M adison RECORD
SECTION B: Check out some of the top sports stories for Madison and Madison County WEDNESDAY January 3, 2024
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Two special elections on the horizon for Madison area voters
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Not giving up
According to a report U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Saks) has vowed to use the next defense policy bill to move Space Command (SPACECOM) to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville. Page 2A
By STAFF REPORTS news@themadisonrecord.com
HUNTSVILLE - North Alabama is getting an early start on voting with the special election for Senate District 9. The Alabama Senate District 9 Republican Primary — there are no Democrats running for the seat – is set for Jan. 9. There are three candidates who’ve qualified to run, Brock Colvin, Stacy George and Wes Kitchens. The special election was called after the Senate seat was vacated by Clay Scofield in late October. Scofield now leads the Business Council of Alabama. The Senate race features two current Alabama House members: Colvin represents Albertville and Kitchens represents Arab. George is a former two-time candidate for governor. Senate District 9 includes Marshall County, southwest Madison County and northern Blount County. If a special primary runoff is necessary that will take place Feb. 6. Another local special election is set for March. But the arrest of Republican House District 10 Representative David Cole, on a vote fraud charge, led to his resignation, requiring a special election to fill the seat. The special election is set for March 26. Madison City Councilman Republican Teddy Powell and Democrat Marilyn Lands have both qualified to run. The district includes Madison and southwest Madison County. Cole won the District 10 seat in 2022, with 52 percent of the vote.
The Bob Jones girls basketball team proudly displays its championship banner after winning the NIKE Tournament of Champions in Phoenix, Ariz.
Arrested
A Madison woman has been arrested after being charged with child sex abuse, sodomy and bestiality. Page 3A
The perfect nachos
January is the month of NFL postseason play, whether you’re hosting at home or going to a game watch at a fellow fan’s house, keep in mind that food and football are a great match. Page 4A
Lady Patriots win NIKE Tournament of Champions in Phoenix, Arizona By BOB LABBE bob@themadisonrecord.com PHOENIX, ARIZ - Plans could not have been better laid out or carried out to perfection for the Bob Jones girls basketball team. After nearly a year of fund-raising, travel plans preparation, and a buildup of high anxiety, the Lady Patriots made their way to Phoenix, Ariz. to participate in the NIKE Tournament of Champions and came home with not only an experience of a lifetime but a championship trophy for their trophy case. “What an amazing experience as the surroundings were indeed different than here at home,” said senior guard and Tournament MVP Alana Obianoize. All the 5-foot-9, highly re-
cruited Obianoize did was score 50 points in four games including a game-high 18 in the Jon Anderson Bracket title game in which Bob Jones defeated Mullen, Colo. 47-41 enabling the Patriots to travel the more than 1,600-mile trip home hoisting the trophy as champions. “The title game was the sixth game we played in seven days, including two games just prior to our travel to Phoenix, and you could tell fatigue had set in by the time we reached the championship game,” said Jazmine Carr head coach of Bob Jones of the team’s play in the tourney held Dec. 18-21. “Our girls found a way to hold up and play hard and I’m so proud of them.” The Patriots made their way to the title game with three
victories over some extremely talented players and teams. In game one at the Legacy Sports Park, located in Mesa, Ariz., Obianoize scored a team-high 14 points to lead Bob Jones to a 53-36 win over Phoenix County Day High. In game two, Jaliyah Smith (F, 5-11, Jr.) scored 15 points and grabbed five rebounds, Janiyah Bone (G, 5-8, Sr.), Ja’Kyah Smith (G, 5-10, So.) and Obianoize scored 10 points each while Ja’Kyah Smith pulled down seven rebounds in the 65-49 victory over St. Anthony, Cal. Against undefeated Carondelet, Cal., Bob Jones fell behind the team, which had several Div. I caliber players, but outscored the elite squad in the third quarter and rolled to a 44-36 victory, thus advancing to the tournament See PATRIOTS Page 8B
YEAR IN REVIEW Special donation
Just in time for Christmas Day, preschoolers who attend Primrose School of Madison conducted a food drive to benefit St. Mary’s Pantry. Page 5A
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INSIDE Local News........ 2A Living................. 5A Events................ 6A Sports............... 1B
Schools............. 4B History............... 5B Kids................... 6B Faith.................. 7B
16 pages • 2 sections
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A look back at a few top headlines of 2023 By MARIA RAKOCZY maria@themadisonrecord.com MADISON - The city of Madison has continued to grow exponentially and that growth drove an eventful 2023 for Madison. Here’s a review of major headlines and news stories from the past year. Election Results: Madison overwhelmingly rejects city manager proposal Earlier this year, Madison residents rejected a shakeup to the city government. Madison residents decided to
preserve the current city government system when it voted to defeat a city manager proposal in May of this year. “BJ’s Wholesale Club’s First Alabama Location to Open Next Week in Madison” Several new businesses made a splash in the Madison area this year, including New England wholesale club, BJ’s Wholesale. BJ’s broke ground in April of this year and opened their very first Alabama location in Town Madison just in time for the holiday shopSee HEADLINES Page 3A
SPORTS: Former Bob Jones standout living his dream, signs contract with Red Sox
M adison RECORD WEDNESDAY July 26, 2023
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New school
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Execution
A proposed map has been introduced for Madison in an attempt to create seven equal districts after recent growth has shifted population.
