8 starting at 7 p.m. Page 5A
Birthday celebration
Officials at Redstone Arsenal are inviting residents to help in celebrating the 248th birthday of the U.S. Army. Page 6A
Fantasy Playhouse
Get ready for a season filled with excitement and adventure on the stage. Fantasy Playhouse
Children’s Theater & Academy (FPCTA) announced its 63rd season recently. Page 7A
By BOB LABBE bob@themadisonrecord.com
HARVEST - Throughout the grass growing season the sounds of a push lawnmower can be heard coming from the lawn of a home on Badger Drive on the border of Harvest and Madison. Still extremely active, such as mowing his own lawn, Charles Terrell continued his prowess by participating in the annual Cotton Row Run on Memorial Day.
The 89-year old reached a per-
sonal goal he set for himself by walking the 5K race of the multievent 44th annual Cotton Row Run in downtown Huntsville. He did so alongside his three daughters who walked with their father as he partook in the 5K distance event he began in 2010. With a time of 1:03.04, he was 1,232 overall.
Prior to moving to the 5K, Terrell ran in the 10K distance race beginning in 1985 at the urging of a friend.
“I was a high school basketball referee at the time and I
MADISON - It’s that time of year for the city of Madison mid-year budget review. Last month, Mayor Paul Finley and the city council gathered at a work session to discuss city finances and the projects that will be receiving attention for the remainder of 2023.
The city is starting the second half of the year with a total of $53,561,012 in the bank. $12,453,000 of that is being siphoned off into a special new capital fund dedicated to finishing projects started or in progress in the first half of the year.
was looking at running to stay in good physical shape,” said Terrell. “I’ve been running ever since. Now I’m walking.”
Six years ago Terrell was diagnosed with spinal stenosis, a condition of the spine causing lower back pain or cramping in one or both legs. His condition has caused him to stop running and walk his way through the Cotton Row Run races. To keep in good physical shape, Terrell walks on his treadmill four days a week. His additional hobby is com-
The New Capital Fund is comprised of $6,712,000 from the General Fund, $4,210,000 from the Debt Service Fund, and another $1,531,000 from the Municipal Capital Fund earned from the sale of the former Madison Library building.
This still leaves the city with a total of $4,727,763 in cash on hand distributed amongst the General Fund, Debt Service Fund, and Municipal Capital Fund.
The nearly $12.5 million in the New Capital Fund will be designated for the completion of the Community Center, Phase 1 of Sunshine Oaks, Hexagon Building and Courts, Wayfinding, Hardiman Roundabout, and Royal Drive Extension projects.
The Community Center at the former Three Springs facility will take up $3,395,00, and according to Mayor Paul Finley, renovation of the existing building is thirty-percent completed and ahead of scheduled.
Phase 1 of the Sunshine Oaks project, former farmland off of Mose Chapel Road near Mill Creek Elementary School undergoing transformation
See CITY COUNCIL Page 2A
MADISON – Four teenagers from Madison will learn about the mechanics of state government as delegates to 2023 Alabama Girls State.
The Auxiliary Unit of Madison American Legion, Post 229 is sponsoring the Madison delegates to the convention at Troy University on June 4-9. Alabama Girls State is a week-long, fun-filled and hands-on learning opportunity for exceptional and intelligent young women in the state. The event is a premier youth leadership program that offers a one-of-a-kind experience.
The 2023 Girls State delegates are Cate Curry and Lynndie Kirby, Bob Jones High School, and Ash-
See GIRLS STATE Page 8A
MADISON - The MAD Summer Movie Spectacular at the Madison Public Library kicked off last week and continues every Thursday night in June and July. The auditorium is open at 6:00 p.m. and the movies start at 6:30 p.m. Food and drink are allowed in the auditorium during the movies. Treats will be provided by our summer movie sponsor, Renasant Bank.
This week, June 8, the movie being shown The Empire Strikes Back.
After forever changing the face of science-fiction in 1977 with Star Wars, producer George Lucas and director Irvin Kershner delivered the best Star Wars ever, The Empire Strikes Back in the summer of 1980.
The Empire Strikes Back celebrates every-
thing people love about the Star Wars franchise: the hero’s journey through the forces of good and evil with dark secrets revealed, cloud cities, bounty hunters, giant space worms, hairy beasts, robots, laser shootouts and lightsaber duels!
This showing of The Empire Strikes Back will be the closest version to the original theatrical release as possible.
The Madison Public Library is located at 142 Plaza Blvd in Madison. For more information, go to www.events.hmcpl.org.
The MAD Summer Movie Spectacular Schedule:
•June 15 - Return of the Jedi
•June 22 - Superman
•June 29 - Superman II
•July 6 - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
•July 13 - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (
•July 20 - The Princess Bride
•July 27 - Ghostbusters
By STAFF REPORTS news@themadisonrecord.com
MADISON - The Highland Group said they broke ground last week on an innovative, state-of-the-art indoor practice facility at James Clemens High School. It will be built next the existing baseball field on the campus. The construction firm is working on the project for Madison City Schools with Nola
into a public park, will receive $550,000 to construct an outdoor playground and bathroom facilities on the west side of the property, a disc golf course, two pavilions, fencing for a dog park, and for improvements to the gravel parking lot.
“We see this as an area that will open up some of the fencing from the Bradford Creek Greenway to tie all this together. So, it’s almost like a little mini park in the middle of the city,” Mayor Finley described Sunshine Oaks.
Almost $5 million is designated for the renovation of the former Hexagon fitness facilities into a public recreation center.
Currently, only $830,000 of that $5 million will be utilized in the first phase of the overall Hexagon Project to add outdoor pickleball courts, lighting for the pickleball courts and softball and soccer fields, ballpark and dog park fencing, and to cover rental fees for use of the facilities by city employees.
The Wayfinding project that is implementing new, uniform directional signage around the city will cost us $750,000 out of the
VanPeursem, the leading architect who originally designed the high school in 2012.
The cutting-edge practice facility will enable James Clemens’ student-athletes to train year-round in a temperature-controlled environment, complete with indoor batting cages and locker room facilities. This latest enhancement to the James Clemens campus is
Continued from page 1A
part of a series of ongoing renovations and upgrades provided by Madison City Schools in recent years. According to a press release from The Highland Group, the school’s comprehensive project to improve the athletic facilities at James Clemens has been underway since the school’s inception in 2012 when it became Madison City Schools’ second upper-division
See FACILITY Page 8A
ly shortened timeline for opening the school from 2027 to 2025.
New Capital Fund. The project is in the early stages of design selection for the new signs but the city expects to issue requests for bids soon.
Meanwhile, a couple of road projects are receiving attention from the New Capital Fund.
The Hardiman Roundabout project is receiving $1.5 million of the almost $12.5 million. The roundabout is coming in anticipation of the increased traffic on the road with the construction of the new elementary school and a new subdivision in the area. Mayor Finley revealed that the city is expediting the timeline for the construction of the roundabout in response to the school district’s new-
“The schools are moving up by a year their build of that elementary school. We had a great meeting with the developer and the school system where we have to tie in on the other side to Maecille [Drive] to Segers [Road] with the property in front of the school and on that side, [the school district] is looking to help us because they know that they’re pushing this forward,” Finley explained.
The Royal Drive Extension project has also been allotted $1,260,000 for two phases that will ultimately connect Royal Drive to County Line Road and place a traffic light at the new intersection.
Other projects being addressed by the city in the remainder of the year are improved street lighting, new lights for Field 5 at Dublin Park, sidewalk improvements throughout the city, safety communications systems for Dublin and Palmer Parks, and additions to Public Works in-house maintenance vehicles. The mid-year budget will also cover staffing
additions to the city in the positions of ERP Support Specialist, EMS Training Captain, Director of Facilities, and Economic Development personnel.
The city earned a total of $725,000 in revenue so far this year from Madison and Huntsville Utilities franchise fees and interest income. Franchise fees contributed $305,000 and interest income was responsible for $420,000 of that total.
Mayor Finley praised the city council’s finance committee for reevaluating the city’s banking, resulting in increased interest income, “One of the things I can commend the finance committee [on], [was] when they put our finances out to bid. They, in turn, got better rates and in turn, means this budget will have 420,000 more dollars in it.”
HUNTSVILLE - The Open Geospatial Consortium’s (OGC) 126th Member Meeting will debut this week in Huntsville, bringing attendees from all over the world to the Rocket City.
HUNTSVILLE - You’ll never meet another lady like Opal Meek.
A longtime community advocate and North Huntsville resident, Meek is the namesake of the Opal Meek Greenway, the first to connect the north and south ends of Huntsville.
Meek first learned the greenway would be named for her during a 2018 community meeting.
“They put a little plant up and put a map on it and it said Meek Greenway,” Meek said. “That just made me speechless.”
The new greenway will connect Alabama A&M University (AAMU) to Sparkman Drive and U.S. 72 East.
