The Madison Record - July 14, 2021

INSIDE: Bob Jones High School to play in 2021 Kick-Off Classic football game

M adison RECORD WEDNESDAY July 14, 2021

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Gold Award To earn the Gold Award in Girls Scouts, Mary Downs refurbished Madison’s veterans park for both its visual appeal and its acknowledgment of accomplished military leaders.

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By JOHN FEW john@themadisonrecord.com

EVENTS

Let there be music Madison Visionary Partners or MVP and Madison Arts Council are partnering to stage summer concerts, dubbed “Let There Be Music,” on Old Black Bear’s patio. Page 5A

Lindsey Boothe hopes individuals will start a Front Porch Farm Stand, which she describes as a gathering place for people and provisions.

Front Porch Farm Stand yields food, flowers and fellowship for neighbors

By GREGG PARKER Gregg.Parker@madisoncountyrecord.com

Chess Many organizations dismiss their meetings during summer, but Madison City Chess League or MCCL has scheduled sessions for youth to continue with their game.

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MADISON – A Madison newcomer, Lindsey Boothe conceptualized the Front Porch Farm Stand as a gathering place for people and provisions.

“I thought the stand would be a great way to meet my neighbors and be a winwin for all of us,” Boothe said.

“I started with ‘rules’ of the ‘Little Free Library’ stands but wanted it more personal. I realized not everyone gardens, but everyone has something to offer,” Boothe said. “As long as it’s something you’d find at a typical farm stand, you’re welcome to bring it by.”

“The concept of the front porch started in the South to escape the summer heat.

It became an architectural movement all

over the country due to strong communities that stemmed from front porch visits,” Boothe said.

However, Americans have lost that way of life “with our increasingly busy schedules and obsession with technology. I’m hoping to simply bring that back,” Boothe said. A farm stand also can reduce wasted food by sharing with others.

Boothe recommends sharing jellies and jams, eggs, teas, herbs, cookies, pastries and plants. Her farm stand has a recipe box for card swaps, along with Mason jars with water for cut flowers.

Neighbors can leave helpful supplies for gardeners, like empty jars or egg cartons.

“I’ll put something special out every ‘Farm Stand Friday,’” she said. People See FRONT PORCH FARM Page 2A

MADISON - Madison’s new police chief is now on the job. Chief Johnny Gandy started his new position this week after being approved by the city council last month.

Gandy, a former Gandy Captain in the Virginia Beach Police Department in Virginia Beach, Virginia, was the council’s pick to replace former police chief David Jernigan.

“I am looking forward to working alongside Mr. Gandy to ensure that public safety and community connection with our r e s i d e n t s in Madison continues to stay strong,” Madison May- or Paul Finley said.

Madison’s former police chief David Jernigan retired earlier this year. Major John Stringer, who had been one of the finalists for the vacant position was serving as Acting Chief since January.

Mayor’s Challenge to help raise funds for Kid’s Kingdom

By STAFF REPORTS

MADISON – The City of Madison is teaming up with our area Fleet Feet to encourage a healthy community. The Madison Mayor’s office said Thursday a 5K/10K and fun run is being planned.

Registration for the Madison Mayor’s Challenge is now open, with the race set for Sept. 26 starting at Palmer Park. Proceeds for the Mayor’s Challenge will go directly towards upgrades to Kid’s Kingdom park.

The park was established 24 years ago and is in need of repair.

See MAYORS CHALLENGE Page 2A

Remains of sailor from Alabama killed at Pearl Harbor identified

By STAFF REPORTS WASHINGTON—The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced last week that Navy Fireman 2nd Class Ralph C. Battles, 25, of Madison County, Alabama, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Feb. 12, 2021.

On Dec. 7, 1941, Battles was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island,

Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Battles.

From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Ceme-

teries.

In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks.

The laboratory staff was See BATTLES Page 2A

16 pages • 2 sections

Battles

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If you have kids or grandkids who are big fans of PAW Patrol, then get ready. The PAW Patrol characters will be in Huntsville this fall.

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Madison’s new police chief starts this week

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July 14, 2021

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Members of Blue Star Mothers enjoyed a get-together during a past Heroes Week.

Blue Star Mothers nurture bond of having a child in a branch of the U.S. military

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By GREGG PARKER Gregg.Parker@madison countyrecord.com MADISON – Because of COVID-19 constraints, the Blue Star Mothers organization hasn’t met in more than a year. However, members now are planning to resume their get-togethers each month.

Blue Star Mothers was founded in 1942 when the “Flint News Advertiser” printed a coupon asking mothers of servicemen to return the coupon. About 1,000 women responded

and wanted to organize a permanent group. A couple of weeks later, 300 mothers met in the Durant Hotel in Flint Mich.

Throughout the dire years of World War II, mothers volunteered to work in hospitals and train stations.

They packed care packages for soldiers and served a vital role in homeland security during wartimes.

Over the years, the organization’s membership decreased but held together by mothers showing pride in their children and the United States. In recent years, Blue Star Mothers has grown in strength. Mothers continue to hang Blue Star flags in their home’s windows to symbolize pride in their children’s service to protect the country’s freedom. (bluestarmothers. org) The organization pro-

vides support for active-duty service personnel, promotes patriotism, assists veterans organizations and is available to support homeland volunteer efforts to help the country remain strong.

“A person needs to have a child in the military service,” Blue Star Mothers President Shirl Guiliani said. The group’s purpose is “to provide support for mothers of the military and send care packages to our sons and daughters who are deployed or at a remote duty station.”

Local members gather for lunch meetings and eventually will host guest speakers, along with participating in other outside social events. In addition, the local chapter helps out during Heroes Week by serving dinner at Lake Guntersville Yacht Club.

“My son is in the U.S. Navy and stationed at

Ballson Spa, N.Y.,” Guiliani said. “The Navy has a prototype school there for nuke training. He was on the USS Lincoln and did the around-the-world cruise. He has been in since 2014.”

Shirl’s husband, Steve Guiliani, is a retired naval aviator. “And I just started working for the Learning Team, Ashlee Grove and Associates.

It’s a tutoring company,” Shirl said.

Blue Star Mothers will conduct meetings on the first Tuesday of the month. “We are currently having meetings at different restaurants. We hope to find a place and time that will work for most of the members,” Shirl said.

For more information, visit bluestarmothers. org or Facebook/Blue Star Mothers of Madison County Alabama.

Front Porch Farm have no limits on how much to take, but stands operate best when people take only as much as they give.

A stand works on the honor system. “There will always be miscreants, but the good always prevails,” Boothe said. “(Usually), we’re talking ‘small tomatoes’ here. If someone takes all of those, I assume they have food insecurity. With produce, we’re hoping for a quick turnaround anyways to prevent waste.”

Feedback about the Front Porch Farm Stand has been totally positive.

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The goal of community leaders to not only renovate it, but also make the park universally inclusive to allow children to play, learn and grow together.

Fleet Feet is also offering a training program for beginner runners to gear up

Gregg L. Parker News Writer gregg.parker@madisoncountyrecord.com Bob Labbe Sports Writer bob0873@yahoo.com

for the event. Interested participants can get more information at www.madisonal.gov as well as the Huntsville/Madison Fleet Feet website and store locations.

For further questions, please contact suzanne@fleetfeethuntsville.com

Battles

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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

time visits.

Anyone interested in building a farm stand can attend a workshop at Burritt Folk School on Sept.

18 with Boothe and local pyrography artist Lauren Concepcion. Students will assemble their own stand and create a woodburned sign. For more information, visit burrittonthemountain.com/ burritt-folk-school.

For more information, email alabamatreenware@gmail.com or visit alabamatreenware.com/ front-porch-farm-stand, Facebook/Alabama Treenware or Instagram: @alabamatreenware.

Mayor’s Challenge

only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Battles.

Between June and November 2015, DPAA personnel exhumed the USS Oklahoma unknowns from the Punchbowl for analysis.

To identify Battles’ remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtD-

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

“I’ve had lovely cottage floral arrangements, fresh tomatoes, artisan teas and many other things. I’ve received lots of messages of support.

I’m hoping those turn into additional stands,” Boothe said.

Her husband Brandon works as engineer. Lindsey owns Alabama Treenware and cares for their two youngsters. “My husband is the most supportive person of all of my ‘antics,’” Lindsey said. “Our little guys love to help me carry things out and see what people leave.”

Her stand is open 24/7, but she does prefer day-

NA) and Y chromosome DNA (Y-STR) analysis.

Battles’ name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Battles will be buried on Aug. 28, 2021, in his hometown of Boaz.

For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, and you can find them on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or https://www.linkedin.com/company/ defense-pow-mia-accounting-agency.

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July 14, 2021

THE RECORD • 3A

Tim Gann promoted to Madison County Chief Deputy District Attorney

By STAFF REPORTS

In Captain Jesse Ollie Wikle Jr. Veterans Memorial Park, Mary Downs refurbished the flower garden and placed stones to identify Medal of Honor recipients. Her work led to the Gold Award in Girl Scouts.

Mary Downs’ work at veterans park earns Girl Scouts Gold Award

By GREGG PARKER Gregg.Parker@madisoncountyrecord.com MADISON – To earn the Gold Award in Girls Scouts, Mary Downs refurbished Madison’s veterans park for both its visual appeal and its acknowledgment of accomplished military leaders.

Several years ago, Downs visualized her project, “Honoring of Medal of Honor Recipients,” when her Girl Scout troop cleaned up the flowerbed at Captain Jesse Ollie Wikle Jr. Veterans Memorial Park on Front Street in downtown Madison.

“We found two Medal of Honor stones buried under the bushes over there,” Downs said. Volunteers moved markers into the flowerbed, but personal information was not displayed about the men, except name, rank and some dates.

“I decided to create informational plaques to educate the public on who these heroes are.”

Downs researched Medal of Hon-

or recipients Colonel Bolten and Master Sergeant Bolden of Madison and discovered that Colonel Leo Thorsness, a Madison resident, also earned the medal. “I had a new granite stone and plaque made for Colonel Thorsness. Now, people that visit the park can read the plaques and scan the QR codes and learn about our local heroes,” Downs said.

For her project’s second phase, Downs installed LED lights on the flag poles and monument, along with replacing the park’s sprinkler system. She added metal rails in front of the monument to protect legacy stones and eliminate possible damage from lawnmowers.

She participates in Troop 926 with leaders Jean Downs and Andrea Johnson. Larry Vannoy, Post Commander of Madison American Legion, served as project advisor.

Mayor Paul Finley and Councilwoman Connie Spears made donations for lights.

