Fletcher Ellis found guilty of attempted murder
By Cliff Williams Staff Writer
A
By MELODY RATHEL Multimedia Reporter
Fletcher Ellis Jr., 36, of Wetumpka, was found guilty of two counts of attempted murder by a unanimous vote of the jury.
Deliberations lasted about two hours. When court adjourned Tuesday afternoon, the final conversation in the courtroom surrounded the possibility of the jury hearing a self-defense instruc -
Dennis
tion from Fletcher in the stabbing of Michael Ellis and Donzell Drake Jr. At the start of court Wednesday morning, Fifth Judicial Circuit Court
“Once we hand it over, we know very little about what is going on,” Dennis said. “We cooperate with authorities if necessary.”
See FLETCHER, Page A5
tim’s phone. Authorities collected Wilson’s phone as well. “You could see a conversation between the two,” Franklin said. “Mr. Wilson is going to contend someone had the security code to his phone and he was not responsible. There is other information we can’t disclose now but I don’t think it’s beneficial to Mr. Wilson.”
Holtville High School basketball coach arrested
on
the Elmore County Jail website.
By LIZI ARBOGAST GWIN Managing Editor
Chamber holds luncheon welcoming members
By Cliff Williams Staff Writer
The Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce held its annual luncheon to install new officers and board members for the first time in a while Thursday.
The COVID-19 pandemic put a hamper on gatherings but the chamber celebrated the successes of business in Wetumpka.
“We haven’t been able to do this for the last couple years,” chairperson Clay McConnell said. “Your attendance is an indication people want to get back together and have these opportunities to see each
See CHAMBER, Page A3
ELMORE COUNTY PET ADOPTED BY NEW YORK RESIDENT
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
It was love at first sight — even online.
They are really only found in the Netherlands and there is like a two-year long waiting list.”
“They did our application,” Cord said. “I did the vet check and I remember writing them.”
Six alleged shooters in connection with the April 15 mass shooting in Dadeville are still awaiting their days in court, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot going on behind the scenes. Of the six suspects, two of their records are being kept private due to the Alabama Confidentiality Act, which states all juvenile suspects tried as adults remain anonymous unless and until they are
See COURT, Page A5
Members of the Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce attend the chamber’s “A Taste of Our Home Town” luncheon.
By TPI STAFF Staff Report
CLIFF WILLIAMS/ THE HERALD
It is the 20th year of the Joe Sewell Memorial Award and 24 Elmore County student athletes are finalists.
By Jake Arthur Chief Videographer
The award was established in 2005 to recognize outstanding high school senior athletes in Elmore County who have consistently represented the highest ideals of Christian leadership. Each year, one male and one female senior from Elmore County high schools are chosen for the top honor — the Joe Sewell Memorial Award
Ventura kept searching on Petfinder.com. She plugged in some details about Lola but didn’t limit the distance.
Then it happened — Finn photos showed up in March.
Ventura agreed to drive to Alabama to pick up Finn because the shelter doesn’t ship pets.
Staff Report
A year ago Kimberly Ventura of Yonkers, New York was mourning the loss of her dog Lola. She spent time online and figured out she was a Dutch Tulip Hound with origins in the Netherlands. Ventura was determined she wanted another dog just like Lola, but there was an issue.
“I was in shock because Finn looks just like my dog that passed,” Ventura said.
Cord put Finn on hold believing Ventura would pick up Finn over the weekend.
Stanhope
Holtville’s Futral Alabama principal of the year
“I found out this is an extremely rare breed,” Ventura said. “It is almost impossible to find them.
The Alabama Association of Secondary School Principals (AASSP) named Holtville High School principal Kyle Futral the 2022 Alabama High School Principal of the Year.
But the dog was 15 hours away in the shelter at the Humane Society of Elmore County. The distance and seven states to cross was no issue and Ventura contacted director Rea Cord.
The High School Principal of the Year award was presented to Futral on Friday, Jan. 28 during a schoolwide assembly at Holtville High School. Elmore County Superintendent Richard Dennis was in attendance for the presentation.
SUBMITTED TPI
“Then next thing I know I got an email that they will be there the next day,” Cord said. “They hit the road and drove straight through.”
The first meeting of
“Kyle Futral is an exceptional principal and is very proactive and innovative in his thinking and approaches to managing his school,” Dennis said, As principal of Holtville High School, Futral has transformed the school culture from that of a school struggling with low morale, achievement and attendance to a school that strives for excellence. By collaborating with staff, many of the school’s issues were identified and addressed. Futral’s leadership style of listening, encouraging, supporting, organizing and challenging the staff and students, caused the school culture to
Finn relaxes in Yonkers, New York after being adopted from the Elmore County Humane Society.
Purple Star School status
shift in a positive direction. The school experienced a 62 percent decrease in discipline referrals, 50 percent decrease in chronic absenteeism, 7 percent increase in the graduation rate, 33 percent increase in CCR rate and a 20 percent increase in ACT proficiency in the last five years.
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
Children of those in the military are often overlooked.
See PRINCIPAL, Page A3
They see parents deploy for months at a time. Many times they are uprooted and moved around the world multi-
See SEWELL, Page B3 See PURPLE, Page B3
ple times. In the case of Stanhope Elmore High School senior Julianna Peralta it has been two countries, nine moves and 12 schools. Now, she has been in Millbrook schools since the eighth grade.
CLIFF WILLIAMS | TPI
Stanhope Elmore principal Ewell Fuller, left, stands with students at attention during the Pledge of Allegiance at a Purple Star School ceremony.
HILL J. BROWN PETERS W. BROWN
ELLIS
Police Reports
WETUMPKA POLICE DEPARTMENT
APRIL 10
• Domestic violence was reported on Chapel Lakes Loop.
APRIL 6
• Domestic violence was reported on Gunter Avenue.
April 5
• Harassing communications was reported on South Main Street.
TALLASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT
APRIL 14
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Gilmer Avenue.
• Theft was reported on East Roosevelt Street.
• Theft was reported on Magnolia Street.
• Harassment was reported on Third Avenue.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Rickey Lane.
• An animal complaint was reported on Benson Avenue.
• Assistance was given during a fire on Friendship Road.
• A motor vehicle accident was reported on Langley Street.
APRIL 13
• Harassing communications were reported on Friendship Road.
• A noise complaint was reported on Claire Street.
• Assistance was given to medics on Gilmer Avenue.
• A welfare check was conducted on Gilmer Avenue.
arrested during a theft call on Gilmer Avenue.
• Suspicious activity was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Gilmer Avenue.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on King Street.
• A private property motor vehicle accident was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• A suspicious person was reported on North Johnson Street.
• Assistance was given to a citizen on Washington Street.
• Animal control was requested on Burt Mill Road.
• A domestic dispute was reported on Friendship Road.
• Theft was reported on Sunwood Court.
• A suspicious vehicle was reported on Freeman Avenue. APRIL 11
• A suspicious person was reported on Hillcrest Street.
• A suicidal subject was reported on Friendship Road.
• Theft was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• A domestic dispute was reported on Joy Street.
• A white male was arrested on Little Road.
• Livestock was reported in the roadway on South Johnson Street.
• Theft was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Livestock was reported in the roadway on Notasulga Road.
• A Black female was arrested during a traffic stop on Highway 229.
nue.
• Animal control was requested on Central Boulevard.
• Loitering was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Animal control was requested on Riverside Avenue.
• Animal control was requested on Riverside Avenue.
• Animal control was requested on Freeman Avenue.
• Animal control was requested on Riverside Avenue.
• Animal control was requested on Freeman Avenue.
• Animal control was requested on Freeman Avenue.
• Animal control was requested on Freeman Avenue.
• Animal control was requested on Riverside Avenue.
• Animal control was requested on Riverside Avenue.
• Animal control was requested on Freeman Avenue.
• Animal control was requested on Freeman Avenue.
• Animal control was requested on Gilmer Avenue.
• A private property motor vehicle accident was reported on Third Avenue.
• Theft was reported on Herd Street.
arrested during a traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.
• Animal control was requested on Ashurst Avenue.
• Animal control was requested on Freeman Avenue.
• Animal control was requested on Freeman Avenue.
• An abandoned vehicle was reported on Highway 229.
• An abandoned vehicle was reported on Airport Drive.
• Breaking and entering a vehicle was reported on First Avenue.
• Animal control was requested on Ashurst Avenue.
• Animal control was requested on Freeman Avenue.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Friendship Road.
• Animal control was requested on Freeman Avenue.
• Criminal mischief was reported on Quail Run Drive.
• Assistance was given during a medical call on North McKenzie Street. APRIL 8
• A welfare check was conducted on Weldon Road.
• Suspicious activity was reported on First Avenue.
• A Black female was arrested during a traffic stop on Barnett Boulevard.
• A domestic incident was reported on Hillcrest Street.
• A motor vehicle accident with no injuries was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• A noise complaint was reported on Third Avenue.
• Assistance was given to a citizen on Third Avenue.
• Theft was reported on Central Boulevard.
• Assistance was given during a medical call on Barnett Boulevard.
• A civil disturbance was reported on Third Avenue.
• A Black male was arrested during an assistance call on Gilmer Avenue.
• Criminal mischief was reported on Third Avenue. APRIL 12
• A suicidal subject was reported on Quail Crossing.
• A domestic incident was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• A verbal altercation was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• A motor vehicle accident with injuries was reported on Jordan Avenue.
• Harassment was reported on Third Avenue.
• Criminal mischief was reported on Third Avenue.
• A fight in progress was reported on Third Avenue.
• A welfare check was conducted on Friendship Road.
• A private property motor vehicle accident was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• A white female was
• Animal control was requested on Gilmer Avenue.
• A private property motor vehicle accident was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Animal control was requested on Barnett Boulevard.
• Animal control was requested on Gilmer Avenue.
• Unauthorized use of a vehicle was reported on Oak Heights Road.
• Animal control was requested on Gilmer Avenue.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Friendship Road.
• A welfare check was conducted on Monroe Street.
• Animal control was requested on Gilmer Avenue.
• A motor vehicle accident with no injuries was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Gilmer Avenue. APRIL 10
• Debris was reported in the roadway on Central Boulevard.
• A tree was reported in the roadway on Rifle Range Road.
• A domestic incident was reported on Azalea Street.
• A welfare check was conducted on McNeal Street.
• Property damage was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Harassment was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Animal control was requested on Freeman Ave-
• A Black male was arrested during a traffic stop on Knox Street.
• A domestic incident was reported on Friendship Road. APRIL 9
• Assistance was given to another agency on Birch Street.
• A domestic incident was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Quail Run Drive.
• A Black male was arrested during a traffic stop on Barnett Boulevard.
• A white male was arrested during a traffic stop on Barnett Boulevard.
• Animal control was requested on Ashurst Avenue.
• Animal control was requested on Freeman Avenue.
• A domestic dispute was reported on Seventh Street.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Jordan Avenue.
• Animal control was requested on Ashurst Avenue.
• Animal control was requested on Ashurst Avenue.
• Animal control was requested on Freeman Avenue.
• Animal control was requested on Freeman Avenue.
• A white male was
• A Black male was arrested during a traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.
• Debris was reported in the roadway on Barnett Boulevard.
• A Black female was arrested on U.S. Highway 231.
• A two vehicle motor vehicle accident was reported on Highway 229.
• A domestic dispute was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• An animal complaint was reported on Third Avenue.
• An animal complaint was reported on Oak Heights Road.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Wood Street.
• A Black male was arrested on U.S. Highway 231.
• Harassment was reported on Barnett Boulevard.
• A domestic incident was reported on East Roosevelt Street.
• Harassing communications was reported on Eubanis Street. APRIL 7
• Assistance was given to a citizen on Third Avenue.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Freeman Avenue.
• A welfare check was conducted on Gilmer Avenue.
• Theft by deception was reported on Barnett Boulevard.
Humane Society of Elmore County News
Honoring animal control officers
By REA CORD HSEC Executive Director
This is National Animal Control Officer (ACO) Appreciation Week, and we ask everyone to thank and acknowledge the important job our ACO’s do for our communities. Each of our towns and the county are lucky enough to have ACO’s dedicated to enforcing state and local animal related laws, helping animals in need, protecting the health and safety of people, and resolving issues involving animals. We have counties near us with no Animal Control resources for their citizens and we can tell you that often places
people in challenging situations. ACOs are important to public safety as they interact with people and animal alike, often in risky situations involving injured, scared or aggressive animals.
Animal control officers respond to many different situations - animal bite/ attack cases, mediating disputes between neighbors over animal issues, rounding up loose livestock that have gotten out of pastures, investigating animal cruelty and neglect cases, helping injured animals get to care, working with other law enforcement when animals are involved in larger criminal cases, etc. City noise ordinances and barking dogs
Pet of the Week — Doughy
3 arrested for
By TPI STAFF Staff Report
often present challenges and some towns have limits on the number of pets in city zoning ordinances. All areas of Elmore County have a containment law for dogs and Wetumpka and Tallassee add to that with a “leash law” for cats. And some, but not all, of our cities restrict livestock within city limits.
Our animal control officers are dedicated professionals who deserve respect from the public they serve – some have attended specialized animal control training at the state and national level to learn about things like safe capture techniques, animal identification, disease issues, legal issues, investigative techniques,
Doughy is a 2-year old male that looks like he could be a Pit/Akita but certainly could be other mixes. He is 65 pounds and was found as a stray. He was brought to us and never reclaimed. He is an absolute sweetheart, shy at first but then a huge love bug and wants nothing but attention. He knows sit and down and has pretty good recall. He will play fetch but he’s also easily distracted and LOVES car rides. He seems great with other dogs and actually scared of cats. Doughy came to us heartworm positive and completed his treatment last week — just one of so many we have to treat because of not being on heartworm prevention. The Humane Society of Elmore County’s adoption fees are $100 for dogs
drug smuggling attempt into prison
Two adults and a juvenile have been arrested for attempting to introduce contraband to Staton Correctional Facility on April 9. Carrie Drake, 43, of Irondale; Hannah Crowder, 31, of Birmingham; and the juvenile were found trespassing on state prison property in Elmore County. As they were being detained by the Alabama Department of Corrections Law Enforcement Services Division a bookbag was confiscated.
The bag contained charging blocks, charging wires, earbuds, knives, cell phones and a bag of assorted drugs. Crowder and Drake were charged with Trafficking, Prohibited Activities, and Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor. Crowder was also charged with obstruction of justice for providing a false name and social security number to law enforcement and placed in the Elmore County Jail. The juvenile was also transported to the Elmore County Jail and will be
charged as an adult for trafficking, prohibited activities and possession of a firearm. Crowder is being held on a $3,030,500 bond. Drake is being held on a $3,015,500 bond.
court proceedings, rabies control, public education, wildlife and exotics, and so much more. Animal issues often put them in harm’s way from both animals and people and their call volume often means they have to triage cases to deal with the most serious, or potentially serious, the quickest. Please understand that their call volume often greatly exceeds their ability to get to some calls immediately. So please help us thank all of our animal control officers as they work to help animals and people alike.
Rea Cord is the executive director of the Humane Society of Elmore County.
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 334567-3377 and the website is www.elmorehumane.org.
CROWDER DRAKE
Boone, Chairman
Kenneth
Tippy Hunter, General Manager Lizi Arbogast Gwin, Managing Editor
Page A4 • April 17, 2024
MICHAEL BIRD Columnist
TFear of April
here are many great things about the month of April. It’s the birth of spring. There are April showers which bring May flowers.
Springtime events are going on constantly, from yard sales to barbecues, and the spring sports are in full swing: baseball, softball, track and field, and more. And yet, I always fear the third and fourth weeks of April because of all the strange, and sometimes terrible, things that have happened on these days.
On the third week of April, 1983, the United States Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, was bombed by terrorists. 63 people died in the attack.
It seemed like good news in 1989 when 100,000 young people protested in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. The iconic photo of a student standing up to a tank doesn’t show the gruesome Communist crackdown to come.
David Koresh and the Branch Davidians engaged in a final, brutal shootout with law enforcement on this week in 1993, ending with the entire compound exploding into flames. 81 people died.
Two years later to the day in 1995, the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City was destroyed by (at the time) the worst bombing on U.S. soil. 168 people were killed. (I was working in the Troy State University Library that day, and remember going to the box to pick up the NEW YORK TIMES.
The picture on the front page was fireman Chris Fields holding the dying baby, Baylee Almon. I was so distraught I could barely finish the work day.)
The Virginia Tech shootings occurred on this week in 2007. 32 people died, and 17 others were wounded.
What’s your
See FEAR, Page A5
Opinion?
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The Wetumpka Herald is contract printed each Tuesday evening in Alexander City by Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. 256-234-4281
Dadeville is a small town. It’s populated by just 3,230 people. It’s peppered with unique characters and town events, almost out of a storybook. The quaint downtown is quiet with only two red lights out on the highway.
A tragedy struck Dadeville on April 15, 2023, one of the most stunning I could imagine. But Dadeville is not defined by one night. Dadeville is defined by those characters, the events, the fairytale-feel.
The “Dadeville shooting” was all you heard about for a while. Whether national news or right here in the pages of Tallapoosa Publishers, it felt like the “Dadeville shooting” was something no one could escape. But then something was brought to our attention.
Camp Hill Mayor Messiah Williams-Cole said at a council meeting it shouldn’t be called the Dadeville shooting; it should be called the April 15 shooting, and since then, we’ve made it a point to call it just that.
The Wetumpka Word
LIZI GWIN Managing Editor
There’s many reasons behind this decision. For one, not everyone affected by the shooting was a Dadevillian. A Sweet 16 birthday party was the reason for the event, and students from surrounding schools and even surrounding counties were present. One of the deceased, Marsiah Collins, was an Opelika student while Corbin Holston was a prior graduate of Dadeville. Students from Pike Road, Tallassee, Reeltown, Benjamin Russell, Booker T. Washington and more were all at the party. This affected way more than Dadeville, that is to be sure.
More importantly though, the “Dadeville” shooting makes it seem too much like Dadeville is defined by
this day. If anything, Dadeville has been defined by the aftermath of the April 15 shooting. It’s been defined by the ways the community has come together and the way the victims have become survivors.
way our entire city deals with each other,” Dadeville Police Department chief Jonathan Floyd said. “Everyone knows that there was a tremendous tragedy here, that we will give anything to go back in time and hope that it wouldn’t happen, but it did.”
