Archive for April 2011

Calling All Quilters!

April 5, 2011 Around Madison Comments Off
2011 QUILT SHOW Call for Entries 3-2011

MADISON, FL – Attention, quilters and quilt owners. North Florida Community College is seeking entries for its ANNUAL QUILT SHOW. Quilts will be displayed at the Wardlaw-Smith-Goza Conference Center in Madison, Florida in conjunction with Madison County’s “Down Home Days” celebration in April. The exhibit will be open to the public with free admission Thursday through Saturday, April 14-16, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Show organizers are calling on area quilt owners to display handmade quilts whether new or old, a treasured heirloom or a recent gift. Quilts will be displayed on the first and second floors of the historic WSG Conference Center, known locally as The Mansion. The Madison County Garden Club will also host a National Garden Club level juried flower show entitled “Kaleidoscope” at The Mansion to compliment the quilt show April 14-16.
Don’t miss this opportunity to show off your quilted treasures. Applications to enter a quilt or multiple quilts in NFCC’s ANNUAL QUILT SHOW are available by contacting Maria Greene, WSG Conference Center Coordinator, at (850) 973-9432 or email GreeneM@nfcc.edu.
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Update: Tommy Greiner Passes Away

April 5, 2011 Front Page, Obituaries 4 comments
tommygreiner2

Tommy Greiner passed away Monday afternoon, April 4.
Tommy is survived by his wife, Barbara; three children, Leigh Ann Greiner, Leslie Stokes (Robert), and Rick; three grandchildren; and one sister, Barbara Robinson.
Tommy and Rick were in the field. Tommy had just roped an Angus bull.
Greiner was a cowboy and he died doing what he loved best. What a way to go.
The funeral will be held at Beggs Funeral Home, Madison Chapel, at 11 a.m. Friday morning, April 8. Visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m. at Beggs Funeral Home.

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Storm Causes Damage, Power Outages Throughout County

April 5, 2011 Front Page Comments Off
Wayne Vickers stands next to a tree that was uprooted on his property during the storm.

By Jacob Bembry
Greene Publishing, Inc.
Madison Countians woke up and found themselves without power early Tuesday morning, April 5, as a storm brewed and blew throughout Madison causing power outages and downed trees.

Wayne Vickers stands next to a tree that was uprooted on his property during the storm.

There were three structures damaged by the storm. One was reported damaged in Greenville, one in Pinetta and one in Madison.
The power was out all over Madison County. During the morning, much of the power had been restored but after 10 a.m., the power was still off in Lee.
Power was still off at Lee Elementary and Greenville Elementary at around 11 a.m. Power had finally been restored at Pinetta Elementary at that time.
Volunteer firefighters and law officers were out working to clear roads.

The awesome fierceness of lightning was on display during the storm. This tree in Cherry Lake was split right down the middle after being struck by lightning.

The storm ripped through Pinetta, tearing awning off the back of the Pinetta Baptist Church.

