. For more information, go to www.sites. google.com/view/2021stjohnscraftfair/

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DISCOVER HISTORIC MADISON There is now an app for that thanks to a local Girl Scout and a group of volunteers STORY BY JOHN FEW PHOTOS BY WILLIAM AYCOCK

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30 Madison Living

Girl Scout Finley Koswoski and a team of volunteers including Debbie Overcash, Billie Goodson, Bailey Erickson, Dave Junghans, JD Phillips, Cynthia Curtis and John Rankin have been busy creating the Walking Tour of Madison Smartphone App. Pictured left: Finley Koswoski and Bailey Erickson pose in late 19th century-period dress in front of the one of the many historic homes in Madison. Below: Finley with her mother Stephanie.

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With the influx of varying job opportunities in the greater Huntsville area, Madison has become a kind of cosmopolitan place to call home. A small number of residents can say they were born and in raised in Madison. Most know and love the city for what it has come to be today, with it’s ever-increasing growth bringing both rewards and challenges. What has been easily lost in the mix is Madison’s past -- and what a past she has.

A local Girl Scout and a group of volunteer organizations are teaming up to ensure tales of how Madison came to be, and the people who shaped it into a place once known as Madison Station, are preserved and easily accessible. Finley Koswoski, a member of the Girl Scouts of North Alabama, has been working hard to complete an app allowing visitors to the city’s historic downtown district to take a self-guided walking tour while reading or listening to the interesting tales from the past that are ties to specific locations along the walk.

“The Walking Tour of Historic Madison Smartphone App is a joint project with the Rotary Club of Madison-Sunset Group, the Madison Visionary Partners, the Madison Station Historical Preservation Society, and the Girl Scouts of North Alabama,” stated Bailey Erickson, who inspired Finley to take on the project for her Girl Scout Gold Award. “It was developed to showcase the historic and business district of

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downtown Madison for visitors and citizens alike.”

Erickson, who is a member of the Rotary Club of Madison and Madison Visionary Partners, helped organize an event two years ago called Volksmarch of Madison. It included a leisurely 5k stroll into the heart of downtown, meandering through streets lined with beautiful old homes that once belonged to the area’s early residents. The day was filled with stories of Madison’s past as volunteer actors stationed at various points in front of the historic houses and landmarks weaved a fascinating tale of the town’s early days and the families who lived here.

“The app will do the same thing as visitors make their way through our beautiful downtown area,” Erickson said. “Except now, it will not only be available for special occasions, but any time someone wants to learn and experience our unique history for themselves.”

It will be filled with interesting tales, like those of James

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Clemens, the founder of Madison and namesake for James Clemens High School, and that of Doc Hughes, another founding father of Madison, that brought the people of the early 1800s to life for a generation accustomed to booming construction and rapid city growth.

“My favorite story I have learned from Madison’s past is from Buttermilk Alley (a small street that runs from Arnett Street to Front Street) and how it got its name from a lady who fed cornbread and buttermilk to hobos who jumped off of the train in Madison looking for food,” said Finley.

Finley said she has been working on the project since July.

When it is ready to unveil, she will have around 100 hours invested into it. She has been creating historical summaries, recording people addressing each historic location, and is helping unveil the app to the city. The recordings will be uploaded to a Pocketsights app, which will guide visitors from one point of interest to the next using GPS.

Finley has spent nearly 100 hours creating historical summaries, recording people addressing each historic location

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Finley recording Noble Passage owner Deborah McDaniel for the project.

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Finley with 97-year-old Madison resident Ms. Elizabeth, who helped provide historical information for the project.

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The Rotary Club of Madison and the Girl Scouts of North Alabama are also working with Madison City Schools to use the tour as an ongoing learning tool for students in the area.

Dave Junghans and JD Phillips with the Rotary Club of Madison-Sunset Group have been working on the smartphone application. John Rankin, Billie Goodson and Debbie Overcash of the Madison Station Historical Preservation Society provided local historical information, which the app will refer to. When the app is unveiled, the Girl Scouts of North Alabama will dress in historic costumes made by Cynthia Curtis, Rotary Club of Madison.

Erickson said the app will “go live” from 1-2:30 p.m. on November 13. “On that same day, Girls Scout leader Ashley Creekmore and her Girl Scouts will be dressed in historic costume at approximately 25 of the historic locations along the route,” Erickson said. “The unveiling of the app will coincide with the unveiling of the completed renovation of the historic Madison Roundhouse on Front Street.”

The event is free to the public. Keep an eye on the Walking Tour Facebook page for updates: www.facebook.com/WalkingTourofHistoricMadison

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....................... AROUND TOWN .......................

...

Lee Marshall

Founder / CEO Kids to Love Foundation

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Are you in the Christmas spirit yet? Kids to Love can get you there! Our team has been hustling in Santa’s workshop for weeks, getting Christmas gifts ready for nearly 2,000 children in foster care.

Their lists can be heartbreaking; one we received is for a 9-day old baby girl. Lists like that motivate us to give our kids the biggest and best Christmas we can.

It takes a lot of people to pull off, including you! You can sponsor one child’s wish list, pick up an ornament to provide just one gift or shop our Click, Ship and Give store on Amazon. All the information you need is provided on the

Kids to Love website.

And don’t forget to stop in and see us at Bridge Street! We’ve moved this year to the former Steel City Pops store, across from Kona Grill. You can choose a child’s wish to purchase, drop off your donations, or bring your personal gifts and we will wrap them for small fee. The money we raise goes right back into our programs.

I hope you’ll consider Kids to Love and the many ways you can help us impact the life of a child this holiday. Giving really is what the season is all about!

