From Benjie Dyal: Madison 10U girls all-stars beat Apopka 13-2 in the third round of the state championship tournament. 10U girls play again at 5 p.m. 8U girls play at 2:15.
Tag Archive for madison
Remembrance Of Things Past… Walter Corbin
Walter Corbin was not born in Madison, but spent much of his adult life here.
By Kristin Finney
Greene Publishing, Inc.
Though he has not always been in Madison, Walter Corbin has spent many years in this small town. He and his wife originally hailed from Alabama, but work brought them to Madison. Corbin got an offer to work at Marcus Weever’s ranch as a Manager.
When he first moved to Madison he remembered the easy going attitude and the calmness that filled the city. “There wasn’t much of anything here. It was kind of a poor town,” Corbin stated.
He and his wife did not have the money to go out on dates or things like that, but they did enjoy going out to eat at Hillcrest Dairy Bar. “There weren’t many places to eat in town,” he explained.
They attended church at St. Johns Church, just west of Madison. They raised their children here and all five of their children graduated from Madison High School.
Corbin and his wife spent a lot of time grocery shopping. One of the best stores in town was the Quick Check, which is now Winn Dixie. They also shopped at Setzer and Pick-n-Save, when those stores were still in town.
He recalls of Pick-n-Save, “They had everything that you could want. Whatever you wanted, they had it.”
Though he wasn’t here for his entire life, Corbin remembers a Madison far different than what it currently is. He remembers a place that was laid back and calm, very different from his hometown in Alabama.
“Madison’s changed quite a bit since them days,” he told this reporter.
Madison 10U Girls Lose First Round
The Madison 10U girls dropped a game in the first round game in the state playoffs. They will be back in action on Friday. Show them your support and go, Madison!
SECOND STRUCTURE FIRE IN MADISON TODAY
Submitted by Pat Lightcap
Shortly after 8:00 PM on Saturday, July 2, 2011 a structure fire was reported on Darwin Loop off of Hwy 53 North in Madison County.
The mobile home was blazing prior to the three fire departments arriving. Cherry Lake Fire/Rescue, Pinetta Fire/Rescue, and Madison Fire/Rescue responded to contain the fire to the one trailer in a group of homes.
The Red Cross was called to assist the family and the State Fire Marshall was notified of the incident.
Early, just after midnight today another structure fire happened in the Greenville area to which Greenville Fire/Rescue, Madison Fire/Rescue, and Hamburg Fire/Rescue repsonded. No known injuries reported from either event.
Madison County Emergency Medical Services and the Madison County Sheriff’s Office provided support at each fire scene.
Sammy West Offers Detailing Service At Hall’s Tire and Muffler
Sammy “Buddah” West
By Jacob Bembry
Greene Publishing, Inc.
A familiar face to Madison residents is now detailing cars.
Sammy West, nicknamed “Buddah,” has a spot set up at Hall’s Tire and Muffler. West said that he washes cars and cleans the inside of them.
Offering a low price, he says that his work is guaranteed to make a car look brand new.
West is the son of the late Retha Mae West and George West.
If you need your car washed or cleaned, stop by Hall’s Tire and Muffler and see Sammy West.
Remembrance Of Things Past… Guy Hall
Guy Hall spent his childhood running through the swamps of Madison.
By Kristin Finney
Greene Publishing, Inc.
Guy Hall was born in Madison, and although he left for a while, he has found his way back to his roots.
He did not go to school, much of his childhood was spent working or doing things for his family. His grandmother died when Hall was only eight years old, and that took a major toll on his childhood.
Hall recalls a Madison quite different from present day. There was very little to do other than play with friends, work or hunt. But he made the best of the situation.
During his childhood he spent his days working and running through the swamps. “I spent a lot of time in the swamps. I was almost always there when I wasn’t working,” he stated. “I liked being alone and not being around other people.”
He enjoyed hunting for rabbits and squirrels. He even recalled hunting a “swamp rat.” He ate everything that he killed, including the “swamp rat.” He recalled, “It tasted real good, like squirrel.”
Though he didn’t spend his afternoons hanging out with friends or playing ball, Hall had plenty to keep him busy. “I worked since I was six years old,” he explained. He worked in the fields and on farms of some local farmers.
Hall served in the Army during World War II and following the war moved to New York for a while. His time in New York did not dampen his desire for the small town though, because he returned home to Madison after a few years.
