Greene Publishing, Inc.

You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll want to buy dancing shoes. Join the RATT pact as they present their 2011 season opener at Madison’s downtown Rural Area Theater (RAT). The smash hit Dearly Departed presents the Turpin family during their time of tragedy when Daddy Bud passes suddenly at the breakfast table. As the family gathers, they prove that living and dying in the south are seldom tidy and always hilarious.
Raynelle Turpin, Bud’s widow (played by Judie Baldwin), describes her deceased husband as mean and surly. As she explains to Reverend Hooker (Bob Wieland), “We were married 39 long (pronounced loooooong) years.”  Rounding out the family are oldest son RayBud (Link Claverie) and his wife Lucille (Dawn Renner); son Junior (Justin Webb) and his wife Suzanne (Melody Claverie); young daughter Delightful (Molly McCormack); Aunt Marguerite (Jessica Webb) and her son Royce (Alberto Rosalio).
New to the RAT stage are local residents Alston Kelly and Sharon deJonge as they lend humor through their portrayal of friends of the Turpin family.  Teagun and Skyler Dunn showcase their voices as members of the Joy of Life Singers.  Behind the scene experts Donn Smith and Tim Dunn serve as stage manager and tech coordinator.
The show opens April 7 and will run through April 10. Show times are 7:30 Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and 3:00 Sunday. For more information, or to make reservations, call 850-673-9585 or visit www.rattpact.com.

By Kristin Finney
Greene Publishing, Inc.
In cigarettes today, it is almost impossible to find a product that doesn’t contain added chemicals and byproducts. These chemicals are what make cigarettes more dangerous than they are believed to be.
CJ’s in Lake Park, Ga. is trying to change that stigma being place on cigarettes. At CJ’s, customers can roll their own cigarettes in eight minutes. Customers can choose from all types of tobacco and once they have made their choice, the machine at CJ’s ½ Price Tobacco will roll 200 cigarettes in eight minutes.
All of this hand-rolling and in-house purchases not only guarantees that your product won’t have chemicals, it also allows you to spend about half the price that you would normally spend.
Darrin Johns, Manager at CJ’s ½ Price Tobacco, stated, “We offer a good smoke for half the money that you would pay for a major brand.”
CJ’s is owned by Charles Bridges and Jackie Johns. Their mission is to offer safer products for far better prices. For a carton, 200 smokes, regulars and lights are $20.95 and menthols are $22.95. They offer regular, lights, ultra lights, menthol, light menthol and ultra light menthol.
CJ’s is located at 1016 Lakes Blvd. in Lake Park, Ga. For more information on their products and services please call 229-559-0391 or 855-553-0391.

By Jacob Bembry
Greene Publishing, Inc.
Lil Red’s Country Style Restaurant, just off Highway 150 North in Lovett, celebrating its first year in business on Saturday, March 26.
The day was a smashing success as the restaurant overflowed with customers.
Everyone enjoyed lunch and the children loved playing inside the bounce house, which was provided by Christopher and Amanda Norris, of Sunshine Moonwalks.
During the afternoon, everyone enjoyed listening to music outside, as Richard Cruce, Wade Cruce, Brent Rowell, Chris Sheffield and Naomi performed.
Tina Brock, from Bainbridge, Ga., was the special guest performer during the evening.
By 6 p.m., the restaurant was full and more tables were brought inside for the customers.
“I was a little nervous honestly, since the crowd was larger than we expected,” said Kristy Jarvis, co-owner of the dining establishment with her husband, Dee, “but I loved seeing that many people come out.”

Dee and Kristy Jarvis stand in front of the bounce house, which was provided by Christopher and Amanda Norris of Sunshine Moonwalks.

Kristy and Dee said that they would really like to thank everyone for their patience and understanding throughout the night.
“We had never had so many ready to eat at once, which was a great problem to have,” Kristy said. “We have grown and learned a lot since last March and can see that things run a little smoother with experience.”
Dee and Kristy are thankful for all the support they have gotten from customers, friends and family this past year.
“There are so many who come out and support us every weekend,” Kristy said, “and even those who have only been able to come out some, or even if they just mentioned us to a friend, we thank you all for making this year happen. Without our crew, mine or Dees’ parents, family and friends we could not have done it. I would like to thank the Busy Bee also.”
Lil Reds has a Facebook page, listed as Lovett’s Little Reds. Readers can check out more photos from the first anniversary by adding Lovett’s Little Reds as a friend on Facebook.
Lil Reds Country Style Restaurant is open every Friday and Saturday, from 5:30-9 p.m., and on Sundays, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

By Kristin Finney
Greene Publishing, Inc.
A previous version of this article was printed in the February 23 issue of The Carrier. However, due to the devastation in Japan in recent weeks, Dalton’s destination for her trip has changed.
Beginning on June 18, Dalton Lee will get to experience a trip that most would only dream of. The organization People to People has invited Dalton to join them in the summer of 2011 to travel to Europe. Her trip will last 19 days and she will travel all through Europe. They will visit Ireland, England, Wales, France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
There were 37 students chosen throughout the entire state, and Dalton is the only student chosen from Madison for this trip. For one Saturday each month, until her trip, Dalton travels to Tallahassee to take a class teaching the students about the culture. Dalton stated, “I am only nervous about being away from Mom and Dad for the first time, other than that I am not really nervous…I don’t mind flying.”
Dalton is in the ninth grade at Madison County High School. She has a 3.8 GPA and is active in Family, Career and Community Leaders of America. She is also active in the Pinetta Baptist youth group and is a member of Hickory Grove United Methodist Church. Her parents are Davis and Tamera Lee.
People to People was organized in 1956 by Eisenhower. The group was designed to exchange American students all over the world to show that if students can get along, then countries and governments should be able to interact and get along as well.
Dalton’s trip will last two weeks. The cost of the trip is $8,000 without spending money, clothes, luggage or supplies. So far, she has raised $7,500, but she expects to need at least another $2,000. Her family has had many fundraisers to raise money for Dalton. They have been taking, and are still taking orders for cakes. They estimate that they have made nearly 200 cakes. Dalton shared, “My mom, dad, grandma and ladies at the church have helped. Dad helps put the frosting on them.”
Dalton and her mother will be making angel pins and selling them to raise money for the trip. If you are interested in purchasing a pin to help Dalton, please call (850) 929-2465. Donations can also be made directly to Dalton by mailing your donation to 982 NE Pineapple Street, Pinetta, FL 32350.
Dalton would like to extend her deepest appreciation to anyone who would like to help support her trip. She would also like to thank everyone that helped her so far.