Tallassee Tribune Feb. 21 2024

Council hears of bridge issues on city street

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

Work could be coming to a bridge across Stone Creek in Tallassee.

Tallassee Public Works director

James Garner told the Tallassee City Council at its Tuesday meeting the bridge constructed in the 1940s had issues that must be addressed. Over the years water has deteriorated portions of the bridge. But the council didn’t just

sign off on fixing the bridge for North Wesson Street.

“Before we start messing around with it, we want to know what it needs,” Mayor Sarah Hill said.

The council approved getting CDG Engineers and Associates to see what repairs are needed.

The council appropriated another $30,000 towards roofing repairs at the Tallassee Fire Department. The city is still seeking quotes for the project.

IN OTHER ACTION THE TALLASSEE CITY COUNCIL:

• Approved minutes of the Jan. 23 meeting.

• Approved a retail liquor license for Talisi Old Town Grille.

• Appointed Don Hathcock and Christy Parker to the city’s industrial development board.

• Appointed Kristina Pendergras to the library board.

The next meeting of the Tallassee City Council is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27.

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

It’s a night Wendell Jackson will never forget. Jackson danced Saturday night away with his 2-year-old daughter Layla at the third annual Friendship Volunteer Fire Department Daddy/Daughter Dance.

“This is pretty cool,” Jackson said. “I’m getting to create a memory with her.” It was very much like the

Heartland song and theme for the night: “I Loved Her First.” “Lost in the moment and each other’s face,” the song’s lyrics read. “So much in love, you’re alone in this place, like there’s nobody else in the world.” The elder Jackson chased his daughter around the bays of the fire department as the fire trucks took second chair and were parked outside for once. The bays were trans-

formed into a dance floor complete with a DJ, photos and 360 photo booth. A fire department supporter even created Valentine’s decor with letters and lights. The beams holding the structure of the fire department together were lined with LEDs. It all created a special moment.

Tallassee High School principal Drew Glass was

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

For the last few years, Dillon Fulmer and Ryan Ray have spent time on the periphery of the police force, and now they are full-blown members. Both natives of the

Solomon named RES, school district teacher of the year

CLIFF WILLIAMS TPI

Tallassee Police Chief Todd Buce, left, swears in Dillon Fulmer and Ryan Ray as Tallassee’s newest police officers at last week’s Tallassee City Council meeting. The officers have a little more training after graduating fom the police academy on Feb. 7.

CLIFF WILLIAMS TPI

one lane bridge across Stone Creek on North Wesson Street in Tallassee is in need of repair. Before committing

‘Misunderstanding’

Elmore County BOE candidate arrested for FTAs

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

Two traffic stops almost a year apart led to the arrest of Elmore County District 7 Board of Education Republican candidate Justin Pack.

Pack was stopped Saturday night by the Eclectic Police Department when officers noticed the vehicle Pack was driving had a revoked registration. Pack was taken to the Elmore County Jail to answer failure to appear warrants issued by the City of Wetumpka Municipal Court.

“I take responsibility for not understanding what my obligations were in the dismissal deal,” Pack said. “It is a misunderstanding and hope

Police Reports

TALLASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT

FEB. 18

people don’t blow it out of proportion.”

The incident stems from a April 2023 traffic stop by the Wetumpka Police Department, according to Pack. He was pulled over for not using a turn signal to change lanes.

“I was on the way back from taking my car to the dealership to get a recall taken care of,” Pack said.

“It required that the glove compartment be emptied so they could access the needed area.”

Pack had removed his vehicle registration and proof of insurance. During the traffic stop he was written two traffic citations for failure to display insurance and for an expired tag.

The following day

• Assistance was given to the Tallassee Fire Department on Jefferson Street.

• A white male was arrested on Gilmer Avenue.

• An animal complaint was reported on South Ann Avenue.

• Debris was reported in the roadway on Upper River Road.

• A juvenile complaint was reported on Central Boulevard.

• A domestic dispute was reported on Mott Lane.

• Theft was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• A welfare check was conducted on West Gantts Mill Road.

• Suspicious activity was reported on Ingram Street.

• A noise complaint was reported on Thompson Avenue.

FEB. 17

• Gunfire was reported on Paxton Drive.

• A juvenile complaint was reported on Godwin Road.

• Theft was reported on South Tallassee Drive.

• Theft was reported on Ashurst Bar Road.

• Criminal mischief was reported on Barnett Boulevard.

• Menacing was reported on Barnett Boulevard.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Central Boulevard.

• A domestic incident was reported on South Tallassee Drive.

FEB. 16

• A suicidal subject was reported on Hillcrest Street.

• Gunfire was reported on North Ashurst Avenue.

• A domestic incident was reported on Carr Circle.

• A stolen vehicle was reported on Noble Road.

• A welfare check was conducted on Taylor Road.

Pack submitted the insurance and registration paperwork to the City of Wetumpka.

“The tickets were dismissed,” Pack said. “What I didn’t know is I still had to pay court costs.”

According to Pack, later in the year, the City of Wetumpka issued FTAs for failure to display insurance and having an expired tag.

Pack said staff with the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office were “gracious” explaining the issues to him Saturday evening.

According to Elmore County Jail records Pack was booked at 8:31 p.m. Saturday and released 50 minutes later.

“Everything associated with costs and the FTAs were taken care of [Sat-

• A domestic dispute was reported on East Patton Street.

• Assistance was given to a citizen on East Patton Street.

• Assistance was given to a citizen on East Patton Street.

• Theft was reported on Notasulga Road.

• Menacing was reported on Jordan Avenue.

• A welfare check was conducted on Hillcrest Street.

• A white male was arrested during a traffic stop on E.B. Payne Sr. Drive.

• A white female was arrested on Barnett Boulevard.

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Central Boulevard.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Barnett Boulevard.

• Theft was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• A white female was arrested on Industrial Parkway.

• A motor vehicle accident with no injuries was reported on E.B. Payne Sr. Drive.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Gilmer Avenue. FEB. 15

• A juvenile complaint was reported on South Tallassee Drive.

• Child abuse was reported on Barnett Boulevard.

• A welfare check was conducted on Honeysuckle Lane.

• Animal control was requested on Gilmer Avenue. FEB. 14

• Assistance was given during a medical call on Friendship Road.

• Assistance was given during a medical call on Notasulga Road.

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

• A juvenile complaint was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• A three vehicle motor vehicle accident with injuries was reported on Jordan Avenue.

• A civil disturbance was

urday] night,” Pack said. “It falls in my court for not understanding what I was supposed to do prior to then.”

Pack said he still has to deal with the revoked vehicle registration at the Elmore County Courthouse which has plans for.

“I have to go Tuesday when they reopen [after the holiday] to do some followup with reinstatement of certain things like registration,” Pack said. “Apparently it is pretty easy to do that. It is nobody’s fault but mine. It’s unfortunate. It will be in the public eye because I’m running for office.”

Pack faces Jason Lett in the Republican primary for the Elmore County Board of Education District 7 seat March 5.

reported on First Avenue.

• A welfare check was conducted on Quail Run Drive.

• A welfare check was conducted on Hillcrest Street.

• Trespassing was reported on Cherokee Trail.

• A suspicious vehicle was reported on Outer Drive.

• Trespassing and criminal mischief was reported on Comer Lane.

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Barnett Boulevard.

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Barnett Boulevard.

• Animal control was requested on North Ann Avenue.

• A fight was reported on West Butler Street. FEB. 13

• A suspicious vehicle was reported on Grimes Street.

• A Black female was arrested during a traffic stop on North Ann Avenue.

• Burglary was reported on Herd Street.

• An assault was reported on South Tallassee Drive.

• Harassing communications was reported on James Street.

• Animal control was requested on Ashurst Avenue.

• Animal control was requested on North Ann Avenue.

• A welfare check was conducted on Sims Avenue.

• Animal control was requested on Ashurst Avenue.

• Trespassing was reported on Comer Lane.

• An animal complaint was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• A tree was reported in the roadway on Indian Trail.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Notasulga Road.

• Harassment was reported on Dixie Circle. FEB. 12

• A domestic dispute was reported on Friendship Road.

See REPORTS, Page A3

Humane Society of Elmore County

News

3 major factors determine how many pets you should have

By REA CORD HSEC Executive Director

How many pets are too many pets? That question will invariably depend on your personal view of animals in general, but there are considerations that anyone should think about before they take on even one pet. There are three major concerns an owner should take into account before adding any pet whether it is a dog, cat, horse, guinea pig, bird, etc and those are cost, time & space.

