Feb. 20, 2019 Eclectic Observer

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WEDNESDAY • FEBRUARY 20, 2019

TheWetumpkaHerald.com

Vol. 30, No. 8

Salary increase County school board OKs $138K salary for next superintendent By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer

When the next superintendent of the Elmore County Board of Education takes over in January 2021, he or she will receive an increased salary of $138,000 yearly, which is in line with other similar school systems across Alabama. The board took action on the increase at Monday night’s meeting. It had not reviewed the superintendent’s pay, which is currently $114,089, according to the school system, since 2007. “We want to entice qualified individuals to run for this position,” superintendent Richard Dennis said. Board member David Jones added, “This is something we have to do.” Board member Joey Holley said the Elmore County system, which is one of the few remaining school systems in the state to elect its superintendent, is behind other similar school systems with competitive salaries for their superintendents. With a window to approve any changes until the end of March, Holley recommended the superintendent’s salary increase to $138,000 annually. While the board approved the increase, Dennis and board chair Michael Morgan stressed it won’t take effect until January 2021. The board took a moment to recognize Frank Hysmith, who works for the school system’s transportation department. Hysmith, who Dennis said has been recognized as the state’s top mechanic three out of the last four years, was recently selected by the Alabama Department of Education to serve on the Alabama School Bus Specifications Committee. In a state with the country’s toughest specifications for school buses, the board agreed Hysmith would be an excellent official on the committee. For his dedication and service, the board presented Hysmith with a special certificate during the meeting and those in attendance gave him a standing ovation. In other action at the meeting: • Elmore County Technical Center’s See SALARY • Page 2

Donald Campbell / The Observer

Artworks of all mediums are on display at PrimeSouth Bank in Wetumpka as part of the Elmore County Art Guild’s annual show, including acrylic and oil paintings, ink sketches, photographs and three-dimensional pieces.

‘Talented artists’ Winning artists announced at art guild reception By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer

Art lovers crowded the lobby of PrimeSouth Bank in Wetumpka Sunday afternoon for a special reception held as part of the annual art show put on by the Elmore County Art Guild. Not only did the reception give patrons the chance to enjoy all the show had to offer, but the art guild also announced its winners for this year’s show. “We have 129 pieces on display for this year’s show,” Shirley Esco with the art guild said. “That is the most we’ve had in 35 years.” In the category of two-dimensional art not under glass, Donna Pate was awarded first place, Toska Courborn

took second and Deborah Garst claimed third place. For two-dimensional under glass, Lyanne Peacock received top honors, followed by Steve Garst in second place and Kathy Atchinson in third. Teresa Wamble took home first and second place in the category of 3-D, sculpture and fiber art, while Stephen Cappelli claimed third. Libby Christensen was awarded both first and third place in photography and printmaking, while Mitford Fontaine received second place. Along with these awards, Rhonda Sims was presented with the President’s Award of Encouragement, a special award designed to get one of the artists who has not been as active lately going again. “You really see a lot of excitement

Wetumpka preparing for annual Mardi Gras festival

Today’s

Weather

69 63 High

from the artists when the winners are announced, even if they receive just an honorable mention,” Esco said. While Esco said there was no real way to measure how many people had come through the show on Sunday, she still felt the day had been a huge success, doing an excellent job of showcasing all of the hard work local artists put into their creations. “(It was) packed,” she said. “We (loved) the turnout. We have a lot of artists and people who support the arts. Wetumpka and the surrounding areas have a lot of talented artists living here.” For those who may have missed Sunday’s reception, Esco said all of the artwork will remain on display at the lobby of PrimeSouth Bank until Friday.

By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer

Low

THURS: HIGH 73 LOW 62

File / The Observer

Elmore County residents will enjoy March 2 as downtown Wetumpka will celebrate its seventh annual Mardi Gras festival and parade.

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Downtown Wetumpka will come alive with revelry on March 2 as the city celebrates its seventh annual Mardi Gras festival and parade, held by The Order of Cimarrón and sponsored by Wind Creek Casino. “We are a private group that puts on the parade annually,” parade chair Jeff Royal said. Royal said despite recent tornado damage, this year’s parade route did not have to change. As it has in the past, the parade will begin at First Baptist Church, cross the Bibb Graves Bridge before turning in front of Grumpy Dog and going to the Elmore County Courthouse, See MARDI GRAS • Page 3

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PAGE 2 • FEBRUARY 20, 2019

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THE ECLECTIC OBSERVER

Wetumpka, county TPI’s Campbell named lead reporter at Observer looking at grants for improvements STAFF REPORT TPI Staff

By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer

Wetumpka Mayor Jerry Willis and a handful of local citizens gathered at Wetumpka City Hall Feb. 13 for a public hearing regarding development grants, particularly for the airport, medical facility and damaged infrastructure. Horton Consulting’s Tiffany Horton said the city and Elmore County have expressed an interest in submitting applications for economic development and competitive grants. While the state doesn’t have a deadline for turning in grant applications, Horton said applications should be completed and submitted to the state by the end of the month in hopes the state will respond within approximately 30 days of the applications being submitted. Among the projects the city and county are looking at through grant funding are improvements to the local airport and medical facility, along with related upgrades to surrounding infrastructure. “Our current estimates are the airport project will cost between $400,000 and $500,000, while the medical facility will be around $350,000,” Horton said. Along with these grants, which require matching funds, Horton said emergency funds are available to the city and county for fixing damaged infrastructure.

Looking Ahead. We share with our neighbors a common ŐŽĂůͶƚŚĞ ŚĞĂůƚŚ͕ ĞĚƵĐĂƟŽŶ ĂŶĚ ǁĞůůͲďĞŝŶŐ ŽĨ people statewide. Poarch provides over 9,000 jobs to Alabamians, pays millions in state taxes each year, and makes ĐŚĂƌŝƚĂďůĞ ĐŽŶƚƌŝďƵƟŽŶƐ ƌĞĂĐŚŝŶŐ ŶĞĂƌůLJ $9 million annually. We are proud to be a partner in Alabama’s progress. ALABAMA NATIVES. ALABAMA NEIGHBORS. WŽĂƌĐŚEĞŝŐŚďŽƌƐ͘ĐŽŵ ƉĐŝͲŶƐŶ͘ŐŽǀ

Donald Campbell, who has been with TPI newspapers for two years, has been assigned as the lead reporter for The Wetumpka Herald and The Eclectic Observer. Campbell, a Fort Payne native, has been a staff Campbell writer for The Alexander City Outlook since April 2017, covering a variety of beats, including education and government. He succeeds Amalia

Kortright, who left to take a job with The Anniston Star. “Covering the Wetumpka area is very important to our newspapers,” TPI managing editor Jimmy Wigfield said. “Donald is an intelligent, thorough journalist who takes great care in what he writes and reports, and I know that care will be evident in how he covers the Wetumpka area.” Campbell, who previously reported at The Southern Torch in Rainsville, graduated from UAB with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history and holds a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Alabama.

Salary Dr. Jimmy Hull said a recent employer showcase day was a success with 16 companies from around the region providing students with valuable information about potential career paths. He also cited a major success story from the event; a student who came to the tech center through the credit recovery program and began working on a plumbing certification left the employer showcase day with a full-time job with a local plumbing company. • A proposed policy revision regarding grievances brought before the board was presented. Under the revision, all information presented to the board prior to a hearing would still be given all board members. The board members could then decide if a hearing is required. • A motion to approve a change to the policies and procedures for cheerleading and dance was approved. Dennis said the primary focus of the policy change is to relax restrictions on tryouts, especially for children of military parents who may have transferred into the system after tryout dates. • The board heard from Lt.