Later in life, after returning from New York, he worked as a junk man. He and his wife spent the rest of their lives in Madison. While his daily diet now doesn’t consist of much squirrel or “swamp rat,” he hasn’t forgotten his roots or his youth in Madison.
Remembrance Of Things Past… Eartha Barfield
Eartha Barfield
By Kristin Finney
Greene Publishing, Inc.
To say that Madison has changed over the years would be an extreme understatement. The older generation once knew a Madison with movie theaters, dime stores and many other amenities that no longer grace this small town.
Eartha Barfield has lived in Madison for the majority of her life. She attended high school in Greenville and spent many of her afternoons at Suwannee River Junior College’s (now North Florida Community College) ball field.
Barfield played basketball for her high school and, after school, almost every day she and the team would practice at the college’s ball fields. “I also used to jump rope and play hop-scotch. There were a whole bunch of us who used to go out there,” explained Barfield.
Growing up, Barfield stayed busy helping around the house also. She helped to cook dinners for her and her family. She also cleaned around her house by dusting and mopping the floors every week.
Some of her hobbies included sewing, a hobby that she still holds today. “I want to learn to crotchet, too,” said Barfield. She enjoys sewing all sorts of things, so many in fact that she can’t list just one favorite. Sewing allowed her a chance growing up to have something to do when she wasn’t playing ball.
Another activity that Barfield enjoyed doing, and she even described it as her job, was planting flowers. She enjoyed working in the garden and planting all kinds of flowers.
Being outside was one of Barfield’s favorite things. Whether she was outside playing ball or working in the garden, a large portion of her time was spent outdoors.
Being outdoors played a large part in Madison’s past. Unlike present day, there was not much to do inside. There were no video games or computers to entertain children, so instead, they went outside to play with other children.
With Videos: Big Boys’ Railroad Toys
When they outgrow toy trains and accessories, they graduate to the real thing.
John Leynes, Jr., the son of Avice and John Leynes., Sr., of Cherry Lake (descendants of the Wood and Sutley families of Madison), is also an avid railroad enthusiast. He recently bought himself a custom made track car and took it for a spin Friday morning, June 17, on a length of unused railroads tracks near the old Madison Welding sign off State Road 53.
Leynes, who now lives in Jacksonville, and his friend, Jay Boggs, met up with Paul Zaro of San Jose, Calif., to look over Leynes’ new prize possession, the bright orange Beaver Car, an exact replica of those manufactured by the Beaver Car Company of Canada. Zaro, who usually builds hot-rod cars out in California, built the little orange Beaver Car, custom-machining everything for Leynes. It was a $50,000 car, which he sold to Leynes for $17,000.
When asked about the strange company name, Boggs replied that Canadians were more apt to buy something named after a beaver, moose, or other native critter, so many companies in Canada name themselves accordingly.
The type of car Leynes purchased once zipped up and down tracks all over the country, inspecting tracks and signals, and transporting maintenance crews, but the they were rendered obsolete by the new hy-rail equipment, trucks with “drop-down” wheels that enable them to travel standard roads and highways to a section of railroad, and then “drop down” the rail wheels that allow them to travel the railroad. The hy-rails saved time, needing no other vehicles to transport or offload them, and they eventually replaced the track cars. Companies stopped manufacturing them about a decade ago and many ended up rusting and disintegrating in junkyards and rail yards.
Leynes’ friend Boggs is also a rail car fan, and a fan in general of anything to do with railroads. Originally from Dayton, Ohio, he grew up in railroading family with grandfathers and uncles who worked for the railroad companies. He also owns a track car, having purchased and restored one when he was still in high school in 1962. “That was at least a couple of years ago,” he joked.
Boggs and Leynes have traveled up and down the Eastern Seaboard in rail cars, and Leynes had been looking for a rail car for sale for years. It was during a “stunning rail ride through Canada” in 2005 that he met Zaro, who would later build “the finest two-seater rail car in North America” for him.
Boggs, Leynes and Zaro are all members of NARCOA, the North American Rail Car Operators Association, an organization that coordinates information on unused rail lines and branch lines that track car enthusiasts use to travel all over the country.
“Anything to promote railroading,” said Boggs. “One way to solve our fuel problems. It’s a very efficient way to move.”