COST

Too often a potential owner only looks at the purchase or adoption price of a pet but there are far more costs involved than the initial purchase price. Every pet requires food but some animals have specialized diet requirements that may cost more than originally planned for. Most dogs and cats do fine on commercial foods, but what happens if your pet has a medical problem requiring a prescription diet or medicines? And even standard pet food prices have increased significantly in the past few years. An aging horse may require more expensive senior feed and all horses need hay in the winter or, year around if living in an area with no grass.

Many birds, reptiles and small ‘pocket pets’ require specialized food, supplements and particularly fresh fruits and vegetables to keep them healthy. With the popularity of Poodle mixes these days (think Doodles), grooming costs

REPORTS

Continued from A2

• Assistance was given to another agency on Gilmer Avenue.

• An animal complaint was reported on Sims Avenue.

• A fight was reported on Notasulga Road.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on the Fitzpatrick Bridge.

• A motor vehicle accident with no injuries was reported on Jordan Avenue.

• A tree in the roadway was reported on Mott Lane.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Bobwhite Court.

• A domestic incident was reported on Ira Street.

• A Black female was arrested following a motor vehicle accident with injuries on Gilmer Avenue.

FEB. 11

• A welfare check was conducted on Gilmer Avenue.

• Burglary was reported on Katie Lane.

• Assistance was given to another agency on Tallassee Highway.

WETUMPKA POLICE DEPARTMENT

FEB. 14

• Criminal trespass and criminal mischief was reported on North Bridge Street. FEB. 10

• Theft was reported on South Main Street.

• Theft was reported on South Main Street JAN. 31

• Cruelty to animals was reported on Harrograte Springs Road.

can add up as a major expense so best to talk to a groomer about those costs before taking on a dog in need of routine grooming. Today’s veterinarians have tremendous capabilities, but be mindful that the associated costs have increased quite a bit in the past few years.

Please talk to your vet about the costs of taking good care of your pet so you will be prepared. Pet insurance is increasingly popular and can greatly help in the event of a catastrophic event or illness and is definitely looking into. Not being able to afford caring for a pet is a top three reason for surrendering animals to shelters.

TIME

Be honest with yourself as to the amount of time you have to give your pet a good quality of life. Dogs and cats thrive on being with us. The dog in a pen at the far end of the yard that sees its owner ten minutes a day if it is fed and watered is truly not a pet – it is a sad animal craving attention.

Our dogs and cats love to be with us which is why they are in more than 60% of U.S. households.

So is it fair to get a puppy only to leave it alone in the backyard 20 plus hours per day? Those are the pups turned into shelters at around a year old because they are digging and chewing and have become unmanageable since they have grown up alone and are simply bored and lonely.

And what about the time it takes to muck out

a horse’s stall, or clean the guinea pig’s cage, or brush the long-haired cat? Be honest with yourself when evaluating a potential pet to make sure you do have the time that animal will require keeping it healthy and happy. As reasons for surrendering pets, not having enough time follows closely behind not being able to afford the pet.

SPACE We need to remember animals have different physiological needs than ours. A Yorkie’s exercise needs can likely be met with a good walk and playtime in a small apartment, but a highly energetic and intelligent breed like a Border Collie not only needs a lot of physical exercise, but mental activity as well.

Many hunting breeds like hounds and retrievers were bred to cover a lot of territory for many hours, so life in small back yard may result in a dog that becomes very destructive or escapes as it tries to burn all the energy is has but cannot use.

Indoor only cats can be quite happy but still need physical and mental exercise.

What about horses? Horses are range animals and when they are able to graze freely on acreage tend to be healthier and easier to keep, as well as potentially costing less to feed. A horse in a small corral with no grazing cannot exercise adequately and costs much more to maintain since the owner must supplement it with feed and hay at all times.

Most Guinea Pigs sadly live in cages that are far too small for them. The optimal space for one or two Guinea Pigs is around 7.5 square feet so do you have space for that?

Simple numbers do not answer the question of how many pets are too many. The answer lies in how you answer each of the above questions. If you can afford to provide appropriate care, have the time to give all your pets the care and attention they need, and have the space so that your pets can live a good quality of life dependent on their species and breed characteristics, then that answer may be one, or four, or twenty or more. What should be foremost in any pet owner’s mind is the quality of life for the pet – each and every one of them.

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

Got an

opinion? This page is for you

Our View Opinion

Be supportive of career tech

SShould we force students and graduates to pay it off?

Etudent loan debt has been all over the news for years. But what should we do about it? Should we forgive

The answer will be debated for years to come but no answer creates a real solution.

Older generations have pushed children to four year degrees and ignored the trades.

How much would you pay a plumber or electrician? Often those skills can be learned with little to no debt and the education can start in middle school.

Many of our schools have programs to introduce our children to numerous career paths. Some of the programs have been there for generations. Who remembers home economics? Its now Family and Consumer Science and often has a culinary program. Want to be a chef? You can start in high school.

Want to experience plumbing first hand? There are projects at the Elmore County Technical Center students are doing. The same goes for information technology, nursing, carpentry and many other fields.

There is even a bank branch in Elmore County High School.

What is great about the programs in the middle and high schools is the certifications earned along the way. They are industry issued and recognized when the students graduate.

The other great thing about the career tech programs is students figure out through hands-on experience if it is something they want to continue.

What better time than when a student is young to adjust a path to the future.

How many parents do we know who went back to school or had a career change because they were unhappy?

We can better understand what our students want and support them better by allowing them to experience the trades earlier in their education path. Let’s do it before tons of money is spent on an education that might not be needed. Let’s encourage students to explore and learn skills that will help them in life regardless of the path they chose.

Let’s encourage our students to take advantage of what is already available to them in the ag shop, kitchen or science lab to discover what they really want to do in life.

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 Tallassee Tribune 211 Barnett Blvd., Tallassee, AL 36078 Email: editorelmore@thewetumpkaherald.com

Obituaries: 25 cents

Weddings,

Announcements:

be sent as a .jpeg attached to the email. Announcements will appear within 10 days in The Tribune, The Herald or The Observer. Follow. Like.

ach week, I sit down to write this column and I hope to come up with something brilliant to say. Words hold a lot of power, and I know that better than most. However, this week I want to talk about what our editorial page is really for, and that’s you. I certainly love to share my stories, tell my opinions and give my (sometimes) sage advice. But even more than that, I love to hear from our readers. It tickles me so much to receive a letter to the editor because I get to learn what our readers are thinking about. Sometimes it’s a nice letter reminiscing about the Reeltown gym like today’s Tribune submission from Heather Fulford or a congratulatory note for a coach, such as Ms. Teresa Moten’s letter about Jeremy Freeman in today’s Outlook.

Other times, it’s about national news as a reader recently wrote about Iran’s conflicts and even better yet, we love to hear about local issues and where our read-

Letter to the editor

LIZI GWIN Managing Editor

ers stand.

It’s important to have an opinion and be able to back it up.

At the paper, we reserve the right to not publish anything submitted to us, but I couldn’t even tell you the last time a local resident from Tallapoosa, Coosa or Elmore counties submitted a letter that wasn’t published. We are all about supporting our local voices.

I may not always agree with the subject matter, but I will always support someone who has a voice and can back up their opinions in a well-thought out way.

It’s also important for young people to learn early on that having an opinion is OK, especially for young minorities. Recently, we spotlighted Elmore County

Republican Party scholarship winner Emily Mason, who wrote an essay about transgendered women in sports and how it’s an unfair bar to set. She wrote clearly and concisely and had facts to support her thoughts.

Whether I agree or disagree is unimportant. The fact this young woman had the wherewithal and smarts to put this opinion into a meaningful essay deserves spotlighting.

That’s exactly what we want to do with this opinion page — spotlight your voices. This also allows us to do our jobs better as we know what our readers are interested in. At Tallapoosa Publishers Inc., our mission statement is to report the news honestly, fairly and with integrity. We are committed to doing exactly that.

Lizi Arbogast Gwin is the managing editor of Tallapoosa Publishers Inc. She can be reached via phone at 434-9629420 or via email at lizi.gwin@ alexcityoutlook.com.

Reader reminisces about Reeltown memories

Dear Editor,

I’ll miss this old gym. Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited for our babies to be able to enjoy the new one across the road, but this will always be my Reeltown High School Gym. The outside appearance may be old and outdated, but the bones are still good and the memories that come out of this building are plentiful. Memories of standing on that court on Friday afternoons cheering during pep rallies with the elementary kids sitting on the visitor’s side and the high school kids on the home side while we danced to the band’s music and we threw basket tosses (Ashlee!) and

Now,

Llistened to our Reeltown boys hype us up for the football game coming that night. Cheering in those stands as LA and Joe Mack and Jack all played their hearts out during basketball season. Tessa Butler showing them girls she ruled that basketball court. I miss seeing Coach Hammonds out there, too. Watching Coach O lose it on the refs when they made bad calls. Coach Taylor and his Lady Rebels. Our own little student section that we had. Battling it out across the gym with the rival cheerleaders. Hollering and stomping as loud as we could so the opposing team would miss free throws. So many good, fun memories. Seems like yesterday.