Campbell often mixes his love for history and journalism. He presented “Union Raiders in Alabama” at the Symposium on the 19th Century Press, “The Civil War and Free Expression” in 2015 at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and “Rickwood Field: A Brief History of America’s Oldest Baseball Stadium” at the Alabama Association of Historians meeting at the University of Montevallo in 2012. Campbell can be reached by phone at 334-350-3919 or by email at donald.campbell@ thewetumpkaherald.com

continued from Page 1 Col. Christina Karvwnaris of the United States Air Force, who, along with Dennis, spoke about a special summit Maxwell Air Force Base held with school officials from systems in and around the Montgomery area. The purpose of the summit was to help avoid issues of students with military parents not having credits, including dual enrollment credits, not transferring when military families are reassigned to their next location. • Chief financial officer Jason Mann said things are looking good financially for the system. He listed some of the things the legislature may look at in its upcoming session, including a pay increase for teachers and increased funding to provide for school nurses. Mann said the building project at Stanhope Elmore is on schedule for how it had been budgeted, although there was a delay in the mustang sculpture to be put on display. Lastly, he said the school system has been approached by an individual interested in donating approximately 50 acres of land in the Redland community to the school board.

• It was announced state officials are working to correct a minor typographical error on the ballot for the upcoming tax millage referendum. • The board approved the employment of Kelly Gordon as a bus driver in Holtville, Rodney Mitchell as a bus driver in Millbrook and Melanie Parr as a fourth-grade teacher. The board also approved the transfers of Tracy Davis, Delane Hyde, Michael Thompson and Lisa Thornton, the resignations of Shaune Allen, Koris Barker, Garrett Burgess, Angela Perdue and Tammy Smallwood, the reassignment of Renee Bingham and nine leaves of absence. • Dennis said he is trying to schedule a work session of the school board on March 7. He also said the board is looking into the possibility of adding an additional position for the Millbrook alternative program. The next regular meeting of the Elmore County Board of Education will be Monday, March 18. The meeting will be held at Stanhope Elmore High School and will begin at 4:30 p.m.

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FEBRUARY 20, 2019 • PAGE 3

Purcell leaving Wetumpka chamber By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer

Citing a desire to return to business, Wetumpka Area Chamber of Commerce executive director Gerry Purcell has announced his resignation effective March 5. “I took the executive director position three years ago as a nonprofit sabbatical to serve this wonderful community,” Purcell said in a press release. “It has been a privilege serving the business community and our citizens. Now it’s time for the next season and next challenge. Having been in business for so many years, the pull of the marketplace is strong and I look forward to diving back in to a new business venture.” Purcell added in a subsequent interview, “I feel I accomplished what I wanted to accomplish in this position.” Purcell said one thing that factored into the decision was damage his house suffered during the Jan. 19 tornado. Believing it will essentially be a full-time job to complete repairs to his home helped lead him to make the decision to step down. Prior to moving to Wetumpka, Purcell ran a successful national consulting practice from Atlanta and was heavily involved in startups in recent years, including a $30 million venture with a Fortune 20 company. “Wetumpka was a refreshing change from the hustle and bustle of Atlanta and hectic corporate life,” Purcell said. “Julianne and I have made tons of friends in Wetumpka and the quality of life is wonderful. Wetumpka is a great place to live and is poised for even greater things.” In his three-year tenure, Purcell said the chamber added nearly 150 new members, held more than 50 ribbon cuttings, including for the chamber’s Innovation Center, reached a $200,000 budget for the first time, tripled the chamber’s presence on social media and improved revenue from events by more than 30 percent. “Opening our Innovation Center was an important milestone for our community, quickly fulfilling the vision of becoming the anchor for a downtown revival,” Purcell said. “It also meant we tripled our operational expenses.

File / The Observer File / The Observer

Wetumpka Area Chamber of Commerce executive director Gerry Purcell recently announced his resignation.

It took some work but our operational budget is on a good financial footing with 100-percent occupancy in our Innovation Center. And I am really proud of the mixture and quality of tenants like Marsha Weber’s art gallery, the Forbes and Tate satellite office and successful startups like Bama’s Best Products. “We have also taken social media to an entirely different level reaching thousands of people each month. There is still work to do and I believe the next director has a good foundation to build on. Most importantly I am very grateful for the many friendships and supporters of the chamber who have helped us along the way.” Since stepping down, Purcell said he has heard from a multitude of people in the community, all of whom have wished him well and provided positive feedback on his time as the chamber executive director. Despite his belief some may be sad to see him go, he said virtually everyone he has talked to said they understand his reasoning. Purcell said he has considered returning to the consulting industry while potentially also working in the field of technology. Purcell said he plans to remain a chamber member and help the next director with a smooth transition as needed.

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There could up to 60 floats at Wetumpka’s annual Mardi Gras parade on March 2.

Mardi Gras then turning again to get on South Main Street and continue all the way down to the employee parking lot at Wind Creek. This year’s parade features Rea Cord from the Elmore County Humane Society as its grand marshal. Royal said the organization feels Cord is a good choice as she is the humane society’s director, a member of the Rotary Club and an active member of the community. “She’s done a lot in our community,” Royal said. “We decided to honor her with this.” Royal said those interested can dress up their dogs and walk them in the parade, being referred to as “Pawdi Gras.” The annual Mardi Gras festival in Wetumpka has become one of the biggest and most successful events of the year, with Royal estimating the celebration draws between 4,000 and 6,000 people. This year, the festival has more than 40 vendors listed to set up around Gold Star Park. There will be craft and food vendors, along with activities such as pony rides for children. Other special guests during the

continued from Page 1 celebration will include Montgomery Biscuits mascot Big Mo, Shriners from the Montgomery temple and motor vehicle groups from Montgomery. “This has become a really big thing for us,” Royal said. “We have people coming from all over and we have a lot of local involvement during the celebration.” Royal said there will be between 40 and 60 floats, including a jazz band on the last float. He said some of the parade’s participants come from throughout the tri-county area, including some who will have taken part in other parades around the area earlier in the day before making their way to Wetumpka. “We’re really excited for this year’s celebration,” Royal said. “This is the first community event held since the tornado.” The Wetumpka Mardi Gras festival begins at 9 a.m. on March 2 with the parade to follow at 1 p.m. Royal said donations for the humane society will be accepted. For more information about the celebration, visit www.wetumpkamardigras. com.

Steve Baker, Publisher Jimmy Wigfield, Managing Editor Opinions expressed in guest columns and letters to the editor do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of the management of Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc.

Page 4 • FEBRUARY 20, 2019

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Telephone: (334) 567-7811 | Fax: (334) 567-3284 Email: news@thewetumpkaherald.com Management Kenneth Boone Chairman kenneth.boone@alexcityoutlook.com Steve Baker Publisher, 256-414-3190 steve.baker@alexcityoutlook.com Angela Mullins Business Manager, 256-414-3191 angela.mullins@alexcityoutlook.com Jimmy Wigfield Managing Editor, 256-414-3179 jimmy.wigfield@alexcityoutlook.com Tippy Hunter Advertising Director, 256-414-3177 marketing@alexcityoutlook.com Audra Spears Art Director, 256-414-3189 audra.spears@alexcityoutlook.com Betsy Iler Magazine Managing Editor, 256-234-4282 betsy.iler@alexcityoutlook.com Erin Burton Circulation Manager, 256-234-7779 erin.burton@alexcityoutlook.com Lee Champion Production Manager, 256-414-3017 lee.champion@alexcityoutlook.com Newsroom Donald Campbell Staff Writer, 334-350-3919 donald.campbell@thewetumpkaherald.com Santana Wood Design Editor, 256-234-3412 santana.wood@thewetumpkaherlad.com Lizi Arbogast Sports Editor, 256-414-3180 lizi.arbogast@thewetumpkaherald.com Caleb Turrentine Sports Writer, 334-350-3922 caleb.turrentine@thewetumpkaherald.com Advertising Sales Marilyn Hawkins Sales Manager, 334-350-3917 marilyn.hawkins@thewetumpkaherald.com Shannon Filyaw Marketing Consultant, 334-444-8981 shannon.filyaw@tallasseetribune.com

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FBI, Justice Department remain a swamp