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Healthcare Unravels

April 5, 2011 Editorials Comments Off

National  Security

Joe Boyles
Guest ColumnistPassed and signed into law a year ago, the (so called) Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, is coming unraveled like a cheap sweater.  Everywhere the supporters of ACA turn, they are under assault … from the courts; from Congress; from the states; and in the court of public opinion where nearly every poll shows that repeal of the law is supported by a margin of 50 to 40.
Remember a year ago when then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that we needed to pass the law in order to find out what was in it (outside the noise of political rhetoric)?  Well, it’s been a year and nearly everyday, a bitter truth comes to the spotlight – little time bombs that the American people find very troubling, so troubling that it is stalling our economic recovery.
The rebellion against the law is occurring at every level.  The law is being challenged in court by 28 (and counting) states where federal district judges have held that the individual mandate (by 2014, everyone is required to buy a health insurance policy or face a stiff penalty) is unconstitutional.  Furthermore, some states are not complying with the law, returning money to the feds designed for implementation.  This is a modern form of “nullification” where states are refusing to implement a law that they suspect is unconstitutional and regardless, feel will lead to bankruptcy.
There is a provision which permits organizations to receive temporary waiver from the requirements of the law.  So far, the Health and Human Services (HHS) department has granted more than a thousand waivers, many going to labor unions.  They have even granted a waiver to the entire state of Maine!  One of the chief architects of the law, New York mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner, is looking to request a waiver for our nation’s largest city.  Why don’t we get a waiver for the whole country?  This is dumb!
The thing I find most upsetting about ACA was the process which led to its passage.  It was gross.  The final vote in the House was 219 to 212.  The bill was so partisan that not a single Republican voted in favor and more than forty Democrats voted against it.  This is no way to pass such an important and far-reaching piece of legislation.  Dozens of House Democrats (including seven term incumbent Allen Boyd) lost reelection and Republicans won a landslide in November primarily because of ACA.
The new House in the 112th Congress has voted to repeal the law by a much larger margin than it passed in the first place.  Of course, their vote to repeal is largely symbolic because the Democrat controlled Senate will not repeal and regardless, Obama would veto.  Still, when the “People’s House” rejects a law by a larger margin than it originally passed, it is another important sign of just how unpopular this thing is.
The opposition argues that this is “government takeover of healthcare” whereas the supporters of ACA suggest it is not.  Who’s right?  Let’s look at Massachusetts which has had a similar form of healthcare in effect for six years (remember Romneycare).  Governor Deval Patrick is requesting more government control of the market because the program is costing far more than expected.  Any surprise?  Massachusetts Healthcare is the “canary in the mineshaft.”  This is what we can expect from Obamacare: citizens losing coverage; more pressure on the government provided pools; escalating costs; and eventually, a single payer, government controlled healthcare system, ala Great Britain.  The camel has his nose under the tent!
Do you recall when this debate was raging last year and repeatedly, the President said we needed this program to “bend the cost curve downward?”  That’s a laugher.  Obamacare was never, repeat never about cost containment.  That was a ruse, a lie intended to divert our attention from the real objective, extending coverage to another 30 million voters/people.
Rather than fix the ailing Medicare/Medicaid programs, the Democrats decided to add 30 million more to the rolls, further stressing the system.  In my opinion, this was political malfeasance of the first order.
I can never recall a situation like this where a new law is so unpopular and is being challenged on every front.  Maybe that was true with the Great Society legislation in the mid-1960s before I became politically aware, but I don’t think so.  All of this dissension and turmoil was so unnecessary.  If Obama was truly the bipartisan leader he advertised in the 2008 election, he would have sought a bipartisan cost containment program that could easily have reached 350 votes in the House of Representatives.  It was an opportunity lost and as a result, we have an unmitigated mess to clean up.

 