Fast forward 20+ years to where I am cheering in a different capacity as a Mama to my own babies playing basketball on that court. Watching Jake dance the Mean Girls dance during his senior HOCO skit. Hugging him on that court and remembering this is his last days as a student at RHS. No more games will be had in here. Breaks my heart in a way. I grew up in here. From Kindergarten all the way up to 12th grade. It’s an old building to some, but it will always be home to me.

Heather Musick Fulford Reeltown, Alabama

we are in Lent

ast week, we celebrated Mardi Gras, better known as Fat Tuesday – the beginning of the season of Lent.

In 40 days, we’ll celebrate Easter - the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, which changed everything, including the calendar. Even in cultures around the world that either don’t know about Christianity or choose another religion, their calendar is still moving in the time of anno domini – in the Year of Our Lord. That is an amazing fact, that the birth of Jesus is memorialized to this day by our very calendar! People who do not even know Him are still counting their days with a Gregorian calendar dedicated to Him!

Easter marks the end of Lent, the forty days of fasting and abstinence that began with Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) and Ash Wednesday. Easter is a moveable feast, meaning it is not fixed in relation to the regular calendar. It always occurs during the spring, in March or April. Easter is linked to the Jewish Passover by much of its symbolism, as well as by its position in the calendar. Passover and Easter are interchangeable terms in many European languages, so the similarities are even greater for the early Christians who translated the Bible.

Secular customs, such as the Easter Bunny and Easter egg hunts, have become part of the holiday’s modern celebrations and are often observed by Christians and non-Christians alike.

The New Testament teaches that the resurrection of Jesus, which Easter celebrates, is a foundation of the Christian faith. The resurrection established Jesus as the true Son of God.

Easter is strongly connected to the Passover and Exodus from Egypt that is outlined in great detail in the Old Testament.

In the New Testament, however, Jesus gave the Passover meal a new meaning. He says to his disciples, “do this in remembrance of me,” as he prepared himself and his disciples for his death in the upper room during the Last Supper. He took the bread and the chalice of wine and said that it represented His body and blood.

Jesus, as the Passover lamb, was crucified at roughly the same time as the Passover lambs were being slain in the temple. To this day, on Good Friday at 3:00 p.m. is traditionally the time observed.

Every Friday during Lent, many Christians observe the Stations of the Cross. The Stations of the Cross are fourteen points on the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem, from the Lions’ Gate to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. This is one of the most powerful

Lenten traditions, even more so than fasting and abstinence. Speaking of fasting and abstaining, it is also a longstanding tradition to fast (eat one meal a day or none at all) and abstain from meat on Fridays of Lent. This has led to many restaurants having fish and seafood specials on Friday nights. Why is Easter on a moveable date? The date for Easter is determined on a lunisolar calendar similar to the Hebrew calendar. The First Council of Nicaea – the same Council that wrote the Creed (“we believe in One God …”) -- established the date of Easter as the first Sunday after the full moon (the Paschal Full Moon) following the northern hemisphere’s vernal equinox, way back in the year 325.

The equinox occurs on March 21, therefore Easter always falls on a Sunday between March 22 and April 25. There are 35 potential Easter dates! It last fell on March 22 in 1818, and will not do so again until 2285. It fell on March 23 in 2008, but will not do so again until 2160. Easter last fell on the latest possible date, April 25, in 1943 and will next fall on that date in 2038. However, it fell on April 24, just one day before this latest possible date, in 2011. The most common date is April 19. This year, we’ll celebrate Easter on March 31, 2024.

Michael Bird is a music teacher with Tallassee City Schools.

MICHAEL BIRD Columnist

Help available for Elmore County deputies

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

Editor’s Note: This story contains information about suicide and may be triggering to some readers. If you are suicidal or having suicidal ideations, please call 988 immediately.

The unexpected death of Elmore County deputy sheriff Stephen Sims shocked many. Sims died Thursday of a self-inflicted gunshot wound while attending law enforcement training in Fultondale.

Fultondale Police Department spokesperson Sgt. John Tanks said four Elmore County deputies had just returned to the Fultondale Event Center after lunch to continue training for dealing with sex offenders.

“They started to walk back into the facility,” Tanks said. “One stayed behind and he committed suicide.”

The Fultondale Police Department is investigating the death and investigators have spoken with many on

the scene Thursday. “All indications from the people he was with (say) he was OK,” Tanks said. “You never know what a person is going through on the inside. They heard a gunshot. They called us.”

The FBI reports suicide among law enforcement officers is not uncommon.

In 2022, 32 law enforcement officers died by suicide in the U.S. Nine attempts were not successful.

The FBI said potential factors contribute to law enforcement suicide such as relationship problems, burnout, depression and PTSD.

Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin sent staff to Fultondale to be with Sims’ family and the other deputies. Franklin has taken measures to help his department grieve and recover from the experience.

“With our chaplain and others we are going to offer to support them and see if they are in need of help or counseling,” Franklin said.

“It is something that they are not around or witness much in their life. Hope-

Sheriff remembers seasoned deputy

43, was dependable and always there for others.

fully none of it will happen again but we know from time to time things are going to happen.”

Sims was attending training hosted by the Covenant Rescue Group of Gardendale. According to the group’s website the organization is involved in efforts to rescue victims and arrest criminals involved in human trafficking. They share a passion for helping children who fall victim to human trafficking.

Following Sims death, Covenant released a statement.

“Our prayers go out to the family, friends and colleagues of the officer during this incredibly difficult time,” the statement read. “We cannot begin to express the sorrow we feel for their loss.”

The organization encourages anyone struggling with thoughts of suicide or in need of support to reach out for help. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24/7 at 1-800273-TALK (8255), provid

ing free and confidential support for individuals in

CommunityCalendar

THURSDAY, APRIL 11

on Saturday, Sept. 21.

SATURDAY, OCT. 19

LIVING HISTORY SATURDAY:

Ft. Toulouse-Ft. Jackson is hosting demonstrations of how people lived in the area as settlers began to arrive on Saturday, Oct. 19.

NOV. 6-9

MIXER & SILENT AUCTION: Paintball 111 in Wetumpka will be hosting a small business mixer and silent auction from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. April 11. The proceeds will benefit a charitable organization, and the night is an opportunity to network and unlock potential for business growth. Tickets are $10 per person plus one silent auction item per business. Tickets are for adults only and reserved for small businesses in the area.

THURSDAY, APRIL 18

ALABAMA FRONTIER DAYS: Ft. Toulouse-Ft. Jackson is holding its annual frontier days with demonstrations for school children and parents about life in Alabama as the area was settled Nov. 6-9.

the best preserved marine impact crater in the world. It costs $25 for adults and $15 for students. Reservations are required by calling 334-567-4637.

THURSDAY, FEB. 29

LOW-COUNTRY BOIL: The Elmore County Pregnancy Center and First Choice are hosting a low country boil benefit at 6 p.m. Feb. 29 at The Eclectic Warehouse in Eclectic. It is a free event but attendees need to register at https://bit. ly/47URxEn.

THURSDAY, MARCH 7

COFFEE & CONNECTIONS: The Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce will host its Rise & Shine Coffee & Connections event at ASE Credit Union. It will be held from 7:30 to 9 a.m. April 18 and is an opportunity for local professionals and community leaders to connect. Coffee will be provided.

SATURDAY, APRIL 20

WAR ENCAMPMENT: Ft. Toulouse-Ft. Jackson is holding its annual French and Indian War Encampment with demonstrations Saturday, April 20.

SATURDAY, MAY 11

ONGOING SUPPORT GROUP: The last Thursday of every month, Restoration 49 Coffee Shop plays host to a support group for parents who have lost a child. The meetings begin at 6 p.m. each month. For more information, please contact Heather Baker at hbakerjj@aol.com.

PRESCHOOL STORYTIME: After more than a year long hiatus, Preschool Storytime has resumed at the Wetumpka Public Library. The first story time was held on Friday, May 14, and will take place every Friday at the library at 10 a.m.

ECLECTIC TOWN COUNCIL

COFFEE & CONNECTIONS: The Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce will host its Rise & Shine Coffee & Connections event at Homesouth Roofing. It will be held from 7:30 to 9 a.m. March 7 and is an opportunity for local professionals and community leaders to connect. Coffee will be provided.