Remembering what happened one year later is an important step in the healing process. It gives the survivors and their families a chance to know they are not forgotten, and they never will be.
tragedy can strike anywhere — we’ve all learned that the hardest way.
ing editor of Tallapoosa Publishers Inc.
Anyone who follows the Legislative Session each year in Montgomery, knows that it is never short of controversy.
The House has its priorities, the Senate has its own, and governors have theirs. And it is fair to say that those priorities are not always the same. You can take gaming this session as an example.
However, in this session there is one major push that has brought all our state’s top elected leaders together – an ambitious workforce, economic and community development package called, “Working for Alabama.”
At an announcement event in Montgomery last month, we saw a rare occurrence: Governor Kay Ivey joining with Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth and the Republican and Democratic leaders of the House and Senate to unveil the seven bills that make up the Working for Alabama legislative package. So, what will Working for Alabama do? Let’s start with the workforce development piece. Currently, Alabama has one of the worst labor force participation rates in the nation. Anyone with decent eyesight knows this by seeing the countless “now hiring” signs on the front windows of businesses across our state. The jobs are there, we just do not have the people trained and equipped to take those jobs. This is an Achilles heel for our state’s economic growth. A company cannot and will not set up shop in a place that doaes not have the workers needed to operate.
This is a real problem, but our legislative leaders have accepted this challenge. Through the Commission on 21st Century Workforce and years of effort, research and study, this commission came out with a report that outlined some commonsense ways that will help create a workforce in Alabama that is second to none.
The Alabama Workforce Transformation Act would consolidate duplicative state agencies that are currently operating in silos when it comes to workforce, thereby improving efficiency and reducing government waste. The Secretary of Labor would become the Secretary of Workforce and serve as a sort of “quarterback” to make sure these entities are doing their jobs and achieving results.
You can think of this like a building project. If you have a bunch of independent contractors without a general contractor overseeing them to make sure they are all working efficiently together, that is going to be a pretty sloppy job with mixed results. The same is true for workforce development. Working for Alabama also recognizes that a significant number of high school students do not plan to go to a four-year college. Honestly, many of them do not need to. There are high paying, high demand jobs available that do not require a fouryear college degree. This is where Alabama’s outstanding Community College System will have a major impact on the success of this plan. This package would allow high school students to take full advantage of this valuable state resource to obtain credentials and training while in school, so they are able to get a good job as soon as they graduate. This will allow more of our young people to start strong careers through which they can provide for their families and contribute to their communities.
This package aims to eliminate
State leaders all aboard on
‘Working for Alabama’ plan
barriers to employment through a childcare tax credit, so parents do not have to stay at home due to unaffordable childcare services. This has been a priority for House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter and will help countless families.
Working for Alabama will also make impressive improvements to our state’s current economic development efforts. It will require our state to create an economic development plan that will be regularly updated and receive input from an industry board. A good thing about this piece of the plan is that it will measure success, so our state’s economic development leaders can see if what they are doing is actually working, and if it is not, they will change what they are doing. Senate President Pro Tem Greg Reed is leading the charge on this effort. He has been a leader in economic development throughout his tenure in the legislature.
This bipartisan plan will also invest in communities through key resources, such as funding for high speed internet expansion, industrial site development for industry recruitment, and other key areas. Between the leadership of Governor Kay Ivey, Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth, Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter, President Pro Tem Greg Reed, Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton, House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels and others all working together to get this done, the result will truly supercharge Alabama’s economy and workforce for years to come. It is good to see all of our state’s top elected leaders coming together and Working for Alabama.
Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at steve@steveflowers.us.
STEVE FLOWERS Columnist
DADEVILLE STRONGER
Ministerial alliance holds community-wide, one-year remembrance
By ABIGAIL MURPHY Multimedia Reporter
Marsiah Collins. Corbin Holston. Philstavious Dowdell. Shaunkivia Nicole Smith.
These were the four deaths of the April 15 shooting in downtown Dadeville. During the one-year remembrance Monday, First Baptist Church of Dadeville pastor Dr. Ben Hayes said the message was to celebrate their lives, the first responders that night, the medical community, local educators and a community that came together.
Hayes invited the families, the victims and the community members to take this evening to find healing through remembrance, reflection and time with God. Hayes shared with the crowd a psalm he prayed nearly every day since getting that call April 15.
“The Lord is your keeper: the Lord is your shade, is your right hand,” he read. “The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve you from all
COURT Continued from A1
convicted.
Wilson Hill, Willie Brown and Johnny Brown, all over the age of 18 at the time of the crime, were all initially tried as adults and their records are public.
All three have entered pleas of not guilty, according to court records. A fourth suspect, Sherman Peters III, was just 15 on April 15, 2023, however his proceeds are public.
The difference in Peters’ case is due to his age. He was initially charged as a juvenile whereas the other two were immediately tried as adults. Since the initial arrests, Peters has been in front of a judge, who ruled his case eligible for the adult court system, therefore his court proceedings are public record despite the Confidentiality Act.
Most recently, Peters was in court Feb. 28 for a youthful offender status hearing, but a mental health evaluation was ordered and the results are still pending, according to court records.
Initially, the identity and likeness of TyReik McCullough and Travis McCullough, who were 16 and 17, respectively, were provided to media outlets by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency despite the two being juveniles when the crime was committed. However, due to the Confidentiality Act, Tallapoosa Publishers Inc. no longer has access to information
evil: he shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”
New Canaan Baptist Church pastor Justin Freeman said as a ministerial alliance they knew it was important to take time Monday as a community to remember those lost, those affected and those still hurting. Tonight, he said, we ask for God’s blessing.
Freeman said we are here on assignment, and nothing happens by accident; it's all under God’s divine providence. Even when you cannot trace God, you can trust him.
“Your life is an assignment,” he said.
“You have been called to a work; you have a job to do on Earth. As God told Jeremiah, before I formed you, I knew you and I ordained you a prophet unto the nations. I have assigned you.”
God equips us for our assignments and yet none of us could have been prepared for what occurred a year ago —
about or photos of the McCulloughs.
All six alleged shooters were initially charged with four counts each of reckless murder, 24 counts each of first-degree assault and one count each of third-degree assault. The April 15 shooting left four dead and 32 others injured.
According to Fifth Judicial District Attorney Mike Segrest, all six have been granted motions to sever their trials, which means they will be tried separately.
Although it may seem like a waiting game on the outside, there is plenty of work to be done for Segrest and other investigators.
“Over the course of the last year, there continues to be things that come up,” Segrest said. “It might be victims that had bullets that were retrieved at a later date, where they didn’t go in and get the bullet out at the time, so they would be retrieved and taken into evidence. We’re reviewing all the statements as they come in, videos, body cam videos, all the different interviews.”
Typically, Segrest quantifies a case in hours of work, but this one he said he’d have to put in terms of weeks simply because of the massive load of evidence and witness statements.
“When I still say it’s very much an active investigation, that’s an understatement,” Segrest said. “Voluminous is not even the right word in terms of the amount of evidence. This is obviously one of, if not, the largest mass shootings in
alone. Freeman said thankfully Dadeville is equipped with character — character is based on how you respond. And one year later, Dadeville is still standing; Dadeville is stronger.
“Not only do we have character, but our community is strong because God has equipped us with cooperation,” Freeman said. “That day, that horrific event, that night and the day after, I saw crowds come in support of the families and those who were suffering, those who had been left with their whole world crumbled.”
There is a common problem in this world, and it is that we are not connected. April 15 connected all of us through sorrow, through suffering and later through healing together, but it can’t stop now.
“We still need one another now,” Freeman said. “I know there are some smiles that have returned. I know we have experienced some moments in the midst of our sorrow, we have experienced some joy.
Alabama.”
Medical records are another bulk of the evidence pool, as Segrest said he has victim records to review from Russell Medical, East Alabama, Lake Martin Community Hospital, and even UAB and Columbus, Georgia.
“People were sent to hospitals all over the place,” Segrest said. “Putting all that together is very much a daunting task.”
Because of the way district court works, there are only two court terms in Dadeville each year and each lasts two weeks. Segrest predicts each trial for all six defendants will take the entire two-week term. The next Dadeville court term is in June, but Segrest said he doesn’t expect to be ready to try any of the defendants until at least the December court term.
“One thing I’ve been talking with Judge (William) Wharton about is requesting additional jury terms for Dadeville to be able to speed this up,” Segrest said.
“Even if we could try one in a week, we couldn’t strike from that same jury pool (for another defendant) so we have to wait till the next term for a co-defendant. With six trials and having only twice a year, it’ll take three years to try these cases and nothing else.”
There are two other capital murder cases set to be tried in Dadeville this year, so Segrest knows the importance of making sure everything can be tried in a timely manner.
But we still need one another now. We need one another because our level of commitment has to continue. Why? Because the assignment we are on is not complete.”
There are people who still need healing, there are people who still don’t know Jesus, Freeman said. And we must not confuse contribution with commitment.
Commitment takes sacrifice. We need to be all in to make this world a better place.
“All I am trying to tell us is Dadeville, stay committed and watch God continue to be strong in all of our lives,” Freeman said in closing.
Before departing, the families and students were invited to release Japanese lanterns in memory of those lost. During the service, Charlie Kuykendall and Elizabeth Hindman both performed songs while photos of the victims rolled across the screen.
The Dadeville Stronger memorial service was held at the Dadeville High School football field at 6:30 p.m.
That’s so important to him not just because of his job, but because of the relationships he’s formed over the last year.
“It’s something when I took office in January of last year, I never realized how much of an emotional bond that you build with the victims,” Segrest said. “Even though you didn’t know the victim, you learn who they are and everything about them.”
Last October, Segrest had to try three capital murder cases in the four-county district and got convictions in all three.
“But there were tears at every one of them, and during every one of them,” Segrest said. “There were jurors at every one of those that came out and had tears rolling down their faces. It’s just so many emotions with these families, learning about their loved ones.”
Segrest said he’s gotten especially close with Lexi Dowdell, the sister of the late Phil Dowdell, who lost his life during the shooting. It was Lexi’s birthday party where the shooting occurred.
“Every couple weeks since the shooting, we’ve texted,” Segrest said. “She had prom (last) Friday night, and she (went) out of town for her birthday. You just build up those relationships. They’ve become like family. You feel the emotions that they feel and I don’t think anybody would be human if they didn’t.”
Millbrook awarded $7.2 million grant for sewer
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
Improvements are coming to Millbrook’s wastewater treatment facility, lift station and sanitary sewers thanks to about $11 million in work. The better news is the City of Millbrook has to pay only about $4.2 million for the projects. The other $7.2 million in funding is coming through the Alabama Department of Environmental Management’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds
from the federal government. The announcement of the funding was made during a work session of the Millbrook City Council.
Millbrook has contracted with the engineering firm Goodwyn Mills Cawood to manage the grant funded projects. The firm’s Jeremy Lewis is the city’s representative and has explained many of the details to city officials.
“I think the priority right now is the Diamond Oaks lift station,” Lewis said.
Much of the other work is to the existing infrastructure around
FLETCHER
Continued from A1
assistant district attorney Robbie Treese initiated closing remarks in defense of the state. He started his closing remarks by informing the jury what the law defines an act as an attempted murder, and what defines an act as self-defense.
With every act, there is an attempt to act, Treese said. To show the jury what he meant, he used a tissue box in front of him to show the difference between intent to act, and attempt to act.
Treese said he was going to grab a tissue, but did not move. He then took a step forward and reached for the tissue box, making that an attempt to grab a tissue.
He explained that causing injury or death to another person can only be considered self-defense depending on the force that one is trying to repel. If a dangerous or deadly force is imposing a threat toward someone else who is in an area they are permitted to be in, an act of self-defense would be justifiable, according to Treese.
During his testimony, Fletcher Ellis claimed Michael, Drake and two other people attempted to jump him upon his arrival, making his violent actions a result of self-defense. However, Michael and Drake’s testimonies do not support this claim.
Michael testified Fletcher showed up to his home without having permission. In his testimony Michael claimed he had asked Fletcher not to show up to his home several times before the June 14, 2020, incident. Despite being asked not to come to the home, Fletcher showed up anyways asking for mail.
In Drake’s testimony, he said he had tried to break up an altercation between Fletcher and Michael after Fletcher’s arrival.
Robin McEntyre followed Treese with his closing remarks in defense of Fletcher. He claimed that a possible reason Fletcher pulled out his knife was to scare Michael and Drake, who were supposedly attempting to “jump” Fletcher. He said the knife could have been used when Michael and Drake attempted to pull him out of the vehicle, which would then make it an act of self-defense.
After McEntyre’s comments, district attorney Mike Segrest spoke to the jury to conclude closing remarks. He specifically mentioned some details are more important than others in cases such as this. The slightly differing locations of Drake and Michael upon Fletcher’s arrival are not relevant to the case as it happened four years ago, and recollection of exact whereabouts can be difficult, Segrest said. He discussed Michael’s stab wounds, and how it wouldn’t be feasible for Fletcher to stab the right side of Michael’s body multiple times while being pulled out of the driver’s seat of a vehicle.
To conclude his statements, Segrest mentioned Fletcher was the only person in the situation who had a knife on his person.
During jury deliberations, the jury had two questions — one was if they could consider a lesser charge, to which District Court Judge Steven Perryman said no, and one was if he could re-read the self-defense instructions, which he did. Ultimately, the jury unanimously decided that Fletcher was guilty of two counts of attempted murder. His sentencing hearing will be at 9 a.m. May 9.
FEAR
Continued from A4
It was on this week in 2010 that the BP oil rig, Deepwater Horizon, exploded in the Gulf of Mexico and gushed oil for the next six months.
On this same week in 1999, two high school students terrorized Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, killing 13 people and injuring 21 others.
Millbrook including sewer rehab improvements in the Edgewood and Browns roads area.
“A lot of this was put in back in the late 80s,” Millbrook utilities manager Michael Harris said. “It’s just outdated and when we have an issue, we find it is worn out.”
Engineers will also investigate if other projects are of higher priority. Recently Millbrook recovered a forced main sewage line that was near a creek and exposed during heavy rains. Large rock was also installed to help prevent erosion issues in the future.
In 2013, the Boston Marathon bombings occurred, injuring 264 people and killing three.
We have unfortunately become too accustomed to bad news. Perhaps it’s the 24/7 media cycle that keeps things stirred up while we stay glued to electronic devices.
I am of the belief that we simply know more details about events, and know them sooner, than ever before in history.
The irony: the more we communicate, the less we care about others.
Michael Bird is a music teacher for Tallassee City Schools.
Daughter of country singer Wynonna Judd arrested in Millbrook
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
Just because Grace Kelley is the daughter of a famous country singer Wynonna Judd, that didn’t stop her from getting arrested.
The Millbrook Police Department encountered Kelley, 27, near the intersection of Highway 14 and Interstate 65 Friday afternoon. It was Kelley’s second interaction with the Millbrook Police Department within an hour.
Millbrook police chief P.K. Johnson said officers first encountered a woman near Murphy Oil on Highway 14 who was reported to be loitering and displaying inappropriate signs. The woman, who was later identified as Kelley
and from Franklin, Tennessee, was uncooperative. Officers told her to stop loitering and leave the area or face arrest. About an hour later officers responded to a call of a possible robbery on Highway 14. The alleged victim was described as the woman encountered earlier at Murphy Oil — Kelley. “The complainant advised officers that the alleged victim was causing issues and disturbing other customers, while in the business, but had departed prior to officers’ arrival,” Johnson said.
Officers located the woman on Highway 14 at Interstate 65.
“While attempting to ascertain if the subject needed assistance, the subject became irate, refusing to identify herself or cooperate with officers,” Johnson said. “Officers noted that the individual was dressed inappropriately, with both her upper and lower private areas exposed, in public view.”
Based on the previous contact with law enforcement, the woman’s actions during and between the two encounters with police officers and refusing to cooperate with police, the woman later identified as Kelley, was arrested and charged with indecent exposure and obstructing governmental operations. As of Tuesday evening,
Kelley was in the Elmore County Jail with a $2,000 bond available to her. Johnson said most of the time officers who make contact with these types of individuals find they are homeless or “down on their luck” and in need of assistance.
“In those cases, we try our best to help people, while making sure that they are not in violation of the law or causing danger to themselves or others by their presence and close proximity to heavy traffic,” Johnson said. Normally these types of arrests do not draw much attention. But the Millbrook Municipal Court staff began to receive media inquiries about Kelley’s arrest.
“[Monday], I was advised by
County cleanup biggest ever
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
Elmore County commissioner Henry Hines has harped about cleaning up the county.
For years he has challenged everyone to do their part in preventing litter from getting to the ground. His challenge has evolved into an annual event for the Elmore County Commission with a little competition to get more people involved.
Hines announced the results of the latest cleanup effort on April 5-7.
“It was an excellent weekend,” Hines said.
“This was the biggest we have ever had. We had a lot of sports teams, churches, neighborhoods, Scouts and more all out there cleaning up our county.”
The cleanup was done at the pace of those volunteering and with it being over the weekend, Hines said there was no excuse not to participate.
our court department staff that Ms. Kelley had people inquiring about her bond and that she is apparently the daughter of a celebrity, country music star Wynonna Judd,” Johnson said. “It was the first time that I or anyone affiliated with the Millbrook Police Department had any inclination of who Ms. Kelley was.”
Tuesday morning more calls started coming to the Millbrook Police Department from media outlets across the country. Johnson found it disturbing that the arrest attracted so much attention.
“There are so many of these people out there, but most people pay no attention until someone like this turns up, arrested and in jail,” Johnson said.
Members of the Holtville football team help cleanup during the Elmore County Spring Cleanup the first weekend in April. They were among 30 different groups out picking up litter.
“If you couldn’t get out there Friday with a group, or you had Saturday activities, you could get a group together after church on Sunday,” Hines said.
The effort saw 34 different groups sign up who picked up more than 200 bags of litter. The bags
were picked up and disposed of by the Elmore County Public Works Department.
Council adds full-time firefighter position
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
With the anticipated opening of the new Wetumpka Fire Station No. 2, the Wetumpka City Council approved converting some part-time employees to full-time at its Monday meeting.
Each fire house will be manned by three full-time firefighters 24/7.
“This is something we feel like is needed,” Wetumpka fire chief Greg Willis told the council. “It makes scheduling easier.”
