Robbery suspect arrested again in Florida
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
A man arrested in January for a Tallassee robbery has been arrested again in Florida.
Zyquarius Collins, 19, of Tallassee was arrested during a March 23 traffic stop in Panama City and charged with carrying a short-barreled rifle or machine gun.
According to court documents, Collins was the passenger in a 2012 Chevrolet Camaro on Front Beach Drive when officers noticed Collins and the driver not wearing seat belts.
“While speaking with them, I detected an odor of burnt cannabis emitting from the vehicle,” the responding officer said in his report.
When the car was searched, two Glock firearms were found — one under the driver’s seat and the other under Collins seat. He also spoke of being out on bond with the officers.
Collins was subsequently arrested and charged in Bay County.
Previously Collins had been
charged with first-degree robbery for his alleged involvement in a January robbery at a Marathon in Tallassee where an undisclosed amount of cash was taken. He was released on a $30,000 bond in Elmore County.
Upon Collins’ arrest in Florida, prosecutors sought and received from the court system a bond revocation.
MERRETT RETIRING AFTER DECADES OF VOLUNTEERING
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
Her work is everywhere, especially when it comes to the Tallassee music programs. Pat Merrett has dedicated much of her life to helping local organizations. There are the Follies, the Parade of Homes at Christmas and concession stands to name a few. Most were fundraisers where she didn’t see a dime. Merrett’s efforts started in 1972 when she moved back to Tallassee.
“I just got involved in the PTA and one thing led to another,” Merrett said. Merrett took a job as a special education aide helping teachers and staff keep up with paperwork. A few years later a few band parents got together to support the Tallassee High School Marching Pride.
“They didn’t have a band boosters program,” Merrett said. “My husband and I and another couple hauled ice water, made Icees for them. They didn’t have bottled water so we got milk jugs full
Tallassee Chamber of Commerce president Michelle Cole, left,
of water and ice and gave it to them after halftime shows.”
Merrett’s car served as a mobile food truck during band camp complete with everything needed to make an Icee.
Merrett also worked and coordinated the recreation program at Stillwaters. There she created the Follies starring the residents in a fashion show.
“Boy, they turned out,” Merrett said. “I thought these people like to see each other.” A few years later she recruited Don Bryant to be
See MERRETT, Page A6
with Frances H. Wagnon Volun-
teer Award winner Pat Merrett and director Jerry Cunningham at the annual awards banquet. Merrett is known for helping the Tallassee High School music programs with fundraising including the Follies.
On Wednesday, Collins was transported from the Bay County Florida Jail to the Elmore County Jail. Collins currently has no bond available to him.
Reeltown fire awarded $13,000 grant
By ABIGAIL MURPHY Multimedia Reporter
Reeltown Volunteer Fire Department recently purchased new equipment to help better response time with the aid of Mid-South RC&D Council. Volunteer fire chief Cade Cosby said Reeltown is in a unique position where it serves two counties — Tallapoosa and Macon counties. Due to this, the department has Station 1 in Tallapoosa County and Station 2 in Macon County. However, the department did not have enough
equipment to go around, forcing those on the Macon County side to come to Station 1 to get their gear before reporting to the call. Now, with 10 more sets of turnout gear, which includes helmets, boots, gloves, pants and coats, the department has the necessary equipment at both stations.
The grant was provided by Mid-South, which is a nonprofit organization that works to fill gaps in education, economic development and community improvement throughout
CLIFF WILLIAMS TPI
poses
ABIGAIL MURPHY TPI
Reeltown Volunteer Fire Department purchased 10 sets of turnout gear with a grant through Mid-South RC&D Council.
COLLINS
Man convicted of escape in Elmore County paroled
STAFF REPORT
TPI Staff
A Pike County man with criminal convictions in Elmore County will be released from prison.
Willie C. Carter, 79, was granted a release by the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Parole.
According to court and Alabama Department of Corrections records, Carter was serving a 15-year sentence for a 2006 conviction for pos-
session of a controlled substance in Pike County. Carter has mostly been incarcerated since 1972.
In 1989, Carter was sentenced to life in prison for possession of a controlled substance.
In 1972, Carter was sentenced to 20 years in prison for convictions on two counts of robbery and five counts of forgery in Pike County. While in state prisons in Elmore County, Carter was convicted of
Pet of the Week — Boudreaux
Police Reports
TALLASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT
APRIL 7
• A hit and run motor vehicle accident was reported on Jordan Avenue.
• Menacing was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• A suspicious subject was reported on Camellia Drive.
• Harassment was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Animal cruelty was reported on Macedonia Road.
• Trespassing was reported on Notasulga Road.
• Menacing was reported on Sims Avenue.
• Assistance was given to another agency.
• Animal control was requested on Gilmer Avenue.
• A welfare check was conducted on Gilmer Avenue.
APRIL 6
• Suspicious activity was reported on Freeman Avenue.
• Assistance was given
to the Tallassee Fire Department on Delta Road.
• Fraudulent use of debit or credit card was reported on Washington Street.
Theft was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Theft was reported on Notasulga Road.
• Suspicious activity was reported on Lower Tuskegee Road.
• Assistance was given to another agency on Henderson Road.
APRIL 5
• A domestic incident was reported on Ashurst Avenue.
• An intoxicated driver was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• A motor vehicle accident with injuries was reported on Oak Heights Road.
• Property damage was reported on Cypress Street.
• Harassment was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• A Black male was arrested on U.S. Highway 231.
• Harassment was
escape in 1980 and sentenced to an additional year in prison. In 1981, he was convicted again of escape and sentenced to an additional 10 years in prison.
According to hearing minutes of the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Parole, Carter is required to complete a drug assessment program and wear a GPS ankle monitor upon his release. Carter was last incarcerated at Staton Correctional Facility.
Boudreaux is a 2-year-old, male Walker Hound/Great Dane mix. He is about 70 pounds and was surrendered to us after the family moved from an area he had been allowed to roam freely and that is not working where they now live. So Boudreaux just needs a good fence to keep him safely at home. He is a big lush. He’s house and crate trained and good with dogs, cats and children. Boudreaux knows sit and shake but does get a bit nervous during car rides.
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, deworming, 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.
reported on Gilmer Avenue.
APRIL 4
• A private property motor vehicle accident was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• An animal complaint was reported on Wallace Drive.
• Reckless driving was reported on First Avenue.
• Suspicious activity was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Trespassing was reported on North Mckenzie Street.
• Suspicious activity was reported on Birch Street.
• A welfare check was conducted on Gilmer Avenue.
• A private property motor vehicle accident was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Gunfire was reported on Jordan Avenue.
• A domestic incident was reported on Third Avenue.
APRIL 3
• A domestic incident was reported on Poplar Street.
• Reckless driving was reported on Twin Oaks
• An animal complaint was reported on Lower Tuskegee Road.
• A welfare check was conducted on John Street.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Gilmer
• Theft was reported on New Quarters Road.
• A Black male was arrested on Cotton Ridge
• Assistance was given to the Tallassee Fire Department on Central Boulevard.
• A line down was reported on North McKenzie Street.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Central Boulevard.
APRIL 2
• Harassment was reported on Central Boulevard.
• Suspicious activity was reported on North Ashurst Avenue.
• Suspicious activity was reported on Evergreen Street.
• A verbal fight was reported on Sims Avenue.
• A Black male was arrested on Freeman Avenue.
• A verbal fight was reported on Sims Avenue.
• Harassment was reported on Second Avenue.
• A Black female was arrested during a domestic dispute on Friendship Road.
• A Black male was arrested during a harassment call on Gen. Chappy James Street.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on the Fitzpatrick Bridge
• Animal control was requested on Gilmer Avenue.
• Harassment was reported on Gen. Chappy James Street.
• Assistance was given during a medical call on Highway 229.
• A disorderly subject was reported on Friendship Road.