You can find us at www.kidstolove.org

MADISON CROSSINGS

Madison’s independent living community for seniors opens soon on County Line Road offering outstanding care, market-leading amenities with diverse programming and activities STORY BY JOHN FEW

Madison Living 37

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Living life to the fullest does not need to stop when adults near or reach retirement age. Age-restricted housing communities once bore the stereotype of having limited recreational options and dated surroundings. But a new independent living community being built in Madison is breaking that stereotype.

The new Madison Crossings senior independent living community is set to open later this year. Located at 11260 County Line Road beside James Clemens High School, it will feature 105 independent living apartments, which are typically targeted toward younger, more independent seniors who are seeking an active and social resort-style environment.

It will also have 27 Memory Care apartments designed for those diagnosed with varying degrees of memory loss, dementia, and Alzheimer’s Disease.

A Phoenix Senior Living community, Madison Crossings, will offer premier senior living services with personalized care and luxury-style accommodations with a comfortable, small-town feel.

“From the moment you enter Madison Crossings, it will become clear that our goal is to instill purpose and love in our seniors through our specialized programs and services,”

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said Lila King, Madison Crossings’ Community Engagement Director. “We treat our seniors as a beloved family member.

“We integrate our Live, Love, Learn philosophy into everything we do,” King added. “Our personalized care plans, daily activities, calendar of events and specialized programs are designed to coincide with The Six Dimensions of Wellness.”

The Six Dimensions of Wellness are: emotional, occupational, physical, social, intellectual, and spiritual. The National Wellness Institute says addressing all six dimensions of wellness in our lives builds a holistic sense of wellness and fulfillment.

“We offer seniors the opportunity to stay healthy and active by building relationships, being challenged cognitively, and finding value and self-worth through daily activity,” King stated. She also said that families are encouraged to get involved in the residents’ daily lives and they work very closely with family members to create a plan that is personalized and reflects the preferences and needs of the resident.

Staying active will be easy to do with a wide range of amenities, including a pickleball court, bocce court, outdoor pool, game room, arts & crafts studio, transportation for group activities, library and business center, kid’s play zone

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and outdoor playground, movie theater, yoga studio and many other options.

If you want to feel pampered, Madison Crossings will have a spa with massages, a full-service salon, bistro, indoor and outdoor dining options, gourmet meals prepared by their executive chef and light housekeeping and linen service. They even have warm, cozy fireside seating.

To meet the residents’ spiritual needs, they will have non-denominational church services every Sunday.

King said she has seen many families interested in what an independent living facility like Madison Crossings can provide as they move here from other states for job opportunities.

Madison Crossings

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“It is common for adult children to want Mom and Dad close to their home and work, so for anyone that chooses to move their aging family member with them,” said King.

“The independent living option gives family members confidence that their loved one is being cared for, but also gives the senior a feeling of autonomy, allowing them to make the majority of their decisions on their own.”

Phoenix Senior Living’s CEO, Jesse Marinko, has witnessed first-hand the overwhelming and beneficial effects that intergenerational activities can provide for both the emotional and spiritual well-being of seniors -- something they intend to fully encourage at Madison Crossings. He saw the loving connection strengthen between his son and Grandpa Joe as they hand-crafted a canoe and realized that amazing things happen when projects are done hand-inhand with love and passion. Today, the canoe symbolizes our love and care dedicated to every relationship shared at Phoenix Senior Living and Madison Crossings.

Phoenix Senior Living, whose leadership collectively has been serving seniors in the Southeast for more than thirty years, is a company built on love that spans generations.

Family owned and operated, Phoenix now operates dozens of senior communities throughout the Southeast.

For more information about Madison Crossings, call Lil King at 256-724-8860, email: lila.king@phoenixsrliving. com or go to www. www.phoenixsrliving.com/madisoncrossings.

SPORTS

COACH WILLIS MBANDI

Peering into his future as a young lad in Kenya, Willis Mbandi dreamed to be where he is today in tennis STORY BY BOB LABBE PHOTOS BY JOSHUA BERRY

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As a small boy Willis Mbandi (pronounced- bun-dee) walked home from school and each day would stop and peer through a fence and watch people play tennis at a nearby local tennis club. In his neighborhood within the country of Kenya the sport was regarded as one that only the elite and financially well-off could play. Mbandi dreamt of one day playing tennis and would at times find tennis balls outside the club, which he took home and hit against a wall in what was his initial experience at the athletic endeavor.

Today, at age 40, Mbandi makes his living at the sport he dreamed he would one day be a part of. He is the Director of Tennis and head professional at the Dublin Tennis Center and is head coach of both the men’s and woman’s tennis teams at Alabama A&M University.

“In my homeland many thought sports were not an outlet for the future, but my parents helped me make steps of living my dream of someday play college tennis and be involved in the sport I cherish,” said Mbandi. “My parents drained their bank accounts to get me to the United States to attend college and allow me to live my dream.”

Born and raised in Kenya, the small country located on the East Coast of Africa along the shores of the Indian Ocean, Mbandi was a competitive soccer player and swim-

“

I spoke with my father, who died in 2009, about the possibility of coaching tennis...he supported me telling me I may regret not trying something I was passionate about.

”

- Willis Mbandi

mer and was among five children to his father, who worked for the Kenyan government, and mother, who remained home to raise their children as the Mbandi kinsfolk was a typical middle-class family. With the help of his parents, his best friend and a mentor, Marlene Reed, who was part of the local Tennis Association and sponsored him and convinced his father to buy Mbandi his first tennis racquet at age 12, he soon became the only representative from his high school to play in competitive tournaments.

