Tallassee Tribune Dec. 13 2023

THS Teacher of the Year ‘firmly

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

into teaching. I want this to be the highlight of everybody’s day. That is what we are doing.” Free was humble when

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

By ABIGAIL MURPHY

Reporter

Obituaries

ANGELA DIANE HOLT FALKNER

Angela Diane Holt

Falkner, age 53, of Prattville, Alabama passed away on Sunday, December 10, 2023. Angela was a devoted wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, niece, and friend. She grew up in Tallassee, Alabama attending the First United Methodist Church of Tallassee and Tallassee City Schools. Her competitiveness in any sporting activity in which she engaged is legendary to this day by those who knew her. Angela graduated from Tallassee High School (1988), and later Auburn University (1995). She enjoyed a successful career with Hager Compa -

BARBARA TAYLOR

nies, locally operated in Hope Hull, AL, but based out of St. Louis, MO. She retired after 22 years of service in 2017 to become a stayat-home mother for her newly born daughter, Evie Adeline Falkner. Angela was simply the “absolute best among us”. She set the standard for love, compassion, competitiveness, and worship. She was the light of our lives- so kind and loving to all who knew her. She will live on in our hearts forever and now soars with Angels on High! She is survived by her husband of 16 years, Thomas Paul Falkner; daughter, Evie Adeline Falkner; stepdaughters, Kayla Shea Hartin (Charles

Ms. Barbara Taylor, originally from Tallassee Alabama passed away Friday December 9, 2023 at the age of 80. She was preceded in death by her parents Reuben and Edna Norrell. She is survived by her son Jimmy

Police Reports

TALLASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT

DEC. 11

• A suspicious vehicle was reported on Herren Hill Road.

• Assistance was given to medics on Tallassee Highway.

DEC. 10

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Indian Trail.

• A white male was arrested during a traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.

• A welfare check was conducted on Notasulga Road.

• A suspicious subject was reported on Freeman Avenue.

• A suspicious subject was reported on Central Boulevard.

• A private property accident was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• Debris was reported in the roadway on Gilmer Avenue.

• Unauthorized use of a vehicle was reported on Birch Street.

• Harassment was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

DEC. 9

• A fight was reported on Carr Circle. DEC. 8

• A noise complaint was reported on Freeman Avenue.

“Chip”); and Maria Danielle Falkner; parents, James Wesley Holt and Linda Louise Posey Holt; granddaughter, Addison Faith Yeargan; mother-in-law, Shirley Jean Wood Falkner; brothers, James Keith Holt (Terry) and Wesley Adam Holt (Jo); sister, Laura Holt Sanders (Craig); sisters-in-law, Patricia Falkner Spencer (George), Tammy Falkner Weathers (John) and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, and uncles. She is preceded in death by her infant son, Samuel Paul Falkner; Father-in-law, Tommie Bristow Falkner; Grandparents, Walter Ray Posey, Sr.; Louise Stanfield Posey;

Taylor (Sam) daughter Cathy Kohn, siblings David Norrell, Carol Akin (Ben), Wanda Norrell, 4 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. The Memorial Service for family and friends will be at 1:00 Saturday December

• Animal control was requested on Gilmer Avenue.

• Assistance was given to medics on Tallassee Highway.

• Menacing was reported on Friendship Road.

• A welfare check was conducted on Cherokee Trail.

DEC. 7

• A mental subject was reported on Lower Tuskegee Road.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Jordan Avenue.

• A juvenile complaint was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

DEC. 6

• Suspicious activity was reported on Lower Tuskegee Road.

• H arassment was reported on South Tallassee Drive.

• Assistance was given to another agency on Notasulga Road.

• Reckless driving was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• Trespassing was reported on Benson Avenue.

• A motor vehicle accident was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Friendship Road.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on

John Wesley Holt; Evi Gwendolyn Hornsby Holt; sister-in-law, Karen Raines Holt. A visitation for Angela will be held Wednesday, December 13, 2023, from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM at First Methodist Church, 100 E. 4th St., Prattville, AL 36067. Following the visitation will be a funeral service at 10:30 AM at First Methodist Church, 100 E. 4th St., Prattville, AL 36067. Burial will take place at Prattville Memorial. Officiating will be Dr. Tony McCullough and Mr. Tyler Hale. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the American Cancer Society or your local Humane Shelter.

16, 2023 at Beulah Baptist Church, 5891 Lovelady Road, Dadeville, Alabama. Officiating will be Pastor Rodney Harper. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to your local or favorite Humane Shelter.

Clayton Road.

• Harassing communications was reported on Notasulga Road.

• Criminal mischief was reported on Alber Drive.

• A private property motor vehicle accident was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• A white male was arrested on U.S. Highway 231.

• An abandoned vehicle was reported on Highway 229. DEC. 5

• Trespassing was reported on Lower Tuskegee Road.

• A fight was reported on First Avenue.

• Criminal trespassing was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Gilmer Avenue.

• Harassing communications was reported on North Ann Avenue.

• Assistance was given to another agency on Taylor Road.

• A suspicious subject was reported on Hillcrest Street. DEC. 4

• A suspicious vehicle was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• Gunshots were reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• A domestic incident was reported on Second Avenue.

• A Black female was arrested during a traffic stop on South Tallassee Drive.

• An animal complaint was reported on John Street.

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Riverside Avenue.

• Animal control was requested on Freeman Avenue.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on John Street.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Gilmer Avenue.

• A white female was arrested during a traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.

• Livestock was reported in the roadway on Gammils Store Road.

WETUMPKA POLICE

DEPARTMENT

DEC. 2

• Domestic violence was reported on West Tuskeena Street. NOV. 30

• Harassment was reported on Welch Drive.

• Negotiating a worthless negotiable instrument was reported on Wilson Street.

TAYLOR

Humane Society of Elmore County News Shop at Tail’s End Thrift Store for Christmas gifts

By REA CORD HSEC Executive Director

On Saturday, we hope you can stop by for our Christmas Open House from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at our Tail’s End Thrift Store and the shelter to say hi and enjoy some snacks and Christmas cheer. The 75% off sale of all Christmas items in the Holiday Barn at the Thrift Store continues so that’s just another great reason to stop by.

Reminder our Tail’s End Thrift Store is open for shopping from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and accepts donations from 9 a.m. to noon those same days. There are only two more weeks until Christmas and our store has something for everyone – clothes, furniture, art, books, collectibles, small appliances, jewelry, household items, holiday items, pet items and so much more. If it sells you can probably find it in our store. While at our thrift store

please thank our volunteers who work so hard receiving, sorting and selling all of the donated items on behalf of all the animals we all work so hard to help. There’s nothing more they would like than more volunteers to help so ask anyone there about volunteering. You will join a very dedicated group and have fun to boot.

We are immensely grateful to all who have donated both dog and cat food lately. While we would never let our pets run out of food, the generosity of so many people to our requests is most humbling. We certainly know how the cost of pet food has increased so fully understand that donating large bags might be a bit challenging so please know all donations make a difference and are greatly appreciated.

We are also receiving many most wonderful financial donations to the shelter and cannot thank everyone enough for such tremendous support.

We do get asked about donations of stock and the easiest way to do that is through our Humane Society of Elmore County Endowment with the Central Alabama Community Foundation. You can find all of their contact information on their website at https:// cacfinfo.org/ or just get with us and we are happy to put you in touch with CACF to facilitate such generosity.

Have questions about our Shelter? There’s a good chance our website has the answer so check it out at www.elmorehumane.org. But for any questions you can also call us at 334-567-3377, email hselco@bellsouth. net, or message us on our Shelter’s Facebook page. And just in case snail mail will work best – send correspondence to 255 Central Plank Road, Wetumpka, AL 36092.

Rea Cord is the executive director of the Humane Society of Elmore County.

Igor is an 18-pound male Terrier/Beagle mix who is about 9 ½ years old. Igor is missing one eye but that does not slow him down at all. Igor is a simply wonderful dog with people and most dogs, but best with dogs bigger than him and not so good with cats. He is housetrained, loves being a lap dog, active but not crazy, good on a leash, loves being inside. He goes out to do his business then right back inside. He loves snuggling under the bed covers to sleep with you. Igor does need a well-fenced

Tallassee man sentenced to 20 years for child sex abuse

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

Charles Davis was sentenced to 20 years in prison after guilty pleas to child sex abuse and trafficking.

