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Our 143rd Year, Number 20


Friday, January 18, 2008


Madison, Florida


 Madison County Joins Other Counties In Opposing State-Mandated Textbook


Textbook Teaches Evolution As FACT, Not Theory


By Michael Curtis
Greene Publishing, Inc.
 The following statements
are taken from the Resolution
unanimously adopted by the
Madison County School Board
during their meeting on Janu-
ary 14. It is directed to the Sun-
shine State Standards for Sci-
ence.
RESOLUTION
 Whereas, the Florida De-
partment of Education has


drafted and is now proposing
new Sunshine State Standards
for Science, the Madison Coun-
ty School Board opposes the im-
plementation of the new stan-
dards as currently presented.
 Whereas, the new Sun-
shine State Standards for Sci-
ence no longer present evolu-
tion as theory but as "the fun-
damental concept underlying
all of biology and is supported
in multiple forms of scientific
evidence," we are requesting


that the State Board of Educa-
tion direct the Florida Depart-
ment of Education to re-
vise/edit the new Sunshine
State Standards for Science so
that evolution is presented as
one of several theories as to
how the universe was formed.
 Whereas, the Madison
County School Board recog-
nizes the importance of provid-
ing a thorough and comprehen-
sive Science education to all the
students in Madison County


and to all students in the state
of Florida, it recognizes as even
more important the need to pre-
sent these standards through a
fair and balanced approach, an
approach that does not unfairly
exclude other theories as to the
creation of the universe.
 NOW THEREFORE, BE IT
RESOLVED by the Madison
County School Board, Madison,
Florida, that the Board urges
the State Board of Education to
direct the Florida Department


of Education to revise the new
Sunshine State Standards for
Science such that evolution is
not presented as fact, but as one
of several theories.
 According to the State De-
partment of Education, Execu-
tive Director Mary Jane Tappan
of the Office of Math and Sci-
ence facilitated two December
and two January meetings to
get public comment on the
See TEXTBOOK,
Page 4A


Madison EMS

Meeting

Challenges And

Makes Believers

By Michael Curtis
Greene Publishing, Inc.
 During a special session of the
Board of County Commissioners held
on January 10, Emergency Medical
Services Director Juan Botino and
Deputy Director Nathan Williams
came before the board to discuss the
repair and possible replacement of
several ambulances, as well as to dis-
cuss the policies governing non-emer-
gency transport.
 Ambulance downtime has become
a costly and untimely problem for
EMS. According to excerpts from a
submitted report, "We have had two of
our units in the shop-now for one and a
half months." The report further
states that several of the units have
broken down consistently The prob-
lem is not due to the age of the units;
in fact one of the units is still under
warranty but simply hasn't been able
to be repaired satisfactorily
 Among solutions, Botino proposed
the purchase of a new unit. EMS re-
ceived a grant for $23,575 for that pur-
pose and Botino requested the Board
provide an additional $24,500 to com-
plete the purchase. The BOCC unani-
mously approved the request.
 Part of the issue is problems spe-
cific to Ford 350 ambulances, which is
the make of the units involved. Simi-
lar complaints have been reported na-
tionwide. Dodge manufactures the pro-
posed unit, which has a Cummings
diesel engine that Botino believes to be
the most reliable in the industry
 The second EMS issue concerns
Please See EMS,
Page 4A



Fundraiser To

Be Held For

Oswald Johnson
By Jacob Bembry
Greene Publishing, Inc.
 A chicken ... ..
 and rice dinner
 fundraiser will
 be held at Yellow
 PineReStaurant,
 Highway 90 East
 in Madison, on
 Friday, January
 18, for Oswald
 Johnson.
 Tickets for
 the event are $6 eacanaregoo
 dine-in or takeout. The fundraiser
 will begin at 5 p.m.
 Tickets may be purchased at
 M&M Graphics, Yellow Pine Restau-
 rant and Madison County Communi-
 ty Bank.
 Johnson has a life-threatening
 form of cancer.


 Principal Sam Stalnaker

Receives Warm WelcomeBack


 Greene Publishing, Inc. Photo By Michael Curtis, January 14, 2008
 MCCS Principal Sam Stalnaker returns from Operation Enduring Freedom to a
tearful Superintendent Lou Miller, seen here accepting an encased American Flag
commemorating all our troops, his safe return and the mutual respect shared with
school leadership.


