The Madison Record, April 28, 2021

M adison RECORD WEDNESDAY April 28, 2021

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Trash Pandas’ Ralph Nelson resigns

EVENTS

Move to Maryland may be next for ball team’s president and CEO

Welcome Back!

Welcome back, senior citizens!

Even with cautionary protocol and procedures, Madison Senior Center members are happy to return to their comfortable home-away-from-home.

Page 3A

COMMUNITY

City of Madison, BallCorps working to resolve financial issue

By BOB LABBE bob0873@yahoo.com MADISON - Just prior to the inaugural season of the Rocket City Trash Pandas and in an unexpected move, Ralph Nelson has resigned his position as President and CEO of the Rocket City Trash Pandas. The team officially made the announcement last Wednesday afternoon.

General Manager Garrett Fahrmann and Vice President Lindsey

Knupp will step into leadership roles while the ownership of the Trash Pandas will remain intact with the company BallCorps partially owned

by Nelson.

The Trash Pandas open their inaugural season May 4 with the home opener set for May 11 at Toyota Field.

In a statement from Nelson, he indicated he wants to pursue other endeavors. The statement read, “It is time for me to focus my energies on a new project as a new opportunity was presented to me. It was the pursuit of another team and potential relocation, which will require my full attention.”

One source close to Nelson has indicated he’s assisting a team relocate See NELSON Page 2A

Trash Pandas’ CEO Ralph Nelson has resigned from the team

Two from Madison, three others, indicted last week for capital murder

BUSTED!

Ribbon Cuttings

There have been several ribbon cuttings and grand openings lately, including Toyota Field and highly anticipated milkshake bar. Plus, Daystar Church in Madison held a groundbreaking.

Page 5A

EDUCATION

By STAFF REPORTS

SAIL into Summer Madison City Schools joined leaders of the Community Foundation, Schools Foundation and neighboring school districts to kick off the SAIL summer learning program last week. Page 6A When SRO Officer Shane Kyker pulled up to West Madison Elementary last week with a hidden “suspect” in a pretend “bouncy chairs” heist, students shouted in unison who they believed it was. Beloved school counselor Stephanie Allen,above, was “nabbed” after students completed a class project to find the prime suspect. You can read about t and see more photos on page 7A. Photo by John Peck

SPORTS

Bob Jones Softball What was expected to be a banner season has become a fact for the Bob Jones softball team as the Lady Patriots have a No. 4 Class 7A ranking in Alabama and a No. 12 spot in the national rankings.

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CLASSIFIEDS

FIND JOBS INSIDE: There are plenty of jobs within today’s classifieds pages.

See page 4A.

INSIDE Records .......... 2A Events ............. 5A Education ........ 6A Sports ............. 1B

Business ......... 4B Kids................. 5B Church ............ 6B Lifestyles ......... 7B

City says advisory council’s report about actions during protests is inaccurate

By JOHN FEW john@themadisonrecord.com MADISON - The City of Madison says there are inaccuracies in an advisory council’s report about law enforcement actions last summer.

The report, crafted by the independent Huntsville Police Citizens Advisory Council, was presented to the Huntsville City Council at a public meeting last Thursday night.

It comes in response to the protests in downtown Huntsville last June, shortly after George Floyd’s death, including Huntsville Police and oth-

er agencies’ actions to dispel a protest on June 3.

“We’re in an environment of social unrest related to this issue and it’s not going away. So this report will hopefully guide the city to knowing how to handle these situations in the future,” Liz Huntley, attorney representing the police advisory council said.

Megan Zingarelli, Madison’s city attorney says the report was full of inaccuracies about the police department’s actions that night.

The report stated Madison police officers used rifle scopes instead of binoculars

to watch protesters last summer, but the city says that is not true.

“The City of requesting a correction of the statements in your report and presentation that officers of the Madison Police Department were “snipers” stationed on the courthouse roof, that they pointed rifles at the crowd, and that they did not use their binoculars,” Zingarelli wrote in her letter to the attorneys who presented the advisory council’s report to the Huntsville City Council last week. “As you know, the Sheriff’s office requested See REPORT Page 2A

MORGAN COUNTY – Five people, including two from Madison, were indicted this week on three counts of capital murder in the July 24 fatal shooting of Anthony Larry Sheppard, 41, at his Hartselle home, Morgan County District Attorney Scott Anderson announced last week.

The defendants — Logan McKinley Delp, 36, and Jaclyn Skuce, 38, both of Madison; Aaron Howard, 40, of Toney; and LaJuhn Keith Smart, 25, and Angela Stolz, 34, both of Huntsville — are all incarcerated without bond, according to Anderson. Records show all the defendants are in Morgan County Jail except Delp, who is in Madison County Jail.

Hartselle police officers were dispatched July 24 to 450 Dawson St. to conduct a welfare check on Sheppard, who was scheduled to be in court earlier that day and had failed to appear, according to Anderson. Officers found Sheppard in his home, deceased from multiple gunshot wounds.

After an investigation, Hartselle police investigator Tania Burgess obtained arrest warrants for each defendant on a charge of capital murder.

Skuce is the mother of Sheppard’s child and she and Sheppard were due to appear in court regarding custody and visitation issues on the day of the murder, according to Anderson. Testimony by Burgess at a preliminary hearing in September detailed statements by several witnesses that Skuce used a fake Facebook account to find Delp and she then met with him to arrange the killing. She gave him three payments totaling $30,000, according See INDICTMENTS Page 2A

16 pages • 2 sections

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April 28, 2021

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the City’s assistance because officers and deputies routinely work together on the SWAT team, and Huntsville Police Department did not specifically request assistance.

However, Madison Police officers stationed on the roof during the protests did not ever set up their sniper rifles or take them out of their cases.

They did use binoculars to observe the crowd, and they never took any direct action during the protests.

The letter also requested an immediate correction to the statement made in the review that the Huntsville Police Department was the only cooperative agency.

The Madison Police Department claims they did respond to record requests last year regarding their

Nelson

to Maryland including the building a stadium in the same manner he did in Madison.

The City of Madison also issued a formal statement, which read, “The City of Madison has been working closely with the BallCorps team to ensure success for Toyota Field and the Trash Pandas.

While this change in leadership comes at a critical time ahead of opening day, we are confident in the professional staff BallCorps has assembled to lead us through the 2021 season. The City con-

involvement in the protests, even if they didn’t provide as much information as the advisory council may have wanted.

“I responded in coordination with Chief Jernigan, who is now retired, to describe the extent of the Madison Police Department’s involvement in the protests, and I offered to discuss further, while asserting certain privileges that protect law enforcement information,” Zingarelli said in her letter. “The City’s protection of sensitive public safety documents from disclosure according to law and policy, and its decision not to respond to demands from another jurisdiction’s committee that did not have authority to compel production, do not equal ‘no cooperation’.”

tinues to work with BallCorps to finalize the 2020 season audits as per our license agreement and has every confidence we will receive full payment once the audit is complete.”

The City of Madison committed $46-million to build Toyota Field and with the shortage of income in 2020 due to the planned first season scrubbed by the COVID-19 pandemic money recovered by the City of Madison became an issue. Nelson indicated the team lost $17.8-million in revenue and was expected to pay Madison $1.5-million as part of its agreement.

The team says it owes nothing because the lease had a clause letting it off the hook when the minor league season was canceled last year because of the pandemic. The team is supposed to pay Madison at least $1 million in rent each year, plus pay for most of utility costs.

“When I realized that we were not going to be able to meet the $1 million dollar guarantee, I sought legal advice and was given legal advice that gave me a great, great amount of comfort,” Nelson told WHNT-TV. Madison Mayor Paul Finley sent a statement

She said the city never received a follow-up request but would have been glad to help clear up any inaccuracies.

Madison city said they wanted to make sure their response to the police conduct review was on record as soon as possible.

Zingarelli closed the letter by saying, “The City of Madison always stands ready to partner with the City of Huntsville in issues of public safety. The City will work with Huntsville and the Sheriff’s office on additional training protocols and a memorandum of understanding providing for joint operations, such as protest monitoring, if the Mayors, Chiefs of Police, and City Councils believe it is necessary.”

The Trash Pandas will play their first home game at Toyota Field on May 11.

Friday in relation to the financial situation.

“The City of Madison has already received $165,738.12 from Ballcorps for the 2020 season and are in the final stages of the required audit as agreed to in the lease agreement,” Finley said.

“As confirmed from our Revenue Department, Ballcorps is current on their sales tax payments and there are no outstanding delinquencies.

While the pandemic affected many businesses, the Trash Panda team successfully hosted over 175 separate community events throughout 2020 and have assured full payment to the City following the audit”

“Every organization is larger than one person, and our Rocket City Trash Pandas have an incredible staff ready to welcome our community into Toyota Field May 11,” he added.

The Trash Pandas’ released statement read, “We thank him (Nelson) for his service and wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

“In the past months I made a commitment to pursue this new opportunity, and with the Trash Pandas inaugural season about to begin, my desire is to go back to the work that I love the most: building a new team and a new stadium,” indicated Nelson in his statement.

Time with the one you love We know every moment is precious, and it’s our privilege to care for your loved one during this time in their life.

Our inpatient hospice and respite care facility looks and Angela Marie Stolz and Jaclyn Elaine Skuce leave the Morgan County Courthouse in this file photo from September 2020.

feels like home — where your family becomes part of ours.

Indictments

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to the investigator’s testimony.

“This is one of the most complex criminal cases I’ve encountered in my 30year career, but I look forward to the opportunity to try it and presenting it to a jury,” Anderson said today. “We will do our best to get these cases to trial as quickly as possible.”

Staff Directory French Salter, General Manager, 256-722-6677 french.salter@theredstonerocket.com

Madison County Record is published each Wednesday by Madison Publications, LLC, P.O. Box 859 Madison, AL 35758.