According to court records Davis, 37, having a Tallassee address, agreed to a plea deal last week to settle five different cases involving multiple counts of trafficking, rape, sexual torture, domestic violence, sodomy and theft.

DAVIS

“It was a global plea,” Fifth Judicial Circuit District Attorney Mike Segrest said. “This settles multiple cases.” Segrest said families of the victims were consulted as part of the plea process. The plea means child victims didn’t have to take the stand. It also means

Davis wouldn’t have to be tried multiple times for the cases against him. In the end Davis pleaded guilty to two counts of human trafficking, first degree sexual abuse, sexual abuse of child less than 12 and first-degree theft. Several of the counts against Davis were dropped as part of the deal.

Davis was indicted in February 2019 on charges of sexual abuse of a child under 12 and three counts of first-degree sodomy.

The indictment said Davis subjected a child less than 12 to sexual contact and engaged in first-degree sodomy on three occasions.

According to court records, more charges and indictments were added over the next two years. Davis will now be processed into the Alabama Department of Corrections to serve prison time. Upon release from prison Davis is required to register as a sex offender.

Youth Leadership visits commission

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

For 20 years the Elmore County Extension Service has been hosting county students for Youth Leadership Elmore County. For as many years they have visited with the Elmore County Commission. County extension agent Katrina Mitchell said this year’s group was special.

“It is the biggest class we have ever had,” Mitchell told the commission at its Monday meeting. “Even though this group is large, about one third are out tonight because they are studying for exams or are sick.”

The students visit with the commission to see

The commission honored Tallassee High School senior swimmer Macey Stewart for her recent AHSAA Swimming State Championships in the 100-yard freestyle and backstroke. The two titles give her nine state championships in her high school career.

how the county government operates. Each one was given a chance to introduce themselves to the commission.

Commissioner Desirae Lewis Jackson said she remembered sitting in the same seats as a student. Mitchell reminded the students they too could grow up to be public servants like Jackson.

The commission honored Tallassee High School senior swimmer

Macey Stewart for her recent AHSAA Swim -

Elmore County Community Calendar

THURSDAY, DEC. 14

ming State Championships in the 100-yard freestyle and backstroke. The two titles give her nine state championships in her high school career.

IN OTHER BUSINESS THE ELMORE COUNTY COMMISSION:

• Approved a lounge retail liquor Class II Package Alcohol License Transfer for Redland Package Store following a public hearing without any comments.

• Approved a retail beer and table alcohol

FRIDAY, DEC. 15 — SUNDAY, DEC. 17 PICKLEBALL TOURNAMENT: The Alabama State Games will be hosting its inaugural Dinklebells Pickleball Tournament at 17 Springs in Millbrook from Dec. 15-17. The event is in conjunction with the Greater Montgomery YMCA. Friday will be single play, Saturday co-ed doubles and Sunday men’s and women’s doubles. It will be a round-robin tournament with a single elimination final. Registration is now available online.

license transfer for Dollar General on Holtville Road after a public hearing without any comments.

• Approved minutes of the Nov. 27 meeting.

• Approved memorandum of warrants totaling $2,018,302.60 for the period of Nov. 18 to Dec. 1.

• Set a public hearing for 5 p.m. Jan. 8 for the proposed vacation of an unnamed road off Gray’s Ferry Road in Titus.

• Set a public hearing for 5 p.m. Jan. 8 for an off premises retail beer and retail wine license transfer for Revv Store on U.S. Highway 231.

The next meeting of the Elmore County Commission is scheduled for 5 p.m. Jan. 8.

yard as if he gets out, he will take off. He is also not keen on being crated and really no need to because he is housetrained. So if you are looking for a wonderful older, smaller dog, get your application in for Igor!

The Humane Society of Elmore County’s adoption fees are $100 for dogs and $50 for cats under 1 year old. Cats over 1 can be adopted by approved adopters for a fee of their choosing. This adoption fee covers the mandatory spay or neuter, basic immuni-

zations, deworming, microchip, heartworm check for dogs, rabies vaccination if old enough and a free health exam with your participating veterinarian. If you are interested in meeting Cola or any of the pets at HSEC, the first step is to fill out an adoption application online. Once approved, you will be contacted by someone from the humane society. HSEC is located at 255 Central Plank Road in Wetumpka. The phone number is 334-567-3377 and the website is www.elmorehumane.org.

Pet of the Week - Igor

Tallassee Talks

Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown

AObituaries:

(Herald, Observer, Tribune). Obituaries are only accepted via the funeral home in charge of arrangements. We do not accept obituaries from individuals.

Weddings, Engagements, Anniversaries, or Birth

Announcements: These significant family events or milestones are 35 cents per word and $25 for a photo and must be emailed to us at announcements@thewetumpkaherald.com. Include name and telephone number. 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 or The Tribune.

Charlie Brown Christmas first aired on CBS in 1965. In the years since, it has rightfully become a cultural icon.

A tradition on CBS from 1965 until 2000, it moved to ABC from 2001 until 2020 when AppleTV+ bought the rights to the Peanuts properties. To see A Charlie Brown Christmas today, one must purchase the DVD or subscribe to AppleTV+.

The “Peanuts” comic strip, created by Charles Schulz, had been around for a decade before he had the idea to move his characters to television.

Not described as light nor carefree, the “Peanuts” kids did have a certain darkness to them; they struggled with adult-sized themes in a child’s world.

The backstory of the making of the Charlie Brown Christmas special is fascinating. Schulz operated on a shoestring budget, which explains the choppy animation style and the (by today’s standards) poorly mixed sound. While not particularly religious, Schulz felt that a retelling of the Christmas story from Luke was a vital part of the narrative. Network bosses bristled at this, and asked him to cut

the Bible story from the show. He refused, saying, “if we don’t tell the true meaning of Christmas, who will?”

This cartoon was also missing a laugh track, characteristic of many of the animated productions of its day. The voices of real children were used, as opposed to seasoned professional voice actors.

Perhaps most notably, the jazzy score by the Vince Guaraldi trio lent an elegiac quality to much of the action in the special. The background music we hear as Charlie Brown searches for a sincere Christmas is downbeat and, at times, heartbreaking. Charlie Brown is an Everyman character, a lovable loser who never stops trying, despite so-called friends who bully him. They call him “stupid” and “blockhead” continuously, especially when he fails to find the perfect Christmas tree for the school play he was chosen

to direct. In the midst of all of Charlie Brown’s drama, other characterizations shine with sincerity. Lucy the foulmouthed bully; Schroeder the classical pianist; Snoopy the notso-loyal beagle who saves the day; and Linus as the voice of reason, who takes center stage and recites the Gospel passage.

Animation has experienced a renaissance in recent years. The Simpsons, American Dad, South Park, Family Guy, Robot Chicken, BoJack Horseman, SpongeBob SquarePants, and many others are found at virtually any time of day on any channel. However, along with this expansion of offerings, the temptation to overload every frame with sarcasm and cynicism is prevalent. There is also a reliance on scatological humor for cheap laughs, even on the better shows.

A Charlie Brown Christmas stands alone as the only real example of simplicity and sincerity during the Christmas season. There are no fancy effects or celebrity voice-overs, just a search for the truth behind the holiday.

Michael Bird is a choral director for Tallassee City Schools.

The legend of Sen. John Sparkman

In my 2015 book, “Of Goats and Governors: Six Decades of Colorful Alabama Political Stories,” I have a chapter entitled “Alabama’s Three Greatest Senators.” I chronicle the lives and accomplishments of Richard Shelby, Lister Hill and John Sparkman. Last week we gave you the history of Hill. This week we will give you a brief story of the legacy of the great John Sparkman. Hill and Sparkman served as a tandem in Washington for more than 20 years and were respected giants on Capitol Hill. Our Hill-Sparkman team was unsurpassed in power and prestige from 1946 to 1970. They were admired, not only in Alabama and the South, but throughout the nation. They were powerful and extremely effective for our state, but also portrayed a good image as erudite southern gentlemen.

