Greene Publishing, Inc.

By Lynette Norris

Greene Publishing, Inc.

The FCAT 2.0, that School Superintendent Lou Miller described as “new different, more rigorous” raises the bar from the previous FCAT test administered to tenth grade students.

The new “cut score” recommended on the FCAT 2 is 243, or Level Three.  Two reactor panels have already recommended raising the cut score, but the new FCAT 2 will also mean fewer students will graduate, because fewer will pass the tenth grade FCAT.  Even though the students will have two more chances to retake the test in the 11^th grade and another two chances in the 12^th grade, Miller told the Madison County School Board at their Dec. 6 meeting that an estimated 7,965 students statewide would be unable to pass the FCAT in the tenth grade.

The Commissioner of Education will make the recommendation to the state board of education, and that board will vote on Dec. 19 whether or not to approve the new cut score.  The Madison County School Board would then know what level of performance will be expected from Madison’s current class of tenth graders when they take the test in April.

Madison, FL – A Crestview, Florida man wanted in connection with a Homicide and Armed Robbery is finally behind bars after almost two weeks on the run. According to investigators from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, 23 year old Deaundros L. Blackshear was involved in an armed robbery on November 15, 2011 in Destin, Florida which ended in the shooting death of 21 year old Junior Christopher Ferguson. Information released indicated that Blackshear and co-defendant Arderiuss Warren set up a deal with Ferguson and Peter Frazier to purchase $1000.00 worth of cellular telephones. As Frazier and Warren discussed the deal and exchanged money, Blackshear is alleged to have pulled out a gun killing Ferguson and wounding Frazier. Arderiuss Warren was arrested by Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office on November 16 for unrelated drug charges and charged on November 17 with the murder and armed robbery of Ferguson and Frazier. Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Deputies identified Deaundros Blackshear as the alleged shooter in the robbery and have been pursuing Blackshear throughout North Florida and South Alabama since the incident. Members of the US Marshals Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force were contacted by Okaloosa investigators on Friday November 18 after information was obtained that Blackshear may have fled to the Madison County, Florida area. Task Force members working with the Madison County Sheriff’s Office identified several family members and known associates of Blackshear who were currently living in Madison County. Information developed by Madison investigators lead a team of task force officers to a residence in the 200 block of Anderson Pond Way early this morning. US Marshals Task Force Officers and Madison County Deputy Sheriff’s surrounded the residence and located Blackshear inside the residence hiding in a room with two small female children. Blackshear surrendered to the overwhelming law enforcement presence after a brief standoff and was booked into the Madison County Jail where he awaits extradition back to Okaloosa County.

The Tallahassee Division of the FRFTF is comprised of law enforcement officers from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, Leon County State Attorney’s Office, Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Perry Police Department, Tallahassee Police Department, Taylor County Sheriff’s Office and the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office. These local law enforcement agencies contribute approximately 23 officers in both full time and part time roles with the officers sworn in as Special Deputy US Marshals who have the authority to cross their normal jurisdictional lines to pursue fugitives wanted for violent crimes by their respective departments.

By Lynette Norris

Greene Publishing, Inc.

At Madison County Memorial Hospital, several of the staff took a short break Monday afternoon, gathering in the hospital’s small chapel to remember the fallen heroes of September 11.  As Howard Phillips set up the large flag in the chapel shortly before the ceremony, he spoke of plans to be able to broadcast such services to patient’s rooms in the new hospital; not just services like the 9/11 Ceremony, but also things like a daily devotional or other uplifting program “as part of the whole heart, mind and soul holistic approach that we’ll have.”

Shortly after 2:30 p.m., Vicki Howerton began the service by saying that everyone present probably remembered exactly where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news of the attack on the Twin Towers.  She followed up with Psalms 46, part of which reads, “the Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.”

“9/11 was huge,” she said.  “It affected so many people.  But God is still in control and for that we are thankful.”

Howard Phillips spoke next, saying that he, too remembered where he was when he heard of the attacks.  He was stranded out of the country, unable to get a flight back into the U.S. for several days.  Having been in the military, he did not feel the disbelief that many shared, because he knew that America had some violent enemies, but he did feel a tremendous anger that the attacks had been against innocent people; civilians, non-military, non-combatants … people just going about their daily lives.

“As the years have passed, I’ve tried to put that anger and that hatred out,” he said.  “I’ve tried to replace it with love and respect for the people who gave their lives that day.”  The men and women of the police departments and fire departments, the first responders, the military men and women who have since died in the war on terror, as well as those who continue to serve today…all of them deserve our honor and respect, he said.  He also spoke of his oldest grandson, who had just enlisted in the Air Force.

“We as Americans do tend to forget,” he said, citing the example of fewer flags flown today and far fewer flag pins being sold than in the days immediately following the first 9/11 ten years ago.  “To forgive is divine, but to forget is to allow history to repeat itself.”

By Jacob Bembry

Greene Publishing, Inc.

For the first half of the football game, it was the worst of times for Madison County’s offense. Try as hard as they might, they still could not score. It was the best of times in the second half as the Cowboys poured some pain on the Jefferson County Tigers in football action played at Death Valley in Monticello.

The Tigers scored first as they intercepted the ball in one end zone and ran it all the way back to the other end zone.

As the Cowboys were tentative and lackluster on offense in the first half, the Tigers smelled an upset as they went into the locker room leading 7-0.