The cost total for salary and benefits for the three new positions is about $220,000 per year. The city spent about $275,000 on part-time firefighters last year and is on track to spend about $325,000 this year.
Willis said the department would use less part time help when the
positions were filled.
The council agreed to once again contract with Reggie Bass for professional services for continued development of a baseball program. Mayor Jerry Willis said Bass has done the work before and helps manage costs, staffing and organization.
The Wetumpka Police Department was approved to gain better access to mental health services. The council approved spending up to $30,000 per year and Elmore County will provide the benefits for the position. The person will coordinate training and counseling services for law enforcement officers.
IN OTHER ACTION THE WETUMPKA CITY COUNCIL:
• Approved a consulting agreement with Sain and Associates for
“After that he was fine,” Ventura said. “We had a bed and he slept throughout the rest of the ride.”
Ventura and Finn was great and they were soon on their way home to New York. It was known Finn had vomited in the past when traveling by car. Before their first drive Ventura attempted to give Finn medication via treat but he balked. After a little time, Ventura opted to start driving without Finn on medication.
“We drove for like 20 minutes,” Ventura said.
“He threw up all over my car.” The new family stopped and cleaned up Ventura’s car. She again took a chance at giving Finn half a pill and it worked.
A stay at a hotel soon came then an early morning charge to New York — 15 hours of driving over two days. A couple weeks later, Ventura and Finn were quickly settling in.
“I’m so very happy,” Ventura said. “He is very affectionate and carries a lot of the traits of Lola.”
Finn’s journey from Elmore County to New York is not common but not uncommon either.
Cord and her staff spend all sorts of time to get the animals on Petfinder.com and Adoptapet.com.
“It is a process,” Cord said. “They don’t magically appear on the website.
engineering services not to exceed $60,000.
• Granted permission to enter into contract with Civic Plus to design and host the city’s website.
• Approved a partnership with Elmore County for paving and striping city streets.
• Approved minutes for the April 1 meeting.
• Approved a retail wine and beer off premises license for Publix.
• Approved the purchase of a new mower for the Wetumpka Sports Complex.
• Approved Outboard Dragboat Racing Association to host boat races out of Gold Star Park July 13 and 14. The next meeting of the Wetumpka City Council is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, May 6.
Somebody takes photos. I edit and upload the photos, and do all the write ups.”
Thanks to all the hard work of Cord and the staff at the Humane Society of Elmore County about 90% of available animals are online. Others are adopted before they can get posted.
The online presence allows pet lovers such as Ventura to find animals like Finn — and Cord had more similar stories to share.
A man in Pennsylvania was adopting an Elmore County pet at the shelter. Cord figured it would be several days before he would arrive.
“They were here the next morning,” Cord said. “They got on the road and came down.”
About 18 years ago a man drove from New Mexico to adopt two Walker Hound puppies. Another lady drove from Colorado to adopt a very senior dog.
“She had two very senior dogs with her on the trip,” Cord said.
Cord is thankful for the online presence and how it connects animals with animal lovers. She also scuffs when someone within a couple hours drive doesn’t want to come pick up an animal. But she knows there are others who will and the connections are often made online like Ventura and Finn.
“It does happen occasionally,” Cord said.
KELLEY
Take me out to the ballgame
Greetings from the corner of Bridge and Bridge! I do hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the arrival of spring. The mornings have been so very beautiful. Of course, we are already having highs in the 80s, but that is par for the course in our area this time of year.
Last Sunday I did something I have never done. Instead of being at church at 11am, I was at a ball park in Millbrook. One of our nephews was playing in a travel ball tournament, and since I had the day off, Alicia and I went to watch him play.
First, as I said, I had the day off. I can honestly say that there is no place I would rather be on a Sunday than Wetumpka. The only exception is attending a race
at Talladega! I love the church I serve and the overall spirit of Sundays there. I love being able to have quiet Sunday afternoons at home, especially if a nap is part of the equation. I am a child of the church. My family is a church-going family and has always been. The spirit of Lord’s Day observance is in my DNA and I have no problem confessing my need for it. I love having a day out in God’s creation as much as the next person, but my preference for Sundays has always been church and home. As a result, I do not tend to take many Sundays off.
Second, the world of little league sports was not always as wide as it is today. The entity known as travel ball was not even a thing in my youth. Now,
Wednesday nights at 6:30 p.m. the church offers Children’s Gospel Project, Youth Bible Study and Adult Prayer Meeting.
Regular office hours are Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
in the sanctuary. We will continue with Facebook Live Sunday School at 9:30 a.m. and Worship Service at 11 a.m.
CARRVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH
Regular hours of service are Sundays- 9 a.m. Sunday School and 10 a.m. Morning Worship.
EAST TALLASSEE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
ETUMC’s Rivers Edge Flea Market is now closed. The church will start a new project called Rivers Edge Food Pantry. ETUMC will provide canned food, water, dry beans and rice, blan-
every sport has opportunity for student athletes to participate in their sport beyond what is offered through school athletics. Growing up, some of my friends and classmates played sports. Most of them went to church with their families.
I did not feel out of place at the ballpark Sunday. It was a beautiful day. Families were gathered in the stands and under tents to support the young players. It was a good day of baseball, for the most part, but there was one thing missing: Joy.
I know why there was no joy in the bleacher section I was sitting in. Our nephew’s team was getting clobbered. The opposing team couldn’t lose and our team couldn’t win. That’s the nature of the game, though, and both sides seemed to recognize that and take
Church Briefs
kets, and jackets. If you want to donate or help with the cause, call Joan Wood at 334-312-4913.
EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF THE EPIPHANY
Please join us for Sunday services at 10:30 a.m. when the Rev. Lee Lowery will celebrate the Holy Eucharist. We are asking everyone please to wear a mask. The service will be live streamed on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ EpiphanyTallassee/ For more information, visit the
it in stride. The lack of joy was most evident among a few of the fans in the complex. Early on, one father stood up and berated his son from the top of the bleachers for not holding the bag at third base. This man screamed at his nine-year-old son, threw up his hands in outrage, and plopped on the bleachers in disgust.
After that, I started looking around the baseball complex. I did not see many happy faces. Although most fans were behaving, few seemed to be enjoying anything.
I want to be very clear that I have a healthy appreciation for team sports, both formal and informal. They present valuable tools for learning life skills, and I am a major supporter of extracur-
church website at http:// epiphanytallassee.org/
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
First Presbyterian Church, located at 514 Central Blvd. will host a Veteran’s Day Celebration on Nov. 11 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. for all veterans and first responders and their family members.
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
“We are OPEN and everyone is WELCOME! Come worship with us in
Worship With Us
REV. JONATHAN YARBORO Columnist
ricular activities for young people and their families. I simply do not believe in the church of the ballfield.
I understand and recognize that the church and participation in it does not bring everyone the peace it brings others. I am not suggesting that every family heading to the ballpark on a Sunday should be going to church instead.
I am suggesting that every child of God should take Sabbath seriously. Spend a day awash in the joy God makes possible, whatever that may be. Save the ball park for Saturday.
Rev. Jonathan Yarboro is the Pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Wetumpka.
person Sunday mornings at 8:50 a.m. (contemporary) or 11 a.m. (traditional). Sunday School for all ages is offered Sunday mornings at 10 a.m., and a nursery is available for infants. CHILDREN & YOUTH: meet Sunday evenings from 5-6:30 p.m. and Wednesday evenings from 6-7:15 p.m.; supper is included both days! For more information about our church or the programs we offer, visit our website: fumctallassee.com or call us: 334-283-2195. FUMC
Tallassee - 1 Jordan Avenue.”
OUR LIFE’S JOURNEY Airs every Sunday at 8:30 a.m. on 580 WACQ, FM 98.5 & 101.1, on your smart speaker, your TuneIn app, or on our website www.wacqradio. com. Please share on social media. This set of programs features Msgr. Charles Troncale, Fr. Mateusz Rudzik, Fr. James Dean, Fr. David Carucci, Fr. Patrick Driscoll,
Dalton MiDDleton SportS eDitor dalton.middleton@thewetunpkaherald.com
Indians hitting stride entering postseason play
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
The Wetumpka baseball team is playing its best baseball of the year.
Wetumpka is set to host Brookwood this weekend in the first round of the AHSAA Class 6A playoffs. The Indians, which went an impressive 6-0 in Area 3 play, have won 13 of their last 16 games
and are sitting at 20-13 on the season. During that span, the Indians have outscored opponents by 85 runs.
Now the Indians are hosting a playoff game for the third time in four years, and Indians coach Michael Dismukes hopes his team can stay hot. The best-of-three series starts with a double header at 4:30 p.m. on Friday
Williams doesn’t let past situations define his future
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
Julius Williams has never let his situation define him.
The Wetumpka star athlete and scholar is the Class 6A, Region 2 Bryant-Jordan Achievement Scholarship winner. Williams, along with 103 other winners across the state, were all granted a $3,000 scholarship and were recognized at the 37th annual Bryant-Jordan Awards Banquet held on Monday at the Birmingham-Sheraton Hotel.
“It definitely means a lot to me to have this opportunity and accept this honor,” Williams said. “It helps me feel pretty good about what I’m doing and knowing I’m making a difference. It helps me know that if I continue on the path I’m on, I can really impact the lives of others in a positive manner.”
The Bryant-Jordan Scholarship Program has two categories – achievement and scholar athlete. Williams is one of 52 regional winners in the achievement category,
Elmore’s Wilson awarded Bryant-Jordan scholarship
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
Samantha Wilson has spent many hours studying deep into the night.
Wilson, a Stanhope Elmore senior, is the Class 6A, Region 2 Bryant-Jordan scholarship winner. Along with 103 other winners across the state, Wilson was granted a $3,000 scholarship and was recognized at the 37th annual Bryant-Jordan Awards Banquet held on Monday at the Birmingham-Sheraton Hotel.
“For me, this just kind of reminds me that all the hard work I’ve put in over the last four years have been worth it,” Wilson said. “All of the late nights and the long practices on top of trying to maintain grades and academic standings, it just makes it all worth it.”
The Bryant-Jordan Scholarship Program has two categories – achievement and scholar athlete. Wilson is one of 52 regional winners in the
Page B2
with the Game 3 scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday if needed.
“We’re playing really good baseball right now,” Dismukes said. “We’re playing better and playing with a lot of confidence. We’ve fought through a lot of adversity this year and our guys have absorbed a lot. The guys are
AREA CHAMPS
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
Wetumpka is back on top of the area. The Indians swept rival Stanhope Elmore, 5-3 and 6-4, to claim the AHSAA Class 6A, Area 3 championship series on Friday night. It’s the first area title for the Indians since 2022.
Wetumpka will host Brookwood, the Area 8 runner-up in the first round of the playoffs next week.
“It feels really good,” Indians coach Michael Dismukes said. “Anytime you start a baseball season, this is on your mind. These guys really played their hearts out especially against a rival. This isn’t just an area game. We got timely hits. We should have had a few more but I’ll take it.”
Game 1 of the championship series came on Tuesday, and Wetumpka won its home matchup by a score of 5-3. Noah Golson pitched a complete game and allowed just three hits. Trent Parshall had a big two-run hit and the Indians took a 1-0 lead in the series.
With Ethan Walls on the mound, Stanhope Elmore looked primed to even up the series when it took a 3-0 lead in the second inning. Hayden Anderson and Walls each had
RBI singles while Jackson Stallworth hit a sacrifice fly.
The Indians struck back quickly when Mason Fuller drove in two runs on a triple, then they tied the game on a James Browning bases-loaded walk. After 2 ½ innings of the game being tied at three runs, Wetumpka broke the game open in the top of the seventh inning.
Fuller led the inning off with a single, then came around to score the game-winning run two batters later on a single from Caden Wooldridge.
“Mason is a tough out,” Dismukes said. “He’s a bulldog and he’s a competitor. He’s going to give it his all every at-bat. You really have to pitch him. He chased Ethan in the third then got us started in the seventh.”
Parshall drove in another run a few batters later, then Peyton Dickey gave Wetumpka a 6-3 lead on a sacrifice fly where Wooldridge got under the tag on a close play at the plate.
Garrett Myers came back out in the seventh inning for Wetumpka after replacing starter Asher Nobles in the sixth inning. Stanhope worked three singles and a walk off of him, but it wasn’t enough as the Indians closed the door at 6-4.
“I’m proud of these guys,”
Dismukes said. “They played hard and left it on the line. They competed every at-bat. I told them to leave it on the field and have high energy and a competitive spirit. I just wanted us to give ourselves a chance and that happened.”
In typical fashion for this rivalry, Stanhope didn’t go out without a fight.
Walls started the seventh inning rally with a one-out single, then Stanhope loaded the bases on a Robert Henry single and Grayson Jones walk. With two outs, Cavarous Ellis stepped to the plate.
Ellis then hit an infield single to Golson at shortstop, who booted the ball but was still able to make a play. Stanhope’s Henry rounded third base too hard, thinking it was a groundout. By the time he turned around to try and make it to third, Golson was able to apply the tag for the final out.
“The way we ended the game is typical Wetumpka and Stanhope Elmore fashion,” Dismukes said.
“A few years ago Stanhope walked us off over here because we had our first baseman walk off the field on an infield hit. Crazy things happen in this series.”
which honors students who have overcome personal adversity to excel.
There has been plenty of adversity in Williams’ life.
Growing up in South Carolina between the ages of 4- and 8-years old, Williams and his siblings lived in a harsh situation filled with childhood neglect and domestic violence with one of his mother’s ex-boyfriends.
After a few cases of the ex-boyfriend using violence on his mother and his siblings, the Department of Human Resources got involved and removed the children from the house.
Facing a situation where the siblings would either enter foster care or have a family member step up and raise them, he was adopted by his aunt and uncle and moved to Alabama.
Williams still talks to his parents here and there, but he lives with his aunt and uncle and they have taught him and his brother right from wrong and proved a loving household.
For Williams, moving to Alabama has been the best thing to happen to him.
“Moving here and living with my aunt and uncle has been a blessing,” Williams said. “They’ve taught me so much, like how to act and how to have manners. They taught me how to move around this world and how to treat people the way I want to be treated. They’ve taught me key values that every individual should have and supported me in every way that they could.”
Williams has turned his childhood situation into one filled with much success.
The Wetumpka senior is a multi-sport athlete as he runs cross country, plays football, plays basketball and is a member of the Indians’ track and field team. In fact, he actually owns two school records as a member of the track team.
Along with playing four sports, he has been in JROTC for four years where he serves as the Executive Officer, the second highest position and rank a cadet can achieve in JROTC. He scored an 85 on his ASVAB.
He is a member of the Key Club, Beta Club, Tribal Council for WHS, FBLA, National Society of High School Scholars and Youth Leadership Elmore County, a 4-H based program. While balancing all of his extracurricular activities, he has maintained a 3.63 grade point average and has a 24 composite score on his ACT.
“It’s tough to balance everything, but the main part of balancing it all is being in the right headspace,” Williams said. “It gets challenging and there’s been times I wanted to quit, but God helps me manage it. God has gotten me through a lot in my life and I have a large support system around me now.”
Williams is unsure of where he will attend college after he graduates from Wetumpka in May, but is hopeful that he will get the chance to run track at the next level. While he is undecided, he is still appreciative of the scholarship and knows all the adversity he has faced in his life has helped lead him to this moment.
“Even as a young kid, I always looked at every situation and would see what I wanted to be and didn’t want to be,” Williams said. “Every obstacle I faced, I would say I didn’t want to be like that and I would take the good and the bad out of every decision and that helped formulate the person I am now.”
Williams has never and will never let his past situations define him, and he urges other kids in tough environments to have the same mindset.
“I want people to know that they can choose to overcome any situation they go through,” Williams said. “Don’t let anyone else define who you are, what you are, or who you’re going to be. They can overcome any situation they’re in and be even greater than they ever imagined.”
Stanhope Elmore baseball hits the road for hits the road for playoffs
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
Stanhope Elmore hits the road on Friday facing a team desperate for revenge.
The Mustangs, the Class 6A, Area 3 runner-up, travel to face Hueytown in a bestof-three first round playoff matchup. The games begin on Friday with a doubleheader at 4:30 p.m. with a Game 3, if needed, at noon on Saturday. Hueytown and Stanhope Elmore are familiar with each other. The two met in the second round of the playoffs last year when the Mustangs swept the Golden Gophers, 5-0 and 2-0.
“Hueytown is a solid program year in and year out,” Mustangs coach DK Shuman said. “They play hard and play the right way, which gives them a chance to win every game. We played them in the playoffs last year and they were a tough group.”
DALTON MIDDLETON | TPI
Stanhope Elmore junior Ethan Walls pitches against Wetumpka last week. The Mustangs’ ace has a 2.97 earned run average entering the playoffs.
runs or less.
offs.”
A now-fully healthy pitching staff will try its best to carry the burden in the postseason. Ethan Walls has served as the team’s ace much of the year and he has fit the bill with a 2.97 earned run average.
In last week’s area series, he allowed three runs in three innings on 70 pitches before being pulled. Jordan Jones is No. 2 on the team in innings pitched and has a 4.20 ERA. A boost for the Mustangs is Tyler Woodham coming back, their big left-handed pitcher.
Continued from B1
playing with a lot of confidence right now and I have no doubts they will be ready to play. I think the sky’s the limit for us.”
Brookwood enters the postseason with a record of 10-18, but Dismukes knows that is not indicative of how good a team is. It’s postseason time, and every team in Class 6A has at least one good arm that can win a game when called on. That is extremely true for the Panthers and ace Jacob Nations.
The Stanhope team hitting the road on Friday is a much different group than last season’s. Nearly every starter on the field is different than a year ago, outside of a few players. With the lack of experience, Stanhope has not churned out the same amount of wins as usual, but the Mustangs have also played a brutal schedule. That resulted in a 10-23 overall record entering the postseason while coming off a double-header sweep from rival Wetumpka in the area championship series.
Shuman’s squad just needs to turn those close losses around if they’re to keep playing this postseason.
After missing most of the season, he now has a 3.36 ERA in 8 ⅓ innings.