• A welfare check was conducted on Washington Street. APRIL 1
• Assistance was given to another agency on Washington Boulevard.
• A motor vehicle accident with no injuries was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Theft was reported on Friendship Road.
• Reckless driving was reported on Cotton Ridge Road
• A Black male was arrested on U.S. Highway 231.
• A Black female was arrested on Barnett Boulevard.
• A white male was arrested during an assault call on Sims Avenue.
• Trespassing was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• A private property
Humane Society of Elmore County News
Preventing dog bites is key
By REA CORD HSEC Executive Director
This is National Dog Bite
Prevention Week. While we hope it doesn’t happen, dogs bite for a variety of reasons, but most commonly as a response to something. A dog may bite to defend itself or its territory to include its puppies, toys, food or treats, or because it is scared, feels threatened, or has been startled. Dogs might bite because they are sick or sore due to injury or illness and might want to be left alone. Some dogs nip and bite during play which is one reason wrestling or playing tug-of-war with
your dog is not advised.
So what can you do to prevent dog bites?
Socialize your dog – this will help your dog be more at ease, and less reactive when confronted with new situations, people and activities.
Be a responsible pet owner by first selecting a dog that is right for your family and living situation so that it can get the exercise and mental stimulation it needs. Leash train your dog for its safety. Having it spayed or neutered can go a long way to reducing conflicts with other dogs that might endanger others. Ensure your dog is healthy through routine Veterinary visits
so an issue can be diagnosed before your dog is in pain or distress and becomes reactive.
Understand your breed. Some breeds are very social with people and other animals where others are protective or guarded in their interactions. Don’t try to make a shy or overly protective dog be a social butterfly it was never meant to be.
EDUCATE YOURSELF AND YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT HOW TO REDUCE RISK BY AVOIDING RISKY SITUATIONS:
• If the dog is not with its owner
• If the dog is with its owner but the owner does not give
permission to pet the dog
• If the dog is on the other side of a fence—don’t reach through or over a fence to pet a dog
• If a dog is sleeping or eating
• If a dog is sick or injured
• If a dog is resting with her puppies or seems very protective of her puppies and anxious about your presence
• If a dog is playing with a toy
• If a dog is growling or barking
• If a dog appears to be hiding or seeking time alone
• If the dog is clearly indicating to leave it alone
Bill aims to improve mental health access
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
It’s no secret Alabama has fallen short on access to mental healthcare, especially for those who have been dealing with issues for years.
Now a bill is making its way through the Alabama legislature that would give probate judges more flexibility in getting mental health help for Alabama citizens, particularly for drug abusers.
“A big part of this bill is really integrating mental health and substance use treatment,” Alabama Department of Mental Health commissioner Kim Boswell said. “If you look at the bill, you’ll see that more often than not folks who have a mental health issue if it’s not being treated, they will often self medicate with street drugs or other drugs.”
The bill will allow probate judges to order mental health committals with an underlying substance abuse issue. Doing so gets the individual mental health
help and begin substance abuse treatment. It will also expand the authority of probate judges to seek input from medical professionals before issuing a committal and allow the order to travel across county lines.
Currently if drug abuse is suspected, judges are limited in options and often a person will end up incarcerated where access to mental health care is harder to obtain.
Alabama
House of Representatives speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter got involved in mental health at the request of Gov. Kay Ivey years ago.
Inspired by a mother who lost her son during a struggle with law enforcement while facing a mental health crisis, Ledbetter was soon chairing a committee.
“We are failing the people of Alabama miserably in mental health,” Ledbetter said.
State Rep. Russell Bedsole is carrying the legislation in the house. As a former law enforcement officer with experience in patrol and jails, he has
seen the need for mental health access.
“We have individuals who are or sometimes for lack of better options come to the jail and we have to address their needs from a mental health perspective,” Bedsole said.
Bedsole shared a story of an individual who locked themselves into a restroom of a Birmingham convenience store. The man was singing the entire time and the clerk allowed it to continue for a while but it was causing a disturbance with customers. Law enforcement was called and officers were able to get the individual out of the business.
The officer realized it was a mental health issue but the person was intoxicated leaving jail as the only option.
“The officer even notated in their very detailed report that the individual was obviously experiencing a mental health crisis,” Bedsole said.
After a few days in jail, the individual started exhibiting the same signs
and was singing again. But this time other inmates became irritated.
“This individual then became the target of some of the inmates in terms of wanting to see violence,” Bedsole said.
State Sen. Will Barfoot is carrying the bill in the Alabama Senate. He sees many issues in his work as an attorney, especially with mental health committals in probate courts where individuals present both mental illness and substance abuse.
“There’s the question of whether or not this person who is there before the court for the probate judge has a substance abuse problem or a mental illness,” Barfoot said. “I’ll tell you all too often times, those two things go hand in hand.”
The bill was approved by committees in the senate and house Wednesday morning and could be on the floor of both houses for a discussion and vote soon.
And if you get a new dog, don’t rush everything. Bring it home and let it explore, meet people and decompress on the dog’s schedule — not yours. Definitely give your new puppy/dog time to get to know you, your family and home before subjecting it to the big scary world of dog parks, pet stores and public events. Sadly dog bites do happen, and, if so, please seek medical attention and report to local authorities for everyone’s safety.
Rea Cord is the executive director for the Humane Society of Elmore County.
CLIFF WILLIAMS TPI
Alabama Department of Mental Health commissioner Kim Boswell speaks about how proposed legislation will give Alabama probate judges more ability to help people with mental health issues.
MICHAEL BIRD Columnist
The greatest night in pop
April 5, 1985. Good Friday. At 3:50 p.m. GMT, over eight thousand radio stations simultaneously played the same record: “We Are the World.” As the song was broadcast, hundreds of people sang along on the steps of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York. Similar situations were also occurring around the globe. It was a magical moment for popular culture, and for popular music.
“We Are the World” went on to become the ninth best-selling single of all time, with over 20 million copies sold. Sales of USA for Africa-related merchandise, along with the record, raised $80 million ($222 million in today’s dollars) for famine relief.
A new documentary, “The Greatest Night in Pop,” is the number-one streaming film on Netflix this quarter, and it beautifully captures a period when it seemed anything was possible with the power of music. The story of the song begins in December 1984, when musician and activist Harry Belafonte made it known that he wanted to enlist some musicians to take part in a benefit single for African famine relief.
It has long been said that show business is all about relationships. The recording session for “We Are the World” is a lovely illustration of this, and of an unrepeatable set of circumstances that brought together the writers, singers, musicians, and producers who made 1984 “pop music’s greatest year,” as it has been called. Belafonte approached Lionel Richie, who was riding high as a solo artist after years of success with the Commodores. Lionel Richie’s first move was to enlist producer Quincy Jones, who had been in the music business for decades but was riding an impressive hot streak with records by Michael Jackson, Donna Summer, James Ingram, and others. Jones had a sterling reputation as an orchestrator and arranger, but even better, he was the best in the business when it came to
See GREATEST, Page A6
We’d
address and phone number. We reserve the right to refuse any submissions. Mail: Your View, The Tallassee Tribune 211 Barnett Blvd., Tallassee, AL 36078 Email: editorelmore@thewetumpkaherald.com
Obituaries: 35 cents per word with a $25 charge for picture per paper (Herald, Observer, Tribune). Obituaries are only accepted via the funeral home in charge of arrangements. We do not accept obituaries from individuals.
Weddings, Engagements, Anniversaries, or Birth
Announcements: These significant family events or milestones are 25 cents per word and $15 for a photo and must be emailed to us at announcements@thewetumpkaherald.com. Include name and telephone number. The text for the
must be in the body of the email (not as an
and photographs must be sent as a .jpeg attached to the email. Announcements will appear within 10 days in The Tribune, The Herald or The Observer.