Madison Living 43

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“I progressed quickly at the sport, became highly ranked and actually qualified for the Jr. Wimbledon, but academics took priority and I was unable to play among the elite in the most prestigious junior tournament,” said Mbandi, who was the Kenyan National Junior Champion in 1999 and member of the Kenyan Davis Cup Team. “While playing in the World Junior Circuit, Coach Thomas Colvin reached out to me and offered me a scholarship to attend Alabama A&M and play tennis.”

Arriving on U.S. soil for the first time he soon became the No. 1 player for the Bulldogs, was named team MVP and was team captain for three years. He graduated with a degree in Management Information Systems in 2006. At that time he was at a crossroads in his life as he was away from home, but did not have employment and was wanting to remain in tennis.

“I spoke with my father, who died in 2009, about the possibility of coaching tennis, and just like before, he supported me telling me I may regret not trying something I was passionate about,” added Mbandi. “I began assisting Al Garrett and his Youth Development Association in teaching tennis to the youth of Madison and in August of 2006 took over the position I currently hold at the Dublin Tennis Center.”

Madison Living 45

Six years into his coaching stint he was offered the head coach position at his Alma Mater. Earlier this year his men’s team won the SWAC Championship, which was a first in school history, and he was named the SWAC Men’s Coach of the Year.

In Madison Mbandi runs both adult and youth tennis programs starting with players as young as five. Many student-athletes among the local school tennis teams take lessons from Mbandi. Some ask for year-round lessons and Mbandi accommodates as much as the local weather will allow. He does not have an indoor facility to assist during inclement weather.

“Students first began with me and their parents trusted me in my teachings,” said Mbandi. “I taught them tennisthey taught me how to deal with others.”

Mbandi and his wife of seven years, Nina, have two young children ages four and one. They met while he was visiting cousins in the Washington D.C. area. They dated long distance for four years prior to Mbandi who popped the marriage proposal. She, too, was born in Kenya. She possess a master’s degree in health and is an instructor for Fit For Mom program assisting women before, during and

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after pregnancies.

Mbandi has had his own trial and tribulations over the past few years. He suffered a ruptured Achilles in 2015 and two years later suffered a similar injury to his other Achilles. He was off his feet, but never wavered on his style of coaching. He added, “I feel I’m passionate about teaching as I put the student first on what they want out of the program. I have love for the game as I can push those elite players to be even better and I always have fun.”

Mbandi gained his U.S. Citizenship in 2010. He fondly remembers his first trip to the U.S. and making his way down I-565 looking for tall skyscrapers like he saw in videos and in books about large American cities. “When I got close to downtown Huntsville I saw the Regions Bank building and thought that was the university. I did not know anything about Alabama,” said Mbandi.

Today, Mbandi is proud to be a part of the Alabama community and being a U.S. citizen. Besides his work with tennis he finds time to play for two adult soccer teams in the area and is a very active family man. His life has been one of success stemming from occasional peeps through a fence at a world he only dreamed of.

....................... MADISON HOSPITAL .......................

Bobby DeNeefe’s passion for volunteering helps keep Madison Hospital strong

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Long before we opened our doors, Bobby DeNeefe recognized that a hospital was one of Madison’s biggest needs.

In the early 2000s, then-Madison Mayor Jan Wells asked Mr. DeNeefe to serve on a committee to explore bringing a hospital to our growing community. As a member of the city’s Industrial Development Board, he knew that new and expanding businesses always asked about health care.

Mary Lynne At the time, Madison was one of Wright the biggest cities in Alabama without a hospital.

President It took a few years, but Madison Madison Hospital Hospital finally became a reality in 2012. And I was fortunate that Mr. DeNeefe agreed to become a founding member of our volunteer Madison Hospital Board.

It wasn’t hard to convince Mr. DeNeefe to serve: volunteerism is in his DNA. “Volunteering is part of being a good citizen,” he told me. “If

...

you’re going to live in a place, you need to do more than just breathe the air and pay taxes.”

In addition to our hospital board, Mr. DeNeefe, at age 81, still serves on Madison’s Industrial Development Board and is a member of the Madison Task Force of the Huntsville Committee of 100 – a group of community leaders that supports economic development and public schools. He is also a lifetime director of the Huntsville-Madison County Builders Association.

Mr. DeNeefe is now semi-retired after a career in banking and residential development. He helped develop several Madison subdivisions and was a senior VP with Union Planters Bank, Reliance Bank and, most recently, Trustmark Bank.

He and his wife, Donna, have lived in Madison since 1994.

They have five children, 10 grandchildren and four greatgrandchildren scattered across the Southeast.

I rely on Mr. DeNeefe and the other volunteer members of our Madison Hospital Board to help keep me focused on the big picture – to make sure that our plans for the future match up with our community’s changing needs. Their commitment of time, energy and expertise helps make your community hospital the best that it can be.

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....................... Madison City Schools .......................

Career and Technical Education

Another reason to be proud of Madison City Schools

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I am very proud of the great Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs offered throughout our district. The addition of welding next semester will give our students yet another opportunity to expand their preparedness for their future.

Madison City Schools currently offers 15 CTE programs clustered under the umbrella of 12 Academies.

Dr. Ed Nichols Those CTE Academies include the Madison City Schools following: Medical; STEM/EngiSuperintendent neering; Business Management and of Education Administration; Marketing; Arts, A/V Technology and Communications; Human Services; Finance; Information Technology; Architecture and Construction; Government and Public Administration (JROTC); Hospitality and Tourism; and Education and Training.