The 1.65-mile segment includes a raised pedestrian crossing at Mastin Lake Road, as well as a parking area.
Huntsville City Council Member Devyn Keith hugs Opal Meek at a news conference announcing a greenway named for her.
Meek, who hails from Hollywood, Alabama, retired from working as a government secretary for 42 years. She cited her years of participating in public meetings as the reason for her activism and volunteerism with Green Team.
“Our community needs a lot of help,” she explained. “We should learn what the City can do through coordinating with organizations that provide help citizens need.”
The greenway was formally un-
veiled during a ceremony at AAMU on Tuesday, May 30.
“We are all blessed by the efforts and the impact of one Ms. Opal Meek,” said Huntsville’s District 1 City Council Member Devyn Keith. “This greenway dedication is just a small moment to recognize how big an impact it is for somebody to connect community with City Hall.”
While the City boasts more than 70 miles of greenway, there is still plenty of work to be done.
“North Huntsville doesn’t have any greenways,” Meek said. “South Huntsville has greenways. If we don’t have any greenways, how are we going to connect? The sooner the better. I am getting O-L-D and getting older now, and I want to be able to walk on this greenway!”
DECATUR - Aircraft demonstrations, performances and comedy stunts will be part of the inaugural North Alabama AirFest thisweekend, and organizers hope the event raises awareness of the host site, Pryor Field Regional Airport.
“We’re pretty much inviting everybody to bring your walking shoes and bring a chair and enjoy the aviation industry and Pryor Field Regional Airport,” said Adam Fox, the airport manager.
He said there will be up to 3½ hours of fly-by aircraft demonstrations at the AirFest. He said the airshow June 10 and 11 — from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days — is a family event and will be “action packed.”
Fox said some aircraft that will part of the show date to World War II. He said there will be more than 30 aircraft coming from out-of-state.
“An aircraft’s even coming down to our airshow from Canada. So, theoretically, this is like an international airshow now,” Fox said. “We’re still adding aircraft, even right now, to the mix.”
The airport is home to 141 airplanes, Fox said.
“You’re going to have several pilots with their hangars open that you can go by and see some of their aircraft,” he said. “We’re trying to give everyone an opportunity to come to the airport because most people, they don’t get opportunities to get close up to an aircraft or even pay to ride in some of these aircraft.”
Airport Board Chairman Nathan Fowler said airshows always have plenty of things to look at and see.
“There’s going to be static aircraft displays ... airplanes on the ground where people can go up and look at them,” he said. “There’s going to be a lot of different shows where different aircraft will be demonstrating their capabilities. So, it’s kind of a mixture of things to see there.”
Attendees will be able to purchase a ride of several minutes in a UH-1 Huey helicopter, Fox said.
“These rides are for all ages if everyone fits in the seat,” he said. “This is going to be $80 per person so it’s affordable.”
There will be vendors selling aviation and other types of merchandise plus about 15 food vendors, Fox said. He said they are keeping the
food vendors local from Morgan and Limestone counties. Fox said there will be a kids’ zone with inflatables.
“We’ll have ‘Top Gun’ themed photo booths free to the public to take a picture inside of a cockpit,” he said.
“We’ll have California Tom Cruise and Arizona Ice Man, Maverick and Ice Man impersonators, at the airshow doing photo opportunities for the public.”
Fox said he expects a crowd of between 15,000 and 20,000 people. He said he has been planning the event since November. Fox said he thought about having an airshow after attending different functions involving community and business leaders and other residents.
“No one had any idea just how big Pryor Field is or how important it is to so many different key cogs in our communities and from an economic development standpoint,” he said. “This event is to get people out here to the airport to learn what all we do. … We want folks to come and learn just how we play a key role in so many other industries, not just the aviation industry.”
Fox said the idea just clicked for him.
“I need to get people to the airport,” he said. “What’s the best way to get people to the airport? That’s an airshow.”
Fowler said the airport’s leaders want to “start showing that Pryor Field is an asset to the community; it’s a crown jewel.”
Fox said he hopes the airshow also will promote the aviation industry.
“We want people to be educated
that we have very good paying jobs and opportunities, not only at Pryor Field but in north Alabama as a whole,” he said.
Aviation companies need accountants and managers like all businesses but also aircraft technicians, painters and pilots, Fox said.
“Hopefully we’ll inspire the youth through this event,” he said. “But also bring awareness to just how big the aviation industry is and how much it impacts north Alabama through Pryor Field.”
Fowler said aviation is underrepresented in our area.
“We’re hoping people will come out, especially kids, and people who are trying to figure out what to do with their lives; aviation is a great career path for a lot of kids these days,” he said. “It’s not just going to the military, there are a lot of commercial applications for aviation. We hope this will be a good outreach event so people will come out and understand, it’s not just flying airplanes; it could be air traffic control, it could be working in airport operations, airport management.”
Fowler said the air port hopes they will be able to make it an annual event.
“This is the first time, that I’m aware of, that Pryor Field has had an air show,” he said. “We wanted to try it for the first year and we’re going to see how it goes and if it goes well, yes, we would like to see it happen more often. But as far as saying we’re definitely going to do it next year, we’ll just have to see how the first one goes.”
Hosted by Mayor Tommy Battle’s initiative, GEO Huntsville, the June 5-9 event features a week of informational breakout sessions, working groups, and keynotes by Tod Johanesen, Director of Office of Special Programs at the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA), U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation
CEO Ronda Schrenk and Esri Director of Global National Government Patty Mims.
Special programming will also cover topics such as:
• Defense and intelligence
• Climate and disaster resilience
• Space and sensors
Citing the region’s strong ties to the aerospace and defense industries, Mayor Battle said Huntsville has emerged as a key market for the geospatial industry.
“This conference is a significant event for Huntsville,” he said. “As a major contributor to space, defense and other technology-related indus-
tries, Huntsville understands the importance of keeping our community on the cutting-edge of geospatial advancements. We look forward to welcoming members of the OGC to Huntsville and are excited to learn more about the technologies and collaborations that develop from this elite group.”
The conference will not only include geospatial businesses and government agencies from the U.S., but also the United Kingdom, Australia Austria, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, South Africa South Korea, Spain, Thailand and elsewhere.
The OGC Member Meeting will take place at the Huntsville Botanical Garden, 4747 Bob Wallace Ave. While open to OGC members, the event will also feature several public sessions on topics such as geospatial data visualization, Internet of Things (IoT) connected systems, and defense and intelligence.
Click here to view other sessions for the public to attend and to register.
“We hope our region takes advantage of this opportunity to learn the latest on connecting people with technology,” Mayor Battle said. “It will also be a great chance to network with top geospatial experts from around the globe.”
By STAFF REPORTS news@themadisonrecord.comHUNTSVILLE - The Memorial Day weekend is behind us and the first day of summer is approaching. Temperatures are heating up outside and residents of north Alabama are beginning to make their water recreation plans.
Every summer, as the weather warms, we head out to local rivers, ponds, pools, and beaches to cool off. But such fun times can turn tragic in an instant.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), every day, an average of 11 people die in the U.S. from unintentional drowning — and one in five of those are children 14 or younger. Safekids.org reports drowning is the top cause of injury-related deaths for children ages 1 to 4.
The dangers are real, so parents and friends should take precautions whenever they and their loved ones are around the water.
Here are some safety tips to follow from safekids.org and the CDC:
• Make sure your children learn basic swimming and water safety rules. Infants can often learn to swim before they walk.
• Adult supervision is critical, whether at home, in a public pool or in a waterway. Supervising adults should avoid distracting activities such as reading, using the phone or consuming alcohol
or drugs. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends “touch supervision,” meaning the adult is no more than an arm’s length away from a child around water.
• Young children should use life jackets whether at the pool or taking a boat ride down the Tennessee River. And all adults in a boat should wear a life jacket that fits properly and is approved by the U.S. Coast Guard.
• Install fences around home pools, irrigation ditches, drainage ditches and ponds. Fences should be at least 4 feet tall with self-closing and self-latching gates.
• Understand and know the risks of lakes, rivers, oceans and rivers; they all have hidden hazards.
• Learn CPR and other water rescue skills.
• Don’t go in the water unless you know how to swim.
• Never swim alone.
• Make sure the body of water matches your skill level; swimming in a pool is much different than swimming in a lake or river, where more strength is needed to handle currents.
• If you do get caught in a current, don’t try to fight it; stay calm and float with it, or swim parallel to the shore until you can swim free.
• Don’t dive in unfamiliar areas.
All these tips lead to one point: Be ready. You never know when you might be called on to save a life, so always be prepared.
When you’re around the water, be preparedAdam Fox, manager of Pryor Field Regional Airport, shows the Vampire jet that will be part of the North Alabama AirFest next weekend.
The summer of my 10th birthday found me on my Grandparent’s farm in North Alabama. Their farm was a collection of barns and outbuildings around a small, white frame house sitting on a hill overlooking the Coosa River.