8U Baseball All-Stars Selling Chicken and Rice at Courthouse
In front: Wesley Borgert. Back row, left to right: Brannon Tolar, Riley Borgert and Rhett Rutherford
The Belles of Madison County: Part 2 – Highlights From the 100-Year History of the Madison Woman’s Club Through the Eyes of Past Presidents
By Lynette Norris
Greene Publishing, Inc.
May of 2011 marked the 100th anniversary of the Madison Woman’s Club. As outgoing president Jackie Johnson presided over her final meeting, the club members took a look back at some of the history of those 100 years.
Jackie Johnson (2010-2012 and 2006-2008; Johnson also served a third term several years earlier which will be highlighted in a future story) Johnson’s current term saw the Club add 27 new members to its roster, raise funds for repair and maintenance of the Woman’s Club building, as well as donate money to a wide range of annually recurring charities, from the hosting monthly birthday parties for residents at assisted living facilities to Operation Christmas Child to Canine Companions for Independence. They hosted a lingerie shower for the Hacienda Girls Ranch (a home for abused and neglected girls), in addition to collecting and donating school supplies for the Take Stock in Children Program. Madison County Sheriff Ben Stewart was the guest speaker during one meeting, with a presentation on confiscated drug smuggling funds and how this program benefits the county.
Madison’s Christmas celebration was a little more special, thanks to Club members’ hard work decorating the dining room in the Wardlaw-Smith-Goza Mansion and the enormous tree in Four Freedoms Park.
During Johnson’s prior term (2006-2008), the members raised funds for Operation Smile, an organization providing free corrective surgeries to children with cleft palates and other deformities, collected pennies to make a mile and collected book bags for the girls at Hacienda Girls’ Ranch. They also collected a huge amount of toiletries and personal items for the Battered Women’s Shelter in Tallahassee. A representative from Canine Companions for Independence was a guest speaker at one meeting, explaining how the organization raised and trained service dogs, and provided those dogs at no charge to disabled people who needed the assistance of a four-footed companion for simple, everyday tasks. Club members also participated in the Sew Much Comfort program, altering shirts for wounded soldiers, and honored one of its own members, Willie Claire Copeland, with a marker in Four Freedoms Park, for her dedication to planting trees each year in memory of deceased members. Local Student Ashley Smith received a ROCK (Reach Out to Kids with Cancer) Scholarship, and the Club helped the community celebrate Christmas by decorating the large tree in front of the Madison County Community Bank. Their effort won first place in keeping with Madison’s “Our Holiday Heritage,” thus beginning the Club’s tradition of decorating trees downtown.
Ethel Barefoot (2008-2010) – You may remember the Patriotic Christmas Tree on Range Street a few years ago; that was one of the club’s projects during Ethel Barefoot’s term as president. It was also during this time that the club began the tradition of decorating the Wardlaw-Smith-Goza Mansion for Christmas. They traveled to Tallahassee for Legislative Days in support of Senate Bill 136, providing funds for domestic violence victims, and lobbied for the very first president of the Madison Woman’s Club, May Mann Jennings, to be inducted into the Florida Women’s Hall of Fame.
Back in Madison, they collected and donated clothing for the displaced Homemaker Program at the North Florida Community College, donated soft drinks for the 4th of July Festival at Lake Francis and sold pies at the Red, White and Blue Festival in Downtown Madison. They also recognized a local doctor, Dr. Jonathon Bibb, voted as Hero of the Year for Madison, presenting him with a resolution in his honor.
The members’ creative side received recognition with an amazing 11 first place winners in the District 3 Arts and Crafts Festival; those winners went on to State level and picked up a first place, a second place, two third places and two honorable mentions.
At the State Convention, they won second place for their Club Yearbook and third place for Citizenship in Action, as well as hosting the District 3 Spring workshop with State Officers attending.
Barefoot was also selected as the District 3 LEADS representative to attends the Leadership, Education and Development Seminar, and was honored at the State Convention.
Videos: Scenes From Maroon and Silver Game
Videos from the Maroon and Silver game, played at Boot Hill on Thursday, May 19, 2011, at Boothill in Madison, Florida online at http://www.youtube.com/user/greenepublishingusa
Madison Garden Club Finishes Another Year
Participants in the Flower and Quilt Show stand in front of the stage. Left to right: Dolly Ballard, Nell Ring, Ann Paquett, Liz Sullivan, Wanda Dickinson, Jackie Kirkland (behind Wanda, to the right), Laura Coleman (directly in front of Jackie, to the right of Wanda), Rosie Leggett, Mary Philips, Martha Beggs, Rhoda Walley, Jan Ledsome, Thelma Dehart, Lura Fine, Eula Donaldson, Annette King, Peggy Rykard, Sarah Adams and Mina Bloodworth.