Downs’ project required 100-plus hours. She presented her Gold Proj-

ect credentials at the 2021 Memorial Day Ceremony at the veterans park to an audience of about 200 people.

“Now, when people visit the veterans park, they can learn about local Medal of Honor recipients. I hope that Madison parents take their children to the park to read about them,” she said.

A senior at James Clemens High School, Downs participates with Diamond Dolls for the Jets Baseball Team. In Girl Scouts since first grade, she earned the Presidential Volunteer Service Award three times, Bronze Award, Silver Award and 60-plus skill badges and leadership pins.

She is a member of American Legion Auxiliary, Post 229 and works at Toyota Field for the Trash Pandas.

Downs plans to study early childhood education at Ole Miss.

Her parents are Jeff and Jean Downs. Jeff is Director at Teledyne Brown Engineering, and Jean is Vice President of Operations at SCI.

Madison County Commission earns a clean financial bill of health

By STAFF REPORTS MADISON COUNTY – The results of a recent audit made on Madison County finances showed the county is managing its resources very well, said Madison County Chairman Dale Strong.

According to the Madison County Commission, most recent Department of Examiners of Public Accounts summary report on an audit of the 2019 fiscal year did not turn up any weaknesses or deficiencies in the county commission’s internal controls over financial reporting, and no problems with noncompliance materials in its financial statements.

“The outstanding result from this audit clearly shows that the commission is very serious about how we manage the money entrusted to us by the taxpayers of Madison County,” said Strong. “This also demonstrates the hard work and diligence in which our employees carry out their responsibilities in our financial operations.”

The audit was conducted by the State of Alabama Examiners of Public Accounts.

The results of that audit were filed by the

agency on May 28.

The report reviews the results of an audit to determine whether the commission’s financial statements objectively convey the financial position and results of financial operation of the county commission.

Financial highlights from the audit for fiscal year 2019: • The commission’s net position increased $32.87 million during the fiscal year. Of that increase revenues for governmental activities jumped $24.75 million while business-type activities generated an additional $8.12 million.

• During this same period of time, the governmental operating expenses of the Madison County Commission were reduced $12.51 million while operating expenses of the business-type activities decreased $760,000.

• The commission’s general fund increased reserves $7.26 million while other governmental fund reserves increased $1.49 million.

The Madison County Commission’s finances are subject to review annually, according to finance director Carol Long.

MADISON CO. - The Madison County District Attorney’s Office announced two promotions on Wednesday.

Madison County District Attorney Rob Broussard said Tim Gann and Tim Douthit were both promoted effective immediately.

Gann is now the Chief Deputy District Attorney, and Douthit takes Gann’s old position as the Chief Trial Attorney.

Gann replaces Marc Sandlin, who is retiring.

The attorneys recently prosecuted the trials of former Huntsville

Police officer William Darby and convicted murderer Christopher Henderson.

Gann was previously a Huntsville Police officer for 15 years until he got his law degree; he has spent the last 15 years with the Madison County DA’s office. His case load has consisted primarily of major crimes, including capital murder.

Douthit has been a prosecutor for 10 years, split between five years in Mobile County and the last five in Madison County. He has prosecuted cases ranging from child sexual abuse to violent crimes such as capital murder.

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July 14, 2021

Detective: Defendant in capital murder case planned to rob Huntsville victim

By STAFF REPORTS DECATUR - A Huntsville man whose family said he drove to Decatur to buy a cellphone advertised on Facebook Marketplace was shot and killed last month in a planned robbery, according to a Decatur police detective’s testimony Friday in the defendant’s preliminary hearing.

Mark Stephens Jr., 19, is charged with capital murder in the Southwest Decatur shooting death of Viet Truong, 44. After testimony presented by detective Joshua Daniell, Morgan County District Judge Kevin Kusta found probable cause to believe that Stephens committed the crime and ordered the

case bound over to a Morgan County grand jury.

A bond hearing for Stephens was continued and will be scheduled at a later date. Stephens, whose address is listed as Mason, Tennessee, in court documents, is being held in Morgan County Jail without bond. Under state law, a murder committed during a robbery is capital murder punishable by life in prison without parole or death.

Daniell testified the investigation revealed that Stephens had been in contact with Truong through Facebook Marketplace over a cellphone that Stephens purportedly had for sale, and that Stephens had planned to rob him.

According to Alabama Sec-

retary of State records, Truong was an owner of Rejuvenation Nail Spa LLC at Bridge Street Town Centre in Huntsville.

Daniell said Truong drove from Huntsville to Decatur on June 20 and Stephens got into the passenger seat of Truong’s Toyota Camry.

Daniell testified that during the first interview, Stephens, who was advised of his rights, said that when he arrived and got into the passenger seat of Truong’s vehicle, Truong pulled out a firearm, the two struggled and the gun accidentally fired.

Stephens requested an attorney, ending the interview, but then he asked to speak with Daniell again, this time saying he had a firearm and a

phone box with him, and the two struggled and the gun accidentally went off. Stephens said he learned about the Facebook Marketplace scheme from someone else and it was the first time he had done it, according to Daniell’s testimony.

Preliminary autopsy results showed Truong was shot in the chest, said Daniell, who was questioned by Morgan County Assistant District Attorney Garrick Vickery and one of Stephens’ attorneys, Ron Smith.

His other attorney, Robert Tuten, was also at the hearing, Stephens said he buried the firearm and a backpack, Daniell said. A firearm was not recovered, he said, but a casing was found in a coffee cup in

Truong’s car.

Daniell said police responded to Executive House Apartments on Sandlin Road on June 20 and found Truong dead with a gunshot wound to his chest, next to a vehicle in the parking lot of the apartments. Daniell said two witnesses identified Stephens from a photo lineup.

He said witnesses saw a “disturbance” in the vehicle and heard a gunshot, then Stephens was seen running into the woods with a gun in his hand.

An arrest warrant on the capital murder charge was issued and, according to police, Stephens was captured at the same apartment complex two days later with the assistance of U.S. marshals.

Snapshot

FIREWORKS SPECTACULAR - The Trash Pandas hosted their second annual Fireworks Spectacular on the 4th of July. Held at Toyota Field in Madison, the patriotic extravaganza featured on-field activities like volleyball, putt-putt golf, football, watermelon and hot dog eating contests, food trucks, live entertainment, and fireworks..Below are some fun scenes from the event courtesy of the Rocket City Trash Pandas. For more about upcoming events, go to www.trashpandasbaseball.com.

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July 14, 2021

‘Let There Be Music’ concerts to help Home Place Amphitheater

By GREGG PARKER Gregg.Parker@madison countyrecord.com MADISON – Madison Visionary Partners or MVP and Madison Arts Council are partnering to stage summer concerts, dubbed “Let There Be Music,” on Old Black Bear’s patio.

MVP and Madison Arts Council are collaborating to support the arts in Madison and to raise funds to help construction of a performance pavilion in Home Place Park, the new outdoor amphitheater.

“The ”Let There Be Music” concerts will be presented in July through September at 6 p.m. on Old Black Bear’s patio in downtown Madison,” MVP Executive Director Liz Brinton said. Old Black Bear’s main entrance is at 212 Main St., and the patio area is accessible from Martin Street.

Scheduled for Thursdays, the concert series started on July 8 with JED Eye: * July 15 -- Zion Bluegrass District * July 22 -- Divided by Zero * July 29 -- Calypso Vision * August 5 -- Ben Luthy Band

* August 12 -- Jeff Tucker * August 19 -- Winslow Davis * August 26 -- Rob and the Red Beards * September 9 -- The PMB * September 16 -- Calypso Vision * September 23 -- Boardertown * September 30 -- The Zooks The proposed Home Place Park Amphitheater will allow individuals to experience music, theater and nature in a way that enriches, relaxes, soothes and feeds the soul, Brinton said.

The City of Madison has approved and funded the renovation of Home Place Park, located just south of historic downtown Madison and just west of Madison City Schools Stadium. With new amphitheater seating and other improvements, visitors can enjoy outdoor theatrical performances and other events.

City officials envision numerous activities for Home Place Park: * Weekly ‘concerts in the park’ series. * Attractions during Madison Street Festival. * Concert stage for local

The “Let There Be Music” concerts during July through September will be staged at 6 p.m. on Old Black Bear’s patio in downtown Madison. JED Eye performed on Thursday to kick the series off (above). Zion Bluegrass District in the photo will perform on July 15. musical artists. * MCS pep rallies before home football games. * Madison Food Truck Nights. * Event venue for other com-

munity groups.

A parallel parking bay with electrical hookups will be added south of Shorter Street to accommodate food trucks. The project will be ADA-accessible.

MADISON CITY FARMERS MARKET Madison City Farmers Market, open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon, is the area’s original local, producer-only farmers market, founded in 2007. Everything sold at the market is grown or crafted by local farmers and craftspeople.

The vendors provide a wide selection of the freshest local veggies, fruits, cheese, eggs, meats, milk, herbs, honey, jams, relishes, home-baked goods, plants and flowers. The Madison City Farmers Market is Located at 1088 Hughes Road, Madison at Trinity Baptist Church. Check online for more information and updates: www. madisoncityfarmersmarket.com

Individuals can walk or bike ride to the park because of its proximity to neighborhoods, downtown and new multi-family housing.

See LET THERE BE Page 8A

July 15

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SEEKING BABYLON AND GROOVE AT CONCERTS IN THE PARK - The 2021 edition of Concerts In The Park in Huntsville is well underway.

The concerts are held in downtown Huntsville’s Big Spring Park on the Huntsville of Museum of Art outdoor stage and are free to the public.

Seeking Babylon and Groove (above) will take the stage on Monday starting at 6:30 p.m. Concert-goers should bring their own seating and leashed pets are welcome. Picnics are welcome at Concerts in the Park, but local food trucks and vendors will be on site. Handicap parking will be available in the Huntsville Museum of Art parking lot and additional parking is available for free in the Monroe Street garage. Future line-up includes: July 26 - Kristoffer Leshaun/Rocket City Latin Band, and August 2 - Jimmy Henderson Trio/45 Surprise. Go to www. artshuntsville.org for more information.

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July 14, 2021

UPCOMING EVENTS

NEWSIES THE MUSICAL July 15-18 Thu-Sun 7:30 PM, 2:00 PM matinee Sat/Sun Mainstage Theatre at Lee High School 2500 Meridian St N Admission charged www.imphuntsville.org It’s time to carry the banner with Disney’s Newsies!. Set in turn-ofthe-century New York City, Newsies is the rousing tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of a band of teenaged “newsies”.

