Tallassee resident sentenced for theft
A former employee of Alliance Insurance Group will spend a year in the Montgomery County Jail and pay more than $500,000 in restitution following a guilty plea to theft.
“Stealing from a city, a community, deprives citizens of having their own taxpayer dollars put to good use,” Ala -
Kelli Sayers Burt, 44, of Tallassee, was sentenced Wednesday to two years in the Montgomery County Jail, split to serve one year day for day for first-degree theft from the City of Montgomery.
Thompson family approaches council for solutions
By MELODY RATHEL Multimedia Reporter
It has been almost three months since Michael Thompson was last seen. Since his disappearance April 21, the family of Michael Thompson has sought multiple
avenues in an attempt to find him. At the last Tallassee City Council meeting, Thompson’s sister Joanne Wright approached the council to see if there were any more possibilities for search efforts.
Free meals for all students returns to Tallassee
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
bama attorney general Steve Marshall said in a release.
“Make no mistake, this was not a victimless crime, and I am pleased with the strong message sent by the court.”
Burt was indicted by a Montgomery County Grand Jury in April and pleaded guilty May 20. She is a former employee
of Alliance Insurance Group and was assigned to handle the health insurance claims for the City of Montgomery’s employees. According to the Alabama Attorney General’s Office, Burt used the identities of city employees between 2017 and 2024 more than 330 times to divert insurance reimbursements into her own bank account. Her repeated targeting of the City of Montgomery resulted in a loss to the city of more than $465,000. In addition to Burt’s jail time, she is required to pay $514,741 in restitution to her former employer and the employer’s insurer once she is released.
ALIEN INVASION AT THE TALLASSEE LIBRARY
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
reen aliens, blue aliens and foreign spaceships have invaded the children’s section of the Tallassee Community Library. Area children had
friendly encounters with aliens they constructed during the summer reading program “Adventures Start at the Library.”
Just a few weeks ago the children were creating spaceships that could
All students in Tallassee City Schools will once again have access to free breakfast and lunch during the school day. The meals are being provided through the USDA’s Community Eligibility Provision.
“We are trying to encourage reading, especially in children with the summer program,” Tallassee Community Library director Margaret Lumpkin said. “We are trying to let the children know reading can be entertaining.”
“Our district qualified again to operate under CEP,” Tallassee City Schools Child Nutrition Programs coordinator Carol Wright said. “This is our second year on it.”
The family of Michael Thompson is continuing to search for him as he has been missing since April 21.
CLIFF WILLIAMS TPI
Lake Martin’s Best Source for News and Information.
Obituaries
MICHAEL (MIKEY) JOE BARBER
Michael (Mikey) Joe Barber, 44, passed away to be with our Lord on June 28, 2024 at Baptist South Hospital in Montgomery, AL. He felt the love poured from his loved ones and looked forward to coming home. Mikey was born on October 18, 1979 in Tallassee, AL. He is survived by his father, Joe Calbert Barber Jr., and his mother Sallie (Nan) Bragg Barber, both of Tallassee, AL. Siblings Beth Barber (Herren) and William (Cal) Barber of Tallassee, AL. Nephews Blake Herren and Brenden Herren of Tallassee, AL. He leaves behind his very loved Boston Terrier, Bandit. Mikey was preceded in death by his loving grandparents, Calbert and Jewell Barber of Talladega, AL, and Billy and Elizabeth (Lib) Bragg of Tallassee,
Police Reports
TALLASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT
JULY 14
• Gunshots were reported on Joy Street.
• Assistance was given to a citizen on Parker Street and Gilmer Avenue.
• Suspicious activity was reported on Second Avenue.
• A juvenile complaint was reported on Birch Street.
JULY 13
• Assistance was given during a medical call on Ashurst Avenue.
• A suspicious vehicle was reported on Jordan Avenue.
• Breaking and entering of a vehicle was reported on Central Boulevard.
• Assistance was provided during a medical call on Barnett Boulevard.
AL. A lifelong Elmore County native, Mikey grew up in Tallassee and lived most of his adult life on Lake Martin where he enjoyed fishing. He was a crafty entrepreneur that tried his hand at many small ventures such as “Mike’s Bait Shop” in Red Hill, and a prepaid cell phone business. He was a kind, thoughtful, and freehearted person, even as a child. He enjoyed youth ball that grew into a love of both football and baseball. Minutes before his passing, he was communicating with family about his excitement of the current Atlanta Braves game. Some of his happiest memories were attending Auburn football games with Aunt Paula Gulledge and Cousin Gale Lynn. He loved God, his family and Lake Martin. Mikey attended Tallassee public schools and graduated from
reported on Lower Tuskegee Road.
• Suspicious activity was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Gilmer Avenue.
• Assistance was given during a medical call on South Tallassee Drive.
• Animal control was requested on South Central Boulevard.
• A white male was arrested during a traffic stop on Ashurst Avenue.
• A private property motor vehicle accident was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Animal control was requested on Barnett Boulevard.
JULY 10
• A suspicious vehicle was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
Oakdale High School in Montgomery AL. He attended John Patterson Technical College where he studied to become an electrician. A memorial service for Mikey will be at First Baptist Church in Tallassee on Monday, July 8 at 10:00 am. Rev. Trey Waldrop, Rev. Farron Golden and Rev. Jay Woodall will be officiating. Visitation with the family will follow the service. Donations can be made in lieu of flowers to The Humane Society of Elmore County, 255 Central Plank Road (Hwy 9) Wetumpka, Alabama 36092. Mikey’s mailing address is 29 Rosemere Dr, Tallassee, AL 36078.
Linville Memorial Funeral Home and Crematory Eclectic, Alabama
reported on John Street.
JULY 9
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Jordan Avenue.
• A white male was arrested during a domestic incident on James Street.
• A Black male was arrested during a traffic stop on Gen. Chappy James Street.
• A Black male was arrested during a traffic stop on Macedonia Road.
• Theft was reported on Washington Street.
• Assistance was given to a citizen on Barnett Boulevard.
• An animal complaint was reported on Camelia Drive.
• A Black male and a Black female were arrested while assisting another agency on North Johnson Street.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Gilmer Avenue.
• Criminal mischief was reported on Sims Avenue.
• Menacing was reported on Sims Avenue.
• Harassment was reported on Claire Street.
• A white male was arrested during a traffic stop on Barnett Boulevard.
• Menacing was reported on Sims Avenue.
• A welfare check was conducted on Harris Street.
• Theft was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Harassment was reported on Evergreen Street.
• A white male was arrested during a traffic stop on Lower River Road.
• A runaway juvenile was reported on Cottage Hill Court.
2018
• A white female was arrested during a domestic dispute call on Sims Avenue.
• A suspicious person was reported on Hillcrest Street.