Stanhope isn’t getting blown out by any means. The Mustangs just haven’t been able to get over the hump. Sixteen of Stanhope’s 23 losses have come by four
“We have been very competitive and kept ourselves in games with good teams all year,” Shuman said. “We need to take the next step and find a way to get the big hit late, or find a way to stop the big hit in the late innings from our opponent. We have a capable group that we all hope will click as a team and get hot through the play-
He started Game 1 against Wetumpka last week and went 3 ⅓ innings and allowed three runs on two hits.
“Those three, plus a handful more have done a great job improving throughout the year,” Shuman said. “They are giving us a chance to win. We need to do a better job offensively of giving them run support to give them a little bit of margin of error.”
Rivals Holtville, Elmore County clash in first round
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
There won’t be a better place to be than Slapout on Friday night.
The defending Class 5A champion Holtville will host rival Elmore County in the first round of the 5A playoffs. The Bulldogs are the Area 7 champion after taking down Marbury in a three-game set while Elmore County is the No. 2 seed out of Area 4. The matchup is a rematch of last year’s second round series where Holtville won, 2-1, en route to its first state
AWARDED
Continued from B1
title in 40 years. The matchup is also one of the biggest rivalries in the river region. The two teams play in every sport, and just this school year they have met up 13 times across football, basketball, baseball, soccer and softball.
“It’s Elmore County and Holtville,” Bulldogs coach Scott Tubbs said. “All of our players have mutual respect for each other and play hard, but they all want to beat each other. Both fan bases are intense and it’s going to be a rowdy and fun environment. No matter the sport, when
scholar-athlete category. When she graduates in May, Wilson will finish in the Top 5 of the 2024 class as she currently ranks 4th out of 216 students with a 4.25 grade point average. She also has a composite score of 27 on the ACT, as well as a super score of 28.
She maintains that while playing three sports and being in numerous other honor societies and clubs with the school. She is a member of the cheerleading, volleyball and bowling teams while participating in Junior Civitan, DECA, National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Beta Club and SCLA.
“There’s a lot of late nights working,” Wilson said of balancing all her extracurricular activities. “I just try to find small periods where I can fit in some schoolwork. I don’t have to be at school until 9:30 a.m., so I have a little wiggle room to stay up later in the night studying. I also have some aid periods before my core classes where I can hit the books hard.”
Wilson wasn’t just an ordinary member on her sporting teams, either. Wilson is a two-time First-Team AllState bowler and helped lead the Mus-
Nations leads Brookwood in innings pitched with 56, and he’s 5-3 on the year in 10 starts. He has a 1.75 earned run average and the Panthers have had a chance to win every game he’s pitched in.
Most recently, he pitched six innings against area winner Hueytown in a 5-3 loss. He allowed just three earned runs. “Brookwood is in a similar area to ours with Hueytown,” Dismukes said. “They’re in a very prominent area up there so you can’t pay attention to their record. That doesn’t indicate how good of a team they’re
tangs to their first state championship in program history in February.
Coached by her parents, Bridget and Kenny Wilson, Samantha was a member of the bowling team for six years and helped lead the Mustangs to the championship multiple times, falling just short in her sophomore and junior years.
This year, however, the Mustangs went 12-0 and swept all three of their opponents in the championship, 4-0, to cap off the dominant season.
“Winning that championship was so surreal because we won it in Mobile, and that was where me and Alyssa (Ward) actually bowled our first tournament in seventh grade,” Wilson said. “To end our careers there was just full circle and there were a lot of emotions because we had come so close in the past.”
Wilson is actually not going to use her $3,000 Bryant-Jordan scholarship next year. She has grand plans of going to the University of Alabama and entering nursing school, but she’s taking a “gap year of sorts.”
Wilson joined the Army National Guard last May, and will go to basic training and train to become a combat medic this summer. Joining the military was never in her plans until she went
going to be.”
Wetumpka will also feature a handful of competitors on the mound. After ace Caden Wooldridge went down with an injury before the season, players such as Noah Golson and Asher Nobles have both stepped up and pitched significant innings. Last week over Stanhope, Golson pitched a complete game over the Mustangs while Nobles went five innings and got a no-decision in the late win.
“Our guys have stepped up on the mound,” Dismukes said. “They’ve thrown strikes
on a field trip to the Maxwell Air Force Base.
There she was able to see some of the F-16s fly and land and she found a new love. She took the ASVAB, enlisted and has since been part of the Recruit Sustainment Program the last 10 months before she goes to basic training after graduation.
Not being in school will be different for Wilson, but she knows this will be beneficial for her future plans of being a nurse.
“Having a background of a combat medic in the army will help me get better standings at hospitals and open more job opportunities that I wouldn’t necessarily have if it wasn’t for the military and the training I’m going to go through,” Wilson said.
She hasn’t once regretted joining the military, and actually thinks it will be good for her to take a small mental reset from school. Plus, she’s going to be doing her favorite thing to do –serving others.
“I’ve grown up in the church and my favorite thing to do is serve other people,” Wilson said. “I love helping people and I love being there for my community. Going this route is basically what I’ve already been doing but on a slightly larger scale.”
and definitely competed. With Caden going down, we knew we had some pitching, we were just lacking experience. Now that they have some games under their belts, we feel like we can pound the strike zone and give us a chance to win.”
The team is also fielding the ball much better. Early in the season, some new faces around the diamond took some time to get adjusted with the glove and the Indians were committing five or more errors in any given game. That has cleaned up the last
few weeks. In the series sweep over Stanhope, the Indians only made two errors – one in each game.
If his team can continue fielding the ball well, Dismukes knows they have a chance to make a run.
“We’re catching the ball on defense better,” Dismukes said. “That’s helping our pitchers a lot. We’ve only had one or two errors in the last week or so and that makes it where our pitchers are competitive and throwing competitive strikes. I’m very pleased with where we are right now.”
FILE | TPI
Holtville third baseman Braxton Potts throws across the diamond. Potts and the Bulldogs look to defend their Class 5A title against Elmore County in the first round. See RIVALS, Page B3
4 in a row
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
Another year, another Holtville area title.
The Holtville baseball team hit the road on Friday and beat Marbury in the AHSAA Class 5A, Area 7 championship series. The Bulldogs won the series, 2-1, after winning 6-3 in Game 1 on Tuesday and 2-1 in Game 3. Holtville has now won four-consecutive area championships dating back to 2021.
Holtville will start its postseason title defense by hosting Elmore County in the first round.
“Anytime you win the area and get the opportunity to host the first round of the playoffs, it’s huge,” Bulldogs coach Scott Tubbs said. “It was tough. Marbury is a good team and played hard. They wore us out in the first game Friday, but we got up early in the second game and Drey (Barrett) was phenomenal on the mound.”
Holtville won Tuesday’s matchup at home, 6-3, behind Carson McCutchin’s arm. The junior lefty went 6 ⅔ innings and struck out nine batters.
On Friday, however, Marbury
Holtville claims area title over Marbury
Holtville’s Drey Barrett pitched 6 innings in the 2-1 win against Marbury in the area championship. With the Game 3 win, Holtville claimed its fourth-consecutive area championship.
evened up the series with a big 11-5 win in Game 2. They led Holtville by nine runs in the seventh before the Bulldogs scored three runs. It wasn’t enough to secure the sweep, but the momentum carried over into Game 3.
To lead off the final game of the series, Barrett hit his third home run of the season to put Holtville up, 1-0. It was his second leadoff home run of the series and third in area play. Randy Bridges reached via error directly after, then Markus Broderick and Braxton Potts both singled. Potts’ single gave
Holtville a 2-0 lead. That was all Barrett needed on the mound.
Barrett, who is a Southern Miss signee and hit 96 miles per hour on the radar gun, struck out the side in the first inning to keep the momentum in Holtville’s dugout. He struck out five batters in the first two innings, then allowed two of his five hits against him in the third. Marbury led off the inning with back-to-back singles to put two guys on base with no outs. Neither baserunner was able to move any further, though, as Barrett struck out three-straight
Holtville’s Boone enters
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
Bailea Boone’s name is now etched into the record books.
Boone, the junior leadoff hitter and center fielder for Holtville, tied the state record for hits in an individual game in Wednesday’s 23-1 area win over Greenville.
Boone went 6-for-6 in the game with six singles, one of only five players in AHSAA fastpitch history to reach the milestone. She is the first player since 2018 to accomplish the feat.
The other four players with six hits are Baker’s Carrie Walker (2004), Grissom’s Darian Buss (2018) and Choctaw County’s Tonje Willis (2014) and Shakira Johnson (2014).
“I’m just glad she plays for us,” Bulldogs coach Reese Claybrook said. “That’s what I say when I watch her get up there and do her thing. She’s extremely humble
RIVALS
Continued from B2
these two teams match up, it gets intense.”
The baseball teams are not strangers to each other. Just in the last two seasons, the two teams have played six times. Elmore County leads the series 4-2 during that span, but Holtville has won when it mattered.
The Panthers are 3-0 in the regular season against Holtville, including a 1-0 mark against them this year. But in the playoffs last year, Holtville eliminated Elmore County by taking Game 2 and 3 away from them in Slapout.
“Holtville is as tough of a first round matchup as you can get,” Panthers coach Michael Byrd said. “You’re going into
SEWELL
Continued from A1
PURPLE Continued from A1
batters just 14 pitches later. Barrett went 6 ⅓ innings and allowed just five hits and one unearned run. He struck out 14 Marbury hitters.
“I thought Drey did an outstanding job,” Tubbs said. “We held him for Game 3 like we did in the playoffs last year. When you can pitch your No. 1 in a Game 3 situation with your backs against the wall, who else would you rather have out there?”
In area play, Barrett has been stellar at both the plate and on the mound.
In five games, he is 8-for-15 with three leadoff home runs and eight RBIs. On the mound, he is 2-0 with 27 strikeouts and no earned runs in just 11 ⅓ innings.
“Drey locks in when the game is big,” Tubbs said. “He is unfazed. He doesn’t mind being on the biggest stage when it matters. He’s done that for us so much over the last few years. I think he plays his best on that stage. The bigger the game, the better he is. I hope he continues what he’s doing because he’s definitely setting the tone for us right now.”
the record books
FILE | TPI
Holtville junior Bailea Boone has tied the state record for hits in a game. The slap hitter went 6-for-6 in a 23-1 area win over Greenville last week.
and just goes up there and plays the game. Her approach hasn’t changed over the years, but as she’s matured, she’s started to really understand what she’s capable of and not forcing it and not doing too much.”
Boone’s speed and IQ is what led her to the record.
the defending state champion’s house. They ended our season there last year. You don’t have to worry about either team being motivated, and there’s no secrets between us. We both know everything there is to know about each other and how to play each other’s players.”
The two teams have been on very different trajectories the past few weeks. Elmore County, which started the season 18-3, has since lost six of its last seven games in the month of April.
The Panthers lost a double-header to Marbury before losing to Chilton County and dropping two of three games to Tallassee.
Byrd’s squad has gotten a little too amped up in the big games, and Byrd knows his
1977.
and $3,500 John Sewell Scholarship. Awards are also given to male and female category winners selected for academics, athletics, leadership, church, community and character. Each category winner receives a $1,500 scholarship. All told the scholarships total $19,000 this year.
The Joe Sewell Memorial Award is the only program of its kind in the River Region that presents scholarship money in conjunction with the awards to overall and category winners.
The award serves to honor the legacy of Joe Sewell, a native of the Titus community who established a very successful baseball career in Major League Baseball from 1920-1933 and was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in
“I have been moving since I was three or four years old,” Peralta said. “I have an understanding of the challenges and strengths of the military students. Moving from place to place, saying goodbye to familiar faces and adjusting to new schools are only a few challenges that we face.”
Three years ago, Stanhope created a student to student program to aid students as they transition to Millbrook and Stanhope.
“It serves to welcome military kids to our school,” Stanhope senior Lorin McElrath said. “We have done training on how to introduce military students to our school as well as hosting events for military families.”
Purple Star School programs were created across the country to help students such as Peralta adjust to the ever changing environment of education for students who move with a parent in the military. Even before the program was created, Peralta and her family took advantage of similar programs at Millbrook Middle School and Stanhope. It is now part of the Purple Star program and Peralta helps other students in similar situations adjust.
“It is like a student ambassador program,” Peralta said. “We introduce the new kids when they come to the student body and give them student tours.”
Leading off the top of the first inning, Boone hit a soft slap on the first pitch of the night right down the third base line. There was no throw to get her, and the Bulldogs knew she would have that open all night long.
See BOONE, Page B8
team will have to settle down when it comes to Friday night.
“We have a tendency to get a little too excited in those big moments,” Byrd said. “We don’t have to worry about getting the boys pumped up. We have to learn how to relax and play and just not do too much in the big moments. We started pressing the last two weeks and dropped some games.”
Holtville, on the other hand, is used to the big stage. The Bulldogs have played in 14 playoff series the last three years, finishing in the Final Four once with two state championship appearances. The Bulldogs know the ins and outs of postseason baseball, and that’s shown as Holtville has hit its late-season stretch.
Holtville is 17-12 this year and has won five of its last six
“Sewell’s athletic skill was apparent as he holds two of Major League Baseball’s records including the lifetime record for fewest strikeouts in his 14 year career with only 114 in 7,132 at-bats,” the Sewell Award board said in a release.
“His outstanding character and leadership are qualities that serve as the foundation of this award. His cousin John Sewell, for whom the top scholarships are named, loved sports and spent much of his free time coaching and helping young people. Both men left a legacy in Elmore County that youth and adults alike can emulate.”
This year’s keynote speaker will be Huntingdon College’s assistant athletic director for athletic performance coach Charlie Goodyear.
This year’s award banquet is at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 7 at the Wetumpka Civic Center. The 9th Grade Certificate Winners will be recognized at a 4:00 pm
games. The Bulldogs swept Jemison then took two of three from Marbury to clinch the area title. Over the weekend, Holtville beat Wetumpka on Senior Night on a walkoff hit.
Tubbs knows the importance of playoff and big game experience, and it can certainly play a factor when Game 1 begins Friday night.
“That experience helps with not getting rattled in big environments,” Tubbs said. “Everybody wants to win so badly and these kids know if they don’t their seasons or their careers are over. Sometimes they’ll do too much and hurt themselves in the process. We’ve been in that situation a lot the last three years and we’ve done a really good job of keeping our composure.”
ceremony with their families. This year’s senior finalists are: Edgewood Academy’s Katelynn Chacey Shaner, Lindsey Ann Brown, Gabriel Aidan LeMaster and Reed Hall Owen; Elmore County High School’s Emily Ruth Mason, Emilie Grace Shaw, Abigail Grace Williams and Trevor O’Neil Brown; Holtville High School’s Taylor Renee Price, Bre Ann Morris, Bandon Drey Barrett and Aidan Joseph Perry; Stanhope Elmore’s Aysia Simone Jackson, Lorin Elise McElrath, Samantha Chapel Wilson and Jackson Thomas Wade; Tallassee High School’s Macey Belle Stewart, Richard Bosch, Brady Mason and Jacob Patterson; and Wetumpka High School’s Emma Nichole Wasden, Elijah James Holden, David Everett Pinkston and Abigail Trudie Mullino.
Next week’s newspapers will feature bios and photos of the finalists.
Stanhope senior Alex Caylor is looking towards a career in the military but has no direct connections like Peralta. Over the years he has seen how students of military parents serve their country, but in a different role. They support their parents wherever they might go.
“These students’ sacrifices often go unnoticed,” Caylor said. “Military children face unique challenges that many do not comprehend. They endure frequent relocations, uprooting their lives leaving friends and familiar surroundings all to support their parents’ service to our nation.”
Millbrook Mayor Al Kelley presented the group of military students, their parents and staff at Stanhope with a proclamation declaring April the month of the child. Kelley sympathized with the students who endured moving. Kelley explained he moved as a child but nothing like those in the military.
“I had one major change when I moved out of Montgomery and came out here to Millbrook,” Kelley said.
Stanhope principal Ewell Fuller’s father served in Vietnam. Fuller himself was a F16 crew chief in the first Persian Gulf War.
“I understand what it is like to be a student and to serve,” Fuller said. The Student-to-Student isn’t the only program at Stanhope to assist students at Stanhope. There is also JROTC. Through the two programs, participants are greatly involved in everything at Stanhope helping ease the transition. JROTC at Stanhope has numerous students involved such as Peralta.
“Our upbringing has gifted us with a perspective few in the world can possess,” Peralta said. “We are capable of achieving anything we set our minds to and our potential knows no bounds.”
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Notice is hereby given of a public hearing as required by Section 147(f) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), to be held on April 22, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. local time, or as soon as practical thereafter, at the Elmore County Courthouse, Main Courtroom, 100 East Commerce Street, Wetumpka, Alabama 36092, by the Elmore County Commission (the “Commission”) in connection with the issuance by the Public Finance Authority (the “Issuer”), a commission organized under and pursuant to the provisions of Sections 66.0301, 66.0303, and 66.0304 of the Wisconsin Statutes, as amended (the “Act”), of its educational facilities revenue bonds (the “Bonds”) to be issued as quali-tion 145 of the Code in one or more series, issuances, or advances, in a maximum amount not to exceed $45,000,000 from time to time pursuant to a plan
The proceeds of the Bonds will be loaned to Ivy Classical Academy LLC (the “Borrower”), the initial sole member of which is or will be American Classical Education Foundation, a Deldesignated as an organization described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Code, and used by the Borrower pursuant to a planimbursement, the acquisition, construction, improvement, renovation and equipping of certain land and facilities located at 2000 Pinnacle Place, Prattville, Alabama currently consisting of (i) one approximately 45,421 square foot building, (ii) one approximately 19,023 square foot building, (iii) one approximately 24,894 square foot building, (iv) one approximately 22,228 square foot building, and (v) approximately 5.45 acres of land (collectively, the “Facilities”); (b) fund capitalized interest, if any; (c) pay working capital, if any; (d) fund one or more reserve funds for the Bonds, if any; and (e) pay certain costs of issuance relating to the Bonds (collectively, the “Project”). The Facilities are located in Elmore County, Alabama (the “County”) and will be owned for federal tax purposes by the Borrower and leased to and operated by Alabama Classical Group (the “Lessee”), an Alabama nonan organization described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Code, which is or will be a principal
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The Bonds will be special limited obligations of the Issuer payable solely from the loan repayments to be made by the Borrower to the Issuer, and certain funds and accounts established by the bond indenture for the Bonds. The Bonds will not constitute a debt or a pledge of the faith and credit of the County, the State of Alabama (the “State”) or any other political subdivision of the State, and there will be no right to have taxes levied by the County, the State or taxing authority of the County or any political subdivision of the State for any payments under the Bonds.