Being devout Baptists, my Grandparents paid special attention to the scriptural injunction of Genesis Chapter 9, that part about multiplying and replenishing; they obeyed that scripture 13 times of which I am aware.
Their 13 children produced a bountiful supply of grandchildren of which I am one. Granddaddy looked out over that fine crop he had a hand in producing, called his children and said, “send my grandchildren down to the farm, you’ll get a break from raging teen age hormones, I’ll teach them about farm life and get free farm labor.”
Granddaddy had built a rough, hand-hewn bunk house for us boys to stay in; you could feel the wind blow through the walls, see the chicken’s scratching dirt under the floors and hear the patter of rain on the tin roof.
One Friday night, my older cousin Buddy Jr, snuck in a red boxed carton of unfiltered Pall Mall cigarettes. We all gathered around, and he announced we were learning to smoke. We lit up, coughing, smoking, and choking!! (If you must acquire a “taste” for something, it is best to leave it alone). A blue haze of smoke filled up the bunkhouse. Unexpectedly granddaddy walked in, smoke swirling up around his knees and to a 10-year-old looking up, I thought GOD had arrived. He said, “You boys think you old enough to use “bacca,” then come outside, I will show you how.” I looked over at Pete, one of my cousins, amazed that Granddaddy was going to let us smoke!! Usually when he got irritated, he would say, “I’m Gonna Strap you Boys, I’m Gonna Strap you.” He had not said that…yet.
Every morning, about daybreak, he would step out on the back porch and reach for a 3” wide ½” thick leather strap, take
Now you know
his straight edge razor and run it back and forth across the leather; we could hear it in the bunk house: strrrrp, strrrrp, strrrp. Mixing up Barbasol lather in an old coffee mug, he would pour cold well water into a chipped, white porcelain bowl and proceed to shave himself tugging at his face as he looked in a fragment of an old mirror hung on the back porch wall. In defense of Granddaddy, I had never seen him strike anyone with the strap, but just the thought brought terror to a young boy’s heart.
Outside, he lined us up like a firing squad; reached into his bib pocket, pulled out a plug of Red Hound chewing tobacco; nothing but a potent potion of poison masquerading as a tobacco product. Looking up at Papa Walker, I read the label “Dickie,” sewed on the bib pocket, the only brand he ever wore; faded ones for farm work and a crisp dark blue pair on Sunday.
Granddaddy took out his Case pocketknife, opened a razor thin blade and cut us off what he called a “chaw.” Our outstretched hands held upward; it looked like we were receiving communion as he walked down the line. He said, “Put it in your mouths boys,” as we chewed, it felt like I had taken a bite out of a fire ant hill. Ten chews later he said, “now swallow it;” even a 10-year-old knew you should not do that, granddaddy bellowed out, “I SAID SWALLOW IT!!” auto reflex took over and you could hear the whole line of communicants, swallowing and gaging. In a few moments, we began wobbling like bowling pins in a bowling alley, I fell to my knees, turned a deathly shade of gray and Buddy Jr., expelled the tobacco and the contents of his stomach in a violent hurl. Granddaddy looked at each of us, nodded his head, turned on his heel and walked back to the house without saying a word. No strapping necessary.
That’s why I DON’T SMOKE!
Bruce Walker chooses to see the humor in life’s events. In addition to writing a weekly column, He speaks regularly to a wide variety of groups. You may contact Bruce at bruce@ brucestoryteller.com or visit his website www.BruceStoryteller.com
Bees can make colored honey
In France, there’s a biogas plant that manages waste from a Mars chocolate factory, where M&Ms are made. Beekeepers nearby noticed that their bees were making “unnatural shades of green and blue” honey. A spokesperson from the British Beekeepers’ Association theorized that the bees eating the sugary M&M waste caused the colored honey.
MADISON - The Madison Arts Alliance has announced the lineup of their “Sounds of Summer” free concert series. Groove will help kick the series off in downtown Madison on June 8 starting at 7 p.m. A popular North Alabama band, Groove is known for funk, R&B, soul, pop and dance party music.
The re-imaged series follows the tradition of the Gazebo Concert Series, which was once held in downtown Madison’s village green. The new format is being held at Home Place Park, 100 Shorter Street.
Food trucks will be available. “New South Hotdog and Sushi” will be at the June 8 concert.
Those planning to come are encouraged to bring a chair.
Other dates and performers in the series include The Zooks on June 22, Calypso Vision on July 13, Jimmy Henderson Trio on July 27 and Kelly Joyner on August 10.
The concerts will start at 7 p.m. and end at 9 p.m.
For more information, go to www.madisonartsalliance.org.
Third Thursdays
Also on the calender for downtown Madison is a recurring event, “Third Thursdays” on Main Street. It will be held each month through August, from 4-8 p.m. The next one is planned for Thursday, June 15.
Hosted by the Shoppes of Historic Downtown Madison and Madison Visionary Partners (MVP), “Third Thursdays” was
launched in 2022 and has continued into this year. Upcoming dates for the event are: June 15, July 20, August 17.
“Third Thursdays” is a family-friendly event including food trucks, live music, events and activities for the kids, as well as extended shopping at downtown stores.
“Our goal is to give all the residents of Madison more entertainment within our town,” said downtown business owner and event organizer Shannon Fisher. “Instead of them having to drive to outlying cities, we want to give them entertainment, shopping, and restaurants within our city limits. Supporting Madison businesses filters money right back into one of the most important aspects of what everyone loves about our town - the schools. So our events that give Madison residents an avenue of entertainment are cyclical, coming back to support their family through education via sales tax dollars.
Here are a few highlights:
• Each month there will be two to three main food trucks alongside two to three drinks and dessert food trucks.
• A variety of other local food vendors have been invited to attend to showcase and sell their treats.
• Musician Brandon Morris will be playing again this year.
• Inflate North Alabama will set up one of their bounce houses, so make sure to bring the kids.
• At 4:30 and 5 p.m. there will be silent yoga - bring a yoga mat
• Meet-n-greet with exotic pets via Animal Traxx on Main Street
• Flower Cart at 16 Main - pick up some live florals to brighten your home or to gift via Lemon & Lavender
• Many downtown businesses will be extending hours till 8 pm
• Main Street Cafe and Old Black Bear will be open. For more information, find Shoppes of Historic Downtown Madison on Facebook.
“Sounds of Summer to kickoff this Thursday with Groove
By GREGG PARKER gregg@themadisonrecord.com
REDSTONE ARSENAL – Officials at Redstone Arsenal are inviting residents to help in celebrating the 248th birthday of the U.S. Army.
“We are excited to raise awareness on the Army birthday, Army Heritage Month celebration,” Col. Brian Cozine said. Cozine serves as Redstone Garrison Commander.
“This celebration has something for everyone. It is our hope that the local community will celebrate this birthday with us and enjoy all that we have to offer,” Cozine said.
The 248-year birthday celebration on June 10 will open at 5 p.m. throughout the Redstone Gateway area, just north of Redstone’s Gate 9 on Research Park Boulevard. A birthday cake will be cut during a brief ceremony.
The celebration will continue with flashes of chrome and glass in the CruiseIn Car Show.
Vendors for decor and fashion crafts, along with tempting refreshments from
food concessions, will attend the celebration. DJ Slim Robb and local band Buck’d Up will entertain with live music. Children can enjoy a good time in the Kid’s Play Zone. The party’s finale will be a fireworks display at 8:30 p.m. The event on Redstone Arsenal will close at 9 p.m.
The event is free and open to the public. The celebration fittingly is scheduled during Army Heritage Month.
This year marks the third time that Redstone Gateway has hosted the Army’s birthday celebration. In 2022, the event attracted about 5,000 attendees.
The 248th Army Birthday Celebration is presented by Redstone Arsenal Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation, along with local sponsors.
Sponsors for the event include Redstone Gateway, Avion Solutions, AL.com, Fox 54, WHRP 94.1, WZYP 104.3, Robins & Morton, MILTOP and Yulista.
The Cruise-In Car Show will have categories for “Car,” “Truck” and “Jeep.” To participate, the fee is $10.
The car show’s awards will include $200 for first place; $100 for second place; and
See BIRTHDAY Page 8A
CITY FARMERS MARKET - We decided to pay a visit last month to the Madison City
The Huntsvegas Tattoo Expo has been making waves in the tattoo industry as one of the best shows in the south. Its commitment to promoting talented artists and providing an unforgettable experience for attendees has become a must-visit event for tattoo enthusiasts and artists alike. The expo is held annually in Huntsville and features live tattooing, live music performances, vending booths, seminars, and various competitions, including the Best of Show awards. It is an immersive event that appeals to both seasoned tattoo collectors and those just getting their first tattoos. The Huntsvegas Tattoo Expo is known for its lively and friendly atmosphere. Attendees can interact one-on-one with artists, allowing for a more personal and intimate experience. There will also be family friendly entertainment, including Dr. Finnegan’s Circus!