JULY 12
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Barnett Boulevard.
• A noise complaint was reported on Jordan Avenue and Wall Street.
• Assistance was given during a medical call on South Tallassee Drive.
• Assistance was given to another agency on Third Avenue.
• Theft was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Assistance was given to the Tallassee Fire Department on Notasulga Road.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Notasulga Road.
JULY 11
• A juvenile complaint was reported on Hull Street.
• Suspicious activity was
• A suspicious person was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• An animal complaint was reported on East Patton Street.
• Theft was reported on Willow Street.
• A suspicious vehicle was reported on Central Boulevard.
• A Black male was arrested on Gen. Chappy James Street.
• Animal control was requested on Central Boulevard.
• A Black male was arrested on U.S. Highway 231.
• A welfare check was performed on Central Boulevard.
• Trespassing was reported on North Johnson Street.
• Animal control was requested on Hillcrest Street and Truman Street.
• Assistance was given to a citizen on Barnett Boulevard.
• A suspicious person was reported on Noble Road.
• A domestic incident was
• An animal complaint was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• A juvenile complaint was reported on Little John Drive.
• An animal complaint was reported on Sims Avenue and Power Extension.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Gen. Chappy James Street.
• Harassment was reported on Gen. Chappy James Street.
• An animal complaint was reported on North Ashurst Avenue.
• Harassment was reported on Gen. Chappy James Street.
• A suspicious vehicle was reported on Highway 229 and Hudson Place.
JULY 8
• A domestic complaint was reported on Sims Avenue.
• A Black male was arrested on South Tallassee Drive.
• A suspicious person was reported on First Avenue.
• Trespassing was reported on North Johnson Street. JULY 7
• A noise complaint was reported on North Ashurst Avenue.
• A suspicious person was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Criminal mischief was reported on Gen. Chappy James Street.
• Assistance was given to another agency on Barnett Boulevard.
• A Black male was arrested on Gilmer Avenue.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Gilmer Avenue.
• Theft was reported on Little John Drive.
• Assistance was given to another agency on Hillcrest Street.
• A motor vehicle accident with no injuries was reported on Main Street.
3 prisoners connected to Elmore County crimes denied parole
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
Jeremy S. Grant, Eric Rodney Hammonds and Kendall Stone Kent will not be released from prison this year. The three inmates had
parole hearings before the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles last month. It will be at least a year before any of them get a chance at parole again. Grant, 47, has served nearly 11 years of a
17-year sentence for third-degree burglary out of Autauga County. According to court
Grant also served time for two more counts of third-degree burglary from Autauga County. From Elmore County he went to prison for one count of burglary and one count of second-degree theft of property. He also has convictions for second-degree theft, third-degree burglary and criminal possession of a forged instrument in Montgomery County.
Hammonds, 48, was denied an early release from prison. He has served almost 20 years of a 40-year sentence for manslaughter and two counts of assault.
Grant is currently incarcerated at the Childersburg Community Work Center. Hammonds has been incarcerated since 2005 but also served a 15-year sentence following a 2007 conviction
in Elmore County for promoting prison contraband.
According to parole hearing minutes, a family member spoke in favor of his early release. Representatives of the victims, a victim advocacy group and the Alabama Attorney General’s Office spoke against parole. His next chance at a parole hearing is in June 2029.
Hammonds is currently serving his time at the Alabama Department of Corrections Hamilton Aged and Infirmed Center. Kent was convicted of first-degree robbery in Elmore County in 2017. He has served about a year of a nine year and nine month prison sentence. Kent is currently incarcerated at Easterling Correctional Facility.
HAMMONDS KENT GRANT
Humane Society of Elmore County News
Consider volunteer opportunities today
By REA CORD HSEC Executive Director
Co-located with our shelter at 255 Central Plank Rd. on Highway 9 in Wetumpka is our Tail’s End Thrift Store.
This volunteer-run operation is absolutely vital to our private, non-profit shelter, as all of the proceeds generated by the store’s sales come to our humane shelter.
For those who find volunteering in a shelter too emotionally challenging, volunteering in our thrift store is a fantastic way to help our pets in a very big way (because you can come visit our pets while volunteering).
While the store is open for shopping 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, there are also volunteer opportunities Monday through Wednesday. When the store is
open for donations, we need volunteers to receive donations, help shoppers, move items ready for sale to the store, check people out at the front register and just all those things that most any ‘store’ needs done to keep customers happy and merchandise flowing.
On open store days and on days the store is closed there plenty to do as received items have to be sorted, priced and tagged, clothes have to be sorted and sized (men, women, children, etc) and hung to make it easier to move them to the store and for customers to find what they are looking for.
Some items need cleanup or checking out to make sure they actually work (small appliances, lamps, electronics, power tools, etc). Price researching is sometimes necessary for unique or collectible items, and items that have been sitting in
Pet of the Week — Daisy
Daisy is an almost 6-month-old who weighs 26 pounds. She is a female pitbull mix puppy. She is a wonderful gal who should be around 40 pounds when fully grown. She is great with other dogs and cats and loves everyone.
The Humane Society of Elmore County’s adoption fees are $100 for dogs and $50 for cats under 1 year old. Cats over 1 can be adopted by approved adopters for a fee of their choosing. This adoption fee covers the mandatory spay or neuter, basic immunizations, deworm -
ing, microchip, heartworm check for dogs, rabies vaccination if old enough and a free health exam with your participating veterinarian. If you are interested in meeting Cola or any of the pets at HSEC, the first step is to fill out an adoption application online. Once approved, you will be contacted by someone from the humane society. HSEC is located at 255 Central Plank Road in Wetumpka. The phone number is 334-567-3377 and the website is www. elmorehumane.org.
the store for too long may need removed or marked down.
All the above is to show that there are many, many ways you can volunteer in our Tail’s End Thrift Store – we have volunteers who do a little of everything, some who specialize in certain areas, some who come multiple times/week, others who come once/week and some who help as they can. There is something for everyone and this is simply a great way to Volunteer AND help our Shelter and all the pets in our care. And these Volunteers run a first-class operation! You will find our Volunteers are a big family, happy to help customers and proud of what their hard work is accomplishing for our Shelter – we are absolutely indebted to all the Thrift Store Volunteers for the positive difference they make for our Shelter!
Feel free to stop by the store to ask about Volunteering, email us at hselco@bellsouth. net, or fill out our Volunteer Form on our website.
