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Eclectic Observer The
WEDNESDAY • AUGUST 1, 2018
TheWetumpkaHerald.com
Vol. 29, No. 31
Grant awarded to Kowaliga VFD By AMALIA KORTRIGHT Staff Writer
The Elmore County Commission approved a Hazard Mitigation Grant Award for Kowaliga Volunteer Fire Station No. 1, located on Prospect Road in Eclectic during a regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, July 23. According to Commissioner Bart Mercer, the grant will help fund an emergency generator at the station. A post on the commission’s blog says the
Winslett talks goals for Eclectic By AMALIA KORTRIGHT Staff Writer
Recently appointed Eclectic Town Council member Carmen Winslett said she’s been interested in politics since she can remember. Because she has focused on raising a family for the past two decades, Winslett said she has not had the chance to flex her political muscles until now. “You can’t make a change if someone’s not out there to do it,” Winslett Winslett said. Winslett said she is currently getting accustomed to the position, and has not thought of any specific changes she would like to see. She said, no matter what, her biggest priority was doing what is best for Eclectic residents. “I want any changes that I make to be improvements to the town as a whole. And by town, I mean the citizens,”Winslett said. Winslett, who was sworn in to serve on the council on July 16, has been an Eclectic resident for over six years, raised her family in the area and has volunteered in numerous events and programs throughout town. “I have the knowledge of how government works. I’ve worked in the community, and I’m raising my family here,” Winslett said. While she has not laid out any specific plans for her term, See WINSLETT • Page 2
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station’s emergency warning siren for the immediate area is tied into the generator’s electrical system. A total of $20,633 will be awarded to the fire department through the grant and it will match the grant by almost $7,000. The project costs a total of $27,510. The commission heard from Elmore County Firefighters Association Principal Officer John Wilson, who expressed his appreciation for the commission’s support and collaboration
with the county’s fire departments and firefighters. “I’ve been the chairman for about 15 years now, and we’ve always had a great relationship with the commission,” Wilson said. As a token of his appreciation, Wilson awarded a firefighter hat to each commissioner. “We also appreciate what he does, and all of our volunteer firefighters and departments throughout the county for their service,” commissioner Bart
‘GIVE GIRL SCOUTS A TRY’
Mercer said. The commission approved a retail table beer and retail table wine license transfer from Kim’s Korner Mart Inc. to Kim’s Korner Inc. of Titus following a public hearing, and approved the addition of a second plot of land for Castaway Island on Lake Martin. The commission also discussed opioid litigation. A letter from the commission’s legal counsel recommended members convene at a later date to discuss the matter under executive session.
Submitted / The Observer
Co-leader Randelle Luster said members of Troop 9192 participate in a variety of outside events and trips throughout the year.
By AMALIA KORTRIGHT Staff Writer
Troop 9192 seeking new members By AMALIA KORTRIGHT Staff Writer
G
irl Scout Troop 9192, based in Eclectic, is inviting girls from kindergarten through the eighth grade to join for the 2018-19 year. Troop co-leader Randelle Luster said she expects new girls will join along with those who have previously enrolled at
ECS to apply new safety features
the new parent and registration meeting at 6 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 13, at Eclectic United Methodist Church. Through participation in Girl Scouts, Luster said she has witnessed firsthand how many girls are able to learn new things, form close, long-lasting friendships and become better people. “I have seen so many girls come out of See SCOUTS • Page 2
Elmore County Schools will be implementing new safety measures and continuing to maintain the measures that have already been in place for the 2018-19 school year, according Dennis to ECS Superintendent Richard Dennis. Dennis said he became more concerned about safety at ECS after the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida. “Seventeen children getting killed in Florida was a big step in that direction. It really instigated it last year,” Dennis said. “We had evaluated the campuses. Most of the schools already had check-in sites, but in my evaluation, there were too many other access points that were available to the general public. I’m limiting those.” Dennis said ECS is erecting six-foot fences around the rear perimeters of all elementary schools. At a special called Board of Education meeting on Thursday, Dennis said the board is planning to award a bid to a construction See SAFETY • Page 2
Humane shelter auction raises more than $24K By AMALIA KORTRIGHT Staff Writer
The Humane Society of Elmore County set a fundraising record through the 13th annual Wags and Whiskers Silent Auction on Friday at the Wind Creek Wetumpka Entertainment Center. “We have a lot of people that love the shelter, and of course, there’s incredible items here to take home if you’re the winning bidder,” Humane Society Executive Director
Rea Cord said. “You come here and you get to socialize, you get to support the shelter, you get to eat great food from Wind Creek and you get to find treasures or maybe a great deal.” According to Cord, more than $24,000 was raised and the money will go to the organization’s efforts to care for all the animals at the shelter. According to Cord, the humane society usually takes in the most animals at this time of year, and there are See AUCTION • Page 3
Amalia Kortright / The Observer
Up to 350 people attended the 13th annual Wags and Whiskers and bid on a variety of items that were donated or collected from the Humane Society of Elmore County’s thrift store.
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Obituaries David Michael Granger GRANGER, David Michael a resident of Equality, Alabama passed away Tuesday, July 24, 2018 at the age of 57. Visitation was held Friday, July 27, 2018 at 12:30 p.m. with the funeral services at 2:00 p.m. at Eclectic United Methodist Church with Rev. Rob Gulledge officiating. Burial followed at Equality United Methodist Church cemetery with Gassett Funeral Home of Wetumpka directing. David is preceded in death by his father Jack D. Granger. He is survived by his wife Lynn Granger, mother Ann Granger, children Brandon (Jessica) Granger, Jeremy Maynard, sister Annette (Tim) Presley, brother Dodd (Rita) Granger, grandchildren Tyce Maynard, Jack Granger, Tyler Maynard, and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews. Pallbearers will be Jimmy Martin, Jimmy Monk, Scott Hughes, Trey Presley, Chad Granger, and Brett Granger. Online Guest Book available at www.gassettfuneralhome.net
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Two arrested after shelter burglary By AMALIA KORTRIGHT Staff Writer
Two men suspected of a recent burglary of the Humane Society of Elmore County in Wetumpka were recently taken into custody by the Montgomery Police Department. Robert Hilton Missildine, 25, who lists an address in Montgomery, and William Joshua Adair, 30, who lists an address in Deatsville, were both arrested by the MPD on unrelated charges on Tuesday, July 23. The humane society was broken into at around 2 a.m. on July 23. Three men wearing masks, hoods
property in the first degree. “If we get the third person, they’ll get the same charges,� Reid said. According to Reid, the third suspect in the Humane Society burglary has not been identified or arrested as of July 24. Anyone with more information pertaining to the case is encouraged to contact the WPD at 334567-5321 or Central Alabama CrimeStoppers at 334-215-STOP or online at 215stop.com. According to Central Alabama CrimeStoppers, tips may result in a cash reward. Mugshots of the suspects have not been released.
