Tallassee Tribune Jan 31 2024

Jordanville Park officially opens

By CARMEN RODGERS For The Tribune

Officials from around Elmore County and beyond held a ribbon cutting at Jordanville Park Wednesday, Tallassee’s new green space. The park has been in the works for just over a year. The playground equipment, tables and chairs have been in place for weeks, and children and adults alike have already begun to frequent the park.

“It’s wonderful for our children to have the opportunity to walk and to be able to enjoy themselves in a safe, clean environment,” Tallassee Mayor Sarah Hill said. “We have protective fencing. We have all the updated equipment. It means that they can gather together and meet each other, and learn about each other.”

According to Hill, a space to gather and create strong community bonds is a driving force behind this project.

“When I grew up, that’s what

we had available, so to have that as an opportunity for all of our Jordanville residents and for the City of Tallassee, it’s great,” she said. The new park is on the corner of C.C. Blalock and Cherry streets, and God’s Congregational Holiness Church donated to the lot, where only a few years ago an abandoned house sat. It was Bishop Adolphus Gauntt who first envisioned a park for the community where he serves

By LIZI ARBOGAST GWIN Managing Editor

The last thing Trinity Richards remembers is a lightswitch. She remembers hearing an announcement about guns. She remembers telling her friends she wanted to leave after that song. She remembers retrieving

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

Brody Goodman is barely a firefighter. He’s 18 and doesn’t yet have any certifications. Before Dec. 31, he had been on the scene of only two working fires in two months with the Tallassee Fire Department. The rookie firefighter is remembered as a hero alongside three other firefighters with nearly seven decades of experience between them and two Tallassee police officers after their recent efforts attempting to save a fire victim.

SUBMITTED TPI Trinity Richards says the hardest part following the shooting has been reintegrating back into normal teenage life.

CARMEN RODGERS FOR TPI

members, and representatives for Mid-South

Council, along with city, county, and state representatives held a ribbon cutting at Jordanville Park. Pictured, from left, are Nina Gauntt, Pastor Adolphus Gauntt, Eric Phillips,

Jackson, Tallassee Mayor Sarah Hill and

councilmembers

Carr and Linda Mosher.

Make a splash with your advertising.

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Obituaries

MARGARET CLEO RUFF CANNON

Margaret Cleo Ruff Cannon, 99, of Tallassee, died Tuesday, January 16, 2024, at Tallassee Health and Rehab. Funeral services will be Sunday, January 21, 2024, at 2:00 P.M. at Elam Baptist Church with Rev. Nic Stockdale officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Visitation will be prior to the service at the church beginning at 1:00 pm. Mrs. Cannon is survived by her children Sandra Harris, Douglas (Charlotte) Cannon,

Police Reports

TALLASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT

JAN. 29

• An abandoned vehicle was reported on Oak Heights Road.

• A domestic dispute was reported on Washington Street.

• A domestic dispute was reported on South Ann Street.

JAN. 28

• Assistance was given to a motorist on North Ann Avenue.

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Third Avenue.

• A domestic dispute was reported on Third Avenue.

• Reckless driving was reported on Camellia Drive.

• Assistance was given during a medical call on Ashurst Avenue.

• An animal complaint was reported on Macedonia Road.

• Unauthorized use of a vehicle was reported on North Dubois Street.

• Gunfire was reported on Wall Street.

• A domestic dispute was reported on Wallace Drive.

• Harassment was reported on South Ann Avenue.

• Assistance was given to another agency on Flat Rock Road.

• A domestic dispute was reported on Third Avenue.

• A suicidal subject was reported on South Ann Avenue.

• A domestic dispute was reported on Third Avenue.

• A verbal fight was reported on South Ann Avenue.

JAN. 27

• A domestic dispute was reported on Third Avenue.

• Suspicious activity was reported on Notasulga Road.

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

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Weldon Road.

• A motor vehicle accident was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

Wilson Cannon, and Steve Cannon; her grandchildren Sharon Kimbrough (Bobby Dennis), Michael Cannon, Kipp (Mike) Griggs, Kurt (Michelle) Butler, Kasie (Darryl) Cameron, Mark (Diane) Cannon, Andrea Richardson, Jennifer (Richard) Sykora, and Julianna Cannon; 13 great grandchildren; and 3 great great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents Ransom Clark and Minnie Lee Coan Ruff, her husband Elder Douglas Cannon, her daughters Virginia

• Animal control was requested on Little Road.

• Forgery was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• A suspicious vehicle was reported on Outer Drive.

• Burglary was reported on Tallassee Highway.

• A motor vehicle accident was reported on South Wesson Street.

• A reckless driver was reported on Highway 229.

• Theft was reported on Third Avenue.

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Gilmer Avenue.

• An animal complaint was reported on Washington Street.

• A tree was reported in the roadway on Thompson Avenue.

• Harassment was reported on South Ann Avenue.

• A disorderly subject was reported on South Ann Avenue.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Kent Road.

• A suspicious vehicle was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• Theft was reported on Jordan Avenue.

• A suicidal subject was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

JAN. 26

• A welfare check was conducted on Third Avenue.

• A vehicle fire was reported on Jordan Avenue.

• Harassing communications was reported on Notasulga Road.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Gilmer Avenue.

• Identity theft was reported on Barnett Boulevard.

• A welfare check was conducted on Friendship Road.

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

• Assistance was given to a City of Tallassee employee on Gilmer Avenue.

• Animal control was requested on Gilmer Avenue.

Cannon and Dianette Butler, and her daughter-in-law Diana Cannon. She was a devoted member of Elam Baptist Church where she spent much time working in the nursery. She was a loving and caring mother and grandmother. She was also an extremely hard worker throughout her life being involved in several family businesses. She loved working in her garden and her yard especially with her flowers and plants. She also enjoyed playing rook and dominos.

• Animal control was requested on Sylvan Lane.

• Debris was reported in the roadway on Highway 229.

• A welfare check was conducted on Gilmer Avenue.