MCS offers over 95 CTE classes throughout these 15 different programs, but we are continuously engaging in opportunities to expand our CTE programs and looking for new learning experiences for our students. One area that is making a comeback to our CTE lineup is welding. The Craft Academy Welding Program will start as a pilot this spring and continue if successful.

The welding program is being made possible through a partnership with the Alabama Industrial Development Training program (AIDT) and community partner, Global Tech Institute, using a mobile welding lab with 12 individual welding stations. This mobile unit will allow for a dozen students to participate.

...

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The MCS instruction team and I met recently with AIDT Director Ed Castile and are in the early stages of adding welding training as an option for students. The NCCER Welding Level I program will be available to our students at no cost. Students just need to be motivated and be willing to learn in a hands-on environment. The program is designed to be a two-year program, but students are allowed to move through the program more quickly, depending on their dedication and work ethic.

The mobile welding lab will be stationed at the West Madison Elementary campus. Students from Bob Jones and James Clemens high schools who wish to learn welding and earn industry credentials can go to the lab for handson instruction relevant to the growing field of welding.

The class will count as dual enrollment credit and students who successfully complete the course will earn the NCCER Core and the NCCER Safety and Welding Certificate. In addition, students have the opportunity to earn certifications in Shielded Metal Arc Welding, Gas Metal Arc Welding, and Flux-Cored Arc Welding.

This opportunity can drastically improve many of our students’ employability opportunities with local industry, such as Mazda-Toyota and Polaris.

Students who are interested in the program should see their high school guidance counselor. An informational meeting has been scheduled for Nov. 4, from 6-7 p.m., at the Madison City Schools Central Office on 211 Celtic Drive.

This addition to our curriculum offerings is yet another way our instruction leaders are implementing offerings relevant to our students’ career and college choices.

Dr. Ed Nichols is Superintendent of Madison City Schools

SCHOOLS

CHESS IN MADISON

Ranae Bartlett’s interest in chess blossomed into a passion to help Madison students learn from the strategy game STORY BY GREGG PARKER PHOTOS BY JOSHUA BERRY

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I

In “Field of Dreams,” Kevin Costner followed the prophetic message, “If you build it, he will come,” for his love of baseball. Volunteers in Madison likewise followed their instincts to offer chess, and boys, girls and teenagers have entered their playing field for chess in droves.

As a child, Ranae Bartlett learned to play chess but never competitively. Her interest revived when son Michael Guthrie wanted to join Rainbow Chess Club.

“Rainbow PTA’s Vice President of Volunteers grabbed me in the lobby one day and asked, ‘Ranae, do you know how to play chess? The gifted teacher, Debbie Gulden, needs a parent volunteer to help with chess club at 7 a.m.’

I said, ‘Sure,’” Bartlett said.

At that early hour, about 10 students played chess weekly. The next year, Bartlett convinced Gulden to reschedule chess club to the afternoon. “We had over 100 kids sign up! We asked parents to donate chess sets since we didn’t have enough and held chess club in the cafeteria,” Bartlett said.

One grandparent knew chess and volunteered in an adjoining room with a subset of students interested in tournaments. Most children played recreationally in the cafeteria. Rainbow Chess Club also visited Horizon El-

50 Madison Living

ementary School for an inter-school match “That’s how it all began at Rainbow -- which now holds seven consecutive state chess championship titles,” Bartlett said.

Madison City Chess League or MCCL first met on July 22, 2013, at Rainbow Landing Clubhouse across from Rainbow Elementary School. Fourteen Madison students attended.

Madison County Commissioner Steve Haraway’s donation bought MCCL’s first chess sets for games. MCCL moved its meetings to Hogan Family YMCA, then Dublin Park and now at Madison Public Library on Mondays from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Typical attendance is about 50 students.

“If I could l name one event that led me to start Madison City Chess League, it was the first Super Nationals tournament I attended in May 2013 at Gaylord Opryland Resort,” Bartlett, who serves as MCCL Executive Director, said. “I remember the spectacle with a then-record 5,335 students competing.”

On that trip, Bartlett accompanied seven Rainbow students. “A tournament like none other. We were so proud to end that event with one team of two students from Rainbow, Jenson Wilhelm and Mercedes Zich, winning 23rd place in the K3 Unrated section,” she said.

“We hung out all three days in the designated Skittles area of Ryman Ballroom. That was our team’s first national trophy. It was overwhelming, but, at the same time, it made me realize we needed to step up our game to succeed,” Bartlett said.

At an information booth at Super Nationals, Bartlett learned about ChessKid.com. “I needed to get more kids in Madison competing at chess -- not just Rainbow -- to help everyone improve their skills. I needed to find coaches to work with our kids,” she said.

At MCCL’s first session, Coach Bill Nash offered a lesson. Currently, every elementary, middle and high school in Madison has a chess team. In elementaries, anyone can join chess team and learn to play in tournaments. In middle and high schools, the student must try out, like other competitive teams.

Like other U.S. scholastic teams, MCCL teams are affiliated with schools. At national tournaments, officials only recognize school teams, and students from the same school can compete for a team award.

“That’s why we focused on building chess teams at each school but supported by a city-wide league to help kids across the city get additional practice,” Bartlett said. Dur-

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ing the COVID-19 pandemic, MCCL expanded its membership throughout Madison County; some members attend private or home school.

“Madison is such a special place to live and raise a family.

It makes sense that chess is popular among our kids and their parents,” Bartlett said. “Chess teaches important life skills, like planning, time management, strategic thinking and patience.

Chess teaches kids to keep their eye on the ultimate goal: checkmating the opponent’s king.”