John Few Editor 256-772-6677 john.few@madisoncountyrecord.com Gregg L. Parker News Writer gregg.parker@madisoncountyrecord.com Bob Labbe Sports Writer bob0873@yahoo.com

Burgess described Delp as the shooter, Howard as the lookout and Skuce as the instigator, and Stolz was in the backseat of the vehicle “providing support.” Authorities have said Smart was the getaway driver.

Anderson said the indictment returned by a Morgan County grand

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jury charges the defendants with three counts of capital murder. The first count is based on murder for hire, the second count is based on the murder of a witness scheduled to appear in court and the third count is based on the murder occurring as a result of shooting into an occupied dwelling.

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April 28, 2021

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After a year-long hiatus, Madison Senior Center reopened its doors to members on April 1, for activities like line dancing for fun and fitness on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30-10:30 a.m.

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Members return to Madison Senior Center after long break due to COVID

By GREGG PARKER Gregg.Parker@madisoncountyrecord.com MADISON – Welcome back, senior citizens! Even with cautionary protocol and procedures, Madison Senior Center members are happy to return to their comfortable home-away-from-home.

After a year-plus closure due to COVID-19, the center conducted a limited opening on April 19. “We have lots of changes implemented to better serve clients and bring them back to the center as seamlessly as possible after this extended time away,” Levoneia Ayers, Interim Senior Center Director, said.

The center is following Alabama Department Senior Services’ guidelines, issued after Gov. Kay Ivey’s state health order on April 4.

Kory Alfred has responsibility for the center as Director of Parks and Recreation. Alfred said Mayor Paul Finley had approved the center’s limited reopening.

“The center is open for scheduled activities only. Masks are going to be required by both staff and Senior Center clients,” Alfred said.

A software program, MySeniorCenter, will issue a membership card to each client. Clients will sign in daily at the kiosk, specify which class they will attend and then report to that designated area.

“We won’t have on-site congregate meals; however, we will offer Grab-andGo meals,” Ayers said. “Our clients will communicate to staff if they want to receive the meal.” A client can pick up the meal as they leave the center after a class, or return to pick up the meal in the carline on Monday-Friday from 11:15 to 11:45 a.m.

Currently, the center offers two walking programs — Senior Strolling and Divinely Walking. “Everyone can feel free enjoy a stroll at Discovery Middle

School’s walking track, along Hughes Road on the walking trail, the tennis courts (if available), or walk in the parking lot, depending on their abilities,” Ayers said.

The center will offer classes with limited capacity, due to social distancing of six feet. Classes will include Ceramics, Line Dancing for Fitness and Fun, and Keepin’ U Movin’ Chair Exercise. At Dublin Park, seniors can continue water aerobics/lap swimming and indoor track walking on Tuesday and Thursday, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.

The billiards room is open Monday-Friday. To reserve/schedule table time, call 256-772-6242.

Residents can volunteer as delivery drivers for homebound meals; kitchen staff; and recreation, like Bingo callers.

“We would love to offer the opportunity to volunteer if individuals are seeking opportunities. Call 256-772-6242,” Ayers said.

Ayers has worked as Interim Senior Center Director since Nov. 2, 2020 after Vickie Parker retired as director in October 2020. “I’ve worked for the city 20 years and 7 months to-date. I began working as Recreation Morning Receptionist at Dublin Park,” she said.

Ayers then was promoted to Administrative Assistant slots in Operations and in Recreation. She transferred to Active Senior/Older Adults Coordinator before her current job.

Center staff includes Margaret St. Amour, Administrative Secretary; LaWanda Mason, Activities Coordinator; Michele Georgantis, Kitchen Worker; Vicki Kanik, Arts and Crafts Worker; and Richard Gray and Kenneth Brown, Complex Workers.

“The staff and I are very excited about the seniors’ return. They have been missed,” Ayers said.

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Nominations sought for 2021 Madison Beautification Awards

By GREGG PARKER Gregg.Parker@madisoncountyrecord.com MADISON – A well-groomed grassy plot and mulched beds of shrubs and annual flowers always improve the view.

To recognize these eye-pleasing sites, Madison Beautification and Tree Board is accepting nominations for the 2021 Madison Beautification Awards.

Business owners and other properties can apply for the recognition, awarded annually after judges confirm a series of requirements for the nominated properties. Before the pandemic, award winners were honored with a luncheon.

The board places a beautification sign at each winning property.

For eligibility, the nominees must be a commercial, business, public property or government buildings within the city limits of Madison. Other nominations can be the commons or ‘public’ spaces at apartment complexes, condominiums, townhome developments, residential subdivisions, schools, hospitals and churches. Private residences are not eligible.

Application deadline is May 16, along with application fee of $25.

Judges will review three sections of criteria that must be complete at the nominee’s site: * Unity, balance, aesthetics – Relates to overall attractiveness of the property. All components in the landscape design must blend. Plants should complement each other and contribute to

an overall appearance. Groups of specimens will repeat design elements. Layout can be symmetrical for a formal pattern or asymmetrical in an informal placement. * Maintenance and quality of planted areas – Largest category for detailed review of plant types. All categories must be free of disease with healthy specimens. Annuals, especially flowers, will be well maintained and vibrant. Trees and shrubs must have correct pruning and trimming. Ground covers must add interest and a flow in the landscape.

In flower beds, weed barriers or bare ground should not be visible. The beds should not have trash or debris.

A lawn should have thick grass with no bare spots. ‘Hardscapes’ (outside areas with permanent materials) contain attractive brick, stone or concrete in walls, sidewalks or benches; weeds are not growing in trails or walkways. * Consideration for excellence – Judges will complete this section after confirming all points in the previous two sections.

The property exhibits a level of pride in the landscape with colorful flowers, ornamental grasses and ground cover, along with clean and neat boundaries.

Submit nomination forms and application fees by check to City Clerk’s Office or mail to Beautification Board, 100 Hughes Road, Madison AL 35758. Judging will occur in June.

For more information, email keepmadisonbeautiful@gmail.com or visit madisonal.gov.

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Hogan Family YMCA $0 join fee ends the end of April

By GREGG PARKER Gregg.Parker@madison countyrecord.com MADISON COUNTY – A few common-sense practices can boost a child’s health and demeanor during the summer months, and Hogan Family YMCA is endorsing the ideas with $0 join fee in April.

“Many families join the Y for discounts on summer programs, so the Y is making membership more affordable by waiving join fees in April,” Mary Anne Swanstrom said. Swanstrom is Director of Communications for Heart of the Valley YMCA. “When children are out of school, they can face hurdles that prevent them from reaching their full potential. Research

shows, without access to out-of-school learning activities, kids fall behind academically,” Swanstrom said.

Youth often gain weight twice as fast during summer than the school year.

The Y wants families to focus on helping children imagine what they can accomplish over the summer.

“When children are healthy, happy and supported they can make great things happen,” Sharon Allen said. Allen works as Director of Fitness and Corporate Wellness at Southeast Family YMCA. “We believe in the potential of all children, and we strive to help kids find that potential within themselves.”

A child’s development is never on vacation, Al-

len said.

The Y offers these tips to develop lasting habits this summer: * High Five fruits and veggies -- Confirm that youth eat a minimum of five servings of fruits and veggies daily, as nutritionists suggest. * Get moving – Physical activity also can help children flex their brain power. Use materials uniquely, such as asking youth to build models, to manipulate tools or to develop their own theatrical scenes. * Read together -- Visit the neighborhood branch of Huntsville - Madison County Public Library for vast choices in media.

Create a family reading challenge to see who can log the most minutes of reading. Encourage youth

to create their own stories. * Play together -- Active play, especially outdoors, is an excellent way to avoid childhood obesity. * Make sleep a priority -- Doctors recommend 10 to 12 hours of sleep daily for children from 5 to 12 years old. Adults need 7 to 8 hours of sleep. “Sleep plays a critical role in maintaining our healthy immune system, metabolism, mood, memory and learning,” Swanstrom said.

To promote healthier lifestyles, Hogan Family YMCA and Southeast Family YMCA conducted a free community event, Healthy Kids Day, on April 17.

For more information, call 256-705-9622 or visit ymcahuntsville.org/ events.

Heart of the Valley YMCA is offering tips for families, especially children, to have a healthy summer.

Veteran Spotlight Bill would remove Chief Warrant Officer Andy Haq’s global barriers, costs for service spanned Europe, Asia and Middle East local school building projects, however contractors concerned

By STAFF REPORTS

By WILL WHATLEY Alabama Daily News

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – A bill pending in the Alabama Senate regarding the construction of public buildings has some concerned about what it could mean to the safety of school buildings, while proponents see the legislation as a way to help education entities save money.

Bill sponsor Rep. Nathaniel Ledbetter, R-Rainsville, said House Bill 220 would help decrease building costs for public schools by reducing bureaucratic red tape, enabling money to be better used. He gave an example of a $2.4 million project being reduced to $1.7 million.

“I’ve heard from K-12 and (Alabama Community College System) about the construction costs increasing due to red tape,” Ledbetter, the House majority leader, said. “This bill would help them save money, money that can be better spent elsewhere.”

The bill would remove the state Division of Construction Management’s authority to manage construction and renovation projects at schools and colleges and give it instead to the Alabama State Department of Education or the managing boards of colleges and universities.

It would also reduce current fees on capital projects less than $500,000 and roof and HVAC repairs and maintenance.

However, some contractors aren’t on board with the bill. Alabama Associated General Contractors CEO Billy Norrell is worried Ledbetter’s legislation could not only lead to shoddy construction but misuse of public funds.

AAGC has distributed materials saying the bill equates to “the fox watching the hen house.”