JAN. 25

• Reckless driving was reported on Highway 229.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Log Circle.

• Disorderly conduct was reported on Friendship Road.

• A welfare check was conducted on Macedonia Road.

• A hit and run accident was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Gilmer Avenue.

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

• Animal control was requested on Freeman Avenue.

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

• An animal complaint was reported on Macedonia Road.

JAN. 24

• Debris was reported in the roadway on Burt Mill Road.

• Gunfire was reported on Powers Avenue.

• Gunfire was reported on John Street.

• Animal control was requested on Laurel Street.

• Harassment was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• A domestic dispute was reported on South Ann Avenue.

• Animal control was requested on Laurel Street.

• An animal complaint was reported on Laurel Street.

• An animal complaint was reported on Jordan Avenue.

• Suspicious activity was reported on Hickory Street.

JAN. 23

• A white male and white female were arrested on Highway 229.

Humane Society of Elmore County News

• A suspicious vehicle was reported on Ransom Drive.

• Theft was reported on Seventh Street.

• A suspicious person was reported on James Street.

• A suspicious person was reported on Redden Avenue.

• Harassment was reported on Jordan Avenue.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Dusty Road.

• Assistance was given to a citizen on West James Street.

• An abandoned vehicle was reported on Highway 229.

• Animal control was requested on Freeman Avenue.

• A domestic dispute was reported on Redden Avenue.

JAN. 22

• Reckless driving was reported on Highway 229.

• A suspicious person was reported on Friendship Road.

• A welfare check was conducted on Friendship Road.

• Identity theft was reported on Sims Avenue.

• Assistance was given to another agency on South Ann Avenue.

• Robbery was reported on Birch Street.

• Animal control was requested on North Ann Avenue.

• Animal control was requested on Hillcrest Street.

JAN. 21

• Assistance was given to another agency on Freeman Avenue.

• A Black male was arrested during a trespassing call on Gilmer Avenue.

WETUMPKA POLICE DEPARTMENT

JAN. 22

• Theft was reported on Chapel Lakes Lane. JAN. 18

• Theft was reported on Lee Street.

JAN. 5

• Theft was reported on U.S. Highway 231.

Understand responsibility before adopting a pet

By REA CORD HSEC Executive Director

February is Responsible Pet

Ownership Month. Below are many guidelines from the American Veterinary Medical Association (www.avma.org).

Pets enhance our human lives in so many ways and we owe it to them to ensure they can live their best lives with us in return. So before taking on a new pet, please make sure that you are ready for all the responsibilities that entails – not only to the pet, but to your family and your community:

• Selecting a pet that is suited to your home and lifestyle and avoiding impulsive decisions.

• Recognizing owning a pet(s) requires an investment of time, space and money.

• Committing to the lifelong

care and well-being of your pet.

• Keeping only the type and number of pets for which you can provide an appropriate and safe environment. This includes appropriate food, water, shelter, health care and companionship.

• Animals that spend extended periods of time outside require habitats that protect their health, safety, and welfare. Outdoor confinement of an animal should include provisions to minimize distress or discomfort to the animal, allow them the space/exercise their species needs to thrive, and assure access to appropriate food, water, and shelter from extreme weather conditions.

• Ensuring pets are properly identified (i.e., tags, microchips, or tattoos) and that their registration information in the associated databases is kept up-to-date

• Adhering to local ordinances, including licensing and leash/containment/fencing requirements.

• Helping to manage overpopulation by controlling your pet’s reproduction (think spay/neuter for the vast majority) so as to not have unwanted litters.

• Establishing and maintaining a quality veterinarian-client-patient relationship.

• Providing preventive (e.g., vaccinations, parasite control) and therapeutic health care for the life of your pet(s) in consultation with, and as recommended by, your veterinarian.

• Socialization and appropriate training for your pet(s) to facilitate their well-being and the well-being of other animals and people.

Discount retailer opens on Main Street

By ABIGAIL MURPHY Multimedia Reporter

A new store is coming to Tallassee and this one is providing discounts.

Owner Samantha Segrest is heading up Talisi This and That after seeing a need in the community from her other business. Nile Operations manages Amazon stores, and it often gets inventory that cannot be sold on Amazon — generally because the box it comes in has scratches or dents.

“I can’t sell a brandnew Keurig on Amazon if the box has a hole in it, even though the item is perfect,” Segrest explained. “According to the company, that should be disposed of and thrown away. I think we can agree that in our economy right now lots of people are struggling and if they need a new coffee pot and we can provide it at a discount price because of a busted box, then why not.”

To start with, Nile Operations hosted a warehouse

Talisi This and That is a new discount retailer that is opening up along

opening will be Feb. 3.

sale back in December with a line of people at the door waiting for the sale to open. Now, Segrest is opening up Talisi This or That to be a regular place where people can shop for the same new merchandise at discount prices.

Currently, Talisi This and That has clothes, toys, coffee pots, makeup and some small furniture pieces. The store first started the opening process in the beginning of January, and it soon will have its grand opening from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Saturday.

During the grand opening, Talisi This and That will have as much inventory as it can out for people, as well as food vendors and some local artisans.

Johnny Newnam will be running the store Wednesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Both Segrest and her husband, as well as their kids, have grown up in or around Tallassee. She said they opened this business to serve the community and provide more places in town for people to shop.

Sneed’s estate, Honda settle case

By LIZI ARBOGAST GWIN Managing Editor

Despite striking a jury and being prepared for closing arguments, the case between Mitch Sneed’s estate and Honda Global was settled early Tuesday afternoon.

“We’ve reached a confidential settlement,” said Beasley Allen attorney Ben Baker, who was working on behalf of Sneed’s family.

SNEED

“We’ve been litigating for a couple of years and the family is, I think, just happy to have a resolution to everything and to know the family will be taken care of.”

Sneed died July 1, 2018, following injuries suffered during a car crash.