For those reading this not familiar with our Thrift Store - our store carries clothing, furniture, collectibles, art, books, jewelry, toys, shoes, appliances, electronics, furniture and so much more. We are incredibly grateful to all who donate items since that is where this all starts and all donations are tax-deductible. Our Volunteers are there to receive donations 9 a.m. through noon Thursday through Saturday; please do not leave donations outside of these hours as items left outside are subject to theft and the weather. Please note that we do not accept stained/dirty/dry-rotted clothing, broken items, the old-style heavy televisions, old style large/heavy computer
monitors, stained mattresses & obviously soiled or damaged furniture. To our shoppers/donors/ supporters – you will find super deals and high-quality items at our thrift store. Our volunteers take great effort in cleaning items, making sure clothes are all in good condition and checking that electronics/appliances actually work.
Shoppers can feel confident in getting nice items when you come shop with us while also supporting what we think is a great cause! And many thanks to all who do shop at our Tail’s End Thrift Store — we greatly appreciate your support! We hope you shop and adopt.
Rea Cord is the executive director of the Humane Society of Elmore County.
DHR announces final round of Child Care Stability grants
TPI STAFF Staff Report
The Alabama Department of Human Resources announced the final round of grants supporting child care providers through a temporary federal grant program.
Starting Monday July 15, DHR will accept applications for Child Care Stability grants, meant to reinforce the child care industry in the state. The final day to apply is Aug. 12. Award amounts will be determined based on the total number of children served by the facility of home, the number of qualifying applicants and the availability of funds. DHR wants to ensure all remaining grant funds provided through the American Rescue Plan Act are utilized before Sep. 30. “These grants have helped increase access to child care for many Alabama families and have improved opportunities for Alabama’s child care providers,” Ala -
bama DHR commissioner Nancy Buckner said in a release. “We know that high-quality and accessible child care is an integral foundation block of Alabama’s workforce system. It is vital we find unique and novel ways to support and grow the list of high-quality caregivers and providers across our state if we are to build and maintain a strong workforce throughout Alabama.”
Grant funds are used for necessary expenditures such as employee pay, facility maintenance, purchases of classroom materials, cleaning supplies and meals. Funds can also be used to offer tuition relief to families.
To qualify, providers must be licensed and operating in good standing with DHR at the time they apply and receive a grant. They must also remain in operation for at least one year after a grant is awarded.
Applications and other important information will be available at dhr. alabama.gov/child-care.
Our View Opinion
Animals all around us
There are plenty of issues in the world and some certainly seem more dire than others. No one problem should take precedence over another, but recently, the TPI staff has come across a huge issue: too many stray and abandoned animals.
Almost daily, a call comes through the police scanner about a stray dog or two running around in the street. Our phone lines ring about once a week from residents reporting stray animals asking if there are any shelters we know of that have room.
Some of our writers even have stray and under appreciated dogs in their neighborhoods that are seen on a daily basis.
After every episode of The Price is Right, host Drew Carey signs off reminding watchers to spay and neuter their pets. The unsaid part of that is to also take care of those animals.
Too often it seems people breed or take in animals that they have no business doing so. An animal is like a child and needs to be treated as such. They need to be cared for their entire lives, not just until it’s no longer convenient.
Our staff started the Creature Chronicles series, documenting farms and animal caretakers across Tallapoosa and Elmore counties. In the upcoming video, Abigail Murphy and Henry Zimmer talk to a 10-year-old in New Site about him raising his own chickens for 4-H competition. If children can raise animals, we all can. It is just that simple.
There are plenty of people doing good works, like taking in strays or even fostering animals when they can.
It wouldn’t be needed however if we all just did our part. Think about that stray dog you see on the drive to work next time you want to adopt a litter of kittens or puppies.
Take confederates off their pedestals
Change is hard. But also necessary.
One of the big changes recently was altering Columbus, Georgia’s Fort Benning to Fort Moore.
I know a common concern is losing critical parts of history. But history is nothing without change.
I grew up in Georgia, part of my family is from Columbus. Also, I minored in both history and sociology in college. And I am white, which does matter. That will make sense later.
The thing about history is it shifts depending on who is telling the story. In every one of my history classes, I would read a firsthand account and the professor would ask, “What bias does this source have that could affect how the event was perceived?”
History is a collection of stories from a variety of perspectives. Even things that seem finite aren’t. For example, the dates of when a war started is up to some level of interpretation. You could argue the French Revolution started May 5, 1789, when the three estates presented a list of grievances to the king, or you could argue it started on Bastille Day because that was when the tension became violent. All to say, history is fluid. Back to Fort Moore though. Are we losing a part of history? No. We are passing the mic to another voice in history. Things aren’t meant to be stagnant. The name Fort Benning isn’t lost. It’s part of the history of
ABIGAIL MURPHY Multimedia Reporter
the Army training base. That name is still part of its records; it’s just no longer in the spotlight.
But this is also speaking to the wider issue of Confederate names “being erased.” So now it’s time to talk about whiteness and the myth of the lost cause. The myth of the lost cause is the idea that the Confederacy was righteous and about protecting states’ rights — that it was not about slavery.
But to rebuttal that idea, I’m just going to give it to you straight from the horse’s mouth.
Confederate Vice President Alexander H. Stephens said in the Cornerstone Speech of 1861: “Our new government is founded upon exactly the opposite idea; its foundations are laid, its corner-stone rests, upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery subordination to the superior race is his natural and normal condition.”
The idea that the Confederacy was about states’ rights came after the fact with Edward A. Pollard’s “The Lost Cause” essay, published in 1867, coining the term. The myth of the lost cause allows Confederates to be heroes rather than soldiers who contributed to racism
and the institution of slavery.
Surely, we can talk about the Civil War without patting Confederates on their backs.
The more Confederates get their flowers the more we are encouraging the myth of the lost cause and allowing whiteness to continue to take the forefront over the mistreatment, abuse and dehumanization of a mass of people. People whose living ancestors are still part of this country today.
I encourage white people to practice empathy. Step outside of yourself, set aside that pride we all have and consider something outside of your own lived experiences.
It is true white people will never understand what it is like to be Black in America. But we can educate ourselves through engaging with media that confronts our white privilege and doing the internal work of accepting white guilt and using it as motivation to do better in this lifetime.
Unless we, as white people, change our attitudes and look our flaws square in the eyes, then we will never live in a post-racial society; we will never have equality. It starts small; it starts with us. So, take Confederates off that pedestal and let Southern pride be more than a racist past.
Abigail Murphy is the Dadeville beat reporter for Tallapoosa Publishers Inc.
Thankful for the memories
Idon’t quite know how to take the news of the old building coming down at Reeltown Schools.
I have never had a class in the building but have plenty of memories from there.
.jpeg attached to the email. Announcements will appear within 10 days in The Tribune, The Herald or The Observer.
I have walked down every hall in the building, been in every classroom, bathroom, library closet.
I have been under the building and around.
You see, most of the memories at Reeltown surround my dad as he was over maintenance for Tallapoosa County Schools when there were only bandages for fixes that needed much more funding.