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President Reagan’s Promise

April 5, 2011 Letters To The Editor Comments Off

There is really no way to tell this story without a little history first. We, as human beings, have always struggled to understand and cope with people with disabilities. We’ve seen them as signs of God’s displeasure, as demonic or possessed, as causes of shame. We’ve banished them to unseen places and abhorrent conditions. We’ve been told we’d be better off to forget them, that they’d be better off with “their own kind”.
We even invented special places for them. We gave these places names that made them sound like happy places, names like “Sunland”. Sometimes we called them “farms” But happy names could not disguise what they really were. They were institutions, and if that name doesn’t conjure up large, impersonal, often cruel places, where people lived in large congregations of the tragically needy, the violent along side the vulnerable, then you’ve never been to one. They were places whose main goal was to isolate people, to serve the need for “out of sight, out of mind”.
Institutions exist today. There are several here in Florida.. They are far different now. They’re staffed, for the most part, by caring and dedicated people. They have made attempts to eliminate abuse, to provide more humane living conditions, to treat people like people. They are far less crowded, now. But there are vestiges of those old institutions that remain. One is that they still separate people from the communities in which they truly belong. And another is that they are enormously expensive.
It was a combination of the cruel conditions institutions fostered and their enormous expense to tax payers that led to the demise of most and the reform of others. And the evolution of thought that accompanied their demise produced a couple of landmarks particularly notable to Floridians.
The first was a series of legislative initiatives begun in the early to mid 1970’s. Among them was the “Bill of Rights of Retarded Persons” in 1975. Its very existence underscoring the Constitution’s failure to assure the “inalienable rights” it purported to define, this Bill of Rights included the rights to humane discipline, the right to personal possessions, freedom from restraint, the right to medical care and treatment, the right to an education, and the right to physically exercise, among others. In hindsight, it is a disturbingly telling document, but at the time it was new and progressive.
Another initiative of the time was the “deinstitutionalization movement” which sought to place people with disabilities in their own communities. It was demonstrated then as it can be demonstrated now, that the same services provided in an institutional setting can be provided more humanely and far less expensively in a community setting.  This movement was an unmitigated success but it was first met by many with trepidation. Among the fears, especially among family members who had grown accustomed to institutions, was that communities did not have the capacity to provide the same services that institutions provided such as training centers, appropriate residential settings, and specialized medical and behavioral supports.
So we, through our elected officials, made a promise to our fellow citizens with disabilities. We promised them that if they would give up their institutional placement and move back to the communities to which they belonged, that we would see that they had the services and supports they needed.
In 1981, President Ronald Reagan initiated the first Medicaid Waiver. This too was an important landmark. President Reagan had become aware of the case of a little girl from Iowa named Katie Beckett. She spent the first 3 years of her tragically impacted life hooked up to breathing machines and other life sustaining equipment in an exhaustively expensive institutional setting. The same supports could have been provided to her in her family home with the necessary medical supports for a fraction of the cost incurred at the institution. Her family wanted her home but they could not care for her there because they could not meet the income requirements for Medicaid, which had the primary purpose of serving the poor. President Reagan initiated a program to “waive” the income requirement for people with disabilities. It soon became known as the “Katie Beckett Waiver”.
Today, thanks to President Reagan, all fifty states have Medicaid Waivers. These waivers are different in different states, but in Florida, as in many other states, they provide the basis for those community based services that have largely replaced the institutions. In terms of quality of care they are by all accounts an enormous success. And they still cost significantly less than the institutional alternative. President Reagan, as well as the first President Bush, both championed bright futures for people with developmental disabilities.
Until today, it was a promise kept.
The economic crisis affecting our state and nation is undeniable. Services for people with disabilities have suffered along with every one else. In the state of Florida, despite the rising cost of living and out of control medical costs, the Agency for Persons with Disabilities’ budget is actually smaller than it was in 2005. Show me another government agency that can say the same. And keep in mind, with every dollar of reduction in state funding, our state forfeits a dollar of matching revenue from the Federal government, a dollar of your taxes and mine that goes somewhere else. And while funding for community based services under the waiver has decreased, the list of people with disabilities waiting for those promised services has ballooned to over 19,000 people.
Florida now ranks 49th among the 50 states in funding levels for people with disabilities when measured against per capita income. For every $1000 of personal income enjoyed by Floridians, a scant $2.14 is devoted to services for the developmentally disabled. Compare that with New York’s $9.53 or Louisiana’s $7.43. In fact, of all the states in the financially strapped Southeast, Florida is dead last. All 48 states that rank above us have economic crises as well, but this is not just a matter of economics, it’s a matter of values, abandoned in our rush to give tax breaks to corporations and the wealthy.
And now, our current Governor, by Executive Order, has imposed an immediate 15% cut to all rates paid to service providers and threatened to extend the cuts into the coming fiscal year. For a service system already on life support, these cuts may prove to be fatal, leading many to stop providing essential services all together. And it’s being done with no serious reflection on the lives of Floridians, the most vulnerable Floridians, for whom it will be so destructive. There are others in the Legislature who are opposing these devastating reductions, but in the din for lower taxes and smaller government, their compassion and advocacy is struggling to be heard. You have to wonder how many of those who voted for this Governor and the Legislators who support this move thought they, like Reagan, would protect the truly vulnerable as they whittled away at government waste. How many of those who voted for them believed they would turn their backs on the Katie Becketts of our state? How many believed that this new conservatism would be so devoid of compassion?
President Reagan made a promise to all our fellow citizens with developmentally disablies. And he backed it with action. How ironic that he is lionized as among our greatest Presidents by the same people who now seek to undo his work.

And that is a promise broken.

Tim Ressler

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Maxine Crews Cone

April 5, 2011 Obituaries Comments Off

Mrs. Maxine Crews Cone, age 66, died Sunday, April 3, 2011, at the Madison County Memorial Hospital.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, April 6, 2011, at Beggs Funeral Home, Madison Chapel, at 11 a.m. Visitation was held Tuesday, April 5, 2011, from 6-8 p.m. Burial followed the funeral service at Hensey Cemetery in Greenville.
She was born in Brantley, Ga., on June 2, 1944 to Perry and Bonnie Crews. She lived most of her adult life in Greenville and was a member of Sharon Baptist Church in Greenville. She was a homemaker.
She is survived by her husband, Jimmie Cone Sr., of Greenville; one son, Jimmie Cone Jr. of Greenville; one daughter, Sharon Cone Wooten and husband, Nathan, of Greenville; one brother, J.D. Crews, of Kingsland, Ga.; one sister, Libby Brooker of Nahunta, Ga.; three grandchildren, Cheyenne Sheffield, Cierra Sheffield and Ja’nisya Cone, all of Greenville; a very dear friend, Cathy Rains of Cherry Lake, and Cathy’s children, Michael (Jennifer), Kristie (Bobby) Soloman and granddaughter, Emalie Soloman.