When titans of publishing raise distribution prices at the newsboys’ expense, Jack rallies newsies from across the city to strike against the unfair conditions and fight for what’s right! Based on the 1992 motion picture and inspired by a true story, Newsies features a Tony Award-winning score by Alan Menken (Little Shop of Horrors, Sister Act) and Jack Feldman and a book by Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein (Kinky Boots). Featuring the now classic songs “Carrying the Banner”, “Seize the Day”, and “Santa Fe”, Newsies is packed with non-stop thrills and a timeless message, perfect for the whole family and every audience.

See UPCOMING EVENTS Page 7A

Night Blooms exhibit to kick-off next week at the Huntsville Botanical Garden

By STAFF REPORTS HUNTSVILLE - This summer you can experience the Huntsville Botanical Garden at night like never before. Night Blooms is a new nighttime event that has thousands of lights, botanical lanterns, and more. This colorful event takes place Wednesday through Sunday evenings July 21 - Sept. 26.

Walk a mile through the Huntsville Botanical Garden after sunset to see “the plants and animals we encounter in the Garden every day re-imagined as illuminated,

technicolor and larger than life.”

Sue Wagner, the chief executive officer of the Garden said, “It is an experience that’s almost dreamlike, where guests have the chance to see their environment in a new light, quite literally.

We are taking an ordinary walk through the Garden and showing just how extraordinary it can be.”

Discover vignettes of handmade lanterns designed by trained artisans and integrated into the beauty of the Garden. Poppies, turtles, orchids, spiders, maples trees and more will glow along with additional lighting to complete

the experience. You may remember the Chinese Lantern Festival the Huntsville Botanical Garden hosted in 2019. The same company that made those amazing lanterns also designed this one of a kind experience.

Concessions will be available so you can take your time exploring and enjoying the beauty of the event. Tickets range in price from $20 to $35 for adults and $12 to $23 for children. Tickets will be designated for a specific date and entry time. Go to www.hsvbg. org/NightBlooms for more information.

JAZZ-N-JUNE CONCERT ON JULY 17 Gates open at noon Monte Sano State Park Amphitheater 5105 Nolen Ave $10 state park admission www.tvjs.org Huntsville’s Tennessee Valley Jazz Society will present a variety of local artists and musicians at Jazz N June in JULY! In its 33-year history, JNJ has attracted thousands of festival goers. In addition, JNJ has been one of the most diverse music festivals in the state of Alabama.

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HUNTSVILLE – If you have kids or grandkids who are big fans of PAW Patrol, then get ready. The PAW Patrol characters will be in Huntsville this fall.

Nickelodeon and VStar Entertainment Group announced PAW Patrol Live! “The Great Pirate Adventure,” an action-packed, music-filled production, will be at the VBC in Huntsville this November. Tickets go on sale this week.

In this production, the heroic pups from the top-rated animated preschool series PAW Patrol, produced by Spin Master Entertainment and airing on Nickelodeon, embark on a pirate-themed adventure to uncover hidden treasure.

Tickets for all four performances are on sale Friday, July 16 at 10 a.m. and can be purchased at pawpatrollive.com or in person at the VBC Box Office.

In PAW Patrol Live! “The Great Pirate Adventure,” Mayor Goodway is getting everything shipshape for a big

Pirate Day celebration in Adventure Bay. When Cap’n Turbot falls into a dark and mysterious cavern, it’s PAW Patrol to the rescue! Chase, Marshall, Rubble, Skye, Rocky and Zuma save Cap’n Turbot and discover a secret pirate treasure map that leads them on an epic adventure. Things get ruff when Mayor Humdinger wants to find the treasure first for Foggy Bottom.

The pups need all paws on deck for this pirate adventure, including help from the newest pup who’s all ears…Tracker!

Using their heroic rescue skills, problem solving and teamwork, the pups set sail to save the day. No job is too big, no pirate pup is too small!

Performance dates are: Saturday, November 20 at 11:00 a.m.

Saturday, November 20 at 3:00 p.m.

Sunday, November 21 at 11:00 a.m.

Sunday, November 21 at 3:00 p.m.

Tickets are available at the VBC Box Office or at ticketmaster.com. For more information visit pawpatrollive.com.

July 14, 2021

THE RECORD • 7A

UPCOMING EVENTS

COCKTAILS AT THE VIEW Recurring weekly on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.

Burritt on the Mountain 3101 Burritt Drive No admission charged. Food and drink for purchase. burrittonthemountain.com Experience the most spectacular view of the city and watch the sunset from the cantilevered overlook. Enjoy cocktails from a full service bar and purchase food items from the gourmet market. Check website for weather-related changes.

GREENE STREET MARKET AT NATIVITY Recurring weekly on Thursday 4 - 8 pm Downtown Huntsville Eustis Avenue from Greene Street to Southside Square No admission charged Huntsville’s downtown open-air market will have locally-grown fruits and vegetables, flowers and herbs, food items, music and more.

A replica of the Pinta, one of Christopher Columbus’ three ships he used to sail to the new world will be available for tours at Ditto Landing in Huntsville from July 16 to July 25.

Pinta replica to sail into Ditto Landing on Friday

By STAFF REPORTS HUNTSVILLE - Area residents will have a chance to view a replica of the Pinta, one of the three ships Christopher Columbus used to travel to the new world on July 16 at Ditto Landing in Huntsville.

The caravel-style replica was launched in Brazil in 2002.

Historically, the Pinta was the first ship to sight land in the new world on Oct. 12, 1492.

Historians consider the caravel the “space shuttle” of the 15th century.

The Pinta tours as a sailing museum for the purpose of educating the public and school children on the caravel style ship used by Columbus and many early

explorers.

While in port, the public is invited to visit the ship for a walk around, self-guided tour.

Admission is $6.50 for adults, $6 for seniors and $5.50 for students age 5-16.

Children under 4 are free.

The ship will be open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from July 16 until July 25.

Teachers or organiza-

tions wishing to schedule a 30-minute tour with a crew member should call 1-850686-3612, or visit ninapinta. org and click the “take a tour” tab. A minimum of 15 persons is required for a group tour at $4.50 per person.

Ditto Landing is located in South Huntsville at the Tennessee River, 293 Ditto Landing Road.

Annual St. John’s Craft Fair changed to November MADISON – Organizers of the annual St. John’s Craft Fair said they will host the fair during Advent this year instead of Lent.

“Historically, we have been a Lenten/spring craft fair that has benefited the Limestone Prison Ministry and the North AL Foster Closet,” said event co-chair Lisa Novak. “Over the years, we’ve had vendors and shoppers ask us to try an ‘Advent’ fair.” She said the organizers of the event listened and decided to give it a try.

The craft fair will be held Saturday, Nov. 20, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. It will be held at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Parish Hall, 1055 Hughes Road.

The vendor registration opened July 1 and will close on July 15, so act now

to reserve a spot. Click here to register.

For questions, please contact sjbcraftfair@gmail.com.

According to the event’s website, the mission of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church’s craft fair is to offer handmade items that are not readily available in the Huntsville area, and to provide a place for local artisans and vendors to share their God given talents with their community.

“Each year, the proceeds from the table rentals go toward a cause that is close to the heart of the season. All vendors are required to have some, but not all, Christian or Catholic items available at their booth. Faith inspired items are hard to come by in today’s secular society. We want to offer a place where our community can not only find Christian items, but also Catholic.”

SOLUTIONS FOR EVERY ROOM – INSIDE AND OUT

JAZZ-N-JUNE CONCERT July 17 Gates open at noon Monte Sano State Park Amphitheater 5105 Nolen Ave $10 state park admission fee applies tvjs.org Huntsville’s Tennessee Valley Jazz Society will present a variety of local artists and musicians at Jazz N June in JULY! In its 33-year history, JNJ has attracted thousands of festival goers. In addition, JNJ has been one of the most diverse music festivals in the state of Alabama.

GEOQUEST! Ongoing Burritt on the Mountain 3101 Burritt Drive www.burrittonthemountain.com Come play on the mountain! Choose one of four GeoQuest adventures to enjoy with your family – Nature Quest, History Quest, Critter Quest, or Letterboxing Quest. Using clues and GPS technology, hunt on the trails and museum grounds to collect sets of Quest Cards. Kids will love hunting and finding the Quest Cards that share fun facts and cool trivia about each theme. Collect a complete set of Quest Cards for all four adventures and you can enter your name in a monthly (April- September) drawing for a free family membership.

MISSION EXPERIENCES AT US SPACE & ROCKET CENTER Ongoing U.S. Space & Rocket Center Reservations required. www.rocketcenter.com See if you have what it takes to get the crew safely to space and back home again in the Shuttle Experience.

Journey into the world of SCUBA and Neutral Buoyancy through the Underwater Astronaut Training Experience. Explore history and get ready for the next era of space exploration in the Family or Adult Astronaut Training Experience. Some experiences are offered on weekends only. Check website for availability.

Booth registration deadline is July 15

By STAFF REPORTS

FISHING FOR FUN DAY July 15 - 8 a.m. - noon Hays Nature Preserve 7153 Hwy 431 South Free Drop by any time between 8 and noon to see if you can catch the BIG one! Please bring your own pole if you have one. A limited amount of poles will be provided. Live bait will be provided. All children must have an adult to assist them. In addition to open fishing, fishermen from the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division will lead classes: 10:00am Seining Demonstration 11:00am Casting for Backyard Bass (Casting for Beginners)

DOWNTOWN WALKING TOURS Recurring weekly on Sunday, Saturday Scenethat Walking Tours Admission charged www.scenethat.net Choose from a number of tours to learn more about Huntsville’s history. Denise Swain is passionate about research, storytelling and keeping the legacy of significant people and places alive. Book a tour here or call for a step-on guide for a group.

OUTDOOR MARKET Recurring weekly on Saturday Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment See UPCOMING EVENTS Page 8A

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July 14, 2021

Players hone skills at Monday chess sessions, tournament, and camp

By GREGG PARKER Gregg.Parker@madison countyrecord.com MADISON – Many organizations dismiss their meetings during summer, but Madison City Chess League or MCCL has scheduled sessions for youth to continue with their game.

“We have a lot of chess events happening in July,” MCCL Executive Director Ranae Bartlett said. “Monday Night Chess resumed on July 12 and on subsequent Monday nights from 6 to 7:30 p.m.”

These sessions are free.

Students in grades K-12 who know how to play chess are welcome to attend on Monday nights. “MCCL membership is not required to attend Monday night meetings. During the pandemic, we haven’t been able to meet face-to-face,” Bartlett said.