The public hearing will be conducted in a manner that provides a reasonable opportunity for interested individuals with differing views on both the issuance of the Bonds and the heard and to present the oral and written comments, and will be conducted on behalf of the Issuer and the County by the Commission. Questions or requests for additional information may be directed to Richie Beyer by mail at Elmore County Courthouse, 100 East Commerce Street, Suite 200, Wetumpka, Alabama 36092. Any interested persons unable to attend the hearing may submit their views in writing to the County prior to the date scheduled for the hearing. This notice is published and the hearing is to be held in satisfaction of the requirements of Section 147(f) of the Code.
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Wetumpka Herald: Apr. 10 and 17, 2024 #10771-0001 PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE UNDER POWER FORECLOSURE NOTICE WHEREAS, default has occurred in the performance of the covenants, terms and conditions of a mortgage from LATISHA S. WILKES AND HENRY D. WILKES, WIFE AND HUSBAND to MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., AS MORTGAGEEE, AS NOMINEE FOR AMERICARE INVESTMENT GROUP, INC. DBA PREMIER CAPITAL LENDING, on the 25th day of November, 2008, said mortthe Judge of Probate of Elmore County, Alabama, on December 5, 2008, in Deed/Mortgage Book 2008, Page 65203, Elmore County, Alabama Records, said Mortgage having subsequently been transferred and assigned to Selene Finance LP, by instrument recorded in the aforesaid given that the undersigned Selene Finance LP, as Mortgagee/ Transferee, under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, will sell at public outcry to the highest bidder for cash at the main entrance to the Elmore county courthouse located at 100 E Commerce Street, Wetumpka, AL 36092 in Wetumpka, Elmore County, Alabama, on May 24, 2024, during the legal hours of sale, all of its right, title, and interest in and to the following described real estate, situated in Elmore County, Alabama, to-wit: COMMENCE AT A STONE LOCATED AT THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF SECTION 10, T18N, R18E, ELMORE N 89 DEGREES 01 MINUTE 54 SECONDS E ALONG THE HALF SECTION LINE OF SAID SECTION, A DISTANCE OF 658.68 FEET TO NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE EAST HALF OF THE NORTHWEST QUARTER OF THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF S 00 DEGREES 22 MINUTES 27 SECONDS E ALONG THE QUARTER-QUARTER LINE OF SAID SECTION A DISTANCE OF 525.81 FEET
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QUARTER-QUARTER LINE S 00 DEGREES 18 MINUTES 05 SECONDS E A DISTANCE OF 203.20 FEET TO AN IRON PIN ON THE NORTH RIGHT OF WAY LINE OF MCCAIN ROAD (80 FOOT RIGHT OFING ALONG SAID QUARTER-QUARTER LINE S 00 DEGREES 18 MINUTES 12 SECONDS E, A DISTANCE OF 80.59 FEET TO AN IRON PIN ON THE SOUTH RIGHT OF WAY OF MCCAIN ROAD (80 FOOT RIGHT OF WAY) SAID PIN BEING THE POINT OF BEGINNING, THENCE S 83 DEGREES 21 MINUTES 01 SECOND E ALONG THE SOUTH RIGHT OF WAY OF SAID ROAD, A DISTANCE OF 238.25 FEET TO AN IRON ALONG SAID RIGHT OF WAY ALONG A CURVE CONCAVE NORTHERLY (RADIUS 875.70 FEET) THE CHORD OF WHICH BEARS S 86 DEGREES 21 MINUTES 52 SECONDS E A DISTANCE OF 92.10 FEET TO
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00 DEGREES 41 MINUTES
39 SECONDS E A DISTANCE OF 144.13 FEET TO AN IRON
17 MINUTES 29 SECONDS W A DISTANCE OF 180.68 FEET 00 DEGREES 28 MINUTES 41 SECONDS W A DISTANCE OF 13.24 FEET TO AN IRON
17 MINUTES 32 SECONDS W A DISTANCE OF 150.47 FEET TO AN IRON PIN ON SAID QUARTER-QUARTER LINE, THENCE ALONG SAID QUARTER-QUARTER LINE N 00 DEGREES 18 MINUTES 54 SECONDS E A DISTANCE OF 168.40 FEET TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING. THE ABOVE DESCRIBED PARCEL LIES IN THE WEST HALF OF THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF SECTION 10, T18N R18E, ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA. Said legal description being controlling, however the property is more commonly known as 1274 MCCAIN ROAD, WETUMPKA, AL 36092. Alabama law gives some persons who have an interest in property the right to redeem the property under certain circumstances. Programs may also exist that help persons avoid or delay the foreclosure process. An attorney should be consulted to help you understand these rights and programs as a part of the foreclosure process. This property will be sold on an “as is, where is” basis, subject to any easements, encumbrances, and exceptions those contained in the records Probate in the county where the above-described property is situated. This property will be sold subject to the right of redemption of all parties entitled thereto and subject to any outstanding ad valorem taxes (including taxes which are a lien, whether or not now due and payable). This sale is made for the purpose of paying the indebtedness secured by said mortgage, as well as the expenses of foreclosure. The Mortgagee/Transferee reserves the right to bid for and purchase the real estate and to credit its purchase price against the expenses of sale and the indebtedness secured by the real estate. This sale is subject to postponement or cancellation.
Selene Finance LP, Mortgagee/ Transferee THE BELOW LAW FIRM MAY BE HELD TO BE ACTING AS A DEBT COLLECTOR, UNDER FEDERAL LAW. IF SO, ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. Rubin Lublin, LLC, Attorney for Mortgagee/Transferee 3145 Avalon Ridge Place, Suite 100, Peachtree Corners, GA 30071 Telephone Number: (877) 813-0992 Case No. SEF16-00615-15
Wetumpka Herald: Apr. 10, 17 and 24, 2024 228961
PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE PROBATE COURT OF ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA CASE NO.: 2022-315 IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF JIMMY EARL GALLANDER, WHO IS ALSO KNOWN AS JIMMY LEE GALLANDER, DECEASED.
NOTICE OF FILING OF PETITION TO DETERMINE THE VALIDITY OF A COMMON LAW MARRIAGE AND ITS EFFECT ON HEIRSHIP TO: ANY OTHER UNKNOWN INDIVIDUALS OR INTERESTED PARTIES THAT MIGHT HAVE AN INTEREST IN THE ESTATE OF JIMMY EARL GALLANDER, WHO IS ALSO KNOWN AS JIMMY LEE GALLANDER, DECEASED. YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that on the 15TH day of February 2024, a Petition for Letters of Instruction to Determine the Validity of a Common Law Marriage and its Effect on Who the Heirs-At-Law are of the Estate of Jimmy Earl Gallander, who is also known as Jimmy Lee GalCourt of Elmore County, Alabama by Petitioner, Pamela S. Loftin, requesting that a determination be made as to whom should be the heirs of the Estate of Jimmy Earl Gallander, who is also known as Jimmy Lee Galthis petition is given to you as an interested party to the Estate of Jimmy Earl Gallander, who is also known as Jimmy Lee Gallander. It was ORDERED by this Court that said petition is set for hearing on the 21st day of May 2024, at 9:00 a.m. in the Probate Court of Elmore County, Alabama, located at 100 E. Commerce Street, Wetumpka, Alabama 36092, for the purpose of hearing of said petition and the taking of testimony in support thereof. Any person interested in this matter should appear before this Court at the herein-referenced date, time, and location.
JOHN THORNTON
JUDGE OF PROBATE ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA
Name and Address of Attorney for Petitioner: D. Jason Britt Stone & Britt, LLC
Attorneys & Counselors at Law 114 South Main Street Wetumpka, Alabama 36092 Wetumpka Herald: 2022-315
Public Notices
Notices
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PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE UNDER POWER FORECLOSURE NOTICE WHEREAS, default has occurred in the performance of the covenants, terms and conditions of a mortgage from CEDRIC M MOORER AND SHANNON L MOORER HUSBAND AND WIFE to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for TRUSTMARK NATIONAL BANK, on the 7th day of May, 2015, said mortgage recordof Probate of Elmore County, Alabama, on May 13, 2015, in Deed/Mortgage Book 2015, Page 21010, Elmore County, Alabama Records, said Mortgage having subsequently been transferred and assigned to Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC, by instrument recorded in the is hereby given that the undersigned Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC, as Mortgagee/Transferee, under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, will sell at public outcry to the highest bidder for cash on the Front Steps of the Elmore County Courthouse, 100 East Conners Street, Wetumpka, AL 36092 in Wetumpka, Elmore County, Alabama, on May 9, 2024, during the legal hours of sale, all of its right, title, and interest in and to the following described real estate, situated in Elmore County, Alabama, to-wit: LOT 18 BLOCK C OF BROOKSADA SPRINGS SUBDIVISION, PLAT NO. 2, AS SHOWN BY PLAT RECORDED IN THE OF PROBATE OF ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA, IN PLAT BOOK 5, AT PAGE 60. Said legal description being controlling, however the property is more commonly known as 4931 AIRPORT RD, MILLBROOK, AL 36054. Alabama law gives some persons who have an interest in property the right to redeem the property under certain circumstances. Programs may also exist that help persons avoid or delay the foreclosure process. An attorney should be consulted to help you understand these rights and programs as a part of the foreclosure process. This property will be sold on an “as is, where is” basis, subject to any easements, encumbrances, and exceptions those contained in the records
Probate in the county where the above-described property is situated. This property will be sold subject to the right of redemption of all parties entitled thereto and subject to any outstanding ad valorem taxes (including taxes which are a lien, whether or not now due and payable). This sale is made for the purpose of paying the indebtedness secured by said mortgage, as well as the expenses of foreclosure. The Mortgagee/Transferee reserves the right to bid for and purchase the real estate and to credit its purchase price against the expenses of sale and the indebtedness secured by the real estate. This sale is subject to postponement or cancellation. Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC, Mortgagee/Transferee THE BELOW LAW FIRM MAY BE HELD TO BE ACTING AS A DEBT COLLECTOR, UNDER FEDERAL LAW. IF SO, ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED
by an accurate survey and inspection of the property, any assessments, liens, encumbrances, easements, rights-of-way, zoning ordinances, restrictions, special assessments, covenants, the statutory right of redemption pursuant to Alabama law, and any matters of record including, but not limited to, those supeout above. Said property will be sold on an “as-is” basis without any representation, warranty or recourse against the abovenamed or the undersigned. The successful bidder must present the winning bid at the time and place of sale. Alabama law gives some persons who have an interest in property the right to redeem the property under certain circumstances. Programs may also exist that help persons avoid or delay the foreclosure process. An attorney should be consulted to help you understand these rights and programs as a part of
SUDOKU ANSWERS
CLASSIFIEDS/PUBLIC NOTICES
Public Notices
gpgp the foreclosure process. The sale will be conducted subsale is not prohibited under the U.S.
status of the loan with the holder of the Mortgage.
PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO BBVA USA, FORMERLY KNOWN AS COMPASS BANK as holder of said mortgage McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC Two North Twentieth 2 20th Street North, Suite 1000 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 216-4238 FT21@mccalla.com File No. 23-05511AL www.foreclosurehotline.net
Wetumpka Herald: Apr. 10, 17 and 24, 2024 23-05511AL PUBLIC NOTICE
MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE Default having been made in the payment of the indebtedness secured by that certain mortgage executed by Kathy G. Peoples, a single woman, originally in favor of Mortgage Corporation of the South, on April 9, 2001, said mortgage recordof Probate of Elmore County, Alabama, in RLPY Book 2001 Page 17585; the undersigned MTGLQ Investors, L.P., as Mortgagee/Transferee, under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, will sell at public outcry to the highest bidder for cash, in front of the main entrance of the Courthouse at Wetumpka, Elmore County, Alabama, on May 9, 2024, during the legal hours of sale, all of its rights, title, and interest in and to the following described real estate, situated in Elmore County, Alabama, to-wit: Begin at the SE Corner of S 4, T18, R20; thence West along the South Section line a distance of 2104 feet to the point of beginning; thence N 11 degrees 33 minutes W distance of 430.39
Public Notices
PUBLIC NOTICE MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE
Default having been made in the payment of the indebtedness secured by that certain mortgage executed by Kyle T Daniel, unmarried man, originally in favor of Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. as nominee for United Wholesale Mortgage, on June 26, 2020, said mortgage recorded in the of Elmore County, Alabama, in Servicing, LLC, as Mortgagee/ Transferee, under and by virtue
public outcry to the highest bidder for cash, in front of the main entrance of the Courthouse atthe legal hours of sale, all of its rights, title, and interest in real estate, situated in Elmore
street address for information-
Public Notices
degree 28 minutes 30 seconds
described tract containing 1.31 street address for informational purposes: 2225 Dexter Rd ON AN “AS IS, WHERE IS” BA-
TITLED THERETO. Alabama law gives some persons who have an interest in property the right to redeem the property under certain circumstances.
help persons avoid or delay the foreclosure process. An attorney should be consulted to help you understand these rights and programs as a part of the foreclosure process. This sale is made for the purpose of paying the indebtedness secured by said mortgage, as well as the expenses of foreclosure. The successful bidder must tender a non-refundable deposit of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00)
Public Notices
PUBLIC NOTICE
MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE
Public Notices
Bid security shall be furnished in accordance with the Instructions to Bidders.
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Public Notices
feet;
distance of
N 89 degrees 25 minutes E, a distance of 605.9 feet back to the POB; thus describing a tract of land containing 6.7 acres and lying in the SW 1/4 of the SE 1/4 & the SE 1/4 of the SW 1/4 of Section 4, T18, R20. The above described property fronts on the Easterly ROW of the Ware Public Road. But
06 minutes W, a distance of 320.98 feet to the POB of said excepted parcel. From said POB; thence N
36 minutes W, a distance of 124.88 feet; thence N 74 degrees 13
have an interest in property the right to redeem the property under certain circumstances.