SATURDAY, MARCH 16

LIVING HISTORY SATURDAY: Ft. Toulouse-Ft. Jackson is hosting demonstrations of how people lived in the area as settlers began to arrive on Saturday, March 16. ANNUAL CHAMBER MEETING: The Wetumpka Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting the 2024 Annual Meeting, ‘The Night A Star Fell,’ from 6 to 10 p.m.

FRIDAY, MARCH 22

BINGO: Paintball 111 in Wetumpka will host a Ladies Only Bingo Night from 6 to 9 p.m. March 22. Tickets are $20 and each bingo card is $1. Doors open at 6 p.m. and bingo begins at 7. Wine is complimentary for women ages 21 and older.

SPRING MARKET: Poppy Layne Farm Vintage will be hosting a Spring Barn Market starting at 10 a.m. May 11. Applications are currently available for interested vendors. Email poppylaynefarm@gmail.com for more information. Live music will be featured.

SATURDAY, MAY 18

LIVING HISTORY SATURDAY:

Ft. Toulouse-Ft. Jackson is hosting demonstrations of how people lived in the area as settlers began to arrive on Saturday, May 18. ART SHOW: The Wetumpka Downtown Artists will host an art show on Company Street in downtown Wetumpka at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 18.

SUNDAY, JULY 14

MEN’S CONFERENCE: Village Church of Wetumpka is hosting a men’s conference. The keynote speaker is Rick Burgess of Rick and Bubba.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 21

LIVING HISTORY SATURDAY:

Ft. Toulouse-Ft. Jackson is hosting demonstrations of how people lived in the area as settlers began to arrive

MEETINGS: Eclectic Town Council meetings are held on the third Monday of each month at Town Hall. Council meetings begin at 7 p.m. with work sessions taking place prior to the meeting at 6 p.m. Meetings are held in the Dr. M. L. Fielder Municipal Building, 145 Main Street. NAACP MEETINGS: The Elmore County Branch No. 5026 of the NAACP meets at 6:30 p.m. every third Tuesday (executive committee) and every fourth Tuesday (full membership) at the Martin Luther King Center at 200 North Lancaster St. in Wetumpka. OPEN MIC: The Equality Performing

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

Stephen Sims was always first.

Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin said

Pet of the Week - Copper

Copper is a 1- to 2-year-old male Basset mix who weighs about 50 pounds and is just as handsome as can be. He is great with other dogs and pigs but not good with chickens as he thinks they are too tasty. He is good with children — a friendly fella.

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

Valentines Day tradition continues at Southside Middle School

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

It all started several years ago with an anonymous donation. Now the Southside Middle School Valentine’s Day Girls Program has grown.

“Their generosity began with a simple yet profound gesture — donating a flower for every girl,” principal Brittany Spencer said. “It has grown into a heartwarming event aimed at empowering young women leaving a lasting impact on attendees.”

This year’s assembly was centered on inspiring young women to recognize their potential and embrace their unique strengths. Spencer started discussions with the students about the significance of understanding one’s worth.

“I emphasized that being a woman should never be seen as a limitation but rather as a source of strength and resilience,” Spencer said. “Instead of viewing each other as competitors, the students were encouraged to support and uplift one another.”

Spencer’s hope in fostering a sense of community students can achieve far greater heights together than they ever could alone.

Southside Middle School students pose for a photograph after an assembly encouraging girls to succeed.The students were also given a flower to remind them of their worth.

Students left the assembly with a flower but more importantly a newfound knowledge of how important they can be in the world.

“The flower signifies to the young women their value in our

school and our community,” Spencer said. “Through initiatives like these, Southside Middle School continues to foster a supportive and inclusive environment where every student can thrive and succeed.”

Tax holiday for severe weather this weekend

Baron Saf-T-Net.

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

There is never a good time for a storm or its possible destruction.

The State of Alabama is making it easier for citizens to be prepared for the next potential disaster through The 2024 Alabama Severe Weather Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday Feb. 23-25. Things such as weather radios, batteries, flashlights, non-electric coolers, reusable ice, smoke detectors, plastic and tarps up to $60 can be purchased tax free in Elmore County during

the holiday. A single generator up to $1,000 will be tax free too.

“All these are items that can be purchased and used for severe weather, both before and after severe weather,” Elmore County EMA director Keith Barnett said. “The items will help to more safely handle any sort of response after a storm hits.”

Barnett said his agency can help with programming of weather radios if needed. Barnett also suggests having a secondary notification of weather alerts via apps, such as Elmore County EMA or

Barnett said outdoor sirens should not be depended on because of old technology and difficulty hearing them inside homes and during storms.

Getting a few items to store at home and listen out for weather alerts is only the first step in disaster preparedness.

Having a small kit and storm plan is a necessity, and it should include where in the home to shelter and where to meet after an event. The kit should at least include some water and basic first measures.

“One of the most important things is something to wear on the head like a helmet and shoes,” Barnett said. “Most of the deaths in a storm come from being struck in the head. Many injuries happen to feet and legs as people try to leave the debris bath barefooted.”

Barnett encourages everyone to take advantage of the sales tax holiday.

“It’s a chance to create or rebuild emergency kits,” Barnett said. “I would tell anyone I can about it. Preparedness saves injuries and lives.”

The beloved community continues

Greetings from the corner of Bridge and Bridge! It is another chilly morning as I write this column. Yes, I know it is winter, but the ground hog got me thinking about an early spring!

Last week, the Presbytery of Sheppards and Lapsley held its winter meeting. Presbytery meets quarterly, and this particular meeting was hosted by Northern Heights Presbyterian Church in Selma. PCUSA congregations throughout central Alabama sent commissioners, clergy and lay leaders, to do the work of the regional body of the church.

Northern Heights Presbyterian Church sits about three blocks from Ebeneezer Baptist Church in a neighborhood north of downtown Selma. The area was hit hard in the tornado that swept through Selma a year ago. Blue

tarps and piles of debris remain as reminders of that storm and its devastation.

Northern Heights is no longer an active worshipping congregation. The church closed not too long ago because its membership had dwindled and the community was mired in decades-long decline. A group of Presbyterians in the area have maintained the facility and it serves as a community meeting place.

Our guest speaker during the worship service of the meeting was Rev. James Perkins, Pastor

of Ebeneezer Baptist Church and Mayor of Selma. Rev. Perkins is a delightful servant of the gospel and the city. His comments were introduced as “Reflections on Selma”. He joked about shifting back and forth from “reflecting to preaching” and back again.

His reflection ran the gamut of human experience. He spoke of the blessings and challenges facing Selma from the past and the present quite even-handedly. I was struck by a couple of things he had to say.

First, he identified the setting of our meeting as his neighborhood. Not only did he grow up in Selma, he literally grew up in the neighborhood of the church we were meeting in. He quickly named all of the businesses that occupied the neighborhood of his youth as well as the saints who

Tallassee Churches

resided there. The majority are gone now.

Second, He spoke about leaving Selma with no specific plans to return. He was not trying to escape Selma by any means. The journey of his life simply led him away; first for his education and later in the establishment of his business.

Third, Rev. Perkins explained the nature of his call from God to return to Selma. He highlighted the “God moments” along the way that solidified that call. That call included a run for Mayor; a path that did not result in election the first two times around. Finally, when voter fraud and election manipulation were identified, addressed, and rectified in two years of court proceedings, Rev. Perkins became Mayor Perkins. What struck me most was the

absence of any demonization. Rev. Perkins spoke succinctly about the truths continuing to affect Selma, but he did not throw anyone under the bus in the process. He did not seek to divide and conquer. He spoke of divine possibility.

Before the meeting, I doubt I would have identified the neighborhood containing Northern Heights Presbyterian Church as anything beloved. Thanks to the comments of Rev. Perkins and worship and fellowship with sisters and brothers in Christ, I saw it differently. That blighted neighborhood is part of God’s beloved community. It should be treated accordingly.

Rev. Jonathan Yarboro is the Pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Wetumpka.

Surrounding Area Churches

REV. JONATHAN YARBORO Columnist

Tallassee’s Lozada caps off perfect season

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

Tallassee’s Ramon Lozada ended his high school career on top.

After attempting to win a state championship each of the last two seasons at Elmore County and Wetumpka, Lozada finally accomplished his goal Saturday afternoon.

Lozada won the AHSAA Class 5A state championship in the 120-pound weight class. He pinned Jasper’s Kortez Samules at the 3:37 mark to cap off his perfect 43-0 season.

Land

5A

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

Tallassee junior Land Bell had a target painted on his back all season, but nobody was able to hit that target.

Bell, who won the state championship a year ago at the 132pound class, claimed his second-consecutive state championship Saturday afternoon. Bell beat Scottsboro’s Josh Draskovic by an

8-2 decision in the AHSAA Class 5A state championship held at Huntsville’s Von Braun Center. With the win, Bell also finished his junior season with a 57-0 record.