Sparkman served an amazing 32 years in the United States Senate from 1946 through 1978. He served 12 years in the U.S. Congress from Huntsville and the Tennessee Valley, prior to being elected to the Senate. He made his presence known as Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, which at the time oversaw housing for America. Furthermore, he was the Democratic nominee for Vice President in 1952.

Sparkman is the Father of the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville. His legacy lives on today with the growth and aerospace prominence of our Rocket City. Our fastest growing and most economically prosperous metropolitan area began its presence in the 1960s because of John Sparkman. In fact, the city should probably be referred to as Sparkmanville rather than Huntsville.

Sparkman was not born into privilege like Hill. Sparkman was born and raised on an unpretentious tenant farm near Hartselle in Morgan County. He had 10 brothers and sisters. In 1917, by making a cotton crop and netting $75.00 he was able to enroll in the University of Alabama. At Alabama he was editor of the “Crimson and White” and like Hill, he was elected President of the Student Body at the Capstone. At the same time, he worked his way through school shoveling coal and feeding furnaces. After graduation from the University of Alabama School of Law, he practiced law in Huntsville for 12 years before being elected to Congress in 1936. Like Hill, he supported President Roosevelt’s New Deal. The passage of the Tennessee Valley Authority (“TVA”) Act was a tremendous boost for his North Alabama Tennessee Valley district. The TVA Act transformed North Alabama. In 1946, he had served his North Alabama congressional district well for over a decade and was elected to the U.S. Senate. Senator John Bankhead had died in office and Sparkman won the seat handily with strong backing of labor unions who were in their heyday in Alabama politics.

Sparkman rose to power and prominence in the Senate. He made his mark as the father of federal housing for the poor. He became chairman of the very powerful Senate Banking Committee, as well as its Housing Subcommittee. Sparkman was the author of practically every major housing bill since World War II, and is also known as the father of the Small Business Administration. He was also the ranking majority member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

For more than two decades, Sparkman and Hill served together as a team, the most powerful and respected tandem in Washington. While some Southern senators were making racist speeches on the floor of the U.S. Senate, Hill and Sparkman refused to race bait. They preferred to quietly bring home the bacon to Alabama with dignity. They had a team approach to helping Alabama and their voting records on major issues, which faced the nation, were identical. Both men served as president of the student body of the University of Alabama, and both were products of what is known as the political machine at the University of Alabama.

John Sparkman was a giant in the United States Senate and an icon in Alabama political history.

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 www. steveflowers.us.

MICHAEL BIRD Columnist

STEVE FLOWERS Columnist

CLIFF WILLIAMS | THE TRIBUNE Christmas cheer filled the streets of Tallassee Saturday as the annual Tallasse Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade took place. Chamber director Jerry Cunningham said the parade had more entrants than ever. Floats carrying children of all ages left East Tallassee and finished at Tallassee High School throwing candy and other treats along the way. Everyone’s favorite Santa finished out the parade.

Sonny Hornsby. But Sunday carolers welcomed the community back in for an open house benefiting the Association of Christians in Tallassee for Service.

“We have a clothing bank, food bank and we assist local families with utilities,” Lori Butler said as she welcomed guests to Seven Gables Sunday afternoon. “Almost all of the churches help support the mission.”

It is the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic ACTS has held the open house fundraiser at Seven Gables. Owners Noah and Pam Griggs welcomed the organization and community back into the home for the holidays.

“It is a wonderful group and cause,” Griggs said. “It is also to bring the community together and celebrate Christmas. We want to get everybody in the spirit.”

In 2022, ACTS served 734 clients from or nearby to Tallassee.

The organization distributed 5.7 tons of food, gave 174 families clothing and 87 families utility assistance.

Butler said each church involved in ACTS is responsible for certain food items to help ensure the center has a variety of food items.

“The entire community can also donate through monetary donations, clothing and home items,” Butler said. The organization is headquartered in East Tallassee open on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Butler said those seeking assistance are vetted so as not to take advantage of the services.

“Everything is done on a case by case basis,” she said.

Seven Gables was decorated Sunday with seven Christmas trees, garland all around and carolers in period costume creating a

holiday feel despite the rain outside. It was just the environment the Griggs wanted to help ACTS raise funds.

The home was built by Winton Blount Jr. in 1939. He started the Bank of Tallassee, owned part of the railroad in the area and the family was greatly involved in textiles. Blount was even U.S. Postmaster General from 1969 to 1972. The Blount family also became famous for international construction and is largely respon-

ily,” she said. “It’s different from any school I have ever worked at. We work with an attitude of, ‘We get to do this,’ not one of, ‘We have to do this.’”

“I feel like everyone here contributes so much,” she said. “I felt honored they would think of me in that light because we really have such a great staff. Everybody cares. There’s not a single person who works here that doesn’t care about the students. It’s not just, does this student have good grades. It’s about them as a person and it’s super individualized.”

At the beginning of her teaching career, Willis was a career and tech teacher in ag science for six years then she got recertified to teach the life sciences, where she feels her passion really lies.

Willis started working in education in 2014. Reeltown is her third school, where she began in 2021.

“I feel like Reeltown has such an environment of fam-

Being the only life sciences teacher at Reeltown, she sees the kids grow from ninth through 12th grade. She said building relationships with the students is her favorite part.

With it being a small, tight-knit community, Willis said she loves seeing former students come home and loves when she gets to hear about what they have done since graduation.

Willis said when she tells people she’s a high school teacher, they always say they could never do it, implying because of the kids. However, she said the students are one of the best parts.

Before she was a teacher, she waitressed, worked at Auburn University as an agronomy lab technician and did substitute teaching brief-

sible for Blounty Park and the Alabama Shakespeare Festival in Montgomery.

Griggs said Blount’s attention to detail in construction is evident throughout the home. The molding in the living room is so intricate it can’t be replicated. The built-in cases in the dining room have the same shell-like carvings found in the Oval Office. Griggs said they show the connections between the Blounts and The White House.

ly before becoming a fulltime teacher.

“The most challenging part of being a teacher is balance,” she said. “I have always had this mentality of I give 100% but it’s impossible to give 100% to your job, 100% to your kids, 100% to your husband. The past couple of years I have been focused on finding a healthy balance between all those.”

Willis said, like many teachers, she holds herself to high standards. She wants to be a great teacher, a great mom, a great wife, a great friend. While she tries to find her balance, she reminds herself every day is a new day with new opportunities.

Once her students leave her classroom for the final time, Willis said she hopes they not only learned a lot about science, but she has taught them the tools they need to be able to accomplish what they want out of life.

The Griggs are Tallassee natives and acquired the home from the City of Tallassee in 2017. They began renovating it bringing back its splendor, saving the molding and much of the craftsmanship from almost a century ago. “If you did just the woodwork and crown molding it would probably cost more than $500,000, if you could get somebody to do that kind of work,” Griggs said.

“The fireplace in the living room, the carvings are beautiful.” Griggs said he and his wife feel an obligation to restore a home like Seven Gables to live in.

“There is an obligation to restore it. We brought it back to life,” Griggs said. “It is a good reminder that we are blessed. This is why we like sharing it with the community. There are so many people in the community that have memories and experiences here.”

TEACHER

Continued from A1

talking about being selected as Tallassee High School’s teacher of the year.

“I pour myself into my program and my kids,” Free said. “I absolutely love what I do and to serve Tallassee is a high honor. I strive to be the best teacher that I can possibly be and for my class to be the best class each student has.”

Tallassee High School principal Drew Glass said Free is a valuable asset to the school and community.

“He is willing to do anything that is asked of him,” Glass said.

“He challenges his students to become better than they were the day before in his class.”

Free gives the credit to a lot of his success to his “amazing” students.

“They push me to keep learning so we can go even deeper in subject matters,” Free said. “I’ve learned that to teach once is to learn twice. Therefore, I’m a professional learner who gets the ultimate privilege to take what I have learned and currently learning and use it to impact my kids in subjects they love.”

Free has students learning hydroponics, beef evaluation and construction. Lately students have been building shooting houses. It will create a shelter students can hunt from for decades but the skills learned can translate to a career tech credential in construction.

“They are building shooting houses now to

familiarize themselves with stud walls, rafters and so on,” Free said.

“These are some of the skills they need for that credential.”

As his students are committed to him, Free is committed to the students and Tallassee. He grew up in north Alabama and has had an opportunity to return to teach agribusiness.