Sneed’s family filed a lawsuit against Honda due to an alleged malfunction of the Honda Accord’s Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS). Parker Miller,

Pet of the Week - Noodle

a personal injury and product liability attorney at Beasley Allen, said this technology uses a sensor that is placed at the bottom of the car, and it uses a camera to detect its surroundings.

If a car is approaching an object, this technology will first provide the driver with an auditory warning to begin applying brakes. According to Miller, if the car continues accelerating, the CMBS will then apply light braking to assist with slowing the vehicle. Eventually, if the driver does not apply brakes, the CMBS is supposed to stop the vehicle before it crashes into another object, Miller said.

In Sneed’s case, he was at a stop light in his Ford F-150 at the intersection of highways 280 and 63. According to defense attorney Lanier Brown, the driver of the Honda Accord approached Sneed’s stopped vehicle at 71 miles per hour when the CMBS failed, and ultimately resulted in a rear-end collision

See CASE, Page A6

Noodle is a 2-year-old mix who weighs about 27 pounds. He was found as a stray and brought to us. He is good with other dogs but we have not yet checked with cats. He is a fun-loving boy with a big bark he lives to use. He is active and would benefit from good daily exercise.

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

ADOPTING Continued from A2

• Preventing your pet(s) from negatively impacting other people, animals and the environment. This includes proper waste disposal, noise control, and not allowing pet(s) to stray.

• Providing exercise and mental stimulation

immunizations, deworming, microchip, heartworm check for dogs, rabies vaccination if old enough and a free health exam with your participating veterinarian.

If you are interested in meeting Cola or any of the pets at HSEC, the first step is to fill out an adoption application online. Once approved, you will be contacted by someone from the humane society. HSEC is located at 255 Central Plank Road in Wetumpka. The phone number is 334567-3377 and the website is www.elmorehumane.org.

appropriate to your pet(s)’ age, breed, and health status.

• Including your pets in your planning for an emergency or disaster, including assembling an evacuation kit.

• Making arrangements for the care of your pet when or if you are unable to do so.

• Recognizing declines in your pet’s quality of life and

making decisions in consultation with your veterinarian regarding appropriate end-of-life care (e.g., palliative care, hospice, euthanasia). Make that final decision for your pet with their quality of life at the forefront.

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

“Our goal is to bring some items that are not from a major box retailer and provide a discount to people because everybody is hurting right now,” she said of the current economic climate.

Talisis This and That is located at 229 Main Street.

HARD NEWS

What is hard news?

Hard news focuses on events or incidents that are considered timely and consequential to many people and typically cover topics such as politics, public safety, economics and government.

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Community Jfosyita(

805 Friendship Road - Tallassee, AL 36078 (334)-283-6541

Gastroenterology

334-283-8662

Thomas Bianchi, MD Mon - Thu 8:00am - 4:00pm Pediatrics 334-283-3111

Adrienne Bolan Goggans, CPNP Mon -Thu 8:00am -4:30pm Fri 8:00am - Noon Podiatry 334-283-3897

Chanda Houts, DPM Mon - Thu 8:00am - 4:30pm Fri 8:00am - Noon General Surgery 334-283-3896

Michael Courtney, MD Mon -Thu 8:00am -5:00pm Fri 8:00am -Noon

Community Medical Arts (Newborn -Adult) 334-283-3111

Van Millin, MD - Family Medicine

Adrienne Bolan Goggans, CPNP

DeRay Williams, CRNP Mon -Thu 8:00am -4:30pm; Fri 8:00am- Noon

Tallassee Family Care (Ages 18 -Adult) 334-283-3477

John Porter, MD - Internal Medicine

Zane Kelly, CRNP Mon & Tue 8:00am -7:00pm Wed & Thu 8:00am -6:00pm; Closed on Friday �-Tallassee Internal Medicine Ages 18 -Adult)

-334-283-3844

Temull, MD - Internal Medicine

8:00am -4:30pm; Fri 8:00am -11:30am

Center (Ages 12 -Adult)

Candace Mangum, CRNP

Simple thinking will be death of us

Have you noticed how there doesn’t seem to be a lot of common sense around anymore?

And if you go a step up from common sense, you’ll see wisdom is in even shorter supply. Everywhere you look people are making bad decisions, so I’m thinking maybe I can get on the other side of this societal mess before it takes me down too, by studying up on what makes one wise.

Lately, my studies in the pursuit of wisdom have reminded me of the election year we’ve just entered. I used to enjoy politics and looked forward to an election year. I watched the debates, if there was one. I dug into what the candidates stood for. Now, the whole thing just makes me groan. The politicking never ends anymore. It’s like we elect people to do a job and all they

do is keep trying to get elected again. The other cause of my groaning is the mockery our election processes have become. One of my primary sources for learning about wisdom is the book of Proverbs. Proverbs refers a lot to a group of people it calls mockers, and reading about mockers makes me think of politicians. Some politicians are more blatant with the mockery than others. They either aren’t as skilled at disguising their mockery or don’t care, but they pretty much all seem to do it these days. And unfortunately, we are feeding the process. Our society is drawn to mockery. It’s entertainment. It’s … inspiration. Despite what we say, we enjoy watching the candidates go at it when our guy or girl gets the best of the opponent. It fires us up. We believe

See SIMPLE, Page A6

This week was one of reflection and nostalgia for me. Between the court case for Mitch Sneed and being just a few short weeks from the anniversary of when my life changed forever, it felt necessary to take some time to look back on what brought me to Tallapoosa Publishers Inc.

I haven’t opened up much about the reasons I left Pennsylvania, but to be honest, my life was completely falling apart and I thought I was running away. Little did I know, I was running home for the first time ever.

On Feb. 12, 2017, the trajectory of my life changed forever. I was just four months from being married and I had the two most amazing stepkids you could ask for. We had just bought a house, and I was very fulfilled at work. Everything was going great — at least from the outside.

But Feb. 12 was the straw that broke the camel’s back, and quite nearly broke me.

My fiance called off the wedding.