“Safety and code compliance are of the utmost importance,” he said.

“This legislation would impact these things along with funding oversight.

Our fear is about the opportunities to bypass code compliance and safety measures.”

Leadership at ACCS has

advocated for the bill.

“The Alabama Community College System, including the ACCS Board of Trustees and all of our 24 college presidents, is completely supportive of House Bill 220,” Chancellor Jimmy Baker told Alabama Daily News. “Various process inefficiencies and interpretative decisions by the Division of Construction Management have led to increased project scope, delays, and cost increases on numerous construction projects at our colleges over the years. The ACCS Board of Trustees has the expertise to take on the oversight of the construction management process for community college projects, saving time and money while also fully complying with existing bid laws, appropriate building codes, and other local, state, and federal requirements.”

The House approved the bill on a 96-1 vote in late February and it received unanimous support in the Senate Government Affairs Committee earlier this month.

Norrell said history has proven that some contractors will cut corners on a project and that could affect the general public.

“If you hire an AGC member, you’re going to get a quality product,” Norrell added. “But not everyone out there is like that. We need to make sure things are done properly.”

Ledbetter said all codes remain in place and fire and tornado codes are strengthened under his bill.

“My whole family is public schools,” said Ledbetter, adding he has two sons who are public school teachers. “No one wants schools safer than I do.”

Alex Whaley Sr. with Whaley Construction in Troy underscores Norrell’s argument by suggesting that this bill may end up costing schools money.

“If you have to have contractors come in to fix problems, you’ll end up spending more in the long run than you would’ve spent in the first place,” he said.

M adison RECORD THE

MADISON – In the U.S. Army, Chief Warrant Officer Anwarul ‘Andy’ Haq completed courses for Short Range Air Defense and served on the Air Defense Artillery branch.

He specialized in anti-aircraft weapons, such as Vulcan, Chaparral and Avenger Air Defense Systems; Sargent York; Roland; and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense or THAAD. He joined in 1975 and served through 1998. Haq had Basic Training at Fort Jackson S.C and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Bliss, Texas.

He then attached to Military Police detachment with Indiana National Guard at Fort Wayne, Ind. and became a Supply Specialist.

His training included basic and advanced electronics, High Power Generation course and advanced Warrant Officer Course, specializing in Patriot Radar and Missile System.

Tours of duty took Haq to Germany; two tours to Camp Casey and Camp Humphrey, South Korea; Fort Campbell, Ky., 101 Airborne Unit; and Fort Polk, La., XV111 Airborne Unit at Fort Bliss

and Fort Hood, Texas.

Haq was deployed to Germany, Reforger exercises, 1st Armored Division; Korea, Short Range Air Defense, along with first Patriot Battalion; Panama and Granada, combat, 101 Airborne, Air Assault Division; and Desert Storm, Desert Shield, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, combat, XV111 Airborne corps.

His design for access window to Slip Ring Electronics improved safety on Vulcan Air Defense Gun System. Haq authored drills for weapon crews, Avenger shoulder-fire missiles and Patriot. He also wrote upload/download procedures for missiles to launchers, modified instruction for Patriot Radar and safety operations for firing ranges.

Awarded numerous honors, Haq earned medals related to Meritorious Service, Army Commendation, Army Achievement, Army Good Conduct, National Defense, South East Asia Service and Joint Army/Airforce Commendation.

An active member of Madison American Legion, Post 229, Haq leads flag ceremonies and will coordinate the upcoming Memorial Day ceremo-

Chief Warrant Officer Andy Haq was deployed to Germany, Korea, Panama, Granada, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. ny. In several groups as officer, he participates in Military Retiree Council, United States Army Warrant Officers Association, Disabled American Veterans, North Alabama Veterans and Fraternal Organizations Coalition, St. Vincent DePaul Society and Knights of Columbus.

In civilian jobs, he has worked for Dynetics Inc., Colsa Corporation and

Computer Science Corporation with Missile Defense Agency, along with veterans’ support with Catalyst Center.

He holds master’s degrees in business administration and in management and bachelor’s degrees in education and electronics/instrumentation.

He and his wife Marinita Haq have five children and nine grandchildren.

Area Health Officer urges everyone to get the vaccine, concerned why so many are not getting it

By STAFF REPORTS MADISON COUNTY - Area Health Officer Dr. Karen Landers said all age groups eligible to receive the free COVID-19 vaccine should take it, plain and simple.

Eligibility is at its most inclusive point with everyone 16 and over eligible.

Landers, who also serves as the state’s deputy health officer, said there’s growing concern among health professionals about why so many aren’t taking the vaccine now that it is in plentiful supply.

“We can’t get to the other side of this virus without a lot more people getting vaccinated,” she said.

But hesitancy on taking the shot doesn’t equal refusal, Landers said.

Absolute refusals make up a small percentage of people, while 30% to 40% are merely hesitant, indicating that they still have questions about the vaccine, she said.

“We’re asking communities: What else do you need to know to feel confident taking it, because we can answer your questions and point you to the research and data,’” Landers said.

To advertise in The Madison Record, call Donna Counts at 256-714-7152

Her suggestion to people who have lingering questions is to look at the research from organizations that deal with specific populations.

For example, there’s been hesitancy on the part of some pregnant women about taking the COVID-19 vaccine.

“The data is very favorable for pregnant women, as well as lactating women,” Landers said. “There’s absolutely no data — none — showing anything concerning regarding fertility. No indications whatsoever. We need people, including (those) in these categories, to look at the risk and devastation of the disease.”

Landers said she’ll continue to remind people that when they’re infected with COVID, they’re likely to infect two to five people around them.

“The vaccine is for the good of the individual and their family.”

Landers said the pause in issuance of the Johnson & Johnson onedose vaccine should be a good indication to the American people just how closely the vaccines are being monitored.

“The pause has actually been a

Dr. Karen Landers

good thing because it shows that action is taken even with the smallest percentage of people affected,” she said.

As for those individuals who’ve had COVID-19, Landers said it’s fine to take the vaccine shortly after recovering.

While some entities have suggested waiting 90 days, no studies have shown adverse effects when the vaccine is given sooner.

You can follow the latest local news updates at

themadisonrecord.com

COMMUNITY

5A

April 28, 2021

TOYOTA FIELD - In preparation of the first season for the Rocket City Trash Pandas at Toyota Field in Madison, the Madison Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting at the $46 million multi-purpose stadium last Tuesday before the James Clemens vs. Bob Jones rivalry game (see page 8B for more photos). The Trash Pandas, North Alabama’s Minor League Baseball team will begin their season on May 4 with the first home game set for May 11. Madison Mayor Paul Finley is pictured above saying a few words before the ribbon cutting. For more information, go to www.trashpandasbaseball.com.

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SOLUTIONS FOR EVERY ROOM – INSIDE AND OUT DAYSTAR CHURCH - Daystar Church in Madison-Huntsville is moving to a new location in the upcoming months after breaking ground on their new facility in Southwest Huntsville. Daystar Madison currently meets at Horizon Elementary. They have purchased 32 acres of property in Southwest Huntsville on Martin Rd. “As we prepare to build, we are also planning meetings with the City of Huntsville to see how we can utilize our property to be a resource for the community. Things like walking trails, disc golf, and perhaps soccer fields are all ideas we are considering,” said Pastor Eli Brooks.

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By STEVE NORRIS MADISON - Warm temperatures for the entire week ahead and it looks like it’s going to continue through the first week of May. Highs will mostly be in the 80s as we only have one cold front to deal with and that one will bring showers and thunderstorms on Thursday.

Friday will be a little bit cooler with highs in the mid 70s but then we will quickly rebound into the low 80s for the weekend.

One more month remains in our tor-

nado season and it does look like things could get pretty active, so we will be watching it closely. More tornadoes occur in April in our area than any other month, with March coming in second and May the third most active month.

DID You know if the Earth didn’t have an atmosphere and oceans, the planets daily temperature would be much like the Moon with an average high of 260 degrees and a low of 280 below zero.

If you have a question or need weather data, you can reach me anytime at weather1@charter.net.

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EDUCATION

6A

April 28, 2021

SAIL summer learning kicks off with $180,000 grant

By STAFF REPORTS

lored for English Learners - students in families whose primary language is other than English.

The program is designed to help EL students overcome summer learning loss using structured summer learning experiences, instruction focused on guided reading math, language, experiential learning, and STEM activities delivered by certified teachers.

Classes meet Monday-Friday and run from June 3 through July 2 at no cost to participants.

The program’s mission is to transform the academic achievements, self confidence and life trajectories of the EL students with academic and language learning needs.

For more information about the program, go to www.theschoolsfoundation.org/sail.

MADISON - Madison City Schools joined leaders of the Community Foundation, Schools Foundation and neighboring school districts to kick off the SAIL summer learning program last week.

SAIL stands for Summer Adventures In Learning and is funded largely through donations from various partners led by the Community Foundation.

Madison City, Huntsville and Madison County schools will share in the $180,000 SAIL grant.

Madison City’s SAIL program is the SAIL EL Summer Camp for rising K-5 students. This year the program will be at Rainbow Elementary under the direction of RES Assistant Principal Miranda Bolden. The EL camp is tai-

(L-R) Community Foundation Director Melissa Thompson; Schools Foundation Executive Director Elizabeth Dotts Fleming; Rainbow Elementary Assistant Principal and MCS SAIL Camp Director Miranda Bolden; MCS Chief Academic Officer Dr. Heather Donaldson; MCS Federal Programs Specialist Carol Bohatch; MCS Board of Education Vice President Luis Ferrer; MCS Assistant Superintendent Eric Terrell.

Madison Music Camp planned for June 7-11 at James Clemens

By GREGG PARKER Gregg.Parker@madison countyrecord.com

student has not played a band instrument, click “Beginning Camp Registration.”