But he sees a future at Tallassee built on the foundation of former agribusiness teacher and current Tallassee City Schools superintendent Dr. Brock Nolin.

“This is where my family and I want to be,” Free said. “We have roots here now. We are firmly planted in Tallassee. Even with what I built off what Nolin built already, I am still getting started. I have big plans.”

WILLIS

CLIFF WILLIAMS THE TRIBUNE

Current Seven Gables owners Noah and Pam Griggs love the detail in the woodwork of the home. They believe the molding in the ceiling of the living and around the fireplace is nearly impossible to recreate. The shells in the top of the builtin cases in the dining room are very similar to those in the Oval Office at the White House.

n theology, the word glorification or the doctrine of glorification refers to the nature of believers after death and judgment, “the final step in the application of redemption.” A much clearer understanding is how believers will be resurrected or brought forth after death and given new bodies that have a degree of their continuity with their mortal or eternal selves, (Psalm 49:15, John 11:23-24, 1 Corinthian 15:20, Daniel 12:2).

Since Thanksgiving, have you stood on the scales and watched as the numbers increase and felt your clothes fit a little snugger? Most of us wonder what our

body will be like in Heaven. Will we have the figure of a model? What about the armchair quarterback or Facebook quarterback, who knows exactly how a play should be executed; will he/ she be the “hero” player in Heaven? Think about all the physical battle scars we carry around or the blemishes left from teenage “zits” Noxzema never clears. The Corinthians might

have been thinking much the same as they asked the question, “How are the dead raised up and with what body do they enter Heaven?” The Apostle Paul referred to our “glorified bodies.” John, an eyewitness to the resurrected body of Christ himself, reminded us that “we shall be like Him”, (1 John 3:2).

Paul’s writing takes us a little deeper by saying flesh and blood and corruption cannot inherit the kingdom of God. It is truly a mystery knowing we will all be changed. The sting of death will be no more and our victory will be in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Tallassee Churches

If you are not a Christian, I must agree that there are things in the scripture that seem unreal to the human eyes, ears, and heart. But we as Christians will gain victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. “Watch and stand fast in the faith!” Will we know each other in Heaven? Scripture indicates we will recognize each other. Again, Paul makes it clear, “now I know in part, then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” I do not understand , although Jesus was transformed into His heavenly glory before the eyes of some of His disciples and “His face shone like the sun, and His clothes

became as white as the light (Matthew 17:2) but yet His disciples recognized Him”. Most likely, we will need to wait until God’s glory comes in the person of Christ at the end of time to fully grasp what our body will be like. But one thing is sure. If we have a body like that of Christ, we will not be disappointed. Our prayer is God will help us to anticipate with joy and thanksgiving our future hope of a resurrected, glorified body.

Jackie Wilbourn, member of Bethel Baptist Church, is a chaplain with Alabama Baptist Disaster Team.

JACKIE WILBOURN Columnist

Dalton MiDDleton SportS eDitor dalton.middleton@thewetumpkaherald.com

Tallassee’s Thornton scores 50, sets new career high

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

Tallassee junior Rowen Thornton won’t forget Tuesday’s night game anytime soon.

Thornton, who has already set multiple career highs this season in points scored, set a new personal record for himself that is going to be quite tough to beat. The 6-foot-4 shooting guard scored 50 points in a 79-38 win over Ellwood Christian, based out of Selma. Thornton single-handedly outscored Ellwood by himself.

“Rowen has a lot of experience, but his game is still developing,” coach Keiven Mixson said.

“Every game he plays, he’s gaining confidence and learning more and more about what he can do. The more he scores, the more he realizes he really can put the ball in the hoop. He’s learning different ways to score as well. Last night, he was scoring three or four different ways and

‘WE

ALL WE GOT, WE ALL WE NEED’

Reeltown

stars of today and tomorrow reflect on season

By HENRY ZIMMER Sports Writer

When Reeltown’s season concluded on Friday at the 2A state title game in Tuscaloosa, head coach Matt Johnson brought four players with him to talk to the media. After the Rebels were defeated by Fyffe 43-24, Johnson was joined by seniors Arthur Woods and Jake Hornsby, junior Tae Martin and freshman Traylen Roberts.

For Woods and Hornsby, the duo were coming off their final football game ever as Rebels. The pair had been step for step with one another on both sides of the ball for years, and reminisced on what all they have accomplished while donning their school colors.

“Something that is really special about our guys is how much

fight we have,” Hornsby said postgame. “I love each and every one of these guys. We never gave up.”

In his final outing as Reeltown’s quarterback, Hornsby might have had his best game to date.

He finished his day 17-22 passing for 149 yards and a touchdown. On defense, Hornsby led the squad from his middle linebacker position with a teamhigh nine tackles.

During Fyffe’s opening drive, the Red Devils rattled off a 77-yard rush that led to a score.

Hornsby said even after a shaky start, he and his teammates never once backed down.

“We gave up a huge run and man, we were frustrated — but not once did doubt creep in,” Hornsby said.

As has been the calling card for Reeltown’s star running back,

Woods also had a stellar final showing.

He finished with a team-high 94 rushing yards and one rushing score. He was third on the team in tackles with four from the safety spot.

Woods has never been one for long winded speeches or the limelight in general. He keeps his nose to the grindstone and plays every snap like it is his last.

He could have easily given up on his final year, as he played the entire season with a nagging shoulder injury. Late in the postseason, the shoulder injury seemed to wear on the back more and more, but never once did it stop him from playing.

In his last year, Woods tallied 2,241 rushing yards and 33 rushing touchdowns.

Reeltown falls in state championship final

By HENRY ZIMMER Sports Writer

Reeltown’s undefeated 2023 season came to a close on Friday evening. Playing in the AHSAA 2A state championship in Bryant-Denny Stadium, the Rebels were defeated by Fyffe, 43-24. The loss was the second since 2019 in the championship game at the hands of the Red Devils.

“This is one of the goals,” Reeltown coach Matt Johnson said. “You want to be in this position. I was proud of how our guys prepared and how they handled (Thursday) and (Friday). That shows the leadership on this team. I commend them.”

Fyffe started the game with a bang, rushing a ball 77 yards to the edge of the red zone.

Two plays later, the Red Devils were on the board.

Reeltown responded with a Tae Martin jet sweep score, but failed on the two-point try. Both of Reeltown’s two-point attempts in the first half were passes that fell incomplete.

Wasting no time, Fyffe scored on its next possession, as did Reeltown.

Each team had two drives, and each team had two scores.

Senior Arthur Woods punched in the second touchdown of the first quarter for his Rebels from 13 yards out.

But that was it for the Reeltown (14-1) scoring in the first half.

Facing a fourth-and-1 with 3:37 to go in the first half, quarterback Jake Hornsby aired a ball out that fell incomplete over the outstretched arms of Finn Henderson.

Hornsby had hit Henderson for 15 earlier in the game, but could not connect in the waning minutes of the second quarter.

Fyffe (14-1) promptly marched down the field and scored with just 25 seconds to play.

At halftime, Fyffe had clear control, out gaining Reeltown 276 yards to 158.

Martin had 59 total yards, Traylen Roberts had 41 yards rushing and Woods had 40 but all of those totals paled in comparison to that of Fyffe’s Logan Anderson.

At the stoppage, Anderson had 159 yards and three scores.

Reeltown was supposed to receive the opening kick of the second half, but a surprise onside and subsequent recovery

Tallassee wrestling earns best finish ever at Swede Umbach

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

The Tallassee wrestling team impressed among some of the best teams in Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia this weekend.

The Tigers captured second at the Swede Umbach Wrestling Tournament in Auburn; it was the highest finish Tallassee has had in the tournament.

Six individual wrestlers placed as Land Bell and Ramon Lozada both claimed championships while Mason Nelson, Christian McCary and Ethan Jones both finished second. Avery Brantley rounded out the team placements with a third-place finish.

Bell and Lozada are the first two Tallassee wrestlers to win their weight class at the Swede Umbach in seven or eight years, according to Tiger coach John Mask.

“I thought we did really well over there,” Mask said. “The kids got to see a lot of good competition. You find out where you’re at when you wrestle good teams, and this is one of the top wrestling tournaments of the year. I was tickled by the way our guys wrestled.”