and gloves damaged the interior of the building before stealing the keys to a red Dodge pickup truck and a black Ford F-150 and driving away in both vehicles. Humane Society Executive Director Rea Cord said no animals were physically harmed. Wetumpka Police Department Detective Clarence Reid said they were driving the stolen Ford F-150 when they were arrested. Because the vehicles had not yet been reported stolen, Reid said they were not identified until later. Reid said both suspects were charged with felony burglary in the third degree and felony theft of
Scouts
continued from page 1
Mr. Bruce Lee Smith Mr. Bruce Lee Smith, 80, of Eclectic, passed away July 27, 2018. He was born September 16, 1937. Funeral service will be Sunday, July 29, at 2 p.m., at Rushenville Baptist Church with Rev. Ron Estes and Rev. Adrian Cahill officiating. Burial will follow at Bullard Cemetery, Linville Memorial Funeral Home directing. Visitation will be at the church prior to the service, starting at 1 p.m. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Martha Smith; children, Lee Ann Razick (Ed) and Holley Taylor (Trey); and grandchildren, Clay Mullins, Cody Mullins, Madeline Taylor and Jase Taylor. He is preceded in death by sister, Sarah Thiemonge. He was a loving husband, father, and grandfather. He enjoyed fishing, spending time with family, and his fellowship with God. He will be missed by many. Online condolences at www.linvillememorial.com. Linville Memorial Funeral Home Eclectic, Alabama
Winslett
continued from page 1
Winslett said she will be taking part in an ongoing conversation among Eclectic residents concerning the town’s growth and business community. “We want to let people know that there is some place by the lake to eat and shop,� Winslett said. Winslett said she did not run for a place on the town council during municipal elections in 2016 due to work, but decided to apply once she had learned the position was open. “I was transitioning at my job. I now work from home, and I’m settled,� Winslett said. “I’m better suited to serve at the capacity I’m at.� Winslett replaced former council member Joe Creamer, who had to step down after he moved outside of the town limits. She will serve the remainder of the term for about two years.
their shells. I’ve seen girls have experiences that they wouldn’t have had otherwise,� Luster said. “Give Girl Scouts a try. It’s a great organization to put girls in.� Typically, Luster said girls in Troop 9192 are divided into different levels by age group. Kindergarteners and firstgraders are classified as daisies, second- and third-graders will be considered brownies, fourth- and fifth-graders will be considered juniors and girls in the sixth through eighth grades will be cadettes. Typically, between 25 and 35 girls participate each year. Because they do not want to turn any girls away, Luster said they
company to build the fences, and construction should start as soon as the bid is approved. “Most of the schools have fencing around them, but either they’re not tall enough or they have gaps in them. We’re working to improve that,� Dennis said. Dennis said they also working to ensure that a student resource
continued from page 1
officer is available to schools in all of ECS’s school zones. He said officers will be on duty in the Holtville, Redland and Eclectic communities. He said they are working to have officers at the two elementary schools in Millbrook. During the spring semester of last year, Dennis said ECS implemented Raptor Visitor Management Software that scans a visitor’s photo ID to
that I did not have issues of any kind, legally, or (issues) that would be a concern to schools,� Dennis said. “You have lots of volunteers, especially in elementary schools that come and help teachers, or go on field trips as chaperones.� Dennis referred to the safety initiatives as “basic,� and said they are both extensions of the safety standards ECS has adhered to for years.
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receive a background check before entering any school. Dennis said visitors who spend an extended amount of time with students, like volunteering at school events or chaperoning on field trips, are required to undergo a more extensive background check. “If I wanted to volunteer coach or volunteer in a classroom, I would have to have that Raptor review done to verify
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service projects. As a way to earn their Silver Awards, Luster said some troop members have sanded and painted the Elmore County High School band stands, helped restore a local park, participated in Eclectic’s cleanup day and provided stockings for the Eclectic Senior Center. Luster said meetings are typically held every first and third Monday evening at Eclectic United Methodist Church. Registration as a member of Girl Scouts of America costs $30, and Troop 9192 dues cost $25. Luster said uniforms are encouraged, but not required, and outside activities and trips are additional expenses.
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will need more parent volunteers if they see a large increase in registration this year. According to Luster, all troop members will begin meetings all together then separate to work with their age groups. While some trips and outside activities are done by individual levels based on age appropriateness, Luster said many, like their bi-yearly camping trips, involve the entire troop. “It gives the older girls a chance to mentor the younger girls,� Luster said. Luster said Troop 9192 has been part of the Eclectic community for over a decade, and has taken part in a variety of local
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AUGUST 1, 2018 • PAGE 3
‘We just can’t do enough:’ Concert at Range 231 North set to benefit Orsi family By AMALIA KORTRIGHT Staff Writer
In an effort to rally the community around the surviving members of the Orsi family, who were devastated by a murder-suicide earlier this month, Range 231 North is hosting a benefit concert. “Fore the Orsis” is set for Saturday, Aug. 4 from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Doors will open at 5 p.m. and there is a $20 cover charge. While he does not know members of the family personally, Range 231 North
co-owner Brad Martin said both of his children go to Redland Elementary School, where one of the victims taught, and his family used to live in their neighborhood. “We were just heartbroken,” Martin said. “It’s just a horrific, unimaginable thing.” As soon as he heard news of the tragedy, Martin said he reached out to a friend of the family to get their approval. After they gave their blessing, Martin said he reached out to musicians in the area and got about 10 responses within
hours. The lineup includes Jeff and the Johnsons, Ella Langley, Jarod Foster, Brandon Self, Dalton Bush Band, Blackberry Breeze, Joe Wright, Ben Norris, Kyle Wilson and Anthony Oliver. Martin said all of the artists are performing free. Oliver has also donated sound equipment for the event. “They have 100 percent donated their time and they were all jumping to be a part of this,” Martin said. Martin said 100 percent of ticket sales will benefit the
Orsis, and he is expecting Range 231 North will be able to raise about $10,000. “It’s going to be a really good day for the community. We just can’t do enough,” Martin said. “They’ve got a long, long road ahead of them. This is just a drop in the bucket of the support they’re going to need.” Because parking is limited, Martin encouraged visitors to carpool. For more information about “Fore the Orsis,” visit the “Orsi Family Benefit Concert” event on Facebook.
Two charged with sexually abusing child under 12 By AMALIA KORTRIGHT Staff Writer
The Elmore County Sheriff’s Office recently arrested two suspects who were accused of committing multiple sex crimes against an underage victim. Dennis Long, 64, who lists an address on Thornton Road in Wetumpka, was arrested and charged with sodomy in the first degree and sexual abuse of a child younger than 12
years old on Thursday, July 12. According to Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin, an investigation ensued after the Long victim’s parent filed a report on the child’s behalf. Franklin said the investigation yielded evidence that Long had allegedly abused
a 9-year-old victim several years ago in the Santuck community. Franklin said Long has not confessed to the crime, and he had been listed as a sex offender prior to his July arrest. Franklin said another suspect, who is currently a juvenile, was arrested in connection to the case. Franklin said the second suspect allegedly abused the
same victim. Long was booked into the Elmore County Jail on bonds totaling $50,000, and was released almost a week later. His case was assigned to Elmore County District Court Judge James Glenn Goggans. As of July 27, the date for Long’s preliminary hearing had not been scheduled. Due to the second suspect being a juvenile, authorities are unable to release his name.