help persons avoid or delay the foreclosure process. An attorney should be consulted to help you understand these rights and programs as a part of the foreclosure process. This sale is made for the purpose of paying the indebtedness secured by expenses of foreclosure. The successful bidder must tender a
time and place of the sale. The balance of the purchase price plus any deed recording costs and transfer taxes must be paid
the next highest bidder should the highest bidder fail to timely tender the total amount due. The Mortgagee/Transferee reserves the right to bid for and purchase the real estate and to credit its purchase price against the expenses of sale and the indebtedness secured by the real estate. This sale is subject to postponement or cancella-
W, a distance of 300.17 feet; thence S 10 degrees 15 minutes E, a distance of 237.73 feet; thence S 76 degrees 43 minutes E, a distance of 336.81 feet; thence N 12 degrees 24 minutes E, a distance of 200.00 feet back to the POB; thus describing a tract of land containing 1.7 acres and lying in the SW 1/4 of the SE 1/4 and the SE 1/4 of the SW 1/4 of Section 4, T18, R20, Elmore County, Alabama.. Property street address for informational purposes: 100 Old Field Road , Eclectic, AL 36024. THIS PROPERTY WILL BE SOLD ON AN “AS IS, WHERE IS” BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTY OR RECOURSE, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED AS TO TITLE, TO THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION OF ALL PARTIES ENTITLED THERETO. Alabama law gives some persons who have an interest in property the right to redeem the property under certain circumstances. Programs may also exist that help persons avoid or delay the foreclosure process. An attorney should be consulted to help you understand these rights and programs as a part of the foreclosure process. This sale is made for the purpose of paying the indebtedness secured by said mortgage, as well as the expenses of foreclosure. The successful bidder must tender a non-refundable deposit of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) to Tiffany & Bosco, P.A. at the time and place of the sale. The balance of the purchase price plus any deed recording costs and transfer taxes must be paid next business day at the Law the address indicated below. Tiffany & Bosco, P.A. reserves the right to award the bid to the next highest bidder should the highest bidder fail to timely tender the total amount due. The Mortgagee/Transferee reserves the right to bid for and purchase the real estate and to credit its purchase price against the expenses of sale and the indebtedness secured by the real estate. This sale is subject to postponement or cancellation. MTGLQ Investors, L.P., (“Transferee”) Tiffany & Bosco, P.A., 2501 20th Place South, Suite 300, Homewood, AL 35223 www.tblaw.com TB File Number: 24-02419-SM-AL Wetumpka Herald: Apr. 10, 17 and 24, 2024 24-00649 Put your ad here call 256.277.4219
24-00601
PUBLIC NOTICE MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE
Default having been made in the payment of the indebtedness secured by that certain mortgage executed by William Brooks, and Shakira Brooks, husband and wife, originally in favor of Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for Mortgage Research Center, LLC dba Veterans United Home Loans, on November 15, 2021, said mortgage recorded in the OfElmore County, Alabama, in the undersigned M&T Bank, as Mortgagee/Transferee, under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, will sell at public outcry to the highest bidder for cash, in front of the main entrance of the Courthouse at Wetumpka, Elmore County, Alabama, on May 22, 2024, during the legal hours of sale, all of its rights, title, and interest in and to the following described real estate, situated in Elmore County, Alabama, to-wit: Commencing at a fence corner found at the Southwest corner of the Southeast Quarter of the Southeast
North 1 degree 07 minutes 50 seconds West, a distance found on the South ROW line
degrees 43 minutes 40 seconds continue along said ROW line 54 seconds East, a distance of West, a distance of 153.05 feet -
grees 05 minutes 05 seconds West, a distance 42.13 feet to a 55 seconds West, a distance
time and place of the sale. The balance of the purchase price plus any deed recording costs and transfer taxes must be paid next business day at the Law the address indicated below. Tifright to award the bid to the next highest bidder should the highest bidder fail to timely tender the total amount due. The Mortgagee/Transferee reserves the right to bid for and purchase the real estate and to credit its purchase price against the expenses of sale and the indebtedness secured by the real estate. This sale is subject to postponement or cancellation. M&T Bank, (“Transferee”) Tiffany & Bosco, Suite 300, Homewood, AL 35223 www.tblaw.com TB File Number: 24-02237-MT-AL
Wetumpka Herald: Apr. 10, 17 and 24, 2024 24-00671 PUBLIC NOTICE MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE
Default having been made in the payment of the indebtedness secured by that certain mortgage executed by Eileen M Moriarty, a single woman and Ethel M Otis, a single woman, originally in favor of Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. solely as nominee for Guild Mortgage Company LLC, on February 7, 2022, said mortthe Judge of Probate of Elmore County, Alabama, in RLPY Book 2022 Page 8327 and corrected in RLPY Book 2022 Page 8415; the undersigned Guild Mortgage Company LLC, as Mortgagee/Transferee, under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, will sell at public outcry to the highest bidder for cash, in front of the main entrance of the Courthouse at Wetumpka, Elmore County, Alabama, on May 9, 2024, during the legal hours of sale, all of its rights, title, and interest in and to the following described real estate, situated in Elmore County, Alabama, to-wit: Lot 20, according to the plat of Cobblestone Run, Plat Number 1, as appears of of Probate of Elmore County, Alabama in Plat Book 11 at Page 96.. Property street address for informational purposes: 93 Travis Ridge , Deatsville, AL 36022. THIS PROPERTY WILL BE SOLD ON AN “AS IS, WHERE IS” BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTY OR RECOURSE, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED AS TO TITLE, USE AND/OR ENJOYMENT AND WILL BE SOLD SUBJECT TO THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION OF ALL PARTIES ENTITLED THERETO. Alabama law gives some persons who have an interest in property the right to redeem the property under certain circumstances. Programs may also exist that help persons avoid or delay the foreclosure process. An attorney should be consulted to help you understand these rights and programs as a part of the foreclosure process. This sale is made for the purpose of paying the indebtedness secured by said mortgage, as well as the expenses of foreclosure. The successful bidder must tender a non-refundable deposit of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) to Tiffany & Bosco, P.A. at the time and place of the sale. The balance of the purchase price plus any deed recording costs and transfer taxes must be paid next business day at the Law at the address indicated below. Tiffany & Bosco, P.A. reserves the right to award the bid to the next highest bidder should the highest bidder fail to timely tender the total amount due. The Mortgagee/Transferee reserves the right to bid for and purchase the real estate and to credit its purchase price against the expenses of sale and the indebtedness secured by the real estate. This sale is subject to postponement or cancellation. Guild Mortgage Company LLC, (“Transferee”) Tiffany & Bosco, P.A., 2501 20th Place South, Suite 300, Homewood, AL 35223 www.tblaw.com TB File Number: 24-02046-GM-AL Wetumpka Herald: Apr. 10, 17 and 24, 2024 24-00674
Default having been made in the payment of the indebtedness secured by that certain mortgage executed by Edward Robinson, Jr. a single man, originally in favor of Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., solely as nominee for Southwest Funding, LP, on November 6, 2020, said mortthe Judge of Probate of Elmore County, Alabama, in RLPY Book 2020 Page 83829; the undersigned PHH Mortgage Corporation, as Mortgagee/ Transferee, under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, will sell at public outcry to the highest bidder for cash, in front of the main entrance of the Courthouse at Wetumpka, Elmore County, Alabama, on May 23, 2024, during the legal hours of sale, all of its rights, title, and interest in and to the following described real estate, situated in Elmore County, Alabama, to-wit: Lot 17 of Gaddis Beach Plat Number 1 as the same appears of record Probate of Elmore County, Alabama in Plat Book 4, at Page 26. The hereinabove described property being one and the same as described in mortgage recorded in Book 2020, Page 83829.. Property street address for informational purposes: 93 Gaddis Beach Drive , Titus, AL 36080. THIS PROPERTY WILL BE SOLD ON AN “AS IS, WHERE IS” BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTY OR RECOURSE, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED AS TO TITLE, USE AND/OR ENJOYMENT AND WILL BE SOLD SUBJECT TO THE RIGHT OF REDEMPTION OF ALL PARTIES ENTITLED THERETO. Alabama law gives some persons who have an interest in property the right to redeem the property under certain circumstances. Programs may also exist that help persons avoid or delay the foreclosure process. An attorney should be consulted to help you understand these rights and programs as a part of the foreclosure process. This sale is made for the purpose of paying the indebtedness secured by said mortgage, as well as the expenses of foreclosure. The successful bidder must tender a non-refundable deposit of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) to Tiffany & Bosco, P.A. at the time and place of the sale. The balance of the purchase price plus any deed recording costs and transfer taxes must be paid next business day at the Law at the address indicated below. Tiffany & Bosco, P.A. reserves the right to award the bid to the next highest bidder should the highest bidder fail to timely tender the total amount due. The Mortgagee/Transferee reserves the right to bid for and purchase the real estate and to credit its purchase price against the expenses of sale and the indebtedness secured by the real estate. This sale is subject to postponement or cancellation. PHH Mortgage Corporation, (“Transferee”) Tiffany & Bosco, P.A., 2501 20th Place South, Suite 300, Homewood, AL 35223 www.tblaw.com TB File Number: 24-02809-PH-AL
Wetumpka Herald: Apr. 17, 24 and May 1, 2024 24-00683
PUBLIC NOTICE
ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS WETUMPKA WATER WORKS & SEWER BOARD WETUMPKA, ALABAMA 16 INCH POTABLE WATER TRANSMISSION MAIN (HWY. 14 TO MARION SPILLWAY ROAD)
Sealed bids for the 16 Inch Potable Water Transmission Main (HWY. 14 to Marion Spillway Road) CMGM210152 will be received at Wetumpka Water Works & Sewer Board hursday, May 16, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. local time at which time the Bids received will be publicly opened and read.
lowing Work: Approximately 30,000 LF of 16” PVC Potable Water Main with Booster Pump Station and Related Appurtenances. be found at the following designated website: www.gmcnetwork.comding Documents is Goodwyn
spective Bidders may examine the Bidding Documents at through Friday between the and may obtain copies of the Bidding Documents from thelow. Copies of the Bidding Documents may be obtained from the one-time administrative fee for Said cost represents the cost of refund will be granted. Checks for Bidding Documents shall be of Bidding Documents will not be available from the Issuingneer will be responsible for full or partial sets of Bidding Doc-
Thursday, May 2, 2024 at 2:00 at Wetumpka Water Works &dance at the pre-bid conference is encouraged but not required.the contract to the best and -
having the same scope of work and approximate constructionquirements of the Contractor’s type of work on which the pro-the Instructions to Bidders.
exceeding that established by General Contractors must be licensed under the provisions evidence of license before bidding or bid will not be received the Bidder shall show such evidence by clearly displaying the license number on the outside of the envelope in which the thereof. Bidders will be fully responsible for the delivery of their bids in a the U.S. Mail or other carriers is the bidder’s risk. & Sewer Board
Wetumpka Herald: BIDS
PUBLIC NOTICE LEGAL NOTICE STATE OF ALABAMA ELMORE COUNTY
Notice is hereby given pursuant to Section 106 as amended by Amendment 341 to the Constitution of Alabama 1901 that a bill substantially as follows will be introduced in the Session of the Legislature of Alabama and application for its passage and enactment will be made: A Bill To Be Entitled An Act
Relating to Elmore County: to alter, rearrange, and extend the boundary lines and corporate limits of the City of Millbrook in Elmore County, Alabama, by annexing certain territory to the regard to the public necessity for the annexation; and to provide that the city shall exercise full municipal authority over the annexed territory. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA: Section 1. Findings: The Legis-mines that it is expedient, wise, necessary, proper, and in the best interest of the citizens of the State of Alabama, Elmore County, and the City of Millbrook to alter, rearrange, and extend the corporate limits of the City of Millbrook as herein provided, including, but not limited to, the purpose of generally promoting the welfare of the State of Alabama, Elmore County, and the City of Millbrook and speinitial purpose of facilitating the means whereby local businesses and residents who are located in an area that is non-contiguous to the corporate limits of the City of Millbrook can request to become part of the city and qualify for city services. Provided, however, the foregoing shall not be construed to limit in any manner or otherwise curtail the exercise of any municipal powers or authorities by the City of Millbrook nor prohibit future or subsequent annexations in accordance with Alabama law. Section 2. Jurisdiction: All territory brought within the corporate limits of the City of Millbrook under the provisions of this act shall be subject to the laws and ordinances of the city, and the city council shall have and exercise the same jurisdiction over such territory as is exercised over any other territory within the corporate limits of the city. Section 3. The boundary lines and corporate limits of the City of Millbrook in Elmore County are altered, rearranged, and extended so as to include within the corporate limits of the municipality, in addition to the lands now included, all of the following territory: Mack post Jr. Subdivision ANNEXATION STATE OF ALABAMA ELMORE COUNTY Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, according to the Mack Post Jr. Subdivision amended plat recorded on March 26, 1993 in Plat Book 11, Page 3 in the Elmore County Lots lying in the SE 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of Section 34, Township 18N, Range 17E in Elmore County, Alabama and consisting of 7 acres, more or less. Section 4. In accordance with Section 11-42-6(b) of the Code of Alabama 1975, a map showing that territory is proposed to be annexed to the City of Millthe Judge of Probate in Elmore County, Alabama, and the map is open to the inspection of the public.
p Section 5. The provisions of this act are severable. If any part of this act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, that declaration shall not affect the part which remains. Section 6. This act shall become effective upon its passage and approval by the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.
Wetumpka Herald: Mar. 27 Apr. 3, 10 and 17, 2024 BILL
PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE PROBATE COURT OF ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF FRANKIE EVON ARMSTRONG, DECEASED CASE NO. 2024-079 NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATE
Letters of Administration over the Estate of FRANKIE EVON ARMSTRONG, deceased, having been granted to TIFFANY NICOLE WHATLEY, on the 26th day of March 2024 by John Thornton, Judge of Probate of Elmore County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons and parties having claims against said Estate are required, within the time allowed by law, to present the same to the Court or the same will be barred.
TIFFANY NICOLE WHATLEY, ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF FRANKIE EVON ARMSTRONG
Regina B. Edwards, Esq. The Law Firm of Edwards & Edwards, P.C. Attorney for Administrator 109 E. Bridge Street Wetumpka, AL 36092 (334) 514-1011
Wetumpka Herald: Apr. 3, 10 and 17, 2024 EST/ARMSTRONG F.
PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE PROBATE COURT OF ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF DORIS M. BLACKWELL, DECEASED CASE NO: 2023-298 NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATE
Letters Testamentary in the Estate of DORIS M. BLACKWELL, deceased, having been granted to TINA MARIA DELONG-BLACKWELL on April 2, 2024 by John Thornton, Judge of Probate of Elmore County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons and parties having claims against said estate are required, within the time allowed by law, to present the same to the Court or the same will be barred.
TINA MARIA DELONG-BLACKWELL PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF DORIS M. BLACKWELL, DECEASED Attorney of Record for Personal Representative: RODERICK B. PERDUE ATTORNEY AT LAW 2033 HOLTVILLE ROAD WETUMPKA, ALABAMA 36092 334-567-7373
Wetumpka Herald: Apr. 10, 17 and 24, 2024 EST/BLACKWELL, D. PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE PROBATE COURT OF ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF TOMMY RAY CLARK, JR., DECEASED CASE NO: 2024-086 NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATE
Letters of Administration over the Estate of TOMMY RAY CLARK, JR., deceased, having been granted to JEFFERY SCOTT PURCELL on April 8th, 2024 by John Thornton, Judge of Probate of Elmore County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons and parties having claims against said estate are required, within the time allowed by law, to present the same to the Court or the same will be barred.
JEFFERY SCOTT PURCELL ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF TOMMY RAY CLARK, JR., DECEASED Name and Address of Attorney for Administrator: MICHAEL S. HARPER ATTORNEY AT LAW 213 BARNETT BLVD PO BOX 780608 TALLASSEE, ALABAMA 36078 334-283-6855
Wetumpka Herald: Apr. 17, 24 and May 1, 2023 EST/CLARK T.
PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE PROBATE COURT OF ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF WINONA A. GIBBONS, DECEASED CASE NO: 2024-078 NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATE
Letters Testamentary in the Estate of WINONA A. GIBBONS, deceased, having been granted to NANCY G. OATES on March 29, 2024 by John Thornton, Judge of Probate of Elmore County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons and parties having claims against said estate are required, within the time allowed by law, to present the same to the Court or the same will be barred.
NANCY G. OATES, PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF WINONA A. GIBBONS, DECEASED
CLASSIFIEDS/PUBLIC NOTICES
Public Notices
Attorney of Record for Personal Representative: ROBERT J. MORRIS ATTORNEY AT LAW 10365 HOLTVILLE ROAD DEATSVILLE, ALABAMA 36022
334-569-1820
Wetumpka Herald: Apr. 3, 10 and 17, 2024 EST/GIBBONS, W. PUBLIC NOTICE
In accordance with Chapter 1, Title 39, Code of Alabama, 1975, notice is hereby given that Liberty Construction Co., LLC., Contractor, has completed the Contract for Wetumpka Elementary School Gymnasium Roof Upgrades for Elmore County Board of Education, Owner, and have made requesttract. All persons having any claim for labor, materials, or otherwise in connection with the project should immediately notify PH&J Architects, Inc., 807 S. McDonough Street, Montgomery, AL 36104 Liberty Construction Co., LLC, 791-A Anderson Road, Montgomery, AL 36110 (contractor)
Wetumpka Herald: Apr. 17, 24, and May 1, 2024 COMPLETION PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE PROBATE COURT OF ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF WILLARD DANIEL HARRISON, DECEASED CASE NO: 2024-068 NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATE
Letters Testamentary in the Estate of WILLARD DANIEL HARRISON, deceased, having been granted to SYLVIA RENEE HARRISON on March 14, 2024 by John Thornton, Judge of Probate of Elmore County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons and parties having claims against said estate are required, within the time allowed by law, to present the same to the Court or the same will be barred.
SYLVIA RENEE HARRISON PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF WILLARD DANIEL HARRISON, DECEASED Attorney of Record for Personal Representative: ROBERT B. RENEAU LAW FIRM OF EDWARDS & EDWARDS, P.C. 109 EAST BRIDGE STREET WETUMPKA, ALABAMA 36092 334-514-1011
Wetumpka Herald: Apr. 17, 24 and May 1, 2024 EST/HARRISON, W. PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE PROBATE COURT OF ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF DEE ANN HINTONCARTER, DECEASED CASE NO: 2024-074 NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATE
Letters of Administration over the Estate of DEE ANN HINTON-CARTER, deceased, having been granted to KEVIN HINTON on April 3rd, 2024 by John Thornton, Judge of Probate of Elmore County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons and parties having claims against said estate are required, within the time allowed by law, to present the same to the Court or the same will be barred.
KEVIN HINTON ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF DEE ANN HINTON-CARTER, DECEASED
Name and Address of Attorney for Administrator:
JOSEPH K. BAMBURG ATTORNEY AT LAW 4031 US HWY 231 WETUMPKA, ALABAMA 36093 334-478-3196
Wetumpka Herald: Apr. 10, 17 and 24, 2024
EST/HINTON-CARTER, D. PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE PROBATE COURT OF ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF ANGELICA LEIGH LEAVINS, DECEASED CASE NO: 2024-057 NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATE
Letters of Administration over the Estate of ANGELICA LEIGH
LEAVINS, deceased, having been granted to LEANNE ROBERSON on April 12, 2024 by John Thornton, Judge of Probate of Elmore County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons and parties having claims against said estate are required, within the time allowed by law, to present the same to the Court or the same will be barred.
LEANNE ROBERSON ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF ANGELICA LEIGH LEAVINS, DECEASED
Name and Address of Attorney for Administrator: CARSHALA T. YOUSE ATTORNEY AT LAW 400 SOUTH UNION STREET, SUITE 395 MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA 36104 334-676-3696 carshala@HARlegal.com
Wetumpka Herald: Apr. 17, 24 and May 1, 2024
EST/LEAVINS A.
Public Notices
PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE PROBATE COURT OF ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF LAVONNE MANGUM HART, DECEASED CASE NO: 2024-084 NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATE
Letters Testamentary in the Estate of LAVONNE MANGUM HART, deceased, having been granted to JOEL JAMES HART on March 29, 2024 by John Thornton, Judge of Probate of Elmore County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons and parties having claims against said estate are required, within the time allowed by law, to present the same to the Court or the same will be barred.
JOEL JAMES HART, PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF LAVONNE MANGUM HART, DECEASED
Attorney of Record for Personal Representative: MICHAEL A. GRIGGS THE GRIGGS LAW FIRM, LLC PO BOX 780452 TALLASSEE, ALABAMA 36078-0452 334-283-2893
Wetumpka Herald: Apr. 3, 10 and 17, 2024 EST/HART L. PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE PROBATE COURT OF ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF GREGORY NEEL MATLOCK, DECEASED CASE NO: 2024-093 NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATE
Letters Testamentary in the Estate of GREGORY NEEL MATLOCK, deceased, having been granted to ALICE M. MATLOCK on April 12, 2024 by John Thornton, Judge of Probate of Elmore County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons and parties having claims against said estate are required, within the time allowed by law, to present the same to the Court or the same will be barred.
ALICE M. MATLOCK PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF GREGORY NEEL MATLOCK, DECEASED
Attorney of Record for Personal Representative: RALEY L. WIGGINS CAPELL & HOWARD PO BOX 2069 MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA 36102 150 SOUTH PERRY STREET MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA 36104 334-241-8029
Raley.Wiggins@chlaw.com
Wetumpka Herald: Apr. 17, 24 and May 1, 2024 EST/MATLOCK, G. PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE PROBATE COURT OF ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF GERALDINE C. PERKINS, DECEASED CASE NO: 2024-090 NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATE
Letters Testamentary in the Estate of GERALDINE C. PERKINS, deceased, having been granted to VIRGINIA P. MARCUS on April 10, 2024 by John Thornton, Judge of Probate of Elmore County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons and parties having claims against said estate are required, within the time allowed by law, to present the same to the Court or the same will be barred.