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Milton Parrish

April 5, 2011 Obituaries Comments Off

Mr. Milton Parrish, age 91, of Madison County, passed away peacefully at his home on April 3, 2011, of natural causes.
He was born on June 24, 1919, in St. Augustine to Jennie Rebecca (Conner) Parrish and George Daniel Parrish. He was the youngest of three brothers. When Mr. Parrish was two years old, his family moved to Miami, where he grew up. He attended Buena Vista Elementary School, Robert E. Lee Junior High, and in 1937, graduated from Miami Senior High. Shortly thereafter, he joined the carpenters and joiners union and began an apprenticeship as a carpenter, where he soon earned his journeyman card. On Feb. 16, 1940, he married Mary Winifred Batton and that same year, he began working as a switchman on the FEC railroad. He continued to work with railroads until he enlisted in the Army and became an aviation cadet. On July 2, 1941, his first child, Michael Milton Parrish, was born in Miami. Following his training as an air cadet, Mr. Parrish served as a flight instructor at various bases in the USA. In the fall of 1944, Mr. Parrish was sent to England where he was assigned to be a B-24 pilot for the duration of the war in Europe. Most of his combat service was with the 506th Squadron of the 44th Bomb Group, which was based in Shipdham, England.
During 1944-45, Mr. Parrish flew many long range bombing missions deep into Germany. He flew several of his missions in a B-24 named “Joplin Jalopy” in appreciation for the citizens of Joplin, Mo., who purchased enough war bonds to pay for a B-24. At the end of the war in Europe, Mr. Parrish flew the Joplin Jalopy back to the United States.
In early 1946, after completing his military service, Mr. Parrish moved to Bogota, Colombia, where he fist worked as a pilot for a passenger airline. In November of that year, he moved to Shellmera, Ecuador, where he spent a year as a pilot for the Shell Oil Company. In November of 1947, he returned to Colombia and in December of 1948, his daughter, Mary Lucretia Parrish (Pfeil) was born. He stayed in South America working as an airplane pilot for the Colombian Petroleum Company and other companies in Colombia until early 1958, when he moved to Madison and began farming. His home from 1958 until he passed away was a farmhouse he built himself on the west side of Lake Rachel. A few years later, he bought a second farm near Lee, where he eventually based his crop dusting business.
Mr. Parrish had a lifetime interest in and enthusiasm for flying and after about 15 years of not doing any flying at all, he decided to add crop dusting to his farming activities. He started his crop dusting business with a small PA-18 airplane. Shortly thereafter, he obtained FAA approval to use a twin-engine Navion for crop dusting, and eventually, he did all of his crop dusting with a conventional crop dusting airplane.
For many years, Mr. Parrish was engaged in both crop dusting and in raising crops, cattle, hogs and sheep on his two farms. He continued both activities as long as possible, but with advancing age, he found it prudent to retire from active business activities, so he sold his airplanes and farms and enjoyed a long and comfortable retirement in the house he built beside Lake Rachel.
He is survived by his oldest brother, G. David Parrish of Miami; by his children, Mary Lucretia Pfeil, of Madison and Michael M. Parrish, of Tallahassee; by his three grandchildren, Michael Marshall Parrish of Kyoto, Japan, Jenny Rebecca Black of Lakeland and William Jackson “Jake” Pfeil of Tallahassee. He is also survived by four great-grandchildren, Varn Michael Black of Lakeland, Julie Christine Black of Lakeland, Ewan Michael Furumoto Parrish of Kyoto, Japan, and, most recently, Cole Jackson Pfeil of Tallahassee; as well as being survived by a number of nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his first wife, Mary Winifred (Batton) Parrish, who was the mother of his children and by his middle brother, Randolph “Randy” Parrish.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, April 6, 2011, from 6-8 p.m. at Beggs Funeral Home, Madison Chapel. Graveside services will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at Oakridge Cemetery in Madison.
Beggs Funeral Home, Madison Chapel (850) 973-2258, was in charge of arrangements.

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Sheriff To Address 55 Plus Club

April 5, 2011 Around Madison Comments Off

By Lynette Norris
Greene Publishing, Inc.
Madison County Sheriff Ben Stewart will be the guest speaker at the next meeting of the 55 Plus Club, says Deborah Brown, Coordinator for United Methodist Cooperative Ministries.
The 55 Plus Club meets at noon on the second Wednesday of every month (except summer months) at the United Methodist Cooperative Ministries Center, located at the corner of Hwy 145 and Dill Street, about five miles north of Madison.  Each month, one of the eight member churches of UMCM hosts the meeting and provides lunch.  The meetings are open to seniors of all faiths, who come together to enjoy a good meal, visit with friends and hear a presentation addressing topics of interest to them.
As this month’s guest speaker, Sheriff Stewart will discuss topics ranging from preventing scams to driver’s license renewal procedures.
The meeting is next Wednesday, April 13, at noon.  There are no fees or dues, so come on out and bring a friend.
For more information, contact Deborah Brown at 850-929-4938.