Lozada, who transferred to Tallassee from Wetumpka this offseason, impressed in his championship run in the 120-pound class.

After receiving a bye in the first round due to having one of the higher seeds, he pinned his first two opponents in Stanhope Elmore’s Michael Johnson and Beauregard’s Brandon Harman.

In the semifinals, he faced Enterprise’s Paxton Hanshaw and cruised to a 7-0 decision win.

That set up a massive showdown with John Duncan from Pike Road, the No. 1-ranked 120-pound wrestler in Class 6A. Duncan and Lozada had faced each other countless times over the last few years. Saturday’s match showed they knew each other really well.

Lozada pulled out an 11-7 victory over Duncan to hand him only his

second loss of the season while Lozada remained unbeaten at 16-0.

In that matchup, Lozada went up 9-0 after a takedown and two near falls in the first two sets. But Duncan battled back in the third and final set but his deficit was too much to overcome.

“Ramon has such a tenacity about him and he works really hard every day in practice,” Mask said. “We knew coming in he was the No. 2 seed and Duncan was No. 1 and they were 4-4 against each other in their careers. They’re both phenomenal and have had some epic battles. It was a great finals match.”

Bell went 5-0 on the day with three pins and two decisions in the semifinals and championship rounds. Bell is the defending Class 5A state champion in the 132-pound class and is out to a 16-0 record in his title defense.

Nelson (113) went 3-1 and lost to Eli Sanders by decision in the championship. Sanders is the No. 4-ranked wrestler in Class 7A in 113.

Jones also had a tough match against one of 7A’s best wrestlers. After going 4-0 with three pins, he faced Spain Park’s Bradley Williams, the No. 1-ranked 7A wrestler in 144. Wrestling in 150 now, he earned a technical fall win over Jones with a 16-1 score.

McCary went undefeated against wrestlers from Alabama, but fell in the championship match. He defeated wrestlers from Prattville, Enterprise and Central via pin, but lost to Tim Dunn from Troup, Ga. by a score of 9-4 in the championship match.

Brantley finished 4-1. After falling in the semifinals, he bounced back with a 10-0 win in the third place consolation bracket.

“It definitely was a tough tournament,” Mask said. “I believe we grew from this and are going to get better. I saw some things for us to work on and where we can get better. But it was a great experience. It was two long days of wrestling against some great competition.”

THE TRIBUNE

Tallassee junior Rowen Thornton shoots the ball. Thornton scored a career-high 50 points in a win over Ellwood Christian on Tuesday night.

Tallassee’s Ramon Lozada, top, pins Elmore County’s Davis Andres earlier this season. Lozada recently won the Swede Umbach championship in the 120-pound class.

Local football stars to play in All-Star games

STAFF REPORT

By TPI Staff

Three of the area’s best athletes will showcase their abilities on a football field for the last time in their high school careers.

The AHSAA NorthSouth All-Star Football Classic and the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Football Classic take place this weekend.

The North-South Classic is at 2 p.m. Friday in Mobile and will feature two of the area’s top skill players in Elmore County’s Jabari Murphy and Reeltown’s Arthur Woods.

Murphy, rated a threestar receiver, recently wrapped up an impressive career by helping Elmore County to a 8-3 record and a playoff appearance. For his senior season, he recorded 37 catches for 500 yards and five touchdowns. On the ground, he rushed 51 times for 363 yards and five touchdowns.

Woods had one of the best rushing seasons in all of Alabama as he helped Reeltown finish 13-1 overall and runner-up in Class 2A. In 14 games, he rushed 169 times for 2,241 yards and 33 touchdowns.

Both will be joined by their coaches, Elmore County’s Kyle Caldwell and Reeltown’s Matt Johnson. In his second year at ECHS, Caldwell is 15-7 with back-to-back playoff appearances.

Johnson just wrapped up his ninth season leading the Rebels and has a record of 68-28 with two state championship appearances.

In the Alabama-Mississippi game, only one county player will represent among the state’s best 40 football players.

THURSDAY, DEC. 14

4 Stanhope Elmore at Park Crossing, 4:30 p.m.

SCHOOL BASKETBALL 4 Reeltown at Elmore County, 4:30 p.m.

4 BTW at Holtville, 5:30 p.m. 4 Prattville at Wetumpka, 6 p.m. 4 Lee at Stanhope Elmore, 6 p.m.

Wetumpka’s Clark Barker, an offensive lineman, was selected to play. He helped Wetumpka to consecutive playoff appearances and an impressive run game led by quarterback Nate Rogers.

Barker is the 11th player from Wetumpka to get selected for the honor and first since Avery Thomas in 2021.

The Alabama-Mississippi Classic will be held at noon Saturday in Hattiesburg.

FORMER TALLASSEE STAR WINS STATE TITLE

Former Tallassee football star Josh Griffin ended his junior season with some hardware.

Griffin, who transferred from Tallassee this summer, won the AHSAA Class 4A State Championship with Montgomery Catholic on Friday afternoon.

Montgomery Catholic beat Cherokee County, 35-0, for the Knights’ first state championship in school history.

Griffin scored one touchdown, finishing with 20 rushes for 82 yards. He scored on a 19-yard run where he broke multiple tackles and pushed his team up, 28-0, in the fourth quarter.

Griffin finished his junior season with the Knights with 165 rushes for 1,824 yards and 25 touchdowns.

He was just as effective, in fewer games due to an injury, during his sophomore season with Tallassee in 2022. In his two best games, he rushed for a combined 358 yards and five touchdowns in games against Elmore County and Valley. He was an All-County nominee before transferring.

Tallassee girls beat

Barbour County, win 9th game

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

There’s a difference between being young and being inexperienced.

Tallassee, for example, is the former.

The Tigers girls basketball team starts three ninth graders, an eighth grader and a junior.

That seems like a recipe for disaster, but only one of the four players is a first-year starter. All three freshmen started as eighth graders last year. The oldest starter, Jhakhia Anderson, has started three years since ninth grade.

They’ve been through the ringer at times, like last season when they earned only five wins across the entire season.

Now, after Thursday night’s 70-39 win over Barbour County at home, Tallassee is off to an impressive 9-2 start to the season.

“It’s really our experience,” first-year head coach Alfonzo Johnson said. “When you have kids that are that young starting, people will say you’re inexperienced. That isn’t true. We brought back four out of our five starters. These girls are used to playing together. They’ve worked together and this group of girls likes being around each other.

They’re all dialed in right now and I love it.”

Thursday’s win over Barbour County is a perfect example of how having experience can lead to a win.

Tallassee primarily defends teams in a zone defense. But after scouting Barbour County, Johnson’s team asked if they could run a full-court press against the Jaguars.

Most of his team is filled with three-sport athletes who also play softball and volleyball, or soccer, so he figured the players could handle the conditioning aspect of playing the press for a full game.

Tallassee’s defense was adamant from the start of the game and forced turnover after turnover. Those led to easy points, and the Tigers were up 19-8 after the first quarter on Thursday.

Jaaliyah Williams, Jhala Anderson and Shaniya Gray hit layups off turnovers, and Kam Tate drew fouls to get to the free throw line.

That 19-8 lead turned to a 32-19 halftime lead, and then a 53-29 lead after three quarters.

“I think we do really well when we’re playing with high energy and playing in the press,” Johnson said. “Our girls are athletic and we have a bunch of three-sport athletes who are in really good condition. We want-

ed to see tonight if we could see if we could come out in the press and handle it for a whole game. I think we did a good job.”

One of the standouts from the game was Gray. Gray has mostly come off the bench this season but was still averaging 10 points in that role. After earning her first start two days prior in the win over Ellwood Christian, Johnson decided to let her start her first home game. S he led the team with 18 points and was scoring in every facet of the game. She had five points after the first quarter with a free throw and two layups, then added another layup in the second quarter. Gray helped pace the offense coming out of the second half after a brief struggle during the final four minutes of the second quarter. She knocked down a few mid-range shots and scored eight points, before hitting a 3-pointer to cap off the win in the final frame. “She’s done a really good job,” Johnson said. “She’s one who started for the first time two nights ago. She’s been playing well so we thought it would be a good time to let her start in front of the home crowd. She didn’t disappoint.”

by Fyffe doomed the final two quarters of play for the blue and white.