Auction currently 300 animals at the shelter who need care. “(The money goes) to help us make sure our doors stay open and that we can be there to receive the 10, 20, 30 or 40 animals a day that come in,” Cord said. “And also continue to pay all of the bills for their veterinary care, their spaying and neutering, their vaccines, the medications we have to buy, the bills we have to pay.” Cord said the items that were auctioned were donations from the community and from the humane society thrift store. Humane Society Board of Directors President Jimmy Monk, who has been involved with Wags and Whiskers in some capacity for the past 13 years, said he has seen it grow exponentially since it started. “The first auction I attended was held in Millbrook at their civic center, and my best recollection is there were maybe 50 people in attendance that night,” Monk said. This year, Monk estimated that between 300 and 350 people
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were in attendance. “It just makes my heart proud and it feels good to see everybody here tonight and having a good time,” Monk said. As a humane society volunteer and dog owner, Haley Neal said Wags and Whiskers was a good way to further her involvement with the organization, make new connections and find new gear for her pets. “I think this is going amazingly,” Neal said. “There are a lot of people who are interacting with each other; people that I’ve never met. It’s a really
good community event where you get together with everyone. I also just love how they have a variety of things that they’re putting on auction.” Neal said she especially appreciated how many of the items were marketed toward pet owners. “I bid on a few too many things, honestly,” she said. “They’ve definitely got a couple of pet beds in there and toys and things like that.” Cord described the people who came out, donors, volunteers and sponsors as “friends to our shelter,” and
thanked them. “They are extremely supportive of our work to help our animals in need,” Cord said. (It means that) we’re a vibrant part of the community, that we’re important to the community as a resource.” Many a
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Opinion
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334-567-7811 • Fax 334-567-3284 email: news@thewetumpkaherald.com THE ECLECTIC OBSERVER (005-022) is published weekly on Wednesday by Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc., 548 Cherokee Road, Alexander City, AL 35010. Periodical postage paid at Wetumpka, Alabama. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Eclectic Observer, P.O. Box 99, Wetumpka, AL 36092-0099 ISSN # 1536-688X We reserve the right to refuse to print any advertisement, news story, photograph or any other material submitted to us for any reason or no reason at all. •Obituaries - $.25 per word per paper. Additional $15 charge for a photo per paper. (Herald, Weekend, Observer, Tribune). •Weddings/Engagements - $.25 per word per paper. $15 charge for a 2-column photo. •Birth Announcements - $.25 per word per paper. $15 charge for a photo. SUBSCRIPTION RATES One Year in Elmore, Tallapoosa or Coosa County: $25 One Year Elsewhere: $38 The publisher reserves the right to change subscription rates during the term of subscription at any time. To subscribe or if you miss your paper, call 256-234-4281. © 2016 Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved and any reproduction of this issue is prohibited without the consent of the editor or publisher.
ADMINISTRATION Steve Baker publisher@thewetumpkaherald.com NEWS Amalia Kortright, staff writer amalia.kortright@thewetumpkaherald.com Carmen Rodgers, staff writer carmen.rodgers@thewetumpkaherald.com SPORTS Lizi Arbogast, sports editor lizi.arbogast@thewetumpkaherald.com Caleb Turrentine, sports writer caleb.turrentine@thewetumpkaherald.com SALES Marilyn Hawkins, marketing consultant marilyn.hawkins@TheWetumpkaHerald.com
NATO isn’t for defending Montenegro
F
ox News host Tucker Carlson recently asked President Trump, “Why should my son go to Montenegro to defend it from attack?” It is a fair question — one that many Americans were asking following Trump’s performance at the NATO summit — and it deserved a better answer than the president’s musing on the “aggressive” nature of Montenegrins. Instead, Trump should have recalled the words he spoke last year in Poland praising the heroes of the Warsaw Uprising, the 74th anniversary of which is being marked on Wednesday. In one of the most powerful speeches of his presidency, Trump recalled the terrible price that millions paid for the West’s failure to deter Nazi and Soviet aggression. “Under a double occupation, the Polish people endured evils beyond description,” Trump recalled, “the Katyn forest massacre, the occupations, the Holocaust, the Warsaw Ghetto and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, the destruction of this beautiful capital city and the deaths of nearly 1 in 5 Polish people. A vibrant Jewish population -- the largest in Europe -- was reduced to almost nothing after the Nazis systematically murdered millions of Poland’s Jewish citizens.” The reason NATO was created out of the ashes of World War II was precisely to make certain such destruction never happens again. In 1938, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain famously dismissed Germany’s threats to Czechoslovakia, declaring that Britain should not get drawn into war “because of a quarrel in a far-away country between people of whom we know nothing.” The result was 50 million people dead, a
MARC THIESSEN Columnist continent in flames and the gas chambers of Auschwitz. The lesson we learned from that experience is that weakness is provocative. When adversaries believe you are weak, they are emboldened to act — and prone to miscalculate. When they believe you are strong and determined, however, they are far less likely to test you and start cataclysmic wars. Trump believes in peace through strength. But to have peace requires not just military strength. As Trump said in Warsaw, “Our defense is not just a commitment of money, it is a commitment of will.” President Ronald Reagan used the military far less than any of those who succeeded him in office not just because he rebuilt America’s military strength but also because America’s adversaries did not doubt his willingness to use it. Why did Russian President Vladimir Putin believe he could invade Ukraine and annex Crimea without consequence? It was no mere coincidence Russia’s intervention happened just six months after President Barack Obama failed to enforce his red line in Syria. Putin saw Obama imposed no costs on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s defiance, unwilling to launch strikes that a U.S. official said would be “just muscular enough not to get mocked.” At that moment, he knew there would be no real costs for his intervention in Ukraine. Obama projected weakness. On taking office, Trump rectified
that situation by enforcing Obama’s Syria red line, not once but twice — sending a message of strength that was heard not just in Damascus but in Moscow as well. There is a reason Putin despises the NATO alliance so much — and has fought to prevent further integration of the countries of Eastern Europe into it. He knows he may be able to bully his unallied neighbors, but he can’t bully a NATO ally — because that ally is backed up by 28 others, bonded by a mutual commitment to each other’s security and led by an American president who, while seeking friendship with all, is unafraid to flex U.S. military muscle. That is why Putin opposed the admission of Montenegro into the NATO alliance, reportedly even backing a plot to assassinate Montenegro’s prime minister in an effort to stop it. That is why Putin wants Trump to fail in his effort to get the NATO allies to meet their commitments and spend 2 percent of gross domestic product on defense. He understands that a weak NATO cannot deter him but a strong NATO can. As Trump said in Warsaw, “As long as we know our history, we will know how to build our future. Americans know that a strong alliance of free, sovereign and independent nations is the best defense for our freedoms and for our interests.” The whole point of NATO is not to defend Montenegro; it is to make sure we never have to defend Montenegro — or Warsaw, or Paris, or London again. Marc A. Thiessen’s column is provided by The Washington Post News Service & Syndicate. He can be reached on Twitter @ marcthiessen.