Ashort-term rental lodging
tax was recently imposed in Tallapoosa County. To align with other major tourist destinations and Alexander City, the legislature passed a 10% lodging tax for all short-term rentals, such as Airbnbs and other short stays. This applies to hotels as well.
The tax bill was first introduced about a year ago, and there have been multiple stories in the newspaper about it and how it affects businesses and tourists.
There were also four public notices about the bill published in The Alexander City Outlook, which is required by law.
What’s not required by law is posting it on social media.
A few property owners were upset about this new tax, saying they were not properly noticed. One person asked the commission why it didn’t post any notices on Lake Martin Boaters and Lake Martin Q&A, two popular Facebook groups. Here I am once again to say you can’t rely on social media for your news. Governments aren’t required to give notices on Facebook groups; however, they are required by law to post public
notices in their county’s newspaper of record. Here is where you can find things like public hearings, information about demolitions, vacations of roads, bids for upcoming projects, etc.
These are official notices that haven processed through the proper channels to ensure validity and truthfulness.
Business owners and residents alike need to know what’s happening in their communities, and the only way to do that fully is by subscribing to the newspaper. Journalists are here to weed through what’s important and what affects the most people; if you are a business owner and there’s a new tax that’ll change how you do business, the newspaper is where you can find that unfiltered information.
you pieces of a whole, but you can never be totally sure what’s true and what’s not. Better yet: Go straight to the source. If you’re unsure about recent legis lation or an upcoming tax, head to your local commission or city council meeting. Make sure your voice is heard.
to work for us, and they need to be held accountable. That is exactly what the newspaper tries to do. Social media is great for a lot of things. It helps us keep in touch with loved ones, and it helps us keep up with friends we may have otherwise lost contact with. Social media can show us good deals and specials in our communities and how we can
Anyone who knows me knows the love I have for Auburn University and Auburn football. My time at Auburn was amazing, and to this day, I follow the football team like I’m one of them. I have a mental list of favorite players from the last 40 years and I love a good rivalry, even when we lose. I’ve long said social media is only good for catching up on people’s lives, storing memories and bantering back and forth about college football. Don’t tell anyone but I even have my favorite Alabama friends because they know how to have rivalry fun! The other thing most people know about me is I love my children. I’m in their little faces as much as humanly possible, whether they like it or not. Thelma and Louise was the running joke during my daughter’s middle and high school softball career. Her coaches knew if they needed something they could call me and another team mom because no matter what time the game started or how many games we’d already had that week, the two of us were going to be there. I’ve run between the top and bottom fields at the Sportplex more times than I can count trying to fit in as much of both children’s games as possible because I simply didn’t want to miss one memory. Nothing I’ve done is unique and are all things parents gladly do but a while back I read an article about the number of years you have with your children under one roof and it sent chills down my spine. All I could think about was how can I step it up? How can I make more of our time together? If you’ve seen my feed lately, you may think you know how I feel about Auburn basketball. While I
Social media is going to give you dribs and drabs. It may give
Moms — I have a secret
have enjoyed every minute of watching Bruce Pearl’s 2024 team, I have never been a basketball fan. I don’t understand the sport and, quite frankly, think some of the rules are stupid, solely due to my limited understanding. What I do know about basketball is my son likes it and several years ago I noticed he would hold up in his room to watch game after game after game. So, one day I started inconspicuously appearing in his room to “clean” and would slowly start asking questions about the game or a player. I can’t say I understood a word of what was going on, but what I did understand is he would chat about the game. Fast forward a few years and my daughter moves to Auburn and my husband works a few weekends a month at UAB Hospital in Birmingham. My now teenage son will be driving before I know it and, having already gone through this with my daughter, I know how little he’ll need me once the state deems him legal to hit the road. My two options were to sit and hope for the best or get on board with something to max out our time together. So here we are. I’m not sure at this point how many road trips we’ve taken to watch basketball, and I’m not sure how many more I’ll get but to say the time spent in the car and at various coliseums is well spent is an enormous understatement. Considering the bulk of our road trips were to Auburn, there was the added benefit of visiting my daughter more than usual. Double win! It also doesn’t hurt she has taken more of an interest in the sport too. Triple win! I’m terrible with directions, ask my children, so fumbling my way out of town without my husband
was a small sacrifice for all the talks, laughs, silliness and incredible memories. When we’re not headed to a game, we still talk about basketball and my son actually comes out of his room to watch games — with me. I even get the occasional text when something big drops, like when K.D. Johnson entered the transfer portal. I feel blessed he thinks of me when he sees big news. My daughter even sends me photos with Dylan Cardwell when she runs into him on campus. Another win as it looks like she may very well be thinking of me too on occasion. So moms, I don’t have all the answers and probably make more mistakes than I get right, but take it from me, find your thing with your children. Find as many things as possible. Start with church because there is no stronger bond or better role model for raising children. Learn to swing a golf club. Take up pickleball. Plan a weekly movie or foodie date. Go on a day trip. Take an annual tour through holiday lights. Whatever it is, do it wholeheartedly. Put down the phone. Focus and have fun. Did I fall in love with Auburn basketball in the process? Absolutely. Will I remember how many games they won this year? Not likely. But I will never forget how both of my children thought about me and spent time with me and seemingly enjoyed it. And my experience through it all had nothing to do with basketball.
Tippy Hunter is the general manager at Tallapoosa Publishers Inc.
Youth Leadership Elmore County winding the school year down
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
Students sometimes do not fully grasp the world beyond school, home and church.
The Youth Leadership Elmore County program aims to teach
what is happening in the real world and introduce them to
and
in their backyard all while learning
skills.
“It’s a 4-H based program in Elmore County designed to nurture leadership potential among high school students from both public and private schools, as well as home school students in Elmore County,” Elmore County extension coordinator Katrina Mitchell said. “The young leaders participate in a nine-month program that equips them with the skills and mindset needed to contribute actively to their communities.”
Students from across the county learn about the community through Youth Leadership Elmore County, which started in 2002 and took a pause for the COVID-19 pandemic. It is based loosely on the adult leadership programs
offered in many areas. The students learned leadership methods and acquired valuable soft skills along the way. During the year, they have visited with elected officials in the Elmore County govern-
ment, the Elmore County Jail and the district attorney’s office.
This year’s Youth Leadership Elmore County most recently visited with GKN in Tallassee.
“It’s the first time we
have visited there,” Mitchell said. “We were invited by the Tallassee Industrial Development Board .” GKN employs about 800 people and works with aerospace companies such as Sikorsky, Airbus, Bell
CommunityCalendar
Helicopter, GE, Lockheed Martin and Honda.
Early this year Youth Leadership Elmore County visited with military leaders in Montgomery and saw the new F35 fighter jets take off.
Next month the students will visit Montgomery again to visit the capital and the legislature.
“We are going to speak with some of our local leaders down there,” Mitchell said.
THURSDAY, APRIL 11
MIXER & SILENT AUCTION:
Paintball 111 in Wetumpka will be hosting a small business mixer and silent auction from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. April 11. The proceeds will benefit a charitable organization, and the night is an opportunity to network and unlock potential for business growth. Tickets are $10 per person plus one silent auction item per business. Tickets are for adults only and reserved for small businesses in the area.
APRIL 11-27
THURSDAY, APRIL 18
the Wetumpka Public Library are hosting Mildred J. (Billups) Mills at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 25. Mills is a native of Wetumpka and 1969 graduate of Wetumpka High School. She will talk about her book Daddy’s House describing her upbringing in the area.
SATURDAY, APRIL 27
BACHELORETTE PARTY: The Wetumpka Depot Players are performing The Bachelorette Party April 11-27 at the Wetumpka Depot Theater. Janet Robinson plays the bride-to-be with a mild case of cold feet. Tickets are $18 and can be purchased online at wetumpkadepot. com
APRIL 12-13
FOLLIES: Pat Merritt is organizing The Follies to benefit the music programs at Tallassee High School at 7 p.m. April 12-13 at the new Tallassee High School auditorium. Tickets are $10 and the funds support programs such as the Tallassee High School Marching Band.
