SPORTS: Check out our photo gallery on the Bob Jones vs. Sparkman game - page 4B
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Gourmet caramel apple
Gourmet caramel apples make for a fun addition to your next party or to prepare a batch to give to friends or family. No one can say no to a crunchy apple drizzled in caramel or chocolate. Check out the recipe. Page 5A
GAME OF THE WEEK - Friday the 13th was not unlucky for the Patriots. Bob Jones thrilled the home crowd at Madison City Stadium with a 31-13 win over rival Sparkman. Check out the game report by Caleb Odom on page 1B and photos of the game on page 4B. Photo by Andrew Noles of Noles Nest Photography (www.nolesnestphotography.com).
West Madison campus to reopen as city’s Pre-K center by end of month By JOHN PECK Special to The Madison Record MADISON - The closed West Madison Elementary School will spring back to life by the end of this month. That is the target for when the $7.3 million renovated WMES into a PreK Center is set to open. New floors, ceilings, restrooms, cafeteria and classroom makeovers, technology, furnishings and more will
Railyard BBQ Brawl
Railyard Barbeque Brawl and Music Fest will descend on Downtown Madison with a Kansas City style barbecue competition on Saturday, Oct. 28. Page 7A
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greet students/staff when they relocate from the Madison City First Class PreK Center next to Rainbow Elementary on Nance Road. Moving the PreK to the former WMES campus will greatly increase the district’s PreK capacity as MCS seeks additional classroom units from the state. “The West Madison building has been closed since we opened Midtown Elementary
for the 2021 school year,” said Schools Superintendent Dr. Ed Nichols. “We all know how important PreK is and that it gets kids off to a great start and makes them prepared for kindergarten. I can’t think of a better place to start that foundation with our kids than at West Madison which has such historic ties to Madison.” West Madison Elementary See WEST MADISON Page 4A
MADISON – Last week’s Madison City Council meeting doubled as the last official public hearing for the redistricting process. The redistricting process has been ongoing since the spring when Slaughter and Associates, the firm contracted by the city to balance the populations of Madison’s seven districts, was awarded the contract in May. The results of the 2020 census showed a disparity of population between the districts that exceeded federal requirements, prompting the redistricting process. The process continued when Slaughter and Associates presented an initial plan at a public meeting on July 17. A second plan was then presented for council feedback at a council meeting on Aug. 14, and a third version was presented to the council at the Aug. 28 work session. That third version was presented to the public at the Oct. 9 city council meeting. Mike Slaughter of Slaughter and Associates explained the equal distribution required by law that he and the city were aiming for with the new map, “Equal distribution is considered to be a total population deviation of 10% or less between the smallest and largest populated voting districts as compared to the ideal population.” The public was invited to comment on the proposed map, and several individuals expressed concerns with the separation of some subdivisions as well as the lack of special representation for Limestone County residents. “We’ve been through maps now, and each time we’ve asked you to draw a line or put one neighborhood back together, then it had a domino effect, and there was another one,” city council president Ranae Bartlett responded. “There doesn’t seem to be a way that we can draw a map that every neighborhood stays completely together because you’re using blocks.” “I don’t think we could in reality avoid splitting neighborhoods in a city See REDISTRICTING Page 4A
Madison Witches Ride, Roll & Stroll to be held Sunday By GREGG PARKER gregg@themadisonrecord.com MADISON - Halloween may still be almost two weeks away, but wispooky, and not-so-spooky, witches will descend on Madison this Sunday. The second annual Madison Witches Ride, Roll & Stroll will be held Oct. 22 at Journey Middle School, 217 Celtic Drive in Madison. “This premiere event brings together members of the community for a great cause. Organized by Madison Visionary Partners or MVP to benefit the Madison Splash Pad fund, there has never been a better way to showcase
your Halloween spirit,” MVP Executive Director Melanie Thornton said. Madison witches will fly off on their brooms (or bicycles as improvised transportation) for their one-mile route. Witches will line up for their parade from 2:45 to 3 p.m. Then, they’ll take flight (hmmm . . . walk or ride) for their destination at Home Place Park, 130 Shorter St., east of Madison City Schools Stadium. The witches will throw candy to children along the route. From 4 to 6 p.m., the Black Cat Block Party will entertain the crowd with children’s games and See WITCHES Page 4A
Madison witches will fly off on their brooms (or bicycles as improvised transportation) for their one-mile route this Sunday. Along the way, they will throw out candy for kids. Photo by Kassidy Wilkins
It’s all about FAMILY! Come Join Ours! 2405 JORDAN LANE NW, HUNTSVILLE
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The fall season has its own version of beauty with changing colors, traditions and cool-weather plants, and Huntsville Botanical Garden is full of autumn’s glory. Page 6A
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By MARIA RAKOCZY maria@themadisonrecord.com
An injured veteran from Madison received a fully customized all-terrain wheelchair on behalf of one of the nation’s premier military support organizations, Freedom Alliance. Page 3A
Festifall!
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Madison redistricting entering final stages
Rivalry clash
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WEDNESDAY October 18, 2023