Registration deadline is May 24 to confirm that all campers will receive a T-shirt and to order an adequate amount of food for lunches.

Students in the advanced camp can choose electives for morning and afternoon sessions. Morning electives include jazz band, marching band basics, conducting, beginning piano and color guard basics.

Those topics also are available in the afternoon, along with classes for secondary instruments (the camper must bring the instrument to practice), bucket drumming and music theory.

For bucket drumming, campers will use a plastic bucket and drumsticks for a fun way to practice percussion. Striking the bucket in different locations produces unique sounds.

Conductors for the camp’s advanced bands will be John

MADISON – Band members can maintain – even improve – their playing skills and learn about various components of marching band during Madison Music Camp. at James Clemens.

Students who will enter sixth through ninth grades in the 2021-2022 school year are eligible to attend the camp. Camp dates will be June 7-11.

Keith Anderson, James Clemens Band Director, invites middle-school directors to encourage their students for a week of musicmaking. Students who are brand new to their instrument can enroll in the beginning camp. Students with a year or more experience can register for the advanced camp.

To access registration forms, visit jcjetsband.com. If the student has played in band at least one year, click “Advanced Camp Registration”, or if the

Madison Music Camp is scheduled for June 7-11 at James Clemens High School.

Cooper, who retired as Director of Bands at Austin High School, and Mandy Irvin, Band Director at Decatur Middle School.

Area professionals will conduct sectionals throughout the day.

Camp fee is $200. Campers can pay online at www.madisonci-

tyal.csiepay.com (in the “JCHS extracurricular” and “Madison Music Camp” headings).

In addition, band members can deliver a check or cash in an envelope labeled “JCHS Band” to the school’s front desk. Or, mail a check to James Clemens

High School, c/o Keith Anderson, 11306 County Line Road, Madison AL 35756. (Checks payable to “James Clemens High School.”)

For more information, email kanderson@madisoncity.k12. al.us or visit jcjetsband.com.

Bob Jones to host two summer camps, shows for Fantasy Playhouse

By GREGG PARKER Gregg.Parker@madisoncounty record.com

timum time to form friendships, explore plays and expand the child’s talent.

“The Little Mermaid Jr.” by Disney, the selection for Advanced Musical Theatre Showcase, will feature two casts, divided in age-appropriate groups.

Actors from eight to 18 years old will rehearse for two weeks for the full musical to produce a fully developed production.

Campers will meet for “The Little Mermaid Jr.” on July 1216 and July 19-23 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Bob Jones. Child care before and after rehearsal is available.

“The Little Mermaid Jr.,” based on a Hans Christian Andersen story, explores the under-the-sea journey of Ariel and her aquatic friends. The young mermaid yearns to leave the ocean. However, she must defy

MADISON – Youngsters and teenagers can experience the adventure of a stage show with two summer camps at Bob Jones High School.

Bob Jones is hosting the camps for Fantasy Playhouse Children’s Theater and Academy. Campers will rehearse and then deliver a live show for either “The Little Mermaid Jr.” or “Hamlet Thrill-Ma-Geddon.”

Fantasy Playhouse has qualified teaching artists who are professionals in their fields. Their goal is to help students develop their bodies, voices, minds and imaginations to flourish and grow, both as artists and people. (fantasyplayhouse.com) In addition, summer is an op-

her father, King Triton, conspire with the evil sea witch, Ursula, and convince Prince Eric that they are a perfect match.

Cast A’s performance time will be July 23 at noon. Cast B will perform July 23 at 2 p.m.

Camp fee is $475.

Another camp option is the Teen Acting Showcase, “Hamlet Thrill-Ma-Geddon!” Actors will answer the legendary inquiry, “To act? Or not to act? That is the question.”

Teenagers will audition, rehearse and perform a full-scale production while polishing their acting techniques. The camp will introduce them to procedures in professional theatre and the process of bringing a script to life.

The play by Don Zolidis shows the desperation of the Drama Club when their budget is

Fantasy Playhouse Children’s Theater and Academy will offer two summer camps at Bob Jones High School. Students will rehearse and present “The Little Mermaid Jr.” and “Hamlet Thrill-Ma-Geddon.” slashed. They turn to corporate sponsorship and mid-play commercial advertising. The result is bizarre Shakespearean acting with high-kicking dancers and zombies.

The ‘Hamlet’ cast, ages 13-18, will convene on July 5-10 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Bob Jones. Their

performance date will be July 10 at 1 p.m. Camp fee is $275.

To register for a camp, visit bit.ly/SummerCampFPCTA2021. For more information about both camps, email EducationDirector@FantasyPlayhouse.com. For tickets, visit info@fantasyplayhouse.com.

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THE RECORD • 7A

West Madison Elementary School counselor Stephanie Allen, left, was “nabbed” last week for a “bouncy chair” heist after students completed a class project to find the prime suspect.

School counselor “busted” in student’s CSI-type investigation

By STAFF REPORTS MADISON - When SRO Officer Shane Kyker pulled up to West Madison Elementary last week with a hidden “suspect” in a pretend “bouncy chairs” heist, students shouted in unison who they believed it was.

Beloved school counselor Stephanie Allen could only shake her head in disbelief. “How did you know it was me?” she kept repeating as students waived investigative reports listing her name.

The students were part of Lauren Cecil’s 3rd grade class. They were taking part in a CSI style exercise to build their skills in collaboration, inference, reading comprehension and strategies.

The “Crime Scene” was missing bouncy chairs from the school’s flexible seating area.

Each suspect listed was someone who worked at the school, and the students worked at stations to reveal who commit-

ted the “crime” by using different reading strategies.

Cecil explains that each station covered the skills the students had been working on in class, such as vocabulary using context clues, figurative language, finding the point of view, finding themes, using root words and prefixes, and finding the main idea. After they completed each station using those reading strategies, it revealed a clue that eliminated one suspect.

Students went through seven different stations this week until they found who they thought committed the crime, and then they wrote a case report about it detailing their evidence.

Finally, after working all week, the “criminal” was revealed to the class being driven to the back of the school in SRO Kyker’s patrol car.

Everyone enjoyed the assignment, said Cecil. “Ms. Allen and SRO Officer Kyker were good sports.”

Students acted as detectives to track down clues that led to the “hidden” suspect.

Snapshot It’s strawberry season and what better way to enjoy them than to eat locally grown. Madison City Schools served up strawberries today as part of its ongoing Farm-to-Schools program that puts locally grown produce in schools. These came from farmer Wade Whited in Oneonta. And all served with a smile from the CNP staff at Horizon Elementary.

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MCS receives additional $20,000 from Facebook to help upgrade electronic devices for students

By STAFF REPORTS MADISON - Madison City Schools has received a $20,000 grant from Facebook to help the school district upgrade and acquire more electronic devices for students. Earlier in the school year, Facebook donated an additional $30,000 to MCS for the purchase of Chromebooks and WiFi hotspots.

Superintendent Dr. Ed Nichols said the contributions are timely with the increasing demands on virtual technology. “This generous donation by Facebook will help expand our inventory of electronic devices and service them as we prepare for another school year with more students using virtual technology,” he said. “Connectivity is something

MCS and Facebook both rely on and it is particularly beneficial with increasing online learning.”

“Connecting people and communities is a critical part of our mission,” said Katie Comer, Facebook Community Development Regional Manager. “We’ve watched with pride the great work being done by the Madison City School team for students in Madison. We’re grateful for the opportunity to play a supporting role to these amazing educators.”

Facebook has been a generous supporter of the Huntsville community, particularly schools, since breaking ground on its @HuntsvilleDataCenter in 2018.

For more information, go to www. facebook.com/HuntsvilleDataCenter.

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April 28, 2021

M adison RECORD THE

WEDNESDAY

To advertise in The Madison Record, call Donna Counts at 256-714-7152

www.themadisonrecord.com INSIDE SPORTS

Bowling Scholarship Sparkman High senior Daylin Tolgo signed an athletic scholarship to bowl for Kentucky Wesleyan located in Owensboro, Ky. Tolgo averaged 180 in her senior season.

Page 2B

The Bob Jones softball team has gained national attention after being ranked No. 12 among the USA/Today NFCA High School Super 25. They are pictured with Bob Jones principal Sylvia Lambert.

Success Success is the one definition which can be used for the athletic history of Emmy Mattingly. The senior at James Clemens recently signed an athletic scholarship to attend Trevecca Nazarene.

Page 2B

BUSINESS

Honored Leading luxury mattress manufacturer Shifman Mattresses recently honored furniture and mattress retailer Bragg’s of Huntsville for top sales growth and perseverance through a year of pandemic challenges.

Page 4B

HISTORY

History of 308 Church Street Historian John P. Rankin takes on a journey into the history of this Madison downtown home.

Page 7B

PHOTOS

Jets vs. Patriots See photos from last week’s rivalry game at Toyota Field between James Clemens and Bob Jones.

Page 8B

Patriots softball nationally ranked, head for Alabama 7A playoffs

By BOB LABBE bob0873@yahoo.com MADISON - What was expected to be a banner season has become a fact for the Bob Jones softball team as the Lady Patriots have a No. 4 Class 7A ranking in Alabama and a No. 12 spot in the national rankings.

“This team has jelled as everybody plays their best and works hard to exceed,” said Whitney Deaver head coach of Bob Jones.

“We’ve had some players step up in their play and we have improved on both sides of the ball. In the close games, we’ve been mentally tough. These girls want the ball in

tough situations.”

The Pats posted a 29-3 record going into the final week of the season with the post-season playoffs the first week in May. As a team, the red, white and blue squad is batting .385 with a .628 slugging percentage and a .449 on base average. Seven different players have provided a total of 36 homeruns.