VIRGINIA P. MARCUS PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF GERALDINE C. PERKINS, DECEASED Attorney of Record for Personal Representative: ROBERT B. RENEAU LAW FIRM OF EDWARDS & EDWARDS, P.C. 109 EAST BRIDGE STREET WETUMPKA. ALABAMA 36092 334-514-1011 Wetumpka Herald: Apr. 17, 24 and May 1, 2024 EST/PERKINS, G. PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE PROBATE COURT OF ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA, IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF WILLIAM B. PRICE, SR., CASE NO. 2024-063 DECEASED. NOTICE OF FILING OF WILL FOR PROBATE TO: KENNETH L. PRICE, A NON-RESIDENT OF THE STATE OF ALABAMA AND NEXT OF KIN OF WILLIAM B. PRICE, SR.; AND TO: ANY OTHER UNKNOWN NEXT OF KIN OF WILLIAM B. PRICE, SR., DECEASED; AND TO ANY OTHER INTERESTED PARTY YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that on March 7, 2024, a certain paper in writing purporting to be the Last Will and Testament of WILLIAM B. PRICE, SR., deCourt of Elmore County, Alabama by WILLIAM B. PRICE, JR., Petitioner, requesting that such Last Will and Testament be admitted to Probate and Record and that the Petitioner be named as Personal Representative of such Estate. This notice of Filing of Will for Probate is given to you as a next-of- kin of WILLIAM B. PRICE, SR. Unless an objection to admission to Probate and Record of such Last Will and Testament
Public Notices
is submitted by you in writing to this Court within ten (10) days oftice, the Court will proceed with considering such Petition without further notice to you.
Name and Address of Attorney for Petitioner: ED PARISH, JR. THE PARISH LAW FIRM PO BOX 52 MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA 36101-0052 323 ADAMS AVE MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA 36104 334-263-0003
JOHN THORNTON JUDGE OF PROBATE ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA
Wetumpka Herald: Apr. 10, 17 and 24, 2024
EST/PRICE, W. PUBLIC NOTICE
FORECLOSURE NOTICE
Default having been made in the payment of the indebtedness described in and secured by that certain mortgage executed by CHARLES E. KELLEY and JERRI L. KELLEY, husband and wife, as Mortgagor(s) to AmSouth Bank, now REGIONS BANK successor by merger with AmSouth Bank, as Mortgagee, dated the 23rd day of November, 1999, and recorded in Roll 237, Frame 651, et seq. the Judge of Probate Court of Elmore County, Alabama; said default continuing, notice is hereby given that the undersigned will, under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage sell at public outcry for cash to the highest bidder during legal hours of sale, on the 22nd day of May, 2024, in the city of Wetumpka, at the front door of the Court House of Elmore County, Alabama, the following described real property situated in the County of Elmore, State of Alabama, to-wit: All that 2.51 acre parcel of land lying in the Northeast Quarter of the Northeast Quarter of Section 18 and the Southeast Quarter of the Southeast Quarter of Section 7, Township 20 North, Range 20 East, Elmore County, Alabama, and being more particularly described as follows: Commence at an iron pipe marking the intersection of the west line of the Northeast Quarter of the Northeast Quarter of Section 18, Township 20 North, Range 20 East with the northerly right of way of the Old Butler Mill Road (an abandoned road); thence North 2 deg. 21 min. 23 sec. West along said west line of Northeast Quarter of Northeast Quarter a distance of 118.15 feet to a point lying on the northerly side of an existing 80 foot right of way for Butler Mill Road (County Road 476), being the point of beginning of the parcel of land herein described; thence continue North 2 deg. 21 min. 23 sec. West a distance of 448.17 feet to an iron pipe; thence continue North 2 deg. 21 min. 23 sec. West a distance of 483.68 feet to an iron pin; thence South 83 deg, 49 min. 25 sec. East parallel to the northerly right of way line of Old Butler Mill Road a distance of 210.08 feet to an iron pin; thence South 2 deg. 21 min. 23 sec. East a distance of 483.68 feet to an iron pipe, said iron pipe being located North 2 deg. 21 min. 23 sec. West a distance of 566.32 feet from an old rock pile; thence North 83 deg. 49 min. 25 sec. West parallel to the northerly right of way line of Old Butler Mill Road a distance of l89.89 feet to a point; thence South 2 deg. 21 min. 23 sec. East a distance of 455.89 feel to a point lying on the north side of the existing 80 foot right of way for Butler Mill Road (County Road 476); thence North 64 deg. 07 min. 59 sec. West along said right of way a distance of 22.70 feet to the point of beginning, containing 2.51 acres, more or less and being a part of the same as appears of record in Deed Book 441 at page of Probate of Elmore County, Alabama. According to survey by Brad Nedervelt, Al. Reg. No. 9044, dated November 22, 1999. This property will be sold on an “as is, where is” basis, subject to any easements, encumbrances, reservations and exceptions or those contained in the reof Probate of the county where the above-described property is situated. This property will be sold without warranty or recourse, expressed or implied as and will be sold subject to the right of redemption of all parties entitled thereto. Alabama law gives some persons who have an interest in property the right to redeem the property under certain circumstances. Programs may also exist that help persons avoid or delay the foreclosure process. An attorney should be consulted to help you understand these rights and programs as a part of the foreclosure process. Said sale will be made for the purpose of paying said indebtedness and the expenses incident to this sale, including a reasonable attorney’s fee, and the other purposes set out in said mortgage. The sale will betion that the sale is not prohibited under the U.S. Bankruptcytion and audit of the status of the loan with the Mortgagee. REGIONS BANK successor by merger with AmSouth Bank Holder of said Mortgage Goodman G. Ledyard PIERCE LEDYARD JOHNSTON, P.C. Attorneys for MortMobile, Alabama 36616 (251) 338-1300
Wetumpka Herald: Apr. 17, 24 and May 1, 2024 FC/KELLEY
Public Notices
PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE PROBATE COURT OF ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF ANTHONY RODESKY, DECEASED CASE NO: 2024-087 NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATE
Letters Testamentary in the Es-
tate of ANTHONY RODESKY, deceased, having been granted to NORMAN H. TODD on April 9th, 2024 by John Thornton, Judge of Probate of Elmore County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons and parties having claims against said estate are required, within the time allowed by law, to present the same to the Court or the same will be barred.
NORMAN H. TODD PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF ANTHONY RODESKY, DECEASED
Attorney of Record for Personal Representative: GERALD A. DANIEL, JR. LAW OFFICE OF G A DANIEL, JR. LLC PO BOX 638 MILLBROOK, ALABAMA 36054 334-285-9444
Jerry@GADanielLaw.com
Wetumpka Herald: Apr. 17, 21 and May 1, 2024 EST/RODESKY A. PUBLIC NOTICE FINAL NOTICE AND PUBLIC EXPLANATION OF A PROPOSED ACTIVITY IN A 100 YEAR FLOODPLAIN & WETLAND
To: All interested Agencies, Groups and Individuals This is to give notice that the City of Millbrook has conducted an evaluation as required by Executive Order(s) 11988 and 11990, in accordance with HUD regulations at 24 CFR 55.20 Subpart C Procedures for Making Determinations on Floodplain Management and Wetlands Protection. The activity is funded under ADECA’s CDBG Program Project No. LR-CE-PF-23-013.The pr posed project(s) is located at addresses in City of Millbrook, Elmore County. The project is for demolition and/or clearance of approximately 15 dilapidated, and abandoned structures throughout the City of Millbrook. The details of the structures one or more of the structures wetland area, the City has ensured that every precautionary measure will be taken. Again, the proposed project is located throughout the City of Millbrook in Elmore County, Alabama. City of Millbrook has considered the following alternatives and mitigation measures to be takand to restore and preserve yet determined, the City is taking this action as a cautionary measure so that it can remove slum and blight in all required areas of the City. The reason this action is being taken is that slum and blight creates increasingly dangerous conditions for City residents and/or visitors. The only alternative would be to take no action and not remove blighted structures in arThe City will remain in compliance with state and local procedures as the project proceeds. City of Millbrook has reevaluated the altemative(s) to demolition in the 100 Year Floodplain & Wetland and has determined that it has no practicable althat document compliance with steps 3 tlirough 6 of Choose an item., are available for public inspection, review and copying upon request at the times and location delineated in the last paragraph of this notice for receipt of comments. There are three primary purposes for this notice. First, people who may be affected by activities in a 100 Year Floodplain & Wetland and those who have an interest in the protection of the natural environment should be given an opportunity to express their concerns and provide information about these areas. Second, an adequate public notice program can be an important public educational tool. The dissemination of information and request for public comment about 100 Year Floodplain & Wetland can facilitate and enhance Federal efforts to reduce the risks and impacts associated with the occupancy and areas. Third, as a matter of fairness, when the Federal government determines it will participate in actions taking place in 100 Year Floodplain & Wetland, it must inform those who may be put at greater orcontinued risk. Written comments must be received by the City of Millbrook at the following address on or before Millbrook, 3160 Main Street
Al Kelley, Mayor. A full description of the project may also be reviewed from PM at the same address listed or you can check out the City’s website: https://cityofmillbrook. org/ Comments may also be submitted via email at to Lori Davis, City Clerk, at lori.davis@ cityofmillbrook-al.gov.
Date Notice is Published: 4/17/2024
Wetumpka Herald: Apr. 17, 2024 FLOODPLAIN
Public Notices
PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE PROBATE COURT OF ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF MARGARET L. CRUMP, DECEASED CASE NO. 2024-098 NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATE
Letters Testamentary on the Estate of said decedent having been granted to JAMES DEAN CRUMP as Executor on the 12 th day of April, 2024, by the Honorable John Thornton, Judge of Probate of said County in said State, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said Estate are required to present same within the time allowed by law or the same will be barred.
JAMES DEAN CRUMP EXECUTOR OF THE ESTATE OF MARGARET L. CRUMP, DECEASED.
Name and Address of Attorney: Regina B. Edwards, Esq. The Law Firm of Edwards & Edwards, P.C. 109 E. Bridge Street Wetumpka, AL 36092
Wetumpka Herald: Apr. 17, 24 and May 1, 2024 EST/CRUMP, M.
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS FEDERAL AID PROJECT NO. I M-I065(544) AUTAUGA AND ELMORE COUNTIES, ALABAMA
Sealed bids will be received by the Director of Transportation
Public Notices
PUBLIC NOTICE
LEGAL NOTICE
Wiregrass Construction Co, Inc hereby gives notice of completion of contract with The Alabama Department of Transportation, for construction of Project No: STPMN- 2623(250) Elmore County, 1.930 mi. Planon Willow Springs Road from the Junction of Jasmine Hill Road to the Junction of Redland Road Southeast of Wetumpka. In the County of Elmore, State of Alabama. This notice will appear for four consecutive Wednesdays beginning on 17 April 2024 and ending 08 May at: Wiregrass Construction Co, 1342 Carmichael Way, Montgomery, Alabama 36106 during this period.
Wetumpka Herald: Apr. 17, 24, May 1 and 8, 2024 COMPLETION
PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE PROBATE COURT OF ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF JUDITH BOWMAN WARD, DECEASED CASE NO: 2024-094 NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATE
Letters Testamentary in the Estate of JUDITH BOWMAN WARD, deceased, having been granted to ROBERT TROY WARD on April 10, 2024 by John Thornton, Judge of Probate of Elmore County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons and parties having claims against said estate are required, within the time allowed by law, to present the same to the Court or the same will be barred.
ROBERT TROY WARD PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF JUDITH BOWMAN WARD, DECEASED
Attorney of Record for Personal Representative: D. JASON BRITT STONE & BRITT, LLC ATTORNEYS & COUNSELORS AT LAW 114 S MAIN ST PO BOX 967 WETUMPKA, ALABAMA 36092 334-517-6520
and are set forth in the adver-
Cashier’s check or bid bond
ny each bid as evidence of good
The bracket range is shown
this bracket have any bearing on the decision to award this
The proposed work shall be
Wetumpka Herald: Apr. 17, 24 and May 1, 2024 EST/WARD J. PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE PROBATE COURT OF ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF DONALD W. WEATHERS, DECEASED CASE NO: 2024-085 NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATE Letters Testamentary in the Estate of DONALD W. WEATHERS, deceased, having been granted to ETHEL THREATT WEATHERS on April April 9th 2024 by John Thornton, Judge of Probate of Elmore County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons and parties having claims against said estate are required, within the time allowed by law, to present the same to the Court or the same will be barred.
ETHEL THREATT WEATHERS PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF DONALD W. WEATHERS, DECEASED Attorney of Record for Personal Representative: ROBERT J. RUSSELL, JR. ATTORNEY AT LAW 7515 HALCYON POINTE DRIVE MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA 36117 334-272-9880
Wetumpka Herald: Apr. 17, 24 and May 1, 2024 EST/WEATHERS, D
PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
1706
4377
sponse to this invitation and will
Transportation Director IM-I065(544)
QUALIFICATIONS
Holtville’s Connor commits to Reid State baseball
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
Drew Connor’s college destination was a no-brainer. Connor, who plays infield and is a relief pitcher for the Holtville baseball team, committed and signed his National Letter of Intent with Reid State Technical College on Monday afternoon.
After visiting campus a few weeks ago, Connor quickly made the decision to join the program’s first baseball team.
“It really feels great,” Connor said. “It was a childhood goal of mine was to make it to playing college baseball and now I have the opportunity to do so. After going over there and seeing the campus and how they’re renovating the baseball facilities with a turf infield, it was a no-brainer. Everything is going to be really nice.”
walked with the bases loaded late in the game.
The coaches were impressed and came back to practice. After talking with Holtville coach Scott Tubbs, they remained in contact with Connor.
“After they came to practice, we kept talking and they wanted to get me out for a visit,” Connor said. “I went and that’s when I decided to commit.”
Reid State into the baseball world,” Connor said. “I know our Class of 2024 recruits could make a big difference there.”
He believes he will continue in the same role when he gets to the college level, and that is mostly playing second base while plugging into other infield positions when needed.
He will also pitch in relief, as he is a sidearm pitcher that brings a new look to the mound that most hitters aren’t used to seeing.
ville’s state championship run a season ago, Connor stepped into a starting role with the Bulldogs in 2024. He has started all over the infield, mostly playing second and third base while pitching in relief. In Holtville’s season opening win
Connor’s recruiting process began in early February. After playing a pivotal role in Holt -
against Thorsby on February 15, Reid State coaches came to check out a few of the players.
Connor had a successful day as he went 0-for-1 at the plate with two walks and two RBIs.
Connor drove in the first run of the season with a sacrifice fly to right field, then
Hathcock helps Tallassee to area title
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
In Tallassee’s biggest games of the year, center fielder Bry Hathcock stepped up and delivered time and time again.
Tallassee beat rival Elmore County, 2-1, in the AHSAA Class 5A, Area 4 championship series. The Tigers won Game 1, 12-10, and Game 3, 8-6, to claim the area championship for the first time since 2017.
In the series, Hathcock went 3-for-8 with four RBIs, three runs scored and a massive bases-clearing triple that secured the win in Game 1. He did all of this out of the nine-hole while not making a single error in five attempts in the outfield.
“Bry always makes a massive impact for us,” Tigers coach John Goodman said. “He always finds a way. I chewed his tail between the second and third games because he was getting down in the dugout. I got him in there and got him back up and got him pepped up. That helped us in Game 3.” In Game 1, Hathcock came through in the biggest moment of the night.
The Tigers scored nine runs in the sixth inning,
turning a 6-3 deficit into a 12-6 lead. He hit an infield single with one out to help start the rally, then he stepped back up to the plate again with the bases loaded and Tallassee leading, 9-6.
Following five hit-bypitches, two walks and an error, he delivered a 2-1 fastball into right field and cleared the bases.
In Game 2, a 5-1
Elmore County win, Hathcock went hitless but was able to drive in the only run for the Tigers. After striking out his first two at-bats, he walked up with the bases loaded and two outs and worked a six-pitch at-bat where he earned a walk.
Even with the team’s only RBI, Goodman still had to pep him up in between Game 2 and 3 so he’d be able to help lead the team to another victory.
Her second at-bat was a soft slap in the same place. Her third hit went to the third baseman, and her fourth was fielded by the catcher but the throw couldn’t get her.
As she stepped to the plate in the fifth at-bat in the top of the seventh inning, the Green-
“He’s the type of guy that everyone feeds off of,” Goodman said.
“Everyone feeds off him and everyone starts getting more into the game when he is up and peppy. So I talked to him and got him back up and he came back in Game 3 and played unbelievable.”
Elmore County took an early 3-0 lead in Game 3, but that didn’t last long.
In the top of the fourth inning, the Tigers scored four runs and took the lead on RBI hits from Walker Wells and Bryson Rigsby.
With two on and no outs, Hathcock delivered a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position. Four batters later, one of the runners he moved over scored to make the score, 5-3.
In the sixth inning, he beat out an infield single on a bunt attempt to put two runners on with no outs. Three batters later, he came around to score on a Milner bases-clearing double and scored the seventh run of the game, the eventual deciding run. Hathcock will look to continue to showcase his speed out of the nine hole as the Tigers host Marbury in the first round of the playoffs at 5 p.m. Friday night.
ville third baseman and shortstop both stepped up to field the slap.
So instead of laying down a slap or a bunt, Boone ripped a line drive single into center field. The team batted around in the 15-run inning, and she hit another line drive into center for her record-tying hit.
“Bailea understands her role and knows her job is to get on base so we can have base
He will be part of the program’s first team as Reid State has just started athletic programs in 2023. Reid State started a men’s and women’s golf, men’s basketball and E-sports this season with more sports, including baseball, beginning in the 20242025 school year.
That aspect interested Connor in his decision-making process.
“It’s cool knowing that this new team could really plug
“I think I can play everywhere on the infield when I’m called to,” Connor said. “I think that will help me out. On the other hand, I think I definitely need to work on my hitting. Coming out from last year and barely hitting to now, there’s a lot of room to improve. That’s the biggest thing I’m going to work on.
AHSAA executive director Alvin Briggs announces plans to retire
STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
Alabama High School Athletic Association Executive Director Alvin Briggs informed the AHSAA Central Board of Control his plan to retire from his current position effective September 2. He made the announcement at the CBOC’s April meeting Wednesday at the AHSAA office in Montgomery.
Briggs, the first minority to serve in the role of Executive Director in AHSAA history, has been with the AHSAA since 2011 serving in a variety of roles including Director of the Alabama High School Athletic Directors & Coaches Association (AHSADCA) and Associate Executive Director prior to becoming executive director when Steve Savarese stepped down in 2021. Briggs moved into the executive director role in July of 2021. Briggs, who has spent 35 years in education, was also the first person selected for executive director who was already working on the AHSAA executive staff.