By STAFF REPORTS news@themadisonrecord.com
HUNTSVILLE - Get ready for a season filled with excitement and adventure on the stage. Fantasy Playhouse Children’s Theater & Academy (FPCTA) announced its 63rd season recently. Beginning in October, the new season will be filled with original adaptations and plays written by Alabama authors. Season tickets went on sale Monday. Go to fantasyplayhouse.org for purchase information.
The FPCTA season sponsor is Redstone Federal Credit Union.
short stories in a collection published by Rudyard Kipling in the 1890s--the Mowgli Adventures. This script is faithful to three of the short stories, so it includes elements that will be new to those only familiar with the Disney versions. Still, it has all the usual characters--Mowgli; Baloo, the bear; Bagheera, the panther; Kaa, the python; and of course, Mowgli’s nemesis, Shere Khan, the Bengal tiger.
SOUTHERN FRIED FILM FESTIVAL
June 8-11 • Lowe Mill Arts & Entertainment
2211 Seminole Drive www.southernfriedfilmfestival.org
The Southern Fried Film Festival is a 4-day event, screening over 20+ independent films, showcasing local bands and musicians, and hosting innovative panel discussions. During these 4 days in June, SFFF will celebrate the beauty of storytelling, spotlighting films and filmmakers from around the world. The festival allows filmgoers the opportunity to experience a diverse range of storytelling through film, music and technology. Celebrating their 5th year, The Southern Fried Film Festival ready to blast off. The opening night film and gala will be held at INTUITIVE Planetarium at the Space and Rocket Center and the remaining three days of films, concerts and panels will be held at Lowe Mill.
The Jungle Book FPCTA kicks off the all-new season with Rudyard Kipling’s “The Jungle Book” adapted by Josh Mitchell. This is an original adaptation of the most famous
Deep in the mysterious Jungle lives Mowgli, a curious young boy raised by wolves. When the mighty roar of a fearsome tiger forces Mowgli to leave the only home he’s ever known, the young boy sets off on a journey where he meets an array of jungle creatures. Mowgli must rely on the guidance of his new friends, a pragmatic panther, and a big brother bear as he learns valuable life lessons through
See FANTASY Page 8B
pleting jigsaw puzzles, which he glues front and back and then frames. Many of those completed puzzles hang throughout his home where he lives alone after his wife, Lila, passed away four years ago. They were married for 62 years.
Terrell was among a class of 10 who graduated in 1952 from Industrial High School located in Southern Mississippi. He then served in the United States Army from 1954-1956. After some education in junior college, he chose to complete his degree in electrical engineering at Mississippi State graduating in 1964. He soon moved to Huntsville where he began working for NASA at Marshall Space Flight Center. Later, working
for both General Electric and Chrsyler his duties included working on numerous NASA high profile projects such as the Saturn I and Saturn 5 rockets and the Skylab program. He retired in 1990.
“I ran an array of races throughout the Southeast including one Rocket City Marathon,” said Terrell. “I talked my daughters into running while their mother was our cheerleader from the sidelines.”
“My father always wore a bright neon headband while he raced so he was easy to spot among the racers,” said Kay, 62, the eldest of Terrell’s three daughters. “He never really looked up while running as he kept his head down.”
Continued from page 1A
lynn Diehl and Finley Koswoski, James Clemens High School, according to Jean Downs. Downs is President of American Legion, Unit 229 Auxiliary and Vice Commander of Post 229.
Curry’s extracurricular activities includes Student Government Association; Mu Alpha Theta; National Honor Society; honor societies for English and Kitty Hawk; AFJROTC’S teams for Marksmanship, Honor Guard, Raider, Orienteering and Drill; Spanish Club; and youth group with Madison Bible Church.
“My friend Audrey Groger and other ladies who have attended Girls State inspired me to want to be a delegate for Bob Jones,” Curry said. “Audrey and the other girls spoke very highly about meeting girls from
Kay, along with her sisters, Janice, 60, and Cathy, 56, shadowed their father on the 5K course throughout downtown Huntsville as part of the Cotton Row Run festivities. Their similar family outing last year in the event had Terrell surrounded by his daughters the entire 5K distance until just yards from the finish line. “They didn’t want me to run, but I had to run across the finish line,” said Terrell.
Terrell’s family includes eight grandchildren and six great grandchildren, all of whom support his efforts during the road races.
The one-time softball and basketball player, nicknamed “Tiger,” was born on Aug. 5, 1933, the same day the National Labor
Board was created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. On the same date three years earlier, Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, was born. Sort of ironic that Terrell would cross paths with Armstrong in his line of work for NASA.
In this year’s Run, 1,429 runners crossed the finish line for the 10K and another 1,254 who competed the 5K distance race.
Terrell’s personal best time in the 10K was in 1985 with a 43:44 at age 54. In 2010, he posted his best 5K time at 29:28. This time, he walked his way with moral support alongside.
“After each Cotton Row Run we come back home for a family brunch and to take photos,” added Kay. “He’s a legacy. All
these people who see him are inspired by his efforts as he’s worked hard all his life.”
Terrell looks back on his years as a runner as being exciting and rewarding. He’s multi-faceted training regimen has featured a multitude of different workouts. He said one remembrance that stands out from his workouts was once where he trained by running backwards, which didn’t turn out well. He added with a laugh, “I ran into a car as I thought I was in the middle of the road, but I was actually on the side where I ran into a parked car. I wasn’t injured nor did I damage the car.” His goal this year was to finish along with his daughters close by - a goal he met.
across the state, gaining knowledge about current politics and being influenced by amazing guest speakers.”
Curry’s friends described their experiences as helpful . . . even life-changing. “Audrey has been a huge role model for me. By going to Girls State, I hope to learn, help others and positively impact others’ lives as much as Audrey has mine,” Curry said.
Curry’s parents are James Curry with Summit 7 Systems and Suzanne Curry, who teaches at Mill Creek Elementary School.
Kirby participates in Bob Jones Student Government, Student 2 Student, Ambassadors, Peer Helpers, Spanish Club, Mu Alpha Theta, National Honor Society and honor societies for Spanish and English.
Continued from page 3A
institution. To date, the school has seen significant improvements made to its football fields, track area, baseball practice fields, and softball complex as the school system continues to invest in the success of their athletic programs.
Upon completion, the indoor practice facility at James Clemens High School will span an impressive 10,000 square feet, making it one of the largest facilities on campus.
Kirby’s top excitement for Girls State is the chance to meet new people. “I love learning about new people and making new friends. The group going to Girls State is great,” Kirby said. Her parents are Jeff and Mindy Kirby. Jeff works as an engineer for United Launch Alliance or ULA.
Koswoski is proud to represent James Clemens at Girls state. “I’m looking forward to this unforgettable experience. I’m excited to meet new friends and make memories with them,” Koswoski said.
She is involved with National Honor Society, which pursues volunteer projects on/off campus; Family Community Career Leaders of America (FCCLA), which cooks meals for non-profit groups; and Flight Crew,
The Highland Group has been heavily involved in enhancing Alabama’s school systems in recent years, constructing numerous athletic facilities throughout North Alabama schools, renovating existing Alabama A&M University facilities, and providing significant campus additions to Coastal Alabama Community College.
Michael Barnes, Highland’s VP of North Alabama, expressed en-
whose members act as sports managers.
Koswoski marches in James Clemens Color Guard, an auxiliary unit with the band. “I’ve learned to use a variety of equipment, such as flags, rifles and sabers that enhance the music in the marching band show,” she said.
A Junior Member of American Legion Auxiliary, Koswoski engages in service projects for veterans and active military.
A member of Girl Scouts since kindergarten, she now participates in Troop 926 and has completed Bronze and Silver awards, is a Gold Award Girl Scout and earned the Presidential Volunteer Service Award.
Her parents are Joseph and Stephanie Koswoski. Joseph is Territory Manager at D&Y
thusiasm for the upcoming James Clemens project. “As a product of the North Alabama School system, I am grateful to work with a team dedicated to strengthening our communities and giving back to our local educational institutions,” said Barnes. “I look forward to contributing to the continuous improvement of these schools and am eager to begin work on the Clemens project.”
Staffing. Stephanie works as Design Consultant at Triton Stone. Diehl participates in James Clemens Varsity Soccer, Varsity Cross Country and Track and Field for pole vault. She is President of Junior Civitan Club and participates in National Honor Society, along with societies for science, art and Rho Kappa. She plays with Madison Blaze 05G Club Soccer and is Assistant Coach with Madison Blaze 14G.
“At Girls State, I hope I’ll learn more about the inner workings of state government system and connect with lifelong friends from across Alabama,” Diehl said. Her parents are David Diehl, who retired from the U.S. Army, and Gwen, who is IT Project Manager with SAIC.