O

ne of the swampiest places in the federal government since 2009 has been the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation. The upper echelons of these and other intelligence agencies were packed with multiple layers of politically driven appointees. Nevertheless, the house of cards President Barack Obama built is beginning to quiver. Several news sources have reported after President Donald Trump fired FBI Director James Comey in May 2017, FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe became acting director and met with other senior law enforcement officers to discuss how to remove Trump from office. In these meetings officials discussed how many cabinet members might vote to declare the president unfit for office under the 25th Amendment. McCabe has said Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein repeatedly offered to secretly record his meetings with President Trump. Rosenstein has continually denied he ever seriously considered wearing a wire but has said any related comments he may have made were merely jokes. Nevertheless, isn’t it astonishing a group of DOJ and FBI officials at the highest levels would hold multiple meetings to conspire to overthrow a newly elected president? At least McCabe has said and written as much respectively in his interview with Scott Pelley on

DANIEL GARDNER Columnist CBS’ “60 Minutes” and in his new book, “The Threat.” McCabe has admitted he pressured Rosenstein to appoint a special counsel to continue the investigation into whether Trump or his campaign colluded with the Russian government to win the 2016 election. Rosenstein appointed special counsel Robert Mueller nearly two years ago and we’re still waiting on his findings. Since then the original charge to Mueller has been amended with other secret charges presumably regarding activities of Trump and those associated with his campaign. President Trump fired Comey for leaking classified information and lying. Attorney General Jeff Sessions fired McCabe for lying to authorities and the inspector general referred McCabe for criminal prosecution. In all, nearly 30 high-level officials in the DOJ/ FBI swamp have been fired, demoted or have retired since May 2017. How dependent is Mueller’s investigation on all these former officials who have been fired or demoted for cause? Will Mueller’s findings document any of the shenanigans inside the DOJ/FBI that targeted President Trump? If

Mueller finds no collusion with Russia, will his final report document the history of the FBI’s initial investigation including the Steele dossier paid for by the Clinton campaign and Democratic National Committee? Will the report document details of the FISA warrants that approved spying on some associated with Trump’s campaign? Coincidentally, as part of a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, Judicial Watch, an independent government watchdog organization, has received the first of many pages of email traffic within the FBI just weeks before the 2016 election documenting concerns about classification status of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s emails regarding Benghazi. When did Clinton, Obama, et al know Benghazi was a planned Islamic terrorist attack and not a spontaneous reaction to a YouTube video? What role did the FBI play in covering up Benghazi in 2012 and 2016? Why didn’t the FBI investigate the hundreds of millions of dollars Russians poured into the Clinton Foundation while Clinton was secretary of state? Why was the FBI’s investigation into the Clinton campaign dropped? Will anyone investigate those who plotted to overthrow the president? Daniel L. Gardner is a syndicated columnist from Mississippi. Contact him at PJandMe2@gmail.com.

What’s your Opinion? We’d like to share your thoughts and opinions with the community for free. You may submit one letter to the editor per month (300 words or less) and/or a guest column (500 words or less). Include name, address and phone number. We reserve the right to refuse any submissions. Mail: Your View, The Wetumpka Herald P.O. Box 99, Wetumpka, AL 36092 E-mail: news@thewetumpkaherald.com

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USPS-005-022 ISSN: 1536-688X The Eclectic Observer 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. Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. manages The Alexander City Outlook, The Dadeville Record, The Wetumpka Herald, The Tallassee Tribune, The Eclectic Observer, Lake Magazine, Lake Martin Living, Elmore County Living, Kenneth Boone Photography and a commercial web printing press. © 2016 Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved and any reproduction of this issue is prohibited without the consent of the editor or publisher.

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Letter to the Editor

McCabe, Rosenstein should be brought to justice Dear Editor, I sincerely hope Americans in general are paying close attention to stories coming out of Washington this week regarding efforts to force President Donald Trump from office. Former acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe’s new book hits the newsstands this week and McCabe made a splashy appearance on CBS’ “60 Minutes” to obviously sell his book. McCabe, as you will recall, was fired as acting FBI director just one day shy of collecting his pension for lying to Congress about press leaks. I have watched his “60 Minutes” interview twice and remain unsure of what exactly is going on. There are possibilities of selling his book or a bureaucrat seeking revenge for being fired or maybe genuine concern of the direction the country is headed. McCabe candidly admitted he and assistant attorney general Rod Rosenstein met on multiple occa-

sions discussing wearing a wire to entrap President Trump and protracted discussions originated by Rosenstein about removing the president from office using powers of the 25th Amendment, going so far as to tabulating cabinet members’ votes they could rely on. Understandably, this admission has set off a firestorm in Washington. Senior Republican senators led by Lindsey Graham say this behavior constitutes an attempted coup and are declaring yet another investigation. With obviously unexpected blowback, both Rosenstein and McCabe are trying to back off their original statements with Rosenstein refuting and denying McCabe’s claims. Both men are lifelong Republicans. This places our national government in precarious uncharted territory. We have non-elected government employees (bureaucrats) plotting to unseat a duly elected president of the United States. Even to the common guy

on the street, this is in direct violation of Title 18, Section 2381 of the United States Code: Treason. What these people have done is much more than “giving aid and comfort to an enemy” in the code; they have schemed to thwart the will of the voters by removing a head of state and that under the code is high treason. The penalties for high treason range from a minimum of five years in prison to death. Just listening to this garbage makes me nauseated. How could anyone in their right mind be party to such behavior? Regardless of political party affiliation, surely you will agree the never Trumpers who are trying to hound the president from office have crossed the line this time. Surely our Department of Justice will administer justice evenly, blindly and firmly in this case to two of their very own. James W. Anderson Talladega

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FEBRUARY 20, 2019 • PAGE 5

Community Calendar Submit calendar items: Partic-

ipate in your Herald and Observer by calling 256-234-4281, faxing them to 256-234-6550, sending your event to the.editor@thewetumpkaherald.com or logging on to http:// www.thewetumpkaherald.com/.

Thursday, February 21

• CRATER LECTURE: Dr. David King Jr. will be conducting a free public lecture on the updated scientific research on the Wetumpka Impact Crater. The lecture will be held at Jasmine Hill Gardens, beginning at 7 p.m.

Saturday, February 23

• CRATER TOURS: The Wetumpka Impact Crater Commission will be holding its annual tour of the crater on Feb. 23. Wetumpka sits right on the bull’s-eye of the greatest natural disaster in Alabama history. The hills just east of its downtown are the remains of a five-mile–wide impact crater that was blasted into the bedrock of what is now Elmore County. Join this annual event to learn from the experts and experience an exclusive guided tour of the crater. For additional information and to make reservations contact Valencia at 334-567-5147 or email vsmith@cityofwetumpka.com. • WE2 STRONG 5K: Ella Langley Music and others will be hosting a 5K run at Gold Star Park in Wetumpka to benefit the victims of the Jan. 19 tornado. Organizers have partnered with the Central Alabama Community Foundation and About Time Events to hold this run. The event begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 23. Register for the race at http://we2strong5K.itsyourrace.com/event. aspx?id=11816.

Sunday, February 24

• MURDER ON THE MENU: The Friends of the Wetumpka Library will be holding its 15th annual Murder on the Menu fundraiser for the library. The event will feature a variety of mystery authors from around the country. The event will be held at the Wetumpka Civic Center, beginning at 12:30 p.m. For information or tickets, call the library at 334-5671308 or email library@cityofwetumpka.com

Donald Campbell / The Observer

Daniel & McDaniel perform at Range 231N on Friday night as part of the WE2 Strong benefit concert, raising money for tornado relief in Wetumpka.