A man convicted of killing a 75-year-old Harvest woman with a claw hammer in 2001 was put to death early Friday morning at Holman Prison. Page 3A
Public redistricting meeting reveals first draft of new city map
BACK TO SCHOOL
School starts Aug. 3
Madison City Schools campuses will revive soon with teachers, students and staff members for the 2023-2024 school year. Page 5A
Open houses
All elementary schools will conduct Open House on July 31 before the start of the 20232024 school year. Page 5A
New additions
Madison City Schools added a few assistant principals this year to fill open slots made vacant by promotions and retirements. Page 6A
Upcoming events
By STAFF REPORTS news@themadisonrecord.com
NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL READY FOR FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL - Madison City Schools will have a new campus for middle-school students when Journey Middle School opens on Aug. 3. Located next to the MCS district office and Madison City Stadium at 217 Celtic Drive, Journey will accommodate approximately 650 students in its 170,000 square feet when it opens and provide much needed room in Madison’s existing middle schools, Liberty and Discovery. Journey’s capacity rating is Finishing touches are being made to the school’s drama room. listed at 1,200 students. Welcoming the new students will be Journey administrators (from left to right) Assistant Principal Tabitha Odom, Principal Dr. Treva Stewart and Assistant Principal Gerald Franks. A ribbon cutting will be held July 31. You can read more about Journey Middle School in the August issue of Madison Living Magazine (www.madisonlivingmagazine. com) and online at www.themadisonrecord. com. Check out our 2023 Back to School section starting on page 5A in this issue. Journey’s gymnasium.
MADISON - Mike Slaughter, owner and president of Slaughter & Associates, the urban planning firm contracted by the city of Madison to lead the redistricting process, presented the first draft of the redrawn districts to Madison residents at a public meeting on Monday evening. Redistricting is a fivestep process that determines if redistricting is necessary, seeks public input, develops new plans, presents the final draft to the residents in a public hearing, and then seeks adoption and implementation by the city government. Last Monday’s meeting is step four of seeking public input on the initial draft of the new map. The first steps were completed, and redistricting was determined to be necessary when 2020 census records showed a combined 70.8% deviation between District 2, which deviated from the ideal population by 46.3%, and District 5, which deviated by -24.5%. The Department of Justice requires redistricting when the combined See MAP Page 3B
Madison Hospital holds meet and greet for new facility dog
2022 & 2023 SUPER SALE Check out what top events are being planned. Page 3B
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Local News ....... 2A Editorial ............ 6A Living ................ 7A Sports .............. 1B
Kids .................. 5B Faith ................. 6B History .............. 7B Schools ............ 8B
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MADISON – Madison Hospital’s newest employee has four legs, plays fetch and answers to the name of Apple. Apple’s work is about way more than cuddles, however. The new facility dog works in the hospital with her handler 40 hours per week to meet the emotional and medical needs of pediatric and adult patients. Apple, a black Labrador, is
part of Huntsville Hospital’s Canines for Coping facility dog program and is funded by donations to Huntsville Hospital Foundation (HHF). HHF and the Huntsville Hospital Health System have tracked improved patient outcomes and overwhelmingly positive feedback since launching Canines for Coping in 2019 at Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children. This addition expands the program’s reach and impact to the city of Madison. See APPLE Page 3A
Apple with a patient at Madison Hospital.
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