“It fills my heart to come out and win it,” Bell said.

“It’s awesome and it’s just exciting. All the hard work from the offseason to in-season training and weight cuts, it’s paid off. I couldn’t be happier.” Much like every

wrestler across the state, Bell’s ultimate goal was to win another state title. But that wasn’t all he wanted this year. He achieved that milestone as a sophomore last year and he wanted to do even more.

So he set out to go undefeated. That’s exactly what he did, and not many even came close to beating him. In 54 regular season matches,

“This means everything to me,” Lozada said. “It honestly does. I’ve put in every bit of work that someone can put into this sport. The past four years, I’ve had to wrestle some of the best guys in the state but I was fully healthy this year and there was no reason I shouldn’t have won it like I did. It feels so good to win a state title and feels even better being undefeated.”

Lozada’s season hasn’t been an easy one, but he’s dominated every wrestler that has stepped on the mat with him. He wrestled Ten-

nessee and Louisiana state champions, and he faced plenty of tough opponents from Class 6A. But that just made him stronger and that experience showed in his match against Samuels.

Lozada started fast and earned a takedown just 15 seconds into the match, then took down Samuels again a minute later. He led, 4-1, after the first period and was in full control of the match from the start.

“At the beginning when I took him down, it was pretty easy to take him

LOZADA, Page B2

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

Mason Nelson is in a class of his own.

Wrestling in the AHSAA Class 5A state championship held at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Nelson claimed the 106-pound championship with a dominant 17-0 technical fall victory over Moody’s Brynn Jenkins.

With the win, Nelson capped off his junior season with a 49-5 record and his first state title. After moving down to the 106 pound class, he went 16-1 and won his last nine matches.

“I’ve been work-

ing for this since I was five-years old,” Nelson said. “This has been my lifelong dream. I worked hard to get here and I’m happy to be here now. This is everything I’ve been working for.”

Nelson’s match was decided almost as soon as it started.

Seven seconds after the whistle started the match, Nelson was on top of Jenkins and up, 2-0. He followed that up with two nearfalls in the first period and was in complete control, 6-0. Nelson started the second period on bottom, and he quickly earned two points

on a reversal and another three points by a third nearfall. Back-to-back nearfalls in the third period ended it via the 15-point mercy rule.

“My wing was really prominent in this match,” Nelson said. “I was able to get good wrist control early and I was really aggressive. I wanted it to be my match and my pace and make him uncomfortable.”

When the final buzzer blew and Nelson was a state champion, he wasn’t one to show much emotion. He turned around with his

Reeltown wrestling reaches new heights

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

Wood, Devin Bragg, Justin Thomas and Blake Hadden – to the

AHSAA Class 1A-4A state championship tournament held at Huntsville’s Von Braun Center. Both Bragg and Wood advanced to the state championship match but fell just short, finishing runner-up in the 120 and 215-pound weight classes. Hadden and Thomas both reached the second round of the consolation bracket.

Despite only bringing four wrestlers, Reeltown still scratched enough points across to finish 15th in Class 1A-4A.

“This is pretty much how all season has been for us,” Rebel coach Chad Ledbetter said. “They’ve been pretty steady all year. We kind of look at our program and

DALTON MIDDLETON | TPI

Tallassee’s

Bell beat Scottsboro’s Josh Draskovic in the AHSAA Class

state championship in the 144-pound weight class.

See NELSON, Page B2

The wrestling season didn’t end the way Reeltown would have liked, but that doesn’t take away from just how much the program achieved this season. Reeltown sent four wrestlers – Drake

Reeltown’s Drake Wood wrestles against St. John Paul II’s Xavier Escorpizo in the AHSAA Class 1A-4A semifinals. Wood advanced to the state championship but fell just short of his state championship dreams.

DALTON MIDDLETON TPI

Tallassee’s Ramon Lozada screams after winning the AHSAA Class 5A state championship in the 120-pound weight class.

Continued from B1

only four were decided by a decision. The other 50 were either pins, technical falls or major decisions.

The closest was an 8-7 decision in the South Super Sectional Finals last week, and Bell came back and beat that same opponent 5-2 in the semifinals on Friday.

This weekend, he went 3-0 with two decisions and a technical fall.

“It was a milestone year for sure,” Bell said. “I set out to make harder goals and I achieved them. Next year, my goal is to win a ThreePeat and get the All-Time win mark for Tallassee.”

The 8-2 win over Draskovic doesn’t quite tell the story for Bell’s dominance on Saturday. From start to finish, Bell was in complete control of the match.

He took down Draskovic once in the first period, then got a near fall to make the score 4-0. That score held

until the third period when Bell went up 6-0 on another takedown. He then pushed Draskovic off him and allowed him to get an escape point, then instantly took him down again. He did it once again, and the match ended before he could increase the point total more than it was.

“I was just on my game,” Bell said. “I was in my head the whole time and knew I had to wrestle. If I wrestle to the best of my ability, it’s hard for my opponents. I wanted to go hard, quick and strong and that’s what happened”

Draskovic presented a different obstacle for Bell as he stood significantly taller than Bell, but that didn’t change the game plan much for Bell. He wanted to overpower Draskovic, and that’s exactly what he did all match.

“I wanted to get into his body and not stay far away from him,” Bell said. “I hit my double leg into him and tried to hit some wrist snaps and clubs and ties and knock him off balance.”

Lewis walks off Reeltown over Tallassee

By HENRY ZIMMER Sports Reporter

Reeltown’s Hagan Lewis wanted a fastball.

With the game against rival Tallassee tied in the bottom of the eighth inning, Lewis stepped up to the plate with one out. He had Jamarkius Smith on first, and just needed to connect on a ball to send the speedy Smith at least to third.

On the first pitch from Tallassee’s Carter Sayers, Lewis saw his pitch.

He clobbered the fastball to deep center, sending Smith leaping headfirst into home plate.

After being down by five by the fifth inning, Reeltown (1-0) came back to win, 9-8.

“It felt amazing,” Lewis said. “I have been sitting fastball all night. I kind of had trouble getting a fastball first pitch. They had been throwing me off speed all night. But I saw my pitch coming and took advantage of it. I did what I had to do.”

Lewis completed his redemption arc Friday night to give his team the win in its season opener.

As a pitcher, Lewis relieved Smith after 3 ⅓ innings of work by the freshman. Smith let up just two hits and two runs and had the game tied at two apiece.

When Lewis hit the bump, things fell apart for the home team. The junior pitched just 1 ⅔ innings, giving up four hits and five runs.

“It was rough, I am not going to lie,” Lewis said.

Continued from B1

hands held high but wasn’t cheering or smiling.

He was completely focused on winning, and he was focused on just doing the little things right.

His game plan going into Saturday’s final was to just focus on the basics and not overthink it. He didn’t want to get too emotional and make a mistake.

“I wanted to be free and aggressive, but I knew I had to stick to the basics,” Nelson said. “Sometimes I

REELTOWN

Continued from B1

its progression as one step at a time. We had four guys go to state this year, which is the most we’ve ever had. And we had two finish runner-up, which is the highest placements we’ve ever had. Overall, that’s pretty awesome.”

can put myself in bad situations if I don’t remember my basics so I focused on that and really pushed the pace.”

But while he didn’t show the emotions on his face, he felt them. For Nelson, it was a year’s worth of work being paid off for him. Just a year ago, he finished third place in a tough 113 pound weight class in the same arena.

So when he finally realized he was a champion, it was a sigh of relief.

“I really did it,” Nelson said. “I was just so happy to be there and achieve that. I really was flooded with emotions.”

Only an eighth grader, Wood made the most of his first three opponents. He claimed three wins by decision, 2-0, 5-2 and 7-2, to punch his ticket to the state championship and became the first Reeltown wrestler to wrestle for the title. In the championship match, he fell 7-3 to White Plains junior Mason Hahm, who had

“Had a couple errors. Let a couple pitches sit where they didn’t need to be.”

Lewis and the Rebels never lost faith however. Reeltown coach Matt Johnson rolled with the arm of Brody Smith. Pitching the final three frames of the game, Smith allowed just a single hit and a single run. His arm kept Tallassee at bay and allowed Reeltown to snag a run in the fifth, two runs in the sixth and the tying three runs in the seventh.

“I knew if we kept playing (Brody Smith) could come and pick me up on the mound,” Lewis said. “He came in and shoved it.”

Reeltown had a chance to win it in regulation, with runners on all three bases and arguably the team’s best hitter at the plate. With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, senior

around.