Concert raises more than $5K in tornado relief By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer

Music lovers throughout the River Region came together Friday and Saturday night at Range 231N in Montgomery for the WE2 Strong Benefit Concert, organized by local musician Ella Langley to raise money for tornado relief efforts. “This was one of the first places I got my start and I wanted to give back to the community,” Langley said. “I first thought of having musicians playing at Coaches Corner (in Wetumpka) but it morphed into this.” Before the first musicians took the stage Friday night, Langley said donations and ticket sales had already

brought in more than $5,000 for relief efforts. Range 231N co-owner Ashley Martin said she was happy to support Langley’s efforts. “Ella’s like family and she’s really passionate,” Martin said. “This is something we definitely wanted to do. There was no having to think about it. We were 100 percent ready to get behind her on this.” Friday and Saturday nights, guests enjoyed the music of a number of musical groups, including Daniel & McDaniel, who led off the show Friday night, BlackBerry Breeze, Langley and more. T-shirts were also sold to raise funds for the relief effort. “There have been so many people

wanting to help out,” Langley said. Martin said, “She’s done a great job getting everything together. We were proud to partner with her on this.” Despite a rainstorm Friday that affected attendance, Langley felt the event was successful in raising money to go through the Central Alabama Community Foundation to the Elmore County Disaster Relief Fund. “This has definitely been successful,” Langley said. Martin said, “We’re hoping for a great turnout. It’s really awesome to see the community coming together for an event like this. We’re more than happy to be a part of it.”

Humane Society of Elmore County News

Cord: Shelter takes in all animals in Elmore County By REA CORD HSEC Executive Director

The Humane Society of Elmore County is an open-admission animal shelter, taking in pets from throughout Elmore County. Open admission means we take in almost all pets brought to us, whether they are friendly, scared, vicious, sick, healthy, old and litter after litter. The only exception is we cannot take in pets that have bitten (or scratched, depending on the situation) a human in the preceding 10 days in accordance with Alabama Rabies Laws. We also take in small pets of all types. We are not, however, a licensed wildlife rehabilitation center, so if injured/ orphaned wildlife does come to the shelter, we get it to an appropriate and licensed rehabilitator. Where livestock are concerned, we primarily deal through Animal Control Officers regarding abandoned animals or cruelty case, as we simply do not have the facilities to deal with owner-surrendered livestock. We take many calls about stray and nuisance animals, but since we do not have the authority to pick up animals, we give callers the appropriate contact info for their supporting Animal Control Officer (ACO). Whether picked up by an ACO or a citizen, all of these animals come to our shelter at 255 Central Plank Rd. in Wetumpka where we then take over their care and control. We are open for intake Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. We assist ACO’s with cruelty and neglect cases if they need us from the field site all the way through the court case hearings. If we are caring for animals seized under cruelty or neglect charges (or any others that come to us injured or sick), we ensure all necessary veterinary care for the animal’s well-being/recovery and document every facet of their intake and recovery for prosecution, to include all of the costs incurred. If you are in need of animal control assistance for a stray or problem animal, or to report instances of animal neglect or cruelty, it is important that you call the appropriate Animal Control Officer as these are law enforcement matters. If you live within the city limits of any

of the towns noted below you must call your city contact. If you are not in the city limits of Wetumpka, Millbrook, Tallassee or Eclectic, then call the Elmore County Sheriff’s Dispatch. Elmore County Sheriff: 334-5675227 Wetumpka: 334-567-5227 Coosada: 334-567-5227 Elmore Township: 334-567-5227 Millbrook: 334-285-6832 Tallassee: 334-283-6586 Eclectic: 334-541-2149 We do take many calls/emails/ Facebook posts from people wanting to report a situation but who just don’t want to call a law enforcement agency. We will certainly take that information and pass it along while maintaining the anonymity of the person reporting the information. But we must caution that second- and third-hand reports greatly limit the investigative abilities of law enforcement. So if you have witnessed cruelty, abuse or neglect and can report it directly, it will go a long way to getting faster help for the animal(s) in harm’s way and they will keep your personal information confidential. If you do need to contact our shelter, you can call us at 334-5673377, email us at hselco@bellsouth. net or message our shelter Facebook page.

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abby is a 4-year old Shepherd/ Lab mix girl who weighs about 60 pounds. She is friendly and outgoing. She is good with other dogs, cats and children and actually has a buddy here with us (Gracie) just in case someone might be looking for two great dogs to give a home to. Gabby is a very sweet and loving girl just waiting for her new, forever home. Shelter adoption fees are $100 for dogs and $50 for cats under 1 year old; cats over 1 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 and a free health exam with a participating veterinarian. To meet Lucille and all the other great pets at the shelter, visit 255 Central Plank Rd. in Wetumpka or visit the shelter’s website at www.elmorehumane.org. For more information, email the shelter at 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. until 4 p.m.

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PAGE 6 • FEBRUARY 20, 2019

TheWetumpkaHerald.com

THE ECLECTIC OBSERVER

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PUZZLES & HOROSCOPE ARIES (March 21-April 19) You wake up feeling confused. A boss seems a little oɈ, though a discussion might perk him or her up. This person could change his or her mind quickly about any issue. An opportunity pops up from nowhere. Tonight: Kick back and relax. TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Your creativity surges, though others might have diɉculty following you. A change in perspective seems likely. Refuse to push as hard as you have. A partner will happily Ă„ll in and be more proactive. Tonight: Lighten up the moment. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) You might be most comfortable close to home. If you can work from home, do so. A partner you might be involved with holds the keys to greater Ă„nancial success, at least for now. This person can make a great impact on your life. Tonight: Put up your feet and relax. CANCER (June 21-July 22) Communicate what is on your mind. You will make quite a diɈerence in a discussion or negotiation. Confusion weaves its way through your afternoon. Clarify; ask questions. Tonight: Return calls and make plans to meet friends. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Do not allow a possessive facet of your personality to emerge. You have no reason to feel insecure. You could have misread a friend’s comment or attitude. You know who you are and what you oɈer. Work to clear out your to-do list. Tonight: Splurging. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) You are in your element, but you could Ă„nd it diɉcult to get everything done. As you speed through various meetings and errands during the day, you will Ă„nd time to visit with a loved one. He or she seems more restrained than usual. Tonight: Be

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THE ECLECTIC OBSERVER

TheWetumpkaHerald.com

FEBRUARY 20, 2019 • PAGE 7

Ivy Creek Healthcare in Wetumpka to be stronger By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer

Ivy Creek Healthcare announced last week it is closing a Butler County hospital but said its Elmore and Tallapoosa county facilities will remain open. Ivy Creek said it was closing the Georgiana Medical Center effective March 31. The closure is part of a realignment of healthcare services driven by the current difficult financial environment faced by rural healthcare providers. “Our facilities here will be stronger because of the move,� Ivy Creek CEO Mike Bruce said. “We are closing a hospital that was losing money. It was causing a burden on the system and we will be better in the end. It is a stronger position for us.� The Georgiana Medical Center was one of two hospitals in Butler County with LV Stabler in Greenville being the other, but Ivy Creek is not abandoning Butler County. “We are gaining the home health there,� Bruce said. “It will better in the long run.� Bruce said Medicaid reimbursements and ability to recruit medical providers made things difficult in Butler County but help Ivy Creek operations in Elmore and Tallapoosa counties.

“There was little to use for recruitment of physicians there,� Bruce said. “Here, we have Lake Martin right in the middle. It is a huge recruitment tool to get doctors to look at rural healthcare here.� “The rising costs of healthcare coupled with the cuts in reimbursement have made it impractical to maintain financial viability with two hospitals operating in Butler County,� Bruce said in a release. “The partnering of the two organizations is the optimal way to continue to provide overall high quality healthcare for the residents of Butler County, as well as the surrounding areas.� Ivy Creek and LV Stabler, which had operated competing home health businesses, will combine operations to provide more efficient and effective care for their patients. Ivy Creek will manage the combined home health agency. The creation of this new home health organization, named Ivy Creek of Butler Home Health, will take effect over the next 90 days with no significant changes. “Small hospitals, in particular those in Alabama’s underserved rural counties, are under tremendous financial pressure,� LV Stabler interim CEO Connie Nicholas said in a release. “We’ve seen other hospitals

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Pet of the Week: Sally

Page 12

Vol. 27, No. 4

out of Elmore County Alabama No marriage licenses to be issued By KEVIN TAYLOR Copy Editor

Contributed / The Herald

any marriage licenses Judge Ensley refuses to issue Oƛice. from the Elmore County Probate

A day after Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore all issued an executive order for stop probate judges in the state to issuing same-sex marriage licenses, Elmore County Probate Judge any John Enslen stopped issuing marriage licenses.