Burying old lies with new ones
“W
hat you’re seeing and what you’re reading is not what’s happening.” When the history of the Trump era is written, this quotation from our president will play a prominent role in explaining the distemper of our moment and the dysfunction of his administration. Trump was talking about media coverage of his trade war, but he was also describing his genuinely novel approach to governing: He believes that reality itself can be denied and that big lies can sow enough confusion to keep the truth from taking hold. This has advantages for Trump, because it dulls the impact of any new revelation. Old falsehoods simply get buried under new ones. Take the recording of his September 2016 conversation with his one-time lawyer Michael Cohen that was released Tuesday night. Cohen’s attorney put out the tape, which, as The Washington Post’s Carol Leonnig and Robert Costa reported, shows that Trump “appeared familiar with a deal that a Playboy model made to sell the rights to her story of an alleged affair with him.” Karen McDougal sold her tale to the National Enquirer’s parent company, American Media Inc. The tabloid never ran her account, which clearly protected Trump from this embarrassing tale before the election, although its management has denied that this was its intention. Trump’s lawyer and battering ram Rudy Giuliani insisted that the recording portrayed a Trump who “doesn’t seem that familiar with anything” that was discussed. This was, shall we say, an eccentric way of hearing the conversation. Obfuscated in this backand-forth is the fact that four days before the 2016 election, Hope Hicks, Trump’s campaign spokeswoman, denied the affair
E.J. DIONNE Columnist altogether and said that the campaign had “no knowledge” of any payoff. Trump’s behavior would be bad enough if it were only about his personal life and his treatment of women. But the big lie strategy extends to policy and national security as well. For example, the Commerce Department, which runs the census, claimed earlier this year that it added a question asking if respondents were citizens in response to the Justice Department’s desire to enforce the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The question is a terrible idea. Six former Census Bureau directors under both Republican and Democratic presidents urged Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross not to include it. They warned that doing so “will considerably increase the risks to the 2020 enumeration.” The fear is that many immigrants, documented and especially undocumented, would be reluctant to answer the census if the question were part of it, leading to an undercounting of places with substantial foreignborn populations. But for the Trump administration, this is not a problem. It’s the goal. Undercounting immigrants would have the effect of shifting political power -- as well as federal money -- largely to Republican areas that have lower immigrant populations. And documents turned over this week in response to a lawsuit against the addition of the citizenship question showed that Ross lobbied for its inclusion much earlier and more actively than his later sworn
testimony had indicated. “Lying to Congress is a serious criminal offense, and Secretary Ross must be held accountable,” said Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Trump’s former chief strategist Steve Bannon had also pushed for the question when he was in the White House. The Justice Department acted months later, a clear sign that the department’s alleged concern for civil rights was simply a pretext for a politically motivated skewing of valuable public information. Distorting data collection is an attack on the truth, too. And when it comes to creating new and unhinged narratives to displace those rooted in fact, Trump has no equal. Thus did the man who stood next to Vladimir Putin when the Russian leader said he wanted Trump to win in 2016 declare this week-with no evidence whatsoever -- that Russia “will be pushing very hard for the Democrats” in this fall’s election. Contrary to liberal fears, most of the country doesn’t believe him. Trump’s core support, measured by the proportion in Wednesday’s NPR/PBS News Hour/Marist Poll who strongly approve of him, is down to 25 percent. The bad news is that among Republicans his strong approval number stands at 62 percent. Trump’s hope of clinging to power rests on the assumption that he can continue inventing enough false story lines to keep his party at bay. His theory seems to be that a lie is as good as the truth as long as the right people believe it. E.J. Dionne’s column is provided by The Washington Post News Service & Syndicate. He can be reached at ejdionne@ washpost.com.
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AUGUST 1, 2018 • PAGE 5
Humane Society of Elmore County News
More than $24K raised at auction By REA CORD HSEC Executive Director
Wow — what a fantastic night of fun we had Friday at our 13th Annual Wags & Whiskers Auction. We had a huge turnout and lots of competitive bidding resulting in more than $24,000 raised for our shelter and the animals we care for. This is our highest auction amount ever raised so the auction committee and volunteers may still be recovering but they are certainly ecstatic as are all of us in the shelter. Our Wags & Whiskers Auction may seem like just one evening of fun, but it is a actually a year-round labor of love for our Board & Auction Committee. As the money raised ensures we can keep helping animals in need, our staff asks you help us thank everyone who worked so hard before, during and after the auction to ensure its success. There was plenty of yummy food thanks to the superb culinary team from Wind Creek Wetumpka. Master of Ceremonies Kyle Kessler, from KyleCo Entertainment, kept us entertained and on track throughout the evening. And Scott and Michelle Williams and their crew from High as the Sky Auction Company ensured the highest bids possible during the live auction. Our board works hard to make this event better year after year and if you have any thoughts or input about our auction, please email them to hselco@ bellsouth.net and we will make sure to pass them to our auction committee. To make sure we don’t miss anyone, we are going to wait until next week to publicize and thank our most gracious auction sponsors as quite a few came forward to help in the days before the auction. As with any event, there are bills to be paid and their sponsorship will go a long way to defraying costs so all the proceeds can go to helping
animals in our shelter. Our biggest thanks goes to everyone who came out Friday night to support our shelter, had fun bidding and went home with new treasures. The quality of items was exceptionally high this year and we can promise you missed out on some great items if you were not able to join us. To everyone who donated items to our auction, you make our auction possible and your generosity is what ensures our success not only at the Aaction itself but for months to come as we put the money raised to work helping the animals in our care. Thank you all so very much! We never sit back and relax for very long as we work hard to raise money for our shelter. This Saturday our Tail’s End Thrift Store will hold a Summer Clothing Bag Sale at our clothes sorting building next to the shelter. You will find clothing all sorted and ready for your shopping and you will be able to purchase as many clothes as can fit in one paper bag (provided by our thrift store folks) for $3 a bag. You can’t get a better deal on clothing than that so come on out Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to empty the clothes sorting building out! Now here is a biggy — all thanks to ABC 32 Montgomery and Emerald Mountain Golf Club, we are going to have a golf tournament on Thursday, Aug. 23 from approximately 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Emerald Mountain Golf Club. This is a charity golf tournament and the brainchild of ABC 32 to benefit our shelter. There will be much more information to follow next week but basic info is $300 for a four-person team, which will include a cart, lunch and more. We would love to have even more sponsors so if you are interested in either playing or sponsoring, contact Rea at the shelter at hselco@bellsouth. net for more information.
Donatello
Pet of the Week – Donatello
M
eet Donatello, the Humane Society of Elmore County’s Pet of the Week! Donatello is an eight-month old Lab mix boy who weighs only about 35-40 pounds and won’t get much bigger. He is a high-energy boy who is good with other dogs. He is very playful but may be a bit too much for small children. Shelter adoption fees are $100 for dogs & $50 for cats under one year old; cats over one year old can be adopted by approved adopters for a fee of their choosing. This adoption fee completely
covers the mandatory spay or neuter, basic immunizations, de-worming, microchip, heartworm check for dogs, rabies vaccination if old enough, free health exam with a participating veterinarian. To meet Donatello and the other pets at the shelter, visit 255 Central Plank Road in Wetumpka. For more information, visit www.elmorehumane.org, email hselco@bellsouth.net or call 334-5673377. The shelter is open for adoptions Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Observer wants to see your milestones STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
Do you have an engagement, wedding, anniversary or birth announcement? A significant family event or milestone? If so, The Wetumpka Herald, The Tallassee Tribune and The Eclectic Observer want to publish them and the best part is that there is no charge. We will publish announcements up to 120 words and a small photograph at no charge. Longer announcements are billed at 25 cents a word over the initial
120. Photographs up to 4x4 cost $25. Announcements must be emailed to us at announcements@ thewetumpkaherald.com. Include your name and telephone number in case there are questions and to explain billing for larger photos or announcements. All extra charges must be paid before publication. The text for the announcement must be in the body of the email (not as an attachment) and photographs must be sent as a jpeg attached to the email. Announcements will appear within
10 days in the Herald, the Tribune or the Observer.