Continued from B1

down,” Lozada said. “I feel like in any match I’m in, I’m going to be the best on my feet. So I took him down and let him up, and took him down again.”

To start the second period, Samuels chose a neutral position and he got Lozada in an odd spot. Lozada then attempted a high crotch takedown but failed, and Samuels was able to earn a takedown to cut the lead to 4-3. Then Lozada stopped playing

“When that happened, it was like ‘Ok, I have to go now. This is my last match. I have to make it count,’” Lozada said.

Roughly 30 seconds later, Lozada saw his chance and took it. After a small mistake by Samuels, Lozada hit a cradle and pinned Samuels.

“When I saw him crunch up, I threw the cradle as tight as I could and it got the job done,” Lozada said.

When the refs’ hand slapped the mat and Lozada was a champion, he was overcome with emotions. He circled

Huntingdon commit Blake Smith went up to bat. But it wasn’t meant to be, as Blake grounded out to second and sent the game to extra innings. In extras, Brody got a groundout, a flyout and a strikeout to set his team up to win it. In the bottom of the frame, Jamarkius reached on a single. Jake Hornsby struck out the following at bat. And then Lewis saw his pitch.

“It was awesome,” Lewis said. “We haven’t beaten them in varsity baseball in forever. Having this experience at home, in front of our fans, and taking it this way by battling back is awesome. You can’t ask for anything better in the first game of the year.”

Lewis’ hit was only his second of the game, going 2-for-5 total with a single

the entire mat pointing and flexing his muscles, then quickly grabbed his t-shirt that had Masen Goggins’ name and number 23 on it.

Goggins is the Elmore County student who died in a car accident in December, and Lozada made sure Goggins received his love after the state championship win.

“I did it for my boy Masen,” Lozada said. “I did it all for him. All Glory to God as well. He gave me this opportunity to do this and I couldn’t be here without him.”

only lost one match all year. Hahm took a 4-0 lead in the first period, but Wood was able to cut into the lead, 5-3, before Hahm earned one final takedown in the final seconds to clinch the win.

Despite the loss, Wood finished the season with a 43-6 record.

“We kind of went into Drake’s match knowing he was fac-

ing a junior with only a loss, and he did a phenomenal job,” Ledbetter said. “I told him there’s nothing to be ashamed of. I’m proud of him and his effort. It didn’t come out the way he wanted it, but I told him to keep his head up.” Bragg’s match was a heartbreaker that came down to the final seconds. Bragg nearly

pinned Dora’s Korion Prior early in the second period, but Prior was able to escape and tie the match, 3-3, until late in the third period. With just a second left in the match and it looking like it would go to overtime, Prior earned a takedown on Bragg and won, 7-5.

“Hopefully next year we’ll get a state championship,” Ledbetter

said. “We have Drake and Devin coming back and we had some young guys who weren’t quite ready this year. We had three guys at sectionals who could have very easily made it to state. We are going to focus on some younger guys and use our veteran experience with Devin and Drake and make it more of a competitive team overall.”

LOZADA

BELL

NELSON

DALTON MIDDLETON | TPI

Tallassee’s Ramon Lozada flexes his muscles at the crowd after winning the state title. Lozada went 43-0 this season.

DALTON MIDDLETON | TPI

Tallassee’s Land Bell throws up two fingers after winning his second state championship on Saturday afternoon.

DALTON MIDDLETON | TPI

Tallassee’s Mason Nelson takes down Moody’s Brynn Jenkins in the 106-pound finals at the state championships. Nelson won via technical fall, 17-0.

HENRY ZIMMER | TPI

Reeltown’s Hagan Lewis, who hit the walk off against Tallassee, pitches earlier in the game. Lewis had two hits and pitched 1 2/3 innings against Tallassee.

Elmore County hits walk-off to open season

By HENRY ZIMMER Sports Reporter

Reeltown hit a walkoff to win over Tallassee on Friday night. Elmore County repaid the favor to the Rebels on Saturday.

After losing a 5-1 lead in the top of the fifth, Elmore County eventually found itself down 7-6 in the bottom of the seventh.

With two outs, Ryals McNeely stepped up to the plate and cranked a single to score Cade Everson. One batter later, Shelton Darnell lit a ball down the right field line and brought McNeely in for the game-winner.

On opening day, the Panthers won 8-7 to start the year 1-0. “It was good to fight

back,” Elmore County coach Michael Byrd said. “You just have to win the day. It wasn’t a beautiful day, but it was all win and survive.”

After scoring just a single run through the first four innings, Reeltown rattled off six runs in the final three frames.

Senior Brandon White started the game for Elmore County with seven strikeouts and just one run allowed in four innings of work.

After he was taken out, the Panthers only managed six Ks and allowed six runs to keep Reeltown in it. With the game tied at five apiece, an error on Elmore County saw Reeltown take a 6-5 lead.

“You expect the first time through the lineup to have some jitters,”

Unhittable

By DALTON MIDDLETON

Sports Editor

Ella Watson wasted no time showing what her senior season is going to be like.

Watson, one of Wetumpka’s top two returning pitchers and a West Alabama signee, shined in the circle this weekend.

As Wetumpka won the Prattville Lions Classic Softball Tournament on Saturday, Watson pitched four complete games including two no-hitters against Pleasant Grove and Montgomery Catholic.

For her dominance, Watson is the Elmore County Player of the Week.

“It was cold and windy this weekend, but Ella completely controlled the zone all weekend long,” Indians coach Daryl Otwell said. “She pitched really well. She threw three games on Saturday and

Wednesday, Feb. 21

High School Baseball

Byrd said. “We had some jitters. We loaded the bases twice and didn’t get anything from it. Some pitchers had their first time on the mound. Little sporadic.”

In the end however, it was the powerful bats of McNeely and Darnell to see the team seal the win.

Darnell had a monster game, going 3-5 at the plate with two RBIs. He hit a triple, double and a single.

McNeely went 1-2 with two walks, scoring all three times he reached first base. The senior was also credited with the win on the mound, pitching the final frame of the game.

Before McNeely could hit his tying run, Everson had to get on base.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Wetumpka’s Watson throws two no-hitters

tossed a no-hitter then came back and faced a top four team in 6A and only gave up one run.”

Watson’s senior season started on Friday morning with the 13-0 win over Montgomery Catholic. In that three-inning shortened game, Watson walked one batter while striking out two and allowed no hits.

That was the only game she pitched Friday then turned around and pitched three of the four games that Wetumpka played on Saturday.

Against Pleasant Grove, she struck out 12 batters and walked one in six innings for her second no-hitter in as many games.

After Holt pitched a win over Saraland, Watson took back over the mound against Spanish Fort, a team Wetumpka beat in the semifinals last year in the state tournament.

4 Wetumpka at LAMP, 4:30 p.m.

4 Tallassee at Beulah, 4:30 p.m. High School Softball

4 Sylacauga at Tallassee, 4:30 p.m. High School Soccer

4 Valley at Tallassee, 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 22

School Baseball

4 Holtville at Elmore County, 5:30 p.m.

4 Edgewood Academy Varsity Tournament, TBD High School Softball

4 Tallassee at Central Tournament, TBD

4 Smiths Station at Wetumpka, 4:30 p.m.

4 Maplesville at Holtville, 4:30 p.m.

4 Charles Henderson at

RBI– the game winner. Arthur Woods went 2 of 4, scoring a single runner. Hutson Lewis

for your

Watson allowed only four hits and one run and struck out six batters across four innings of work. With only 13 innings of work under her belt in three games, she took to the circle again in the tournament championship against Calera.

In the win, she allowed only seven hits and one run while striking out six batters.

HENRY ZIMMER TPI

Elmore County’s Shelton Darnell celebrates after hitting a walkoff double against Reeltown in the Panthers’ season opener.

While the senior went 0-2 at the plate, Everson was walked twice. His second walk got him on first for McNeely to send him all the way around.

“Especially down two outs, that was really big for us,” Byrd said. “The seniors came up back to back and that was really good.”

When McNeely entered the batter’s box, it was all up to him to at least tie the game.

Reeltown had every last bit of momentum and had to secure just one final out to start its season 2-0. McNeely wasn’t sitting on a pitch, but just trying to find

“We wanted her and Mya to get around the same amount of innings, so we challenged her to go back out there and pitch again right after her complete game,” Otwell said. “So she went out and did the same thing against Calera. Two complete games with only one run. I was really proud of her.” She wasn’t just dominant in the circle, however.

After the first weekend, she is second on the team in batting average and is hitting .474. She went 9-for-19 at the plate with seven singles, one double and one triple. She added two RBIs and scored four runs and stole two bases.

6 p.m.

Stanhope Elmore at Wetumpka, 5:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23

Wetumpka at Marbury,

School Soccer 4 Holtville at Beauregard, 5:30 p.m.