To capture that king, sometimes a player sacrifices a major piece or is patient in executing a plan. “Chess teaches kids to (avoid distraction) -- to keep the main thing, the main thing,” she said. “Families who move to Madison for the outstanding school system want the best for their kids. They recognize chess’ benefits.”

For Bartlett, nothing is more fulfilling than teaching prekindergartners or kindergartners about chess basics or working with elementary kids and “seeing that lightbulb come on when they recognize a checkmating pattern.”

Chess is for everyone -- it does not discriminate, she said.

Bartlett has seen students, never identified as gifted, demonstrate brilliance at chess.

“I’ve worked in public service for over a decade; sometimes, adults can wear me out. Being around our chess kids gives me energy and sustains me . . . (you) can’t help but be impressed with young people in our community,” Bartlett said.

MCCL’s volunteer program allows high-school chess players to qualify as tournament directors and coaches for elementary students. After learning in elementary school, these students

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are sharing their game skills with the next generation.

“I’m grateful for each school’s principals and chess team sponsors who hold after-school chess club and host tournaments. Wonderful adult coaches also teach some teams,” Bartlett said.

MCCL coaches are instrumental in two key places: • Weekly practices – Explaining game fundamentals and answering questions.

• Tournament feedback – Reviewing games for immediate feedback. “A teachable moment. We want to instill an environment where . . . learning from our mistakes is how we all improve,” Bartlett said.

MCS students are fortunate to receive a free gold account with ChessKid.com. With online lessons, games and puzzles, students can work independently of practices and improve much faster. After subscribing to ChessKid.com, MCCL players started winning state and national chess championships.

Currently, MCCL hosts chess camps, primarily in summer, so youth can immerse themselves in chess and “let them hang out with other kids who really enjoy the game,” Bartlett said. “Occasionally, we have brought in master level chess instructors (for) weekend camps in fall.”

In addition, special programs target player subgroups for extra support. For example, Girls Chess Club has increasing membership. They meet socially for ice cream or movie night and meet for instruction and chess games. An online

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Girls Chess Club is available, along with all-girls tournaments on ChessKid.com.

Younger competitive players can enter All Star Chess Club.

“In Madison, coaches of elementary chess teams nominate second- and third-graders for an additional hour of chess practice,” Bartlett said. Coaches used a virtual format during COVID-19 threats.

Like any competitive sport, competitive chess requires practice and dedication to succeed. “But many ups and downs occur throughout the season. Some days, it’s not your day,” she said. “Chess teaches our kids to persevere throughout the ups and downs. If they stick with it and keep working to build their skills, they will see improvement.”

Hosting tournaments is critical for players to engage locally and prepare for state/national events. The more ‘real’ tournament experiences, the better, Bartlett said. “Alabama did not

have many senior tournament directors in U.S. Chess Federation or USCF who could host large tournaments. Initially, Bill Nash and Gerald Larson were the only ones certified in Alabama, but they have moved to other states.”

To help, Todd Guthrie, Bartlett’s husband, worked on USCF TD certification and obtained Senior TD certification and FIDE Arbiter status. He then assisted MCCL in running more tournaments and training tournament directors. Today, Guthrie is Vice President of Alabama Chess Federation or ACF Scholastic and runs ACF and MCCL tournaments.

“My son Michael Guthrie launched our Jr. TD and volunteer coaching program while he was at Bob Jones. Now a sophomore at the University of Alabama, he has coached Discovery Chess Team virtually since 2020. Discovery won the virtual State Scholastic Chess Championship in 2020,” Bartlett said.

For more information, visit madisonchess.com.

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OUT&ABOUT

HOMECOMINGS - The months of September and October are times for celebration at the two Madison high schools. James Clemens High School and Bob Jones High School held their homecoming festivities recently, which includes their annual parades. Here are some fun scenes from the parades held by both schools. Both schools celebrated wins at their football games to cap off their homecoming weeks.

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OUT&ABOUT

OVER THE EDGE - Madison Mayor Paul Finley once again went over the edge. He joined dozens of others in rappelling 160 feet from atop the Regions Center in downtown Huntsville on Sept. 17 and 18. He has made the feat an annual contribution to helping a great non-profit organization based in Madison. The event was a partnership between Kids to Love, a local nonprofit benefiting foster children, and Over the Edge, an “adventure experience” company that helps organizations like Kids to Love raise money to support their causes. To learn more about Kids to Love and their programs, visit kidstolove.org. Their office is located at 140 Castle Drive in Madison. Also, see page 36 for a monthly column from Kids to Love founder and CEO Lee Marshall. Here are some fun scenes from that event.

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....................... Author’s Corner .......................

A new monthly series highlighting local authors in North Alabama

“The Spacetime War” by Les Johnson

For book detail: simonandschuster.com/books/ The-Spacetime-War/LesJohnson Other books by Johnson: simonandschuster.com/books/ Saving-Proxima/Travis-S-Taylor simonandschuster.com/books/ Going-Interstellar/Les-Johnson Launch date: October 2021 About the publisher: Published by Baen Books Distribution: Simon & Schuster Pre-order: Amazon.com, barnesandnoble. com, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop, Books-A-Million and Indie Bound. Go to simonandschuster. com/books and select “TheSpacetime-War” by Les Johnson.

Author’s vitals: Email: les.mail@lesjohnsonauthor.com Website: lesjohnsonauthor.com Facebook: Les Johnson

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Author Les Johnson

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a quest “where the primordial knot of spacetime may be unraveling.” (simonandschuster.com) Book critics have described Johnson’s writLes Johnson of Madison was happy to see his latest book, “The Spacetime War,” published in ing as “realistic,” “fun new spins,” “exciting and fast-paced,” “suspenseful” and “compelling.”