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AUGUST 1, 2018 • PAGE 7
Wetumpka Depot launching Penguin Project By AMALIA KORTRIGHT Staff Writer
The Wetumpka Depot Players are currently seeking the community’s participation in the Penguin Project, a theater program designed for children with special needs between the ages of eight and 21. Executive Director Kristy Meanor said the Penguin Project will give children with special needs the opportunity to participate in a theatrical production. “It’s a beautiful project, in that the kids with special needs are getting to grow in confidence and self-esteem and get to participate in a creative activity that might not be offered to them in a school setting,” Meanor said. “It might not be offered to them in other extracurricular activities, because there are so few of those for kids with special needs.” According to Meanor, each child with special needs will be assigned a peer mentor who is around their age to help them through rehearsals and the production. “It also helps the peer mentors to be more empathetic and helps them to build relationships with kids who aren’t necessarily like themselves,” Meanor said.
The Wetumpka Depot Players is hosting its first program for children with special needs. Executive Kristy Meanor said the Penguin Project will give special needs children the chance to participate in their own production. Amalia Kortright / The Observer
For the families of the special needs children involved with the Penguin Project, Meanor said it’s a good experience for them. “It empowers them to allow their child to participate in something that could help them potentially grow and find their voice,” Meanor said. The Wetumpka Depot Players have a long history of organizing theater programs for children. However, Meanor said this is the first time they have focused on those with special needs.
As the parent of an adult daughter who lives with developmental disabilities, Meanor said she has a deep connection to the special needs community. “Had this been around when my daughter was young, this would have been something that I would have been very interested in,” Meanor said. “It does come with a personal connection, but we have so many families in our community that have special needs children. It’s going to be an outreach and a gift to them that we’ll all reap the benefits from.”
To be able to start the Penguin Project at their theater, Meanor said they had to undergo a selection process. “Not every theater can call themselves a Penguin Project site,” Meanor said. “We were selected because of our history, our longevity here in the community and the resources that we have to make this a successful program.” Because the Wetumpka Depot Players’ Penguin Project is in its infancy stages, Meanor said they are currently focusing on finding resources in the community that could help them identify children who want to participate in the show or want to serve as peer mentors. “We’re looking for teachers, or service groups or churches, anybody that can help us identify a child who might want to participate,” Meanor said. While a specific musical has not been chosen, Meanor said it will most likely run in early 2019. “It will be a fabulous musical with colorful costumes, and choreography and music,” Meanor said. “It will be a special, exciting, wonderful production.” Meanor encouraged anyone interested in participating in the Penguin Project to reach out to the Wetumpka Depot Players at 334-868-1440.
PAGE 8 • AUGUST 1, 2018
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Carmen Rodgers / The Observer
Mary Beth Moore, of Alabaster, left, was crowned Miss Tri County at the 2019 Miss Tri County Pageant, which was held inside Tallassee’s Mt. Vernon Theater on Friday. Caitlyn McTier, outgoing Miss Tri County, crowns Sarah Beth Huntley, right from Chilton County High School, who was voted Outstanding Teen Miss Tri County during Friday’s pageant.
TAKING THE CROWN Mary Beth Moore crowned Miss Tri County By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
Tallassee’s Mt. Vernon Theater was bustling with excitement Friday evening as people from around the area attended the Miss Tri County pageant. There were 14 contestants competing for the title of Miss Tri County 2019. Dean Argo, the night’s master of ceremonies, is a longtime resident of
Prattville and served four terms as a councilman there, 11 years as council president. Bradley Logan, of Tuscaloosa, was the pageant’s head judge and Lenore DeRamus-Colbert, of Atlanta Georgia, was the novice judge. Deborah Williford, of Wetumpka, Timothy Long, of Birmingham and Russell Howard, of Tuscaloosa, also helped judge the 14
contestants. In the end, Mary Beth Moore, from Alabaster, walked away with the night’s top honor and was crowned the 2019 Miss Tri County. Moore is a student at Troy University and said she looks forward to representing the area as the new Miss Tri County. The outgoing Miss Tri County, Caitlyn McTier, from Sylacauga, crowned Moore. “I am absolutely so excited,� said Moore. “This area is near my hometown and my university so I will be able to be here a lot to serve the community.� According to pageant organizers, this year’s
pageant went very well and included a well-rounded group of young women. “I thought this year was amazing,� said Tatum Northington Smith, executive director of the Miss Tri County Pageant. “We had a really good group of girls.� Chilton County High School’s, Sara Beth Huntley, was voted the 2019 Outstanding Miss Teen. “This is the first year for Outstanding Teen Pageant and those girls were great, too.� Each contestant performed an array of talents before the judges, something that can be daunting for young
women. However, Smith said this year’s contestants handled themselves very well under pressure. “All of those girls are so talented and it takes so much grace and confidence to get up on that stage and do a fitness routine, or walk out there in a swimsuit, or perform a talent. They amaze me.� Each contestant had to answer an onstage question, including political and economic topics. “Onstage questions are so important. I think the topics should be recent and their opinions should be well reflected. I intentionally made those hard to answer.�
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The Miss Tri County Pageant was established in September 2017, and the first Miss preliminary was held on Jan. 14, 2018. Since that time the pageant has continually grown in popularity and added a teen component to 2019 preliminary. Miss Tri County is an open, local preliminary of the state program, the Miss Alabama Pageant and the national program, the Miss America Pageant. Each year a local participant from each county is chosen to represent Autauga, Elmore, and Montgomery counties in the state program. “I think Mary Beth Moore will represent us very well and I think she will do very well at Miss Alabama.� As the winner of the Miss Tri County title, Moore will use her talents and speaking ability to promote the Miss Tri County, Miss Alabama and Miss America Organizations while meeting new people throughout the community and will represent the Tri County area at the next Miss Alabama Pageant held in June 2019.
HEALTHY TEENAGERS AND YOUNG ADULTS CAN GET BACTERIAL MENINGITIS. HERE IS HOW IT SPREADS:
Coughing & Sneezing
Sharing Drinks & Utensils
Kissing
Living in Close Quarters
ABOUT 10% OF PEOPLE WITH BACTERIAL MENINGITIS WILL DIE, SOMETIMES WITHIN 24 HOURS. SURVIVORS MAY HAVE BRAIN DAMAGE, LOSS OF LIMBS, AND HEARING LOSS.
THERE ARE 2 TYPES OF MENINGOCOCCAL VACCINES RECOMMENDED FOR PRETEENS AND TEENAGERS. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON BACTERIAL MENINGITIS AND THE MENINGOCOCCAL VACCINE, VISIT alabamapublichealth.gov/immunization or facebook.com/AlabamaImmunizationInfo.
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Our daily bread
n my last two columns examining the Lord’s Prayer, I wrote that the Lord asks us to call Him Abba, Father – or, in our modern times, Daddy. Our Daddy loves us! We examined the lines, “Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven.” We are completely lost when it is about doing good. We are really good at raising hell! But Heaven begins here and now. Jesus calls it God’s Kingdom. God’s reign. The Heavenly Kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven. And this heaven is all about sharing God’s Love, compassion, mercy, and forgiveness with others. Jesus presents us a path on which we need to reach him, so that the prayer can keep on going. Without the grace of our Lord, the prayer stops in us.
