Jan. 06, 2011

The Madison County High School Cowboys were well-represented at the 2010 edition of the Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta, Ga., on Friday, Dec.. 31. Tony Straughter, senior linebacker for the South Carolina Gamecocks, and Chris Thompson, sophomore running back as well as Jacobbi McDaniel, sophomore defensive tackle, for the Florida State Seminoles, all provided stellar performances.

Straughter, a 2007 MCHS graduate, concluded his college career as a starting linebacker for the Gamecocks. He was regarded as their "best pure player" at the position. In the bowl game, he had two tackles, including one of former teammate Thompson. He majored in Sociology and transferred to South Carolina from Georgia Military College.

McDaniel, a 2008 MCHS graduate, is a starting defensive stalwart for the Seminoles. The leading recruit for the 2008 class is a team leader on and off the field. He followed an Atlantic Coast Conference All-Freshman season with another great season, including his first career interception on one of the most athletic plays of the season. In the bowl game victory, he had one tackle.

Thompson, also a 2008 MCHS graduate, shared the starting position duties most of the season, and led the team in rushing yards. His highlight film long runs were commonplace in games, including three of the top four longest runs in the conference in 2010. He was awarded Offensive Most Valuable Player of the bowl game, after rushing for 147 yards and a touchdown to lead the Seminoles' offense.

According to a story in the Tallahassee Democrat, there were five high schools that had players on both teams. The other schools are Duncan (South Carolina) Byrnes, Fairburn (Georgia) Creekside, long-time MCHS nemesis Jacksonville Bolles, and local rival Tallahassee Lincoln. Of course, Madison is the smallest area on this esteemed list, and was the only school with all players as team starters.

In addition, MCHS and Madison Country were also represented by FSU graduate assistant Coach Mikhal Kornegay, a 2002 MCHS graduate, who is a former FSU player and special teams captain.

Photos from the game can be viewed online at the Facebook group page of the Madison County Branch of the NAACP, and the Black Alumni Association of Florida State University (FSUBAA).

Jan. 06, 2011By Jacob Bembry
Greene Publishing, Inc.
jacob@greenepublishing.com

Jan. 06, 2011By Jacob Bembry
Greene Publishing, Inc.
jacob@greenepublishing.com

Jan. 06, 2011By Jacob Bembry
Greene Publishing, Inc.
jacob@greenepublishing.com

Jan. 06, 2011

On Wednesday Dec. 29, officers of the Madison Police Department were dispatched to 173 NW Orange St, in reference to a theft.

On arrival, officers were advised by the victim that his 1998 Kubota tractor was stolen from the location between Tuesday, Dec. 28, and Wednesday, Dec. 29.

The Kubota tractor is orange in color with a front-end bucket loader.

Anyone with information on this crime is asked to contact the

Madison Police Dept. at 973-5077 or Madison Crime Stoppers at 973-2762.

Jan. 06, 2011By Laz Aleman
Special to Greene Publishing, Inc.

Florida's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate climbed to 12.0 percent in November, up 0.1 percentage point from the previous month, at the same time that Madison and Jefferson counties' jobless rates took steeper hikes.

The November figures, released by the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation (AWI) on Friday, Dec. 17, show the state's jobless rate to be significantly higher than the national rate, which was 9.8 percent in November. Florida, in fact, had the third highest jobless rate in the nation, with Nevada the highest at 14.3 percent, California and Michigan next at 12.4 percent, and Florida at 12.0 percent.

States with the lowest jobless rates in November were North Dakota at 3.8 percent and South Dakota and Nebraska at 4.5 and 4.6 percent respectively.

In all, 28 states posted November jobless rates that were significantly lower than the national rate of 9.8 percent, five recorded rates that were measurably higher, and 17, including the District of Columbia, had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The November numbers occasioned a rare and qualified acknowledgement from AWI Director Cynthia Lorenzo of the seriousness of the situation.

"The November unemployment rate reflects the challenges our state is facing as we slowly emerge from the national recession," Lorenzo said. "Knowing thathis is an uncertain time for many Florida families, our agency has been closely monitoring the discussion in Congress on an additional extension of federally funded unemployment benefits.

"With passage of the legislation last night (Dec. 16), we are prepared to immediately begin processing payments as soon a the president signs the bill. We strongly encourage job seekers to regularly visit www.employflorida.com, the state's online job bank, for continuously updated employment opportunities, resumé assistance and access to training and education programs."