October 2021.

A physicist and author, Johnson also co-edits “It has been a busy year for me (book-wise) with ‘Saving Proxima’ released in August, ‘Go- science/science fiction anthologies, “Going Ining Interstellar’ reprinted in September and terstellar” and “Stellaris: People of the Stars.”

He was technical consultant for the movies, now ‘The Spacetime War,’” Johnson said.

One reviewer described Johnson’s latest work “Europa Report” and “Lost in Space.” Johnson as “a brilliant blend of military science fiction has appeared in numerous documentaries on and Arthur C. Clarke-level speculative wonder . the Discovery and Science channels.

At his job, Johnson serves as Solar Sail Prin. . by a working space scientist!”

In “The Spacetime War,” humanity finally cipal Investigator of NASA’s first interplanhas reached the stars. Colony worlds thrive, and etary solar sail missions and leads research on a general peace surrounds the settled systems . . other technologies in advanced space propulsion at George C. Marshall Space Flight Center . until now. (simonandschuster.com) Ominous black ships of an advanced design in Huntsville, Alabama.

In other work by Johnson, “Saving Proxima” appear in colonial systems. Their drives and weapons are not extremely advanced beyond is set in 2072 when a message from space leads their Terran counterparts – but just enough su- to a desperate race against time. At a lunar radio observatory, an old-school radio broadperiority to wreak utter devastation.

The attack obliterates colonies and their cast is detected and is similar to broadcasts on populations. Settled worlds now are rendered Earth in the 1940s.

His book, “Going Interstellar,” delves into into radioactive wastelands. Earth herself lies the question, “Are there others like us out defenseless before the marauding enemy.

Fighting the invasion are two of humanity’s there?” Some people are content to stay locked finest starship captains, Winslow Price of the one place, but many others are curious about British Space Navy and Anika Ahuja of the Indi- what lies beyond the next town, ocean or hoan Space Forces. Former lovers, they now enter rizon.

By GREGG PARKER

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UPDATE

Megan Brooks and Erin Dolman read the historical marker in front of the renovated roundhouse in Madison’s downtown.

Renovated Roundhouse will officially be unveiled in public ceremony Nov. 13

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In May, we brought you the story of a downtown Madison renovation project. A city icon had been receiving attention to restore the structure that symbolizes a town with a slower pace and a long-gone lifestyle. The Roundhouse reminds visitors about its pivotal role in commerce and cultural norms during Madison’s early days. Now the project is complete.

Renovation work started on March 8, 2021 for the Roundhouse, standing downtown at Front Street’s eastern end on the Village Green. Repairs and improvements are now complete.

“Madison Station Historical Preservation Society in partnership with the City of Madison undertook the renovation, applying a recently established agreement to share Roundhouse stewardship,” Charles Nola said. A member of the historical society, Nola works as Manager of the International Space Station Projects Office with NASA - Marshall Space Flight Center.

“Funds for the renovation were raised through public and private contributions, (along with) years of society fundraising,” Nola said.

The Roundhouse was in critical need for renovation to return the structure to its postcard image for city residents and visitors. “When the original Roundhouse was built in the

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1890s, the unusual octagon-shaped landmark sat atop the well that supplied the town’s water. The building also served as the first City Hall of Madison,” Nola said.

Sadly, the original Roundhouse was sold and dismantled circa 1938. Then in 1986, volunteers with the Wild Boys Land and Cattle Company Inc. furnished materials and labor to build the replica Roundhouse following the Madison Street Festival. The interior was finished later.

Madison Station Historical Preservation Society President Debbie Overcash said an official unveiling of the finished project will take place on Saturday, Nov. 13, from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

The central charter of Madison Station Historical Preservation Society is awareness and preservation of the city’s history.

“The society conducts various fundraising events with more popular ones being the Tour of Historical Homes in downtown, Christmas Tree Trail, Christmas Capers and downtown walking tours.

The society always welcomes new members to help with ideas and promotion of the historic district for everyone to enjoy. For more information, visit historicmadisonstation.com or madisonal.gov.

RECIPES

Sweet Potatoes

The sweet potato was designated the state vegetable this year, so to celebrate here are some sweet recipes in time for Thanksgiving

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The sweet potato has long since been a staple on any respectable Thanksgiving table, but did you know that it is now the state vegetable thanks to local students? The many sweet potato farms in Alabama make the state the sixth largest sweet potato producer in the country, with over $9 million brought in each year. This vegetable is vital to our state agriculture, and a seed of an idea to honor it grew into much more.

Students from the Learning Exchange Homeschool Cooperative in the Madison area were the driving force behind legislation to have the sweet potato named the state vegetable for Alabama.

They partnered with area state legislators and other supporters to make what was once an idea into a reality. It passed

and was signed by Gov. Kay Ivey earlier this year.

You can read about their amazing story in the July issue of Madison Living Magazine.

To celebrate their accomplishment, we are featuring a few “sweet” sweet potato recipes in time for Thanksgiving.

We hope you enjoy!

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes From Alabama Farmers Federation Serves 4 Ingredients • 4 medium sweet potatoes • 2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans • 3 tablespoons butter, melted • 3 ounces cream cheese, softened • Pinch of salt • 1 cup mini marshmallows Instructions Heat oven to 400 F and wash potatoes. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake about an hour or until soft and a knife easily slides through the middle of each potato. Allow to cool enough to handle.

In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans. Set aside.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut a slit down the potato and carefully scoop out the flesh. In a medium bowl, combine sweet potato flesh

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Cranberry and Spinach Sweet Potatoes

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

with butter, cream cheese, salt and about 2/3 of the brown sugar mixture. Mix well. Carefully spoon the mixture back into the potatoes. Sprinkle top with the remaining 1/3 of the brown sugar mixture and place back on the baking sheet.