AME ZION Mt. Zion Chapel AME Zion 2340 Crenshaw Rd., Wetumpka 567-4413 Rogers Chapel AME Zion 709 W. Bridge St., Wetumpka 567-8144 Jackson Chapel AME Zion 4885 Coosada Rd., Coosada Jones Chapel AME Zion 2414 Ingram Rd. (Co. Rd. 3), Elmore ABUNDANT LIFE Abundant Life Church 9301 U.S. Hwy 231., Wetumpka 567-9143 ASSEMBLY OF GOD Agape Tabernacle Assembly of God 1076 Kowaliga Rd., Eclectic 541-2006 Bethel Worship Center 11117 U.S. Hwy 231., Wetumpka 567-5754 Crossroads Assembly of God 2534 AL Hwy 14., Millbrook 285-5545 First Assembly of God 3511 Shirley Ln., Millbrook New Home Assembly of God 5620 Caesarville Rd., Wetumpka 569-2825 BAPTIST Abraham Baptist Church Millbrook Antioch Baptist Church 1115 Antioch Rd., Titus 5672917 Beulah Baptist Church 2350 Grier Rd., Wetumpka 514-2881 Blue Ridge Baptist 4471 Jasmine Hill Rd., Wetumpka 567-4325 Brookwood Baptist Grandview Rd., Millbrook Calvary Baptist 504 W. Osceola St., Wetumpka 567-4729 Central Baptist 3545 W. Central Rd., Wetumpka 541-2556 Coosada Baptist 20 Kennedy Ave., Coosada Deatsville Baptist 184 Church St., Deatsville Eclectic Baptist Church 203 Claud Rd., Eclectic 5414444 Faith Baptist 64 Chapel Rd., Wetumpka 567-4417 First Baptist Church 205 W. Bridge St., Wetumpka 567-5191 First Baptist of Elmore Hwy. 14 Co. Rd. 74, Elmore Galilee Baptist 95 Old Georgia Rd., Wetumpka 567-4178 Good Hope Baptist 1766 S. Fleahop Rd., Eclectic Goodship Baptist 1554 Hwy. 143, Millbrook 2850094 Grace Baptist Old Montgomery Hwy., Wetumpka 567-3255 Grandview Pines Baptist
AUGUST 1, 2018 • PAGE 9
The next line of the prayer is, “Give us this day our daily bread.” For today. Not for the next twenty years! We need to let God give us what we really need now, at this moment in our lives. It is difficult for us to let it sink in, but we have to accept that our Heavenly Father knows what we need! We aren’t supposed to worry about what we will eat, or drink, or what clothes to wear. In fact, it is a sin for us to worry about things that He has already handled. The Word of God does not say, “Don’t worry too much.” It says, “Don’t worry!” That is the original Greek translated. We are afraid of something, or we aren’t. We trust or we don’t. Keep it simple, because the Father already knows before we ask. The world may not think there is much freedom in that, but in reality there is tremendous freedom in knowing that God has
346 Deatsville Hwy., Millbrook 285-5125 Green Ridge Baptist 288 Turner Rd., Wetumpka 567-2486 Harvest Baptist 2990 Main St., Millbrook Hillside Baptist 405 Old Montgomery Hwy., Wetumpka Holtville Riverside Baptist 7121 Holtville Rd., Wetumpka 514-5922 Lake Elam Baptist 4060 Gober Rd., Millbrook Liberty Hill Baptist 61 Crenshaw Rd., Wetumpka 567-8750 Lighthouse Baptist 2281 Main St., Millbrook Living Water Baptist 1745 Grass Farm Rd. (Co. Rd. 80), Titus 514-7304 Millbrook Baptist 3431 Browns Road, Millbrook 285-4731 Mitts Chapel Baptist 935 Cold Springs Rd., Deatsville 569-1952 Mt. Hebron West Baptist 150 Mt. Hebron Rd., Elmore 567-4441 Mt. Herron East Baptist Church 4355 Mt. Herron Rd. Eclectic, Al 36024 334-857-3689 Mountain View Baptist 1025 Rifle Range Rd., Wetumpka 567-4458 New Harmony Baptist 3094 New Harmony Rd., Marbury 312-1878 New Home Baptist 1605 New Home Rd., Titus 567-0923 New Hope Baptist 6191 Lightwood Rd., Deatsville 569-1267 New Lily Green Baptist 6504 Deatsville Hwy., Deatsville New Nazareth Baptist Hwy. 143, Deatsville Pleasant Hill Baptist Pleasant Hill Rd., Eclectic 541-3460 Prospect Baptist Prospect Rd., Eclectic 5675837 Redland Baptist 1266 Dozier Rd., Wetumpka 567-8649 Refuge Baptist Church 3098 Red Hill Road Tallassee 334-857-2638 Rehoberth Baptist 8110 Rifle Range Rd., Tallassee 567-9801 Rushenville Baptist 10098 Georgia Rd., Eclectic 541-2418 Saint James Baptist 1005 Nobles Rd., Wetumpka 567-6209 Saint James Baptist 101 Gantt Rd., Deatsville 5693006 Santuck Baptist 7250 Central Plank Rd., Wetumpka 567-2364 Seman Baptist
CALL TODAY
(205) www.ZJURRIV.com
FATHER MATEUSZ RUDZIK St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church
a plan for our lives. God loves you more than you could ever love anyone – we are His children. But that doesn’t mean we won’t ever suffer. Ask for what you need. He knows it already. Take it easy. We don’t have to be spectacular before Him to make a difference, and we don’t have to try and convince Him. The Lord’s Prayer continues: “And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” It is not about emotions. It’s about a decision to not forgive, not to let go. He comes back at the end: if
you will forgive, your Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive, your Father will not forgive you. Because your heart is closed. Locked in. His grace cannot reach you. With unforgiveness you lock yourself in a prison. It is crucial. He said it twice. Unforgiveness and resentment closes our hearts to God’s grace. But it is not necessarily about negative emotions; emotions may still stay around, even things that make us feel bad. But, we make the decision. We can choose to stay trapped in animosity or hatred or unforgiveness, or we can choose to treat others as we would like to be treated. That’s a good test of your forgiveness: if you are able to bless someone when you pray than yes, there is forgiveness. Even despite emotions, hurt, anger, and pain. The prayer continues: “And
Area Churches
Seman, Alabama Shoal Creek Baptist 13214 Holtville Rd., Deatsville 569-2482 Springfield Baptist Hwy. 7, Millbrook Thelma Baptist 810 Weoka Rd., Wetumpka 567-3665 Titus Baptist 6930 Titus Rd., Wetumpka 334-531-2120 Tunnell Chapel Baptist 210 Central Plank Rd., Wetumpka 567-2589 Victory Baptist 5481 Main St., Millbrook Wadsworth Baptist 2780 Hwy. 143, Deatsville 569-2851 BAPTIST - MISSIONARY Atkins Hill 565 Atkins Rd., Wetumpka 567-1141 Cathmagby Baptist 3074 Mitchell Creek Rd., Wetumpka 567-4787 First Missionary Baptist at Guilfield 412 Company St., Wetumpka 567-7455 Goodhope 1389 Willow Springs Rd. Wetumpka 567-7133 Lebanon 17877 U.S. Hwy. 231, Titus 514-1097 Mount Canaan 1125 Weoka Rd., Wetumpka 567-2141 Mount Pisgah 16621 U.S. Hwy. 231, Titus 567-3668 Mt. Zion 371 AL Hwy. 14, Elmore, 5672613 Mt. Zion #3 1813 Luke Paschal Rd., Eclectic New Home 5130 Elmore Rd., Wetumpka 567-5966 Second Missionary 760 N. Bridge St., Wetumpka 567-8601 Spring Chapel Jasmine Hill Rd., Wetumpka 567-6493 Sweetwater 163 Michael Lane, Wetumpka 334-538-9415 Tabernacle Baptist 1020 W. Tallassee St., Wetumpka 567-0620 BAPTIST - PRIMITIVE Bethel Old School 4625 Jackson Rd. (C.R. 103), Wetumpka Providence 4850 Chana Creek Rd., Wetumpka
CATHOLIC Our Lady of Guadalupe 545 White Rd., Wetumpka 567-0311
CHURCH OF CHRIST Church of Christ of Elmore 470 Caesarville Rd., Wetumpka 567-6670 Church of Christ Grandview Pines 165 Deatsville Hwy., Millbrook Cold Springs Church of Christ 5920 Alabama Hwy. 143, Deatsville Georgia Road Church of Christ 4003 Georgia Rd., Wetumpka 567-2804 Lightwood Church of Christ 251 New Harmony Rd., Deatsville 569-1510 Redland Road Church of Christ 2480 Redland Rd., Wetumpka 514-3656 Wetumpka Church of Christ W. Bridge St. At W. Main St., Wetumpka 567-6561 CHURCH OF GOD Elmore Church of God 10675 Rucker Road, Elmore Gethsemane Church of God 705 Cotton St., Wetumpka 567-9886 Church at the Brook 2890 Hwy. 14, Millbrook Maranatha Church of God 2621 Holtville Rd., Wetumpka 567-6786 Victory Tabernacle AOH Church of God 2080 Main Street, Millbrook Wetumpka Church of God Hwy. 9 N. Wetumpka 215-3091 CONGREGATIONAL CHRISTIAN Cedarwood Congregational Christian 10286 US Hwy 231 N, Wetumpka 567-0476 Seman Congregational Christian 15970 Central Plank Rd., Seman Union Congregational Christian 8188 Lightwood Rd., Marbury 569-2122 EPISCOPAL The Episcopal Church of the Epiphany 2602 Gilmer Ave., Tallassee 252-8618 Trinity Episcopal Church 5371 U.S. Hwy. 231, Wetumpka 567-7534 St. Michael & All Angels Church 5941 Main St., Millbrook HOLINESS New Beginnings Holiness 865 Crenshaw Rd., Wetumpka
lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” Know that you won’t win with sin. It works: “Daddy, You know that I am a sinner. Please help me. Only You can make it happen, not me.” When we approach our Father, we have to make our hearts ready for His presence. Love Him first and foremost. Know that He knows what you need. And then, ask. Keep it simple. Don’t forget to check if there is unforgivingness in your heart. And remember to know that only He can help you to sin no more. And that is our model for prayer. Father Mateusz Rudzik is an avid adventurer, paraglider, rock climber and motorcyclist. He is the pastor of St. Joseph Church and School in Tuskegee and St. Vincent de Paul Church in Tallassee.
567-9211 Summit Holiness 2050 Hwy. 14, Millbrook Temple of Deliverance Holiness 620 Alabama St., Wetumpka 514-3114 JEHOVAH’S WITNESS Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses 9235 U.S. Hwy. 231, Wetumpka 567-8100 LATTER DAY SAINTS Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 1405 Chapel Rd., Wetumpka 567-8339 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Cobbs Ford Rd., Millbrook LUTHERAN Christ Lutheran Church 2175 Cobbs Ford Rd., Prattville PRESBYTERIAN First Presbyterian Church 100 W. Bridge St., Wetumpka 567-8135 Millbrook Presbyterian Corner of Main St. & Coosada Rd. Valley View Presbyterian - PCA 4125 Rifle Range Rd. Wetumpka 386-2386 SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST First Elmore Seventh Day Adventist 210 Lucky Town Rd., Elmore 514-1020 INDEPENDENT METHODIST Claud Independent Methodist Church 81232 Tallassee Hwy, Eclectic 541-2552 UNITED METHODIST Cain’s Chapel United Methodist 96 Lightwood Rd., Deatsville 569-2375 Central United Methodist Church 11721 Central Plank Rd. Central Elmore United Methodist Church 40 Hatchet St., Elmore 567-8653 First United Methodist Church 306 W. Tuskeena St., Wetumpka 567-7865 First United Methodist Church 3350 Edgewood, Millbrook Harmony United Methodist Church 8000 Titus Rd., Titus Mulder Memorial United Methodist 3454 Fire Tower Rd., Wetumpka
567-4225 New Style United Methodist 64 Old Georgia Plank Spur, Wetumpka 567-9840 Oak Valley Station United Methodist 162 Parsonage Road, Tallassee 541-3924 Pierce Chapel United Methodist 1003 Pierce Chapel Rd., Santuck 265-6099 Providence United Methodist 1540 Providence Rd., Titus Robinson Springs Methodist Church 5980 Main St., Millbrook Trinity United Methodist 135 Little Weoka Creek Rd., Equality 567-9997 Union United Methodist 691 Central Rd. Eclectic Wallsboro United Methodist 11066 US Hwy. 231, Wetumpka CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE Millbrook Church of the Nazarene 3251 Browns Rd., Millbrook PENTECOSTAL Faith Deliverance Church 475 Jackson St., Elmore 5679209 Victory Temple 1173 Old Montgomery Hwy., Wetumpka 567-7779 OTHER Central Bible Chapel 3630 Edgewood Rd., Millbrook Chapel of Praise Hwy. 14, Millbrook Cornerstone Full Gospel 9301 US Hwy. 231, Wetumpka 567-9143 East Chapel MP Church Airport Rd., Millbrook Grace Bible Church 2251 Main St., Millbrook Gracepoint Community Church 78223 Tallassee Highway, Wetumpka 514-9292 New Life Church - Millbrook Sanctuary Worship Center 1688 Ceasarville Rd., Wetumpka Servant Fellowship Church P O Box 1423, Wetumpka 5672190 servantfellowshipchurch@windstream.net The Worship Center 2705 Williams Rd., Wetumpka Time of Refreshing Fellowship 117 E. Bridge St., Wetumpka 567-7750 Words of Life Church 105 Cousins Rd., Wetumpka 514-2730
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PAGE 10 • AUGUST 1, 2018
LIZI ARBOGAST Sports Editor
It’s the year of the fantasy running back
I
f you’re not building your fantasy football team around your running backs, you’re doing something wrong. Although the NFL has become more and more based on the passing game, the fantasy numbers still don’t stack up for receivers when compared to running backs. Also, I fully believe the run game is making its comeback — six teams in the NFL boasted more than 2,000 rushing yards in the regular season last year as compared to just four in 2016. Moreover, there’s a stellar rookie running back class coming in this season, highlighted by Penn State’s Saquon Barkley. Barkley is going to be a stud for the New York Giants and was such a good RB he was one of only five in the last 25 years who was taken in the top two at the NFL Draft. Although Barkley was easily the most-touted running back in this year’s draft class, the entire class is something to be excited about when drafting your fantasy football squad. Close to home (and now close to my heart), Auburn graduate Kerryon Johnson has a decent chance at getting a starting nod for the Detroit Lions, and there’s a number of other RBs who will easily be Week 1 starters. Rashaad Penny (Seattle Seahawks), Sony Michel (New England Patriots), Ronald Jones (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and Derrius Guice (Washington Redskins) are all shoo-ins for the top spot on their respective teams. They all also went in the first two rounds of the draft. Another running back to keep your eye on came out of the 2017 draft class, and that’s Alvin Kamara for the New Orleans Saints. According to ESPN. com, Kamara scored the fifth-most PPR fantasy points by a rookie ever, but he’ll especially valuable early on with Mark Ingram suspended for the first four games of the year. Running backs are also becoming more and more versatile, which makes them more prized when drafting a team. Christian McCaffrey had the fourthmost receptions by a rookie running back in NFL history, and Kareem Hunt was just the eighth rookie RB in history with more than 1,200 rushing yards, 50 catches and 10 touchdowns. Plus, there’s quite a few running backs who have become staples. If you can draft Le’Veon Bell, of the Pittsburgh Steelers, or Todd Gurley, of the Los Angeles Rams, do it. These guys are both dual-threat running backs. Bell was the Steelers’ leader in rushing yards a season ago and was also second best on the team in catches. Gurley had a phenomenal 2,093 yards from scrimmage last year, which made up 35 percent of the team’s offensive output. There’s also guys like LeSean McCoy and Ezekiel Elliott, of the Buffalo Bills and the Dallas Cowboys, respectively, who are going to be the go-to guys for their teams’ offenses. These are people who will rack up points from week to week. Don’t forget my rule about not drafting a fantasy quarterback until at least the third round — preferably the fourth. While there’s not a lot of point differential between the highest drafted quarterback and the lowest, that’s not the case for running backs. You want the best of the best, and this year, there’s a lot of the cream of the crop to go around. Lizi Arbogast is the sports editor of The Observer.