SUNDAY, APRIL 14
COFFEE & CONNECTIONS: The Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce will host its Rise & Shine Coffee & Connections event at ASE Credit Union. It will be held from 7:30 to 9 a.m. April 18 and is an opportunity for local professionals and community leaders to connect. Coffee will be provided.
WILD GAME COOK-OFF: The Tri-County Chapter of the Alabama Wildlife Federation will be hosting a Wild Game Cook-Off at 6 p.m. April 18 at the AWF Headquarters in Millbrook. To enter or for tickets, contact 334-285-4550 or email heather@ alabamawildlife.org. It is free for cook teams, and $50 admission for two adults. Kids under 15 are free.
TUESDAY, APRIL 23
MUSIC FESTIVAL: The Tallassee and Friendship fire departments are hosting Sounds and Sirens, a downtown music festival Saturday, April 27. Brandon Jordan, Mother Moonpie and Jessie Wilson will perform. Gates will open in downtown Tallassee at 5 p.m. and tickets are $20. Children 12 and under are free.
SATURDAY, MAY 4
CEMETERY TOUR: The Elmore County Historical Society is hosting its annual Wetumpka Cemetery Tour starting at 5 p.m., Saturday, May 4. Tickets can be purchased for $5 at the Wetumpka Public Library and the Wetumpka City Administration Building.
SATURDAY, MAY 11
PARENTING WITH A PURPOSE: First Baptist Church Wetumpka will be hosting a Parenting with a Purpose. Topic will include putting God first within parenting, identifying anxiety and how to lead in generational gaps. It will be hosted from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. and dinner will be provided. The cost is $25 per person.
MONDAY, APRIL 15
SCHOLARSHIP BANQUET: The Elmore County Auburn Club is hosting its annual scholarship banquet at 5 p.m. Monday, April 15 at the Wetumpka Civic Center. The event is the main fundraiser for the club’s scholarship fund and will recognize scholarship recipients. The event will feature a dinner and photo opportunities with one of the eagles from the Auburn Raptor Center. Assistant football coach Josh Aldridge will speak. Tickets can be purchased at The Shoppes Downtown in Wetumpka or online at https://www.ticketleap. events/events/elmorecountyauburnclub.
PAINTING CLASS: Nancy Cooper is hosting a Pop-Up Painting Class at the City of Millbrook The Art Mill from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 23. Students will create an acrylic on canvas painting in one session with the instructor walking through the steps. No painting experience is necessary. It is open to children 15 and up and adults. It costs $35 and includes supplies. Pre-registration is required by emailing danae.morgan@cityofmillbrook.al.gov.
SATURDAY, APRIL 20
WAR ENCAMPMENT: Ft. ToulouseFt. Jackson is holding its annual French and Indian War Encampment with demonstrations Saturday, April 20. COOSAPALOOZA: Main Street Wetumpka is hosting its annual Coosapalooza Brewfest April 20 in Merchants Alley and Gold Star Park. The event is one of the largest fundraisers for Main Street Wetumpka and features samples of craft beer, music and fun.
THURSDAY, APRIL 25
AUTHOR TALK: The Friends of
SPRING MARKET: Poppy Layne Farm Vintage will be hosting a Spring Barn Market starting at 10 a.m. May 11. Applications are currently available for interested vendors. Email poppylaynefarm@gmail.com for more information. Live music will be featured.
JEEP, CAR & ATV SHOW: The Elmore County Food Pantry will be hosting a Jeep, ATV and Car show from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Wetumpka Sports Complex. The fee is $25 to show and $5 gate to enter. All proceeds will benefit the food pantry.
JOB FAIR: Tallassee City Hall will be hosting a job fair from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 11. More than 10 employers will be represented.
MAY 11-12
DRIVING MS DAISY: The Wetumpka Depot Players are performing Driving Ms. Daisy just in time for Mothers Day May 11-12. Tickets are $18 and available at wetumpkadepot.com
SATURDAY, MAY 18
LIVING HISTORY SATURDAY: Ft. Toulouse-Ft. Jackson is hosting demonstrations of how people lived in the area as settlers began to arrive on Saturday, May 18.
Members of Youth Leadership Elmore County pose for a photograph at GKN Aerospace after a tour of the plant. The program introduces students to government and industry across Elmore County.
Learning to weld for the future
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
When thinking about a career, Dalton Wessel’s first choice was to be an auto mechanic.
He went so far as to enroll in the Elmore County Technical Center automotive technician program. But during Wessel’s first year at ECTC, he discovered welding.
“We had to weld some frames,” Wessel said. “I liked how it worked.”
He also liked the earnings potential of welding. The next year Wessel enrolled in the program.
“I tried here and got progressively better,” Wessel said. “I realized what it could turn into and realized it was what I wanted to do.”
Wessel is now a senior at Wetumpka and excelling at welding — so much so he won prizes in competitions that made even instructor Slade Holley envious.
“He has a $500 hood he won that I will never come close to,” Holley said.
At ECTC the students learn on the same equipment they would use in a paying shop or on a job site. Last week Wessel and classmate Parker McKee repaired a tongue to a trailer. Under the eye of Holley, they welded more steel to allow the attachment of a new hitch.
“Dalton and Parker could go into a fabrication shop right now,” Holley said. “They are both great.”
The two seniors will soon be testing to get their
smoothing out artists’ egos.
welding certifications and Holley believes they could go to work for any number of local companies, fabrication shops and steel construction companies.
“There are plenty of options around here,” Holley said.
This is Holley’s fifth school year teaching welding at ECTC. He previously was a welder for a steel company but wanted a better schedule for his growing family.
“On steel, you are constantly working,” Holley said. “It is good work and good pay. I just wanted the time to be with my kids. Now I get to enjoy welding by seeing the light come on in the kids.”
There is a difference in the types of welding, but they all require the same basic skills. However, some require specialization.
“The structural guys don’t get paid as much as the pipeline welders,” Holley said. “I have seen some guys do really well at it. Some will go out for two months and realize it is not for them and come back to work close to home. The amount of students who have gone into the work-
The documentary sets the scene with a deadline: Richie asked the biggest star in the world, Michael Jackson, to write a song with him about starving children in Africa. The two had a self-imposed deadline of January 1985, the night that Lionel would be hosting Dick Clark’s American Music Awards. Quincy Jones had the idea, and the clout, to personally request the presence of this cavalcade of stars. Everybody slated to perform at the awards show said yes, except Prince and Madonna, two single-named stars who were also selling a lot of records in 1984.
The recording session date was drawing near, and both Richie and Jackson participated in marathon writing sessions at Jackson’s Neverland Ranch (Richie’s recollection of Jackson’s menagerie was pretty hilarious, especially a story about a snake). They had a few moments of writers’ block but hit up on the general theme of humanitarianism and a global concept of what unites us all. Jones and his people were
force has been amazing.”
Wessel has his sights set on something local this summer after graduation. He ultimately wants to be a field maintenance technician with Caterpillar where he can exercise his welding skills in repairs and also work on motors. He realizes it is still a process to get to his goal.
Even with a fast track program, there is more schooling with the company.
“I will start out at the bottom doing preventative
lining up the talent: Bruce Springsteen, Kenny Rogers, Cyndi Lauper, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Waylon Jennings, Billy Joel, Kim Carnes, Willie Nelson, Huey Lewis, Smokey Robinson, Sheila E., Tina Turner, the Pointer Sisters, Bette Midler, Ray Charles, Dionne Warwick, Paul Simon, Kenny Loggins, Al Jarreau, Lindsey Buckingham, Steve Perry, and Daryl Hall were among the luminaries who gladly agreed to participate.