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“Saddle Up For St. Jude” Trail Ride Set For April 9

April 5, 2011 Around Madison Comments Off

By Jacob Bembry
Greene Publishing, Inc.
The “Saddle Up for St. Jude” trail ride is set for Saturday, April 9, at the Ellaville Tract of the Twin Rivers State Forest.
The ride participation fee is seat at $15 per rider, 17 or older. Children, 16 years of age and younger may ride for $10 per rider.
Registration will begin at 7 a.m. Ride-out time is set for 9 a.m.
Proof of negative coggins is required for all horses on the property. Horses that do not meet the requirement will be required to leave the property. In addition, stud horses are not permitted for safety reasons.
For horses entering Florida from another state, health certificates on horses are required by the Department of Agriculture and will be asked for at inspection stations crossing the Suwannee River.
Riders 16 and younger are required by law to wear helmets. The Division of Forestry has asked that this law be enforced on all public lands.
In addition to the ride, lunch will be provided by the Madison County Central School FFA at a cost of $5 per plate. There will also be tickets for door prizes; a live auction; water for horses at the parking area; and free bottled water for riders provided by Nestle Waters.
Guests are asked to bring their own lawn chairs,
The Ellaville Tract is a public wildlife and recreational area owned by the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD). Both the Division of Forestry and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission manage the tract. It is located east of Lee, on the south side of U.S. 90 and bordering the Suwannee River in Madison County. It is approximately 14.5 miles east of Madison. Signs will be posted. Heading east, look for the signs on the right side of the road, right before the bridge on U.S. 90.

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Dentist’s Office Announces Winner For Television Set

April 5, 2011 Around Madison, Uncategorized One comment
Dr. Shaw and his staff pose for a congratulatory photo with winner Justina Cone. Left to right: Kim Stewart, Kathryn Stallings, Laura Sykes, Kathleen Shaw, Dr. Roderick Shaw III, winner Justina Cone and her uncle, Roy Kinsey.

The last time Dr. Roderick Shaw’s office gave away a TV, it was Christmas Eve, and it was almost like a Christmas party.  It felt like Christmas Eve once again on Thursday, March 31, when Shaw’s wife, Kathleen, called Justina Cone of Greenville to tell her that she had won the drawing for the 42-inch flatscreen Panasonic Viera.
The Christmas Eve drawing had been so much fun, “we wanted to do it again,” said Kathleen, because, in addition to the actual drawing, “We have months of fun leading up to it.”
Dr. Roderick Shaw III, whose dentistry office is almost directly across the street from the Madison County School Board building on Duval Street, studied chemistry and biochemistry at Auburn University, and followed up with drug research for treatment of arthritis.  His interest in dentistry, and the applications biochemistry and engineering could have in the field, led him to study dentistry at the University of Florida.
Currently, he is also active in the Academy of General Dentistry, which has more stringent requirements than the state of Florida for maintaining credentials  – 75 hours of additional training every two years, compared to 24 hours for the state.  In 2004, he achieved Fellowship status with the Academy by completing 500 hours.  In 2005, he reached the level of Masters (requiring 1500 hours and completion of a four-day, 16-hour written exam), a level achieved by about one percent of practicing dentists.
Dr. Shaw and his wife now live and work in Madison because, as Kathleen says, her husband loves living in the small town environment and having his children here.
At Thursday’s drawing, Kathleen said they had decided to hold even more drawings in the future, about once a quarter, “as a way of giving back to the community.”  This time, a TV; perhaps next time, an iPad.
Thursday’s drawing was also partly to celebrate the almost-completed renovations to the office.  Most of the dark paneling is gone, replaced with light creamy-gold painted walls, and interior walls have been repositioned to add more treatment rooms for patients.  The ambient lighting is warm and homelike, rather than the usual harsh institutional lighting.  The ergonomic treatment chairs, designed by NASA, offer heated massage.  “Everything for the comfort of our patients,” said Kathleen.  It is another way Dr. Shaw is giving back to the community, she added, by investing in his office to make dental visits as pleasant as possible.
In addition to patient comfort, patient care is also important.  State-of-the-art digital X-ray equipment means more minutely detailed images that can be viewed on a large monitor screen, and, in case the patient needs to be referred to an oral surgeon, the images can be emailed directly to the surgeon’s office.  In each treatment room, there is also a flatscreen monitor mounted to the ceiling, allowing patients to see exactly what the dentist sees.  At the end of a hallway, a digital panorex can take the panoramic mouth X-rays without the uncomfortable plastic mouth insert.
At the very back of the office is the small room for the in-house lab that had to be temporarily closed during most of the renovations.  It will be up and running again soon.
Back up front, where the television waited to be taken home, an excited Justina Cone arrived straight from work with her mother, Juanita Cone.  As it happened, her uncle, Roy Kinsey, had just finished with his dental appointment moments earlier, and so was on hand for the presentation.  Hardly able to believe her good luck, Cone told those present, “If you had called me about this tomorrow (April Fool’s Day), I would have really thought you were joking!”
But this was no April Fool’s joke – the very real television in the very large cardboard box was hefted up onto a couple of work stools.  Dr. Shaw and his staff then posed with Cone and her prize, while her mother and uncle took turns snapping photos.
“I am thrilled to be the winner of Dr. Shaw’s television drawing,” said Cone, who also spoke of framing her winning ticket.  “It’s amazing to me when I learn of adults who haven’t seen a dentist since childhood.  Don’t neglect your dental health.  Studies reveal its importance to our overall well being, especial as we age.  Give Dr. Shaw and his team a chance to prove local dentistry can be convenient, administered comfortably and with professionalism.”