By Lynette Norris
Greene Publishing, Inc.
After a year of gathering and gardening and giving back to the community, the Madison Garden Club drew their club’s official year to a close, thanking all those who had worked so hard to make all their projects a success, and installing new officers for the coming year.
But there was also time for remembering one of their number, Karla Rooks, who had passed away some months earlier. Mina Bloodworth read a poem about blossoms that fall too soon, and presented a memorial plaque to Rooks’ daughter, Catherine Cassidy, who said that her mother had always loved the garden club very much.
In addition, there was a much more recent loss, that of Inda Tinney’s mother, Margaret Sullivan. Immediately after the club meeting, many members were planning to go to her funeral service, and from there, on to the graveside service at Mt. Horeb.
President Dolly Ballard presented flowering coral-pink geranium plants to thank the officers who had served with her: Vice President Marianne Green, Treasurer Joyce Primm and Secretary Laura Coleman. She also introduced the new officers for the coming year: Martha Beggs, President; Laura Coleman, Vice President; Jan Ledsome, Treasurer; Ann Paquett, Secretary; Vicki Howerton, Chaplain, all of who were officially installed with a brief ceremony Ballard, who has served two terms as President, from 2009 to 2011, has also been listed in the National Distinguished Book of Garden Club Presidents, but the biggest surprise of all was a gift of a laptop computer from the other club members in appreciation for her willingness to take on two years in a row at the helm.
At the beginning of the meeting, there were numerous pots of flowering plants adorning the steps that led up to the stage. By the time the meeting was over, they had all been handed out as thank-you gifts to the women who had worked so hard on the Club’s projects throughout the year, including those who had worked with the children at Pinetta Elementary on their vegetable garden and butterfly garden and to Jan Ledsome and Thelma Dehart, who had worked on the Elvis Sock Hop. “That was Dolly’s little baby,” said Vice President Laura Coleman.
The biggest group to receive a thank-you was the group that participated in and made the flower and quilt show last month such a success — nearly 20 women received the pretty yellow corsages as thanks for their efforts.
The last Yard of the Month Award, until September, went to Alice Hammond.
A final honor went to Mina Bloodworth, from the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs – for her work as District Three director for 2010-11. She will have a brick with her name on it placed on the garden path at FFGC headquarters in Winter Park.
It’s been a busy year, so the garden club members will take a hiatus for summer months. When they return in September, it will be with new energy and a new line-up of officers picking up the reins as they move forward into the coming year of community work and projects and sometimes, just plain fun.
County Commission Meeting Hears Naming Proposal And Other Items
By Lynette Norris
Greene Publishing, Inc.
In their April 20 meeting, the County Commission approved a resolution honoring the late Deputy Marcus Jones, Sr., and also heard a heartfelt proposal from Jones’ friend, Michael Maurice, about renaming part of the bike trail, from Hanson up to the railroad tracks, after Jones.
“He had found a new love,” said Maurice. “When that bike trail was finished, he had bought himself a new expensive bike and he loved riding that trail.”
Jones died suddenly at age 40, of a massive heart attack, earlier this month.
The Commissioners agreed to check with the Water Management District, which is responsible for that section of the bike trail, and take up the proposal at the next meeting.
Fran Pylus, of the Area Agency on Aging (AAA), also spoke to the Commission, seeking their help in letting the seniors of Madison County know that her agency is available and ready, to either provide them with assistance, or put them in touch with the right organization that provides the elder service they need. Her agency is one of several in Florida, and her particular AAA is responsible for 14 counties; it is a kind of “one stop shopping” for seniors, for everything from free telephones with amplified audio technology to the organization SHINE that specializes in helping the elderly fill out forms and applications. “We’re trying to find seniors in rural areas to let them know we’re here to help.”