Bob Jones is hitting the ball for great offensive statistics, but it’s pitching is where the victories are really adding up. As a team, the ERA is 0.64. The Pats on the mound have posted 297 strikeouts in 185 innings with 15 shutouts and five no hitters. Tops in the

See SOFTBALL Page 2B

MA wins boys state tennis championship

By BOB LABBE bob0873@yahoo.com MOBILE - The Madison Academy Mustangs’ athletic program picked up another state championship trophy by winning the AHSAA Class 4A-5A boy’s tennis title by taking first place honors in three of the six singles finals at the Mobile Tennis Center in Mobile.

Parker Jacques won the No. 1 singles title with a 6-0, 6-0 finals win over Guy Mitchell of Altamont. Jacques, a junior, followed in his father’s footsteps as Eddie Jacques won the See TENNIS Page 2B

The Madison Academy boys tennis team won its first ever AHSAA State Championship winning three of the six singles titles at the State Tournament held in Mobile.

Jets’ girls basketball coach Capriee Tucker resigns

By BOB LABBE bob0873@yahoo.com MADISON - Capriee Tucker has resigned her position as head coach of the James Clemens girl’s basketball program. She is expected to be named hew head coach in early May at a yet named school.

“I enjoyed my time here at James Clemens and I learned a lot about the game, the community, the administration and myself,” said Tucker, who just turned 31 year old. “I know we have made strides within the program and I’m excited knowing the direction the program is headed.”

Tucker took over the Jets’ program after two years as an assistant at Hazel Green where the teams she coached

played in two straight state championships, winning one, with head coach Tim Miller. She also coached at Huntsville High and was director of Player Development at the University of Alabama. She earned her masters in education at Alabama A&M. “I want to thank the administration for taking a chance on me three years ago and I have certainly gown as an individual and coach,” added Tucker, whose teams were 39-50 in her three seasons.

She was an All-State player at Fort Payne High and played four years at UT-Chattanooga earning a degree in psychology and later her masters at Alabama.

Tucker will remain at James Clemens until the end of the school year before heading off to a new position.

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pitching rotation is junior Emma Rolfe, an Auburn commit, who is 18-2. Senior Megan Shurtz, who has signed to play at UAH, is next with an 11-1 won-loss mark heading into the final weeks of 2021.

“We have two freshmen who have been big pluses for us, especially on offense,” added Deaver. “Charlotte Herron is batting .500 and Natalia Kenyatta is at .468 on the season.”

Bob Jones heads into the post-season with only one major injury. Starting centerfielder Caroline Brown, a junior, suffered a season-ending finger injury, but Deaver feels

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Capriee Tucker has resigned as head coach of the James Clemens girls basketball program. Photo by Bob Labbe

2B • THE RECORD

April 28, 2021

406073-1

Daylin Tolgo, front row right, signed a scholarship to bowl for Kentucky Wesleyan after an outstanding career bowling for Sparkman High. The Lady Senator signed with her parents and younger brother, Dalton, who was a Sparkman teammate.

Sparkman’s Daylin Tolgo signs to bowl for Kentucky Wesleyan

By BOB LABBE bob0873@yahoo.com

May 6 – 9, 2021 C L

HARVEST - Sparkman High senior Daylin Tolgo signed an athletic scholarship to bowl for Kentucky Wesleyan located in Owensboro, Ky. Tolgo, whose younger brother, Dalton, also bowled for the Senators, averaged 180 in her senior season where she was the only upper classman on the girl’s squad.

Sparkman was the 2021 State Champions with a 1,429-1,292 victo-

ry over Thompson in the Class 7A State Finals.

Picking up her first bowling ball at age 10 while watching her father bowl in local leagues, Tolgo joined the Sparkman team as a sophomore upon the encouragement of her father. In her first full season of action she averaged 160 per game, but utilizing practice and control of her big right-handed hook, she improved her average 20 pins through her senior season.

She’s a member of the Sparkman

Photography Club. “I’m passionate about that especially since I’d like to study studio art or photography in college,” said Tolgo of her future plans of education.

She carries a 3.56 grade point average and received offers from Spring Hill College, Emmanual College of Georgia and Savannah College of Art Design of Atlanta.

“She was a great leader that contributed to our team on and off the lanes,” said Lisa Ivey, head coach of Sparkman

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James Clemens’ Emmy Mattingly to run cross country and track in college

By BOB LABBE bob0873@yahoo.com MADISON - Success is the one definition which can be used for the athletic history of Emmy Mattingly. The senior at James Clemens recently signed an athletic scholarship to attend Trevecca Nazarene located in Nashville, Tenn.

Mattingly fittingly earned her scholarship through hard work over many years of efforts. She competed for the Jets’ cross country program for six years and improved her overall times by four and a half minutes while being chosen as team captain in her senior year. “It was my junior season where I figured out I could run in college and had chance at a scholarship,” said Mattingly, who has a 3.8 grade point average and is possibly looking at studying business-marketing in college. “My junior season is where I broke through.”

“She always gave her best and did what was asked of her,” said Drew Bell, head coach of the James Clemens track program. “She had patience and was always willing to help the younger girls on the team.”

The purple and white Trevecca Nazarene Trojans participate in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference as part of the NCAA Div. II competition. Mattingly is expected will take part in both the cross

James Clemens senior cross country runner Emmy Mattingly has signed an athletic scholarship to attend Trevecca Nazarene of Nashville. country and track programs. She most likely will take on the mile and 5K events as part of the Trojans’ track team.

Mattingly helped the Lady Jets finished sixth in the Cross Country State Meet by posting a state meet time of 21:27.26. Her overall personal best time is 20:17.

“I took up the sport after my

mother asked me if I would like to run while I was in the seventh grade as my two older siblings were running,” said Mattingly, daughter to Charles and Beth Mattingly. “As I got farther in my running career I thought I could possibly run in college. I’m excited to run in college and I’m ready to move to the next step in my running career.”

been a good team all season long and the athletes feed off one another during play,” said Jason Young, 12-year head coach of the Mustangs’ program. “Ben went into the finals after a very tough and grueling semi-final match.”

Both Madison Academy and LAMP were tied in team scoring, but the Mustangs won in a playoff scoring the state title 65-60. In the playoff, the No. 1 and 6 singles and the No. 2 doubles play with the team winning two out of three declared the winner. For Madison Academy, Young said, “Sam Fulkerson and Matt Perkins, both juniors, played very well to win their match in the playoff and with Parker already winning the No. 1 singles, we were the champions,” added Young of the Mustangs’ first boys state title in school history.

In Class 7A, held at Lagoon Park Tennis Center in Montgomery, Parker Free of Bob Jones was the lone representative of the Patriots’ program at the State Tournament after winning the Sectional a week earlier. Free advanced to the finals with victories of 6-1, 6-1 over Charlie Wilson of Fairhope and 6-1, 6-2 over Santiago Castillo of crosstown rival James Clemens. In the No. 1 singles championship, Free was

defeated by Jake Wilson of Spain Park 6-1, 6-2.

Team scores in Class 7A had Spain Park taking the state championship scoring 43 points while Bob Jones finished sixth with 6 points followed by James Clemens with 4 points.

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AHSAA singles and doubles state championships in 1991 playing for Huntsville High. The elder Jacques was rated the No. 1 recruit in the country after graduating from Huntsville High and signed with the Georgia Bulldogs. With the SEC school he won three consecutive SEC titles and was an NCAA All-American. Eddie Jacques is currently the owner and tennis director of the Athletic Club of Alabama in Huntsville.

Parker Jacques advanced to the finals with earlier round victories of 6-0, 6-1 versus Keeton Hetrick of Wilson and 6-3, 6-1 over Edward Lee of LAMP High (Montgomery).

Teammates Sam Fulkerson (Jr.) defeated Ian Kim of LAMP 6-2, 6-3 to take the No. 3 singles championship and Grady Byrne (Jr.) raced past Ashton Stacey of Guntersville 6-4, 6-1 to claim victory as the No. 5 state champ. Fellow Mustang Ben Haggard (Sr.) lost in his bid to win the No. 2 singles championship by falling to Juno Jeon of LAMP 6-3, 6-1.

In doubles, the team of Jacques and Haggard won the No. 1 finals versus Edward Lee and Junu Jeon of LAMP. Final scores 6-2, 6-1.

“Going into the tournament we were very confident as this has

Softball

good depth in the outfield positions should allow for a sufficient fill-in.

“She was a great leader for us,” said Deaver of Brown.

The national ranking is part of the USA Today/NFCA High School Super 25. The Patriots are one of three teams from Alabama to make the national rankings. Hewitt-Trussville (33-2-1) is No. 3 and Spain Park (30-5) comes in at No. 24.

Deaver feels her team is in the correct frame of mind concerning the national ranking. She added, “They don’t get caught up in the national attention. Most of the girls joke about it as all that matters to them is the playoffs and making it to the State Tournament.”

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April 28, 2021

THE RECORD • 3B

Injury inspires Bridget Johnson to earn athletic scholarship

Two-sport athlete to play basketball in college

By BOB LABBE bob0873@yahoo.com HARVEST - As a freshman athlete at Sparkman High, Bridget Johnson suffered a torn MCL and went through extensive physical therapy during rehabilitation and that experience opened her eyes and thought process of what she would one day like to earn an education and become a physical therapist.

This month she took one step closer to that dream by signing a basketball scholarship to play for the Eagles of Faulkner University located in Montgomery. While playing for the Southern States Athletic Conference program, Johnson will study biology and move towards earning a degree in physical therapy. She will carry a 4.33 grade point average to college.

“I knew one day I wanted to be a phys-

ical therapist as during my experience of my injury I saw what a great environment physical therapy can be and how I could help others in similar situations as mine,” said Johnson, daughter to Jeff and Carly Johnson.