The AWI report shows that the 12.0 percent translates into 1,110,000 jobless Floridians out of a workforce of 9,237,000.

Take out the seasonal agricultural workers and Florida's total nonagricultural employment was 7,204,700 in November, representing an increase of 300 jobs over the month.

Madison County's jobless rate, meanwhile, climbed from 11.4 percent in October to 12.7 percent in November, and Jefferson County's went from 9.3 percent to 10.0 during the same period, per the AWI.

For Madison County, the seasonally unadjusted rate of 12.7 percent translates into 904 jobless persons out of a labor force of 7,109 in November, compared with 819 jobless persons out of a labor force of 6,356 in October. The comparable figures were 911 jobless persons out of a workforce of 7,280 in November 2009, when the jobless rate was 12.5 percent.

For Jefferson County, the seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate of 10.0 percent translates into 709 jobless persons out of a labor force of 7,088, compared with the 663 jobless persons out of a labor force of 7,109 in October. The comparable figures were 629 jobless persons out of a workforce of 7,058 in November 2009, when the jobless rate was 8.9 percent.

Seasonally unadjusted, as opposed to the seasonally adjusted figures for the state, means that the numbers have not been purged of seasonal and other factors that can skew the results. The statistics also do not reflect individuals who have given up or ceased looking for work for whatever reason, or those who are underemployed.

Statewide, private education and health services continued to be the industries showing the greatest growth, accounting for a combined gain of 28,900 jobs.

Other industries gaining jobs included leisure and hospitality, +21,400 jobs; other services, +13,600 jobs; professional and business services, +10,100 jobs; and trade, transportation and utilities, +5,900 jobs.

Industries losing jobs over the year included construction, -12,900 jobs; manufacturing, -9,200; financial activities, -8,100; total government, -7,900; and information, -5,500.

The AWI attributes the job gains in part to increases in ambulatory healthcare services; accommodation; membership associations and organizations; computer systems design; and general merchandise stores.

It attributes the job losses in part to continuing weaknesses in specialty trade contractors; fabricated metal product manufacturing; real estate; federal government; and telecommunications.

Liberty County continued to have the state's lowest unemployment rate at 8.1 percent, followed by Monroe County at 8.5 percent; Alachua County at 8.6 percent; Leon, Okaloosa and Wakulla counties at 8.7 percent; and Walton County at 8.9 percent.

Hendry County continued to have the state's highest unemployment rate at 17.9 percent, followed by Flagler County at 16.6 percent; Hernando and St. Lucie counties at 15.2 percent; and Marion County at 14.6 percent.

The AWI reports that 55 of the state's 67 counties were experiencing double-digit unemployment rates in November, up from 48 in October.

Madison County ranked 22 in the state and Jefferson ranked 54 in terms of their unemployment rates, with Hendry County at number one with its 17.9 percent rate and Liberty County at 67 with its 8.1 percent rate.

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Jan. 06, 2011

State Representative Leonard Bembry (D-Greenville) has announced the Madison County Legislative Delegation will hold its annual meeting on Monday,

The meeting will be held in the Madison County Commission Chambers at the Madison County Courthouse Annex, located at Room 107, 229 SW Pinckney Street in Madison.

Representative Bembry stated "This is a prime opportunity for the citizens and public officials of Madison County to meet with their Legislators and inform them of what is important to their community."

The Madison County Legislative Delegation includes Senator Charles Dean, Senator Bill Montford and Representative Leonard Bembry.

If any member of the public would like to address the delegation, please contact Mickie Salter in Representative Bembry's office at(850) 973-5630 or Mickie.salter@myfloridahouse.gov, to be placed on the agenda.

Appearance cards will also be available at the hearing for anyone who wishes to be heard. If anyone is presenting a handout to the delegation, please have at least six (6) copies available.

NOTICE REGARDING THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT OF 1990. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, persons needing special accommodations to participate in this proceeding should contact the OFFICE OF STATE REPRESENTATIVE LEONARD BEMBRY no later than seven (7) days prior to the proceeding at (850) 973-5630, Madison, Florida.

Jan. 06, 2011By Lynette Norris
Greene Publishing, Inc.

When other mechanics visit the Road Department's mechanic's shop out on Rocky Ford Road, they're always amazed by the same thing: "Man, you got a clean shop!"

Visiting sales people who have seen many other shops in many other counties also say they've never seen such a clean mechanic's shop.

Whenever Assistant Mechanic Daniel Bass and others hear that, they all point to 80-year-old Hubert "Junior" Carter, the man who keeps everything so clean and organized. "He's a busy man," says Bass. "We have to tell him to slow down sometimes. He puts younger men to shame."