Bake an additional 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and top with marshmallows. Bake 5 minutes or until the marshmallows are golden brown. Serve warm.

Cranberry and Spinach Sweet Potatoes From the Alabama Extension Service Serves 4 Ingredients • Cooking spray • 4 medium sweet potatoes • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil • 1 teaspoon garlic powder • 6 cups fresh spinach • 4 table spoons dried cranberries • 1/3 cup pecans, chopped Directions Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line baking sheet with foil.

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Spray foil with cooking spray.

Pierce each sweet potato a few times with a knife, and bake on baking sheet for 50 minutes or until soft. Allow sweet potatoes to cool slightly.

When sweet potatoes have about 15 minutes left to cook, prepare spinach. Add oil, garlic powder, and spinach to skillet.

Sauté until spinach is wilted (2 to 3 minutes).

Let potatoes cool slightly, carefully slice them open from end to end, but do not slice through the bottom of the potato. Use a fork to lightly mash the insides. Divide the spinach among the four potatoes. Top each potato with cranberries and pecans.

Sweet Potato Butter From the Alabama Sweet Potato Association Ingredients • 2 Cups sweet potatoes • ¾ cup honey •2 tablespoons lemon juice Instructions Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over low heat. Cook and stir until mixture is thick and smooth about 25 minutes.

Pour into two sterilized cups; cover and refrigerate.

Grandma’s Sweet Potato Casserole From Southernplate.com Serves 4 Thanksgiving wouldn’t be the same without Grandma’s Sweet Potato Casserole.

Ingredients Sweet Potatoes • 4-5 medium to large sweet potatoes • 1 cup sugar • 2 Eggs • 1/2 cup butter salted or unsalted • 1 teaspoon Vanilla • 1 teaspoon cinnamon • 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut Topping: • 1 cup Brown Sugar light or dark • 1/2 cup butter at room temp • 1 cup Flour • 1 cup Pecans Instructions Peel and slice sweet potatoes. Place in pot and cover with water, bring to a boil over medium high heat and cook until fork tender. Drain well and place in large mixing bowl.

Add butter and beat until smooth. Add in vanilla, sugar, and cinnamon. Beat again until well combined. With mixer going, add in eggs, one at a time. Stir in coconut.

Spoon this into an 8x8 casserole dish and bake at 350 for twenty minutes.

For topping, while casserole is baking, place flour and brown sugar in a medium sized mixing bowl and stir together. Cut in butter with a long tined fork until well incorporated. Stir in pecans.

After twenty minutes, remove casserole from oven and sprinkle topping evenly over the top. Return to oven and bake until lightly golden, 30-40 minutes.

Sweet Potato Butter

Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows From Southernplate.com Serves 4 Ingredients • 2 large sweet potatoes or yams • 1/2 cup sugar or Splenda • 2 tablespoons margarine or butter • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon • 1/2 cup milk • 1 egg • marshmallows fruit flavored or plain Instructions Peel and cut up the sweet potatoes. Cover with water and cook until tender. Drain, then mash sweet potatoes with a

Grandma’s Sweet Potato Casserole

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• 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt • 2 tsp honey • 2 tsp white wine vinegar • salt and pepper, to taste

Loaded Sweet Potato Skins With Candied Bacon and a Spicy Basil Cream Sauce potato masher or mixer.

Add margarine, sugar, cinnamon, and milk. Stir well. Add egg and blend well. If you add the egg to the hot and mashed sweet potato, it will begin to cook before it is blended and you will have scrambled eggs in your mixture.

Pour the sweet potato mixture into an ovenproof casserole dish or pie plate and cover with marshmallows. Place in a 350-degree oven and cook until marshmallows are puffed and slightly browned.

Loaded Sweet Potato Skins With Candied Bacon and a Spicy Basil Cream Sauce From Southernplate.com Ingredients Loaded Sweet Potato Skins • 4 medium sweet potatoes • 1 tbsp olive oil • pinch Kosher salt • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese • 5 strips candied bacon, cooked and diced • drizzle creamy basil sauce • chives, chopped for garnish Candied Bacon • 1/2 pound thick-cut bacon • 1/4 cup brown sugar • freshly cracked black pepper Spicy Creamy Basil Sauce • 1 handful basil leaves

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Instructions Loaded Sweet Potato Skins Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil. Wash and dry each sweet potato and set aside.

Drizzle olive oil over each sweet potato. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Pierce each sweet potato a few times with a fork.

Place the sweet potatoes on the baking sheet and bake for 40-50 minutes. Once finished cooking, allow to cool before handling.

Once the sweet potatoes are cool to the touch, scoop out the sweet potato flesh, leaving a layer of sweet potato inside.

TIP: save the scooped-out sweet potatoes to make sweet potato mashed potatoes for another day.

Place the potato skins back on the baking sheet face up and sprinkle the potatoes with cheddar cheese and candied bacon. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted. Serve with the spicy basil cream sauce and chopped chives.

Easy Candied Bacon Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with foil or add a wire rack to the baking sheet.

Arrange the bacon slices on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the bacon with brown sugar and freshly cracked black pepper.

Pat the brown sugar into the bacon so it sticks. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.

Spicy Basil Cream Sauce Add all of the ingredients to a blender or food processor.

Blend until smooth. Adjust the salt and pepper to your liking.