A one-time dancer for 12 years, Johnson also played basketball and softball and has played both sports for the Senators. In softball, she is a starting outfielder for the fifteenth ranked team in Class 7A as the Senators enter the post-season playoffs. For the Sparkman basketball squad in the 2020-2021 season, the 5-foot-10, 160-pound Johnson scored 3.1 points and pulled down 4.5 rebounds per game.

As a young girl she took up basketball at age four and basketball two years later. She said she was heavily into dance for a dozen years before sports took over.

“During the COVID-summer last year I joined a good AAU team and the coaches at Faulkner knew the AAU coaches and they soon found out about me,” said Johnson. “I know it’s a big step to college, but I knew I wasn’t done in high school and I prepared for and I’m ready to take on the challenge.”

No. 13 UAH wins another GSC series with Sunday triumph at DSU

Sparkman senior two-sport athlete Bridget Johnson narrowed her choice to participate in college athletics by signing a basketball scholarship to play at Faulkner University.

LUNCH & DINNER / SUNDAY BRUNCH

By STAFF REPORTS

Key Plays -After a scoreless first, a two-out single from Nutt with Green and Young on board gave the Chargers an early 2-0 lead.

-Murphy then would strand a pair of DSU runners in both the second and third before tossing a 1-2-3 fourth to keep the guests in front by a pair, and Alaina Hampton would throw out a would-be base stealer in the bottom of the fifth to continue to hold the hosts at bay.

-An error would give UAH another two-out run in the top of the sixth as Green reached on the DSU miscue, allowing Laura Harbin to score to make it a 3-0 advantage for UAH. -Delta State would load the bases in the seventh, but a strikeout and a fly out would end the contest and give the Chargers the victory.

Noteworthy -Murphy is now 12-4 and lowers her ERA to 2.43 with her 10th complete game and third shutout of the season.

-Green is third on the team now with six doubles on the season.

DELTA STATE 6, UAH 5 Inside the Box Score -Hits in the nightcap were also level, this time at seven for both teams.

-Nutt accounted for three of UAH’s in the contest, and she also scored three times while driving in a run.

-Other hits in the game belonged to Kiara Akles who doubled and had an RBI, Shelby Booker, Kayla Vaught, and Young.

-Grace O’Berry pitched into the seventh inning, giving up six hits and five runs of which three were earned while striking out nine and walking five before giving way to Akles who takes the setback after allowing the winning run.

Key Plays -UAH would go up by a pair in the top of the first after a pair of errors on one play allowed Nutt to score before Akles singled in Booker to make it 2-0.

-Nutt would then drive home Young with a base hit in the second to give the Chargers a 3-0 lead, and that advantage would grow to 4-0 in the fourth when Nutt scored on another error.

-The Lady Statesmen pulled to within one in the bottom half of the fourth as they scored three times to cut UAH’s margin to 4-3, and another error in the

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M adison RECORD THE

Layton Murphy’s victory on Saturday is the 50th of her career, making her the eighth player in UAH history to log 50 wins in the circle, and she improves to 13-4 on the season. top of the sixth would give the Chargers a two-run cushion at 5-3.

-After the guests stranded a pair of DSU runners in the bottom of the sixth, a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh would tie the game at 5-5 before a sac fly lifted Delta State to the 6-5 victory.

UAH 6, DELTA STATE 0 Noteworthy -Nutt is second on the team in both runs with 29 and RBI with 26.

-The nine strikeouts for O’Berry mark a season high for the freshman.

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Inside the Box Score -Layton Murphy pitched her second complete game shutout in as many days, working around eight hits and four walks while striking out eight on the afternoon.

-Offensively UAH was led by Reagan Malone who was 3-for-3 on the day, while Kiara Akles had a pair of hits and two RBI thanks to a two-run homer.

-Ashley Cornell joined Akles by driving in a pair in the contest.

-Mackenzie Nutt crossed the plate a team-best twice.

-UAH stole four bases in the game with each of Nutt, Cornell, Malone, and Alaina Hampton swiping a bag.

Key Plays -UAH opened the scoring in the first when Nutt scored on an error and Cornell had a sacrifice fly to plate Booker, giving the Chargers a 2-0 lead that would hold until the third thank in part to Murphy stranding three Delta State runners in the bottom of the first.

-In the top of the third with Cornell on board, Akles homered to left to put the guests on top 4-0.

-Another pair of DSU runners would be left on in the bottom of the third, allowing UAH to make it a 6-0 game when a sac fly from Booker and a sac bunt from Cornell both scored runs.

-Murphy would get out of jams in each of the remaining innings, leaving two on in the fifth, three in the sixth, and two in the seventh.

Noteworthy -Murphy’s victory is the 50th of her career, making her the eighth player in UAH history to log 50 wins in the circle, and she improves to 13-4 on the season.

-Akles now has eight home runs and a team-high 39 RBI on the year.

-The three-hit game for Malone is her first of the season.

Next Time Out -UAH will now turn its attention to Senior Weekend as rival Valdosta State visits Charger Park this Saturday. The doubleheader to start the series is slated for a 1 p.m. first pitch.

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UAH 3, DELTA STATE 0 Inside the Box Score -It was a pitcher’s duel in the first game of the series as the teams combined for just six hits with three for each side.

-Layton Murphy went the distance in posting the complete game shutout in the circle, striking out four and working around the three hits and five walks.

-Mackenzie Nutt had one of UAH’s hits while also driving in a pair.

-Gracie Green’s double and Lila Young’s base hit gave the Chargers their three in the contest.

-Six different UAH players drew a walk in the contest.

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CLEVELAND, Miss. - The No. 13 University of Alabama in Huntsville softball team earned its eight conference series win of the season, using a 6-0 road victory on Sunday to take the three-game set from host Delta State.

UAH improves to 27-10 (20-7 Gulf South Conference) with the victory, while the Lady Statesmen fall to 20-24 (12-18 GSC).

The game capped off a three-game series, which saw UAH split with the Lady Statesmen on Saturday.

4B • THE RECORD

April 28, 2021

Don’t Be Afraid

By BECKY MILLER God’s Lemonade Stand Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God, for I will praise him my Savior and my God. Psalm 42:5 What do you meditate on during the day? Are you constantly dwelling on things of the past or even concerns of this present day? Why? God knows your heart and he knows your sadnesses and fears. He loves you and wants you to get out of the pit of ungodly emotions that constantly are at war with Christlike thinking.

You have to be intentional in your thinking.

Cast off your thinking and worry. Get up each day and purpose in your heart that it is going to be a GREAT day regardless of outward turmoil that may be present. Don’t feed on the news but feed on God’s words found in the Bible.

PRAYER: Lord I thank you for my mind and I pray for strength and determination to fill it only with things from ‘above’ so this would eliminate gossip, worries, fears and the like. I lift your name on high and praise you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bragg’s of Huntsville earned the Gold Achievement Award for 2020 for generating 20% growth over the past year.

Bragg’s of Huntsville honored by Shifman Mattresses for 2020 growth

By STAFF REPORTS HUNTSVILLE – Leading luxury mattress manufacturer Shifman Mattresses recently honored furniture and mattress retailer Bragg’s of Huntsville for top sales growth and perseverance through a year of pandemic challenges.

Shifman’s annual sales awards recognizes top performance and growth by retail partners across the country. Bragg’s of Huntsville earned the Gold Achievement Award for 2020 for generating 20%

God’s Lemonade Stand is written by former Madison resident Becky Miller. Her daily devotions appear on a Facebook page entitled God’s Lemonade Stand or at www.godslemonadestand.blogspot. com. Becky can be contacted by email at writemiller2002@yahoo.com.

growth over the past year.

Third-generation co-owners Alan and Vann Bragg said they value the ease of working with Shifman and the quality of the brand helps them sell loyal Bragg customers through their lifetime.

Alan Bragg said, “The (Shifman) product can sell itself, but when you have good people behind it, that’s what makes the difference.

People say they don’t make them like they used to anymore. They do make them like that at Shifman.”

“Always a distinct pleasure to

recognize our retail partners, this year is particularly gratifying because we know how challenging it was professionally and personally to not only survive but, for these retailers, thrive through COVID shutdowns and unpredictability,” said Shifman President Bill Hammer. “This year’s class of retailers created their success through their continued commitment to promote the benefits of the Shifman brand and desire to satisfy customers by providing unparalleled comfort and quality.”

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) recommend the following vaccines for adolescents: • • • •

Dink and Suzanne Taylor have followed their dream of opening a Fleet Feet location in Madison after first opening their business in Huntsville 17 years ago. With their second locale serving the immediate Madison area, the national franchise is also solid in the community.

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1 OUT OF 10 ELDERLY PERSONS AND ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES ARE BEING:

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ELDER ABUSE “This project was supported by Subgrant #18-VA-VS-050 #16-VA-VS-076 awarded by the Law Enforcement / Traffic Safety Division of ADECA and the U.S. Department of Justice.” The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice or grant-making component.”

Husband-wife team excited about bringing Fleet Feet to Madison MADISON- After years of being urged to open a store location in Madison, Dink and Suzanne Taylor followed the suggestions of longtime customers of their Fleet Feet Huntsville store location and have opened the doors to the couple’s second location of Fleet Feet in the Hughes Plaza on Hughes Road across the street from Madison City Hall.

The Taylor’s first opened their Huntsville locale of Fleet Feet 17 years ago and the husband-wife tandem are excited about their new store in Madison. With over $4-million in sales per year in the Huntsville location and an expected $1.5-million sales for the first year for the Madison store, Fleet Feet of Huntsville was named the Top 50 running store in America and looks to become even more involved in the Madison community.