Jo Williams of the Administrative Office adds, "He's 80 years old and he never stops working. We always see him working, raking leaves, mowing and making the place look nice."

Carter looks like a man who is enjoying his golden years, and, indeed, he is. But, instead of retiring to a rocking chair on a sunny front porch, he is working 31 hours a week as the groundskeeper for the Madison County Road Department. After working as a road grader for the department for 15 years, he did try retirement about four or five years ago. However, "There was nothing to do. That's the reason I came back. Nothing to do."

And also, with everything becoming more and more expensive all the time, he wanted to continue being able to pay his bills.

So, for the last year or so, he has been busy keeping the inside and outside of the Road Department compound and its multiple buildings in apple-pie order. In addition to the shop, he also keeps the offices, restrooms and break room clean. The oil-changing shed in the back stays neat and organized, with all the oil filters arranged in their proper place. The grass stays mowed; the leaves stay raked; and the parking area stays free of debris. In the summer, prison inmates help with some of the mowing; they do the outside of the fence next to the road, and Carter does the inside.

"No telling when I'm going to retire," he says, "unless health reasons mean I'm not able anymore." About a year ago, Carter was diagnosed with cancer, a disease that also claimed his father, and "seems to run in the family." However, not even that appears to have slowed him down much. A new treatment he had never heard of before, planting "about 80 or 90 chemo seeds" in the cancerous area, seems to be working. The last time he went for a check-up, "the doctor told me, 'So far, you're doing real good." His cancer has gone from stage three, back down to stage two.

When he's not working, he likes going out to different restaurants with his wife, Marie. One of his favorites in Madison is Shelby's, but he also likes KFC, "Because now they have that buffet." On Saturdays, he and Marie often drive up to Valdosta, to sample the restaurants there. He also loves fishing, "about the only sport I ever had, fishing," but he hasn't been fishing for the last several years.

Carter was born and raised in Lee, and has attended First Baptist Church of Lee all his life, except for the years when he lived in Tampa. His father was a farmer all his life until he passed away. His mother, also deceased, once told him the family would have included a total of twelve children, had not several died in infancy. He now has one brother and two sisters still living.

The first time he left the Town of Lee was when he joined the Marines in the early fifties. Afterward, he lived in Tampa for about 15 years, working for the city first as a mower, then as a heavy equipment operator. During a visit back here, he met his first wife, Jeanette, working in the marriage license division of the Madison County Clerk's Office. Perhaps it was a little homesickness too, but he soon quit his job in Tampa and moved back to Lee. "I always said, once I left, I'd never come back, but now here I am."

After 15 years of marriage, Jeanette passed away. It was several years after that when Carter met Marie, who worked at Dixie Packers until she retired. They have now been married about eight or nine years and are still enjoying life together.

"80 years old and still going strong," says Bass, as Carter heads back to work. "He's very important to us around here."

Jan. 06, 2011By Lynette Norris
Greene Publishing, Inc.

No matter what the calendar says, it's not too late to think of New Year's resolutions. If you've already broken some of yours, there is still another one you can make that is fairly easy to keep: ensuring that law enforcement can notify your family members quickly if you are badly or even fatally injured in an automobile accident. In the past, some folks have carried this emergency contact information written down on special cards, but these can sometimes be lost or damaged in an accident...or they could be forgotten and left at home.

Now there is a permanent, safe database where you can go online and register your emergency contacts; then, if the worst happens, law enforcement officers can quickly contact your next of kin or other loved ones.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety's Emergency Contact Registration had its beginnings Dec. 7, 2005, in a tragic accident on Highway 19 in Manatee County. Tiffiany Olsen, a passenger on a motorcycle that collided with a vehicle, died several hours before law enforcement officers were able locate and notify her mother, Christine Olsen.

The heartbroken mother began a campaign to create a better way for emergency contact information to be stored and easily accessed by law enforcement in the event of a crash or other emergency. With the help of State Rep. Bill Galvano of Bradenton and the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles, that information can now be included in the D.A.V.I.D. (Driver And Vehicle Identification Database) system, a secured database used by most law enforcement agencies in Florida.

Since the program began in Jan. 2008, over three and half million people have logged on and registered their emergency contact information. To enroll in the program and register your information, go to http://www.hsmv.state.fl.uss/ and click on Emergency Contact Registry, or go to www.InformFamiliesFirst.org