Finally, an ongoing disagreement between the Madison County Sheriff’s Office and Tommy Jonas, who owns the Family Fun and Game Center, was resolved. The conflict began severeal weeks ago, when the Sheriff’s Office received an anonymous complaint that Jonas was selling beer without a license. At the meeting last Wednesday, a frustrated Jonas was ready to turn in his beer license and call it quits, when Lt. Ralph Campbell, of the Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco out of Tallahassee, took the podium to clear up the matter. His research had found that Jonas was properly licensed to sell beer, but that the address had been recorded incorrectly, causing the confusion. With that mistake corrected, he stated that Jonas should be able to run his business without any future problems.
Friends Of MCMH Hold Dinner
By Jacob Bembry
Greene Publishing, Inc.
The Friends of Madison County Memorial Hospital held a dinner on Thursday evening, April 14, in the hospital’s dining room.
“This will be one of several that will be held over the next few months,” said Vicki Howerton, MCMH Community Relations Coordinator.
Ray Griffin served as chef for the occasion. He prepared a spaghetti dinner with salad, garlic bread, tea and a vast array of special desserts. Helping Griffin were Chris Day, Caitlin Griffin, Hannah Odiorne, Adam Odiorne and Aaron Brown.
Day and Griffin will be on a missions team headed to Haiti, while the Odiornes and Aaron Brown will be on a mission, sharing God’s love with the people of Brazil.
Dr. James Stockwell was one of the speakers at an informational meeting. Stockwell is a noted gastroenterologist who comes to MCMH each Tuesday for endoscopy and colonoscopy procedures.
Rep. Leonard Bembry (D-Greenville) spoke to the group concerning the necessity of the new hospital for all families in the county and in the area.
Kin Johnson, a local businessman, suggested that all local businesses have signs concerning the new hospital displayed, as well as having bumper stickers.
David Abercrombie reminded everyone that Tallahassee Orthopedics Clinic now comes to the Four Freedoms Clinic each week. He also mentioned that Dr. Armond B. Cognetta, Jr. and other dermatologists from his clinic would be coming to Madison in May.
Abercrombie also discussed a working relationship with MCMH and North Florida Community College.
Approximately 75 people gathered to hear plans for a new hospital.
If anyone is interested in going to a community meeting in May, please call Vicki Howerton at MCMH at (850) 253-1917 or email her at vickihowerton@gmail.com.
Gator In Traffic In Madison
Shortly after 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 9, the Madison County 911 Center received a report of an alligator crossing U.S. Hwy 90, near KFC and North Florida Community College. Because of the traffic hazard, City of Madison police officers and personnel from the Madison County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene. The alligator was taken in to custody and transported to a more secure place for young gators. Madison Sheriff’s Investigator Mark Joost provided the escort to Mystic Lake after a brief stop at the County Jail. No injuries were reported.
30th Annual Down Home Days Celebration This Friday And Saturday, Sponsored By Tobacco Free Madison
By Lynette Norris
Greene Publishing, Inc.
The Down Home Days Celebration that starts Thursday, April 14, and runs through Saturday, April 16, is bigger and better than ever this year.
The festival includes everything from golf tournaments to karaoke contests for the competitive soul, to two nights of rodeo performances for that little bit of cowboy in everybody around here, to dance performance and gospel music showcases, to a Family Fun Night with bounce houses, food booths, pinball and other games for the kids.
This year, Down Home Days is being sponsored by Tobacco Free Madison, said Tobacco Prevention Specialist Douglas Freer with the Madison County Health Department, who hopes to promote a tobacco-free lifestyle for Madison residents. SWAT (Students Working Against Tobacco), an organization that teaches teenagers how to organize, speak up and get their message out to the public, will have about ten young people from Madison County and eight more from Levy County, promoting awareness of Big Tobacco’s marketing ploys aimed at snaring young people into a statistically shortened lifetime of addiction.
The marketing tactics both parents and kids should know about include: manipulating ingredients to make cigarettes more palatable, even adding flavors, such as strawberry, grape, pina colada and chocolate chip cookie dough; changing the levels of some chemicals so that the potential new user doesn’t feel as sick the first few times he or she lights up; and finally, using brightly colored, attractive packaging to grab the attention of the younger set.
These altered tobacco products have already been around for the last few years, and are currently in Madison stores. Although it is illegal for tobacco companies to market their products directly toward kids, they get around it by claiming that these products are for adult use.
However, “You won’t see grown men going into these stores asking for grape-flavored cigarettes,” said Freer.