“My time with the AHSAA has been memorable,” Briggs said. “I am humbled and thankful for having the opportunity to serve our member schools and Central Board as their executive director. I am grateful to the AHSAA staff for their commitment to serving our member schools. I will miss this extended family. I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish and am confident the AHSAA will continue to move forward facing and overcoming the many challenges that the future might bring. Now, after much prayer, it is time for me to retire.”
Central Board president Mike
Welsh thanked Briggs for his service.
“We want to congratulate you on your retirement, and we thank you for your service,” Welsh told Briggs following the announcement.
Briggs, the fifth executive director in AHSAA history, guided the AHSAA through some difficult times, taking over at the tail end of the Covid pandemic. He was instrumental in starting Girls’ Flag Football, secured the current site (Oxford’s Choccolocco Park and Jacksonville State University) for the state baseball and softball championships, saw a tremendous growth in participation in the non-revenue sports as well as guiding the AHSAA to record years in the revenue sharing paid back to member schools – especially coming out of the Covid pandemic, attendance to all championship events thriving ever since.
The CBOC approved several sports committee recommendations made through the Board’s Championship Committee and presented by Assistant Director Jeff Segars including: Football: Approved the starting date for middle school football contests to be aligned with junior varsity starting dates which are the first Monday after varsity teams are allowed to play.
Cross Country: Insured the sport’s season gets its 10 weeks and also waived the ban on runners using GPS watches.
Volleyball: Approved the use of 1 official in a sub-varsity contest only when the officials association informs the school it is unable to assign the required minimum of two.
, Page B9
runners,” Claybrook said. “Her ability to create and generate at the plate is what really separates her. She understands what she needs to do and what the defense is giving her and she takes it.”
Boone is the engine that runs Holtville’s softball team.
As the Bulldogs are out to a 17-5 record and undefeated in area play, Boone is also having a stellar year. She currently has
a .660 batting average and is on a tear in the team’s last 10 games, eight of which were Holtville wins.
During that span, Boone is 25-of-38 for a .657 average, right on par for her season average, while she has scored 25 of the team’s 109 runs.
She had multiple hits in all but one of those games and has only been held hitless in one game all season.
“She’s done this against all levels of competition this year,” Claybrook said. “We’ve seen hard throwing, righties and lefties, we’ve seen girls who spin the ball more and she’s been consistent against all of those. She’s also the leadoff, so she’s the first person to see a pitcher. She is so strong at making adjustments not just from at-bat to at-bat, but also in the middle of an at-bat.”
BOONE
SUBMITTED | TPI Holtville senior infielder Drew Connor signs a National Letter of Intent with Reid State Technical College. Connor signs with the Lions as
Tallassee center fielder Bry Hathcock hits against Brewbaker Tech earlier this season. Hathcock went 3-for-8 with three runs scored and four RBIs in the area championship series against Elmore County last week.
SUBITTED
AHSAA executive director Alvin Briggs has announced his plans to retire, effective September 2nd. Briggs has served in his role since July of 2021. See BRIGGS
Wednesday, April 17
High School Baseball
4 Tallassee at LAMP, 3 p.m.
High School Softball
4 Wetumpka at Benjamin Russell, 6 p.m.
Thursday, April 18
High School Softball
4 Sidney Lanier at Wetumpka, 6 p.m.
4 Valley at Elmore County, 6 p.m.
4 Stanhope Elmore at Chilton County, 6:30 p.m.
4 Bessemer Academy at Edgewood Academy (DH),
4 p.m.
High School Soccer
4 Elmore County at Tallassee, 5:30 p.m.
4 Stanhope Elmore at Smiths Station, 6:30 p.m.
Friday, April 19
High School Baseball
AHSAA baseball playoffs
4 Brookwood at Wetumpka (DH), 4:30 p.m.
4 Stanhope Elmore at Hueytown (DH), 4:30 p.m.
4 Marbury at Tallassee (DH), 5 p.m.
4 Elmore County at Holtville (DH), 5 p.m.
High School Softball
4 Wetumpka, Stanhope Elmore, Holtville at Stanhope Elmore Tournament
4 Elmore County at Benjamin Russell Tournament
4 Tallassee at Purple & Gold Tournament High School Soccer
4 Lee at Tallassee, 5:30 p.m.
4 Demopolis at Holtville, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 20
High School Baseball
AHSAA baseball playoffs
4 Brookwood at Wetumpka,
1 p.m.
4 Stanhope Elmore at Hueytown, 12 p.m.
4 Marbury at Tallassee, 1 p.m.
4 Elmore County at Holtville, 1 p.m.
High School Softball
4 Wetumpka, Stanhope Elmore, Holtville at Stanhope Elmore Tournament
4 Elmore County at Benjamin Russell Tournament
4 Tallassee at Purple & Gold Tournament High School Soccer
4 Valley at Tallassee, 10 a.m. Monday, April 22
High School Softball
4 Stanhope Elmore at Marbury, 6:30 p.m.
4 Reeltown at Tallassee, 5 p.m.
High School Soccer
4 Prattville at Stanhope Elmore, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, April 23
High School Softball
4 Elmore County at Stanhope Elmore, 6:30 p.m.
4 Tallassee at Prattville, 5 p.m. High School Soccer
4 Tallassee at Valley, 4:30 p.m.
DHR and others shine light on child abuse
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
Pinwheels are on the lawn of the Historic Elmore County Courthouse. The toy is normally symbolic of free spirit children.
Pinwheels are also used to help promote April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month by Prevent Child Abuse America. Doing so, nearly a dozen different entities involved in some way with investigating child abuse gathered on the lawn Friday to draw attention to the cause.
“It’s a simple way for us to bring attention to child abuse and child abuse prevenation month,” Elmore County Department of Human Resources director Michelle Wood said.
DHR is responsible for investigating reports of child abuse with the aid of other agencies. In 2022, the department looked into 492 different reports of abuse.
“In 2023, we investigated 470 reports of possible abuse and neglect that involved 642 children in Elmore County,” Wood said. “Of those reports, about 39% of the investigations that we completed were found to have a child abused or neglected in some way.”
Reports of abuse start a DHR investigation, and the vast majority come from educators and law enforcement.
“It makes sense for educators since they spend so much time with our chil-
dren,” Wood said.
The reporting and prosecution of child abuse highlights the team work needed.
“It takes law enforcement and the district attorney’s office to carry these cases through for the children and their families,” Wood said. “All the the agencies are extremely important in reporting and preventing child abuse in Elmore County.”
At the pinwheel ceremony were Mandy Johnson of the 19th Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office, Judge
Patrick Pinkston and representatives of Butterfly Bridge Children’s Advocacy Center, the Elmore County Family Resource Center, the Alabama parent Education Center, the Elmore County Extension Office, the Elmore County Commission, the Family Sunshine Center, CASA of the River Region and Ivy’s Closet.
Wood said all the agencies play a role in the investigation and prevention of child abuse.
“We cannot do it alone,” she said.
Millbroook approves budget increase to hire paramedics
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
Millbrook is growing. With growth comes more residents and a larger need for more services including fire and police protection.
That’s exactly the position Millbrook Fire Department is in for those calling 911 seeking medical attention. Millbrook fire chief L.B. Brown addressed the Millbrook City Council about the issue at its Tuesday meeting.
“We have three ambulances out most days,” Brown said. “I’m to the point where we need a fourth and more people for that. It is running us ragged.”
One of the issues is finding personnel. The Millbrook Fire Department used to be able to hire retired Montgomery Fire Department personnel because they had a self funded retirement system. Over the years Millbrook has benefited because the fire department could hire highly qualified and experienced paramedics who drew Montgomery retirement and a salary from Millbrook. Montgomery now uses Retirement Systems of Alabama (RSA) to manage its retirement plans — the same as Millbrook. Now the retired Montgomery paramedics can not make more than $33,000 per year from an agency using RSA.
“The problem that we’re running into is finding people that are qualified because we need fire medics more than anything else,” Brown said.
To help, the Millbrook Fire Department is looking at hiring people without fire and paramedic credentials and training them. First is firefighter training followed by two years of paramedic school.
“That is just to get them where we need them,” Brown said.
To help recruit and retain firefighter paramedics for the emerging need, the council approved an extra $122,000 for the fire department’s budget for three new paramedics.
If untrained individuals are hired, they can still quickly be trained as drivers until they get
their credentials.
“So it’s gonna be a long process, but that’s the problem,” Brown said. Brown said another issue is other ambulance service providers and fire departments utilizing paramedics are also struggling to find enough qualified people to hire.
The Millbrook Police Department is experiencing similar issues especially in dispatch.
“Basically we have lost some of our employees to higher paying jobs,” police chief P.K. Johnson told the council. “We are below critical. We’re having to depend on Elmore County to dispatch us from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. to get us through that eight-hour shift.”
The council approved Johnson’s request to contract with the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office for overnight dispatch for the next few months until the department can train new employees.
Mayor Al Kelley said the street and utility departments need help as well.
“If you know anybody looking for a job, let us know,” Kelley said. “We can use some good employees.”
At the meeting Kelley recognized now retired Elmore County Board of Education member Dale Bain for his service to students and Millbrook.
IN OTHER ACTION THE MILLBROOK CITY COUNCIL:
• Approved minutes of the March 26 meeting.
• Authorized the purchase of a 2023 Ford F150 Supercrew Cab at a cost of $41,450 on state contract for use in the growing building department.
• Approved a retail beer and retail table wine off premises license for Metro Petro.
• Approved a lounge retail liquor Class II package license for Dolly Liquor and Wine.
• Appointed council president Michael Gay to be Millbrook’s delegate at an upcoming meeting of the Alabama League of Municipalities.
The Millbrook City Council is scheduled to meet again at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 23.
Basketball: Approved giving schools the option of using a shot clock for regular-season non-area games – only if both schools agree. The CBOC also approved allowing the AHSAA to use a shot clock in its summer classics and the North-South All-Star Games as a means to gather data and help train the personnel needed to operate the shot clock. Class 7A schools were also approved to extend their regular season one week since those schools do not compete in the sub-regional round of the playoffs.
varsity and 10 dates for middle schools. Also approved developing a regular season and playoff format that corresponds with padded football, but also approved allowing flag teams to play multiple playoff games at one site on the same date to reduce travel.
Swimming: Approved eliminating section meets and using regular-season times to determine qualifiers for the state meet – similar to the current indoor track format.
Flag Football: Approved 15 dates for varsity/junior
Bowling: Approved changing the playoff format currently used in section and state meets to follow the regular-season format. Also approved making the championship round a double-elimination round and extended the playing dates from 20 to 22.
Wrestling: Approved adjusting the section and state wrestling schedules to accommodate girls’ wrestling. Also approved ensuring that the wrestling placement in section tournaments receive higher consideration in the final seeding for the state meet and determined if a wrestler is disqualified in the section meet, that place in the state meet would result in a forfeit. For the wrestling duals, the CBOC approved allowing cross-bracketing in playoff format.
They take office on July 1. The AHSAA Legislative Council will meet Wednesday afternoon to vote on a number of proposals submitted by the member schools.
OTHER CENTRAL BOARD ACTION INCLUDED:
•Approved the 2023 Super 7 and Football State Playoff financial report.
•Approved 2024 financial reports for Regional and State Bowling, Duals, Section and State Wrestling, Indoor Track, and 2024 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Basketball.
•Approved the 2024-25 Required Forms release date and any form changes.
•Approved the Strategic Process and Budget for 20242009.
•Approved Wilson’s official volleyball for 2025-26 season.
•Heard a report from AHSADCA Director Brandon Dean concerning the 2024 Summer Conference and AllStar Sports Week.
•Approved expenses for the 2024 NFHS Summer Meeting to be held in Boston (MA).
The Central Board also elected officers for the 202425 school year with District 1 member Terry Curtis being elected president, and Pelham’s Kim Kiel from District 5 was elected vice president.
•Heard a report from Associate Executive Director Kim Vickers concerning the Classification Task Force and approved their recommendations.
•Approved the 2024-25 Calendar of Events, the 202425 Sports Calendar and the AHSAA Five-Year Calendar (2024-2029).
•Discussed the current proposals to be addressed by the Legislative Council. BRIGGS Continued from
CLIFF WILLIAMS TPI
Millbrook Mayor Al Kelley, left, presents retired Col. Dale Bain with a proclamation honoring Bain for his service as an Elmore County Board of Education member.
CLIFF WILLIAMS TPI
Pinwheels decorate the lawn of the Historic Elmore County Courthouse to bring notice to child abuse and efforts to prevent it in the county.
Elmore County student places third in Kowaliga Idol
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
Addilyn Tierce is bringing a unique voice to the Elmore County signing scene.
Tierce, a junior at Elmore County High School, recently participated in the Kowaliga Idol. After earning her golden ticket in the preliminary rounds, she sang six songs en route to a third place finish at Alabama’s Little Bit ofa Texas on April 6.
While most singers went the country route, Tierce brought her own style into the competition.
Ranging from Adele’s “Chasing Pavements” to Rihanna’s “Stay” to Prince’s “Purple Rain,” Tierce left a memorable performance for everyone in attendance.
“I just wanted to be fully myself,” Tierce said. “During Kowaliga, you see a lot of people who sing country and it's very prevalent here in Alabama. I am very much not country. Seeing how people responded to my style gave me the confidence that people will enjoy this kind of singing here. They enjoy it because it’s good but also because it’s different.”
Tierce hasn’t been singing for long.
She started singing when she was around 12-years old and quickly realized she had a talent for it. That led to her singing in the congregation and at youth in church, and she picked up theater while she was in middle school.
But she had never really sung in public until Kowaliga Idol.
Having turned 16 in
August, she finally reached the minimum age to participate. Her mom asked her if she wanted to participate.
While she was nervous, she said ‘Sure, why not?’
“I really just enjoyed the experience of getting to sing in front of people,” Tierce said. “Getting out there and singing in front of people I don’t know was nerve-wracking and out
of my comfort zone but it taught me that I had the ability to do it. It really let me gain some confidence.”
She’s enjoyed singing for the past four years, but it wasn’t until the last year or so that she really developed her own style of music.
She considers herself to be a mixture of R&B and folk music. Her favorite song is Rihanna’s “Stay”
which is the song that she sang in auditions and earned the golden ticket.
Rihanna and Adele are two of her favorite artists, as well as newcomers Noah Kahan and Lizzy McAlpine, both of which are more folky than most.
After singing her songs of choice, the judges actually asked her to step out of her comfort zone with
“Purple Rain.” By the end of the night, she believed it was the best song she performed.
“I’ve really grown a lot and stepped into my voice and my style,” Tierce said.
“I’ve gained a lot of confidence about my style and really come to terms with how I want to sing and what I want to do and how I want to engage people when I’m on stage.”
Now Tierce will try to see where she can start booking shows and gigs. She’s reached out to the Wetumpka committee to see when she can sing downtown during events, and she’s going to see about playing at local bars and getting more opportunities to sing live in front of people.
While doing so, she will continue her already busy schedule.
Tierce is part of the volleyball team and dance team at Elmore County and is a regular at church. That can lead to some busy weeks with multiple volleyball practices and games and church twice a week. It’s a busy life, but the payoff is worth the work with how much support she gets from her friends, teammates and school.
“I’m pretty much busy every day but I love it,” Tierce said. “Volleyball has given me a lot of new friends and I’ve met a lot of new people who I just love so much. Coach (Kim) Moncrief has my heart and I love her so much. There’s so much support from everyone at the school and hopefully I can start seeing what I can do with live performances and how well I can reach out from here.”
Back to back Elmore County girls soccer claims area title
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
Leslie Clark Hines did not expect her soccer team to be where they are.
The Panthers lost nine starters from their area championship team a year ago. Hines brought in seven players to the team that had never touched a soccer player. Seven of the team’s 11 starters are sophomores or younger, while four are in junior high. But that didn’t stop Elmore County from going back-toback.
Elmore County claimed the AHSAA Class 5A, Area 3 championship. The Panthers are currently 10-2 and 7-0 in area play having already swept Brewbaker Tech, Valley and Beauregard. They have one game left against Tallassee, which they beat 2-1 earlier this year.
“To say we’re back-to-back area champions, I’m honestly more shocked than I’d like to admit,” Hines said. “It wasn’t necessarily on my radar to start the year. I knew we had the chance to be successful and win, but I couldn’t anticipate what our season would look like. I thought we’d have
more wins than losses, but it’s been an amazing season. I feel like the word proud isn’t adequate for how I feel about the girls.” It hasn’t come easy for the Panthers. Three of the seven area wins have been decided by one goal, which is much different than a year ago when Elmore County outscored its eight opponents by 48 goals.
The difference, however, is that Hines didn’t have to start from scratch like she did this year.
“It started with teaching them the basics,” Hines said. “We had to go back to fundamentals. We had to teach the girls how to turn their feet properly and how to kick the ball. I think the help of our experienced players working with our newbies have really helped.”
One of those experienced players is sophomore Kristina Elmore. Elmore was one of only two full-time starters to return this year and she was an All-County player a year ago. She leads the team in goals with 14, and has started playing at another level the last few weeks. In her last five games, she’s scored nine goals including a four-goal performance against
Valley. She’s scored a goal in six of the team’s seven area games.
“Kristina is a competitor,” Hines said. “She is quiet in nature but on the field, she’s dynamic and she will give you 100%. She wants the ball to come to her and she wants to score those goals. At the same time, she’s willing to pass and she’s willing to play defense. That has been a huge benefit for the team. Great leg and the girls trust her.”
While Elmore and seventh grader Cadi Crews lead the team in goals, it’s the defense that has led to most of the success for Elmore County.
Most of the defense is new, but captains Emilie Shaw and Alee Hernandez have allowed just 13 goals in 12 games on the back line. Carlee Sides is back on the defense as well, and goalkeeper Ansley Caudle has five shutouts.
Elmore County has shut out three of its last four opponents.
“I call our defense the iron curtain,” Hines said. “For the ball to get to Ansley in the goal, it has to go through our defense and it rarely does. They’re our foundation. They keep the ball in front and have really contributed to our success.”
MELODY RATHEL | TPI
Addilyn Tierce sings during the Kowaliga Idol finals last week.
Elmore County sophomore Kristina Elmore has scored nine goals in her last five games. The Panthers, which feature multiple new starters this year, have won the area championship in back-to-back seasons.