The documentary is illuminating, as the viewer is taken into the heart of the action as the awards night and recording session date approaches. Lionel Richie hosted the AMA’s, and seemed to exclaim the word “outrageous!” every few minutes. Within a few moments of the end of the awards show, all the legends made their way to A&M Records, where the recording session would take place. Quincy Jones and his team were sitting on go. Within a few moments, this crowd would be acting like kids on the first day of kindergarten.
We see the Boss, the King of Pop, Billy and Willie in their prime. They don’t know how their lives will go, but we do. Some will stay on top forever, and some won’t. But the best moment comes when Al Jarreau
maintenance and get my foot in the door,” Wessel said. “I hope to work my way up a welding position in my own truck.”
Wessel sees a great future in welding and not just for making a good living.
“It really tests your ability and creativity,” Wessel said. “You can do a lot of things. There is no ending to getting better at welding. You are always learning something new about welding and getting progressively better.”
asks for a bottle of wine to loosen up the group and the assorted aggregation starts to actually have fun. Harry Belafonte enters the room and witnesses the recording of the chorus: “we are the world / we are the children / we are the ones to make a brighter day so let’s start giving / there’s a choice we’re making / we’re saving our own lives / it’s true we’ll make a better day, just you and me.” Quincy Jones has everyone cheer for Belafonte, who was responsible for getting the whole thing rolling; he appears humble, even embarrassed. Al Jarreau begins an impromptu singalong of “DayO!”, Belafonte’s signature tune, and the entire group begins serenading him. It’s sweet – and so beautiful to see this kind of truth and togetherness that barely exists anymore. All of it was for a good cause. For the people who have criticized the new documentary as insincere or a giant chunk of ‘80s cheese, phooey on them! “The Greatest Night in Pop” captures, for all time, a night when it appeared music could indeed heal the world.
Michael Bird is the co-host of “The Saturday Morning Show with Michael Bird and Scott Adcock” on WACQ-AM 580 & FM 98.5.
Continued from A1
a master of ceremonies and soon the Follies was hatched in Tallassee, benefiting the band program.
“She has been around the program for a long time and has done a lot for us,” Tallassee band director Dr. Robby Glasscock said. “Before I got here, they had started the Follies as a fundraiser for the music boosters. She has been the person behind that from the get go.”
Her volunteerism efforts were recognized by
Continued from A1 MERRETT
Autauga,
the Tallassee Chamber of Commerce where she was given the Frances Wagnon Volunteer Award at the chamber’s award banquet.
Merrett gives credit for her success to a lot of others who have volunteered over the years.
“I couldn’t do it alone,” Merrett said.
Glasscock said it’s hard not to support Merrett and her efforts when she creates something, especially surrounding Merrett’s creation in the Follies.
“We are volunteer-ed or volun-told, one way or the other,” Glasscock said. “Once you agree to do it once, you agree to do it for life.”
Lowndes, Macon and Montgomery counties.
With the help of Mid-South RC&D Council, a third of the cost was covered for the turnout gear with the full cost being roughly $33,000. Cosby said the grant is greatly appreciated as the department runs solely on donations — making this quite a big purchase.
The Follies is a series of skits and quick comedies.
“It is a live action, lip syncing fun time,” Glasscock said.
Hundreds of people have participated in the fun over the years. This year will be Merrett’s last organizing the Follies. Merrett is 80 and wants to spend time with her great-grandchildren, ending five decades of volunteer service.
“Most parents do it while their kids are in band, but once the kids graduate, the parents graduate too,” Glasscock said.
Merrett has called in
“Donations are what keeps the doors open, the lights on and fuel in the trucks. Without donations and without being able to get these types of grants, this place would not exist.”
The department is also in the process of applying for another grant through Firehouse Subs. Although in the late fall, the department has its Boston butt fundraiser and back before the pandemic the fundraiser used to be a steak dinner. However, the community support also comes through with the firefighters themselves.
favors from everywhere to try and make it the best ever, according to Glasscock. This year’s Follies returns to the Tallassee High School campus, but in the new auditorium, at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
As Merrett’s version of the Follies starts to retire, Glasscock wonders what the Tallassee music programs will look like without her.
“We are going to miss her and everything she has done for us,” Glasscock said. “We have some great parents now but I don’t know we will ever replace her. She has been an institution.”
self. “They don’t get paid. They are taking time out of their day. People don’t realize but there’s a lot more that goes into this place than just tones going off, coming up here and going to an emergency. There’s always something that has to be done.”
“Our funding comes strictly from donations; we don’t get any kind of state funding,” Cosby said.
With that, Cosby said the department can always use more volunteer firefighters and support staff. The department has a training course at Station 1 every Thursday at 6:30 p.m., which is open to all. Individuals can also stay updated through the department’s Facebook page and folks can message the page if they would like to make a donation. GRANT
“All the firefighters here are volunteers,” he said, including him-
CLIFF WILLIAMS | TPI
Students in the ECTC welding program gain enough skill to weld on their own. Once instructor Slade Holley signs off, they practice their skills continuously.
Maundy Thursday key in Holy Week
Maundy Thursday of Holy Week was concluding as the Last Supper was observed by Jesus and His disciples. During this meal, Jesus predicted the events that would immediately follow, including His betrayal, the denial of Peter and His death and resurrection. Four important events happened on Holy Thursday; the Last Supper, the washing of the Apostle’s feet by Jesus, Christ’s agony, and prayer in Gethsemane, and the arrest of Jesus the sacrament of Holy Eucharist was introduced.
After the meal on Maundy Thursday, Jesus gave the “mandate” to “love one another as I have loved you, you are also to love one another,” (John 13:34).
After the late hours in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was arrested. All four gospels attest to the arrest and Jesus being led to the house of Caiaphas, the high priest. Jesus was accused of blasphemy by the Jewish leaders. Blasphemy
JACKIE WILBOURN
Columnist
is a religious offence when a person says or does something regarded as being disrespectful to God. In the eyes of the Jewish leaders, when Jesus claimed to be God’s son he was insulting God. Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor of Judaea who presided at the trial of Jesus and gave the order for his crucifixion.
Jesus was weakened from torture, scourging, humiliation and beatings, and physically exhausted after carrying the approximate 300-pound cross. Scholars disagree on the distance carried, although one thing is for sure. The significance of the distance lies in its impact on the crucifixion story. It serves as a reflection
of Jesus’ sacrifice and suffering for humanity’s salvation. The crucifixion began about the third hour, (between 9:00 am and noon), until His death, at the ninth hour, corresponding to about 3:00 pm.
Jesus endured extreme physical suffering. His endurance was tested by the weight of the cross. then hours of hanging in agony on the cross. Jesus continued to endure Hs physical suffering to fulfill His mission of redemption. It is a powerful symbol of His sacrificial love and ultimate sacrifice for humanity’s sin. He endured immense pain and trauma by demonstrating His unwavering commitment to the salvation of mankind.
Did someone “help” Jesus carry the cross? Simon of Cyrene helped carry the cross for a portion of the journey. As Christians, do we ever assist anyone in carrying their cross? The brief time that Simon is mentioned in scripture holds a
Tallassee Churches
After the meal on Maundy Thursday, Jesus gave the “mandate” to “love one another as
I have loved you, you are also to love one another,” (John 13:34).
plethora of information for each of us.
Jesus’ suffering was significant both spiritual and physical. He was in a weakened state and Simon helped to lift that burden at Calvary. We have individuals in each of our lives that need a helping hand! What about love? It is easy to love those who love us! The bearing of one’s burdens is demonstrated with humility and servanthood, and we are reminded to share in Christ’s suffering and service
to others. Lastly, Simon’s acts demonstrate the communal aspect of the Christian faith emphasizing the importance of sacrificial love and solidarity. The Bible says that Joseph of Arimathea gave up his tomb for the burial of Jesus Christ after His body was taken down from the cross.