As it turned out, Fyffe was not even trying to get an onsides, the ball just jumped the wrong way.

“I think I was just as surprised as they were,” Johnson said. “It was unfortunate for us – just a huge momentum swing.”

The Red Devils took the ball and the field position for eight points to take a 36-12 lead in the opening minutes of the third.

Roberts got on the board following the Fyffe score with a Roberts touchdown, but the third two-point attempt was stuffed. Hornsby found Martin one final time with 4:46 to play to get the score to 36-25. Fyffe then scored on its final possession.

“Something that is really special about our guys is how much fight we have,” Hornsby said. We did not get frustrated once or let doubt creep in. We never gave up.” In his final game, Hornsby passed for 149 yards and one touchdown. He was just one of

Elmore County at Russell County,TBD 4 Gulf Shores/Shelby County/ Beauregard at Holtville,TBD

DEC. 15

Tallassee at

a handful of seniors that played their last for Reeltown on Alabama’s home turf. Woods led his team one final time, rushing for a team-high 94 yards and one score.

“We played our whole lives together,” Woods said of his team. “They are my brothers, my family.”

The vast majority of Reeltown’s team will return next year and beyond, including four of its five offensive lineman.

The 2023 season was by no means a failure.

Reeltown went 13-1 and was undefeated in the regular season. The Rebels won their region, and fought tooth and nail through the postseason.

This season serves to be only a building block for years and years to come.

“Region champs, undefeated regular season, getting big payoff wins on the road. These guys understand how special this year was,” Johnson said. “We came up short today. It leaves a bad taste in your mouth. But they won’t let that define them. For them to stay focused, it is special. It is tough to talk about how special what these guys have done.”

“This season, I had ups and downs,” the soft-spoken Woods said. “I had to overcome adversity and play through it. I toughened up and kept continuing.”

Friday’s game was the official changing of the guard at Reeltown, as the era of guys like Woods, Hornsby, Zach Riley and JJ Knedrick is now over.

It is now time for Martin and Finn Henderson to take the mantle as part of the senior leadership core.

To set the standard, Martin had a monster game in his first trip to the state title fight.

He rushed seven times for 57 yards and a touchdown. He also caught five balls for 38 yards and a score. Defensively, he was tied for second on the team with five tackles.

Much like Woods, Martin is a shoe-in for one or two spectacular plays a game. And he had his moment on Friday early in the first quarter. After Fyffe’s opening score, Reeltown got the ball back and immediately answered.

Martin took the football around the right edge of Reeltown’s offense,

sped past a leaping defender and was off to the races for a 47-yard touchdown.

“I put the team on my back,” Martin said of his first touchdown. It was clear that after the game, Reeltown’s football unicorn Martin was already looking forward to getting back to the state title game. As one of Reeltown’s returning star pieces, it will be on him to help lead the next crop of Reeltown athletes.

“This team is very special to me,” Martin said. “We have a lot of talent and experience. And we have a lot of kids coming up.”

One of those up and comers is Roberts, whose late-season emergence projects only positive things for the stud freshman. Roberts rushed for 72 yards and a score against the Red Devils, part of a 600 yard campaign over the course of the year. In the playoffs, Roberts was called on to do far more than he had all regular season.

Heading into the postseason, Roberts had 26 total carries. In his team’s five playoff games, he had 41.

“This is a really special team,” Roberts said. “We still have a lot of our offensive line coming back. We just have to work hard in the off season.”

The mantra for this year’s Reel-

town football season was “We all we got, we all we need.”

Guys like Hornsby wore that type of moto as a badge of honor and pride. When asked how much that sentiment meant to him, Hornsby said it quite literally meant everything.

“Being a 2A school, we only have so many players that can start,” Hornsby said. “We have heart. We have more than that. It really is true that we are all we got and we are all we need. Somebody always steps up. That is really special.”

It will be almost strange to watch a Reeltown team quarterbacked next year by someone other than Hornsby. Woods will no longer be the starting back. Someone else will have to carry the sledgehammer and Chucky doll out onto the field.

But nothing will ever change the bonds forged between the Reeltown football team. From middle schoolers to seniors, this year’s team was a brotherhood. It showed in every possible way.

No one player was more important than the next.

To Woods, his fellow Reeltown football players will always be a part of his life.

“We played our whole lives together,” Woods said. “They are my brothers, my family.”

SPORTS CALENDAR

DALTON MIDDLETON THE TRIBUNE

Tallassee’s Kam Tate (24) attempts to pass the ball against Barbour County.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Wetumpka’s Crosthwait remains unbeaten with big win

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

Zach Crosthwait is making his presence known in the 190pound weight class.

Crosthwait, who wrestled at 154 last season, is showing what he can do since he bulked up nearly 40 pounds this offseason.

The junior is one of only a handful of undefeated wrestlers left in his weight class in Class 6A, and nobody had a better weekend than he did at the Swede Umbach Tournament at Auburn.

Crosthwait went 5-0 across the twoday tournament and claimed the championship match over the No. 2-ranked wrestler in Class 6A.

For his weekend’s efforts, Crosthwait is the Elmore County Player of the Week.

“I’m really, really impressed with Zach,” Wetumpka coach Josh Highland said. “He has a different mindset this year and is finally at a healthy weight for him. He’s bulked up and his body is healthy and he’s showing his true potential.”

Crosthwait’s tour -

nament started with a bye in the first round. Then he faced Pike Road’s Joshua Melton in the second round of the championship bracket. He made quick work of Melton, pinning him only 45 seconds into the match.

That set up a quarterfinals match with Percy Julian’s George Hunter, who only lasted 21 seconds longer than Melton. After two pins, Crosthwait sat firmly in the semifinals and faced Hewitt-Trussville’s Trip Cole, who has 37 wins and 24 pins in his career.

Crosthwait didn’t get him pinned, but did earn a decisive 7-2 win over the talented wrestler. In the championship, he faced a

daunting challenge in McAdory’s Erik Lessears, a wrestler who finished fourth at 195 last season in 6A and has 70 wins in his career. The two went headto-head, with Lessears taking a 2-1 lead after the first period. Lessears then chose to start the second period on the bottom and Crosthwait was able to hold him down the

entire period. The third period, Crosthwait started on bottom and got out, then Lessears took him down before Crosthwait was able to record a reversal. The game was tied and went to sudden victory overtime before Crosthwait was able to secure a game-winning take down.

“It was truly an insane match,”

Tallassee boys pull away from Barbour County in second half

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

After a few breakdowns

in its defensive scheme allowed Barbour County to come back and tie the game, Tallassee got back to its roots Thursday night.

The Tallassee boys basketball team beat Barbour County, 71-60, but not before coach Keiven Mixson’s team had its defensive troubles.

Talassee led by 10 points or more for much of the first half against the visiting Jaguars. But coming out of the half, Mixson felt his team had a lapse in defense, allowing Barbour County to come back and tie the game at 38-38 midway through the quarter.

“We had so many breakdowns in our defense and we weren’t communicating,” Mixson said. “We have to do a better job of that. We have a good defensive team but we have lapses. We try to do things we shouldn’t do. I try to give them a little freedom, but that sometimes allows the other team

THORNTON

Continued from B1

DALTON MIDDLETON THE TRIBUNE

Tallassee’s Ja’marrion McCoy (1) drives to the basket against Barbour County. McCoy had 19 points in the game, 10 of which came in the pivotal third quarter.

to maybe get from down eight points to tied.”

Nonetheless, Tallassee turned to its strengths and its guards regained the lead and never looked back.

The Tigers ended the third quarter on a 9-3 run to take the lead, 47-41, then turned that to up to 14 points in the fourth quarter.

That came after a few timeouts where Mixson said he had to get his defense right.

“I told them that they were breaking us down,” Mixson said. “We had to make sure we were doing things right. I think our guards were a little quicker and faster and we had more of them, and that

that’s what we’ve been working on.”

A nice chunk of Thornton’s points came from his deep shots, as he knocked down eight 3-pointers. But his inside shot was working as well. He was able to drive to the hoop and lay the ball in, and he was able to pull up and knock down the midrange shot.

He has been working with Mixson about getting to the free-throw line more often, and he did exactly that as he knocked down eight free throws in the matchup.