Coming out in the second half, the Cowboys found their groove and went on a tear. Behind strong running by Tommie Young and Deontaye Oliver, the Cowboys racked up 42 points and ended the game winning 42-7.

Young was the leading rusher with 16 attempts for 200 yards and three touchdowns.

Deontaye Oliver rushed 16 times for 164 yards.

D.J. McKnight had four carries for one yard.

Keon Bruton rushed one time for 11 yards.

Shedrick Williams rushed five times for 26 yards.

Troymond Alexander rushed three times for 12 yards.

McKnight threw eight passes, completed three, had a touchdown pass and had two interceptions.

Young caught one pass for six yards.

Octavious Fayson caught one pass for 29 yards.

Neal Brown had one reception for zero yards.

Tommie Young was named Offensive Player of the Week, Deshawntee Gallon was Defensive Player of the Week and Devontee Gallon was Special Teams Player of the Week.

The Cowboys suit up Friday evening and take on Trinity Christian at Boot Hill. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Go, Cowboys!

By Kristin Finney

Greene Publishing, Inc.

When most people think of patriotism and honoring America, they think of the Liberty Bell, the White House, the Statue of Liberty, and many other time-honored places across the United States. In a recent edition of the St. Petersburg Times, one of the places that evoked that feeling of patriotism was Madison’s Four Freedoms Park.

The article was a feature about places to travel to in Florida during the Fourth of July to honor America. It ran in the July 3 edition of the paper. Other places featured included Kennedy Space Center, Liberty Bell Memorial Museum, the National Naval Aviation Museum and many others.

The article read, “The tiny North Florida town of Madison is home to the Four Freedoms Monument, a sculpture that, like Norman Rockwell’s series of paintings, embodies the four freedoms outlined by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1941. Walter Russell’s sculpture of angels representing Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Worship, Freedom from Want and Freedom from Fear was dedicated in Madison Square Garden in 1943 — so how did it wind up in Madison? It honors the town’s own Capt. Colin P. Kelly, a B-17 pilot who posthumously received the Distinguished Service Cross for a mission just days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, making him one of the country’s first decorated World War II heroes. The monument is in downtown Madison, just north of Interstate 10 about 50 miles east of Tallahassee; madisoncountyfl.com.”

A previous story highlighting the park ran in an edition of the Enterprise Recorder. The article depicts the history of the park as, “The Four Freedoms Park in Madison honors a rich historical time period and marks many different successes in not only Madison history, but also the history of the United States. The land that the Four Freedoms Park currently is located on, was once the blockhouse built to protect women, children and the elderly during the Second Seminole War. This war raged up and down the Florida peninsula from Tallahassee to Lake Okeechobee and all areas between. The land that the park now uses was also used as the informal courthouse until 1840.

“In 1840 the land was donated to the city of Madison to be built into a park. The Four Freedoms Park is named after the four freedoms outlined by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in his 1941 State of the Union address. These freedoms are the Freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want and freedom from fear. There is a marker in the southwest corner of the park that honors these four freedoms as well.”
Kristin’s Folder Sept. 9, 2011

Chrystal Barrs and her son, Rylan, hold aloft a sign reading “Don’t Compromise Our Children’s Safety in the Name of Budget Cuts.”

Roderick Shaw, center, was named a delegate at the AGD. He is pictured with two other delegates, Tony Menendez, left, and Don Thomas, right.

A Madison County dentist gives a strong presence in the nationally acclaimed Academy of General Dentistry (AGD).  Dr. Roderick K Shaw was one of 200 Delegates across the country to attend the 2011 Academy of General Dentistry National Convention recently held in San Diego, California.  Madison County residents now have a national voice in the governance of the dental profession.

The AGD has over 37,000 dentist-members in the United States and Canada.  Dr. Shaw is the Immediate Past President of the Florida component with over 1,800 members in Florida.

The issues discussed at the annual meeting were access to care, insurance reform, and some of the Obama healthcare issues.  Your voices were heard and expressed through Dr. Shaw. Florida’s voice, like New York and California, carries a lot of weight since the number of dentists in this state alone are equal to other multi-state regions.  “I am excited and honored to be elected a Delegate representing the citizens of Florida.  I anticipate a busy agenda in the years ahead.  The AGD is involved in the many issues facing healthcare today.  It is active in access to care issues, bringing more dentistry to more people, and especially protecting those that need it most from having their healthcare taken away by changes in the healthcare law.  The AGD, along with the FDA, the Department of Health, and the State of Florida Surgeon General Viamonte Ros, MD are active with Medicaid reform, Dental Insurance reform, and a multitude of other dental issues.  Even though the economic times are strained, I am optimistic since healthcare is currently the focus of national leaders.”

The AGD’s overriding mission is to keep the quality and standards of dentistry high through its motto of life-long learning through dental continuing education. Dr Shaw holds both a Fellowship and a Mastership in the AGD, with the completion of over 1,500 hours of continuing dental education. Dr. Shaw is listed in Who’s Who in America and was awarded the Medal of Honor for service to the profession.  Dr Shaw graduated from Auburn University with a degree in Biochemistry and obtained his doctorate at the University of Florida.  He lives here in Madison with his wife, Kathleen, their two children.

To learn more about the Academy of General Dentistry you can look at the website www.agd.org or www.flagd.org.  Please feel free to contact Dr. Shaw with your concerns over access to care, access to dental insurance, early intervention and prevention programs for children, etc. at rkshaw@drrodshaw.com  or to contact his office for an appointment, call 973-6427.