Gini For Madison

06/02/2026

WOW! The Town of Madison sure showed out!

I carefully went through the list of business in Madison or business owned by Madison residents.

Each and EVERY one of these businesses deserve celebration for their hard work and how they represent Madison!

Please let me know if I left anyone out - I tried my best to catch everyone, but I am only human. Also, I could not link some businesses in this post. If you know them and want to celebrate them - tag them in the comments!

Southern Spirits
Camp Carefree
Bake Me Happy
Bearded BBQ
Fuzzy’s Bar-B-Que
The Mad Bean
The Sipping Trough
Checker’s Grill & Grocery
Rio Grande
Vibe Nutrition
Madtown Barbershop
Glamour Salon & Spa
Casey Starkey
Ancora Compassionate Care
Western Rockingham Family Medicine
Platnium Power Washing
Dre’s Detailing
State Employee’s Credit Union
Seth Woodall & Assoicates
Cardwell & Cardwell
Michael J. Cassidy
Christy Locklear
Inkternal Art Studios
Salem & Charlie’s
Castaway’s Thrift Store
Madison Meat Center
Always & Forever Florist
Gini Cardwell Farm Bureau
Pin & Tee
Fall for Madison Festival – Madison Merchants Guild

The June/July issue of Hometown RoCo Magazine is here, and it is packed with local stories, community pride, and the results of the Best of RoCo 2026!

Inside this double issue, you’ll find the full list of this year’s Best of RoCo 2026 winners, a feature on Dr. John Dabbs of Eden Chiropractic as he celebrates 30 years in practice, the story of Lauren Bottoms and the opening of Ink & Ivy Bookshop, and a Local Focus section highlighting the mission of Acts 4 Autism and their Community Day and 5K.

You’ll also find Brooke Powell’s column on Reidsville’s new ice cream shop, Scoop Me Up NC, along with columns from Diane Sawyer with and Lauren Bottoms with Ink & Ivy Bookshelf.

This issue also features beautiful photography by Autumn Hollifield Photography-Images by Autumn, capturing so many of the people and places that make Rockingham County special.

Read the June/July issue here: https://online.fliphtml5.com/hometownrocomagazine/vgzm/

05/25/2026

A day late and $436,000 short...

Is that how that saying goes?

I attempted to condense the Town of Madison meeting from May 21, 2026; yet it is still 4 minutes long.

Agenda Items:
- Consideration of Banking Options
- Presentation of Budget
- Madison River Park Closure

*JUNE 11th will be our Public Hearing for the 2026-2027 budget. Make it a point to attend and ask your questions.

Put your email in the comments below if you would like a copy of the budget message and budget - I will be happy to email you one to review.

Rockingham Update has the full meeting linked in the comments below!

05/22/2026

NC State Auditor Dave Boliek drops the mic...

When asked what is the one thing towns can do to prevent misuse of tax payer dollars, his answer was for councils to MICROMANAGE all aspects of the budget.

The Town of Madison had our final Budget Workshop on Thursday, May 21st. If you would like to review all 2 hours of our micromanaging, please click the link below from Rockingham Update.

I will post an abridged breakdown on Sunday for those of you that just want the overview.

*This is an original clip from WXII 12's broadcast. You can view the entire Press Conference about Pilot Mountain at the link in the comments.

05/21/2026

🚧⛏️🪏

So, we hit rock while installing the new stormdrains on West Murphy Street. You never know what you will find when you start digging, especially in areas that haven't been dug out this deep in 50 plus years. Thank goodness the rock is fractured which helps with breaking it up for removal.

The contractor will be using a hammer drill attachment which will cause loud bangs, loud drilling and/or ground vibrations.

05/19/2026

Enjoy the beautiful weather and all that Madison-Mayodan Recreation Department has to offer, but do so as informed as possible!

With warmer weather and Memorial Day right around the corner, we wanted to provide an update on the take point on the Dan River under the NC 704 Bridge. This is the nearest public take out from the Madison River Park.

The ramp has been installed at the new and improved river take out point but the railing has not been installed as it is awaiting fabrication. With this, we highly encourage you to NOT use this take out point until it is completely finished.

But, don't panic, we have a great option for exiting the river................ The new beach access will serve as the main take out point for the moment. This access a little more than 1,500 feet upstream from the original access but on the same side. It also has a ramp, more shallow water directly at the shore and is a short walk to the designated parking area. Please see beach access which is the temporary take out circled in yellow on map below.

We already know that MadTown Tubing will be utilizing the beach access for tubers, kayakers, etc. and we encourage all outfitters and individuals to exit the river via the beach access.

We have been informed that numerous individuals have attempted to exit the river at Grogan's Riverfront, which is a private business. While we're sure they would love for you to visit, this is private property on the east side of the river that should not used as public access.

We are super excited for this next adventure known as Madison River Park Downtown.

Most Important *****STAY SAFE, WEAR A LIFE JACKET, BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDING****

05/19/2026

💃💃💃

05/18/2026

Join us for the of Madison’s Second Budget Workshop!

05/17/2026

May 14, 2026 Town of Madison’s Meeting Recap -

I am not sure if I should give you the "good" stuff first to entice you to watch, hold it until the end so you will watch the entire recap, or review in chronological order? 🫣😂

🙋🏻‍♀️ What do you want?

Items in recap:
- 704 Speed Limit
- 704 Paving
- SRO at Dillard (this was not discussed at the meeting but there is an update in this video)
- Review of Public Comments
- Economic Growth at 2.9% (whoop,whoop - BUT we need a Strategic Plan for Madison to properly handle this growth - make sure your Alderman know!)
- Meridian Waste contract Approval
- Antique Fire Truck purchased by Town
- Road Closure for America 250 celebration on July 3rd

Items not in this recap:
- Approval of Agenda
- Approval of Minutes
- Approval of Budget Report
- Proclamation for June to be Vitiligo Awareness Month (more information to come in June)

If you watch the full video at Rockingham Update and want me to address any section that I did not in this video - leave a comment or shoot me an email to [email protected].

As always if you want to view the official Minutes or get your own copy of the Agenda Packet click the link below.

https://www.townofmadison.org/index.asp?SEC=CDCD44F8-93FA-4F14-AE33-20347D961048&Type=B_BASIC

05/15/2026

Can you believe the total views for the Town of Madison’s meetings in just the last 4 months? 😳

We’ve noticed that while fewer folks may be filling the seats at our Board of Alderman meetings, many more are tuning in online.

❤️ Whether you’re watching live, catching up on the recordings, or stopping by in person, your participation truly matters.

This shift shows how accessibility is changing. Not everyone can make it downtown on a Thursday night, but thanks to technology (shout out Rockingham Update), involvement in local government is no longer limited by the four walls of Town Hall.

We are engaging with our citizens through screens, shares, and streams.

That is something to celebrate. 🎉

However you want to take part — online or in person —
THANK YOU for staying engaged, informed, and invested in Madison’s future.

🙌🏻 I will post the May 14th meeting recap on Sunday.