Dink and Suzanne Taylor are no strangers to the running community of North Alabama. For 14 years the couple took on the enormous responsibilities of acting race directors of both the Cotton Row Run and Rocket City Marathon. Married 20 years ago this August, they met one another at a 50-mile trail run in Little Rock, Arkansas. She was from Texas and he was living in Huntsville where he worked for the local Coca-Cola plant. They exchanged contact information and soon were on the trek to where they are now.

The Taylors’ first experience with the Fleet Feet brand came when they attended a race in Cool, California and visited a Fleet Feet location. The idea of opening a store in Huntsville quickly consumed the couple and after contacting Fleet Feet and a local banker who was a running buddy who offered to give the Taylors a loan, Fleet Feet of Huntsville opened five years after the trip to California where the idea all began.

“The first three years we barely paid ourselves and I worked the store seven days a week after quitting my job with Coca-Cola,” said

Dink and Suzanne Taylor.

Dink, 55. “Through the years we have seen a great staff evolve to where we have close to 65 employees total within our Fleet Feet family. We look to have 20 employees for the Madison location.”

Dink has been on the board of directors for the Huntsville Track Club for over 20 years and still runs races whenever possible. As a couple, the days of running together have become far and in between as running the business, having their 19-year old son, Skylar, and a 32-year old son, Alan, from Dink’s previous marriage, both of whom work the family owned store, have sort of taken over the timeline of their everyday schedules.

“Suzanne and I don’t get to run together much anymore as Fleet Feet is what we do,” said Dink. “I handle much of the sales end of the business especially the on-line sales. Matter of fact, our on-line business is big for us, but the instore traffic still does very well.”

The nature of the Fleet Feet business model is to personalize the

shopping experience as they offer custom fitting and personal care as soon as a customer walks through the doors. One-on-one service is provided with every customer and time is spent to make sure each customer has what they need.

Like the Taylors, Fleet Feet is part of each community in the more than 180 stores across the country serve and the idea is to serve people- not customers. Each person who comes into Fleet Feet obviously is a potential customer, but the ideology of Fleet Feet is to serve people in attempt to create value with every action.

“My dad raised me to work hard and impressed on me high level work ethics,” said Dink. “I love being on the floor of the store as I need interaction with people. In some ways I’m the face of Fleet Feet in Madison and Huntsville.”

“We opened Fleet Feet 17 years ago this past January and it’s been a great life for us,” said Suzanne.

“I can’t see myself doing anything else.”

April 28, 2021

THE RECORD • 5B

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April 28, 2021

THE RECORD • 7B

Madison History

308 Church Street today, left, and what it looked like a few decades ago, right.

History of 308 Church Street

By JOHN P. RANKIN Madison Historian MADISON - The lot at 308 Church Street has held the residences of a number of Madison’s long-established families. A knowledge of the history of these families leads to the realization that in the days before automobiles the citizens of small towns intermarried extensively. When dating (“courting”) was done in the 1800s and earlier, most commonly it involved walking to a neighbor’s house, not driving an automobile many miles away to see an attractive girl elsewhere. Of course, sometimes horses were ridden to reach somewhat more distant locations, but horses were not usually employed within small town communities to see prospective eligible lifemates. Ambulatory practices usually established the relationship structures of the families who lived along Church Street in the 1800s.

Most earlier histories of the 308 Church Street property begin with the account that J. Wesley Taylor of Mobile built the current house. Then it is added that Taylor sold it to J. Pryor Farley in 1910. Next it is told that the property passed in 1943 to the Claude Sturdivant family from W. C. Gatlin. Actually, the history of the location goes much further back, as described in other articles about Church Street houses. The town history began in 1854 when James Clemens became the first private owner of land within Section 16 of Township 4 and Range 2 West that became Madison. Clemens got the land from the State of Alabama when he was 76, but he died in 1860 soon after establishing the town by the first sale of a lot in 1857 within the northwest quarter of his acquisition, In 1868 a last-remaining tract of 41 acres of Clemens’ land in today’s historical district north of College Street was sold at auction by the Clemens estate administrators to Dr. Isaac Fox Deloney, who was the Madison County Circuit Court Clerk, 1874-1880.

Deloney partitioned his 41 acres into lots along Church Street, with a few larger subdivided parcels east of today’s Sturdivant Street, reaching toward the Madison City Cemetery.

Apparently, Clemens or his estate administrators and Deloney also sold some lots to people who did not live in the immediate area, or even in Madison County, because some of the deeds are not now known to be recorded in Madison County. Some recording omissions may have been the result of turmoils in recordkeeping during the reconstruction era after the Civil War. It is known that some of the sales that involved lots along the east side and north end of today’s Church Street were to purchasers from Lincoln County of Tennessee, as well as from Limestone and Morgan Counties of Alabama. These may have been initially recorded in the buyers’ home counties. Some of the earliest lot purchasers have been discovered by starting with known later Madison County owners whenever the deeds named the sellers as being those previous buyers who resided in other locations. That has been the case with some of the history of the lot at 308 Church Street.

On December 13 of 1869 Isaac F. Deloney sold to Joseph D. and Cornelia Williams a one-acre lot identified as 102 in Deed Book OO, page 580. These were the parents of James Edward Williams, who later became one of Madison’s wealthiest citizents of the late 1800s and the early 1900s, living at 19 Front Street after 1904. Joseph and Cornelia’s lot identification as 102 was further confirmed in Deed Book OO as “lying immediately north of the lot of C. P. Grubbs”, who is known to be “Cemantha” Grubbs, the wife of Lucius H. Grubbs, a Madison County Superintendant 18791881. Semantha and Lucius were married in Lawrence County of Alabama in 1854, and even the deed records for the adjacent lot at 306 Church Street verify that they lived on Lot 101 for a number of years. The lot numbers increase consecutively on the east side of Church Street from south to north.

Deed book FFF, page 270, shows that Joseph and Cornelia Williams sold the 1-acre Lot 102 where they were living (since 1869) on November 11, 1880, to Elizabeth Wad-

kins. The surname for Elizabeth should have been Watkins, as there were no subsequent land sale record for any Elizabeth Wadkins of that time. Nor was there was an apparent match on Elizabeth Watkins in land sale records, but a check of Madison County marriage records revealed that there was a marriage of an Elizabeth Watkins to Michael Jamar (both shown as “colored” on the license) on March 17, 1883.

Deed Book LLL, page 43, states that Mike and Elizabeth Jamar (no race indicated) on January 20, 1886, satisfied a mortgage to brothers John W. and Thomas B. Hopkins (grandsons of the second Governor of Alabama, Thomas Bibb) by selling them 45 acres in the northeastern area just beyond the town boundaries plus a 1-acre lot that they owned in the town. The Jamar couple was apparently illiterate, as they both “made their mark” as an “X” on the deed. The 1-acre lot was described as being on the east side of Church Street and having Lot number 4, “which was formerly known as Lot 104.”

Lot 104 was a 4-acre lot initially purchased by Mary L. Burton (first wife of Madison druggist John Winston Burton) from Isaac F. Deloney. The Burton lot was in fact later subdivided into four different lots of one acre each, measuring 485 feet by 89 feet, as did Lots 102 and 103. In other words, the land of Lot 102 of the Jamars should never have been referred to as Lot 4 or Lot l04, but an illiterate couple may well have gotten confused and told the recording clerk what they thought they had heard of lot numbers. The confusion of lot numbers apparently continued for several years. Ownership recordings by 1910 began to tell of a 2-acre lot that became subdivided into two lots. The 2-acre lot probably was referring to Lots 102 and 103 because each of those are recorded later as consisting of one acre each, while the lots south and north of them consisted of more than one acre each.

During the period of 1870 - 1910, the gross confusion of the lot numbers and dimensions along the east side of Church Street continued. Several historical families of the area were involved in buying and selling Lots 102, 103, and 104 or portions thereof with transaction date at times that overlapped for each lot. It is not likely that there was any deliberate misleading, but the inaccurate lot number references must have led to the apparent invalid sales. Recorded sellers or buyers of these three lots at various times included John W. and Thomas B. Hopkins, Carrie R. Hansell (of Lincoln County, Tennessee), Albert Ragland, John W. and Elizabeth J. Wingo, Martha A. Cartwright (of Limestone County), Martha V. Lewis, John R. and Mary Abernathy (also of Lincoln Co., TN), Mary L. Burton, James R. and Sallie K. Spragins, and Carrie A. Moore, While there has not been found any record at all of Albert Ragland or his wife Caroline ever recording any land purchases in Madison County, it is recorded that on February 17 of 1880 they sold clearly- defined Lots 102 and 104 on the east side of Church Street to Jordan R. Martin in exchange for $200 plus 80 acres of land in Limestone County. Martin then sold these two lots to John Buchanan Floyd on February 19 of that same year. In 1884 Floyd sold the lots to William L. Halsey, an early wholesale grocer of Madison and Huntsville.

In his book “A Dream Come True” Volume 1 (1970), James Record stated that in 1832 John Halsey of Huntsville was advertising “the Revolving Steam Washer”.

John Halsey was a carriage maker born in 1781 in Virginia per the censuses of 1850 and 1860. His son Samuel per the 1860 census became a merchant in the town of Madison, but John’s son William Irby (also shown as initial “J.”) Halsey was listed as a Huntsville portrait painter in 1850 and an artist in 1860. This William was born in 1819 in Madison County, and he married Martha Ann, daughter of Thomas Cain, in 1840.

William and Martha had nine children listed in their household in 1860, including William L. Halsey, who was born in 1854. The younger William and his brother Charles in 1884 became stockholders

The Farley - Sturdivant House

in the Nashville & North Alabama Railroad. In 1886 they became stockholders in the Monte Sano Hotel. The brothers also founded in January of 1879 the Halsey Wholesale Grocery Company, operated in Huntsville for about 140 years now.