“With many MCCL chess activities moving online on ChessKid and Chess. com, membership is required to participate in free MCCL tournaments on Monday nights, Saturdays and Sunday All-Girls events,” Bartlett said.

Founded in 2013, MCCL invites youth

from Madison and the vicinity to play chess for free. Interest in chess has grown significantly since MCCL’s start.

Numerous opportunities are available: * All-Star Chess Club for grades 2-3. * Reduced registration fee for local chess tournaments, like Summer Knights and Winter Knights. * MCCL Team Cup Championship and Madison City Chess Championship. * Early registration for Summer Chess Camp. * Coaching services at national tournaments. * Girls Chess Club and All-Girls Tournaments. * High-school volunteer program for coaches and tournament directors. * Members-only events like Back-toSchool Bughouse Night and Monday Night Blitz tournaments.

MCCL now welcomes members outside Madison to join. “MCCL will also work with administrators in school systems outside Madison City Schools to duplicate programs in your school system with appropriate teachers and coaches in your area,” Bartlett said.

Young enthusiasts of the sport are meeting for Monday Night Chess at Madison Public Library.

To access membership forms, visit madisonchess.com/join.

In other activity, registration for Summer Chess Camp will continue through July 14. The summer camp will be held at Rainbow Elementary School, 50 Nance Road, on July 19-23. Campers

will return to ‘live,’ over-the-board format with classes for every skill level.

Fee is $150.

For more information about summer camp, visit madisonchess.com. Scroll to links at the bottom of the window, and click “2021 Summer Chess Camp.”

UPCOMING EVENTS 2211 Seminole Drive FREE www.lowemill.art/saturday-artist-market Visit Lowe Mill A&E Saturday, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., from May till October for an Outdoor Market. Vendors from all over the area will present their finest products, whether made-by-hand, second-hand or made by the earth. With community safety still in mind Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment will host this event throughout the grounds providing patrons, pickers, and art lovers with an open air shopping experience.

Zion Bluegrass District in the photo will perform on July 15.

Let There Be

Continued from page 5A

“With additional private funding raised by our community, we can add an outdoor Performance Pavilion that will not only improve the beauty of the park but will significantly improve functionality and allow the city to expand its programming,” Brinton said.

Fundraising goal is $250,000 to build an outdoor pavilion in Home Place Park. Philanthropy levels for the park range from “Park Sponsor” at $200,000; “Concert Sponsor” for $1,500 for a company or family to sponsor a performance at the amphitheater; “Patron

of the Arts” for $300 with the donor’s name commemorated on a park path; and other contribution options. ”MVP supports the City of Madison’s mission to improve the quality of life for all citizens. With philanthropic support, MVP can partner with city goals and stretch funding dollars to positively impact local projects,” Brinton said.

For more information, email liz. brinton@mvpmadison.org or Tina Clark with Madison Arts Council at tinalclark1971@gmail.com.

NEIGHBORS

THE MARKET AT LEIGH ACRES Recurring weekly on Saturday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Leigh Acres 5655 Maysville Road No admission charged www.leighacres.com Leigh Acres is approximately ten acres in New Market, Alabama. Every Saturday from 8:00 am – 2:00 pm, Leigh Acres has hundreds of artifacts and antiques displayed from around the world!

THE MARKET AT MIDCITY Recurring weekly on Sunday 1-5 p.m.

The Camp 5909 University Drive No admission charged www.facebook.com/themarketatmidcity It’s so much more than a farmers market! In addition to locally grown, fresh produce, there are artisans, makers and musicians.

THINGS TO SEE DRONES: IS THE SKY THE LIMIT Ongoing U.S. Space & Rocket Center One Tranquility Base www.rocketcenter.com Developed by subject experts from the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, and produced by Imagine Exhibitions, Drones: Is The Sky The Limit? explores the modern phenomenon of drones, their uses throughout history and the exciting possibilities of the future role that drones will play in our society.

Grammy Award winner Paul Overstreet will perform in the Princess Theatre’s Singer-Songwriter Series.

New artists, including a Grammy winner, to play the Princess Theatre’s singer-songwriter series

By STAFF REPORTS DECATUR - The Princess Theatre has announced performers for the summer and fall season of the performing arts center’s Singer-Songwriter Series. The lineup includes an Academy of Country Music Award winner and a Grammy Award winner.

The monthly series kick\ed off last week with country-roots performers Cameron DuBois and Zoe Welch Burdette.

Other performers in the series include Channing Wilson on Aug. 12; Tess Frizzell and Bobby Tomberlin on Sept. 9; Phillip White and James LeBlanc on Oct. 14; Gabe Lee and Nate Frederick on Nov. 11; and Paul Overstreet on Dec. 9.

White, who earned the 2003 Academy of Country Music Award for Song of the Year for “I’m Movin’ On,” has written songs for George Strait, Luke Bryan, Vince Gill, Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton and Rascal Flatts.

Overstreet, a two-time Grammy Award recipient, earned wins for Best Country Song in 1988 for “Forever and Ever, Amen” and in 1992 for “Love Can Build a Bridge.”

Country artists Randy Travis, Kenny Chesney, Allison Krauss, Tanya Tucker, George Jones and The Judds have recorded Overstreet’s songs.

During the intimate Singer-Songwriter Series, the artists will share the stories behind their songs. Tickets cost $15 for standing room, $25 for preferred seating and $35 for reserved seating. Princesstheatre.org.

UNCAGED: BIRDS, NATURE & YOU Ongoing Huntsville Botanical Garden 4747 Bob Wallace Avenue www.hsvbg.org Uncaged is a collection of interactive pieces that explore the lives of our charismatic feathered friends: birds! Each piece is unique and inventive, created by local artists and architects who have partnered with the Garden to bring the experience to life. Uncaged will take you on a delightful adventure through the Garden to discover the secrets of our feathered friends like you’ve never seen before.

ENCOUNTERS: GREELY MYATT Ongoing Huntsville Museum of Art 300 Church Street www.hsvmuseum.org Greely Myatt is widely recognized for his whimsical sculptural objects and monumental installations made from found materials like flooring, neon lights, metal scraps, and discarded signage scavenged from the greater Memphis area.

ROOTED IN HISTORY: INTERPRETING ALABAMA’S FOLK ART TRADITIONS Ongoing Harrison Brothers Hardware 124 South Side Square No admission www.historichuntsville.org Rooted in History showcases the works of Alabama’s folk and traditional artists across all mediums as they interpret Alabama’s folk art traditions from their own contemporary perspectives. The show is a collaboration between John “Jahni the Artist” Moore and the Historic Huntsville Foundation. Set in Harrison Brothers Hardware, Alabama’s oldest hardware store, which provides a perfect place to showcase Alabama’s history, art, and fine crafts traditions.

JACK MITCHELL: ARTISTS Ongoing Huntsville Museum of Art 300 Church Street American photographer Jack Mitchell (1925-2013) was renowned for his captivating photographs of visual artists, film and theater personalities, musicians, and writers, which he documented during a remarkable career that spanned over five decades.

In addition to 25 years of special assignment work for The New York Times, Mitchell’s photographs of creative and performing artists have graced the covers and pages of Harper’s Bazaar, Life, Newsweek, People, Rolling Stone, Time, Vanity Fair, and Vogue, among others.

This exhibition features approximately 50 silver gelatin and color photographs of important American visual, musical, and literary artists taken by Jack Mitchell over a career spanning five decades.

The works were hand-selected by the Museum from the Jack Mitchell Archives. Organized by HMA.

TOYS: THE INSIDE STORY EarlyWorks Children’s Museum 404 Madison Street www.earlyworks.com This special traveling exhibit includes 20 different play/learn stations and exhibits that illustrate the simple mechanisms commonly found in toys, and let visitors create their own toy-like combinations of gears, pulleys, linkages, cams, and circuits. It also explores the history of toys throughout the ages, allowing visitors to reminisce and play with toys of days gone by.

TWEETSVILLE Ongoing Huntsville Botanical Garden 4747 Bob Wallace Avenue www. hsvbg.org Introducing, Tweetsville, a new development in the Children’s Garden. The first phase features the Lewis Bird Watch, a viewing area where guests can observe birds in their natural environment from behind a one-way glass, and the “See Rocket City” birdhouse, a larger-than-life birdhouse structure that serves as an iconic entrance to Tweetsville. Guests will also find educational activities, dynamic plantings of Alabama native plants, and winding paths that guide learners through the immersive journey.

PEAK BUTTERFLY SEASON Ongoing Huntsville Botanical Garden 4747 Bob Wallace Avenue www.hsvbg.org The Purdy Butterfly House is a must-see in May through September! Peak Butterfly Season is the best time of year to visit the fluttering butterflies in the nation’s largest open-air butterfly house.

This immersive habitat is home to over 1,000 brightly-colored native butterflies, as well as turtles, fish, and frogs. Come meet our winged friends while enjoying a stroll among the waterfalls, ponds, streams, and lush vegetation. The Purdy Butterfly House is open during regular Garden hours and is included with Garden admission.

WE THE PEOPLE EXHIBIT Ongoing Huntsville Museum of Art 300 Church Street www.hsvmuseum.org In 2010, American artist, author and teacher Mary Whyte set out on a mission to paint fifty large-scale watercolor portraits of what it means to be an American veteran today. Over seven years in the making, WE THE PEOPLE: Portraits of Veterans in America took her across the United States to meet men and women of all ages and from all walks of life, and paint some of our country’s truest patriots. Whyte’s WE THE PEOPLE, which includes portraits of a Missouri dairy farmer, Rhode Island lobsterman, Pennsylvania science teacher, South Carolina single mother, and 46 other moving works, is poised to become a national treasure honoring and connecting with men and women in uniform for generations to come.

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

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INSIDE SPORTS

Clara Tran Sparkman High golf team member Clara Tran has qualified for the Drive, Chip and Putt state competition after winning the local event at Hampton Cove Golf Course. She began playing golf at age eight and has goals of playing golf in college.

Page 3B

By BOB LABBE bob0873@yahoo.com

EDUCATION

New additions at BJHS Bob Jones High School will soon get a new Special Education (SPED) wing for the school district’s east Madison feeder pattern.

Page 4B

Bob Jones football head coach Kelvis White oversees his Patriots during mid-summer workouts as the Patriots prep to begin the 2021 season on Friday, August 20 in Montgomery as part of the AHSAA Kickoff Classic. Bob Jones will face the fellow Class 7A Dothan Wolves. Photo by Bob Labbe

Bob Jones to face Dothan in 2021 Kick-off Classic

By BOB LABBE bob0873@yahoo.com

Teacher of the year To Kiley Rikard, teaching is the most important profession in the world. Rikard is 2021 “Teacher of the Year” at Mill Creek Elementary School.