Birthday Continued from page 6A $50 for third place in the three show categories. For “Best in Show,” the entry will win the Commander’s Cup.
Registering for the car show does not guarantee a spot. Individuals should allow one week for notification by email.
Food trucks to-date will include The Lunch Wagon,
Teresita’s Tamales, Ramona J’s and SnoBiz Shaved Ice. For more information, visit redstone.armymwr. com.
You can follow updates to news and events impacting Madison at themadisonrecord.com
This year’s 44th annual community extravaganza again began by paying homage to those who gave the ultimate for the freedom the United States possess, then, watching as 1,429 runners crossed the finish line for the 10K and another 1,254 who competed the 5K distance race.
Page 3B
MADISON - The recent USTA Southern Pro Circuit Tennis Tournament was a showcase event for three players with ties to Madison as former Bob Jones star Vince Rettke, current Madison Academy player Houston Jacques and current Auburn team player Nicholas Heng made their way to the tournament held on the courts of the Athletic Club of Alabama in Huntsville.
U.S. in both the 14U and 18U Jr. Tennis.
Rettke was a 2016 graduate of Bob Jones where he was a twotime AHSAA State Champion in singles play and was named the USTA Junior Player of the Year for Alabama in both 2015 and 2016. He chose to play tennis at Gonzaga where he graduated in 2020 and transferred to Alabama where he played as a graduate student through the 2020-2021 season. He currently works as a test engineer at Torch Technologies.
gles draw.
Rettke advanced to the singles draw with qualifying wins of 6-4, 6-1 over Drew Van Orderlain (USA) and 7-6 (3), 6-4 over Evan Bynoe (USA). In the main draw, Rettke did not fare very well losing in straight sets of 6-0, 6-4 to Elijah Poritzky (USA).
HARVEST - Play Dates have become almost a necessity for a high school basketball team to be successful. Play Dates were formed several years ago as a way for a team to obtain extra practice time and remain within the guidelines and rules of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) regarding limited time a coach can actually be with their players on the court during the off season.
Second-year head coach Jarvis Wilson of Sparkman’s girls program is well-versed on how well Play Dates can play in the improvement and development of individual players and their advancement with a team. The 2023 Class 7A Coach of the Year led the Lady Senators to state runner-up falling to Hoover in the State Championship game, plus being named ASWA Coach of the Year three previous seasons at other schools. Wilson has arranged Sparkman’s first hosting of a Play Date on June 13 with high-level action going from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. at the three gymnasiums on the school campus located on Jeff Road in Harvest. The event will be the largest Play Date in North Alabama as 15 teams are scheduled to participate.
Heng, an Auburn redshirt player, lives in Madison and attended Alabama Connections Academy, which is a homeschool based institution, was the recipient of the 2022 USTA Southern DeWitt Redgrave III Achievement Award. He was highly recruited for college after being named No. 1 in the
Jacques is a sophomore at Madison Academy and was the 2022 AHSAA State Champion in doubles play with his older brother, Parker.
Jacques won his first qualifying match 6-2, 5-7, (10-8) over Jared Thompkins (USA) before falling to Enzo Aguiard (Aus) 7-5, 6-3 and not making the sin-
As for Heng, he qualified for the main draw in a Wild Card Tournament held in Mississippi. The 5-foot-9, 150 pound 19year old plays for the Auburn Tigers earning a scholarship in both athletics and academics as he carries a 4.65 grade point average in his studies of prelaw. He said, “My number one goal is to be a professional tennis player, but if that doesn’t work out, I can go to law school. My dream for years was to play college tennis and now that’s what I’m doing. The focus now
studies about medical procedures. Page 4B See TENNIS Page 2B
HARVEST - The Sparkman
High athletic family has chosen from among its own for its choice as the new head coach of the Senators’ baseball program. Ben Stevenson has been hired for the position formally announced by school Principal Chris Shaw after the retirement of Jason Brewer.
Stevenson has been a coach and teacher at the school for 11 years, most recently as an assistant coach for the program under Brewer who recommended his long-time friend and fellow
coach for the job.
“Ben is a perfect fit for the Sparkman family as he’s earned the opportunity to be head coach of Sparkman and we are excited about what the future holds under his leadership,” said Shaw.
“This has always been a dream job for me. To be able to coach at a place that was instrumental in shaping who I am, is special,” said Stevenson, who is a 2007 graduate of the high school located in Harvest where he played baseball for the Senators. He played college baseball at the University of North Alabama where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree.
Stevenson
He’s currently working on his master’s degree in Instructional Leadership at the University of West Alabama.
See NEW COACH Page 2B
“The action will include both varsity and junior varsity games with five of the teams which played in the State Championship game in their respective classifications,” said Wilson, who has attracted the enormously talented lineup of teams. Besides Sparkman, other schools with the state game resumes include Hazel Green (6A), Pleasant Grove (5A), Huffman (6A) and Tupelo, Miss. (6A). Additional talent of the game agenda will come from Lincoln County, Tenn., Gadsden City, Brooks, Mortimer Jordan, Carver and Lee.
Each game will feature 18-minute halves with a running clock and each team receiving two time outs. One free throw for fouls with then bonus-style shots on the fifth foul as the new high school rules have done away with one-and-one foul shots.
Admission is $10 per person with children 5-under admitted free.
Sparkman is coming off a 26-10 season. The upcoming 2023-2024 season roster for the Lady Senators will be without three graduating seniors from last year’s squad, but Wilson said he believes he will have plenty of returning talent,
See PLAY DATE Page 2B
MADISON - The Rocket City Trash Pandas moved into the month of June with a series in Montgomery against the Biscuits where the club won three out of six games this past week.
The Trash Pandas (24-27) currently sit third in the Southern League North four games behind league leader Tennessee Smokies (28-23) and Chattanooga Lookouts (27-23).
The Birmingham Barons (17-34) bring up the rear in the fourth spot in the SLN as of Monday, June 5. May 30: Rocket City 15, Montgomery 12
A late offensive surge by the Trash Pandas would be plenty to bury the Biscuits in the Tuesday series opener.
Montgomery struck first in the big way with seven runs in the bottom of the first inning to firmly take control of the game out of the
gate at 7-0.
A solo run in the second and four more in the third only made it seem more evident that the Biscuits were going to roll to victory in the first game.
Rocket City began to chip away with a lone run in the top of the fourth, two more in the fifth and another run in the sixth to make it 12-3.
The Trash Pandas flipped the game on its head in the top of the seventh with a staggering 11 runs to jump out front as Montgomery watched its lead evaporate.
May 31: Rocket City 6, Montgomery 2
Rocket City followed up the Tuesday offensive explosion with a strong showing on Wednesday.
The Trash Pandas took the lead with three runs in the top of the first inning for a 3-0 advantage that would be all they needed to win.
The Biscuits got on the board in the bottom of the third with a solo
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“I am excited to continue working with our players to build relationships and mentor these young men through the game of baseball,” stated Stevenson, following the announcement of his new position.
Brewer stepped down from his position at the end of the most recent school year after nine years at
Continued from page 1A
will be on the professional side of tennis.”
Heng began playing tennis at age seven as both his older sister and brother hit the courts and played for both Bob Jones and James Clemens High Schools. He narrowed his choices of playing collegiate tennis to Texas, Michigan and Auburn before accepting the Tigers’ offer of a scholarship to play on The Plains. In his spare time the 12-year resident of Madison loves to read, cook, play video games and play the ukulele.
In the USTA Southern, he took down American Jose Garcia 6-4, 6-3 earning Heng his first professional ATP point and advancing to the tournament’s quarterfinals. Heng said of his first match, “I knew exactly what I wanted to do as Jose is a good friend of mine. My nerves of facing my first match went through the roof as I was physically shaking, but after I settled down and my nerves completely subsided, I had all the confidence I needed.”
“My second match was against 29-year old Roberto Cid Subervi of the Dominican Republic as he’s been ranked as high as No. 200 in the world,” said Heng. “Though he was coming back from an injury, he was very good as he played at a lev-
run, but a pair in the top of the fourth made it 5-1 Trash Pandas. Both sides tallied single runs in the ninth inning as Rocket City closed out the game with 12 hits. June 1: Montgomery 3, Rocket City 0
The Biscuits struck back as the calendar flipped to June with a shutout of the Trash Pandas on Thursday.
Rocket City was held to just two hits in the game as Montgomery starting pitcher Nathan Wiles gave his team seven scoreless innings with one hit, one walk and a handful of strikeouts.
Biscuit relief pitcher Franklin Dacosta took it the rest of the way with three scoreless innings where he allowed one hit and struck out four.
Montgomery scored a solo run in the bottom of the sixth and added a couple more in the eighth to cruise to victory with their arms dealing.