I was left with nowhere to go and very little money to work with as I had paid for almost the entire ceremony. I found myself coming out of what I didn’t realize was a very controlling relationship, so I also had almost no friends still by my side. My work family was all I had to lean on.

Until one day, I got a call from an angel without wings: Mitch Sneed.

I vividly remember doing a phone “interview” with him, but as most things went with Mitch, it turned into an hour-long laugh fest about our shared love of sports. I remember pacing up and down my hotel room, where I was living at the time, just belly laughing with him. Ironically, I pictured him as a tall stringbean-type fellow. If you knew Mitch, he was the exact

The Washington Post headline read, “wry stalwart of ‘CBS Sunday Morning’ dead.”

Wry stalwart seemed to conjure up an image of the man himself, as apt a description as possible for Charles Osgood Wood, known to all as Charles Osgood. He died at age 91 last week.

I vividly remember doing a phone “interview” with him, but as most things went with Mitch, it turned into an hour-long laugh fest about our shared love of sports. I remember pacing up and down my hotel room, where I was living at the time, just belly laughing with him. Ironically, I pictured him as a tall stringbean-type fellow. If you knew Mitch, he was the exact opposite — more of a Santa Claus kinda guy.

opposite — more of a Santa Claus kinda guy.

When I came to Lake Martin to interview, I had no idea what to expect. I was reeling from my recent breakup, but also knew I had to impress. With Mitch, it was so easy. It never felt like an interview. He took me to Kowaliga Restaurant and we ate that giant tower of onion rings. He sent me hiking to the Smith Mountain Fire Tower and around Wind Creek State Park.

I’ll never forget when he took me to the lighthouse at Children’s Harbor. I have an affinity for lighthouses, but it was after dark and you’re not really supposed to go up there at that time. (Don’t try this at home.) Sure enough, a park ranger flashed his lights and stopped us, but as soon as his flashlight hit Mitch’s face, that ranger said, “Oh, it’s just you. You’re good to go!” I knew then what Mitch meant to this community, and I wanted to work for him. Equally as important, I wanted to serve this community

that had treated me so well for two days — especially during a time when I felt I had nothing. When I landed back in Pennsylvania, it was in the middle of a snowstorm. I had just left two days of hiking and walking around the lake. Mitch texted me, “I’ll see you in a few weeks.”

And he was right. He knew I was going to accept, but I don’t think either of us knew how profound that decision would be in my life.

Not only did I later find out I was facing an upcoming layoff at my Gannett-owned paper, but I also managed to find my way back to that controlling boyfriend. If it weren’t for moving here and eventually seeing how much better my life could be, I truly believe I’d be living in a loveless marriage, doing my best to make it work. Mitch died just 15 months into my time here. I didn’t get enough time.

But as I write now with tears streaming down my face, I know Mitch is the one who gave me all the time in the world.

Lizi Arbogast Gwin is the managing editor of Tallapoosa Publishers Inc. She can be reached via email at lizi.gwin@alexcityoutlook. com or via phone at 434-962-9420.

Obituaries:

appear within 10 days in The Tribune, The Herald or The Observer.

Osgood spent 48 years with CBS Radio and 22 years hosting “CBS Sunday Morning,” when he became the only person who could possibly replace Charles Kuralt, who had parlayed his ‘On the Road’ segments into a slow-moving 90-minute Sunday morning staple. Kuralt, the founder of the program, intended it to unfold as leisurely as the Sunday newspaper, featuring an emphasis on arts and entertainment as well as stories of regular ordinary people mixed in with the newsmakers.

“Sunday Morning” began this week in 1979, and as it celebrates its 45th anniversary, a quick review: when the show debuted, there was some drama among the CBS affiliates who hated to see the cancellation of the religious program “Lamp Unto My Feet,” which had been on the network since it first began broadcasting. However, “Sunday Morning” was but one version of what CBS was trying to do with each day of the week. After a couple of years, the format fizzled, but “Sunday Morning” remained – and became one of the most successful programs in television history.

Charles Osgood took over the show in 1994 when Kuralt retired, and it made perfect sense. The bowtied host was already well known for his daily radio program “The Osgood File,” which presented offbeat news items and occasional poems and songs written by the host himself.

Osgood was indeed a gifted songwriter. He wrote “Black is Beautiful,” for Nancy Wilson, and the 1967

top 40 patriotic ode “Gallant Men,” which was dedicated to the fighting forces in Vietnam. He often played piano or banjo on the show but was trained in a variety of instruments including the violin and organ, and participated in church and community choirs alongside his career as a news man. His final episode as host in 2016 featured a song written for the occasion of his retirement.

He was also a poet. Osgood was quoted as saying, “some news is good and some is worse, and some news goes from bad to verse.” One item became legendary, when he poked fun at the U.S. Census form acronym for “Persons of the Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters (POSSLQ),” which he pronounced “poss – el – cue.” You live with me, and I with you, and you will be my POSSLQ.

A child of the Depression era, Osgood grew up as a newspaper boy listening to Lowell Thomas and Edward R. Murrow reporting on World War II events for the radio.

Later, he graduated from Fordham University with an economics degree – but he spent more time at the campus radio station than in the classroom: he became the chief announcer on the station and hosted his own show, where he talked and played piano.

Later, the U.S. Army Band was searching for an announcer, and Osgood was hired! He spent part of the 1950s and 1960s with the Army Band and a long collaboration with band music composer John Cacavas. After the Army years, Osgood

became the general manager of the country’s first cable TV station, located in Connecticut. By the late 1960s, he was working at WCBS in New York City, which had been a Top 40 station but was converting to a news radio format. Osgood was the morning drive host and his idiosyncratic style of turning the news into poetry got him a job with CBS Radio.

“Short words, short sentences, short paragraphs,” Osgood said. “There’s nothing that can’t be improved by making it shorter and better.”

He earned dozens of awards, from the Walter Cronkite Excellence in Journalism Award to the George Foster Peabody Award; four Emmy awards; the Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of Broadcasters; and was honored by his peers numerous times over a nearly six-decade career in the business.