Page 7B

KIDS & CHURCH

Special Weekly Pages Check our weekly Kids and Church pages with games and activities for kids, and area church listings.

Pages 5B and 6B

MADISON - Bob Jones football head coach Kelvis White is set for a homecoming of sorts on the road to kick off the Patriots’ 2021 season as his squad has been chosen to play against his former team from Dothan in the 2021 Kickoff Classic in Montgomery’s Cramton Bowl on Friday, Aug. 20. The matchup will be the second of two Kickoff Classic games as on Thursday, Aug. 19 Handley will tangle with Guntersville.

Both games will begin at 7:00 p.m. and televised live by the AHSAA TV Network, live-streamed over the NFHS Network and featured on the AHSAA Radio Network.

White is in his second year as lead Patriot and was head coach at Dothan from 2008-

2015 where he posted a 39-45 won-loss record. The former University of Alabama standout lineman and son of Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame coach Louis White and brother to Sparkman head coach Laron White was also a key assistant at Homewood and came to Madison from Mae Jemison High of Huntsville where he was head coach four seasons (2520).

Bob Jones was 3-7 in 2020 where the squad opened with two wins in the team’s first three games before COVID-19 led to two mid-season forfeits.

This season White is looking for big things from his varsity squad, which could have as many as 90 players dressed out.

Meanwhile, Dothan was 2-7 last season just a year after opening after the Dothan City

David MacKinnon is having a blast with Rocket City Trash Pandas

By AARON CHERIS Rocket City Trash Pandas

HISTORY

310 Martin Street Check out this interesting look at Madison’s past with John Rankin.

Page 8B

Schools merged Northview and Dothan high schools into one mega school. The first year program was 8-3 that opening season, but struggled with COVID-19 difficulties resulting in a season-opening forfeit loss in 2020. The Wolves lost their first five games before regrouping and closing out the second half of the season with a 2-2 result.

The Wolves are led by head coach Smitty Grider who has a 121-59 record at five different schools including nearby Hazel Green where he was 4-7 in 2018.

The Aug. 20 appearance will mark the third time Bob Jones has been a part of the annual special games in Montgomery. The Patriots defeated Enterprise 23-20 in 2013 and Carver-Montgomery 3730 in 2015 in previous Kickoff Classic contests.

MADISON - Stepping to the box on Opening Day as the first batter for the Rocket City Trash Pandas on May 5 at Chattanooga, David MacKinnon wasted no time in making history. In his first game action in nearly two years, the Trash Pandas first baseman lined a single to center and came around to score the first Rocket City run. For the Easton, Massachusetts native, that would be a sign of things to come.

MacKinnon has been the Trash Pandas’ most consistent hitter and

one of the top players in Double-A South to start the season. The awards have since followed, as MacKinnon was named both Double-A South Player of the Month of June and MAG Aerospace Trash Pandas Player of the Month.

Entering July, he led the Southern circuit with a .331 batting average, .415 on-base percentage, .917 OPS, and 12 doubles. He also ranked among the league leaders in slugging percentage (2nd, .534), hits (4th, 48), runs (27th, 8th), and RBI (9th, 26).

Heading into the second half of the season, MacKinnon sat down to talk See MACKINNON Page 2B

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MADISON- Building an athletic program is like erecting a building as it takes time brick after brick. If Bradley Kimbrough’s high energy personality and enthusiasm for the sport of softball is any indication what to expect from the 39-year old, look for the James Clemens softball program to rise high as a skyscraper in local softball sooner than later.

“I plan on building something big here as I’m excited about the plan we will have here at James Clemens,” said Kimbrough.

He was recently chosen from among 27 applicants as the new head coach of the softball program after the departure of threeyear head coach Brittany Vintson who chose to leave coaching for a job with the FBI. Kimbrough comes to the Jets with experience in both high school and college coaching, as well as, business owner of the RPO Academy, which he ran from 2016 to 2020 as an instructor, consultant and mentor for coaches of all levels of athletics. He chose to leave coaching in 2016 to be a father fulltime for his two children now ages 15 and 16, but COVID did away with his business venture and he knew deep inside he wanted to return to high school coaching.

A graduate of Sheffield High in 2000, Kimbrough earned his education degree from Athens State University and a masters in instructional leadership from West Alabama College. His first softball coaching experience came at Huntsville High for two seasons as both as an assistant and head coach from 2009-2011. He chose to return to his alma mater in 2011 where he coached the softball program at his former high school through 2016 when he also coached one season as an assistant at the University of North Alabama before his decision to tend more to his family.

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MacKinnon has been the Trash Pandas’ most consistent hitter and one of the top players in Double-A South.

2B • THE RECORD

July 14, 2021

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TRASH PANDAS - The Rocket City Trash Pandas kicked off a busy week at Toyota Field with the annual 4th of July festival and fireworks show on Sunday (above), and completed a series with the Montgomery Biscuits during the week. The Trash Pandas (28-30) came in on the losing end of the series, winning two and losing three to the Biscuits. The last game on Sunday was canceled due to rain. Rocket City will hit the road this week to take on the Birmingham Barons. Fans can still come to Toyota Field for movie night on Saturday, July 17 at 5:30 p.m. for a showing of Raya and the Last Dragon. Fans can sit in the outfield and enjoy the movie. The Trash Pandas return home to begin a season-long 12-game homestand from July 20-August 1. The homestand features a commemorative glass on July 20, an adult baseball cap giveaway on July 22, their Negro Leagues Celebration on July 27, 90s night including a jersey auction on July 29, and four fireworks shows. For more information, go to www.trashpandasbaseball.com.

MacKinnon about his road to Rocket City and his first action at the Double-A level.

Q: Who were your favorite teams and players growing up?

A: For me, I grew up just south of Boston in a town called Easton.

I was a Boston sports fan growing up. My favorite baseball team was the Red Sox and my favorite player was Manny Ramirez. I liked Nomar Garciaparra too. So those were the guys that I looked up to when I was younger. As I got older, Big Papi, David Ortiz was up there.

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Q: What was your reaction to getting selected by the Angels in the 32nd round of the 2017 draft?

A: The year prior I was following the draft pick by pick because I was told I was going to get drafted between the 8th and 20th round and then nothing ended up happening after my junior year. I had a really good year so I was expecting it, it was depressing that I didn’t get drafted. That summer I got to play in the Cape Cod League again and that’s where I met my wife. That following year I wasn’t really following the draft at all. I was told I’d probably be drafted between rounds 25-40 as a senior and I was completely happy with that and I ended up getting drafted in the 32nd round.

Once you get the chance to play, you don’t sign for as much money so you don’t get as much leeway or room for error, but if you show you can play, you’ll stick around for a while.

Q: Early in your career, what was

one moment that made you feel like a professional?

A: When I was in High-A, the first big name I saw was Clay Buchholz. I grew up watching him in Boston. He came to rehab in Visalia, and I got to hit against him and I went 2-for-2.

That was the coolest moment.

Q: When the pandemic shut down the 2020 season, how did you spend the time?

A: When it got shut down, everyone was under the impression that it was going to be a couple weeks, not an entire year. All of the sudden it was the entire year.

The first couple weeks, I went back to Houston where my wife is from and continued to train until June.

Once I wasn’t in the 60-man player pool, our season was over and I went back home to Massachusetts, visited my family and it was nice to spend a summer at home and see family and friends that I don’t usually get to see.

Q: You have a hit in 34 of your first 39 games, how have you been so dependable at the plate?

A: The biggest difference in years past is I wasn’t able to grind through those at-bats. I wasn’t able to draw walks or get a hit. I’m not feeling 100 percent comfortable at the plate and I don’t think I’ve hit my stride yet. But now I’ve been able to grind through the tough days and hit a single or a double and make it a 1-for-3 day. That’s the difference, even with my C game, I’m able to still get a hit and help the team.

Q: You have been described as a

leader on this team, is that always how you’ve played the game?

A: I try to keep it loose. I think as a professional baseball player you should take care of business the right way. I try to keep people loose and after tough at-bats or tough days, I try to be the same person if I’m 0-for-4 or 4-for-4. You’re going to get frustrated every once in a while, but 10 seconds after the at-bat happens it’s over. I try to be like that.

Every day is a new day. I want to be the same person joking around and having fun. It’s a blessing to be able to play and I had it taken away from me for two years so I’m happy to be here now.

Q: What should we expect when you come to the plate?

A: You should expect a good atbat. If I get four at-bats, it’s going to be four quality at-bats. I’m going to try to make the pitcher work and try to make him get me out. I don’t want to get myself out. I want him to have to execute pitches to get me out. I want it to be a grind for him to get me out. When I put it in play, I want to put it in play hard. I don’t want it to be me waving at pitches in going back to the dugout. I take pride in being a tough out.

Q: If you weren’t playing baseball, what would you be doing?

A: I can’t imagine my life without baseball now. I don’t know what I’d do if I was not playing baseball. I went to school for accounting but I definitely wouldn’t want to do accounting. I have no idea, and I hope I don’t have to decide. I hope baseball is always a part of it.

What’s up at the New Coach

how knowing he would return to teaching social studies and coaching softball. He chose the Madison City School System as he felt he wanted to be a part of the best system in North Alabama.

“I would not have taken the position as a softball

coach at any school other than James Clemens,” said Kimbrough. “Teaching is the greatest job in the world as where else can you teach a subject you enjoy and have a huge impact on young people.

Besides, the youngsters keep you young.”

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as head coach, but he sees now the timing just wasn’t right. Today, the position fits him and he feels he fits the position that includes great administration support. This summer he and his players are grasping the change and his goal is get to work as he truly feels his teams will not be out-worked by any competitor.

“I’m truly organized and intent,” said Kimbrough. “I’m a firm believer everything has a purpose as the biggest thing many coaches lose sight of is the fact softball is a game and the girls want to have fun. I try not to chain the players from having that fun and I try and find ways to help their own set of skills.”

Kimbrough enjoyed his break from fulltime coaching and felt his RPO Academy was the glue that kept him involved with high school athletics and some-

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He was a multi-sport athlete in high school and was a heads-up baseball player as a catcher and from age 20 planned on being a head football coach, but his first coaching experience at Huntsville High seemed to draw him to love the efforts of coaching softball instead. Kimbrough added, “Coaching softball was the most fun I ever had as a coach and I absolutely fell in love with the game as the sport was still growing at that time.

