Recent Portraits

From state penitentiaries to the last 15 years with the Carroll County, Tony Meadows has been working as a corrections officer for three decades. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Tim Harmon poses for a portrait in front of the house that Project Phoenix is rehabilitating for use as a transitional home for people who have lost their residence to fire or other kinds of loss. Project Phoenix is in the running for a $50,000 grant from the Pepsi corporation's Pepsi Refresh Project. To receive one of the grants (up to 10 are given each month), Project Phoenix needs to more online votes than other groups within the month of September. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

The "I" in the Ohio Theater sign is broken. The lights on the marquee do not sparkle like they used to. Damaged siding covers the old brick facade and the windows are in desperate need of repair. All of those things can be remedied with a $25,000 grant that the theater might receive from the National Trust Main Street Community Challenge. But the theater need the community's support to earn the grant. That support comes in the form of online voting for the project. Laura Ratcliff, who owns the theater with her husband, Tony, said she has been overwhelmed with the support so far. "So many people voted for us and then told their friends and then they voted for us too," Ratcliff said. "We hope this keeps spreading." (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Lieutenants Matthew and Emily Phelps are serving over the Madison Salvation Army Corps Community Center. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Madison Consolidated High School senior Alex Podczerwinski is a semifinalist in the National Merit Scholarship Program. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Madison Police Department Interim Chief Yancy Denning. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Artist Stephanie Hellmann poses for a portrait at the Broadway Fountain, which is where she created the photograph that is being used on the poster for the 2010 Madison Chautauqua Festival of Art of Madison Chautauqua.
The t-shirt logo for this year's festival is a screen print design taken directly from the Hellmann image. The screen print logo was produced by Troy Seel, who works at Heitz Sign Company. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

2010 Carrollton Mayoral Candidates

Carrollton mayoral candidate Gene McMurry. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Carrollton mayoral incumbent candidate Dwight Louden. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Carrollton mayoral candidate Dean Miller, Jr. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Carrollton mayoral candidate Walter Smiley Coghill. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Hodge Podge

Brandon Ayers, 14, from left, Alex Gomez, 9, and Garrett Morton, 7, play a game of tag during the Help Hope fund raising event at Ryker's Ridge Baptist Church on Saturday. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Decorated cupcakes are set on a cupcake tree and on plates, ready to be tasted at the parent teacher conferences at Madison Consolidated High School on Monday. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Workers from Louisville based Faulkner Construction install sheet pilings near the cell at Lamplighter Park along the Madison Riverfront on Thursday. The sheet pilings which are interlocked pieces of steel that are driven deep into the ground are being used as part of a bank stabilization and erosion control project.
The pilings are lifted into place with a crane, lined up, one to another, by a man in a lift cart and driven into the ground using a vibratory hammer.
The piling will line 120 feet of the riverfront on the east side of the cell and 100 feet on the west side of the cell to help prevent erosion in the area. Once the pilings are in, the dirt will be filled back in behind them and the park will be re-landscaped. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

(Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

(Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Alexis Baker, 9, center, Chelsea Garlinghouse, 7, left, and Angel Higbie, 8, partner with the rest of the Junior Madison Red Cheerleaders as they shout for their team at Rucker Sports Complex on Saturday. This is the first season that they have had a cheer leading squad for the little league football teams. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

The steady breeze on Monday allowed Hannah Spry to make bubbles with little effort. The National Weather Service has forecast much more substantial winds today, with some gusts topping 40 mph. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Grant Smith, 7, right, tries to get the soccer ball around his brother Isaac, 9, for a goal while practicing in their front yard in Madison on Monday. The forecasted rain for Monday afternoon never fell in the Madison area, giving the Smith's plenty of time to practice. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Third grader Emily Skirvin, of E.O. Muncie Elementary School, climbs a ladder to get to the cab of a John Deere sprayer after Zach Ford, of the MCHS FFA, right, told the third graders about the machine at Ag Day at the Jefferson County 4-H Fairgrounds on Wednesday. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Jami Karst and other workers from the Madison Correction Facility paint the bee houses and shotgun house at Pearl Park on Thursday as part of a renovation project between the Madison Parks Department and the Jefferson County Preservation Council. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Angel runs away with her tennis ball instead of retuning it to Ansley Crutchfield, 9, while training at the city dog park on Tuesday. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Erin Ware, a graduate student from Ball State University, takes apart a stain glass window for restoration as part of a workshop at St. Michael the Archangel Church building. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Erin Ware, right, a graduate student from Ball State University, and Ivy Tech historic trades instructor Rhonda Deeg take apart a stain glass window for restoration as part of a workshop at St. Michael the Archangel Church. The workshop was sponsored by Historic Madison Inc. through Ivy Tech Community College. Students were able to earn three college credit hours for the course as they received hands on experience with stain glass restoration, stonework and historic plastering in the HMI owned church buildings and grounds. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Hanover College alumni groups went on sightseeing trips from Madison on the Belle of Louisville on Friday. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Engineer Dale Poorman, of Columbus, Ohio, climbs on the undergirding of the Madison-Milton Bridge as he and a team of other engineers from Burgess & Niple, Inc., of Louisville began their week-long fracture-critical inspection, which is done once every two years.
Results from the December 2008 fracture-critical inspection led to the 15-ton weight limit being imposed for bridge traffic.
If weather permits, another inspection by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will be done Friday from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. That inspection will cause closures on one lane of traffic throughout the day. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Fall 2010