The remaining 16 of his points came from layups and mid-range makes.

“We’re trying to get him 10 free throws a game because that means he’s attacking the basket at the level we know he can,” Mixson said. “He’s got a really good mid-range

helped us control the game down the stretch.”

Tallassee’s guards certainly took over the game in the third quarter.

Fresh off his 50-point performance on Tuesday, Rowen Thornton bounced back with a 26-point game. He scored 13 in each half, but 12 of his 13 in the second half came in the fourth quarter.

Instead, it was senior Ja’marrion McCoy who took over the game. He was the second leading scorer in the game with 19 points, but 10 of those came in the third quarter when Tallassee built back its lead after giving it up.

He was driving to the

game and his outside shooting, he’s a streaky shooter. If he’s hitting that 3-pointer like he was, it’s really hard for people to guard him.”

It was evident from the start of the game Thornton was going to have a big night.

Thornton scored 20 points in the first quarter alone.

His first points came on a midrange shot then he started to find his shot from outside. Four of his next five points came from 3-point range, and he capped off his first quarter with back-to-back short shots to put him at 20 total points. He had 20 of the team’s 30, and there was no way Mixson was taking him out of the game anytime soon.

Mixson remembered when he was playing college basketball, and he knows no player wants to be substituted out when they’re on a hot streak.

“When he had 20 points in the first quarter, I concentrated on leav-

paint over and over, and he knocked down nearly all of his free throw attempts. He laid in two layups, then hit six of his seven free throw attempts. He missed his first one of the quarter, then hit the last six.

The biggest of the night came on his final free throw of the quarter which came after an emphatic and-1 situation that gave Tallassee a 47-41 lead right before the quarter.

“Ja’marrion has been doing that for a long time,” Mixson said. “He kind of took over late and it’s hard to be upset with him. He’s a great rebounder, he’s always around the ball and he knows how to draw fouls. He’s a huge part of our team.”

Senior guard Roderius Glover and eighth grader Jaiden Gordon also contributed big time in the second half. Glover scored seven points in the game, all in the second half, while Gordon helped control the ball and run out time once Tallassee gained its lead in the final quarter.

ing him in,” Mixson said. “There’s not a lot of nights when you’re putting up that many points in one quarter. I wanted to leave him in and see what he could accomplish. We all knew it was going to be one of those special nights.”

It was a special night, but it’s also been a special season for Thornton. After starting all last season and earning All-County honors, he has taken a massive step forward for the Tigers as they’re out to a 5-2 overall record.

This year, he’s averaging 24.7 points per game which ranks him second across the entire state according to MaxPreps. He’s scored over 20 points four times, and has passed 27 points three times.

“The scary thing about him is that his upside is really huge,” Mixson said. “He’s playing fantastic basketball but he still has a lot to improve on, and that’s a compliment to him. He’s scoring a lot of points right now.”

moves Crosthwait to an impressive 14-0 this season.

He’s also won two tournament championships after he won the Gulf Coast Clash in November. In solo matches, he owns an impressive win over Holtville’s Hunter Chavis, the No. 5-ranked wrestler in 190 in 5A.

He credits his start to feeling healthier now that he’s in 190 instead of 150, and he also gets a bit of knowledge from teammates Willie Cox (285) and Christian Preston (215), Wetumpka’s two defending state champions in the two heaviest divisions.

Crosthwait said. “We went into overtime and we got into a really crazy scramble with about 20 or 30 seconds left, and I got the two points. It’s crazy. You’re breathing really heavy and hard and there are a lot of thoughts going through your head, but I was just focused on getting those two points.”

The tournament win

“The guys are slower I guess,” Crosthwait joked about his start. “But this is really the best I’ve ever felt. It’s more comfortable up here for me. I’ve just been training hard, and it’s been nice to drill with Willie and Christian. Every practice I go live with them, I learn something new just from talking. They show me that there’s always room to improve.”

SUBMITTED THE TRIBUNE

Wetumpka’s Zach Crosthwait, left, gets ready to wrestle his opponent in the Swede Umbach Tournament this weekend. Crosthwait went 5-0 and won the championship in the 190-pound weight class.

Vote for your Fans’ Choice Player of the Week now!

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Section 1. The City Council of the City of Tallassee hereby determines that the operation upon the public streets and alleyways of the City of Tallassee of certain motorized vehicles not required to be registered with the State of Alabama is a public nuisance and detrimental to the health, safety and welfare of the City of Tallassee and its citizens, including the health and safety of those owning, operating, or riding in or on such vehicles.

Section 2. It shall be unlawful for any person, regardless of age, to operate, allow to be operated, or to be a passenger in or on the following motorized vehicles operated upon the public streets or alleyways of the City of Tallassee for any reason: all-terrain vehicles, ATVs, UTVs, “side-by-sides,” go carts, golf carts and any similar motorized vehicle for which the owner is not required to purchase a tag or registration from the State of Alabama. This prohibition applies to all such vehicles, regardless of whether the vehicle is powered by a battery or batteries or an internal combustion engine of any type, or a combination of the two, and regardless of the number of operators or passengers that may utilize the vehicle.

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Public Notices

Public Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE

Public Meeting Notice

The Wall Street Water Authority (WSWA) will a hold a public meeting on Thursday, January 11, 2023, at 5:30 p.m. at the Wall Street Water Authority ofRd, Tallassee, Alabama 36078 to discuss the Environmental Information Document and related items required as part of the submission of an application for funding through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and the America Rescue Plan Act (DWSRF/ARPA) as administered by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM). This application will address the construction of a water main interconnection between Walnut Hill Water Authority and Wall Street Water Authority. A copy of the Environmental Information Document (EID) will be available at the Wall Street Water Authority

Any person with a disability

Section 3. The operation of any such vehicle upon the public streets or alleyways of the City of Tallassee shall provide probable cause for any law enforcement agency to stop and question the operator, owner or any passenger of such vehicle. Such law enforcement agency shall have the authority to take possession of, tow and impound any such vehicle found to be operating on the public streets or alleyways of the City of Tallassee. The vehicle shall not be released from impoundment until an order issues from a court of competent jurisdiction directing that the vehicle be released. The owner of any such vehicle shall be responsible for paying all costs of towing and storage as a condition of releasing the vehicle from impoundment.

Section 4. Any operator of any such vehicle upon the public streets or alleyways of the City of Tallassee shall be guilty of a violation of this ordinance regardless of whether the operator was operating such vehicle in compliance with the Alabama Rules of the Road, Alabama Code §§ 32-5A-1, et seq., as may be amended following the adoption of this ordinance. Upon conviction, the operator not less than $100 plus costs of court and may be imprisoned for a period not exceeding thirty (30) days.

Section 5. Any owner of any such vehicle who knowingly allows another to operate any such vehicle upon the public streets or alleyways of the City of Tallassee shall be guilty of a violation of this ordinance. Upon conviction, the owner shall be than $100 plus costs of court and may be imprisoned for a period not exceeding thirty (30) days.

Section 6. Any passenger of

PUBLIC NOTICE:

Beginning with the March 2024 Primary, the temporary Election Polling Location at Hackneyville Fire Dept. will revert back to the Hackneyville Community Center. Also, Election Polling Location Sardis Church will move to Church of God’s Grace located at 8245 Highway 50, Dadeville, Alabama. If you need to know where to vote, contact the Board of Registrars at 256-825-1081.

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PUBLIC NOTICE

TALLASSEE MUNICIPAL GAS SYSTEM “NOTICE”

WHAT TO DO IF YOU SMELL GAS

That distinctive odor is the harmless chemical we add to natural gas so you can detect even the smallest amount that might escape. It smells bad... but that’s good! Natural gas has no odor on its own. Everyone should be able to recognize our built-in system safety signal. If you ever detect faint whiffs of this odor, INVESTIGATE If possible, “follow your nose” to the source. It may be only a pilot light that’s out, or a burner valve partially turned on. Something easily and safely corrected. If the source of the gas cannot be located or the odor persists, call Tallassee City Hall, 283-4298, during normal hours (7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) Monday through Friday. At night or on weekends or for any emergency reporting of gas line breaks, call Tallassee Police Department 283-6586 Please give adequate directions as to the location of the leak.