I remember cleaning out old desks and books from under the school as it was readied for termite treatment one summer. I shared tomato and bologna sandwiches with my dad under a shade tree at lunch with the inmates most days. They may have been wearing prison garments, but they worked hard, seemed to enjoy making the world better and treated me well.
We later trenched the foundation walls to accept termite treatment per the industry prescription of about one gallon for every 10 or so feet.
Years later I walked by the foundation vents on the way to a Rebel football game and could still
smell the treatment.
I remember a roof being put on the Reeltown school one summer.
I can remember being a “plumbing assistant” one very cold winter. Dad was repairing numerous ruptured copper water pipes under the school that had frozen. I ran back and forth to the truck getting fittings and pipes as he cut out and repaired the busted ones.
I have similar memories with my dad at the old schools at New Site and Hackneyville.
I’ve heard the stories from the old Tallassee High School, mostly from former students and staff.
I’ve been in its old gym and can only imagine watching basketball back in the day.
I walk around Elmore County and see the old schools in Eclectic and Holtville. I have been in them and their floors creak just like those I walked in Tallapoosa County as a kid.
I’m sure they are all full of memories for students and teachers.
I have seen posts on social
media wanting to save the buildings because of the memories. In the end they are just buildings.
I remember attending the Tallassee High School Class of 1974 reunion. The school building they walked the halls of 50 years ago is gone. But walking the halls of the new school brought back a flood of memories. Even 50 years later and in a different school the graduates could recall teachers they learned from, habits they had and the trouble they got in. We all have those memories regardless of the building or the time that has elapsed.
From my reporting I know the old school in Eclectic will meet a similar fate as Tallassee High School, Reeltown and others.
I’m confident a new high school will be built in Holtville as the old one is preserved. While the plans might change for some of the schools, I’m certain of one thing: the memories created at the schools will live on in the minds, hearts and stories of those who lived them over the last century.
Cliff Williams is the news editor of Tallapoosa Publishers Inc.’s Elmore County newspapers. He can be reached at cliff.williams@ thewetumpkaherald.com.
CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
New businesses could lead to more
BY CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
Recruiting
ness
In
“We
Tallassee, especially after we have put so much investment and time into the downtown redevelopment project,” Tallassee Mayor Sarah Hill said.
“It is exactly what we want to see. We want to see continued growth in the downtown area.” Gilmer Avenue is starting to thrive again with the addition of Papa Johns and Taco Bell. First Community Bank of Central Alabama is expanding its location there. This past weekend Rich’s Car Wash opened with free services attracting crowds.
“Everything right through there is looking great,” Hill said.
Rich’s Car Wash is based in Mobile and is family owned. It has about 40 locations across six states. Tim Richardson is one of the owners of the company and is familiar with Tallassee.
“My wife grew up just down the road,” Richardson said. “I’ve
been coming here for years.”
The location joins the Rich’s Car Washes operating in Auburn and Montgomery, and an upcoming location in Wetumpka.
“We have so many people telling us Tallassee would be a great place,” district manager Wyatt Baker said.
The company started in 1976 as the Richardson family was looking to diversify from home construction. It started with spray wands and coin operated car washes. It now offers automatic car washes with a variety of options.
“Our mission is to treat every customer like family and provide the best car wash possible,” Wyatt said. “We want to make this an experience and not a transaction.”
The car wash had a soft opening this past weekend with free washes for everyone.
CommunityCalendar
Davis speaks to Rotary Club
“Tallassee doesn’t have a car wash like this,” Wyatt said. “Everyone has been showing their appreciation for us. Everyone is excited about it.”
The new businesses mean more property tax and sales tax revenues for the City of Tallassee and Elmore County. But the businesses could mean more, especially Rich’s Car Wash.
“Because it is a regional franchise, we are able to use it to help recruit and draw more interests from other regional and national retailers to Tallassee,” Hill said.
SUBMITTED TPI The Tallassee Rotary Club heard from Elmore County commissioner-elect Brad Davis Thursday at the club’s regular weekly meeting. Davis talked to club members about upcoming county projects. Davis also encouraged constituents to aid him in finding and correcting issues throughout the county.
JULY 11-27
HOORAY FOR HARRY WOOD:
The Wetumpka Depot Players are performing Hooray for Harry Wood July 11-27. It is set in post World War 2 Hollywood and the comedy highlights the struggle of a former silent film star moving into retirement.
THURSDAY, JULY 18
ART RECEPTION: The Kelly Fitzpatrick will be hosting a Fiction and Fantasy Art Reception from 5 to 7 p.m. July 18. Snacks and drinks will be served and guests are encouraged to dress up “fantastically.”
AUG. 17
CAR SHOW: Cars on the Coosa will be Aug. 17 at Gold Star Park in Wetumpka.
OCT. 5 — OCT. 6
HORSEMANSHIP CLINIC: Heron Springs Farm in Eclectic will be hosting a two-day Robbie Potter Horsemanship Clinic, which will focus on furthering your horsemanship and
your ability to build a solid relationship with your horse. For more information, contact Lee Ann Lutz at 336-926-5584 or via email at lalutz.ll@icloud.com.
ONGOING
SUPPORT GROUP: The last Thursday of every month, Restoration 49 Coffee Shop plays host to a support group for parents who have lost a child. The meetings begin at 6 p.m. each month. For more information, please contact Heather Baker at hbakerjj@aol.com.
PRESCHOOL STORYTIME: Preschool Storytime takes place at 10
a.m. every Friday at Wetumpka Public Library.
ECLECTIC TOWN COUNCIL MEETINGS: Eclectic Town Council meetings are held on the third Monday of each month at Town Hall. Council meetings begin at 7 p.m. with work sessions taking place prior to the meeting at 6 p.m. Meetings are held in the Dr. M. L. Fielder Municipal Building, 145 Main Street. NAACP MEETINGS: The Elmore County Branch No. 5026 of the NAACP meets at 6:30 p.m. every third Tuesday (executive committee) and every fourth Tuesday (full membership) at the Martin Luther King Center at 200 North Lancaster St. in Wetumpka.
OPEN MIC: The Equality Performing Arts Center hosts an open mic jam session from 7 to 9 p.m. every second Friday of the month at 560 Highway 9 in Equality. There is no charge but donations are welcome as they keep the center running. Bring a snack or finger food to share during the intermission.
CLIFF WILLIAMS | TPI
Rich’s Car Wash is now open in Tallassee. The company was founded in Mobile in 1976.
LIBRARY
Continued from A1
travel to the planets. They were on display
as children started the next craft project.
“We created a UFO with an alien coming out of it,” Lumpkin said. Lumpkin helped
guide the children through the construction process. There were paper bowls, straws and straws. When put together and decorated, the children blew in the straw and aliens appeared from their spacecraft.
The craft was preceded by reading time from fiction and non-fiction books related to space.