A stem and leaves from a nearby tree sit on a wet bench after a light rain moved through the Courierarea on Tuesday. The rain is not likely to make much of an impact on the local drought. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)


Leon Jackson, of East Enterprise, fishes at Krueger Lake at Jefferson Proving Ground as geese fly over the surface of the water on Wednesday. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Part of a group of the 100 architects from the Indiana and Kentucky chapter of the American Institute of Architects follow John Staicer, president and executive director of Historic Madison Inc., to the Jeremiah Sullivan House, 304 W. Second St., one of the stops on a walking tour of historic properties on Thursday. The architects were welcomed to town at the beginning of their annual convention, which is being held at Belterra Casino Resort & Spa this year. Upon arrival in Madison, the architects heard a presentation by Camille Fife, president of the Westerly Group, on Madison's early architecture, and a presentation about preservation techniques and materials by Orbin Ash, historic sites construction manager at the Division of Indiana State Museums and Historic Sites. Both presentations were given at the John T. Windle Auditorium. Afterward, the architects were divided into groups of 25 for the walking tours. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)


The orange and reds of a tree stand in stark contrast behind the green street sign on the hilltop. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)


A maple tree's leaves start to change color in Madison. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)


While the drought has hindered the normal explosion of colors in the Courierarea's fall foliage, there are still many pockets of color to be seen for local residents on the lookout. The early morning sunshine allowed for a reflection of trees on the surface of the lake at General Butler State Park, in Carrollton, Ky. The typical peak season for fall colors in southern Indiana is mid-October. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)


Ryan Spivey, 15, throws a pumpkin to Kenny Kendall, 17, who then stacked the gourds on a trailer on David Ginn's farm in Trimble County on Thursday. Ginn said he did fairly well with a batch of pumpkins that started growing before the drought, and that a this new batch produced much smaller pumpkins. The overall pumpkin crop in the Courierarea was cut down by the dry summer. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

A Cupola Pictures

A worker from Campbellsville Industries, from Campbellsville, Ky., unhooks a crane from the top of one-half of the dome of the replacement cupola for the Jefferson County Courthouse after the piece was unloaded from a truck on Thursday. Weather permitting, all of the pieces of the new cupola will be delivered, assembled and installed by this week and next. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Barry Antle, supervisor of the instillation crew from Campbellsville Industries, from Campbellsville, Ky., tells a driver where to position his tractor trailer as the first half of the dome is delivered for the replacement cupola for the Jefferson County Courthouse on Thursday. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

A crew rigs the first half of the dome for a lift from the delivery truck onto the south lot of the Jefferson County Courthouse on Thursday. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

The first half of the dome of the replacement cupola is lifted off the delivery truck and placed in the south lot of the Jefferson County Courthouse on Thursday. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Tim Maupin, of a crew from Campbellsville Industries, from Campbellsville, Ky., assembles pieces of the middle portion of the cupola that had been taken off for transport to the Jefferson County Courthouse. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

The cupola drum and dome were installed atop the Jefferson County Courthouse on Wednesday, about one year and five months after fire destroyed the last cupola. Campbellsville Industries, the company that was commissioned to recreate the cupola in their Campbellsville, Ky., shop, planned on completing the installation today with the placement of the lantern, a smaller second dome and the weather vane. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Troy Durrett works inside the middle portion of the cupola as he and the rest of a crew from Campbellsville Industries, from Campbellsville, Ky., worked this week delivering and assembling the pieces of the replacement cupola for the Jefferson County Courthouse. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Troy Durrett works inside the middle portion of the cupola as he and the rest of a crew from Campbellsville Industries, from Campbellsville, Ky., worked this week delivering and assembling the pieces of the replacement cupola for the Jefferson County Courthouse. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