Note: you can store the candied bacon in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Sweet Potato Pie From the Alabama Sweet Potato Association Ingredients • 2 eggs • 1 teaspoon salt • 1 teaspoon cinnamon • 2 teaspoon butter • 1 cup sugar • 1 cup milk • 1 ½ cup cooked, mashed sweet potatoes • 1 unbaked pie shell Instructions Beat the eggs slightly; add sugar, salt, spice, and milk. Add butter to mashed sweet potatoes and blend with milk and egg mixture. Pour into pie shell, bake at 450° for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° bake 30-40 minutes.

MADISON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CONNECTIONS

And the winners are...

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Congratulations to the 2021 Best in Business winners who were surprised at their businesses with balloons and a gift box.

The winners will receive their actual awards at the Champagne Toast celebration sponsored by Bank Independent and hosted at Toyota Field on November 3rd. Pictures will be on the Chamber’s website soon.

Thank you to our fantastic sponsors, we couldn’t have done this without your continued generosity and support: Polaris Industries, Redstone Federal Credit Union, Madison Hospital, and Progress Bank!

The Madison Chamber of Commerce proudly presented the 2021 Virtual Best in Business Awards on the Chamber’s Facebook page each day starting on October 14th – October 21st.

Go over to watch the reactions of the winners as they find out they were the winner in their nominated category. Please reach out to congratulate and thank them for continuing to provide products and services to our great community as we continue to navigate through this COVID pandemic.

Below are the Winners of all the categories . . .

Start-Up Business of the Year Filthy Gorgeous on Main Community Servant Claudia Bucher – United Way of Madison County

Excellence in Leadership and Service Michael Johnson – Mozaic Audio Visual Integration Best Small Business Wine and Design Madison AL Arts, Entertainment & Hospitality Wine and Design Madison AL Best Non-Profit of the Year Big Brothers Big Sisters of the TN Valley Essential Service Business of the Year AVO Communications Professional Service Business of the Year Edward Jones – Carlos Mendoza Health & Wellness Business of the Year Living Life Counseling Center Medical Practice of the Year Nesin Therapy Services Culinary Business of the Year Forever Grateful, LLC Best Business of the Year Rocket City HR Consulting Ambassador of the Year Pamela Bass – Owner of Virtuous Realty Group Congratulations!

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MADISON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CONNECTIONS

Congratulations to the following businesses for their ribbon cuttings, grand openings and ground-breakings last month.

You can follow the Madison Chamber of Commerce on Facebook to see more photos.

The Avenue Madison Ribbon Cutting located at 85 Shorter St in Madison

Lemon and Lavender Ribbon Cutting located at 16 Main St in Madison

www.madisonalchamber.com

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•

PHONE 256-325-8317

MADISON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CONNECTIONS

Congratulations to the following businesses for their ribbon cuttings, grand openings and ground-breakings last month.

You can follow the Madison Chamber of Commerce on Facebook to see more photos.

4D Communications Ribbon Cutting located at 8006 Old Madison Pike Suite 20H in Madison

Mathnasium of Madison celebrated their five-year anniversary, located at 51 Nance Rd Ste 101 in Madison

www.madisonalchamber.com

•

PHONE 256-325-8317

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Here is a sample of the stories you can find every week in...

M adison RECORD THE

You can find The Madison Record in newsstands across Madison or online at www.themadisonrecord.com

Madison resident reaches finalist status in Ms. Veteran America 2021 competition Sarah Tate’s commitment to her country in military service has blended into her personal life as a finalist in the Ms. Veteran America 2021 competition.

Ms. Veteran America competition highlights more than the strength, resilience, sacrifice and courage of the nation’s military women. The program reminds America that these women are also mothers, daughters, wives and sisters. These women represent the epitome of grace, beauty, poise and service, according to contest officials. (finalsaluteinc.org) The Ms. Veteran America competition was held Sunday, Oct. 10, at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando, Fla. Final Salute Inc. partnered with the America Legion Auxiliary of Florida to present the contest.

Although Tate did not win, the title went to Elsie Dent of Bryantown, MD, she returned home to what she said is the best award of the evening .

“My children presented me with the “Best Mom” trophy,” she stated in a Face-

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book post after the competition. “At the end of the day, I may not be first. But I’m first to them. And I’m honored for that privilege.

And through it all, I can tell myself, I’m doing something right.”

Now a Madison resident, Tate grew up in Fort Collins, Colo. After high school, she served 10 years in the U.S. Army as a combat camera specialist and broadcast journalist. In 2010, Tate left active duty and now serves as a public affairs specialist for Army Contracting Command on Redstone Arsenal. She handles internal/external communication.

With the G.I Bill, Tate earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communication from Wayland Baptist University – Hawaii.

“My passion is people,” Tate said. “As a professional communicator, I’m hoping to use my skills to advocate for women veterans. I decided to compete for Ms. Veteran America because I wholeheartedly believe in Final Salute’s mission.”

“As a woman veteran, I’ve faced my own

obstacles. I vowed I would help my fellow sisters in arms. So here I am,” Tate said.

Her children are Breanna and Cameron; the family owns Sarge, their French bulldog. Away from work, Tate enjoys traveling and interior decorating. “I have a supportive family that’s always willing to support my next adventure,” she said.

Ms. Veteran America serves as an ambassador for Final Salute Inc., which advocates for homeless women veterans and their children. In 2010, a woman veteran and cancer survivor founded the organization when she realized the magnitude of homeless women veterans in the United States.

Female veterans feel they are underserved when seeking housing and support services.

One component of Final Salute is Housing Outreach Mentorship Encouragement or HOME, which provides transitional housing, onsite case management, food, clothing, transportation, child care assistance and employment support. Women are led to safe and suitable residences.

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