“It is all connected,” Lumpkin said. “Every book is visual.” This upcoming week is safari week at the
library.
Nearly 100 children have signed up for the summer reading program. On Wednesdays between 35 and 40 children have been attending the fun programs to celebrate milestones in reading.
There is one summer program on everyone’s calendar, The Wet Party at 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 31.
“We will have the fire truck out,” Lumpkin said. “They will be spraying the kids with water.”
MEALS
Continued from A1
It means every student can get breakfast and lunch at school without having to file paperwork.
“There is no application the parents have to fill out,” Wright said. “Typically we would have free and reduced applications. With CEP that is something we don’t have to have anymore. The parents don’t have to do anything on their end. It’s great.”
More students participated in the school lunch program last year according to Wright. Last school year approximately 70% of students took advantage of the program.
The CEP program has more advantages than just free meals for all students. There is no application to register for the program.
“One of the reasons is the
COUNCIL Continued from A1
“We just want to know what’s going on because they’re not telling us anything,” Wright said. “The police department or anything like that is telling us nothing. We just want to see what we could do to try to get a search, or to see if we know anything about what’s going on with him.”
To address her concerns, city attorney John Smith stepped in to explain why the family has not heard anything from the Tallassee Police Department.
“I sympathize with your situation,” Smith said. “I cannot imagine what you’re going
students are not subject to peer group stigma any more that is sometimes associated with being a free or reduced price student,” Wright said. “It eliminates the unpaid meal balances. Students who don’t have money don’t accumulate a balance.”
With more students eating a well-nourished meal means more students are ready to learn during the school day instead of having the worries about hunger or about the stigma associated with government assistance.
“Studies show students who eat better perform better academically,” Wright said.
Tallassee City Schools offered free meals to all students for two years during the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year was the first time Tallassee qualified under CEP.
The federal program is available to individual schools or school systems when 40% of students are on SNAP benefits
through. Certainly, I know our police department is forwarding whatever information you send to the appropriate authorities, but I hope you understand the City of Tallassee Police Department is limited to acting within the city limits.”
On the day Thompson’s family filled out a missing person’s report on April 24, Thompson’s vehicle was found near the Franklin-Tuskegee exit near Interstate 85. Because his last whereabouts were not within Tallassee city limits, local police have no jurisdiction in that area.
“Your loved one may be in areas outside city limits,” Smith said. “That is not something
or Medicaid according to the Alabama Department of Human Resources.
“CEP has always been around but we have never qualified,” Wright said.
Students will still have the option to buy extras and a la carte items from the school cafeteria.
CEP is not the only program helping Tallasee students with nutrition. Tallassee City Schools were able to provide breakfast and lunch for 18 days over the summer during the summer feeding program.
The program was available to any person 18 or under to stop by a Tallassee City School and have breakfast or lunch.
“They were not required to be a Tallassee student,” Wright said.
“It was an onsite feeding program and has ended for this year. Most of the participants were taking part in our summer learning programs during June.”
that the city police department can respond to.” He recommended the family reach out to the Alabama Law Enforcement’s State Bureau of Investigation or sheriff’s departments in Elmore, Tallapoosa, Montgomery and Macon counties to inquire further information about Thompson.
“We went to Elmore County (Sheriff’s Office),” Wright said. “They told us there was nothing they could do. It had to be up to Tallassee, and everyone was telling us to go to the ABI (Alabama State Bureau of Investigation), and the FBI or stuff like that. They haven’t gotten in touch with them, and (they
said) the police department had to do that.” Smith said he could only speak for the Tallassee Police Department, reiterating it would forward any important information to the proper authorities. In other business, Mayor Sarah Hill announced tax-free weekend would be July 19-21. Back-to-school items will be tax free in preparation for the 2024-2025 school year.
IN OTHER BUSINESS, THE TALLASSEE CITY COUNCIL:
• Approved minutes from the June 25 work meeting.
• Approved minutes from the June 25 regular meeting.
• Approved specs for city shop.
CLIFF WILLIAMS TPI
Children participating in the summer reading program at the Tallassee Community Library created UFOs and aliens at last week’s program. When finished children could blow on the straw and inflate the alien making it come to life.
God’s love does not vary
Recently, a pastor asked from the pulpit, “what is the opposite of love?” He said, “before you answer, it is not hate.” As the congregation sat attentively, he explained that indifference is the opposite of love; or should one say, it is not caring one way or the other or perhaps you don’t have a strong preference for any choice in life.
“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power with all of the Lord’s holy people to grasp how wide and long, and high and deep is the love
JACKIE WILBOURN Columnist
of Christ, (Ephesians 3:17,18, NIV). How many friends do you have? Granted, I mean true friends, not special acquaintances. Can you depend on their enduring love and friendship, come what may? Because of
your love for each other, can you trust them totally? What about your spouse, are they your most important confidant?
Everyone of us is born into this world with the need for love — a real, abiding kind of love. While we often seek this from family and friends, only God can fully satisfy this need. The love of God reaches to the highest mountains and flows to the deepest valleys
There are two things that we must realize of the love of God. First, God’s love for each of us is greater and deep-
Tallassee Churches
er than we can understand. We have never seen the true depth of God’s love on this earth. Secondly, God’s love for us does not vary. There is nothing that affects God’s love for us. No performance in life; whether great or small will change that love that God has for us. The love of God is based on His nature, not ours. Our failures do not stop Him from loving us. There are times that He may have to rebuke us but there is absolutely no way we can be bad enough to make Him stop loving us. Now that is awesome
and at times, unbelievable love. We can never thank our Father in Heaven enough for loving us. We are certainly not always lovable, but we appreciate His loving us anyway. As we meet people along the paths of life, our prayer is that He will fill us with His love so that it may flow out of us into the lives of others. May God Bless America.
Jackie Wilbourn, member of Bethel Baptist Church, a chaplain with Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief Team
Surrounding Area Churches
Dalton MiDDleton SportS eDitor dalton.middleton@thewetumpkaherald.com
Taylor named head coach for Tallassee girls wrestling
SUBMITTED
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
Tallassee brought in a veteran coach to jump start its girls wrestling program.
“I’m looking forward to it but it’s going to be a challenge.
Some of the girls on the team have wrestled in youth before, but we have to knock the rust off and get them into the swing of things. It’s going to be a fun time.”
Taylor has experience start-
Jason Taylor, who has coached for 13 seasons at Montevallo, Wetumpka and Elmore County, was hired to be the first coach in program history for the new girls wrestling team. “I’m super excited about the opportunity,” Taylor said.
ing programs in his career.
While he was at Montevallo, he started the middle school program. He also coached the girls while he was in Montevallo, and even had a state championship wrestler during his time. Alli Tryon won the state championship in the 185pound class in 2022.