Jackie Wilbourn, member of Bethel Baptist Church, is a chaplain with Alabama Baptist Disaster Team.
Surrounding Area Churches
Dalton MiDDleton SportS eDitor dalton.middleton@thewetumpkaherald.com
Sports
SUPER EXPERIENCE
By NEAL REID Auburn University, Office of Communications and Marketing
Allen Baynes will never forget a phone call he received on Jan. 23.
The 1999 Auburn University graduate had been waiting for that call for years, and when it came, it brought with it a feeling he had never experienced. It was no ordinary call for a chat, it was the call to tell him he had been chosen to officiate his first career Super Bowl. Baynes, a Tallassee, Alabama, native, was selected as a side judge for Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas
Tallassee wrestlers shine in national tournament
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
Tallassee was well represented in Virginia Beach this weekend.
Junior Land Bell, freshman Thomas Patterson and eighth graders Brady Adams and Karter Armstrong all participated in the National High School Coaches Association national tournament.
All four Tallassee wrestlers won at least two matches while Armstrong, Patterson and Bell all went 3-2.
“They had a phenomenal weekend,” Tallassee coach John Mask said.
“I am so proud of Land, Thomas, Brady and Karter. This was a great experience for them and it will be beneficial in the long run. Wrestling in this national tournament offers so much experience for them and allows them to wrestle the top talent in America.”
The oldest of the bunch and a two-time defending state champion in Class 5A, Bell brought his 57-0 undefeated record from this past season into the tournament. It was enough to earn him a first-round bye.
In the second round, Bell earned an 8-6 decision win over a wrestler from Utah before beating a
wrestler from New York in the third round.
In the Round of 32, Bell suffered his first loss. The match went into four overtimes, which resulted in a “rideout” round. Bell lost, 5-4, after he couldn’t secure an escape in the 30-second allotted time in the rideout. Bell had previously been given a takedown in a previous overtime round, but a second referee waved it off and he eventually lost.
In the consolation bracket, Bell won via 3-0 decision before losing his final match, 5-1. Patterson, who was a state finalist at 113 this year, wrestled in the 106pound weight class for freshmen. He went 3-2 with a major decision, a 6-4 decision and a pin; both losses came via fall.
“As a coach, you are just so excited when your guys go and enter these tournaments,” Mask said.
“You know it will help them and the team in the future. Any offseason work is going to be beneficial to our wrestlers and make them better.”
After suffering a major decision loss in the first round, Adams was given a bye in the consolation bracket. He then went on to pin his opponent from
between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs on Feb. 11. A 16-year-veteran National Football League (NFL) official, Baynes had worked the AFC Championship Game and NFC Championship Game twice apiece, but had never been selected for the “big game.”
That all changed in January, and he remembers the moment vividly.
“I was getting ready to go to the cell phone store for a new case and cover for my phone, and the phone rang,” said Baynes, an NFL official since 2008. “It was
TALLASSEE BASEBALL CLINCHES POSTSEASON BERTH
By DALTON MIDDLETON
Sports Editor
The Tallassee baseball team is headed back to the postseason.
Tallassee swept Brewbaker Tech in a two-game series, 20-3 and 12-3, to eliminate the Rams and clinch one of the top two seeds in AHSAA Class 5A, Area 4. Tallassee will now face rival Elmore County in a three-game series to decide which team will be the area champion while the other will be the No. 2 seed and hit the road for the first round of the playoffs.
This is Tallassee’s second-consecutive playoff
appearance since coach John Goodman returned and took back over the program he led to the state championship 25 years prior.
“Our goal from the get-go is to just get in,” Goodman said of the playoffs. “Once you’re in, everything is a plus after that. We still have Elmore County next week and they’re going to be really good. But it’s nice to know you can go into that series knowing you’re in. You can leave everything on the field and go from there.”
Outside of a frustrating inning or two, the Tigers got two solid pitching performances from their Nos.
1 and 2 arms. Brady Mason started the first game of the series Tuesday and delivered a complete-game win where he allowed just three runs on five hits and struck out five batters. He was given a 5-1 lead in the second inning and gave up only one true hard hit ball, a two-run home run in the fourth inning. The first run he gave up came on a wild pitch. Thomas Lemmond took to the mound in Thursday’s home game. He pitched four innings and allowed just two hits but also walked three batters and gave up a run. In total he struck out eight batters.
DALTON MIDDLETON | TPI
Tallassee’s Thomas Lemmond pitches against Brewbaker Tech in an area matchup. Lemmond earned the win and struck out eight batters in four innings of work.
Karter Armstrong, right, wrestles against
He ran into trouble in the third inning when he gave up two walks, a single and a double to plate a run for Brew Tech. Brew Tech loaded the bases with two outs, but Lemmond got a full count strikeout to end the inning.
He exited the game after the fourth inning with a 8-1 lead and Chase Webster replaced him, pitching the final three innings on 40 pitches.
“I didn’t want to throw Webby (Thursday) because I wanted him to get a start sometime else,” Goodman said. “Thomas was fighting it tonight and never got in rhythm. He ran his pitch count a little too much so we let Chase finish it off.”
The Tigers totaled 32 runs and 24 total hits in the 12 innings they hit over the two games. With six extra-base hits, they also showed off some power. Most of those came at Brew
Tech’s smaller field, but catcher Brue Milner hit two home runs, Brody Wisener hit a double and Webster and Bryson Rigsby each hit a triple. In Thursday’s home game, Milner hit a double. While the hits were all nice, Goodman wants his team to be more clutch in big spots. Tallassee left 11 runners on base, including the bases loaded twice.
“This is a coaching moment,” Goodman said. “They understand that when we get them there, we have to score them. Now they see what happens when they don’t get that to happen. You always find little things to coach everywhere, and that’s a big one tonight. We had a chance to really put them away early and couldn’t do it. Now we have a coaching point to emphasize.”
Game 1 of the area championship series between Tallassee and Elmore County is scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday at Tallassee, but rain is in the current forecast.
Game 2 and Game 3 are scheduled for Thursday at Elmore County.
of 2022), as a member of the Alabama Sports Officials Hall of Fame, further cementing the family’s legacy in the state.
my position supervisor, Doug Rosenbaum, and he said, ‘I’ve got some good and bad news for you.’ I said, ‘Well, give me the bad news first.’ He said, ‘keep your travel bag out because you’re still traveling, and the good news is that you’ve had a great year and you’re being assigned to work the Super Bowl.’
“It was so special to call my wife and tell her, and there were a lot of tears and a lot of excitement. Calling my dad was something really special, too, and it is one of those moments in your life you’ll never forget.”
Amazingly, Baynes was the third person in his family to officiate a Super Bowl.
His brothers, Rusty and Mark, are both Auburn University at Montgomery graduates and U.S. Marine Reservists who have worked as officials. Their father, Ronnie Baynes, not only rose to the level of NFL official, but worked Super Bowl XXIX in 1995 and Super Bowl XXXIII in 1999 before taking a leadership role in the league as head of officials. Rusty also rose to the rank of NFL official and has two Super Bowls on his résumé, Super Bowl 50 in 2016 and Super Bowl LV in 2021.
“I feel like I can sit at the big kids’ table now,” Baynes said of joining his father and brother as Super Bowl officials. “The funny thing is that, with Super Bowl XXXIII between the Broncos and the Falcons, you had a Shanahan coaching, a McCaffrey playing and a Baynes officiating, and we had the same thing this year.
Christian McCaffrey said it was like we’ve come full circle, and we thought that was neat.”
In 2023, Baynes joined his father (Class of 2019) and brother, Rusty (Class
EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME
The game and everything around it matched the hype for Baynes, who was able to share the experience with his family. From the Las Vegas mystique and myriad of events during Super Bowl week, to pregame rehearsal — where he had the chance to meet country music legend Reba McEntire — Baynes relished his time in the Entertainment Capital of the World.