By Michael Curtis
Greene Publishing, Inc.
 Sam Stalnaker, Principal of the
Madison County Central School, re-
ceived a very warm and tearful wel-
come back from Superintendent Lou
Miller during the School Board meeting
of January 14. School Board Members
shared in the celebration and were no-
ticeably moved by the comments and
gifts Stalnaker presented.
 Stalnaker just returned from a tour
of duty in Afghanistan and the commu-
nity, and especially school leadership,
couldn't be more thankful for his safe
return. In fact, it was noted that his en-
tire unit returned safely During the
opening prayer, Miller gave thanks on
behalf of everyone for the safe return,
followed by additional praise and
thanksgiving during Stalraker's presen-
tation.
 Stalnaker presented two elaborately


encased American Flags that actually
flew over his troops while stationed in
Afghanistan. Each contained an awe-
some message that elicited a patriotic
pride from all in attendance. Chair
VeEtta Hagan accepted one on behalf of
the entire Board. The other was pre-
sented to Miller who proudly an-
nounced it would be placed prominently
in the meeting room.
 Stalnaker will be resuming his re-
sponsibilities at MCCS over the next
few weeks, steadily ramping back into
the full activities that have been divided
among the four Assistant Principals
during Stalnakers's time overseas. The
owners and staff of Greene Publishing
join the Superintendent and the Board
in their warm welcome back to Stal-
naker.
 Staff writer Michael Curtis can be
reached at michael@greenepublish-
ing.com.


 COWBOYS

Football Awards Banquet Set For Monday Evening


By Jacob Bembry
Greene Publishing, Inc.
 Jimbo Fisher, Florida
State University's Head
Coach-in-Waiting, will be
the guest speaker at the
annual Madison County
High School football
awards banquet on Mon-


day evening, January 21.
 Prior to Fisher
speaking and the awards
being presented, a din-
ner will be held in the
cafeteria. The cost of the
dinner is $10 per plate
and all proceeds go to-
wards buying rings for


the state champion Cow-
boys.
 The dinner crowd
will adjourn to the cafe-
teria for Fisher's speech.
 The event will begin
at 7 p.m. Monday
evening.
 Go, Cowboys!


MCDC Ensuring

 Community

 Participates In

Growth Planning

 W(The bottom line is that we
 need to ensure that the
residents of Madison County
come first in this process," Ed
Meggs pointed out.
By Michael Curtis
Greene Publishing, Inc.
 The Madison County Development
Council has a number of priorities go-
ing into its 2008 planning and practices.
One priority is by default, and there-
fore will be by design, the ruling guide
for the others. That priority is ensur-
ing that the community participates in
the planning and practices of the
Council.
 Over the past adeade, local and
state-officialshave developed and been
presented with a ffitibtier of tools to fa-
cilitate and monitor growth. Common-
ly attached to the county's Comprehen-
sive Plan, each of these tools has its
merits, but ultimately they all converge
on one goal, that is to build and operate
the county according to the preferences
and guidance of its residents.
 "The bottom line is that we need to
ensure that the residents of Madison
County come first in this process,"
Madison County Community Bank
President Ed Meggs pointed out. All
Council members agreed.
 "Fortunately we can build on the
work we've done before and also utilize
some organizing tools that are offered
with the visioning process tied to the
Comprehensive Plan. Then when we
meet with the residents, we can get the
very most out of the time and discus-
sion," County Planner Jeanne Bass
added.
 To facilitate these goals, a public
meeting will be held on February 19
from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Madi-
son County High School cafeteria. All
residents of Madison County are
strongly urged to attend. The views
and opinions regarding a wide range of
issues that make up the day-to-day life
of residents throughout the county are
not only welcome but also eagerly an-
ticipated.
 Taking individual ownership of
group decisions can be a daunting task
when one is dealing with only a hand-
ful of participants, much less when or-
ganizing strategies for an entire county
But that is, in fact, exactly what the
Council is striving to achieve. And al-
though not everyone may agree on
every issue, the goal is that everyone
desiring to be heard will be and leave
knowing that community comes first.
 Additional actions of the January 8
meeting included election of 2008 offi-
cers, with Cheryl Archambault remain-
ing as President, Allen Cherry as Sec-
retary and Gene Stokes as Treasurer.
There was also discussion regarding
the most effective way to organize the
Enterprise Zones and establish new
methods and facilitators for recruiting
commerce to Madison County
 Staff writer Michael Curtis can be
reached by email at michael@-
greenepublishing.con


 2 Sections. 24 Pages Obituaries 5A r Sun
 Church 9A School 9A 1/18 1 1 1/19 1/20
 Classifieds 14A Soil/Water Conservation SectionB Afternoon showers. Highs in the Mostly cloudy. Highs in the low Sunny. Highs In the
Community Calendar 5A Viewpoints 2-3A low 60s and lows in the upper 40s.50s and lows in the upper 20s. lows n the low 30s.


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