Dr. Shaw and his staff pose for a congratulatory photo with winner Justina Cone. Left to right: Kim Stewart, Kathryn Stallings, Laura Sykes, Kathleen Shaw, Dr. Roderick Shaw III, winner Justina Cone and her uncle, Roy Kinsey.

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Becky’s Dance Steps Studio Dance Team Shines At Platinum National Dance Competition

April 5, 2011 Around Madison Comments Off
Pazlei Jenkins, Amelia Blanton and Celina Quintana performed “Ballet Russe.”  This dance won the Judges’ Choice Award for Terrific Ballet Technique. They also won a Platinum Award and First Place Overall in the Recreational, Senior, Duet/Trio, Ballet (ages 13-14) category.

By Kristin Finney
Greene Publishing, Inc,
This year, Becky’s Dance Step Studio took four teams to compete at the Platinum National Dance Competition in Jacksonville. The competition was March 4 – 6 and was help at the University of North Florida’s Performing Arts Center. There were 23 studios in all represented during the Jacksonville regional competition.
Becky’s Dance Step Studio teams consisted of 18 members, ranging from 8 – 18 years old. They prepared and performed seven dances for this competition. After the scoring was done the dancers took home four Platinum and three Gold awards for their outstanding efforts.

Pazlei Jenkins, Amelia Blanton and Celina Quintana performed “Ballet Russe.” This dance won the Judges’ Choice Award for Terrific Ballet Technique. They also won a Platinum Award and First Place Overall in the Recreational, Senior, Duet/Trio, Ballet (ages 13-14) category.

The dances were then grouped together by age and size of group, where all genres of dance competed against each other (ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary and hip hop) for overall titles. Five out of the seven entries for the team placed in the top five in the overalls for each age group and size.
The Judges’ Choice Award for Terrific Ballet Technique was given to Amelia Blanton, Pazlei Jenkins and Celina Quintana for their classical ballet dance, “Ballet Russe.”
All seven of the dances qualified for the National Finals for Platinum National Dance Competition which tours 18 cities throughout the U.S., holding regional dance competitions throughout the 2010 – 2011 dance terms. The National Finals will be held in Panama City & Myrtle Beach, S.C. in June.
The 18 talented and hardworking members of the 2011 team from Becky’s Dance Steps Studio were: Junior Team (ages 9 – 10): Desirea Alexander, Savanna Edwards, Ansley English, Erin Jarvis, Kaylie Rogers, Zaria Straughter and Savanna Wilford. Junior Team  (ages 11 – 12): Brittany Edwards, Stephanie English, Summer Langell and Haley Rogers.
Senior Team (ages 13 – 14): Amelia Blanton, Pazlei Jenkins and Celina Quintana. And the Senior Team (ages 15 – 16): Elainie Jarvis, Ashley Skipper, Ashlyn Welch and Kendal Wilson. The team was co-directed by Toni Norris and Becky Robinson with rehearsals that started in early January.
Congratulations, Becky’s Dance Step Studio 2011 Dance Competition Team! Good luck at National Finals.