I don’t intend to coach any other sport as I’ve become a softball guy. Others perceive that of me and it fits.”

Away from the softball diamond Kimbrough is an avid golfer and tennis player where along the nets of the tennis court he’s rated a 3.5.

When James Clemens first was built and opened its doors in 2012, Kimbrough applied for the job

July 14, 2021

THE RECORD • 3B

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The Affair at Madison Station The largest battle in Madison County during the Civil War was fought in the town of Madison

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Known as Madison’s historian, John Rankin was first known for his work in helping put a man on the moon

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ALSO INSIDE MCS Superintendent Dr. Ed Nichols reflects on his first year leading Madison schools Around Town with Lee Marshall

Food & Dining

Out & About with Rainbow Elementary Memorial Day in Madison WWII veteran celebrates 101 years

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Look for the July issue of Madison Living this week. You can find it in Madison businesses or go to www.madisonlivingmagazine.com

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Sparkman golfer wins Drive, Chip & Putt contest, advances to state competition

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themadisonrecord.com Clara Tran holds the final scoresheet showing her winning the 2021 Drive, Chip and Putt local competition held last month at Hampton Cove Golf Course. The rising sophomore at Sparkman High won her title in a tie-breaker system and has qualified for the state DC & P competition set for August. to Hugh and Amy Tran. “I need to improve in my driving as I’m moving into older age brackets and I need more yardage off the tee.”

Success in golf came quickly for the 5-foot-7, 105-pound left-hander.

At age 10, she played on the U.S. Kids World Tour Championships and was one of the top 50 to play in the event held in Pinehurst, N.C. She arrived with a partial set of golf clubs consisting of just seven clubs while others had a full set of 14 sticks.

“It was a great lesson for Clara and we soon got her a full set of clubs,” said Clara’s father, Hugh.

Today, Clara carries a bag full of sticks featuring a Big Bertha driver, Titleist fairway woods and TaylorMade irons and putter. She uses those clubs like a surgeon uses their surgical instruments maneuvering the golf ball in ways others can only imagine. She thinks through upcoming shots and utilizes her clever imagination to mentally see how to hit the shot or maneuver the golf ball in the direction she needs it to go.

The past year of 2020 due to the pandemic made it very difficult for Clara as she stayed away from competition for 18 months. Whenever possible she takes lessons at Sunset Landing Golf Course under

the directive of head golf pro Dave Snyder. Her father also helps in attempts to perfect her game.

Her goals? Simple. “I want to play college golf hopefully at Auburn where I want to study medicine or computer science,” said Clara. “Maybe I could play professionally.”

Each time the teen tees it up she wears a necklace or earrings as a way for good luck. She also walks tall as she keeps a positive attitude towards her game.

Relative to her young age, Clara has played golf for a short time and has already accumulated a bevy of experiences that will assist in shaping her future in the sport she has chosen to be her possible road to an education or a career. But she already has a moment in her memory bank that will always be vivid- her first experience at golf.

“I was probably seven years old at the golf driving range with my father and it was my first time using a driver,” said Clara. “I hit the ball and it struck the moving ball retriever tractor. That’s my first memory of golf for me.”

If the driving range incident is any indication, Clara has and will continue to throw darts at the pins as the blossoming flower of the golf world.

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HARVEST- As an eight-year growing up in Harvest, Clara Tran was an ice skater and a team sport participant both with much success. With insistence by her father, Hugh Tran, to try a new sport that would last her a lifetime, the spunky little girl decided on golf and attended a one-week golf camp at Madison Golf Center. Like many other youngsters at that age, Clara easily fell into a groove with the sport and has blossomed into one of bright flowering talents of girl’s golf in North Alabama.

Last month, the now 15-year old rising sophomore at Sparkman High School won the 15-year old division local competition of the Drive, Chip and Putt contest held at the Robert Trent Jones Complex at Hampton Cove. The victory was her second in the national competition as she also won the threeskill event two years ago.

“I won blue ribbons for my efforts and have qualified for the Alabama state competition in Prattville in August,” said Clara.

“It was great to win my last Drive, Chip and Putt event.”

The Drive, Chip and Putt was founded in 2013 by the Masters, U.S. Golf Association and the PGA of America and is a free nationwide junior golf development aimed at growing the sport of golf by having participants, ages 7-15, to focus on the three fundamental skills of golf. The Alabama state winners will advance to the Southeast Regional action scheduled to be held in Florida. Regional winners will move on to the finals, which will be held in Augusta, Ga. at the 2022 Masters next April.

Each participant attempted three drives down a 40-yard wide fairway, three 10-15-yard chips at the scoring hole and putts from 6-15-30 feet each. Points were gathered from each individual skill event with total score of the three added together to determine the winner.

Clara posted 38 points in driving, 21 points in chipping and a skill high 70 points in putting to finish tied for first overall with 129 points. Her total matched fellow competitor Scarlett Schremmer with putting results used as a tie-breaker.

As a member of the Sparkman golf team, where’s she been the squad’s No. 1 player since the seventh grade, Clara carries a 10 handicap with an average 18-hole score of 82.

“My best part of my game is actually my short game with my irons as I feel I can throw darts at the pin at any time,” said Clara, only child

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Sparkman High golf team member Clara Tran shows her near perfect golf swing as she has qualified for the Drive, Chip and Putt state competition after winning the local event at Hampton Cove Golf Course. She began playing golf at age eight and has goals of playing golf in college.

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SCHOOLS

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July 14, 2021

Kailyn Grant, a a Bob Jones students who is dual enrolled at UAH, earned third place in the material science category of the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair.

Frank Nola with Nola VanPeursem Architects, gave a brief overview of the project for the Madison City School Board of Education.

New special education (SPED) wing and new marquee planned for Bob Jones

By STAFF REPORTS MADISON – Bob Jones High School will soon get a new Special Education (SPED) wing for the school district’s east Madison feeder pattern.

The Madison City Board of Education approved a $6.89 million bid last week for the SPED addition, which will be on the north

side of campus by the bus loop.

School district officials said the construction package also includes a new marquee with electronic sign board at the main entrance of Hughes Road, improved lighting throughout the school’s exterior, and landscaping improvements.

The current BJHS stone marker at the Hughes Road entrance will

be relocated to near the north entrance off Eastview Drive.

Frank Nola with Nola VanPeursem Architects, gave a brief overview of the project and said efforts will be made to minimize traffic disruptions. Construction is expected to begin around the beginning of this school year and be complete around the start of next school year.

An artist rendering of the new special education wing and marquee planned for Bob Jones High School.

Heritage Elementary School colleagues select Samantha Higgins as ‘Teacher of the Year’

By GREGG PARKER Gregg.Parker@madison countyrecord.com MADISON – Samantha Higgins accepts students for whom they are and meets them where they are.

Higgins is “Teacher of the Year” at Heritage Elementary School.

“I’ve worked at Heritage since January 2015. I started work in the front office and then started my first year of teaching as a kindergarten teacher in August 2015,” Higgins said.

She has taught kindergarteners for six years. “Pre-COVID, I co-sponsored the Student Lighthouse Team,” Higgins said.

Her classroom philosophy is “to love children exactly as they are in that moment and don’t expect them to be any different. I want all of my students to be 100 percent authentically themselves in my classroom, and I want them to love themselves.”

Higgins believes her first job is “to love these kids before it is to teach them. The academics will come when they know they’re accepted and belong.”

During ‘the year of COVID-19,’ Higgins’ major success was seeing her kindergarten students love to come to school and still learn. “We weren’t allowed to share materials or sit in a circle due to social distancing. Kindergarten was not the same this year,” she said.

“As somebody who likes to have fun with her students, I had to come up with new ways to keep them engaged. We played a lot of team games and sang and danced a lot more than we normally do,” Higgins said.

She was born and raised in Monrovia. Majoring in elementary education, Higgins received a bache-

Paul and Savannah Higgins own a dog named Eli. Savannah is “Teacher of the Year” at Heritage Elementary School. lor’s degree from the University of Alabama in Huntsville and a master’s degree from the University of West Alabama.

Her husband Paul Higgins works as a small-business sales represen-

tative.

“Before I was a teacher, I worked as a children’s storyteller at Vestavia Hills Public Library,” Savannah said. Her hobbies are painting, sewing, hiking and reading.

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Local dual enrollment student’s drug delivery research is third at 2021 international science fair

By JIM STEELE UAH News MADISON - Research on a better way to deliver chemotherapy drugs to reduce side effects earned a dual enrollment student at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) and Bob Jones High School in Madison third place in the material science category of the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair 2021 (ISEF).

Kailyn Grant, a rising senior at Bob Jones as well as a student at UAH, a part of the University of Alabama System, was among 1,800 international student contestants overall at the fair.

“There were around 60 excellent global entries in my category, and I wasn’t certain if my entry would even make the cut,” Grant says.

Dual enrollment allows students to receive UAH credits while still in high school. Students must receive permission from their parent or guardian, high school counselor and principal to take dual enrollment courses. Grant credits her dual enrollment education at UAH with helping her win.

“I was in school when I found out and later that day, the fact sank in that I was actually declared a grand award winner,” she says. “It’s incredibly humbling to know that your work has been acknowledged at this prestigious international competition. Needless to say, I am simply elated and very grateful for this recognition.”

Titled “Targeted CoreShell Nanoassembly Composed of a Mesoporous Silica Core, Liposome Shell, and GE11 Peptide as a Drug Delivery Nanocarrier,” her project was selected to advance at both the North Alabama Regional Science and Engineering Fair and the Alabama Science and Engineering Fair (ASEF).

“At the ASEF level, I won two awards, the best of fair award and the first place in category award, before advancing to the ISEF level,” says Grant, who was advised at UAH

by Dr. Hapuarachchige Surangi Jayawardena, an assistant professor of chemistry.

“Kailyn is an intelligent, hard-working student who has reaped the rewards of her hard work,” says Dr. Jayawardena. “I am her research advisor and I also funded her research. She carried out the research in my lab under the direct supervision of myself and my graduate student Kavini Rathnayake.”

Grant’s explored delivering therapeutic drugs by using a core-shell nanoassembly that encapsulates doxorubicin-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles.

“My preliminary research has proven that this delivery method is an effective alternative drug delivery system and would not harm the healthy cells surrounding the cancerous cells,” she

says.

Dr. Jayawardena’s laboratory at UAH is equipped with a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy machine and a dynamic light scattering machine, both necessary to Grant’s research.

“Additionally, I also used a UV-visible spectrophotometer to track the progress of the nanocarriers and confirmed that they had been correctly made,” Grant says. “I used the data from these machines to create and develop graphs and charts for research and data analytical purposes.”