The game itself also was a thrill he will not soon forget.
“It lived up to the dreams I had for working that game,” said Baynes, who wears No. 56 like his father. “My wife and kids had a blast, but I was there on a work trip. The league took care of us, and it was just a top-notch event.”
Baynes has the distinction of officiating one of just two Super Bowls to go to overtime — the other being Super Bowl LI in 2016 — a game won by the Chiefs in thrilling fashion. Customarily, officials hurry off the field following a game, but Baynes said he and the rest of the seven-man officiating crew stayed around a bit to take in the atmosphere at Allegiant Stadium after the Chiefs’ win.
“Some veteran officials told us to not be in a hurry to leave that field because that confetti is just as much yours as it is the team’s that won the game,” he said. “Everyone on TV is watching the team celebrate, but if you look in the background, you see a group of officials exchanging handshakes and hugs because we’d worked a really good game, worked hard to get there, and then it was time to enjoy it. It was a feeling like I’ve never had, to be able to look up in the
stands and see my parents, my wife and my kids up there.”
LAYING THE FOUNDATION
The youngest of six children of Marie and Ronnie, Baynes grew up watching his father officiate football games and coach baseball. Baynes began working as a football official in 1995 while a student at Auburn, refereeing area high school games and intramural games on the Plains.
After graduating in 1999, Baynes spent two years as assistant baseball coach under his father at Central Alabama Community College before going into real estate, a field in which he still works when he’s not officiating.
Baynes kept working high school games as well to get experience, leading to his professional break in 2000 with the Chicago-based Arena Football League II. After a twoyear stint there, Baynes began working for Conference USA in 2001 and also officiated games for the Arena Football League and NFL Europe, working five seasons in places like Scotland, Germany, Amsterdam and Barcelona, Spain, from 2003-07.
“I was trying to figure out if I wanted to do the baseball route or the football route,” said Baynes, who coached baseball with his father from 2000-02. “I had to choose one path or the other. I decided to stick with the football route and see where that took me.”
He kept going strong with the Conference USA and Arena Football League gigs until 2008, when he was “called up” to the NFL. Baynes worked his first NFL playoff game in 2010 and has officiated nearly a dozen postseason games during his career.
One of his most treasured memories, though, came from a University of Alabama-Birmingham spring game in which he was part of a crew that
included his father and his brothers, Rusty and Mark.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Baynes, who began exclusively working as a side judge in 2002. “It was one of the best moments we’ve had as a group.”
He remembers looking to his father for guidance early and often as a mentor, and Baynes still relies on his sage advice as a professional official.
“It’s an interesting dynamic for a job because you’ve just known all about it from Day One from having a father who did it,” Baynes said. “He’s always told us that the most important game is preseason Week 1 because that means you’ve done a good enough job to be invited back. I’ve always carried that with me.”
LIVING THE JOB
Through the years, Baynes also has acquired ample football administrative experience, working as a trainer and grader for the Southern Football Conference, serving as director of officiating for the Professional Indoor Football League and instructing and speaking at various camps, academies and clinics.
“It’s neat to get to work with the officials who are just getting started and to be able to give them some pointers that people have given me along the way,” Baynes said. “Hopefully, I can help them reach the level they’re shooting for.”
He and his fellow NFL officials stay current on the ever-changing rules through regular education sessions and seminars, and Baynes knows every play he oversees is examined by league administrators.
“We get evaluated every game, and every play gets graded,” Baynes said. “My family usually knows what kind of mood I’m in based on the game report that came in from the league. That’s how our performance is evaluated, and that determines who gets to work the postsea-
WRESTLERS
Continued from B1
Florida and advance to one of the most thrilling matches of the weekend, a 1-0 decision over Virginia’s Ibrahim Dheel.
He was then pinned in the next round.
Three of Armstrong’s matches came via fall. He flattened the first wrestler he faced in 2:31 then was pinned in his next round to fall to the consolations. There, he won two-straight via 3-1 decision and a disqualification. He was eventually pinned to eliminate his loser’s bracket run.
“Both Karter and Brady are eighth graders who showed out this weekend,” Mask said. “They both won multiple matches.”
son games.”
The travel associated with the job can be tiresome, as can the weekly film review sessions, but Baynes still enjoys it immensely. Even if coaches can be unruly and pepper him and his peers with high-decibel feedback, Baynes knows it’s just part of the deal.
“Communication is the key,” Baynes said of interacting with coaches. “I don’t mind if a coach gets upset, and I’ll let him vent and we’ll talk. There are times when they have a right to get a little frustrated, and you go over and talk to them, but just don’t let them cross the line and get personal. I’ve been fortunate to have some good relationships with coaches, and I think my background as a coach helps with that.”
Instant replay and other technology, like wireless headsets that let officials communicate with one another quickly and efficiently, have enhanced officials’ capabilities, and Baynes appreciates the improvements since accuracy is of the utmost importance.
“Our biggest concern when we’re out there is to get it right,” he said. “The technology is available, and I want whatever tool I can use to get it right for the coaches and the players. There’s a balance with it because there needs to be a flow to the game and nobody wants the game interrupted every two plays, but if we can work in technology to help us be efficient and get it right, that’s what we want.”
PATH TO THE PLAINS
Baynes’ father and three of his sisters graduated from Auburn, and while his mother attended “that other” state school, he knew the Plains was the place for him after growing up attending football games at Jordan-Hare Stadium. He majored in Spanish while working summer baseball programs
with his father, whom Baynes considers his biggest influence. Baynes gravitated to the real estate world, which still serves as the backdrop for his professional career. Now based in Birmingham, Alabama, he currently serves as chief financial officer and senior real estate specialist for LifeCare Solutions, owned and operated by his wife, Christy.
Never a person to sit idly on the sidelines, Baynes also serves as senior real estate specialist for LAH Real Estate. He and Christy enjoy spending time with their children — daughter, Mary Carleton, who will attend Auburn in the fall, and son, Mason, a first-year high school student.
Family and football are central themes for anyone with the Baynes surname.
“My parents have 11 grandkids, and three of them have just started to officiate, so there’s a third generation that is working high school games,” Baynes said.
The Baynes family is a close-knit group that knows the sacred nature of also being part of the Auburn Family.
“The Auburn Family is truly that…a family,” Baynes said. “I grew up going to Auburn games when my sisters were there. I remember seeing the officials’ van pulling into the stadiums and thinking to myself that I would like to do that one day.
“The Auburn Family has even expanded into my officiating family, as my referee John Hussey’s daughter, Emily, just graduated from Auburn, and we love to talk about how great it is to be an alumni of Auburn University. It is also neat to see Auburn football alumni play on Sundays, and many will come up to me and say, ‘War Eagle’ since several know that I graduated from Auburn.” War Eagle, indeed.
Tallassee’s Thomas Patterson wrestles against Elberta. Patterson went 3-2 in the 106-pound weight class at the national tournament.
DALTON MIDDLETON | TPI
Tallassee shortstop Chase Chumley waits for a ball on a Brew Tech stolen base. The Tigers swept the Rams in the series and clinched a playoff berth.
Holtville’s Barrett sparks offensive breakthrough
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
Drey Barrett’s first home run of his senior season could not have come at a better time.
Leading off in Holtville’s first Class 5A, Area 7 game last week against Jemison, Barrett launched a 1-0 pitch straight away to center field to put Holtville up, 1-0.
Barrett’s home run sparked a four-run first inning and helped lead Holtville to a double-header sweep, 16-0 and 8-0, and clinched a playoff berth for the defending Class 5A state champions.
In the two games, Barrett went 4-for-6 with a home run and six RBIs. He also pitched Game 2 of the double header and struck out 13 batters in five innings of work.