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Varsity Cowboys Soon To End Rocky Season

April 5, 2011 Sports One comment

By Jacob Bembry
Greene Publishing, Inc.
The Madison County High School varsity baseball team has had a rocky season.
The Cowboys opened the season with a 9-3 loss to Suwannee in Live Oak on Feb. 18.
Three days later, the Cowboys were shut out by Cook County, Ga., by a 12-0 score.
The Cowboys lost 7-3 to Leon on Feb. 24 in a game played in Tallahassee.
The Cowboys picked up their first win of the year against Godby on March 5. The Cowboys outscored the Cougars 11-6.
The joy of that victory was short-lived, however, when the Cowboys fell to Columbia 12-2 in a game played at Boothill.
Taylor County defeated the Cowboys 5-2 in a game played in Perry.
Jason Fletcher is the head coach for this year’s Cowboy varsity baseball team.

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Sheriff’s Office Seeks Donations For Upcoming Golf Tournament

April 5, 2011 Sports Comments Off

By Jacob Bembry
Greene Publishing, Inc.
The Madison County Sheriff’s Office will host their sixth annual golf tournament on April 15. Funds raised from the tournament will benefit the Florida Sheriff’s Youth Ranches.
“This is our only fundraiser for the year and we are seeking your support for the event,” Sheriff Ben Stewart said. “As you know, the Youth Ranches offer homes, food, education and direction for many young people who are either abandoned or neglected, helping them become productive citizens.”
Right now, the Sheriff’s Office is seeking sponsors and donations from the public. The public can assist in a number of ways, including:
1.  Corporate Sponsorship – $1000.00 (includes Banner, Team and Tee Sign)
2.  Gold Sponsor – $750.00 (exclusive tee sign, four person team)
3.  Silver Sponsor – $350.00 (tee sign with other silver sponsors, two golfers)
4.  Sponsoring a team – $200.00
5.  Sponsoring a hole – $75.00
6.  Donating “golf” or other items for the player’s bags
7.  Cash donations are always welcome and are tax deductible..
Individuals and companies will receive recognition for their donations. Upon request, they will also be presented with an itemized statement for their tax records.
This year, the Sheriff’s Office is holding the tournament during Down Home Days on April 15 and 16, so that people can enjoy the festivities both Friday and Saturday.
If anyone has questions, they can contact David Ballenger at (850) 869-0054 (cell) or at (850) 973-4001.
Sheriff Ben Stewart thanks everyone for their support.

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Warriors Shut Down By Munroe

April 5, 2011 Sports Comments Off

By Fran Hunt
Special to Greene Publishing, Inc.
The Aucilla Christian Academy varsity Warriors were shut down by Munroe last week, 5-0, to stand 9-3 on the season.
Munroe scored two runs in the second inning; one run in the third inning and another two runs in the fourth inning to clinch the win. Throughout the game, Aucilla could only muster three hits.
The Warriors carried a batting average of .130 with 28 plate appearances, 23 at-bats, three hits, three walks, five strikeouts, two hit-by-pitch, an on-base percentage of .286, a slugging average of .134 and five left on base.
Russell Fraleigh had three plate appearances, two at-bats, one walk, two strikeouts, an on-base percentage of .333 and one left on base.
Tyler Jackson had two plate appearances with one at-bat, one hit-by-pitch, an on-base percentage of .500 and one left on base.
Jared Jackson had a batting average of .333 with three plate appearances, three at-bats, one hit, an on-base percentage and slugging average of .333 and one left on base.
Trent Roberts carried a batting average of 1.000 with three plate appearances, one at-bat, one hit, two walks, an on-base percentage and slugging average of 1.000 and one left on base.
Tres Copeland had three plate appearances with two at-bats, one walk, one hit-by-pitch, an on-base percentage of .333 and one left on base.
Austin Bishop had one plate appearance with one at-bat and a strikeout.
Brandon Darnell had a batting average of .333 with three plate appearances, three at-bats, one hit, an on-base percentage and slugging average of .333 and one left on base.
In fielding, the Warriors carried a fielding percentage of .882 with 17 total chances, nine putouts, six assists, two errors and allowing five stolen bases.
Casey Wheeler had a fielding percentage of 1.000 with seven total chances and seven putouts.
Marcus Roberts had a fielding percentage of 1.000 with one total chance and an assist.
Tyler Jackson had a fielding average of .667 with three total chances, two assists and one error.
Trent Roberts had a fielding percentage of 1.000 with three total chances, two putouts and one assist.
Josh Wood had a fielding percentage of 1.000 with two total chances and two assists.
On the mound the Warriors pitchers had an earned run average of 2.33 with a batting average of .087, an on-base percentage of .344, in six innings pitched, 32 batters faced, 23 at-bats, five runs, two earned runs, two hits, one double, giving up eight walks, six strikeouts, one hit-by-pitch, four wild pitches, and five stolen bases in 131 pitches.
Marcus Roberts had an earned run average of .000 and batting average of .000, with an on-base percentage of .200 in 2.2 innings pitched, 10 batters faced, eight at-bats, one run, two walks, two strikeouts, two wild pitches, and one stolen base in 40 pitches.
Trent Roberts had an earned run average of 4.20, a batting average of .409, 3.1 innings pitched, 22 batters faced, 15 at-bats, four runs, two earned runs, two hits, one double, six walks, four strikeouts, one hit-by-pitch, two wild pitches with four stolen bases in 91 pitches.
The Warriors are currently 9-3-0 on the season, have a winning percentage of .750, they are 4-2-0 at home, 5-1-0 away and 4-3-0 in league play.