Sparkman including the last six as head coach of the baseball program. The 43-year old Brewer stated, “I’ve been coaching for 17 years and I’m ready to make a change as I have two children who are young and, just looking at them, I see them growing up and I need to be there for them. Sports takes a lot of your time and
el I never before experienced firsthand. I ripped the ball as hard as I could in front of my family who was there in support of my efforts.”
The fourth-seeded Subervi defeated Heng 6-4, 6-4 in the tournament’s round of 16 on the clay courts of the Athletic Club of Alabama. The match was played under the club’s balcony, which was filled with an enthusiastic crowd of Heng’s family and friends as he trains at the facility, which he calls his home club. The difference in the match came down to one service break per set by Cid Subervi. Heng scored one ace, but threw in six double faults. Heng also played in the doubles action of the USTA Southern where he teamed up with Eli Stephenson, 18, who will play for the Kentucky Wildcats next season. They’ve played junior tournaments together and were eager to step onto the clay courts for the professional side of tennis versus the doubles team of Sathi Reddy Chirala (India) and Cid Subervi. Heng and Stephenson scored a 6-2, 6-2 first match victory as they advanced to round two versus Chad Kissell (USA) and Roy Stepanov (Canada).
“Although the match was close, we weren’t expecting that high level of play as they came out firing
Continued from page 1A
but some of that expected expertise will not be on the court come next week’s Play Date.
“Abethany James (5-9, Sr.) had recent knee surgery, Elise McClain (60, So.) is out due to an ankle fracture and Jalei O’Neal (5-11, Sr.) recently moved to Florida,” said Wilson.
One addition to the squad will be Darryn Goode who will make her debut on the team after playing in Huntsville at McNair Middle
School. The 5-foot-8 point guard will arrive on campus as the No. 2 eighth grade player in the country. She also recently participated in the U.S. Junior Olympics Trials and will battle for playing time as she will be among those highly recruited for the class of 2027.
“We’re looking to build our team this summer as we’ll be very young on the post and guard heavy,” added Wilson. “We’re trying to figure out
after speaking with my wife, we decided now was a good time. I think it’s time to be home and be a dad.” Brewer had a record of 101-94 in his six years as head coach of the Senators and three seasons making the state playoffs reaching the quarterfinals one time. He will remain with the school as a math teacher.
away and we had a slow start,” said Heng of the doubles match in which he and his partner lost 7-6(3), 7-5. “They certainly knew how to play doubles. In the tie-breaker, I missed a few shots I should have made. In the second game we were down 4-1, but came back to tie the score at four-all, but just couldn’t hold on for the victory.”
Unseeded Fnu Nidunjianzan, from China, who plays at Princeton University, showed grit in the men’s singles final focusing in the second set to defeat fourth-seeded Cid Subervi 7-5, 6-3 in the finals of the USTA Southern. In the women’s finals, top-seeded Frenchwoman Tiphanie Lemaitre downed Floridian D.J. Bennett 6-7(3), 7-6(5), 6-2 for the Southern title.
As a redshirt, Heng was allowed to train and travel with the Auburn team and allows him to have four more years for the SEC squad. “Next season I get to compete, but in the meantime this summer I’ll be playing in ITF events, which is lower level tournaments including in locales such as the Dominican Republic and Illinois, plus in Oklahoma where I used to train. The Southern was a great experience and I now have points allotted to my professional resume.”
all of what we have on this team.”
As for the Play Date competition, defending State Champion Hazel Green will most likely be reloading as the squad will feature several transfers. Tupelo will bring a good solid squad and Huffman will compete with an abundance of good, young guards.
“We wanted to host this Play Date for years here at Sparkman,” said Wilson.
By BOB LABBE bob@themadisonrecord.com
HUNTSVILLE - To honor fallen military members on Memorial Day has always been the main focus of the Bill Penney Cotton Row Run. The huge community event has also been a way for thousands to run through the streets of old-town Huntsville for 10K, 5K and One-Mile races. This year’s 44th annual community extravaganza again began by paying homage to those who gave the ultimate for the freedom the United States possess, then, watching as 1,429 runners crossed the finish line for the 10K and another 1,254 who competed the 5K distance race.
For Madison, 252 local residents completed the 10K while 230 finished the 5K race.
Top male finisher representing Madison was Garrett Gallagher, 18, with a time of 36-minutes, 32-seconds. He was 25th overall. Andrew Gohlich, 16, was second at 36:45. First among females to cross the finish line was Malia
Gill. The 26-year old completed the 10K distance at 43:41 and was 104 overall. Runner-up among Madison residents was Hannah Stevens, 17, at 45:24.
In the 5K race, tops from Madison were Adam Wallenfelsz, 24, 17:13 as second place went to Owen Lang, 15, with a time of 20:12. Auburn Cohan, 24, was first in females at 25:14 while Christine Westcott, 52, was runner-up finishing at 25:51.
Charles Terrell, who was featured in a special report prior to the races in the Madison Record, walked his 5K race with a time of 1:03.04. The 89year old was 1,232 overall as he competed the outing with his three daughters along side in the Cotton Row Run he began participating in back in 1985.
The Bill Penney Cotton Row Run was conducted by the Huntsville Track Club.
The 10K race began with cool temperatures and sunny skies at 7:00 a.m. on Memorial Day. Less than a half-hour later, Shadrick Keter, 22, of Chapel Hill, N.C. came across
the finish line as the race winner with a finish time of 29:01. He outdueled 30year old David Bell of Mulot who finished just a few strides behind at 29:05. Top local finisher for the males was Allan Anderson, 22, of Huntsville who finished fifth with a time of 31:46. In the female division, Lydiah Mathathi, 37, of Columbia S.C. made it a Carolina sweep with a race time of 33:55 for the victory. She completed the course just six seconds in front of Joyline Chemutai, 29, of Pacific Palisades, Cal. who posted a time of 34:01. Angel Mobley, 27, of Huntsville posted a time of 28:27 to finish fifth and was the top local finisher.
In the Masters Divisions, Matthias Wilder of Winter Garden, Fla. was the top finisher. The 40-year old posted a winning time of 35:29 as Shawn Tompkins of Madison was fourth.
The 41-year old Tompkins posted a time of 37:19. In the female division, Jill Braley-Boyd, 44, of Atlanta was tops at 38:50.
The 5K outing was won by Hunter Nails, 24, of Brownsboro for the males
with a time of 16:20 while the female division was won by Samantha Crawford, 33, of Cullman at 21:38.
Here are the Madison residents who won their age divisions in both the 10K and 5K races:
10K- female 11-13:
1. Kaitlyn Powless, 13, 53:30,
2. Sophia Schrandt, 13, 1:01:49; F 17-19: 1. Hannah Stevens, 17, 45:05; F 25-29:
1. Malia Gill, 26, 43:37; F 4549: 1. Stacy Gagne, 47, 54:14; Male 65-69: 1. David Hergenroeder, 65, 49:49. 5K- M
1-10: 1. William Stewart, 10, 22:32; F 17-19: 1. Emma Bothern, 17, 23:46; F 30-34:
1. Ginny Matarrese, 33, 22:37; F 35-39: 1. Linda Scavarda, 39, 23:30; F 45-49:
1. Tiffany McCauley, 47, 25:40; M 55-59: 1. Andy Hissam, 59, 19:59.
June 2: Rocket City 5, Montgomery 3
The Trash Pandas didn’t wallow in defeat long, as the club dusted itself off and went back to beating on the Biscuits in the Friday fixture.
Montgomery’s 3-run lead in the bottom of the fifth would not last as the Rocket City collected two runs in the top of the sixth and three in the seventh to edge the Biscuits.
June 3: Montgomery 9, Rocket City 4
The Biscuits scored runs throughout the game to hold off a late charge by Rocket City in the Saturday game.
Two runs in the first followed by three in the second handed Montgomery the early advantage at 4-0.
The teams traded solo runs in the middle innings, but the Biscuits’ 16
hits took its toll over time.
June 4: Montgomery 7, Rocket City 4
Rocket City went down in the final game of the series on Sunday in a game that dragged because of a lengthy rain delay.
Four runs scored by the Trash Pandas in the fourth and fifth innings would not be enough as Montgomery tallied a pair in the second, four in the third and a solo run in the bottom of the fourth inning.
The Trash Pandas are back in action at home this week with a 6-game series against the league-leading Tennessee Smokies Tuesday through Sunday.
All of the games begin at 6:35 p.m. at Toyota Field except for the Sunday finale that is slated for a 4:05 p.m. first pitch.
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Records SCHOOLS
By GREGG PARKER gregg@themadisonrecord.com
MADISON – Health Science students at James Clemens High School have exceeded high expectations in their studies about medical procedures, plus several secured Early Acceptance to university medical study.“The Career and Technical (CTE) Lab Course had a 100-percent pass rate for Patient Care Technician, Medical Assisting and EKG Technician,” Ashley H. Steinert said. A Registered Nurse, Steinert teaches Health Science and serves as Co-Adviser for HOSA and National Technical Honor Society.