While her research was primarily focused in the materials science arena, Grant says her UAH education in probability and statistics was essential.

“The analysis for my research required a keen understanding of statistics. I was able to apply the knowledge learned by creating the right type of analysis that is essential for my project paper,” she says. “Dr. Jayawardena’s guidance during the ISEF competition was invaluable and I appreciate everyone at the Department of Chemistry for their support in enabling me to independently complete my research.”

Her experience at UAH has enabled her to gain valuable insights into university campus life in general, says Grant, who plans to major in biomedical engineering in college.

“The interaction with other undergrad students and the classes conducted by university professors have been beneficial,” she says. “And I truly feel that my positive experience as a dual-enrolled student at UAH has given me the confidence to embrace university life during the next chapter of my learning journey.”

UAH typically admits 35-55 dual enrollment students every semester, says Austin McDonald, associate director of admissions. Most local high schools inform their students about UAH’s dual enrollment opportunities, and the university attends dual enrollment college fairs as well as sponsoring information sessions. Interested parents and students can also email dual.enrollment@ uah.edu.

“Dual enrollment allows students to gain real college experience before graduating high school,” McDonald says. “They can learn the skills they need to be successful in college while taking just a course or two.”

Students who are dual enrolled also have the opportunity to get ahead on their coursework so that when they get to their university, they have more flexibility with their academic program and can focus on their major specific coursework, according to McDonald.

“They get the experience of interacting with faculty members, learning how to manage a college course load and becoming fully prepared to start at a university after high school.”

July 14, 2021

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July 14, 2021

THE RECORD • 7B

Alabama’s annual sales tax holiday for school-related items is July 16-18.

Tax free holiday for back-to-school items is this weekend

By STAFF REPORTS

Students in Kiley Rikard’s class congratulate her as 2021 “Teacher of the Year” at Mill Creek Elementary School.

Mill Creek’s Teacher of the Year values conversation with students

By GREGG PARKER Gregg.Parker@madison countyrecord.com

MADISON – To Kiley Rikard, teaching is the most important profession in the world. Rikard is 2021 “Teacher of the Year” at Mill Creek Elementary School.

Teachers can introduce students to the world, help them figure out who they want to be and the role they want to play, Rikard said.

“Teachers must be all about listening, having conversations and giving students the opportunity to ask questions,” she said.

“Learning is a lifelong process, and we learn from each other. As their teacher, I’m a facilitator of that learning,” Rikard said.

In her structured classroom, Rikard sets clear routines, procedures, expectations and consequences, while giving a safe place to take risks and ask questions. She confirms that students know their voices are important.

“I’m a support teacher, so I work closely with classroom teachers to help students feel confidence and success in the general education classroom,” Rikard said.

In Conyers, Ga., Rikard taught grades 2-4 and was Academic Coach at J.H. House Elementary for 16 years before returning to her home state in 2016. At Mill Creek, she previously taught first- and fourth-graders and currently is English Language or EL teacher.

She has sponsored Junior Leaders and Amazing Shake Club with students competing nationally at Ron Clark Academy.

Many of Rikard’s students are new to the United States and are learning English. “Students often feel homesick and intimidated when they first arrive. One specific success I’ve felt has been with a student from Japan,” she said.

Within 1.5 years, this student reached honor roll, volunteered to read aloud and showed excitement daily. However, she was devastated when a friend moved out of her class. “She has learned enough English in one year to bond … and experience true loss with her American friend,” Rikard said.

Rikard is fulfilled in promoting an environment for the student to develop friendships with American peers, “instead of simply clinging to her Japanese friends.” The child’s

academic foundations have been important, “but helping her develop confidence in communicating and find joy in all aspects of school has been the most rewarding.”

Rikard earned a bachelor’s degree from Converse College; master’s degree from Walden University; and education specialist certification in elementary curriculum and instruction from Brenau University and add-on in instructional leadership from University of North Alabama. She is a National Board Certified Teacher or NBCT. She owns two cats -- 25-pound Jasper and seven-pound Ripley.

“I’m just a few cats shy of being a crazy cat lady,” Rikard said.

Originally from Tuscumbia, Rikard grew up on a farm with goats, chickens and rabbits. “It’s still my favorite place to be -- even though I consider myself to be a city girl.”

“I love to read by the pool, go to the movies, wander Target and spend time with friends and family,” Rikard said. “My latest interest is learning about the culture of my kids as their generous parents share food and experiences and open their home to me.”

‘Top Staff Member of the Year’ goes to Sebrena Barrow at Mill Creek Elementary School

By GREGG PARKER Gregg.Parker@madison countyrecord.com MADISON – Her co-workers at Mill Creek Elementary School have honored Sebrena Barrow with the title of 2021 “Staff Member of the Year.”

“I started working for Madison City Schools in November of 2012. Mill Creek is the only school in Madison that I have worked at,” Barrow said.

Previously, she worked for Cobb County Schools in Marietta, Ga. as a custodian.

“My job requirements are to keep the school clean and to sanitize in the building on a daily basis,” Barrow said.

During summer, Barrow has one job that makes her feel proud when she finishes it. “When school lets out, we strip and wax floors. They come out nice and clean and shiny,” she said.

A native of New Orleans, MCS AND HUNTSVILLE HOSPITAL ADMINISTER FOLLOW-UP DOSES OF VACCINE - Follow-up COVID vaccines for Madison City School employees, students and their families were administered at Bob Jones High Schoollast week for those who got their first doses at BJHS on June 17. “Madison City Schools is pleased to partner with Huntsville Hospital in this COVID vaccine outreach,” said a social media post from the school district. The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine was recently approved by the FDA for ages 12-15 year olds.

A similar opportunity is scheduled for Madison County Schools this week. Huntsville Hospital hosted a COVID vaccination clinic on Monday for MCSS employees, parents and students — ages 12 and older. The follow-up dose will be offered on Mon., Aug. 2.

La., Barrow graduated from John McDonald High School.

Sebrena’s husband, Charles Barrow, owns a used car lot in Huntsville.

The Barrows have three children: Chuntai Barrow, who recently graduated from college; Michael Barrow, an eighth-grader at Liberty Middle School; and Charles Barrow, who is in seventh grade at Liberty.

At home in her spare time, Sebrena makes her friends happy with the chocolate-covered treats that she prepares for birthday parties.

Madison Board of Education approved the “Teacher of the Year” and “Staff Member of the Year” awards to recognize teachers and support personnel.

In addition, Central Office and the Transportation Department selected a “Staff Member of the Year.”

On all campuses of Madison City Schools, co-workers select “Staff Member of the Year” and “Teacher of

MADISON - Alabama’s sales tax holiday for school-related items is set for this weekend.

It begins at 12:01 a.m.

July 16 and ends at midnight July 18.

During Alabama’s annual sales tax holiday for school-related items, the state waives its four-percent sales tax on school-related supplies and clothing. More than 300 cities and counties throughout Alabama will waive their

local taxes as well.

Madison, Huntsville and Madison County are all participating.

Exempt items include: • clothing priced at $100 or less per article; • school supplies valued at $50 or less per item; • books that cost $30 or less per book; and • tablets, laptops, computers and printers with a selling price of $750 or less.

Further information can be found at retail.alabama.org.

Calhoun and Huntsville Hospital partner to offer free CNA training

By STAFF REPORTS MADISON - Calhoun Community College has partnered with Huntsville Hospital to offer a free certified nursing assistant training program this summer.

Certified Nursing Assistants, also known in the healthcare industry as CNA’s, are in high demand across the region. Calhoun and Huntsville Hospital have created an accelerated five-week training program that will not only provide the instructional training necessary for individuals to enter this field but also hands-on training with clinicals at the hospital. Upon completion of the program, students are guaranteed a Certified Nursing Assistant position at a Huntsville Hospital System facility in North Alabama.

“This is a great opportunity for Calhoun to have a

direct impact in providing the training and education needed to fill positions in healthcare,” commented Dr. Jimmy Hodges, Calhoun Interim President.

“We are always excited to partner with Huntsville Hospital. It’s a win-win for both of us. More importantly, it is an even bigger win for the students who will complete the program and get hired,” added Hodges.

Individuals who are interested in the program are required to participate in a pre-screening via telephone to determine their eligibility. Once the student is deemed eligible, an in-person interview with Huntsville Hospital staff will be conducted at Calhoun’s Huntsville Campus.

To learn more about this program, visit www.calhoun.edu/hh-cna. If you have additional questions, please contact Diane Peck at 256-306-2515 or diane. peck@calhoun.edu.

Maintaining Focus Sebrena Barrow, center, accepts her “Staff Member of the Year” award from Dr. Ed Nichols, Superintendent of Madison City Schools, and Carmen Buchanan, Principal of Mill Creek Elementary School. the Year” recipients for exemplary performance. The honorees received a $500 check from an entourage of staff members from Central Office.

Dr. Ed Nichols, Superintendent of Madison City Schools, attended each check presentation. Other personnel at the visits were Assistant Superintendent Eric Terrell, Chief Academic Officer Dr.

Heather Donaldson, Chief Operating Officer John Jones, Secondary Instruction Coordinator Sharon Powell and Elementary Instruction Coordinator Melissa Mims. Principals and assistant principals at each school also participated.

Winners of the awards are kept secret until the Central Office staff visit each campus or department.

By BECKY MILLER God’s Lemonade Stand Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42 NIV Bible Gateway It is easy for some people to stay focused but if you are like me many causes can sound worthy making me be ‘all over the place’ so I must hone-in on something and do it well. That is what my editor also told me a few years ago that even in writing I was going ‘all over the place’. Hopefully not anymore.

So what cause are you passionate about and is it kingdom building? You can sign up for many worthy things because of being afraid to say no but do you have a couple you can concentrate on to become efficient in? Maybe you do not even have a true passion for any area.

Relax and pray. Maybe your passion is something inward not seen by others. You do not have to do things to be seen by others. Think about what your focus is and decide if anything is suffering because you are ‘all over the place’ and rest and let Christ lead you not worrying about turning people down.

PRAYER: Guide me Lord in what is useful and worthy for your kingdom purposes not letting any spiritual gifting dry up for lack of us but help me maintain clear focus on the main area you want me to focus on. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

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 at writemiller2002@yahoo.com.

MADISON HISTORY with John Rankin

8B

July 14, 2021

A look at the history of 310 Martin Street in Madison

By JOHN P. RANKIN Madison Historian MADISON - The unique architecture of the house at 310 Martin Street can only be viewed after driving down a private portion of the east end of the street beyond Cain Street in Madison.