Halsey’s Huntsville store is on Jefferson Street, but the firm’s main office today is located in Madison on Lanier Road near the post office and Will Halsey Way. William L. Halsey married Laura L. Lanier in Madison County in 1880. This Laura Lanier Halsey may have been a daughter of Laura Prudence America (Ford) Lanier, wife of early Madison resident Burwell Clinton Lanier, who before the Civil War had lived on what is now Redstone Arsenal. At age 32, Burwell married Laura P. A. Lanier in 1853 when she was only 16 years old. The Laniers are among the most famous of the area’s historical pioneers for many reasons. The fifth of their ten known children was Helen L. Lanier, who married the Jordan R. Martin mentioned above who bought Lots 102 and 104 from Albert Ragland.

In 1899 William Halsey sold Lots 102 and 104 to Mary A. Humphrey. Why Lot 103 is not mentioned in these transactions suggests that some confusion still remained, as the total acreage is stated as two acres, Lots 102 and 103 are both recorded as consisting of one acre each, whereas Lot 104 was originally recorded as consisting of four acres when it was sold by Isaac Deloney to Mary Louisa Burton in 1870. It may be that odd-numbered lots were for a time considered to be located on the west side of Church Street, as are house numbers today. Perhaps this was done in the time of transition from lot numbers to house numbers, with the even and odd house numbers sepaarated across the streets, but that change should not alter the lot numbers assigned in the original plats.

If such confusion did happen, then the lot sales recorded prior to the 1899 transaction between Halsey and Humphrey would have applied to Lots 102 and 103, not to Lots 102 and 104. This may well be the underlying root of confusion in the records of that time.

On January 20, 1900, Mary Humphrey sold only Lot 102 to Madison store owner and thoroughbred horse racer James B. Bronaugh. The wording of this deed in Book 85, page 592, stated that the property being sold to Bronaugh was the “south half of a two-acre parcel bought by her (Mary) from W. L. Halsey.” That suggests that Lot 103 would be another 1-acre parcel as the north half of the property from Halsey, which had been described in the earlier transactions as being Lot 104. It certainly appears that Lot 103 had been temporarily “lost” by calling it Lot 104 in the deed recordings of earlier dates.

The location of Lot 102 is further confirmed in Deed Book 96, page 66, when on January 2, 1904, James Bronaugh sold the lot to a female L. P. Lanier, believed to be a later generation Laura Prudence Lanier.

This deed described the lot as measuring 89 feet by 480 feet and repeated the “south half” wording as above, but it also added that the parcel lay along the east side of Church Street, starting at the nortwest corner of the lot of William H. Gillespie.

The only lot of William Gillespie along Church Street’s east side was, as already stated in a previous article, 306 Church Street, the Gillespie - Andrewjeski House.

It was in this same year that James Bronaugh sold Madison Lots 19, 20, 27, and 28 of the original town plat to James Edward Williams, son of Joseph D. and Cornelia Jane Williams. That multi-lot parcel is still intact, known today as 19 Front Street.

The December 17, 1913 Special Issue of the Weekly Mercury, a Huntsville newspaper, about the town of Madison included an article about James Bronaugh. It stated that he was born and raised in Madison County, working on a farm and was an overseer for 18 years. While working from age 18 for General S. H. Moore, he determined to someday own the place where he worked. He was able to realize this goal at Moore’s estate sale in later times.

The newspaper further stated that Bronaugh in 1913 owned “80 or 90 fine mules on two farms” that he likewise owned and See HISTORY Page 8B

“Tiny” Sturdivant

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8B • THE RECORD

April 28, 2021

RIVALRY NIGHT AT TOYOTA FIELD - It was a beautiful night at Toyota Field last Tuesday for the baseball rivalry between the Bob Jones Patriots and James Clemens Jets. It was a great turnout, exciting atmosphere, and fun for parents and kids alike. Madison Mayor Paul Finley threw the first pitch. Also, Rainbow Principal Brian Givens and son Owen, below, got an extra treat when Owen was invited to the pressbox as the first “Tyke On A Mic” to read the batter’s lineup.

James Clemens won this rivalry match-up, 8-4, but the two teams split on doubleheader on Thursday.

Bob Jones won the first game, 6-2, with James Clemens claiming the second game, 12-9. The 8th ranked Patriots (26-18) will open the 7A playoffs at Hoover (20-19) on Friday, April 30, at 4:30 and 7 p.m., and on Saturday at 1 p.m. if necessary. Photos courtesy of the Rocket City Trash Pandas.

History

Continued from 7B

produced over $400,000 in crops annually.

Today that would be more than $4,000,000.

The article also mentioned that Bronaugh bought cotton and operated a mercantile enterprise selling all types of farm equipment and employed two clerks -- Pryor Farley and W. E. Canterbury. Finally, the article described his “fine livestock” to include race horses, with a special horse named “Dr. Ike” produced by “The Clansman”. Dr. Ike won first place in 1913 races in Mississippi, Tennessee, and Michigan, never failing to win money in each of 15 starts. The newspaper included photos of his residence south of Main Street and his hotel (on Main Street, aka the Hafley House at other times).

It was L. P. Lanier who sold Lot 102 (308 Church Street) to J. Wesley Taylor per Deed Book 96, page 257, on October 30, 1905, still retaining the “south half” wording.

Considering the low prices (usually $200 or less) of the 1800 and early 1900s deeds from the time of Joseph D. Williams’ ownership, it is likely that any previous dwellings on the property had burned or rotted away. As stated previously, Taylor sold the property to James Pryor Farley (18821956), who had been a clerk in Bronaugh’s mercantile. Pryor was a son of Prior Bailey Farley (1855-1890) and a grandson of James Wesley Farley (1829-1890), all being descendants of Michael and Sarah (Trotman) Farley, first of the family to live in Madison County and first owner of the land around the family’s Farley-Crutcher Cemetery south of Old Madison Pike and

east of Shelton Road.

James Pryor Farley married Florence Clift (1887-1979). They were the parents of Sarah Farley, who married William Wann and lived on Mill Road near the Madison City Cemetery. The family was connected by marriages to Thomas Carter and to William Macon Strong of Madison, among other such pioneer families of the town.

Thomas Carter partnered with James Pryor Farley in 1914 to purchase the complete estate of Madison’s murdered constable William A. Russell, including his gristmill on Mill Creek, namesake of Mill Road. It was in 1897 that the mill was the site of the gruesome accident that killed 13-year-old Joe Lanier when he was caught up in the drive belts and mutilated. Constable Russell’s son William S. Russell inherited the estate, but he sold the mill, acreage, livestock, and everything else on the property except household furshings to Carter and Farley in 1914 after the passing of his own wife.

When the Sturdivants bought 308 Church Street from W. C. Gatlin during World War II in 1943, it became the home of another prominent and beloved Madison family. The 1944 Madison telephone listing shows that Claude Sturdivant lived here, but he was a son of Madison Mayor Robert L. Sturdivant. Madison County marriage records show that John J. Sturdivant married Virginia C. Curtis per a license issued on February 13, 1860. Her tombstone simply lists her name as “Mrs. C. V. Sturdivant”, but property deeds re-

cord her name as Catherine V. Sturdivant.

The first parcel of land purchased by John J. Sturdivant in Madison County contained 54 acres in the southeastern part of the southeast quarter of Section 7, Township 4, Range 2 West. Today that site includes the Mill Creek Elementary School at the junction of Mose Chapel Road with Mill Road. John and Catherine had seven children listed with them in the 1880 census. Among these was Robert Lee Sturdivant (1875-1954), who served as Mayor of Madison, 1929-1931 and 1934-1940.

Robert’s occupation was given in the 1900 census as working in “general merchandise” in Mooresville, where his brother Walter was living in Robert’s household and working as a “cotton dealer”. Thomas Sturdivant, age 34, lived next door. In the 1910 census Robert’s occupation was given as “blacksmith” in an “iron shop”, still in Mooresville, but his 1918 World War I draft registration card stated his address as being Belle Mina. He was still listed in Mooresville in the 1920 census, with occupation of “blacksmith”, doing “horse shoeing”. The 1930 census lists Robert in Madison. The censuses show that Robert and his wife Elizabeth Ernie Houk (both born in 1875) had a total of five children, but one died between 1900 and 1910. Robert’s last child was Claude Lester Sturdivant, husband of Alda Florence Gormley (“Tiny”) and father of James G. and Claude L. Jr. Many of the Sturdivant family members are buried in the Madison City Cemetery, which is located on both sides of Mill Road

between Hughes Road and Maple Street, just east of Sturdivant Street.

Sturdivant Street is fairly new in Madison, but it commemorates this pioneer family of the area. Since 1994 Charles and Kim Sturdivant have lived at 205 Church Street with their daughters Kendall and Cameron. Charles is a grandson of “Tiny” and Claude L. Sturdivant of 308 Church Street. Claude died in 1964, but he and Tiny had two sons, Claude L. Jr. and James G. Studivant. Jim Sturdivant, father of Jimmy Jr. and Charles, is a former Madison city councilman and school board member who not long ago named Mill Creek Elementary School, located where his ancestor John J. Sturdivant first purchased land in Madison County.

The 308 Church Street residence is one of two Sears-Roebuck mail-order “kit” houses in Madison. The unassembled pieces were shipped by rail to Madison.

The pieces were then carted from the depot to their respective lots for assembly. Tiny’s father was James C. Gormley, a city clerk and railroad depot agent who built the concrete structure beside the Roundhouse on Front Street. Tiny’s grandmother Mary Sullivan was the wife of William Gormley and a sister of Dr. George Sullivan, a Civil War physician of Madison and namesake of Sullivan Street.

William Gormley owned the property at 205 Church Street early in the history of the town, and today after many changes of ownership it is back in his descendants’ hands -- small town and small world.