“This is the first time this has ever happened and in only the third semester we have offered this course,” Steinert said. All students were graduating seniors, except for two juniors.
With their success, James Clemens Health Science students earned new credentials:
• Katie Berger -- Certified Patient Care Technician or CCMA, Certified EKG Technician or CET. Berger is a prospective senior.
• Sarah Broyles - CCMA, CET. Broyles earned Certified Patient Care Technician or CPCT in fall 2022.
• Carlos Castillo – CCMA. Castillo earned CPCT in fall 2022.
• Anna Chubb -- CCMA, CET. Chub earned CPCT in fall 2022.
• Caitlyn Chubb -- CPCT, CET.
• Maria Dukes – CPCT.
• Alley Enfinger – CCMA. Enfinger earned CPCT in fall 2022.
• Alayna Langston – CET. CPCT earned in fall 2022.
• Noemi Loza-Pedroza – CPCT.
• Diya R. Patel – CCMA. CPCT earned in fall 2022.
• Harshi Patel -- CCMA. CPCT earned in fall 2022.
• Ava Penland -- CCMA. CPCT earned in fall 2022.
• Mollie Prang -- CCMA. CPCT earned in fall 2022.
• Gabriel Quintero – CCMA.
• Connor Racelis -- CCMA. CPCT earned this semester in the Introduction to Pharmacy course.
• Isabella Ross -- CCMA. CPCT earned in fall 2022.
• Neha Singhal -- CCMA, CPCT.
• Madison Standifer -- CCMA, CET. CPCT earned in fall 2022.
By GREGG PARKER gregg@themadisonrecord.comMADISON – In her classroom, Meleighsa McLaughlin uses “guidelines, but with grace, maintains a growth mindset and celebrates the little things.”
Her colleagues selected her for “2023 Teacher of the Year” at James Clemens High School.
McLaughlin serves as English Content Lead, Quill and Scroll Sponsor, yearbook adviser and MCS Education Association Representative.
Her career in education started in 2005 with Decatur City Schools at Brookhaven Middle School, “a Title I school with over 90 percent of students receiving free or reduced lunch,” she said.
McLaughlin taught inclusion and advanced seventh-grade language arts. She was grade-level chairperson.
McLaughlin was honored as “Brookhaven New Teacher of the Year 2006” and “Brookhaven (Veteran) Teacher of the Year 2013.” She was se-
At James Clemens High School, Principal Dr. Kerry Donaldson and Health Science teacher Ashley Steinert congratulate students who secured Early Acceptance into college medical programs.
• John Luke Stovall – CCMA. Stovall is a prospective senior.
• Jaxon Yamaguchi – CET. CPCT earned in fall 2022. In addition, students in Health Science were acknowledged at the fifth annual “Med Jets Take Flight” event on May
5. These students’ families and well-wishers gathered in the Harvard Room at James Clemens. Several students accomplished a demanding feat by obtaining Early Medical School
lected again as top veteran teacher in 2015 but declined in favor of another coworker.
In 2015, she accepted an English position at James Clemens. Typically, she teaches English 10, Pre-Advanced Placement English 10 and is yearbook adviser. One year, McLaughlin taught English 9, ACT and PSAT Prep and Myths & Legends.
Previously, McLaughlin sponsored Friends of Rachel, Student 2 Student and Poetry Out Loud.
In McLaughlin’s classes, she nurtures an atmosphere of kindness, respect and accountability. “Structure provides a reliable routine and clear expectations,” she said.
Her goal is “preparing students to be productive and well-rounded citizens . . . not just stellar English students.”
McLaughlin felt fulfillment when three students, who will lead the yearbook
Acceptance: Olivia Abney, Sohail Baig, Sarah Broyles, Shaivi Pandey, Bryan Keith Preer, Neha Singhal, Shreya Sunil, Lindsey Tucker, Ke’aundra Walton and Jaxon Yamaguchi.
These students succeeded with early acceptance to medical school at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of South Alabama. Mississippi State University granted early acceptance to its veterinarian school.
Students with early accep-
staff next year, developed leadership skills and confidence. “Two were freshman this year. These students are like coaches and team captains.”
After attending Calhoun Community College, McLaughlin received a bachelor’s degree in English language arts for secondary education at Athens State University, followed by a master’s degree in English from the University of West Alabama at Livingston.
Born in Decatur, she grew up in a military-connected family and left Alabama before she was one year old.
Her husband, Darrell McLaughlin, is Branch Manager of Bearing Distributors Incorporated or BDI in Decatur. In 2020, Darrell earned Branch Manager of the Year, along with Branch of the Year.
“I was painfully shy as a child and wouldn’t even go with my cousins for ice
tance for nursing will attend UAB, Troy University and University of North Alabama. “We are very proud of these students’ accomplishments, and wish them the best of luck,” Steinert said.
“This is a school record as we have never had more than two students accepted per year for medical school early acceptance. In addition, this is the second student in school history to receive early vet school acceptance,” Steinert said.
cream unless my mom was going,” Meleighsa said. “I didn’t learn how to swim until I was an adult.”
said. Her interests include hiking, organic gardening, along with attending live sports and entertainment events. “My friends call me a ‘foodie.’ I like seeking out delicious restaurants, preparing tasty meals and baking yummy treats,” she said.
James Clemens selects Gonzalez as top staff member
“I have been working as a custodian for Madison
City Schools for 17 years,” Gonzalez said. “Before the opening of James Clemens, I worked at Mill Creek and Horizon elementary schools.”
“I am originally from Honduras, but I have been living in the United States for over 40 years,” Gonzalez said. Thirty-three years ago, she moved to the Madison area to live closer to her family.
“In my spare time, I love to spend time with my three grandsons -- Nicholas, Sammy and Timothy,” Gonzalez said.
In other recognition, Gonzalez was selected as the “Outstanding Support Staff Member of the Year” at the state level by the Alabama PTA Association.
Dr. Kerry Donaldson,
Principal at James Clemens, and other administrators joined James Clemens PTSA leaders for the surprise announcement to
Gonzalez before throngs of students and faculty. State PTSA officials invited Gonzalez to participate in a virtual awards ceremony.
MADISON - The property at 17 Front Street in Madison is part of the land sold by the State of Alabama to James Clemens in 1854. Clemens platted a set of 55 lots to create a town that he called Clemens Depot, but the railroad labelled it as Madison Station on their maps. 17 Front Street now encompasses Lots 21 through 26. Clemens first sold Lot 24 in 1860 to a free Black man, Edmund (“Ned”) Martin, but Ned disappeared during the Civil War.
The Lot 24 in later years became the property of Dr. William B. Dunn, who is recorded in the land deeds as also purchasing Lot 19 in 1860 and Lots 22 and Lot 23 in 1869 plus Lots 20, 21, 26, 27, and 28 in 1870. An “adverse possession” deed was filed for Lot 24 in 1901, with the associated documentation stating that Dr. Dunn had given, sold, or traded the property to his Black assistant, Elizabeth (“Bettie”) Martin, in 1871 via a promise in his Last Will and Testament that she would inherit it after his death.
Meanwhile, Bettie lived on the property, and even though it turned out that she died before Dr. Dunn, she was still credited with ownership upon the testimony of Dr. Dunn during the 1901 adverse possession hearing. In fact, Dunn had in 1868 (per Deed Book JJ, page 455) signed over a deed for Lot 24 to Bettie in lieu of payment for $200 worth of service as his assistant. That sale was further mentioned when the 1901 adverse possession hearing included a purported Last Will and Testament by Bettie that left the property to Dunn’s niece Annie E. (Wiggins) Sanders, since Bettie had no children or other heirs. Annie Sanders was a daughter of Richard A. Wiggins. He was one of the two testifying witnesses, along with his son Robert E. Wiggins. Richard Wiggins was married to Dunn’s sister, Jackie.
The nature of any houses that Ned Martin and later Bettie Wiggins may have had on Lot 24 is not known today, but they were not likely to have come close to matching the elegance of today’s structure there. The current house at 17 Front Street in Madison is generally associated in its history with Madison’s early banker, Matthew Harvey Anderson. He was the builder and first owner of the originally impressive structure that we recall as badly deteriorated and beginning to collapse in the late 1980s. Harvey himself was an impressive figure, looking very prosperous and confident, as a banker of his days should. Obviously, he was one of the stalwarts of the town in its early history. The thing that most people of our time do not know is that he was a son of what Southerners after the Civil War called a “carpetbagger”. However, this carpetbagger brought his family to stay in Alabama.
Harvey was about age nine when his family came to the Madison area around
1868. He was born in Ohio to John B. and Amanda Anderson. John was born in Pennsylvania, but both of John’s parents were born in Ireland. Amanda was born in Ohio, but her parents were from Virginia and Maryland, so Harvey’s roots include northern and southern states.
