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Eclectic Observer The
WEDNESDAY • APRIL 10, 2019
TheWetumpkaHerald.com
Vol. 30, No. 15
Broadband study draft expected in June By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
A draft of a study that could help determine where deficiencies in rural internet access are may be ready by June, the Elmore County Commission was told at its Monday meeting. The commission supports the Elmore County Economic Development Authority’s vision of a broadband study in the county to determine strengths and weaknesses and where customers
are underserved or not served. Jeff Stephenson of Sain & Associates, which is performing the study, said the company should have a draft report ready by June. Stephenson said he understands the county wants to use the study to help make decisions on which companies to recruit to boost service in underserved areas. “This is kind of a master plan,” Stephenson said. “It can be useful to recruit and see where deficiencies are.”
Commissioner Bart Mercer said county officials know the value of rural internet. “The commission understands the needs of broadband not only to our residents but to the businesses,” he said. The commission also unanimously approved a Lounge Retail Liquor Class II (package off premises only) license for Nails Liquor by GID Capital LLC in Eclectic. No one spoke in the public hearing for the license approval. “This is an established business,”
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said commissioner Mack Daugherty, who represents the district where the business is located. “This would be for a new building on the same campus. They have not been a problem.” In other action at the meeting, the Elmore County Commission: • Approved warrants for the period of March 15 to April 2 in the amount of $1,102419.18. • Approved a request to film in the courtroom of the historic courthouse. See BROADBAND • Page 2
Eclectic police Capt. Billy Stewart, left, and police chief Robert Head talk. The EPD deals with school and elderly calls daily, although crime is not unheard of in the town. Gabrielle Jansen / The Observer
Feds threaten to sue state prisons Report cites rampant rape, violence, drugs, unsanitary conditions STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
Eclectic police mainly run school, elderly calls By GABRIELLE JANSEN Staff Writer
The Eclectic Police Department mainly deals with calls about students or the elderly, although crime isn’t rare in the town according to police chief Robert Head. “We have had a homicide here in the last couple of years,” Head said. “Most tried (crimes) may be like theft but real serious stuff is not rare around here.”
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Head said the EPD deals with a lot of cyber crimes and criminal trespassing. Head said in March a man broke into several businesses in Eclectic and around Elmore County before getting caught in Tallassee. Head said the department averages about 10 to 12 calls a day and has seven other officers. Head said the department assists with school traffic at Elmore County High School in the morning and wants a visible presence there.
“We assist our fire and ambulance a lot on different little things,” Head said. “Sometimes other calls take us away from (ECHS). We don’t get a chance to do that per se on a daily basis but we try to get in the schools and be seen as much as possible.” Head said the EPD provides ECHS with school security along with the Elmore County Sheriff’s Department. Head said his officers work four days See POLICE • Page 3
The U.S. Department of Justice on April 3 issued a scathing report on conditions in Alabama’s men’s prisons, calling them unconstitutional and threatening a lawsuit within 49 days if the state does not show it is correcting what it said is a systemic failure to protect inmates from violence and sexual abuse. Gov. Kay Ivey responded by saying the state is developing solutions to make the overcrowded penal system safer, pointing out she has proposed building three new prisons at a cost of $900 million and asked the legislature for $31 million to hire 500 new corrections officers. Between February 2017 and January 2018, the DOJ said it interviewed 55 Alabama Department of Corrections staff members and 270 inmates, conducted phone interviews with 500 inmates and family members and got 400 letters from prisoners. Through those interviews and via subpoenas for state records, the DOJ report See PRISONS • Page 2
Eclectic community Easter egg hunt set for Saturday
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By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer THURS: HIGH 82 LOW 64
The Town of Eclectic along with First Baptist Church and Eclectic United Methodist Church have joined to bring a community Easter egg hunt to Aaron Park on Saturday beginning at 2 p.m. The park is located off Highway 63 in Eclectic. “The youth groups from the churches will be hiding the eggs,” according to Carmen Winslett of Eclectic the Beautiful. “They are supplying the candy for the eggs and everything.”
Winslett said the egg hunt is for children up to 12. Participants will be divided into four groups, depending on age, and each group will hunt eggs. “This will be the first community Easter egg hunt,” Winslett said, “We brought it before the council and they approved it.” Prior to the egg hunt, the Easter story will be read by pastor Britt Green and the Easter Bunny will be available for photos with children. “Don’t forget your camera,” Winslett said. “This is a community event that you don’t want to miss.”
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The Eclectic community Easter egg hunt begins at 2 p.m. on Saturday at Aaron Park.
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