The template set by Kuralt, but perfected in a way by Osgood, lives on. The old-school sentimentality and the appreciation for Americana remains a part of “Sunday Morning” with its current host Jane Pauley. Charles Osgood’s radio program “The Osgood File” ended each episode with a sign-off he carried over to his television years: “I’ll see you on the radio.” In the statement announcing his passing, Osgood’s family said: “Charlie absolutely loved being part of the ‘Sunday Morning’ community. We’ll miss him terribly, but there is comfort in knowing his life was charmed, in large part thanks to you. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for welcoming him into your homes on Sundays to share stories, and to highlight the better parts of humanity. He’ll see you on the radio.”

Michael Bird is a music teacher with Tallassee City Schools.

LIZI GWIN Managing Editor

ANGELA MULLINS Columnist

MICHAEL BIRD Columnist

Community remains central as new CEO takes over

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

Few changes have happened at First Community Bank of Central Alabama since its inception in 2001. But there’s been one major change recently.

At the beginning of the year, Rana Futral, a 20-year employee and Elmore County native, took over the CEO reins as Michael Morgan retired.

Just because she is new in the role of CEO doesn’t mean more changes are coming at First Community Bank. Most recently she was president and chief financial officer.

“We are staying true to being a community bank,” Futral said. “We are only in Elmore and Autauga because our leadership is only living and working in Elmore and Autauga counties.”

Over the last two decades the bank has

grown to eight locations across the area with 102 employees, and it’s a place Futral knows well.

“I opened my first checking account in high school with First National Bank which is the preceding bank of First Community,” Futral said. “I knew those guys very well. My parents had their accounts there from when they were teenagers growing up in Wetumpka.”

Futral went to work for a multistate banking organization after graduating from Auburn University. She helped create insurance and real estate divisions. But the travel got in the way of raising a family.

“I started missing some things, some t-ball games and school events,” Futral said. “I said to myself, ‘I think it is time for me to settle down and come back home.’”

Since 2003, she’s called

First Community Bank home.

“It was a good move,”

Futral said. “It has been very beneficial for me to work and live in the community I grew up in, went to high school in. I came back home to my roots, to the people I grew up with.”

Futral said she got

“This is what we do for MidSouth, it’s part of RC&D,” director Pam Hughes said. “We look to put projects in needed places,”

and calls home.

The park was funded through two $20,000 grants, one from the Elmore County Commission.

“There have been a lot of other people who have helped,” Hill said. “Councilman (Damian) Carr, Commissioner Desirae Lewis Jackson, and Commissioner Mack Daugherty have been integral in leading this charge. We are excited for this and just want to welcome everyone. I hope that we have a lot of kids who are able to come play here.”

Mid-South RC&D Council supplied an additional $20,000 grant that helped fund the new park.

Mid-South RC&D is a nonprofit organization operated by a group of dedicated volunteers who work to identify unmet needs in the communities it serves and create solutions.

“Mid-South is an organization that knows where the needs are,”

State Sen. Will Barfoot said. “They filter through to make sure the taxpayer’s money is spent appropriately and wisely and the communities get the benefit of that.”

Some of Mid-South’s funding comes from Alabama taxpayers and Barfoot expressed his appreciation to those who work to ensure those funds are well spent.

involved with the community while she raised two children who graduated from Elmore County High School.

The bank fits Futral’s community roots philosophy. Like most of the bank employees, she went to school with many of its customers. All of the leadership and many of the

“Mid-South does a wonderful job of making sure they are viable projects, well-deserved, and help the community,” he said. “I just want to say thank you all.”

That appreciation was reciprocated. “We can’t do what we do without the support of our legislators and we really appreciate Senator Barfoot. He’s always been a strong supporter of RC&D Mid-South,” Hughes said. “We thank him and all the other legislators for what they do for us.”

Bishop Gauntt also believes that Jordanville Park will bring a lot of good.

“For this day here, it’s been a long time that we’ve been waiting to see something like this happen,” Gauntt said, “and we thank God for the City, the commission, and people like you all

CommunityCalendar

THURSDAY, FEB. 1

SCHOLARSHIP DINNER: The Elmore County Republican Party will host its annual scholarship dinner at 6 p.m. Feb. 1 at the Wetumpka Civic Center. U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer will be guest speaker. Palmer has represented Alabama’s 6th District, which includes Elmore COunty, since 2015 and currently serves as chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

Gras parade at 4 p.m. Feb. 3.

AUBURN BASKETBALL

WATCH PARTY: The Elmore County Auburn Club is hosting a watch party for the Auburn vs. Ole Miss basketball game at the Coosa River Craft House. The event will begin at 5 p.m. and will have food provided for all.

SUNDAY, FEB. 4

employees live in the communities the bank serves.

“We know our customers because we frequent those businesses as a customer,” Futral said. “We have a very good partnership with them. Those businesses are our customers and we are their customers. We know each other well.”

It’s those partnerships that allow the small community bank to tailor products to individuals and customers. According to Futral, being small also means there is no convincing leadership that might be miles away in another county or state to help customize a banking product.

“The larger you get, you have to have one business model and hope they fit into the business model,” Futral said. “When you are a community bank, you can create a business model for each and every customer.”

helping us to make this happen because this is an opportunity to help our children because they get to use it.”

Lewis-Jackson attended the ribbon cutting for Jordanville Park.

“I remember when Bishop Gauntt brought me out here to this lot and it was trees, and mess, and litter, and briars,” she said. “He said ‘Commissioner, these kids need somewhere to play. This neighborhood needs somewhere for our children to play. Can you please help me in the direction I need to go to get this done?’” That was back in 2020 before I won office.”

She made a promise that she’d get something done if she was elected into office, and she was happy to celebrate the feat Wednesday.

Other perks of a small community bank include having a real voice when a customer calls in. Futral said the bank still has a switchboard with someone answering it — even on a weekend when a debit card might not be working.