Tobacco Free Madison is sponsoring the event to take advantage of an opportunity to get their message out to a large number of youth and parents. SWAT will have an information booth set up just inside the gate at the rodeo event, and individual SWAT members will be circulating through the crowds with petitions to restrict the sale of candy- and other sweet-flavored tobacco products in Madison County.
“We want to reduce youth initiation of tobacco use in Madison County and therefore reduce the impacts of tobacco use in Madison County,” said Freer.
Down Home Days also gives Tobacco Free Madison a chance to promote the free help that is available for anyone who wants to quit and needs help doing it. Resources include: the Quitline at 1-877-U-CAN-NOW (822-6669), and the Area Heath Education Center’s Quit Smoking Now program, with quit-smoking classes at the Madison County Health Department on Monday evenings at 5:30 p.m. To register for these classes, please contact Preston Matthews at (850) 728-5479.
The schedule of events for Down Home Days include: Thursday – Dessert Bake Off Judging, Bali’s Base Street Florist, 321 SW Pinckney Street, entries due by 5 p.m., for more info call Bali Thigpen, 973-2525; the Pet Contest, Four Freedoms Gazebo, at 6 p.m. (Registration begins at 5:30 p.m.) For more info call Christy Killingsworth, 973-6936; and the Madison County High School Band Concert, at the MCHS Gym, at 7 p.m.
Friday – Begining at 5:30 p.m. Family Fun Night, Downtown, bounce houses, pin ball, food and more; at 6 p.m., the Citizen of the Year and Grandparent of the Year will be announced, followed by Becky’s Dance Steps Studio Showcase Perfomance; the Karaoke Contest will be held at the Gazebo, from 7 to 10 p.m., $20 entry fee. For more info call 973-2788.
Also being held on Friday at Lanier Field: PCA Rodeo; gates open at 5 p.m., show starts at 8 p.m. 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. features country and gospel music performances.
Saturday, all day: Classic Car Show, Bounce Houses, Dunk Tank and more. 7:30 a.m. Colin P. Kelly Fitness Runs. 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk, children up to 16, $6 fee registration 7:30 a.m., run at 8 a.m; 5K Run/Walk, all ages, $15 fee registration 8 a.m., run at 8:30 a.m; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Down Home Days Book Signings, Tracy Revels, T.H. Bear, booth on Range Avenue; 10 a.m., Down Home Days Parade.
Saturday at 11 a.m. – Marine Corps Band, Gazebo; Quilt and Flower Show, Wardlaw-Smith-Goza Mansion; Dessert Bake Off Tasting, Bali’s Base Street Florist, Firefighter’s Challenge, Range Avenue; 11:30 a.m., Watermelon seed spitting contest, Four Freedoms Park, more info, call Browning & Sons, 973-6896; Noon – 3 p.m. Karaoke Contest, Gazebo; 1:30 p.m., Frog Hopping Contest, East Courthouse Lawn, hosted by Tim Sanders and Dr. John Lewis; 3 p.m. Karaoke Finals, Gazebo, $100 first prize, $50 second prize and $25 third prize. 5 p.m. – 11 p.m. PCA Rodeo, Lanier Field. Gates open at 5 p.m. Show starts at 8 p.m. 6:30 to 7;30 p.m. features country and gospel music performances.
Community Celebrates Grand Opening Of Best Western PLUS
Friends, family and dignitaries look on as General Manager Craig Waldrop (holding scissors) prepares to “cut the ribbon.” Elizabeth Waring, standing next to Lucas Waring, holds the left end of the ribbon while Darlisa Williams holds the right end.
By Lynette Norris
Greene Publishing, Inc.
A thin, smoky haze from a wildfire several miles away got a couple of comments from people, but it wasn’t enough to put a damper on the fun at the Best Western PLUS Madison Inn’s Grand Opening, Friday, March 25.
Friends, relatives, representatives of the Madison County Chamber of Commerce and other dignitaries were there to congratulate new owners Lucas and Elizabeth Waring and General Manager Craig Waldrop, wishing them luck and success.
Even the Best Western #00 Street Car, identical to the car driven for the Best Western franchise by NASCAR Driver David Reutimann, put in an appearance for the occasion and proved to be quite popular. Guests at Friday’s event posed beside the car and had their pictures taken behind the wheel.