For his efforts in helping the Bulldogs get back into the postseason, Barrett is the Elmore County Player of the Week.
“We put him in the leadoff spot so we could try and get a spark going,” Bulldogs coach Scott Tubbs said. “When he started the game with a bomb, everybody said ‘Here we go.’ Hitting is contagious and when you start a game like that, it gets contagious really quick.”
In Game 1, Holtville won 16-0 in what was Holtville’s highest scoring game of the season. Barrett hit leadoff in the game, and he scored a run for every single at-bat. Following his home run, he was walked on five pitches. After going first to third on a single, he scored on a Gage Nelson groundout to go up, 5-0.
His third plate appearance
resulted in a single to left field. After a stolen base and wild pitch, he scored on a Nelson RBI single. After batting around in the inning, he hit a two-run single up the middle and then came around to score on a bases-loaded walk a few batters later. He didn’t score in Game 2, but he did drive in three runs. Up 1-0, he hit a two-run single to left field in the second inning then hit a sacrifice fly in the third inning to cap the scoring at 8-0.
On the mound, he walked two batters but struck out 13 of the 21 batters he faced. He threw 81 total pitches, 53 of which were strikes.
“He’s starting to find his stride at the plate a little bit,” Tubbs said. “The bigger the game, the better he swings it. He’s a little more focused when it comes to area games. I knew early in the week he would have a good week. You can see his focus changing. On the mound, he was lights out as well. He hadn’t been
like that on the mound yet either.”
For Holtville, the double-header sweep clinched a playoff berth and put the Bulldogs in the race for an area championship. This week, Holtville and rival Marbury meet for a three-game series. Marbury is currently the No. 1-ranked Class 5A team by Maxpreps and the No. 6-ranked 5A team by Prep Baseball Report. Barrett and the Bulldogs seem to be heating up at the
right time, as the 16 runs was the most this year and the 8-0 win was the 10th time Holtville has reached eight runs in a game this year. “We have to take care of ourselves,” Tubbs said. “Marbury is coached well and they’re playing well. They’re winning ball games, and a team that believes they can win is tough. What we have working for us is the fact that we’ve been in these big games over and over again the last three years.”
Holtville senior Drey Barrett hits earlier this season. The Southern Miss signee went 4-for-6 with one home run and six RBIs in a sweep over Jemison.
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The Burrito Corner food truck ventures to Eclectic
By ABIGAIL MURPHY Multimedia Reporter
With the warmer weather setting in, The Burrito Corner food truck has set up shop in the Eclectic.
With the restaurant portion being in the Dadeville area, owner and restaurant manager Cynthia Rios said they first started the food truck about a year ago as a way to expand their reach. Last year, the truck was set up in Tallassee. The truck’s new home for the summer is in the parking lot of the Annex on Lake Martin Boat and RV Storage across from the Dollar General. The food truck offers meat options of steak or chicken with the entrees being burrito supreme, quesadilla with rice and beans, soft tacos with lettuce and cheese, nachos supreme, Mexican tacos with onion, cilantro and hot sauce, crazy steak and crazy chicken.
The food truck is owned and operated by Rios’ husband Rigo Alvarez and her brother-in-law Jose Hernandez. The truck is open from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The first day kicked off on April 2. For more information call 334-730-5702.
Culpepper no-hits Tallassee softball in area play
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
Lalah Culpepper was untouchable Tuesday night.
Hosting area rival Tallassee, Culpepper tossed a complete-game no-hitter as Elmore County beat the visiting Tigers, 4-0, in Class 5A, Area 5 play. Culpepper struck out six Tigers en route to her no hitter, while she walked five batters and relied on her defense to help with the remaining 15 outs.
“Lalah was great,” Panthers coach Tranum Blackwell said. “She is working hard for us and it helps her to know that the defense is there to support her as well.”
Culpepper got better as the game went on, and most of her walks came in the first few innings. To lead off the game, Culpepper walked Tallassee’s Cheyann Easterling on four-straight pitches. Easterling then stole second base but never got any further. Two strikeouts and a popout sandwiched around a second walk left two Tigers on base.
Culpepper walked another in the second and third innings, but walked only one batter in the final four frames. The last 12 outs came from six flyouts, three groundouts, two strikeouts and one caught stealing.
Culpepper’s outing gave the Panthers their second area win of the season as they moved to 2-1 on the
year. They’ve beaten Valley, 15-1, and Tallassee, 4-0, and lost to current No. 1-seed Beauregard, 3-0.
Elmore County is currently the No. 2 seed in the area, with Tallassee and Valley at Nos. 3 and 4, respectively..
If the Panthers want a chance to host the area tournament come postseason play, they must win the three remaining games, one against each school.
“Securing an area win is crucial, especially with the second half of area games still ahead,” Blackwell said. “It sets a positive tone and boosts our confidence moving forward.”
The Panthers look to be playing their best softball of the season at the right
time. After going 0-2 against defending Class 6A Wetumpka before Spring Break, Elmore County started the week off with a 10-9 win over Marbury and the win over Tallassee.
The Panthers are off until Tuesday against St. James, then the second matchup with Tallassee looms on the schedule. For now, they’re just hoping to continue winning the games that matter.
“With two hard fought wins this week, we can build off the momentum by maintaining focus, continuing to work hard in practice, and approaching each game with the same intensity,” Blackwell said.
Main Street plans underway in Eclectic
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
The Main Street Alabama network will soon be in Eclectic.
For a couple of months, a small group of business owners, leaders and others have been meeting in hopes of promoting Eclectic and an application will soon be submitted to Main Street Alabama.
The group has even settled on a name — E-Town Collective based on the E-Town saying many already use in town. It came as the result of a meeting last week in a group discussion led by Hercules’ Jessica Hoagland.
“We want it to tie into the entire community but want it slightly different from what some of the kids are using,” Hoagland said. “Hopefully it gives us some momentum.”
Another idea behind the name allows a possible membership base to reach beyond the few blocks of downtown Eclectic, especially with no other real promoter of Eclectic beyond the city, its residents and businesses. At the meeting, approximately 20 people attended, including downtown business owners. First Community Bank of Central Alabama was well represented with no less than four employees. It’s location is on Highway 63 on the north side of Eclectic in what some think of as a north business district.
“We want to incorporate everybody,” Hoagland said. “We don’t want anyone to feel like they are not included.”
The application to Main Street Alabama is also well underway.
“It is really completed,” Hoagland said. “Once that is submitted we become a network community. There is a big process to follow to become a Main Street program. It helps revitalize towns.”
Once the application is approved, Eclectic is still not a Main Street town, but it opens the door to Main Street resources such as fundraising and training. It takes a couple of years to move from a network community to a Main Street community. One of the requirements is at least a paid part-time director with plans to move to a full-time director.
Regular attendees of the meetings are starting to come together, almost forming a board. It is something that will be needed eventually.
“We want to get a structure down, having ideas of what we want to do and how to move forward,” Hoagland said. Ideas were tossed around to get everyone involved. The first was using the familiar E-Town in the name. Another is approaching students at the schools in Eclectic, especially Elmore County High School.
“We have talked about a student ambassador program,” Hoagland said. “That helps tie them in as well and gives them buy-in.”
The goal is to get everyone on the same page. It might be beautification projects such as benches, trash receptacles and murals. It is also creating events to draw people in and make them feel comfortable.
“We want something everybody knows Eclectic for that is not the Cotton Festival,” Hoagland said. “We want something else also drawing folks in and maybe they will come back more to visit our stores and shops.”
ABIGAIL MURPHY TPI
The Burrito Corner food truck has set up in the parking lot of the Annex on Lake Martin Boat and RV Storage across from the Dollar General for the summer.
FILE | TPI
Elmore County sophomore Lalah Culpepper pitches in a game last season. The Panthers’ ace threw a no-hitter and struck out six batters in a 4-0 win over Tallassee last week.