TALLASSEE SHOWS OFF IN WETUMPKA OTA
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
The Tallassee football team continues to hit the summer circuit hard.
Last Tuesday, Tallassee hit the road and faced Wetumpka in an OTA at the Wetumpka Sports Complex. The two teams battled it out in various drills such as 1-on-1 offensive and defensive line, inside run drills, 1-on-1s with receivers and defensive backs and full team 11-on-11 drills for two hours in the heat.
“We really got after it today,” coach Lawrence “L.A.” O’Neal said. “We went up against a really good Wetumpka team and
I’m all about getting better and sometimes you just get tired of practicing against the same guys. Going up against another team can help show the holes that we have in our team and what we’re strong at.”
Tallassee’s skill players have been on full display during the summer 7-on-7 tournaments, but O’Neal was able to get his offensive and defensive line some work Tuesday morning. The Tigers showed off their strength and physicality while doing inside run drills, 11-on-11 drills and then capped the day off with red zone plays. From the 5-yard line, the Tigers were able
DALTON MIDDLETON | TPI
to score once in two plays against a physical Wetumpka defense that out-sized Tallassee greatly.
“I like 7-on-7, but 7-on-7 has its place,” O’Neal said. “We aren’t going to drop back and throw the ball 60 times a game. Today, we looked really good up front and defensively, we really got after it. To get the whole offensive and defensive line out here, it helps the entire team to build chemistry that you need to be a good football team.”
There were a few players wreaking havoc on the defensive side of the ball like
Tallassee defensive lineman Nolan Addeo attempts to tackle a Wetumpka ball carrier. Addeo has impressed coach Lawrence “L.A.” O’Neal in his move from linebacker to defensive line.
By HENRY ZIMMER For TPI
After two summer 7-on-7 tournaments at Troy and West Alabama, the Reeltown Rebels football team already looks to be in postseason form. Earlier in the summer the Rebels were a game out of the championship at Troy and last week were crowned the champs at West Alabama. At any given time, Reeltown is deploying units where guys play both ways the entire time during games, but that has slowed the team one bit. Looking to avenge its 2A state title runner-up finish from last season, head coach Matt Johnson’s team has learned to compete with some of the state’s best and biggest schools. And done well.
SUBMITTED TPI
Reeltown football won the big school division during its time at a 7-on-7 at West Alabama last week. Despite being the smallest school according to classification, Reeltown was able to go undefeated with a 4-0 record.
“I felt really good about it all,” Johnson said. “Troy was the first big tournament some of our guys experienced, so it was a learning curve. The pace of play we had to get used to. Getting used to pace was the biggest thing and that has helped
us in many ways.” Taking to the fields at Troy was the first time Reeltown got to deploy its new fulltime weapons like quarterback Jamarkius Smith and running
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
The Reeltown football team is not letting any teams sneak up on it this year. After falling in the Class 2A state championship game last December, Reeltown is entering the 2024 season as the favorite to win the title. With that being the case, coach Matt Johnson loaded Reeltown’s schedule down with powerhouse teams. The Rebels will face four teams with winning records from a year ago, with all four reaching at least the second round of their respective playoffs. Three teams had over 10 wins, including a state champion in former AISA powerhouse Lee-Scott Academy. Reeltown wasn’t able to pick its region opponents, but its four non-region opponents have a combined 34-12 record from last year.
Overall, the 10 teams have a combined 60-46 record while five reached the playoffs. In region play, Reeltown will face only one team with a winning record as three of the six region teams went 4-6.
TRENDS
Reeltown starts the year with back-to-back tough games. The Rebels were invited to play in the Cramton Bowl on Opening Night against Class 4A’s T.R. Miller. The two teams have never faced each other.
Reeltown then hits the road to face Trinity, a Class 3A team that went 11-2 last season and reached the third round. Reeltown holds a 4-3 overall record over Trinity but the two have played only twice since 1995.
The Rebels then have a bye week and play their last region game at Central Coosa, which Reeltown beat 58-0 the last time the two teams met in 2019. The Rebels end the year at Lee-Scott, which is playing its first season in the AHSAA after winning the state championship in AISA Class AAA last year.
GAMES TO WATCH REELTOWN VS. T.R. MILLER, AUG. 22
Reeltown and T.R. Miller will start the 2024 season off in the AHSAA Kickoff Classic held Thursday, Aug. 22 at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery. The two teams have never faced each other, but both are powerhouses in their respective classes. T.R. Miller, which is in Class 3A, is tied for the most wins (726) in AHSAA history. The Tigers have a 95-37 playoff record in 43 appearances. Expect the fireworks to open this year.
REELTOWN VS. LOACHAPOKA, SEPT. 20
No matter what a region opponent’s record was last year, Reeltown still has to play them. On Sept. 20, the only two teams that had a winning record last season will face off. Reeltown went 13-1 and won Region 3, while Loachapoka went 10-1 and won the Class 1A, Region 4 championship before moving up to Class 2A. This game will likely be the de-facto region championship at the midpoint. Expect the winning team to be in cruise control the rest of the season.
REELTOWN VS. DADEVILLE, SEPT. 27
This annual rivalry game was canceled last
Starting Sept. 6, Reeltown will face four teams with a losing record in a five-week span. The only exception is Loachapoka, which went 10-1 last year. The first game in that sequence is against region opponent Horseshoe Bend, which Reeltown is 20-0 against all-time. The average score in the series is 32-7. From Sept. 27 through Oct. 11, Reeltown will play at home three consecutive weeks against Dadeville, Lanett and LaFayette.
Jason Taylor has been named the head coach of the Tallassee girls wrestling program. Taylor has coached for 13 seasons at Montevallo, Wetumpka and Elmore County.
season. Nonetheless, the game is back on and will be full of intensity. Dadeville currently holds a 38-18 lead over Reeltown in the series, but the series has shifted Reeltown’s way in recent years. Reeltown won three of the last four matchups including a 36-14 win in 2021. Directly in the middle of the season, this game will serve as a true test to where each team’s season will end up.
OPPOSING PLAYERS TO WATCH
MYLES JOHNSON, T.R. MILLER LINEBACKER
Reeltown will get its first taste of an SEC-quality linebacker in the first game of the season. The three-star linebacker was previously committed to the University of Alabama, but decommitted early in July. Johnson, who also plays running back for the Tigers, has offers from multiple SEC programs like Mississippi State and Florida.
PELZER REAVES, LEE-SCOTT ACADEMY QUARTERBACK
Reaves will likely be the best quarterback Reeltown’s defense will face all season. The rising senior shredded AISA last year as he completed 119 of 166 passes for 2,176 yards, 25 touchdowns and seven interceptions. This will be a big test for Reeltown in the regular season finale.