4 (G) Pell City at Elmore County, 6 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 24

School Baseball 4 Holtville at Chilton County, 1 p.m. 4 Stanhope Elmore at

went 1-for-2 with two RBIs.

Winning in dramatic fashion showed just how scrappy this Reeltown team can be according to Lewis. And he thinks his team is far from done

Feb. 26

Tallassee at Percy Julian, 6:30 p.m.

4 Edgewood Academy at Lowndes Academy, 4 p.m. High School Softball

4 Edgewood Academy at Lowndes Academy, 4 p.m.

High School Soccer

4 (G) Holtville at Stanhope Elmore, 5:30

having big time wins.

“We are a bunch of dogs,” Lewis said. “We are going to surprise some people this year. Mark my words.”

Tallassee got on the board in the first inning

High School Soccer

4 Tallassee at St. James, 5:30 p.m.

4 (B) Wetumpka at Pelham, 6 p.m.

4 (G) JAG at Stanhope Elmore, 5:30 p.m.

behind a single from Brue Milner. Behind a Hornsby flyout, Reeltown retook the lead in the third 2-1.

In the fourth, the Tigers got things extremely wacky, scor-

the best opportunity to help tie the game.

The Rebels put Hutson Lewis on the bump for the seventh and McNeely took advantage of the pitching change.

“It felt great,” McNeely said of his tying hit. “Just doing my job.”

As a whole, Elmore County put up six hits. The team struck out just three times compared to nine walks.

On the base path, the Panthers stole eight bases.

“It was good that we fought out here and did what we had to do to win,” McNeely said. “It was a big moment for our team. We just have to keep working at it and doing what we are doing.”

Reeltown wrestling sends 4 to state

STAFF REPORT TPI Staff

Editor’s Note: This is being reprinted from last week due to an error in publishing.

The Reeltown wrestling team rewrote its history books at Super Sectionals over the weekend.

Competing with a chance to wrestle at state, the Rebels had two athletes win their weight classes and qualified four athletes to wrestle at the state competition.

Devin Bragg and Drake Wood, wrestling at 215 and 120 respectively, both won their weight classes and automatically qualified for state.

Blake Hadden (113 pounds) and Justin Thomas (132) also placed within the top six in their respective classes, and earned a trip to the state competition.

As a team, Reeltown placed sixth overall from all teams competing in 1A-4A, which was a first for the program. Having two wrestlers win their sectional weights and qualifying four wrestlers for state was also a program first. Bragg won four straight matches to take the top spot in 215, earning three pins under one minute. He picked up two decisions, winning the weight with a 7-5 decision over a wrestler from Bayside Academy. Wood also went undefeated, going 4-0 to win his weight. Wood earned three pins and a technical fall, defeating a wrestler from Oak Grove in the championship. In the 113 class, Hadden placed fifth overall. He won his first match, but lost his second to a wrestler from Oak Grove. In the fifth place match, Hadden defeated a wrestler from Escambia County. Thomas defeated one wrestler in 132, but fell in the second match he wrestled to a wrestler from Prattville Christian. State competition runs from Thursday to Saturday in Huntsville.

ing six runs. But it was how they scored that the team may not see again this season. Behind two Reeltown errors, Tallassee put a pair of runners on third and second. Three bat-

ters, a bunt, a wild pitch and two more errors later, Tallassee was up 6-2. Thomas Lemmond homered for good measure to put the purple and gold up 7-2.

LEWIS Continued from B2

SPORTS CALENDAR

FILE | TPI

Wetumpka’s Ella Watson pitched two no-hitters in the opening weekend of softball. In those two games, she walked only two batters and struck out 13.

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Tallassee Tribune: Feb. 14 and 21, 2024 AV/02 MITSUBISHI

area, Fulmer and Ray were recently sworn in as police officers for the Tallassee Police Department and are looking forward to making a difference in the community.

Fulmer had his first encounter with a police officer as a child in the Friendship market.

“I was wanting a candy bar and was a little short,” Fulmer said. “He paid for it.”

The act of kindness from someone with a badge and a gun left a mark. The idea of being a police officer never left Fulmer.

“I wanted to support the community like they did and make a difference,” Fulmer said. “I wanted to make a difference in my neighborhood.”

Ray worked as a state corrections officer and it was a child who sparked his decision to join the police force.

“I wanted to make my kids proud,” Ray said. “When I worked in corrections, my daughter was like, ‘Daddy are you a correction officer or a policeman?’ I was like, ‘Sort of.’”

Ray didn’t like being on the “inside confined with prisoners,” he said.

“I wanted to be on the outside,” Ray said.

He saw an opening at the Tallassee Police Department. It was a hybrid position of helping book people who are arrested, an animal control officer and a patrol officer.

Fulmer tried to get a certified position with Tallassee when he graduated from high school. Instead, he joined the military police before working as a corrections officer at the Elmore County Jail. He also was a volunteer firefighter at the Friendship Volunteer Fire Department.

“I changed paths and came to Tallassee after my daughter was born,” Fulmer said.

Fulmer and Ray went to the police academy together, graduating Feb. 7. Just last week the pair was sworn in by Tallassee police chief Todd Buce in front of the Tallassee City Council. Next is field training where they are partnered with a supervisor as they patrol the streets of Tallassee.

It is something Ray was doing before the academy. He was along on stops as officers deescalated tense moments helping those struggling in a tough time.

In a few weeks Fulmer will be on his own patrolling Tallassee.

Ray will be too but he will go back to school for animal control. He will be an Alabama Peace Officers’ Standards and Training Commission’s certified animal control officer. It will allow him to answer calls from residents and about animals.

“It will help out the department,” Buce said. “The animal control officer will be able to prosecute their cases. If he wasn’t APOSTC certified, an officer would have to come to the scene to assist. This also allows us to have an extra officer when a situation warrants it.”

Multiple Alabama colleges waiving application fees

TPI Staff Staff Report

This week, students who reside in Alabama have the opportunity to apply to select colleges at no cost.

Several colleges throughout the state are participating in the Alabama College Application Campaign, which waives application fees for students during distinct weeks. This event was held in Oct. 2023, and its success led the Alabama Department of Education to reinstate the event for another week.

The campaign started 10 years ago to

increase the number of college applications throughout the state, while providing opportunities for low-income students.

High school seniors in the state of Alabama can apply to colleges for free until Friday.

COLLEGES PARTICIPATING INCLUDE:

• Alabama A&M University

• Alabama Aviation College

• Alabama State University

• Allen University (South Carolina)

• Andrew College

• Auburn University at Montgomery

• Belmont Abbey College (North Car-

olina)

• Birmingham Southern College

• Brenau University (Georgia)

• Faulkner University

• Fort Valley State University (Georgia)

• Georgia Gwinnett College (Georgia)

• Huntingdon College

• Jacksonville State University

• Lincoln Tech (Tennessee)

• Maryville College (Tennessee)

• Mercer University (Georgia)

• Mississippi College

• Mississippi University for Women

• South Carolina State University

• South University

couldn’t be happier about it being here with her.”

there with his daughter Ava. Dressed in a suit with a pink tie, Glass sat near the edge of the dance floor watching with a grin stretched from ear to ear.

“Just look at her,” Glass said. “She is out there enjoying herself and I

always loved kids and they are the main joy in her work.

Solomon won not only Reeltown Elementary School teacher of the year, but also teacher of the year for the school district.

“I was shocked to get elementary teacher of the year then when you get county teacher of the year” she said. “Wow, I just didn’t expect that. It’s an honor. It’s an honor that people think that much of me and feel I am doing that great of a job, which I hope I am. I try to.” Solomon teaches all subjects for her second graders and loves seeing them gain confidence as they learn. She said it’s the little moments like when students’ faces light up as they read a new word or do a math problem.

As a teacher, she said there’s always more to learn, especially as technology advances and new programs evolve, which can be a challenge. But Solomon has

Growing up, her best friend’s dad was actually the assistant principal of Reeltown and her history teacher at one point. He sat both of them down one day, walking them through what a great career path teaching is.

Solomon was inspired from there and went to Central Alabama Community College before transferring to Auburn University to get her bachelor’s degree in elementary education. Now, she is all Reeltown. Her husband teaches at Reeltown and both of her kids have graduated from Reeltown schools as well.

“I’m just a hometown girl,” she said. “But I have enjoyed it. I have loved every minute of it seeing different people come in and out and the different kids.”

Solomon said she is now on the second generation, where she is teaching her former students’ kids, and she can’t wait to see all the wonderful things they will do as well.

It was as if the lyrics of Heartland’s song were playing in Glass’ mind.