The cupola drum and dome were installed atop the Jefferson County Courthouse on Wednesday, about one year and five months after fire destroyed the last cupola. Campbellsville Industries, the company that was commissioned to recreate the cupola in their Campbellsville, Ky., shop, planned on completing the installation today with the placement of the lantern, a smaller second dome and the weather vane. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

The cupola drum and dome were installed atop the Jefferson County Courthouse on Wednesday, about one year and five months after fire destroyed the last cupola. Campbellsville Industries, the company that was commissioned to recreate the cupola in their Campbellsville, Ky., shop, planned on completing the installation today with the placement of the lantern, a smaller second dome and the weather vane. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

The Ribberfest and Other Recent Festivals

As always, Madison played host to a plethora of incredible festivals this year.
Here are some of my favorite photos from the events.

The "Pulled Pork" statue and others are on display this weekend on Vaughn Drive as part of the 2010 Madison Ribberfest on Friday. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Harmonica Red and guitarist Ryan Patterson, of the band Big Al & the Heavyweights, make their way through the crowd while playing dueling solos at the 2010 Madison Ribberfest on Saturday. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)
Mike Horan, of Scottsburg based Mo Dog barbeque team, prepares Beer Can Chicken on the grill at The Madison Courier Backyard Barbeque, part of the 2010 Madison Ribberfest on Friday. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Sarah Cole, of Columbus, Ohio, dances to the music at the 2010 Madison Ribberfest on Friday. Cole is in town to cheer on her uncle who is competing in the barbeque contest today. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

The moon glows in the sky while hot air balloons light the Milton riverbank during the 2010 Madison Ribberfest on Friday. Rain and high winds kept the balloons from racing on Saturday. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Byron Chism, left, creator of "Butt Rub" barbeque seasoning talks with one of his fans, Tim Roszmann, of Dry Ridge, Ky., during the 2010 Madison Ribberfest on Saturday. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

David Roper carries his own plastic fork and spoon with him where ever he goes during events like the Madison Ribberfest. he said when cooks and barbeque teams are giving out samples forks and spoons are the first thing they run out of. Roper, who has judged competitions across the country was in Madison to support his friend Byron Chism, creator of "Butt Rub" barbeque seasoning. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Ben Fortner, of Bedford, Ky., competes in the Good to the Bone rib eating contest at the 2010 Madison Ribberfest on Saturday. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Jimmy Hall plays the saxophone during his band's set at the 2010 Madison Ribberfest on Saturday. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Ernestine Thomas, left, of the Fall City Smokers barbeque team from Smithfield, Ky., and Regina Rojas, of Oliver's Smokin' BBQ team, from Louisville, wait in line to submit their teams deserts for judging at the 2010 Madison Ribberfest on Saturday. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Judy Bixby shows a table of judges a desert entry at the 2010 Madison Ribberfest on Saturday. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Tyrone Cotton, left, and Stephen Couch perform at the 2010 Madison Ribberfest on Saturday. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Two rows of balloons light up on the riverbank in Milton for the 2010 Madison Ribberfest's Balloon glow on Friday. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Guitarist and singer Greg Foresman plays a solo at the beginning of the 2010 Madison Ribberfest on Friday. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Old Court Days vendor Alice West, of Seymour, refastens her quilts to a fence near the Jefferson County Courthouse on Friday. "The wind was so bad, I've hardly kept things from blowing away," West said. Today's temperatures are forecasted to remain in the mid-70's with sunny skies. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Kevin Schartz, of the Lawrence, Kansas, based Celestial Ironworks, makes his way past a field of metal flowers to tend to a customer at his booth at the Madison Chautauqua Festival of Art on Saturday. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Paul Kelly juggles while meandering down Vaughn Drive at the Madison Chautauqua Festival of Art on Saturday. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Macy Risk, 9, of Madison, creates a "Peace, Love, Earth" design on a sidewalk near the intersection of Main and Jefferson streets during the Fourth Friday Art and Shop Hop. Children from kindergarten through 12th grade were encouraged to do sidewalk chalk art to celebrate their return to school. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

Isabella Abbott, 4, from left, and her brother Clayton Abbott, 3, of New Washington, ride the helicopter with Jenna Brierly, 4, of Milton, Ky., at the Shawe and Pope John Community Festival on Friday. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)

The sun begins to set beyond a ferris wheel and the Fun Slide at the Shawe and Pope John Community Festival on Friday. (Staff photo by Ken Ritchie/The Madison Courier)