Owner Lucas Waring took everyone on a tour, first to the facility’s pool area, where old weathered awnings and other worn-looking items have been replaced to give the area a fresh, new look. Inside, the 90s décor has been updated with new crown molding and new carpet. The floor in the meeting area is a ceramic tile that looks exactly like old wooden plank flooring, and throughout the facility, the generic beige walls have been brightened with a warmer, richer palette of saffron and pumpkin colors. Each room, instead of being painted all one color, now has an accent wall of a different hue behind the beds. Each one also now has a new flat-screen TV, in addition to microwave, mini-fridge, and other standard amenities.
The meeting room boasts a breakfast bar with a rotating selection of items, so that guests who stay more than one night will have different choices each morning; and should they overindulge in one or more menu items, there is a fitness center just down the hall, with everything needed to stay in shape while traveling.
For this Grand Opening event, the meeting area tables were loaded with pastries and goodies of all sorts. Friends and family sampled homemade refreshments as well as trying out the tempting breakfast bar.
Just outside the front entrance, the star of the show, the Best Western #00 Toyota Camry Street Car parked under the breezeway, gathered a slew of admirers.
“As a member of the Best Western worldwide family, we are proud to partner with Michael Waltrip racing,” said Craig Waldrop, General Manager, adding that the franchise has a number of on-going special offers and programs for racing fans – North America’s fastest growing sport. In 2004, Best Western launched Speed Rewards, a free, frequent-guest program designed specifically for race fans. Members can earn free nights anywhere in the world, as well as dining and shopping certificates, and are eligible for special sweepstakes and promotional offerings.
Located at 167 SE Bandit St., the Best Western PLUS Madison Inn offers 58 rooms to accommodate guests in total comfort. Contact Best Western PLUS Madison Inn directly at 850-973-2020 or call Best Western’s 24 hour toll-free reservation number at 1 (800) WESTERN, or visit the web site at www.bestwestern.com
The Grand Opening Of Gigi’s All And Everything Takes Place On Dade Street
By Lynette Norris
Greene Publishing, Inc.
GiGi Auston’s “All & Everything” is up and running.
Actually, it has been in business for about five months, but the Open House with its Grand Opening Ceremony Friday, March 11, made it “officially” official. GiGi, who moved here from Key Largo with her husband back in October, had been up since 7 a.m. that morning, baking goodies and preparing refreshments for those who stopped by to see her charming second-hand shop at 319 NW Dade Street with the huge, moss-draped oak tree in front. The two-story wood frame house, with the covered front porch curving around to the left, is painted in soft shades of butter yellow, honey gold and peach. Inside, it holds an eclectic mix of items – truly a little bit of “All & Everything,” as the name says. One can browse through everything from vintage Christmas decorations, to clothing and handbags, to videotapes of TV shows and movies, to various decorative, unique, and useful household items.
The temperature had dropped from quite balmy earlier in the week, to a bit chilly Friday morning, as people gathered for the ribbon cutting, but coffee, hot pizza and a few space heaters took some of the nip out of the air. GiGi, full of energy and enthusiasm, was hard to miss in her stylish black fur hat and sequined top, warmly welcoming everyone into the shop, serving coffee and making sure the refreshment table was always filled with snacks. A little later, in spite of the chill, the sun was shining brightly as Cindy Vees from the Madison County Chamber of Commerce lined everyone up outside for the ribbon-cutting.
Currently, GiGi’s shop is open by appointment, but soon, she hopes to be open full-time, doing brisk business in a town she says she fell in love with the first time she saw it 12 years ago. If you would like to drop by her shop, call her at (850) 464-7031. Bring friends and have a great time browsing through all the wonderful stuff.
World’s Biggest Hotel Family Welcomes Best Western Plus Madison Inn
Best Western International announces the addition of the BEST WESTERN PLUS Madison Inn, located at 167 SE Bandit Street in Madison. Owned by Lucas and Elizabeth Waring, the non-smoking hotel offers 58 guest rooms including three suites.
The hotel was formerly known as the Holiday Inn Express.
Hotel amenities include an outdoor swimming pool, 24-hour fitness center and a complimentary continental breakfast. Each guest room features a refrigerator, microwave and wireless high-speed Internet access.
For the business traveler, the hotel offers a business center, complimentary wireless high-speed Internet access in all public areas and meeting space to accommodate up to 25 people.