Harvey’s bride was Annie Rachel Hertzler, a daughter of Dr. John Huber Herzler of Madison. Annie was born in 1860 in the Springfield Township of Clark County, Ohio. Her father was a son of Jacob Hertzler of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. About the age of nine, she also came with her family to Madison around 1869. In 1888 at the age of 27, while visiting with relatives in Mount Joy of Lancaster County in Pennsylvania, she married Matthew Harvey Anderson. The couple then embarked upon a two-week honeymoon to visit relatives in Ohio and to tour the east coast, including Washington, D.C.
Harvey was born in 1858, also in Springfield Township of Clark County in Ohio. Harvey’s father was John Brown Anderson. John Anderson was born in Pennsylvania but lived in Ohio before coming to Alabama in late 1867. John and his wife Amanda with their sons James and Harvey are all buried in Maple Hill Cemetery in Huntsville. It is likely that the Anderson and the Hertzler families were closely acquainted in Ohio before their respective moves to Alabama. The marriage of Annie Hertzler to Harvey Anderson linked two of the most prominent families of Madison at the time.
There was no marriage record in Madison County for Harvey Anderson and Annie R. Hertzler, but it is known from census records and family histories that they were both raised to adulthood in Madison County of Alabama and married in Pennsylvania. They had three children born to them here, but only two survived to adulthood. Harvey Gordon Anderson was born in 1897. His older sister Annie Hertzler Anderson was born in 1889. She married Jedediah William Apperson, born in Kansas, a son of Madison’s James Apperson while that family resided in Kansas before coming here. Jedediah was the older brother of Charles Ford Apperson. Jed and Annie Apperson were living in Nashville when Annie’s father Matthew Harvey Anderson died in January of 1934.
In 1904 Harvey Anderson purchased from James P. Ashford Lots 23 and 24. The deed was signed on July 28 of that year, with a price of $300. Such a low price indicates that it was likely for only land, with no house on it. However, Harvey’s impressive house was constructed on his purchase in 1897, according to Historical Society files and tax records. It would, of course, be a bit unusual for anyone to construct their house on land that they did not yet own, so the records may have the wrong date of construction, because it is known that Ashford lived at 16 Main Street. He would not
have needed to construct a house on Lot 23 or 24 before selling the property to Harvey Anderson.
Front Street was about that time called “Railroad Street”, named for where the cotton loading tracks had earlier run behind the depot. The Anderson house at 17 Front Street was the subject of early 1900s picture postcards sold to show Madison’s best face. The house is now very much restored, improved, and modernized inside-and-out by Tony and Cindy Sensenberger as their residence.
Throughout all of the reconstruction, they carefully preserved the historical significance of the house. There was even a photo of the house in the December 17, 1913 issue of the Weekly Mercury newspaper special edition about Mad-
ison’s history. That same issue of the paper described Harvey Anderson as a Director of the Bank of Madison, but the Alabama Mercantile book of 1905 shows that he was also a partner in the general store of Anderson – Bronaugh & Co.
It is additionally known that Matthew Harvey Anderson was a partner with his brother-in-law Frank G. Hertzler in a hardware store on Main Street. After retirement, Harvey moved into Huntsville and passed away in his home there, but his legacy of historical accomplishments was in Madison. He left a farm of 1280 acres in Limestone County to his son Gordon, while he bequeathed property and cash amounting to $18,000 to his daughter Annie Anderson Apper-
MADISON – Messiah Lutheran
Church of Madison recently installed Rev. Kristine Schroeder as its permanently called pastor.
Schroeder is the second pastor to lead the congregation during its 33year history as an Evangelical Lutheran Church in America or ELCA. The church was founded on May 20, 1990.
Pastor Justin Eller, Assistant to the Bishop, ELCA Southeastern Synod presided at a special service to install Schroeder on April 30.
“This was a long-awaited day! As an ELCA congregation, the process of replacing a pastor is rather prescribed (and) typically takes about one year,” Meredith Kilby, Communications and Technical Director, said.
Schroeder earned a bachelor’s degree in speech communication with minors in music and psychology. In 1997, she graduated from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary and soon was ordained.
During the first half of her ordained ministry, Schroeder served as a Youth & Family, Faith Forma-
tion Pastor. She has served in both large and small congregations on pastoral staff, as solo pastor and interim.
In addition, she served as Chaplain and Living Donor Advocate at Mayo Clinic in Arizona for eight years. This work allowed enhancement of her abilities in conflict resolution, pastoral care and teaching adults.
With interviews and discussions, Messiah Lutheran’s Call Committee and Congregation Council quickly recognized Schroeder’s exceptional gifts for ministry, which align well with the congregation’s Ministry Site Profile or MSP. This document, which church members prepare and submit to the ELCA, describes the congregation and its future priorities, Kilby said.
Messiah Lutheran members have defined specific priorities:
• Being “God’s People, Reaching Out” – Messiah Lutheran supports 67 active outreach programs locally, nationally and globally to serve people in need. Locally, the church supports the Weekend Food Program at three schools, Kids to Love, Enable (formerly CASA), Downtown Rescue Mission and House of the Harvest food pantry.
• Being a worshiping congregation – Worship is centered on God’s word and the gospel of Jesus Christ.
• Nurturing young disciples – The congregation will provide opportunities for youth to learn, serve, grow and become confident, fully participating members of their faith community.
• Exceptional music and music ministries – Music is not only for worship but as outreach. The church’s annual music camp and “Music at Messiah - Classical Concert Series” are two examples.
“Pastor Kris has a strong passion for collaborative and relational ministry that integrates all ages,” Kilby said. “She is very excited about opportunities at Messiah Lutheran, especially continued efforts integrating children, youth and families . . . and many outreach projects.”
She and her husband Bill, a retired ELCA pastor, have been married 28 years. The Schroeders relocated from Ohio.
Messiah Lutheran has Sunday worship services are 8:30 and 11 a.m. The address is 7740 U.S. 72 W. in Madison. For more information, visit mlutheran.org, elca.org or Facebook.
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Luke 12:6-7
Continued from page 5B
self-discovery, brave adventures, and the rules of the jungle.
“The Jungle Book” will be presented October 20-22 and 27-29.
A Christmas Carol
Continued from page 7A
citizens of the town of Madison.
Following this wild adventure, FPCTA presents a new adaptation of the Huntsville holiday staple, Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” -- adapted and directed by Cherie Evans. Huntsville’s most beloved family holiday tradition returns to the Fantasy Playhouse stage for the 33rd year this December. Take a trip in time through the past, present, and future with the miserly Mr. Scrooge, three Christmas Spirits, and all the whimsical characters of London town. With more theater magic than ever before, this Charles Dickens classic will delight all ages as an inspiration to keep Christmas in our hearts all year long.
“A Christmas Carol” will be presented December 1-3 and 7-10 Rapunzel and the Beanstalk
In February, Fantasy Playhouse travels back to Nysland Wood for the next fairytale installment by Stephen Tyler Davis, “Rapunzel and the Beanstalk”. Davis serves as the artistic director for FPCTA.
Rapunzel and Jack have always lived on the same cobblestone street but never knew it! Between them sits the run-down cottage of the worst witch in Nysland- Willy Nilly Walliwort. She trips over her broomstick and always leaves her hat behind. Her spells come out wrong and her potions are just plain pitiful.
When Willy Nilly tries to make new friends, she invites her neighbors over for her delicious magic beans! But if she fumbles the recipe, she might end up with a beanstalk she didn’t bargain for...and are those beautiful locks of vines growing from Rapunzel’s head? Climb on up for this adventure to giant places about friendship, trying your best, second chances, and the power of positivity.
“Rapunzel and the Beanstalk” will be presented on February 2225, 2024.
Space Monkeys! The Adventures of Baker & Able
Rounding out their season, FPCTA launches a new play about the two infamous primates of Alabama history that led the space race in 1959. Written by Stephen Tyler Davis, “Space Monkeys! The Adventures of Baker & Able” will have its
world premiere in partnership with the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in May 2024.
3...2...1...Blastoff! It’s 1959 in Huntsville, Alabama and the space race is on! Scientists around the world were depending on all sorts of creatures to discover the great beyond. But in America, two brave monkeys led the charge for space exploration- Baker and Able! Buckle up and hold on tight as these two courageous creatures take us on an adventure through their imagination, deciphering data and preparing their human astronauts for a discovery of galactic magnitude.
A story of friendship, sacrifice, and dreaming big, this world premiere play will inspire all ages through a special Alabama story set at our very own U.S. Space and Rocket Center.
“Space Monkeys! The Adventures of Baker & Able” will be presented May 16-19, 2024.
Each performance will occur at the Von Braun Center Playhouse in Downtown Huntsville. Season tickets go on sale June 5. Individual tickets go on sale on August 1. For information about the 63rd Theater Season and the Academy classes and camps, visit www.FantasyPlayhouse.org.