Moore’s order comes on the heels of different state district in the courts trying to punch holes landmark Obergefell v. Hodges case, which allowed for same-sex marriages. On Wednesday Moore ordered that “until further decision by the the Alabama Supreme Court, existing orders of the Alabama

Supreme Court that probate judges have a ministerial duty not to issue any marriage license contrary to the Alabama Sanctity of Marriage Amendment or the Alabama Marriage Protection effect.� Act remain in full force and With that, some probate judges but not have ignored Moore’s order, See MARRIAGE • Page 2

Probate judge seeks clarification from Circuit Court on

By JOHN PEELER Managing Editor

Probate Court Judge John Enslen, in his official capacity as the Chief Elections Officer of Elmore County, has petitioned the Circuit Court of Elmore County for an emergency declaration judgment and finding on whether Andre’ L. Harrison, current superintendent of education

Human remains Restaurant aims high identified from with farm to 2009 discovery plate concept

Marbury teacher arrested on sex charges

Enslen

eligibility of independent candidates

for Elmore County, can be placed on the ballot as an independent in the upcoming March 1 primary. Harrison, who was previously disqualified as a Republican candidate due to missing a certificate of administration from the Alabama State Department of Education, sent a letter of intent to Enslen Jan. 4 indicating he would run as an independent candidate, the petition alleges. In his petition, Enslen seeks the answers to four basic questions: Whether Harrison can appear on any subsequent ballot for an election after being disqual-

ified for that year; whether Harrison may legally be an independent candidate; whether Harrison’s name should appear on the election ballot in the event he supplies the requisite independent-candidate petition and whether any votes cast for him if his name is placed on the general-election ballot, should be counted. Should Harrison be required to present an independent-candidate petition, the petition would contain not less that 625 valid signatures have to of registered See COURTS Page 2

Nashville meets Eclectic

By COREY ARWOOD Remains originally discovered Staff Writer near Possum Trot Road A small restaurant

Wesley charged with having sex with a student

Kevin Taylor / The Herald

students began working on break, Cheyanne Barrett’s sixth-grade was the top app among 1,200 Just before the Thanksgiving It the Verizon Innovative App Challenge. developing an app to enter in new tablets for each of the students school a $5,000 grant as well as entries in the state earning the A Marbury High who participated. School teacher was arrested Thursday and charged with one count of a school employee engaging in a sexual act with a student, according to Millbrook Police Chief P.K. Their idea was an Innovative App Challenge. Johnson. award-winner. It was the top By KEVIN TAYLOR The students came up Brian app among 1,200 entries in Copy Editor with the app “Money J. Wesley, the state to earn the school a For Me and 30, of A group of seven Holtville Management $5,000 grant as well as new You.â€? Millbrook Middle School students is tablets for each of the stu“We have a goal-tracker, was hoping to raise an additiondents who participated. Wesley games, a holiday function arrested al $15,000 for their school “I was on my way to tips for saving and in the after collectively designing a to offer money issues school when I got Mrs. avoiding Elmore County circuit new smartphone app. Barrett’s email. I was almost before and after the holiclerk’s office Thursday in Just before the in tears when I read it,â€? team days. We also have a jingle Wetumpka. Thanksgiving break member Hope Nelson said. Wesley is listed as a for the app,â€? said HMS stuCheyanne Barrett’s sixthNow their app idea is in dent Brooke Carrico. “We social studies teacher at grade students began contention to win the national made the app to look kid and Marbury High, according See HOLTVILLE • Page 2 working on developing an adult-friendly.â€? to the school’s website. app to enter in the Verizon See ARREST • Page 2

By KEVIN TAYLOR Copy Editor

Student innovators win grant Holtville students excel in Verizon app challenge

SPORTS PAGE 12

Page 11

REPLACING A LEGEND

Grapplers move to 20-1, defeat Stanhope Elmore.

Reeltown narrows coach search down to top five candidates, Pg. 11

THURSDAY • JANUARY 28, 2016

d by Moore Will current superintendent be on ballot? Same-sex marriage law challenge

By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer

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opened in Eclectic this week run by a Aubrey Hornsby is no farming family with a vision stranger to the entertainto turn local food into a local ment business. He spent movement of farm to table Carmen Rodgers many years in Nashville, It has been nine years, but now / The dining. Tribune which is the hub of the family members of Richard Wayne For now, Farm Boyz Eatery country music industry. Adams can be at peace. serves lunch, breakfast and Today, Hornsby hopes to Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin primarily bring a little bit of Nashville said the state department of forensicin earlier operates as Good Hope Baptist Church brought Gospel right here to Eclectic. Contributed / The Observer sciences contacted his office and Art to The Warehouse. The event was Adams, a bakery and held Jan. 17 and brought for fun for Hornsby said he hopes children of all ages. The Warehouse is known the week to positively identify for hosting community-oriented events skeletal cafĂŠ from the newly formed group whose decomposed body and Trot 6:30 a.m.-2 will offer a creative outletBy CARMEN remains were found near Possum p.m. Monday for women that will allowStaff Writer RODGERS Road in the Deatsville community through various perspectives to Recently, Feb. 25, 2009. Friday. shine through. and Rickey James Martin, At the time when Adams’ remains But if “I’d like it to be upliftin Tallassee Jones decided Wanda Jones were found about 40 yards from to ing, but you have to tell the have formed and surroundin be proactive the banks of Lake Jordan, forensicthe plans of Whitehill truth and not every bit of Watch Group.the Tallassee g areas. They sciences could not identify the Farm Boyz’ Neighborh owner, Kevin the truth is uplifting,â€? he ular meetings The group will ood remains. said. “Sometimes you have community where members hold regFranklin said Adams’ skull wasWhitehill, pan out it would By CARMEN RODGERS operates The Warehouse in downtown and Eclectic. to sing the blues.â€? three said are welcome to of the sent to Louisiana State Universityeventually serve, what he Staff Writer By The Warehouse COREY join. they Texas. often hosts North called, events specifically farm to table dinners. hope the The spread and Currently, the group later to the University of Staff Writer ARWOOD for the community. In October The the the saying initiative will Warehouse hopes to meet on a regular For years, The Warehouse in downtown DNA was retrieved and put into Located in the corner shop “see something Eclectic hosted the Auburn/Alabama Dance for the chilRick Golden, has been used to bring people together. basis at the Warehouse on See NEIGHBORH , Combined DNA Index System. just down from Trustmark self-defens The facility dren of the town. Many of the local churches instructor OOD • Page was once a cotton warehouse where Main Street in Eclectic. of “They got a hit and were able Bank on Kowaliga Road in 2 all denominations use the facility for farmers departmen and director of thee course downtown Eclectic, Farm By COREY community bring their bounty to be sold. However, would gatherings. “I want to inspire an to positively identify the remains,â€? could use t, said he thought recreation his operates as a Boyz Staff Writer ARWOOD more than that. At the cotton warehouse it was ongoing women songwritworking the easy-to-lea Franklin said. “We then contacted anyone “I think there’s a tradition of The he developed people Blalock, kitchen and a base of operrn techniques Warehouse would come together to trade products ers night. We call it Songs A number relatives.â€? along for the self-defens and goods. partnering with local churches for several Jimmy Rodgerswith Police have once of Tallassee churches years Today, The Warehouse is once again of Love and Life,â€? Hornsby Adams was from the Verbenaations for projects Whitehill Chief e classbringing peo- now,â€? Hornsby said. “Its cross is at the center and members the Tallassee in mind for the commuorganize again combined es set to ple together, in more ways than one. said. of community in Chilton County, has the annual town. We love to work with the local efforts to are expected Police Departmenof • Page 2 See REMAINSnity. King Jr. churches.â€? begin in Martin Not only does The Warehouse bring The group is in its beginto be in attendancet Day the When the town of Eclectic decided well. hearts His restaurant is focused prominent celebration andLuther next week to adopt together in marriage, it has become ning stages and Hornsby is , as city officials both the heart of strategic plan last year, the goal was to envisiona or “It’s just mostly on baked goods. local religious so. the community. searching for a professionas well as the town 30 years into the future. In al march strictly a memorileaders Whitehill said he tries to use to speak the developed al female performer that in memory With a “Our marriage to the community has and attend. are expected plan The Warehouse is the center of and the contributio of Dr. King chop to the town. The ceremony best union,â€? said Aubrey Hornsby, who been the will offer knowledge and See RESTAURANT Page 2 to mankind. n that he owns and will begin march at throat, a 10 See WAREHOUSE • Page 2 experience to the amateurs What will be across the It’s a celebrationmade Carmen Rodgers to start at a.m. Jan. 18 thatwith a gouge in all See SINGERSof •Jones the / The Tribune is set here in the country so we decided Page 2 a covered bus shelter Church in First United Methodist eyes and Mobile for the children Elmore County a would comecity of Tallassee Ricky Jones. Home Park, was one mile Tallassee and span knee in the that we the brainchild together,â€? Public Schools Jones had down Gilmer Today’s about Blalock, hood and of this said end groin to built city at Charles Transportation Parkway encourages for 48 Log Circle. a and also master council member others to followthe neighbor“body-opp Department Mayor and suit. MLK Day of ceremonies constantly speak and Bobby Payne is nent bag,â€? ofor the event. played one council memberslated to This will monitors Golden be about Charles would-be method to incapacitat distransportation the seventh funding. We want to take what we’ve attacker. By JOHN PEELER e any routes and the Registratio done good in ATRIP and leverage Managing Editor of numbersHigh Low See MLK • classes that n is now open Page 2 some of that money on routes that are students that are scheduled for the Legislators representing Autauga eligible for federal funds to meet for ride the buses ‌ which is By CARMEN an and Elmore counties, along with in our case about 75 and make any See DEFENSE Staff Writer RODGERS percent of our adjustments Autauga County Engineer John Mark paved road system.â€? • Page 2 need that may Davis and Elmore County Engineer Beyer said only about 200 miles of Tallassee CONTACT to be made. P Ri hi U

