By Michael Curtis
Greene Publishing, Inc.
   As guests arrived at the groundbreaking for the new Madison County Emergency Operations Center to be located on Harvey Greene Drive, there was an evident excitement surrounding the event. 
   Considering the escalating frequency and severity of weather-related emergencies alone, residents and officials now share the comfort of knowing that the very best warning and response systems available protect Madison County.  More important than that, though, is the knowledge that the best emergency leadership protects Madison County as well.
   Emergency Management Director (EMD) Jim Stanley started the emergency department on January 1, 1991 with the smallest budget, but the biggest heart, imaginable.  At the time, the position was titled Civil Defense Director.   Later, on June 1, 1995, the Board of County Commissioners, to whom the EMD reports, approved the title change to Emergency Management Director.  The most important change that occurred that day however was the addition of Vicki Brown to the team.
   Brown initially served as Administrative Assistant until 1999 when she became Program Director.  According to Stanley, her contributions have been simply outstanding.
   “Vicki is so important to Emergency Management in Madison County.  She understands and executes the business of the department in an incredibly effective way.  I can’t imagine where we would be without her,” Stanley stated.
   The Florida Division of Emergency Management plans for and responds to both natural and man-made disasters.  These range from floods and hurricanes to incidents involving hazardous materials or nuclear power.  The division prepares and implements a statewide Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan, and routinely conducts extensive exercises to test state and county emergency response capabilities.  Bureau Chief David Halstead heads the Response section of the Division and runs the State Emergency Operations Center (EOC).
   Halstead was the keynote speaker at the groundbreaking, where he briefly described the history and significance of the new EOC, beginning with recognizing Stanley.  Halstead presented Stanley a framed letter from Governor Charlie Crist for Stanley’s role in making the day a reality.  The letter states:
   “Congratulations to you, your staff, and all of the people of Madison County on the groundbreaking of your new Emergency Operations Center.       Partnerships to build facilities such as these with the state, which serve to enhance our ability to serve the people of Florida, are critical to save lives and to protect the economic viability of our state following a disaster.  The activities of emergency management professionals like you are vital to ensure the safety of all Floridians when disasters impact our great state.  Your service of over 17 years to Madison County as the Emergency Management Director is a testament to your dedication as a great public servant."
Representatives from the Governor’s Office, U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, U.S. Representative Ander Crenshaw and State Representative Will Kendrick’s offices echoed the Governor’s sentiments along with all in attendance.  Even Stanley’s wife Sandra received a hearty helping of much deserved praise for the sacrifices her family have given in support of her husband.
   The EOC facility is projected to come in at approximately $900,000 when complete.  Bill Rutherford of CRA is the architect and John Stewart of Peter Brown will be managing the construction project. 
   As he closed, Stanley looked over the crowd several times, making sure to thank everyone responsible for the achievement, apologizing to any he may have missed, always reflective of the thoroughness and thoughtfulness that have given Emergency Management, he and Brown their stellar reputations.
   Staff writer Michael Curtis can be reached at michael@greenepublishing.com.

Jada Woods Williams Announces Candidacy For Supervisor Of Elections

   GREETINGS from Jada Woods Williams!!! I am Jada Woods Williams, Madison County Supervisor of Elections. As your Supervisor of Elections, T have over 100 hours of training in federal, state, and municipal elections. I'm experienced and knowledgeable in voter registration, Florida Statutes (Election Laws), Poll Workers training and conducting elections.
   Voting is a cherished right that allows all Americans the opportunity to chose our leaders. Voting in secret by absentee, early voting or at the polls is what keeps and make our democracy strong.
   Therefore, through implementation of voter awareness, voter education, and voter
outreach programs in schools and throughout the communities, Madison County has
increased its voter registration roll.
   I have conducted several successful elections, (federal, state, and municipal) that have been certified with the Division of Elections.
   I am the daughter ofJohnnie and Patricia Woods. I am the wife of Rod Williams,
"Coach Rod" Defensive Coordinator for the Madison County Cowboys. Together, we
have two children Roderick Jr. and Rihanna. I am a native of Madison County.

EDUCATION
• Madison County High School-High School Diploma
• Valdosta State University-Bachelors of Arts Degree in Political Science
• Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University-Masters Degree in Ed. Leadership

PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT
• North Florida Community College-Adjunct Professor
• Greenville Hills Academy-Counselor
• Madison County School District-Guidance/Curriculum Coordinator

RELIGIOUS/CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS
• St. James Missionary Baptist Church (Young Matron)
• Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated
• Madison Rotary Club

   I will continue to have an open door policy, maintain voter security, increase voter awareness, voter education, voter turnout and decrease voter apathy.
   I would like to thank each of you for allowing me the opportunity to serve you as
Madison County Supervisor of Elections. I am asking again for your support and prayers.
   RE-ELECT JADA WOODS WILLIAMS as Madison County Supervisor of Elections.

Cherry Lake Fire And Rescue Hosting Fishing Tournament

By Jacob Bembry
Greene Publishing, Inc.
   Cherry Lake Fire and Rescue will host a fishing tournament on Saturday, April 19, from 6 a.m. until 12 noon at the Sims Boat Club at Old Wade Beach.
   Entry fee will be $40 per boat with two fishermen or $20 per boat with one fisherman.
   Registration for the Big Fish pot is $10 per boat, with 100 percent payback.
   Registration will start at 5 a.m. on Saturday.
   Prize money will be award to first through fourth place if there are more than 21 boats or first through third place if there are less than 21 boats.
   For more information, please call (850) 929-2354. Please leave a message.