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Aucilla Athletes Named Diamond Big Bend Leaders

April 5, 2011 Sports Comments Off

By Fran Hunt
Special to Greene Publishing, Inc.
Athletes from Aucilla Christian Academy were named to the list of Big Bend Leaders in both baseball and softball last week.
In baseball for hitting, in a minimum of 21 at-bats, Trent Roberts was number two with 19 hits out of 34 at-bats for a batting average of .559.
In homeruns Trent Roberts was number two with four homeruns ripped thus far during the season.
For runs scored, Trent Roberts was number three with 15 runs scored.
Josh Wood was number four in runs scored with 14.
Jared Jackson was number six slot with 12 runs scored.
Also tied in number six was Marcus Roberts with 12 runs scored.
Casey Wheeler also stood in the number six position with 12 runs scored during the season.
In runs batted in, Trent Roberts stood in the number one position with 22 RBI’s.
Russell Fraleigh was in at number 10 with 10 runs batted in.
For stolen bases Wheeler was number seven with seven stolen bases during the season.
On the mound, in pitching, with a minimum of 16 innings pitched, Trent Roberts was in at number four with 22.1 innings, pitched, and two earned runs for an earned run average of 0.63.
Hans Sorensen was in the number six position with 20.1 innings pitched and three earned runs for an earned run average of 1.03.
Marcus Roberts was number nine in pitching with 18.2 innings pitched with four earned runs and an earned run average of 1.50.
In strikeouts, Trent Roberts was number one with 42 strikeouts thus far during the season.
Marcus Roberts was in the number four position with 33 strikeouts.
On the softball diamond, in hitting with a minimum of 28 at-bats, Ashley Schofill was in the number two position with 22 hits out of 37 at-bats and a batting average of .595.
Kaitlin Jackson was in at number six in hitting with 18 hits out of 34 at-bats for a batting average of .529.
Pamela Watt was in at number 20 with 20 hits out of 51 at-bats for a batting average of .392.
Sunnie Sorensen was in the number 23 slot in hitting with 16 hits out of 43 at-bats for a batting average of .372.
Brooke Kinsey was number 24 with 18 hits out of 49 at-bats for a batting average of .357.
For homeruns, Kinsey was in the number three position with three homeruns.
Schofill was in at number four with two homeruns ripped thus far during the season.
In runs scored during the season, Watt was in the number two position with 23 runs scored.
Schofill was in the number three slot with 22 runs scored during the season.
Sorensen was also in at number seven in runs scored with 16 runs.
Jackson was in the number eight position with 15 runs scored.
For runs batted in, Watt was in the number one position with 30 RBI’s.
Kinsey was in at number seven with 14 runs batted in.
Also in the number seven position was Schofill, with 14 RBI’s.
Sorensen was also tied in at number seven with 14 runs batted in thus far during the season.
In stolen bases, Schofill was in at number five with 10 stolen bases.
Taylor Copeland was in the number six slot with nine stolen bases.
Jackson was in at number seven with eight stolen bases.
For win/loss record, Taryn Copeland was in the number three position with a 9-3 record and a winning percentage of 0.750.
In strikeouts, Taryn Copeland was in at number six with 63 strikeouts thus far during the season.

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Town of Lee Old Time Days Swap Meet/Yard Sale Set For Saturday

April 5, 2011 Around Madison, Front Page Comments Off

The Town of Lee Old Time Days Swap Meet/Yard Sale will be held Saturday, April 9, from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Lee Ball Field.

Events will include live entertainment, booths (food, churches, service groups, children’s games, Relay for Life, books, plants), a car show, steam engines, antique tractors, bounce houses, and an auction (cakes, gift cards, quilts and other items).

The cost of vendor booths will be $40 with electricity, $30 without electricity and $10 with yard sale tables. You must bring your own table.
For vendor/yard sale/swappers application, please contact Carol Bynum at (850) 971-7246 or Lee Town Hall at (850) 971-5867.

All proceeds benefit the Lee Volunteer Fire Department.

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