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at 7:30 a.m., he than when the tardy bell rings said. don’t “For instance, the Redland drivers (a.m.),â€? start picking up kids until 6:20 to Redland, then Mullino said. “So, if you go School. If you you go (straight) to Redland up, then ‌ they are in seventh and eighth and school and are picked up and go to the middle high school.â€? Redland community is a growingcommitted buses community, he said, and has students ly for Redland Elementary School

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on the To a 10-year-old, any amount time, but school bus may seem like a long Transportation Elmore County Public Schools evaluating Coordinator, Ray Mullino, said every bus is a bus routes and the capacity of make sure to constant and ongoing process back home students arrive at school and safely. t are under

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Finding a landing place: By JIMMY WIGFIELD Managing Editor

A

bumblebee floated through an afternoon breeze that felt like the embrace of a warm, sun-kissed towel right off the clothesline and gently landed on one of Sharon Watson’s blooming yellow daffodils, the ones unbowed by a tornado three weeks earlier in Wetumpka that heaved pillars off her porch a few feet away and spat out the roof. Daffodils, which portend the coming of spring, are symbolic of rebirth and new beginnings, which Watson is now feeling a half mile away on the other end of Tuskeena Street, where she also found her landing place. After losing their uninsured rental house and a car to the tornado, Watson and her husband Jim have found replacements for both with help from friends, family, people they have never met and a city the Ohio transplant never wants to leave. “I feel like I landed in Munchkinland and all the colors came on,� said Watson, referring to her favorite movie, “The Wizard of Oz,� in which Dorothy, who wishes to leave her drab, monochromatic life in Kansas, is hurled into a fantasy land by a tornado only to discover she had all the love she needed back home. Watson, who survived the tornado by hugging the floor next to her bed while the windows shattered and the roof peeled away, feels as if she came down on the other end of the rainbow seen in the bruised skies of Wetumpka immediately after the storm. “I didn’t know if I’d live or die,� Watson said. “I never thought I’d be living at the other end of the street.� A half mile separates the devastated section of the neighborhood from the unscathed part where a local celebrity, DJ Ziggy, helped the Watsons find a home.

“Ziggy knew the woman who owns it,� Watson said. “Her mom and dad lived here for years. Ziggy said, ‘I’ve got a house you need to check out,’ so me and Jim rode by here. When I saw it, I knew it was home.� They signed the lease and began moving in. On the recent afternoon that beckoned the spring, sunlight streamed through the bare windows, Watson sat at a table in the otherwise vacant living room — “I overdid it a little and pulled a muscle,� she said — while her husband busily unpacked boxes and gleefully showed what survived the tornado, including treasured family photos. An old cookie jar in the shape of a cow stayed on top of the kitchen cupboard even as the roof was ripped off. A pair of 100-year-old mirrors that once belonged to Jim Watson’s grandmother and her sister stayed on the walls. He is already excited about the holidays in their new home. “I’m going to light this house up for Christmas,� said Jim Watson, who seemed incandescent as he described his plans. “You’ll see it from space.� After the storm, they were so despondent they couldn’t bear to look through everything and got help packing. “Some women came by and asked how they could help,� Sharon Watson said. “I told them, ‘Just get a tote and a box and have at it. I just want to get out of here before the (rest of the) roof caves in.’� Watson said she cherishes what was once taken for granted, such as walls with fresh paint, grass and floors. “I’m grateful for anything I see,� she said. “I’m grateful for dirt I can get under my fingernails. I’m going to have fun mowing the backyard. I got some area rugs. I bought me a Swiffer for these hardwood floors. I went to sleep on that carpet in there and it was just fine.� When the unpacking is done, Watson has

plans l ffor a certain i wall ll off the living room. “I’m going to hang things up there, a bunch of pictures and things,� she said. “It’s going to be a good memory wall.� One of those good memories will be seeing the face of her neighbor, Jashay Kendrick, 17, who ran across the street after his own home was heavily damaged and got Watson out of her house. “The day after, I went to hug him and he held my hand and the tears were flowing and he had this little smile on him,� Watson said. “He just said, ‘We’ve got this.’ I want to get a plaque made that says, ‘We’ve got this’ and put it on my special wall.� Another of the pieces to be hung is a fingerpainting done by the nearly 2-year-old grandson of Watson’s best friend. “If they gave me a piece of art worth $10,000, I wouldn’t take it over that,� Watson said. “It’s going on my wall.� After living through the terror of the tornado, going through the boxes hasn’t unnerved Watson as she feared. “I thought this part would be tough, looking through boxes, but it’s not,� she said. “If something is ruined, it doesn’t bother me.� But her black cat, Hershel, who was found the day after the tornado under a dresser, seems unsettled by all the upheaval and has wedged

TEXTILE MILL Cotton mill Tire plant Paper mill Steel mill

Top: A bumblebee lands on a daffodil blooming next to Sharon Watson’s shattered home. Above: Watson poses on the steps of her new home on Tuskeena Street in Wetumpka.

himself behind boxes. Her Yorkie Sasha, who was found behind a toilet after the tornado, and her Chihuahua Spook, who braced herself behind Watson’s back as 135 mph winds shredded the neighborhood, will have a big backyard to delight in. “I’m not sure what any of my animals are feeling,� Watson said. “I just know I want all five of us here together.� To get around in the rebuilding community, Watson is now driving a 2014 Chevrolet Cruze she nicknamed Dorothy after

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a tent and felt moved by God to help them. “My heart told me go to the churches and ask if I could get help for this young couple,� she said. “We got blankets for them, personal items, gloves. I know this is a way God is showing me to repay for all our blessings. Everything God has given me, I’m going to give back.� Watson knows she is living proof of the “Wetumpka Strong� bracelet she wears which is emblazoned with Psalm 46:1: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.� “It’s never coming off,� Watson said.