Tae Martin, who had six interceptions last year for Reeltown, will have his hands full.
XAVIER BOSWELL, TRINITY DEFENSIVE BACK
Speaking of interceptions, Boswell was one of the state’s best at picking off passes last year. To go along with his 57 tackles, the Trinity star intercepted seven passes and was named to Class 3A’s All-State First Team. He’s also a large threat on the offensive side of the ball as he recorded 33 catches for 485 yards and six touchdowns.
SCHEDULE
Aug. 22 – Reeltown vs. T.R. Miller (Cramton Bowl)
Aug. 30 – Reeltown at Trinity
Sept. 6 – Horseshoe Bend at Reeltown*
Sept. 13 – Reeltown at Ranburne*
Sept. 20 – Reeltown at Loachapoka*
Sept. 27 – Dadeville at Reeltown
Oct. 4 – Lanett at Reeltown*
Oct. 11 – Lafayette at Reeltown*
Oct. 18 – BYE
Oct. 25 – Reeltown at Central Coosa*
Nov. 1 – Reeltown at Lee-Scott Academy
* denotes region competition
TAYLOR
Continued from B1
“I know what it takes to build a program,” Taylor said. “The biggest difference between then and now is that I have coach (John) Mask with Tallassee. He’s helped me so much already and working with him is going to be great with him on the boys side and me on the girls side.” Taylor was already coming to Tallassee when he got the opportunity to join the wrestling staff. As he is
REELTOWN
Continued from B1
Is it hot or is that just the coach’s seat?
SEC Media Days will get underway next week from Dallas and Commissioner Greg Sankey will officially welcome Oklahoma and Texas to the premier conference in the nation.
Hugh Freeze has chosen senior quarterback Payton Thorne, senior linebacker Eugene Asante and sophomore defensive end Keldric Faulk to represent Auburn at the event. Freeze has a far more experienced and talented team than a year ago, but has openly admitted the roster still needs to be upgraded to compete at the highest level. While there is incredible pressure every single season as an SEC head coach, there are only a certain number of coaches on the proverbial “hotseat.”
Here’s a list, in order, of those that may or may not be at Media Days in 2025.
Shane Beamer (Plate of Mexican food hot)– Steve Spurrier took the Gamecocks to the SEC title game in 2010. He followed that up with three straight 11 win seasons raising the bar in Columbia with what could
OTA Continued from B1
be accomplished. Beamer’s first three recruiting classes have been ranked #24, #16 and #22 in the nation. That has bought him some goodwill from the fan base, but results on the field are eventually all that matter. There have been moments, like a blowout win over Florida in 2021 and wins over Tennessee and Clemson in 2022, but not enough consistent moments overall. It would take something disastrous in 2024 for Beamer to lose his job, but another mediocre season only reinforces the idea that he cannot lead the Gamecocks over the hump.
Clark Lea (July in Alabama hot)– The job at Vandy is always a little difficult to gauge because the expectations are so radically different than anywhere else in the league. I know, they can say their goal is to win championships, but that is not even remotely possible in football. The Commo -
defensive end Eli Whittingingon and linebacker Joseph Hooks, but O’Neal walked away really impressed with rising junior Nolan Addeo.
Addeo, who is also a star on the Tallassee wrestling team, took to the field and played mostly defensive line. After impressing the coaching staff during practice, his dominance translated over to the field as well.
“Nolan had a heck of a day on Tuesday,” O’Neal said. “He was destroying stuff up the middle. It’s not a shocker to us because he’s been working his butt off in the weight room and in practice. We see him do this every day in practice but it’s really nice to see him do it against other teams, especially a 6A team.”
Tallassee’s summer isn’t over. The Tigers will host Greenwood on Thursday for another OTA and the Tigers are looking to wrap up the summer on a high note. The new coaching staff and players will be looking to improve on last season’s 1-9 record. Fall practice begins Aug. 5 and the first game of the season comes Aug. 23 on the road at Montgomery Academy.
dual-certified to teach both science and history, he came over on a TEAMS contract to take over a science position.
But as he’s worked with principal Drew Glass before, Taylor told Glass he would be interested in the opportunity to coach the girls team if the school was serious about starting the program. Shortly later, he was offered the job to coach as well as teach.
“One thing led to another and I was in the right spot and was the person they picked for the job,” Taylor said.
back Traylen Roberts. Even for returners like Finn Henderson, the camps are great ways of gauging competition levels with well over a month before the season.
ABove all, competing in high octane tournaments gives the coaching staff the best built-in condition program around.
“There is no better way of conditioning than what our guys are going through in these things,” Johnson said. “It is nonstop conditioning and competing at a very high level. We have gotten a lot better and have improved in those areas more than anything else.”
At West Alabama, Reeltown was pitted in the “big
“I have the experience and I’ve coached against coach Mask for almost 14 years now. I’ve been coaching against the man my entire career and now I’m working with him. He’s already helped me so much.”
Taylor has coached at three different schools in Montevallo, Wetumpka and Elmore County. All three schools have cared and been supportive of wrestling, but it has never been at the forefront of the school.
All three schools have bigger sports, such as football, basketball, baseball and softball
school” division due to the overall number of teams competing despite being just a 2A program. That distinction was welcomed by Johnson, who got to see his team compete against 4- 5- and 6A teams from Mississippi.
“I was perfectly fine with that because it’s more adversity, different competition,” Johnson said. “Our guys really competed.” Reeltown started play around 11 on West Alabama’s turf field. The blue and white were then forced to play four consecutive games, the only school that had to do so.
“I knew we would compete and would fare well, but the grueling and nonstop play concerned me a bit,” Johnson said. “But I was extremely pleased.”
Despite the heat and adverse schedule, Reeltown went 4-0 and earned the top
dores have endured 21 seasons with two wins or less since 1976. Lea is a Vanderbilt guy and seems to want to be there. However, he has only won two SEC games in three years. It’s a pretty low bar, but I believe Lea needs to win four or five games this season. If they were to go 2-10, which is clearly always possible, that would be three times in four years. Believe it or not, they even have standards in Nashville.
Billy Napier (Burning bacon in a frying pan hot)–AD Scott Stricklin has said all the right things giving Napier the dreaded “vote of confidence,” but reality is inescapable. Florida is one of the biggest and most high-profile jobs in the country. The Gators have posted back-to-back losing seasons (6-7 & 5-7) and this year’s schedule is certainly the most difficult yet. Florida plays Miami, at Florida State and UCF along with Georgia, at
Texas, LSU, at Tennessee and Ole Miss to name a few. They’ll need to overachieve just to have a winning season. I don’t care what the UF administration says, three straight losing seasons will result in a coaching search. Mark it down.