“She still means the world to me,” the lyrics read.

Memories like the ones Glass and Jackson created are exactly what Christian Stephens hopes for. She understands the connections between a father and

a daughter and believes the daddy/daughter dance helps.

But the event also helps the Friendship Volunteer Fire Department. Money is raised through sponsorships and ticket sales. Last year, proceeds helped pay for a cascade system, according to Stephens. Firefighters can now refill the bottles used for breathing during fires in the fire-

house instead of having to travel to another department.

This year’s dance will help fund new fire truck hoses.

There are plans in the making already for the fourth annual daddy daughter dance.

“We sell out quickly,” Stephens said. “It’s packed every year and always a good time.”

the Year.

ABIGAIL MURPHY TPI

Leah Solomon wins Reeltown Elementary School Teacher of the Year and Tallapoosa County Schools Teacher of

CLIFF WILLIAMS TPI

Daddies and daughters danced the night away at the Friendship Volunteer Fire Department Saturday. The third annual dance helps the fire department raise money for needed equipment.

DALTON MIDDLETON | TPI

Elmore County’s Myles Eyerly holds up two fingers on each hand after winning his second state championship Saturday night.

‘TWO-PEAT’

Elmore County’s Eyerly ends career on top

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

It isn’t easy winning back-to-back state championships, but it’s even harder to beat Elmore County’s Myles Eyerly.

Eyerly claimed the AHSAA Class 5A state heavyweight championship Saturday night for the second-straight year. He ended his senior season with a 40-1 overall record and two championship rings.

“It’s tough going back-to-back because you have a target on your back,” Panthers coach Mason Thornton said. “Everyone wants a shot at the

Bank opens inside Elmore County High School

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

On the job training is great for students.

Most often the training is off campus but in Eclectic, the bank came to the school. Elmore County High School students can now learn the banking industry and never leave campus thanks to a branch of First Community Bank of Central Alabama. But students are not just watching, they are the tellers.

“This branch of First Community Bank will be ran and operated by students of Elmore County High School,” CEO Rana Futral said. “They will open this branch, run this branch and close this branch for services to customers and to other students.” Walking through the front doors of the school, it looks like any other. A few steps into the hallway and the double glass doors opens up to a lab that is the Panther Branch.

Students, staff and even visitors can complete almost any banking transaction a normal branch can handle. Checks can be cashed. Deposits can be made. Online banking passwords can be reset.

The branch can even provide the change for the concession and ticket stands at ballgames on campus.

The branch aids in breaking the ice of what can be thought of as a hard environment.

“When students graduate from high school, they'll be even more comfortable and will not be intimidated about coming into a bank asking questions,” Futral said.

There is already a comfort level. Futral’s children graduated from ECHS and staff at the Panther Branch have close connections through their children as well.

It all fits in with the education programs the bank was already doing with financial literacy programs. The banking program also fits into the career tech programs Elmore County Schools has.

“This is what we're talking about, we need these in every school,” superintendent Richard Dennis said.

A bank branch is not possible though at most schools in Elmore County as space is at a premium. In Eclectic, there was a small space that was once offices. Those were

Elmore County’s Payton claims 5A state championship

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

Elmore County’s Tyler Payton may only be a freshman, but he wrestles like a seasoned veteran.

Payton claimed the AHSAA Class 5A state championship Saturday afternoon by beating Southside-Gadsden’s Peyton Adams by major decision, 13-2, in the 150-pound weight class.

Payton never imag -

ined he’d win a state championship in his career, but the freshman phenom only had one loss back in December and won 26-straight matches to finish the year on top of his weight class.

“It’s honestly insane to think about,” Payton said.

“I never thought I could do this. I had one loss early but I kept pushing through and I achieved it. It honestly feels so amazing. Now we

have a few more to go and hopefully I can get some more.” Payton’s tournament run was one of the most dominant of any wrestler at the entire tournament, regardless of class. He started the weekend off with a technical fall win, 15-0, over a 44-win Sam Segarra from Holtville. He then took down Tallassee’s Ethan Jones, 9-2, who had

moved to a new addition at the school. The half classroom space was able to be repurposed thanks to an idea from principal Jason Eason. The Eclectic native was aware of the first Panther Branch in the library that was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He saw an opportunity to provide a unique educational setting.

“Anything we can do to help our students see some real life things is great,” Eason said. “These are things that they'll deal with from now until forever. So this opportunity for our students in our school to have this right here in the middle is a great.”

The process of getting students to work in the Panther Branch starts with an expression of interest. They are vetted by teachers and then interviewed by staff with First Community Bank.

The importance of dress and being prepared with a resume is also stressed.

Selected students complete an internship between the sophomore and junior year at the Eclectic branch.

Four juniors are now “tellers” at the Panther Branch — Gracie Atkin-

son, Gracie Nicholas, Addilyn Tierce and Peyton Jackson.

“The summer internship was really a draw and because of all the things that we learned this summer,” Atkinson said. “I especially liked customer service and just learning how a bank system works. It was really cool.”

Nicholas has been in Eclectic schools since she was very young. She saw the Panther Branch in the

library and wanted to be apart of an interesting experience. Tierce is a newcomer to the community and used the banking opportunity for additional reasons.

“I kind of did it more for the experience,” Tierce said. “I'm new to the community. I wanted to get more involved and meet new people around here.”

For Futral and First Community Bank the Panther Branch helps remind

students of the bank’s mission to serve the community and hopefully keep many in the community after graduation.

“It's really an important part of keeping hometown students here with a career in the community they grew up in. It is a big focus of mine, but that's another way to enhance that community development, keeping your roots close to home.”

DALTON MIDDLETON | TPI

Elmore County’s Tyler Payton hugs coach Mason Thornton after winning the state championship.

CLIFF WILLIAMS | THE TPI Students from Elmore County High School joined first Community Bank officials and school staff in cutting the ribbon to a branch of the bank in the school. The branch will be worked by students under supervision of bank employees.

See STATE, Page B8

See CAREER, Page B8

47 wins on the season.

“Tyler just dominated,” coach Mason Thornton said. “He ran through this tournament with dominant performances in all three of his matches.”

In the finals, he wasted no time going up 4-1 with two takedowns and pushed that lead to 11-1 in the third period before allowing another point.

Overall, he had five takedowns in the state championship match and 10 total in his three matches with multiple near falls.

“I tried to control the match and my takedowns and snapdowns really worked today,” Payton said. “The third period I was trying not to let him throw me and just keep control.”

The championship win capped off a 40-1 season for the freshman, and he was overcome with pure joy after the final buzzer sounded. He came up screaming at the crowd and his own personal fan club of Elmore County wrestlers, then showed off with a backflip.

Following the handshake, he went straight into the arms of Thornton to cap off the win.

“It was really unbelievable,” Payton said. “I was shaking before the match and was shaking even more afterwards. I even teared up a little bit. It was special.”

CAREER

Continued from B7

champ. At the end of the day, everyone took their best shot and he still came out on top. I’m super proud of him.”

Eyerly faced Moody’s Logan Hall in the championship match and despite Hall’s 39-2 record entering the match, he was no issue for Eyerly.

After a 0-0 first period, Eyerly started the second period on bottom and was able to secure a reversal and takedown in 30 seconds to take a 4-1 lead.

After that, he was on cruise control.

“I just wanted to come out and twopeat,” Eyerly said. “I capitalized on some mistakes he made early in that second period. I knew he was lighter and was fast so I anticipated him trying to shoot at me.”

Hall was able to cut the lead to one point early in the third period with an escape, but Eyerly capped the win with a takedown with a minute left.

He held that position to the end, and gave up a garbage time reversal in the last second

with the win already secured.

Eyerly got everyone’s best shot, and he made everyone miss.

The second, third and fourth place finishers in Class 5A were all defeated by Eyerly.

He beat Hall in the finals, Gulf Shores’ Sam Schepker in the semi finals and Elberta’s Jaedon Hill with a pin last week in the South Super Sectionals Championship.

“If you look at that podium, it speaks to how good Myles is,” Thornton said. “He beat every single person standing up there with him. All of those guys are really good wrestlers, but Myles showed up and proved why he was at the top all season long.”

Eyerly didn’t have an easy match in the semifinals either. He was down, 3-1, in the final 10 seconds after Gulf Shores’ Schepker got a reversal on him to take the lead.

But then Eyerly got himself into overtime with a ‘fat man roll’ for a reversal and tied it, 3-3. In overtime, he got a takedown and near fall in the last two seconds and punched his ticket to the championship.

DALTON MIDDLETON TPI

Elmore County’s Tyler Payton celebrates after winning the AHSAA Class 5A state championship in the 150-pound weight class Saturday.

STATE

DALTON