Sarah Hill, Mayor City of Tallassee

An Eclectic Christmas

Still bringing the story of Jesus to life

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

For 16 years Rita Falk and a team of hundreds of volunteers have brought the “real story of Jesus” to life in Eclectic.

It is a mission Falk feels called to do and has deep roots in her family and she wants to continue it.

“I don’t think there is any place that really depicts the story of Jesus anymore,” Falk said. “I think there are few opportunities for that.”

“An Eclectic Christmas” always starts Dec. 1. The people playing the characters change but the story remains the same. A Christian family is on a pilgrimage to see baby Jesus. Along the way Roman soldiers on horseback attempt to scare the “family away.”

Soldiers again visit a home where the family sought warmth. They see the message from the angel and the three wise men. The “family” encounters thieves and tax collectors. Even the innkeeper who didn’t have room for Mary.

Falk said it takes about

300 volunteers just during the time it opens to the public.

“There are probably about 500 volunteers when you count the work throughout the year,” Falk said. “There are electricians, plumbers, builders. It takes a lot of people.”

Those volunteers create homes, tents, trails, a village and a barn with a manger. Every night between 175 and 200 help pull the production together.

“It is a lot of work and takes a lot of people,” Falk said. “Every year it is overwhelming and you think there is no way to be able to do this again. Every year we are able to pull it off thanks to volunteers.”

Volunteers come from throughout the tri-county area. Some from out of state.

“We have one lady who moved here from Nebraska,” Falks said. “She got involved. She moved away but still comes back to help when she can.”

Falk said volunteers get to see what all is involved in pulling the entire production together.

“Once you get involved you see how deep it goes,” Falk said. “You love it or don’t. We have a lot of people who are really committed. Some can do it for three or four years and because of family, age or other things have to take a break. They come back.”

Experienced volunteers become team captains. There are about 30 of them. There is one for each scene. There is one for just the field of angels. Others head up registra-

Mason, Brown lead Elmore County girls to win

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

When the Elmore County girls basketball team needed a basket Friday night, it turned to seniors Emily Mason and Kyasia Brown.

Elmore County beat Thorsby, 45-40, behind 29 combined points from the Panthers’ two most experienced players. Mason scored a team-high 15 points while Brown scored 14, but none were bigger than their free throws in the fourth quarter.

Elmore County was holding onto a three-point lead, 41-38, after Thorsby went on a 13-0 run that lasted half of the fourth quarter. The two seniors then took all the momentum that the Lady Rebels had and squashed it at the free throw line.

With 2:20 left in the game, Brown stepped up and made back-to-back shots after she was fouled on a layup. That gave Elmore County a 43-38 lead. On the next possession, Mason drove down and was fouled with 1:47 left. She made one of her two shots, but it was enough to stretch the lead to six points, too much for Thorsby to overcome.

“That was huge for us,” ECHS coach Kyle Caldwell said. “You can practice those clutch moments all you want, but until you do it in the game, that’s valuable experience. We had three ninth graders on the floor a lot in the fourth quarter, and they’re getting invaluable game experience with those two seniors hitting those shots and

coming through in the clutch. I’m really proud of our effort.”

Mason and Brown made the clutch free throws when they needed to, but the two were firing on all cylinders the entire night.

Thorsby was able to hit a few shots and took an 8-2 lead early, but that was before Mason started hitting from deep. She hit back-to-back shots to tie the game up at eight, then Brown hit a layup. The two were the only two players to score in the first quarter as Brown had 11 points, including three 3-pointers, while Brown had five points with a successful three-point play.

“They just bring that game experience to the court,” Caldwell said.

“They don’t get too high or too low at the moment and they just keep playing basketball whether good or bad things are happening. I know our young girls are learning from that and building on that.”

While the two seniors led the scoring attack, they weren’t the only ones to hit big shots. Cherish Foye added five points, all of which came in the second half, while Kayden Edwards scored six points in the second half.

Addie Patterson hit one of the biggest shots of the night as she knocked down a 3-pointer to give Elmore County its 16-point lead, just before the 13-0 run by Thorsby late.

“We had six or seven girls who scored tonight,” Caldwell said. “Anytime you can have that happen, it’s really good for your team.”

tion, food, hospitality and golf carts.

One person is in charge of registration. One person in charge of food. One person in charge of hospitality. One person in charge of golf carts. One person in charge of the angel field.

“A lot of people want to volunteer for only one day and that is OK,” Falk said. “We can’t do more guests without more volunteers.”

Falk estimates about 6,000 guests will see the

story of Jesus at “An Eclectic Christmas” this year.

“An Eclectic Christmas” has roots deeper than the location on Highway 63. It dates back more than 30 years to Mt. Hebron Road.

“It was at the Beardons’ property on Mt. Hebron Road,” Faulk said. “They called it, ‘Bethlehem Revisited.’ It was a much smaller operation. It was behind their house.”

Falk was there for the first time on the Beardons property.

“That was 32 years ago,” Falk said. “The reason I know is because I was Mary that year and my son Tanner was baby Jesus in the manger. He is 32 now.”

Just last year Falk’s grandbaby was in the manger for “An Eclectic Christmas.”

“The tradition continues,” Falk said. “We hope to keep doing it.”

Elmore County earns first victory on Murphy’s game-winner

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

Elmore County’s first win of the season couldn’t have come in a bigger way.

The Panthers beat visiting Thorsby, 48-45, on a game-winning shot with 2.9 seconds left in the game. Thorsby had the ball, tied 45-45, with the clock winding down. The Rebels tried to pass the ball to the outside, but Jabari Murphy jumped up and hit the ball in mid air with 10 seconds left. The ball fell in front of him, and he picked it up, and raced down the right side of the court.

Murphy then cut in front of two Thorsby defenders and laid the ball up while being fouled.

His shot went in, and he knocked in the And-1 free throw to put the Panthers up, 48-45.

After Jaden Eason picked off an inbounds pass, Elmore County earned its first win of the season.

“My wife makes me eat off aluminum foil and napkins when we don’t win, so I’m probably going to be able to eat off the good plates tonight,” head coach Nathan Taylor joked after the win. “This was really big for us. Nothing comes easy and winning is hard. We’ve only had seven practices and seven games. It’s been a grind.”

While Murphy’s final shot was the biggest of the night, and possibly

his career, it wasn’t his only basket of the game.

Murphy ended the night with a team-leading 13 points.

His points were spread pretty evenly across the four quarters, except for two big baskets in the second quarter right before the half. Ryals McNeely gave the team the lead with a basket after being tied, 16-16, then Murphy made back-to-back layups in the final minute of the first half to give Elmore County a six-point lead at the break.

“When Jabari wants to be the best player in the county, he is the best player in the county,” Taylor said. The shots weren’t falling early for the Panthers, but they came in clutch time.

Eason knocked down two 3-pointers in the third and fourth quarter, while McNeely hit a big 3-pointer in the second quarter.

Gage Davis and Drew Knighton each hit one as

well. The 3-pointers were big, but Cam Brown’s free throws were the biggest shots of the night.

Before Murphy’s heroics, it was Brown who kept the Panthers in the game. Down 41-40 in the fourth quarter, Brown drove to the basket and was fouled.

He was 1-for-6 from the free throw line entering his two shots, and he drained both of them and hit nothing but net. On the next possession, he recorded a steal and was driving to the basket once more. He was fouled again, but this time he made the shot. His And-1 free throw was also nothing but net, and Elmore County led by four points.

“Those shots he made were huge,” Taylor said. “Rebounding, taking care of the basketball and free throws wins you the game. Anytime you make free throws down the stretch it is big, and his shots were big for us tonight.”

CLIFF WILLIAMS | THE OBSERVER

An Eclectic Christmas created a village using volunteers acting the parts of various trades. There was even the inn keeper who turned the family away like Jesus.

DALTON MIDDLETON THE OBSERVER

Elmore County senior Emily Mason scored a team-high 15 points, including three 3-pointers, to lead the Panthers past Thorsby on Friday night.

DALTON MIDDLETON | THE OBSERVER

Elmore County’s Jabari Murphy (1) drives to the basket against Thorsby’s A. Seely (3). Murphy hit the game-winning layup with 2.9 seconds left to give Elmore County its first win.