Sam Pittman (Molten lava hot)– This is, undoubtedly, the hottest of the hot. I believe Pittman’s job security is the most fragile entering 2024. The affable and jovial Razorback head coach is easy to root for, but appears to find himself in an untenable situation. This will be year five in Fayetteville and his overall record is 23-25. More to the point, his conference record is 11-23. The Hogs suffered their most disappointing season during his tenure in 2023 going 1-7 in the SEC. In an obvious sign of utter desperation, he hired Bobby Petrino as his OC, but I just don’t see that helping them navigate a very difficult schedule.
Andy Graham is the co-host of Auburn Blitz and his columns appear here weekly.
A
In the meantime, the Tigers will continue working hard in the heat. “We just want to see what we can run and see what kind of play calling and
among others. Tallassee also has its eyes on those sports, but the wrestling program is one of the best in the entire state.
Tallassee has proved, year in and year out, that it can compete at the highest level. The wrestling team has finished runner-up two years in a row in the Class 5A duals championship and had a stellar season last year. The Tigers had three individual state champions in Land Bell, Mason Nelson and Ramon Lozada. They also had multiple state qualifiers and had
seed in bracket play plus a first round bye. The lunch and bye breaks gave Reeltown the boost it needed to run the gauntlet and finish as champions.
“It was survival of the fittest at the end and our guys pushed through,” Johnson said. “The longer we went, the better we got. It was a great day for us from the standpoint of competing and overcoming the elements.”
While the skill players were running up and down the field, Johnson and the coaching staff also took a swath of offensive and defensive lineman to compete.
“They did really well,” Johnson said. “While we were doing 7-on-7s, they were doing fundamental stuff, really just wearing them down to look at them competing while they were tired.”
conditioning that we have,” O’Neal said. “We want to build mental toughness and that’s the number one thing we’re working on right now.”
a representative from every weight class in the state tournament. Even before the season has started, Taylor knows it’s a different feel around this job than his past wrestling jobs.
“What’s funny about this whole situation is that I’ve never done an interview before in my life before this job,” Taylor said. “We always joke about how wrestling is the red headed step child. That isn’t the case at Tallassee. Everyone at Tallassee knows how wrestling can benefit the kids and the community and even
Arguably the most important aspect of the football team to have developed over the summer is the confidence Smith has in his cannon arm, and his pinpoint accuracy.
In the about 15 games Reeltown has played, Smith has only thrown a pair of interceptions and both came at West Alabama.
“He has really grown,” Johnson said. “The growth he had during the baseball season has just carried on. He is competing at a high level and having a lot of fun at the same time. He has done a great job.”
As for Roberts, looking to fill the full-time shoes of Arthur Woods, he has taken to the role well and has beefed up his body to better suit his workload.
“He is working his tail off,” Johnson said. “His body is starting to really transform
the other teams. It’s nice being part of this.” Many of the details have still not been finalized with girls wrestling. As it’s just now becoming sanctioned, the AHSAA is still deciding on when and where the state championships will be held.
The team also doesn’t have a finalized schedule but will base some of the schedule off what coach Mask and the boys team has already planned out. More details will come out following the AHSAA summer meeting.
and we are expecting huge things out of him.” Johnson put his team through it over the summer. At the end of July, they will go through the ringer once more when the school’s Iron Man competition begins. It is all to better the team in the hopes of finally capturing that state championship ring. The Rebels didn’t fully realize their accomplishment at West Alabama until after their championship win. That is when Johnson told his team just how impressive they are already in the month of July.
“You tell them after the fact,” Johnson said. “They understand why we work out at the times we work out and what we do. We put them in the heat for a reason. That is part of the process and part of our program. I commend them for it.”
ANDY GRAHAM Columnist
DALTON MIDDLETON | TPI
Tallassee defensive back presses a Wetumpka wide receiver during drills. Tallassee and Wetumpka hit the field for an OTA on Tuesday, showcasing every position group in multiple drills over two hours.
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Elmore County to host golf tourney
STAFF REPORT
TPI Staff
The Elmore County football team will be grabbing its clubs and hitting the course later this month.
Elmore County High School is hosting a golf tournament to support the football program. The tournament is scheduled for 9 a.m. on July 25 at Lakewinds Golf Course at 95 CR-40 in Jackson’s Gap.
The cost to participate will be $100 per person and $400 per team. It is a scramble format, meaning each golfer on a four-man team will hit their own ball throughout the round but may not hit subsequent shots from where the ball has come to rest. Instead, the best ball that was hit by the group will determine the location from where the entire team will hit next, and so on. Only one ball – one score – counts per hole for each team and the team with the lowest total score for the round wins the tournament.
There will be a prize for both first and second place teams and lunch will be provided after the tournament. To register for the event, contact football coach Kyle Caldwell at 256-269-8885 or Shaun Reinert at 334-220-6310.
Man life-flighted after Chimney Rock jump
According to Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin, a 20-year-old male landed face first off the popular Lake Martin landmark. Nearby friends were able to get the man to safety and back to nearby Ridge Marina, Franklin said.
From there, the man was life-flighted to Baptist South in Montgomery, but Franklin is uncertain of his injuries at this time. The investigation is ongoing. The Alexander City Fire Department aided in the response.
Darnell plays in AHSAA All-Star Game
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
Shea Darnell proved he was one of the best baseball players in Alabama on Monday afternoon.
Darnell, a rising senior at Elmore County, played in the AHSAA North/South All-Star Baseball Game held at Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery. He was one of 36 players from across the state and one of 18 players on the South team. He was the only player from Elmore County selected to play in the event this year.
“It means a lot to me to be able to play in this game,” Darnell said. “My parents raised me well enough to do what I was supposed to do and my brothers (Sean, Shelton) have pushed me to be the best player I can be and allow me to play here with the best guys in the state.”
The catcher and shortstop helped the South team to a 4-1 win in Game 1 of the doubleheader. Game 2 of the event was rained out and was not completed. In his Game 1, Darnell caught three innings behind the plate and went 0-for-2 at the plate with two flyouts. He caught the final three innings, including a one-inning save performance from Brady Richardson.
“It’s a little hot, but it’s been really great being around all these great athletes,” Darnell said. “Playing was fun. I didn’t strike out at all so that’s always good.”
Darnell not striking out was a continuation of his stellar junior year this past spring. To earn All-County honors, Darnell hit a county-best .522 with 48 hits, 10 more than the next closest player on the Elmore County roster. He led the team with 23 stolen bases and didn’t strike out a single time in 92 at-bats.
He has been playing travel baseball all summer and has continued working on his game. His one goal for the summer was to get recognized and have a chance to play college baseball, and he achieved that goal earlier in July when he committed to Coastal Alabama Community College.
“It’s been a great summer. I’ve just been playing baseball all summer and baseball is fun,” Darnell said. “It’s really been great. It’s been a lot of baseball.”
night.