“It gives a personal feel,” Futral said. “When you are small you can do small things and continue to be there for the customer all the time.”

The banker with 33 years of experience doesn’t see the community mission changing under her leadership. It’s because the community bank feel and model have been successful for First Community.

“We are going to stay true to who we are,” Futral said. “We are one of the last-standing true community banks in the area. We put 100% of our focus on where we live, work and our kids go to school.”

While Jordanville Park has been in the planning stages for more than a year, it was an earlier grant that cleared the way for it. A dilapidated structure was cleared from the lot through a Community Development Block Grant that was provided by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs in 2019.

Now Jordanville Park is officially open to the public, Gauntt is looking to further better the community with much-needed access to technology.

“I’m hoping we can get internet here for the ones who are less fortunate,” he said. “It would allow students to do homework. A lot of the schools now require students to have internet, and some of these families just can’t afford it.”

Cimarron will be hosting its annual Mardi Gras parade and festival in downtown Wetumpka from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 10. Tons of vendors will be featured at Gold Star Park. The parade begins at 1 p.m.

FAMILY HISTORY

COFFEE & CONNECTIONS: The Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce will host its Rise & Shine Coffee & Connections event at the Elmore County Technical Center. It will be held from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Feb. 1 and is an opportunity for local professionals and community leaders to connect. Coffee will be provided.

SATURDAY, FEB. 3

GALENTINE’S: Main Street

Wetumpka will host its third annual Galentine’s on Main event from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb 3. Downtown merchants will be offering deals and discounts for all to enjoy. More details will be coming.

VALENTINE MARKET: The City of Wetumpka Farmers Market will be hosting a special Valentine Market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 3. Interested vendors should contact dsteed@cityofwetumpka.com or call 334-567-5147.

PAINT THE PARK: The 10th annual Paint the Park for Jody will be held at 9 a.m. Feb. 3 at Gold Star Park in downtown Wetumpka. Proceeds benefit the Jody Marie Sanford Memorial Scholarship Fund. Jody was a track and field star at Wetumpka High School who died Feb. 2, 2014. Registration is $10 before Jan. 22 or $20 after. Same-day registration begins at 7:30 a.m. GRAND OPENING: Talisi This and That will host its grand opening from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 3. Great deals will be featured. Talisi This and That is located at 229 Main St. in Tallassee. MARDI GRAS PARADE: The Millbrook Revelers Mardi Festival and Parade will be held at noon Jan. 27. The festival begins at 9 a.m. on the Village Green. The parade will travel Main Street.

MARDI GRAS PARADE: Holtville will host its annual Mardi

MURDER ON THE MENU: Wetumpka Civic Center will host its annual fundraiser from 12:30 to 4 p.m. Feb. 4. Murder on the Menu features top-notch mystery authors from around the country with opportunities to meet and interact with the authors. There will be raffle giveaways and books available for purchase. This year’s lineup includes S. A. Cosby, Wanda Morris, Robert Bailey, Maggie Blake Bailey, Bobby Mathews and more. Tickets are $40, which includes a catered lunch.

MONDAY, FEB. 5

WATERCOLOR CLASS: The Art Mill in Millbrook is hosting Carol Barksdale for an intermediate watercolor painting class from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Feb. 5, 12, 19 and 26. The four classes build off each other and must be taken together. Techniques discussed will include washes, wetin-wet and dry-brush, along with color mixing and composition. Preregistration and payment 0f $100 is required by emailing danae.morgan@cityofmillbrook-al.gov.

THURSDAY, FEB. 8

GALENTINE’S EVENT: Sistrunk will be hosting a Galentine’s event from 5 to 7 p.m. Feb. 8 with items available from Sistrunk, All Things Desired, Handmade by Leigh Anne, Plunder, Posh, Lissa Ledbetter, Council Rock Creations, Chloebug Creations and more. Grove Station will be open for dinner. There will be treats for guests to enjoy.

ACRYLIC PAINTING: Shirley

Esco is teaching an introductory course in acrylic painting from 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 8 at The Art Mill in Millbrook. All skill levels are welcomed and supplies are provided. The cost is $45. To register email danae.morgan@cityofmillbrook-al. gov.

SATURDAY, FEB. 10

MARDI GRAS: The Order of

WORKSHOP: The Elmore County Museum will host its third annual workshop featuring historian Dr. Marty Olliff, professional genealogists Susan Martin and Kristian Cow Cleaver and researcher Sheralyn Belyeu. Presentations include genetic genealogy; Tallassee Doughboys; beginning genealogy; and Findagrave vs. Billiongraves. There will be door prizes between each presentation. The cost is $5 per person and registration can be found online.

THURSDAY, FEB. 15

ACRYLIC PAINTING: Shirley Esco is teaching an introductory course in acrylic painting from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 15 at The Art Mill in Millbrook. All skill levels are welcomed and supplies are provided. The cost is $45. To register email danae.morgan@cityofmillbrook-al.gov.

THURSDAY, FEB. 15 - MARCH 2

SPAMALOT: The Wetumpka Depot Players are performing Monty Python’s Spamalot at 7 p.m. Feb. 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 29, March 1 and 2. There is a matinee performance at 2 p.m. Feb. 25. The comedy is based on the 1975 film and adapted for the stage. Tickets can be purchased at https://app.arts-people.com/index. php?ticketing=wdp

SATURDAY, FEB. 17

LIVING HISTORY SATURDAY: Ft. Toulouse-Ft. Jackson is hosting demonstrations of how people lived in the area as settlers began to arrive on Saturday, Feb. 17. WOMEN’S WORKSHOP: Coosa Jiu Jitsu & Wellness will be hosting an Intentionally Forward Women’s Workshop from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 17 in Wetumpka. The cost is $95 before Feb. 2 and $145 after. Workshop highlights include self defense; cultivating a healthy self-relationship; guided self-reflection activities; and a floral design workshop. To purchase tickets, visit www.stackedintent. com.