“We are proud to welcome the BEST WESTERN PLUS Madison Inn to our chain,” said Mark Williams, vice president, North American development for Best Western International. “This property will give another quality lodging option to business and leisure guests traveling in and out of the Tallahassee area,” Williams said.
Nestled against the Georgia border, guests have easy access to a variety of attractions including Fort Mack, College Art Gallery, Cherry Lake and Madison Blue Springs Sate Park. North Florida Community College is just a short drive from the property, making it a popular lodging choice for those visiting the campus. Plenty of shopping and dining are options are also close by.
Rates start at $89.99 per night. Travelers can contact the property directly for special packages.
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Reservations may be booked by calling Best Western International’s 24-hour, toll-free reservations number at (800) WESTERN. Reservations are also available from Best Western International’s Web site at www.bestwestern.com.
ABOUT BEST WESTERN INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Best Western International, Inc. is THE WORLD’S BIGGEST HOTEL FAMILY®, providing marketing, reservations and operational support to over 4,000* BEST WESTERN®, BEST WESTERN PLUS® and BEST WESTERN PREMIER® hotels in 80* countries and territories worldwide. Each Best Western-branded hotel is independently owned and operated. Now celebrating 65 years of hospitality, Best Western has grown into an iconic brand that hosts 400,000* worldwide guests each night. Equally committed to the business and leisure traveler,
Best Western recently embarked on a mission to lead the hotel industry in customer care. World Vision is the charity of choice for Best Western in building the world’s biggest family, with our hotels and staff sponsoring children in need around the globe. Theirpartnerships with AAA/CAA, Michael Waltrip Racing™ and Harley-Davidson® help guests make the most of every trip. For the fastest way to a free night globally, join Best Western Rewards®. For more information or to make a reservation, please visit www.best-western.com.
*Numbers are approximate and can fluctuate.
Madison Changes Rules For Backflow Devices
By Ginger Jarvis
Greene Publishing, Inc.
Madison residents and businesses now operate under amended rules for protection of the city’s drinking water. After some contentious debate at their regular meeting on Feb. 8, the city commissioners approved changes in three ordinances that control the installation, inspection and maintenance of backflow devices.
City Manager Harold Emrich explained that backflow devices keep sewage and other used water from flowing back into drinking water where lines intersect. He said that most residential properties do not need the devices; rather, they are installed in commercial areas and other areas of heavy usage.
The second public hearing on the amendments had been tabled from January until the February meeting so that Emrich could meet with local plumbers at their request. Representing the plumbers, Carlton Burnette protested the changes, contending that city prices for installing and inspecting the devices would be lower than the fees that plumbers must charge. “Now we are in competition with the city government that can pull money from grants and can stretch payments over several months and then cut off the customer’s water if the bill is not paid,” Burnette said.
Emrich replied that Public Works Supervisor Chuck Hitchcock will inspect devices and notify customers of problems with their devices. “By federal law, the city is responsible for supplying potable water These amendments put the responsibility with the city, not with the owner.” He referenced the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 and said that the state requires municipalities to meet the federal regulations. He said that the ordinances will prevent problems such as customers hiring unlicensed plumbers, plumbers installing inferior or incorrect devices and customers delaying repairs until after contamination has occurred.
Emrich explained, “We are not trying to compete with the private sector. We are trying to accommodate them and still meet our obligations.”
According to the amended ordinances, the city will inspect the devices, will notify the owners of problems that might cause contamination of drinking water and will give the owner a choice of hiring a licensed plumber approved by the city or of having the city do the repair and bill the owner for that service. Concerned that the city might be appearing to appearing to undercut the plumbers’ trade, several commissioners made suggestions to keep the city’s fees in line with those of the private sector. Those decisions will come at a later meeting.
City Attorney Clay Schnitker told the commissioners, “The only changes are that you are shifting the responsibility from the customer to the city. You are trying to protect the integrity of the city water supply.”
Mayor Judy Townsend commented, “It is still the customer’s choice.”
In other business, the board approved the sale of a house at 178 SW Parramore Avenue to Monica West for $10,000. They also agreed that future sales of city-owned property would be open for competitive bidding.
Schnitker reported that the city collected $20,000 in insurance money for the damages to Lanier Field following a fair in the fall of 2010. The board agreed to put off repairs until after the Down Home Days Rodeo in April.