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buying it from Reinhardt Toyota in Montgomery. Her 2011 Chevrolet Aveo was totaled by the tornado. The tornado gave Watson a new perspective on life and said she is determined to reciprocate the kindnesses shown to her and her husband. “The help, it don’t quit,� she said. “I didn’t ask for all this. It just comes. I know God answers prayers. I feel like I’ve gained so much. I’ve just got the feeling now that wherever I go, I feel like I’m being led to something else.� Shortly after the tornado, Watson discovered what she said was a homeless couple living in

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LUKE ROBINSON Columnistt

Sports

Visit our sister website: TallasseeTribune.com FEBRUARY 20, 2019 • PAGE 9

The

Observer

Big bite pays off

Local anglers Some guidance if take top spot at the NCAA ever gets Alabama Bass a commissioner Trail stop

M

ajor college athletics needs a commissioner — someone who is willing to listen to multiple arguments for improvement then make tough (even if unpopular) decisions, someone who understands today’s landscape of player empowerment while maintaining valuable traditions unique to college sports. I am not that someone. However, I do have some awesome ideas for that eventual someone. See if you agree: 1. Increase the College Football Playoff to eight teams. I know, I know… I have been leading the charge against expansion for years. For me, four is perfect. However, the commissioner will need to appease the public (and lesser conferences like the Pac-12 that can’t seem to get into the CFP with regularity). The compromise for doubling the current quantity of playoff teams will be that there are no automatic qualifiers. It makes no sense to allow a lucky 8-4 conference championship team a shot at college football’s biggest prize. 2. Never use vacated wins as punishment for NCAA violations Recently Ole Miss was forced to vacate 33 wins from the last few years. How dumb is that? The games happened. The players played. We saw them. Should the Rams have vacated the NFC Championship Game because of the egregious non-pass interference call against the Saints? Nope. Things happen and vacating wins only cheapens the historical importance of the sport. In fact, I say go back to the very beginnings of this moronic penalty and reinstate all vacated win in all sports. That way, we never have to deal with those pesky asterisks. Instead of vacating wins, hit penalized schools where it hurts: their coffers. If universities know playing an ineligible player costs potentially millions of dollars, I would bet the schools would monitor the players and coaches much more closely. 3. Allow for immediate player transfers, but… Do not allow players to transfer within the conference or to an opponent on the player’s current team’s schedule for the next season. An immediate transfer from Mississippi State to Ole Miss doesn’t seem fair, does it? If that’s the case, a player with intimate knowledge of a school’s ins-and-outs could instantly divulge a program’s secrets to a hated rival. If the player insists on staying in the conference or heading to a team on the schedule for the next season, that’s fine, but that’s when the oneyear-sit-out rule will apply regardless of hardship. 4. Increase scholarships in football It’s funny; everyone wants the sport to be safer, yet non-Power Five conference fans want to even the playing field by reducing scholarships to create a trickle-down effect of talent. With kids being bigger, faster and stronger, common sense says there will be more injuries the more minutes played. Larger rosters mean more rest for everyone. Yes, this new rule could hurt the smaller schools as players they would normally get would be scooped up by the bigger fish, but it will also mean more high school players get free rides. 5. Mandate scheduling: To be eligible for the College Football Playoff, teams must play a non-conference schedule made up of the following: One (or two if your conference plays only eight conference games) Power Five team, one Group of Five team and one wildcard for any level of play. This method cuts out the See ROBINSON • Page 10

By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer

Many anglers on Lake Martin Saturday competing in the Alabama Bass Trail South Division caught fish all day, with some boating nearly 100 fish, but not Josh Pollard of Eclectic and Dallas Weldon of Tallassee. The pair brought a 17.63pound five-fish bag across the scales at Wind Creek State Park Saturday afternoon to win the tournament but they started their day wondering if fishing for the big bite was going to cost them. “At 11 o’clock we had one fish in the live well,” Weldon said. “We were like, ‘This might be really bad.’ We had a bunch of spot holes that just weren’t producing quality.” Instead of being skunked, Pollard and Weldon changed things up a little. “The good Lord was good to us, “ Pollard said. “We picked a couple areas that

Cliff Williams / The Observer

The winning team of John Pollard and Dallas Weldon show off part of their catch on stage for the Alabama Bass Trail stop on Lake Martin Saturday.

have been good to us in the past and fished a jig in shallow brush piles.” Weldon said, “Dallas got a 3, 3½-pounder, then I got a five,” Weldon said. “We got some good bites.” Weldon said they made their last cull about 2:45 p.m.

as the first flight of boats was pulling into docks at Wind Creek for weigh-in. The pair of Elmore County anglers took home the $10,000 first prize along with other sponsor prizes for the win. Pollard and Weldon also landed the biggest fish of the

tournament at 5.49 pounds netting them another $500. Going to familiar spots did not work out as well for Caiden Sinclair and Ethan Flack, who won on Lake Martin in 2016 with 16.66 pounds. See FISHING • Page 10

Panthers finish 8th, grab 4 medals at state STAFF REPORT TPI Staff

File / The Observer

Elmore County’s Chayanne Sanchez, left, took third place at the AHSAA Class 1A-5A State Championships this weekend.

Elmore County took seven wrestlers to the AHSAA state championships in Huntsville last week. The Panthers had four finish in the top six of their weight classes as the team racked up 69 points to finish eighth in Class 1A-5A. “We hadn’t had a medal in about 10 years here,” Elmore County coach Jared Jones said. “For us to get four of them in one year, I’m extremely pleased with that. But I’m even more impressed with the top-10 finish as a team.” Chayanne Sanchez had the highest finish for Elmore County, grabbing third place at 145 pounds. After losing to Moody’s Sage

Hughes by a second-period pin in the second round, Sanchez won back-to-back matches to set up a rematch with Mathew Williamson from Cleburne County. “Chayanne beat two higher seeds at state,” Jones said. “As he improved, I thought getting top three was going to be a good possibility. It was going to be tough but he battled and won several close matches.” Sanchez defeated Williamson by an 8-5 decision to advance to the medal round where he knocked off Dora’s Nathan Bahrik with a second-period pin. Sanchez finished his senior season with a 50-8 record. Sanchez’s classmate Jacob See WRESTLING • Page 10

Elmore County focuses on progress despite early exits By CALEB TURRENTINE Sports Writer

The Elmore County girls basketball entered the season on the back of two consecutive area championships and three consecutive 10-plus win seasons. After losing four seniors from last year’s team and facing a more difficult area with the new realignment, the Panthers never backed down. Elmore County made it back to the Class 4A sub-regional round for the third straight season and finished the year with 16 wins. The Panthers won seven of their final 10 games, including a win over Booker T. Washington in the 4A Area 5 tournament to extend their season to the state tournament. Senior Madison Traylor had the biggest season of her career, averaging 16.5 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. She recorded 17 double-doubles, leading the Panthers to victory in 11 of those games. Traylor scored 20-plus points in nine games, including her season-high 27 points in the postseason win against BTW. The Panthers knew what they were going to get from Traylor in her final season but needed the supporting cast to step up in order to have success. CK Bolton was the team’s second leading scorer in her first year with the varsity squad. She scored in double figures in six games with Elmore County winning five of those. Madison Britt averaged 6.1 points and 8.5 rebounds per game and recorded her first four double-doubles of her career. She grabbed 10 or more rebounds in the final seven games of the season, including a 17-rebound performance at Dadeville. The Elmore County boys team was knocked out See HOOPS • Page 10

File / The Observer

Elmore County’s Shakwan Bickley (13) was one of nine seniors on the Panthers’ roster this season.