Monticello Readies For Bluegrass Music Festival

Lazaro Aleman
Monticello News Senior Staff Writer
   Excitement is building for the first Southern Music Rising Festival, an event that promises to bring scores of musicians and thousands of music lovers into the City of Monticello for the weekend of April 18-19.
   Sponsored by the Foundation for the Preservation of Historic American Music and billed as the first of what is expected to become an annual economic development affair to promote Monticello, the festival will highlight Gospel and bluegrass music this time around. It is also expected to exceed initial expectations of the size of the audience it will draw.
   “We thought it would shoot a couple of hundred thousand in the local economy,” Jack Carswell, one of the foundation’s founding members, told the City Council on April 1 as part of his request for the closing certain city streets for the event. “We thought the cultural event would attract about 800. I’m willing to bet the ranch on 2,500 now and hope it’s not 5,000.”
   He said word of the festival was being advertised in South Georgia and across north and part of central Florida.
   As Carswell described the schedule, the festival kicks off 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 18, with a Gospel concert in the Opera House, featuring various church choirs and the North Florida Community College community chorus. Dr. Arnold Burkart, a retired music professor, will mc the occasion and talk about the history and development of Gospel music between performances. Concert admission is $7 for adults and $1 for children. Hot dogs, refreshments and possibly other foods will be available in the bottom floor of the Opera House during the event.  
   “I’m excited,” Carswell said of the lineup.
   On Saturday, April 19, the festivities start 11 a.m. and continue until 6 p.m., with a planned 30 bands performing bluegrass music simultaneously at one of six venues around the downtown area. These venues include the Opera House patio, complete with a beer and wine garden; Jackie Andris’ antique shop off Mulberry Street; the Wirick-Simpson historic house on North Jefferson Street; and a mobile stage that will be set up on Dogwood, one of the streets to be closed. A $5 all-day pass gets ticket buyers into all six venues.
   Food vendors also will be part of the activities, as will a dozen or so designated hosts who will be available throughout the day to provide visitors with information about the festival, the town, local history and other points of interest. The festival’s promoters have even established a headquarters and a first-aid station to deal with unexpected occurrences.            
   The festivities conclude with a bluegrass concert starting at 7 p.m. in the Opera House. Florida Scrub, the opening act, will warm up the audience for the main attraction, the nationally acclaimed Blue Highway, a bluegrass group that has recorded eight albums. Following the performance, musicians will hold a jam session in the first floor of the Opera House. Tickets for the evening concert are $15, with some 200 of the 350 or so available tickets already sold by last week. 
   Organized late last year, the nonprofit foundation aims to preserve and promote the appreciation and performance of historical American music.    Ultimately, the group envisions having a permanent building here where musical performances can be staged and memorabilia and other artifacts of Southern history and heritage can be displayed, serving to make Monticello a destination point.

MCHS Cowboys To Be Honored With Cookout

By Jacob Bembry
Greene Publishing, Inc.
   The Madison County High School Cowboys state football championship team will be honored at a cookout celebration on Saturday, April 19, at 2 p.m. at the Haffye Hays Park in Greeneville.
   The event will be sponsored by Angie Thompkins -- a substitute teacher who lives in Greenville. She is asking for donations and notes that the donations do not have to be money only. They can also consist of food items and drinks.
   For more information on the celebration, contact Thompkins at 850-948-2317 or 850-274-9990.

Hospital Lab License Suspended

By Jacob Bembry
Greene Publishing, Inc.
   The laboratory license at Madison County Memorial Hospital expired in October 2007. Hospital officials did not notice that it had expired until earlier this month.
   The oversight has resulted in the license being suspended by the State of Florida.
   While hospital officials try to get the license reinstated, all lab work is being transferred to Doctor’s Memorial Hospital in Perry.
   Tammy Stevens, Chief Operating Officer and Risk Management Manager, said that MCMH has filled out the application for license renewal and sent it to the Agency for Health Care Administration. She said that she does not know when or if the license will be reinstated.
   “We are waiting for the Agency on Health Care Administration to come in and survey the hospital,” Stevens said.
   Stevens emphasized that MCMH can still do blood tests. A courier takes the tests Doctors Memorial Hospital to Perry and the results are faxed back to MCMH.
   “It is probably adding an hour to receiving test results. Sometimes, the results are received by fax before the courier even returns from Perry,” Stevens said. “
   Stevens also said that the hospital sometimes sends blood tests to be checked by LabCorp, a private company.
   The license revocation did not affect any of the other services that the hospital provides, such as radiology.
   Stevens said that blood test results are not needed to diagnose a patient or to transfer a patient to another facility.
   Some people have questioned whether ACHA should have shut the hospital down because they are not licensed to do lab work. Stevens said that ACHA cannot close a hospital for that reason.
   Janet Crain, from the ACHA lab division, said that the hospital will have to fulfill the requirements for Florida licensure as found in FS 483.2.
   Fernando Senra, spokesman for ACHA, said that the hospital has sent in a shell of an application, which is not complete.
   “Once completed,” Senra said, “we will go out and conduct a survey of the facility. If they pass, our agency will have 60 days to approve or deny the application.”
   Senra said that ACHA would have no reason to close the hospital due to the lab license being suspended.
   “They are two separate licenses, the hospital and the lab,” Senra said.
   The explanation given by ACHA does not sit well with some local citizens, including Dyana Martin, who say that the hospital was notified that the lab license would be pulled.
   Martin said in a email sent to Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and to the press: “Under 42 CFR ss.485.627 (the code of Federal regulations): ‘Condition of participation: Organizational structure, the Governing body or responsible individual.  The Critical Access Hospital (CAH) has a governing body or an individual that assumes full legal responsibility for determining, implementing and monitoring policies governing the CAH's total operation and for ensuring that those policies are administered so as to provide quality health care in a safe environment.”