SUBMITTED TPI

Rana Futral is the new CEO of First Community Bank of Centeral Alabama. The Elmore County naitve has always lived in Elmore County and raised her children in the Eclectic community.

SURVIVAL

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her cell phone. She remembers standing by the lightswitch next to her friend Cara Johns, one of just a few people she knew at the party.

Then, it all went black. And it stayed that way for a long time. Richards was one of 32 surviving victims of the April 15, 2023 mass shooting in Dadeville. She was shot in the head, and survived two other gunshot wounds as well. After being in a coma for more than two weeks, Richards knows she’s a walking miracle.

“They said there was a lot of stuff I wouldn’t do,” Richards said. When asked what was the most important thing she could do now she was told she might not be able to, she answered simply.

“Well, I lived,” Richards said with a grin.

Despite the journey Richards has been through, complete with nearly 10 surgeries with one as recently as Jan. 2, she doesn’t seem fazed as she openly discusses what happened to her.

“I’ve learned not to bring it up because it seems to bother other people more than it does for me,” she said.

But one thing that’s different between Rich-

ards and so many others affected by the shooting is she doesn’t remember it.

“I think the first shot went right into my brain, so I blacked out,” she said. For her mom Cheryl Sledge-Richards, things are a bit different. Although she doesn’t remember every detail, she was the one who really lived through it.

“I was reading through (on my phone) when she was in the hospital, I sent out these updates every day,” Cheryl said. “I’m looking through my phone at the things I wrote that many of them I have forgotten about. I would cry for hours after I sent these updates. True progress is not without pain, physical and emotional.”

Richards spent two full months at the Children’s Hospital at UAB, undergoing surgeries and doing rehab. Once an athletic cheerleader, there were times when Richards wasn’t expected to walk or be able to see properly. All of those things are now getting corrected.

Even after she was released from the hospital, it didn’t mean things

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were immediately back to normal for Richards.

“The trend was we were having swelling in her brain,” Cheryl explained. “They put in a tube to try to relieve the pressure. It worked for a while but it was not effective to protect her from further injury. They removed a bond flap, or section of her skull, to allow her brain to swell, and she was without that from April to August, which meant she had to wear the helmet to protect her brain.”

Reintegrating has been one of the hardest parts for Richards, who has finally worked her way back onto the cheerleading squad. Part of that is because her family’s mindset has changed.

“Before there was nothing I couldn’t do and stuff like that,” Richards said. “I was hanging out with everybody, like going anywhere I wanted to and doing what I wanted. I didn’t have a strict mom.”

Mom interrupted that statement with a bit of a laugh.

“I want to clarify that is because Trinity is the most responsible child I

A fire at a home on McArthur Street was called into dispatch in Tallassee in the early morning hours of Dec. 31. Tallassee police officers were first on the scene.

Neighbors alerted officer Hunter Saint the resident was asleep inside as the home was ablaze. Saint and Cpl. Braxton Bryant alerted dispatch of the likely entrapment and went to work.

“I broke the window,” Saint said. “We were going to go in if we could. At that point it was too hot. If we would have had turnout gear, we would have had her out.”

The Tallassee Fire Department soon arrived with Captains Rick Golden, Dav Shirley, and Travis Jones and rookie Goodman on the firetruck. Golden and Shirley formed a search team.

“Between arrival and when the lady was out the window was three minutes,” Tallassee fire chief Eric Jones said. “They gave her the ultimate fighting chance and put everything on the line.”

Goodman pulled a firehose.

Jones stood on the ladder in the window as a point of reference for Golden and Shirley. The victim was soon out the window.

“I helped carry her,” Saint said.

“I fell because of the smoke inhalation. I took her as far as I could. They jumped on CPR.”

Golden and Shirley bailed out the window too and the room soon flashed over in flames.

The Eclectic and Friendship fire departments soon arrived, and when it was determined an ambulance was still 20 minutes away, another

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ever had,” Cheryl said. “I’ve never had any trouble with her going anywhere she wasn’t supposed to go or staying out late or anything like that. She’s a great driver and a good student, and Trin is just a sweet little girl.”

It’s not like she was ever partying, and Cheryl said there was no reason for her to be concerned about going to a Sweet 16 birthday, which is where the shooting occurred.

Richards still thinks about the shooting on a daily basis. Although she doesn’t feel many symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Cheryl did mention Richards has an innate fear of loud noises she didn’t have before.

“She went through a period in June, July where she was showing some signs of PTSD which was really bad,” Cheryl said.

“Noise triggers something she’s not aware of. We went to a football game at Wetumpka and they have a cannon. She would just hear that loud noise and just become catatonic and can’t breathe.”

Nowadays she has overcome a lot of that, which she attributes much

to her memory loss. It’s the same reason she said she won’t testify in any upcoming court case, though that doesn’t keep her and her mom away from the courtroom.

They have attended every youthful offender status hearing and all other court appearances.

“We are committed to justice,” Cheryl said. “We were focused on the miracles first. We had to, you know, prioritize getting our lives back and not letting them take anything else away from us. But now we are really determined not only to have justice, but to also have the truth. It’s important to us to know and to understand why we have to be forced into this situation.”

As for Richards, she is fascinated by the process and knows it’s her story. If she had the chance, there wouldn’t be much of a conversation between Richards and those accused of shooting her.

“Oh, I have nothing to say to them,” she said pointedly.

Richards is focused simply on herself and moving forward with her life — thankfully she has it to live.

decision was made. The victim was put in the back of Bryant’s police vehicle. Friendship Fire Department’s Joshua Ward was in the backseat performing CPR as Bryant made the drive to Community Hospital where the victim was ultimately pronounced dead.

“She was given a fighting chance thanks to the quick response and actions of first responders,” Jones said.

The fire was extinguished. The cause of the blaze is still unknown, but the first responders were honored at last week’s Tallassee City Council meeting.

“We take it for granted. We have no idea what you all go through,” councilmember Bill Godwin said.