PAGE 10 • FEBRUARY 20, 2019

TheWetumpkaHerald.com

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ECHS excited about results at Capital of Dreams tourney By CALEB TURRENTINE Sports Writer

Both Elmore County varsity soccer teams participated at the Capital of Dreams Tournament in Montgomery over the weekend. The Panthers walked away without a victory but the teams are looking to take the positives from their three matches. “I think we did great,” Elmore County boys coach John Hilbish said. “We’re missing three of our players right now to injury but we kept every game close. I’m excited about what’s to come, especially once we’re healthy.” The Panthers started their weekend with a match against Marbury, which they will play two more times in the regular season during section play. Elmore County fell behind 1-0 early but got a goal from Joseph Stockman in the 52nd minute to level the game. However, Marbury scored a winner in the final 15 minutes to hand the Panthers their second consecutive loss. Elmore County rebounded by earning a 1-1 draw against Alabama Christian in the second game behind Kevin Jenkins’ second goal of the season assisted by

Caleb Turrentine / The Observer

Left: Elmore County’s Tyra Bryson attempts a pass down the line during the final game of the Capital of Dreams Tournament on Saturday. Right: Elmore County’s Barrett Sexton (17) attempts to track down a Wetumpka player during Saturday’s match in Montgomery.

Devin Dewberry. “We had great teamwork today,” Hilbish said. “Some of the guys that maybe weren’t as mentally strong as they need to be showed me different during the game. We’ve got some tough kids on the team and it surprised me a little bit.” The Panthers needed a win in their final game to advance to the tournament’s championship game but were out-

matched against Wetumpka. Elmore County fell behind 2-0 at halftime but made a strong push in the second half to stay in the match. Elmore County got a goal from Austin White with 15 minutes to go but could not find an equalizer in the remaining time. Hilbish said he was still impressed with the defensive effort, especially from center back James Duckett.

“He made a lot of defensive stops and plays with intensity,” Hilbish said. “If he had not done what he did, their guy could have been one on one with the goalie. He prevented a lot of that from happening.” The Panthers will get another chance at Wetumpka on Thursday night when they travel to Hohenberg Field. Elmore County has started the season 1-1-3 and Hilbish said he still

Wrestling Taunton also made it to the third-place match after winning three consecutive matches in the consolation bracket at 126. Taunton recorded two pins during the tournament and still grabbed fourth place. “It was overall a great experience for us,” Jones said. “It was an up and down first day and everyone lost in the second round. But we had a tremendous day on Friday and battled back. I was ecstatic with that.” Garrett Moseley was the third senior to wrestle in a medal match. Moseley finished

wants his players to improve on its passing and teamwork. “We still have to work better on playing as a team,” Hilbish said. “We have a lot of guys with great skill sets but we still have a lot of team issues.” The Elmore County girls teams dropped all three games during the tournament. The Panthers played area opponents Marbury and Holtville, losing each game 4-0.

continued from Page 9 his season with a 52-10 record and got two pins before finishing in sixth place at 195. “It’s tremendous for them but bad for me because they’re all leaving,” Jones said. “We still got four in one weekend so I’m very pleased with the progress we’ve made.” Matt Brown was the only non-senior to finish with a medal for Elmore County. He pinned three opponents in the consolation bracket to advance to the medal rounds before falling in the fifth-place match as a heavyweight.

Jones came into the season with expectations to begin building the program to compete at state every year. The Panthers will have to replace some of the members in their lineup next season but Jones is still confident the seniors have left a foundation they can be proud of. “If you had told me that first practice that we would finish top eight in the state, I’d take that and be happy,” Jones said. “I didn’t think that would happen. The program is moving in the right direction.”

File / The Observer

Elmore County’s CK Bolton was second on the team in points per game during her first season with the varsity team.

Hoops of the area tournament in the first round against Handley and finished its season with a 5-20 record. Coach Rodney Taylor was still looking at the positives after his first year at the helm of the program. “I think we improved and it showed in a lot of our games,” Taylor said. “We competed but sometimes that’s tough to understand when it’s not showing on the scoreboard. These guys never quit though so I still think it was a successful season.” The Panthers capped off the regular season with their biggest win of the season, scoring a season-high 93 points in a 20-point victory against Beulah on Senior Night. Taylor said he saw his team come a long way in just a year but he wanted to make sure the program left a positive mark on the team’s nine

Robinson

continued from Page 9

possibility of two or three FCS squads lining a slate while allowing for those smaller schools to get a shot with at least one huge paycheck. While an SEC squad facing two Power Five teams along with eight conference contests may seem harsh, remember Rutgers and Oregon State are “Power Five” in name only. There are more ideas where these came from. Reducing the NCAA basketball and baseball tournament fields would be on the docket for instance. For now, though, if just a couple of these suggestions came to fruition, the NCAA would be much more likable. Luke Robinson is a regular columnist, contributor to BMetro, AHSAA Radio Network Broadcaster and Sportzblitz Team Member.

continued from Page 9 seniors. “We always preached it was more than just a game and they accepted that challenge,” Taylor said. “You look at that group of seniors and not one of them quit. They hung in there until the end and kept working hard. I think we reached them and I think we made a difference.” Among the seniors were starters DJ Patrick, Austin Downey and Shakwan Bickley. Patrick finished the season as the team’s leading scorer, averaging 14.9 points per game. “His athletic ability and talent are something that cannot be coached,” Taylor said. “That’s a God-given ability and you don’t see that very often. It was not just that for DJ though; he always kept battling and kept playing. He was a competitor right until the very end.”

File / The Observer

Elmore County’s Garrett Moseley, top, finished his senior season with a sixth-place finish at the AHSAA Class 1A5A State Championships this weekend.

Fishing “We went to the same places we did when we won it,” Sinclair said. “That just didn’t work for us today.” The pair finished near the bottom at 215th with a fivefish bag weighing in at 5.88 pounds. Anglers reported catching fish pretty much every way, every depth and everywhere by fishing drop shots, shaky heads, spinner baits, crank baits and jigs. The Alabama Bass Trail pays out through 40th place. Daryl Crenshaw of Roanoke and Barry Chaffin of Wadley eked out 40th place with a 12.09-pound five-fish bag. Just losing out on a paycheck was Ronnie Faulkner and Michael Johnson of Georgia with 12.08 pounds of bass. It took 10.13 pounds to land 100th place. The smallest five-fish bag weighed was 5.22 pounds from David Sneed of Clanton and Clint

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Cliff Williams / The Observer

Boats taking part in the Alabama Bass Trail event on Lake Martin fish and travel farther up Elkahatchee Creek on Saturday.

Carter of Alabaster. While the big large and spotted bass were missing from many teams’ bags, some teams reported boating more than 50 fish and only a couple of teams did not bring a fivefish limit. “If you did not bring in a limit today, you were doing

something wrong,” Alabama Bass Trail’s Kay Donaldson said. “They caught a lot of fish.” Other locals who did well on Lake Martin this weekend were: • Seth and Donnie Johnson of Alexander City finished in sixth place with a five-fish

limit of 14.79 pounds. • Myles Palmer and B.J. Barnett of Alexander City finished in ninth place with a five-fish limit of 14.17 pounds. • Jimmy and Jeremy Miller of Eclectic finished in 12th place with a five-fish limit of 13.61 pounds. • Alexander City’s Brett Pritchard and Brad Pitts finished in 21st place with a fivefish limit of 12.90 pounds. • Steven Yearkey and Scottie Carr of Alexander City finished in 24th place with a five fish limit of 12.71 pounds. Anglers in the South Division of the Alabama Bass Trail return to the water on Lake Jordan March 30. The North Division takes to the water for the first time this season Saturday on Smith Lake. The 2019 Championship of the Alabama Bass Trail is Oct. 25-26 on Lake Guntersville.

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