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Cantrell ready for debut season with Panthers By CALEB TURRENTINE Sports Writer
The Elmore County football team is looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2017 season and it has a new face at the helm to help out. Jordan Cantrell was officially announced as the new head coach in February and he has been impressed with his players during the switch. “It’s really been a smooth and fun transition,” Cantrell said. “We had a great and productive spring. And the players have responded well to all of the summer workouts.” The team worked with the new staff all summer, which has included a few team building activities. Cantrell said he has hosted dinners and hangouts at his house for the players. “Right now, it’s about learning to trust the system and trust the coaches,” he said. “We want to work hard but we want to have a relationship with them too.” Cantrell is taking over a program that has won three state championships and ten region championships. However, Elmore County has not made a playoff appearance since 2011 and saw a rapid decline in wins over the last three seasons. The Panthers finished last season with a 2-8, their lowest win total since 2000. Cantrell still says the
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D.J. Patrick (4) is one of the biggest returning threats for Elmore County this year.
expectations for the team are high but trying to get the program back on track is not bothering anyone so far. “We love the pressure,” he said. “I know I do and we have high expectations for our coaches to be able to coach these kids.” The new coach will be looking to his senior class of 15 players to help push the Panthers to a successful campaign in 2018. Senior athlete D.J. Patrick, who may be more known for his
accomplishments in track and field, has been made one of the captains of the team this summer. Patrick will be joined by fellow classmates Shakwan Bickley and Parker Watts as team captains. “We have 15 seniors, which I think is a lot for a 4A football team,” Cantrell said. “We’re looking to them to utilize their experience and lead this team.” The coach admitted the program’s playoff drought is on the mind of the team
already. There is not a single player on the roster that has played in an AHSAA playoff game so it is a goal they have already discussed. “We’re just excited about the year and ready to get started,” Cantrell said. “We are looking to have success both on the football field and off the field as individuals.” The Panthers will start their pursuit of the playoffs Aug. 31 with a game on the road against Marbury.
Former Tiger ace not letting health define legacy By CALEB TURRENTINE Sports Writer
Leader. Competitor. Success. Those are the three words Tallassee softball coach Pat Love use to describe recent graduate Haylee Osborne. However, the most impressive thing about Osborne may be what does not define her. When Osborne was 4 years old, a doctor told her parents they had found a tumor on one of her lungs. The doctors went over all of her options, including the possibility of a lobectomy or even chemotherapy. Jennifer Osborne, Haylee’s mother, said the doctors did not know how bad it would be until a surgery was performed. After eight hours of surgery, Haylee had one lung completely removed and the tumor was gone. She has been living with one lung ever since but you would not know it unless you asked her. “For two years we went back every three months and it never came back,” her mother said. “(The doctor) told us at these appointments that she would be able to do anything but probably have a hard time running a marathon.” Haylee does do what she wants to do but still has a more difficult time trying to catch her breath. However, she does not let it bother her on the field. “It happened so young
that I don’t even think about it that much,” Osborne said. “I never want to bring it up for softball because I don’t want people telling me, ‘You can’t do this’ or ‘You can’t do that.’” Osborne says she has always had to work a little harder to keep up. She says she’ll tell people she may get out of breath quicker but her head coach says she always fought through it. “To be honest with you, she has never let it bother her,” Love said. “She’s never used it for a crutch, she’s never complained about it. We always watch her and everything she’s doing but she has never once used it as an excuse.” Many people around Osborne do not even know about her medical situation. Love said there was probably 70 percent of her high school teammates who did not know she had just one lung. “I didn’t want people to feel sorry for me,” Osborne said. “I just want them to see me as another softball player that is working just as hard as everyone else.” Her teammates certainly responded to that during Osborne’s senior season. During the 2018 season, Osborne stepped up into a
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Tallassee’s Haylee Osborne has lived without a lung since she was 4 years old. But she was a star pitcher for the Tigers during the 2018 season.
leadership role she says she never expected to be in. “We were always looking for leaders but I was always too shy,” she said. “I was never the best pitcher or the best hitter. I thought that couldn’t be me.” However, with the help of the other seniors, Osborne found herself in that position. The University of Mobile signee helped push the Tigers to a 32-15 record that included an
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appearance in the Alabama Sports Writers Association state rankings for the first time in more than a decade. Tallassee was ranked ninth in the final poll and made it to the regional tournament in the postseason with Osborne leading the way. She finished the season with 14-6 record as a pitcher and logged a 2.17 earned-run average while striking out 87 batters in 113 innings. Osborne also managed to finish the season with a .333 batting average in 88 at bats while recording one home run and 15 runs batted in. Osborne is slated to begin her college career this fall in Mobile but she is still not letting that pesky missing lung bother her. She says the head coach is the only person in the program who already knows about it. “I’m just focused on what I can improve,” Osborne said. “Now I’m moving to college so I know I have to step up my conditioning work. I have to be able to do two or three times what I have been doing.” As for the three words Love used to describe her, Osborne said she likes those but she just had one more to add. “Different,” she said. “I like to say I’m different and unique. I did things my own way.” If there is anything that is sure in Haylee Osborne’s story, it is uniqueness. And the next chapter is about to begin.
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