It is complicated to trace the Madison County deed records for this particular property, but it is known that Elijah Thomas Martin obtained the two-acre parcel sometime before November of 1891, when he sold it for promissory notes from Harrison and Rachael Holden, according to Deed Book VVV, page 217 and two mortgage records.

Exactly how long Elijah had the property prior to his 1891 sale of it is somewhat of a mystery. It does appear that the Holdens did not retain possession for very long. They may have been unable to pay the mortgage notes because apparently Harrison passed away soon after their purchase of the property.

The 1880 census showed that Harrison was born in 1820, so he would have been about 71 years old in 1891. His wife Rachael was 20 years younger than Harrison, so she may have survived after his death, but no records have been found to provide any details of her passing relative to time or location.

Harrison and Rachael Holden had four sons and one daughter listed in their household in the census of 1880.

Their son Pleasants was shown as age 23, while Robert was 15, Watkins was 12, and Milton was 8, but daughter Dotsy was only 5 years old. In the 1910 census, Milton was living in Madison with 7 children and wife Rosy. Milton died in 1918, perhaps as a victim of the great Spanish flu epidemic. Robert was living in Monrovia according to the 1910 census. At that time he had one son and wife Matilda.

The other children of Harrison and Rachael Holden (sometimes given as Halden or Holding) were not found in the censuses of Madison County after 1880. However, the records of the Freedmen’s Bureau immediately after the Civil War showed several listings for Harrison Holding. In those records he had more children listed, including daughters Lila and Laura. Even the names of Harrison’s father and mother were given in one of those records.

The 1910 census additionally had an intriguing entry for a “Rachel A. Holder” and a “Dora,” who might be “Dotsy” from the 1880 census, with a son named Robert. They were living in Huntsville’s Precinct 1. Rachel was also found enrolled in 1908-1910 as a Native American, listed as an Eastern Cherokee. If this was Harrison’s wife Rachael, then it may be that the census record of 1880 listing the family as Black was just following the custom of the 1800s, when it was not unusual for American Indians to be listed as such.

Moreover, if Rachael Holden was indeed of American Indian heritage, it offers another intriguing possibility.

Madison County records from the early 1800s include the case of “Rachel A Pauper” litigation in Virginia. That in itself is highly unusual, for Madison County of Alabama to record court trial data from Virginia regarding only Virginia residents of the time. However, in this case it was very important to the person who filed the papers in Madison County. That person was the daughter of the Virginia petitioner named Rachel, who was a “pauper.” The Virginia petitioner had a daughter named “Juda” who became “Jenny” here through time.

The Rachel’s case in Virginia involved proving that Rachel was a free American Indian in Virginia of the Catawba Indian tribe. The Virginia Rachel had been sitting beside a road in Virginia in 1813 with her brother Sam when they were seized by Thomas Clay and forced into slavery as assumed runaways. Thomas was likely a grandfather of the famous Henry Clay, a great orator of the 1850s. After several years in slavery, a friend filed the lawsuit in Virginia for Rachel to gain freedom from the Clay family based upon the free status of her mother, “Chance,” a known American Indian of the Catawba tribe. The initial ruling was in favor of Rachel, but the Clay family appealed, and Rachel did not gain her freedom until 1826. This delay in her favorable ruling was in spite of the fact that the same Clay family had freed Rachel’s brother Sam in 1815, and then they freed three others by 1819. Rachel must have been considered especially valuable to the Clays for some reason.

Because Rachel’s daughter “Juda” (or Jenny) came to Madison County, she had to file the “free papers” of her mother’s proof in our courthouse to protect her own freedom here. That was due to the old slavery laws that passed slave or free status from the mother’s status. If the mother was free, then her children were free. If the mother was not free, then her offspring were not free. Now if Jenny was indeed of the Catawba Indian lineage, it may be that she was the

Jenny who married a Findley / Finley here. That family lived in the New Haven area between Triana and the town of Madison.

In fact, Triana itself could have been the reason for Juda / Jenny to come here. In the time before White pioneers settled in the area, Triana was an amalgamated village of people from eastern American Indian tribes and other mixed races, including a few Blacks and Whites, all living together as a sort of early but unofficial reservation for themselves. Even Rachel’s freed brother Sam may have come to the Triana area before her. Furthermore, it would be traditional at the time for Jenny Finley to name a child Rachel in honor of her mother. Jenny’s Rachel could well have become the wife of Harrison Holden, since Harrison’s wife Rachael was born in 1840, a time that would fit for the connection through Jenny to the Rachel in Virginia. Of course, this is all conjecture with few official written records, but it is still an intriguing possibility.

Sometimes official written records don’t tell the whole story and are not accurate. Even old census data is often conflicting decade-by-decade for any given family’s names and ages. Land records are likewise occasionally found to be in error. On November 4 in 1870 Deed Book PP page 557 shows that Elijah Martin purchased 121.5 acres of land immediately south of the Madison town area from his older brother George Washington Martin. However, the deed record specifies that the property was in Section 16 of Township 4, Range 1 West.

The earlier and later land transactions show no credible record of Elijah ever owning land in Range 1 West.

However, Deed Book PP page 555 records a deed to George Martin from the estate of James Clemens on November 3 of 1870, the day before the sale by George to Elijah. While this sale record also specifies the same land being in Range 1 West, it contains an exclusion of three acres within the bounds of the parcel. Those three acres are specified in the deed as being within the town of Madison, as surveyed by Thomas J. Taylor. That proves that the reference to Range 1 West was in error because all of old Madison is in the northwest quarter of Section 16, Township 4, Range 2 West. The land absolutely should have been recorded in Deed Book PP as lying within Range 2 West, as prior and subsequent deeds show it.

Subsequent transactions indeed do show that Elijah sold some portions of his land in the southeast and the southwest quarters of Section 16, Township 4, Range 2 West that were within the bounds of his 1870 purchase. Because all of the land addressed in these sales recorded for the Martin family members in Deed Book PP is located in the southeast and the southwest quarters of Section 16, they do not encompass the 310 Martin Street property, which is in the northwest quarter of Section 16.

Considering Elijah’s neighbors in the various census records, it is most likely that Elijah himself lived in the northwest corner of the southwest quarter of the land that he bought from George in November of 1870. The 1880 census records show that Elijah was enumerated in his home very close to George. In fact, next door to Elijah was the Black family of Thomas Holding, age 38 in 1880. It would not be unlikely that this Thomas Holding was a son of Harrison Holden. Elijah lived in house number 1 of the 1880 Madison area census, while George was in house number 5 of that census.

Subsequent censuses show that Elijah lived also very near other early town citizens in the area south of Main Street and toward the west end of Martin Street. Some of these other early town citizens included Seymore Doolittle, James P. Ashford, John B. Floyd, and later Joe L. Brewer -- all of whom lived south of Main Street. These people being nearby to Elijah in the census records strongly indicate that Elijah’s house must have always been close to George’s.

George Martin lived on an acre land that had been surveyed for him on October 31 of 1856. This survey was done even before George’s initial purchase in February 1857 of Lots 11 and 12 from James Clemens to begin the existence of the town of Madison. Previously, George had lived and operated a store between New Haven and Triana, serving the area where Harrison and Rachael Holden lived in 1880. George’s 1856 one-acre plot was not within the bounds of Clemens’ plat of the town.

George’s plot was actually due south of Lot 12, a small parcel that he bought a few months after his one-acre survey.

Lot 12 was later used for his storehouse mercantile business, the first one in Madison. The overall conclusion of land studies is that Elijah apparently did not reside on the land that is now identified as the location of 310 Martin Street, as was previously thought.

John Logan Lanier home at 310 Martin Street

E. T. Martin at right, holding cane as if a rifle

The house at 310 Martin Street, and most of Martin Street, lies in the northwest quarter of Section 16. A small part of the western end of Martin Street lies in the northwest corner of the southwest quarter of Section 16, and it is in that area that land records indicate Elijah most likely had his own house beside his brother George in 1860.

In 1884 George Washington Martin bought Lots 1, 2, and 4 of the James H. Pride estate in the northwest quarter of Section 16, Township 4, Range 2 West.

In other words, no member of the Martin family owned the land along Martin Street east of Cain Street prior to 1884.

This purchase was recorded in Deed Book KKK, page 319. Lots 1 and 2 were described as lying north of Martin Street and south of the railroad in the eastern part of the northwest quarter. Those lots are Lanier family property today, as they have been for over a century.

Lot 4 of these four lots of the Pride estate was recorded as consisting of two acres and lying south of Martin Street.

Subsequent deeds, including Deed Book VVV, page 217, indicate that 310 Martin Street was constructed on a two-acre lot.

George already had considerable property, including much larger tracts along and south of today’s Martin Street. He also had storefront houses along Main Street of Madison. Therefore, it is safe to assume that George did not get the 2-acre tract in 1884 for the purpose of building a house for himself upon it. He was already well-established elsewhere.

Exactly how and when George’s brother E. T. Martin came into possession of the two-acre parcel before he sold it to Harrison Holden has not been found in the old deed records. However, it had to be before August 13 of 1891, which is the date of the deed recorded in Book VVV

when Elijah sold the two-acre parcel to the Holden family. What is known from deed records is that Elijah’s daughter Lena Mae (Martin) Cain later lived in the house with her husband Robert Parham Cain. Their purchase of the property was in 1912 from several other relatives of George Washington Martin, as recorded in Deed Book 105, pages 136 and 137. This purchase by the Cains should perhaps have been better titled as “Quit Claims,” where the Martin relatives relinquished any rights to the property at only token prices.

Today, the 310 Martin Street house is shown in the Madison County Tax Assessor’s reports as having been built by 1900. The true date may have been about 1891, but it likely would have been extensively modified as years passed after any initial construction.

On pages 296 and 297 of the Madison County Heritage Book of 1998 is a comprehensive story of the Lanier family history in Madison. It was written my Mary Margaret Lanier Long and relates that John Logan Lanier (b. 1925) “built a home of his own south of the railroad tracks” in Madison. This new home was just south of his grandfather John Ford Lanier’s home at 154 Maple Street on the north side of the tracks. If his new home was also south of Martin Street, then John Logan Lanier was likely the initial builder or the remodeler of the beautiful house that we see today at 310 Martin Street. That is where his grandson John Logan Lanier (III) and wife Rhonda Harris Lanier live now. Of course, if the Tax Assessor’s data is correct about the initial construction being in 1900, then it is unknown who may have built the house at that time, but the senior John Logan Lanier was not yet born in that year.