“The training you have to have to do what you did that night, you hope you never have to use it but we are thankful you were ready.”

Shirley said it is the first time he

“Just striking the jury, you could see a lot of people knew Mitch or were at least aware of the accident,” Baker said. “I think it will just wrap it up for the entire community as well.”

them. We trust them. We want to see them win. Even if we don’t understand the impact of the policies they want to implement. But more than once Proverbs equates mockers with fools. We tend to think of fools as ignorant and dumb, but that isn’t the case here. Mockers can be educated, well-connected and sophisticated people. In reality, they are also prideful, opinionated, and egotistical. They stir up conflict and division everywhere they go. They rant and insult. More often than not, they tend to be leaders or ringleaders. So who’s following these mockers?

The simple people. Proverbs

has pulled an unconscious victim from a burning structure.

“I’ve had victims crawl out in front of me, not unconscious, not this endangered,” Shirley said. “The amount of smoke and heat was intense.”

Golden said the department trains for similar situations a few times a year. It can mimic the darkness, but the heat and flame is hard to replicate.

News of the event has been noticed by fire departments across the country.

“The response has been amazing,” Jones said. No one would blame Goodman if he walked away after that fire. But at 18, he is now a seasoned firefighter.

“He’s never really pulled hose before that night,” Chief Jones said. “We have done some training. He did what he had to do that night. I couldn’t be more proud.”

Although both sides were prepared with a long list of witnesses and evidence to present, Baker said he would consider this a win.

“Well, you always prefer to make your clients happy and to get them what they need and to have some certainty in a resolution,” Baker said. “Jury verdicts are great. That’s why our country is great, but you never know what people are going to do. When you can control your outcome, it’s always better.”

refers to the simple as fools too. They fall in line behind the mocker and follow him or her to the ends of the earth. They are complacent and don’t want to have to learn or think through issues. They just find someone to follow and believe whatever they’re told. Mockers prey on the simple. They count on the simple people to believe and not ask too many questions. To follow without looking too hard at where they’re headed. They are a match made in … Heaven? Throw social media into the mix, and you end up with a whole society of mockers and simple people — in other words, a whole society of fools. Because it isn’t just politicians who play the mocker game. Picture the bully or mean girl from school or a movie. Now make a gazillion clones of them and give them internet access.

Mockers are all over the web. And we’ve come to enjoy their insults and smart-alec remarks so much, we jump on the mockery bandwagon too. It’s more contagious than COVID in 2020. And it may be just as deadly. We have to start to think for ourselves again. We have to read something besides social media posts and someone’s opinion presented as fact. We have to seek out trustworthy sources of information whether we like what it says or not. Because as a country, if we don’t wise up and kick the mocker to the curb, simple thinking will be the death of us.

Angela Mullins is the director of business & digital publishing of Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. and the author of the mystery series “Working for Uncle Henry.”

Tallassee police Lt. Chris Howard, left, and Tallassee police chief Todd Buce honor officer Hunter Saint and Cpl. Braxton Bryant for their efforts during a house fire on Dec. 31. They were the first first responders on the scene.

You are beautifully and wonderfully made

RMELINDA BLAIR Columnist

ecently on America’s Got Talent, a young contestant quickly captured numerous hearts. The lovely girl has a speech impediment and it held her captive for many years, but like with me and my stutter, she’s learned to use it as a blessing. She’s an overcomer who now writes songs and sings professionally, and like most people who stutter, she sings fluently. We all have a handicap of some sort, but if we allow God to use it, He can turn it into a power tool. If God called me today and asked if I wanted to quit stuttering, I’d say, “No, because a ‘Yes’ would be saying You messed up when You made me, and You didn’t!” He didn’t mess up when He made you, either! Handicaps aren’t always visible, especially when they’re emotional or spiritual ones, and I believe the ones we

cannot see are more likely to hold us captive, because we may desperately hope nobody ever discovers them. When I worked in the schools with special needs students, our speech therapist occasionally invited me to the parents’ meetings to help them see that a stutter doesn’t have to hinder their child’s bright and successful future. When I finally learned to use this particular handicap in God’s honor, it became His power tool and I honestly enjoy my stutter, as strange as that may sound… like a blessing in disguise!

Tallassee Churches

Amanda Mammana, the young lady on AGT, sang a powerful song she wrote and some of the lyrics are, “I still remember that kid afraid to open the door. Now she’s grown and she doesn’t keep that fear anymore. It was kept in a box and locked. She held the key and the box is locked and the key’s nowhere to be seen. What if I could go back in time and change the way I felt about my life, but then would I still have inside everything that brought me back to life. I still remember that kid wanting to be more, but now she knows she’s worth more than she’s been told.”

Amanda brought me to tears when she sang, and I hope you, too, will find your strength and show the world your incredible abilities, no matter what you’ve been told and/or previously believed about yourself. We are fearfully and wonderfully made and His works are marvelous! Psalm 139:14

Melinda Blair is a religion columnist for Tallapoosa Publishers Inc.

Surrounding Area Churches

Tallassee boys soccer looking towards postseason

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

After the best season in program history, the Tallassee boys soccer team is ready to take the next step.

Tallassee is coming off a 16-4 record where the Tigers outscored opponents 135-22, both of which were program bests. The Tigers, however, did not make the postseason after going 5-3 in area play and missing the cut by just one loss.

With the majority of his team returning in 2024, coach Matt Tarpley knows his team can reach the playoffs this year.

“We have to pay a little more attention to those area games,” Tarpley said. “Three of our four losses were area plays, and those are the ones that hurt the most. We have to be more focused when it comes to those matchups this year.” That starts with Tarpley bulking up the schedule. Now that his team has proved it

can win games, Tarpley wants to be prepared for the postseason and the tough area play.

The text starts Saturday with a game against Auburn. The Tigers also play multiple playoff teams from a year ago in 6A’s Wetumpka and Stanhope Elmore, and Montgomery Catholic.

Not only do the Tigers travel to Auburn, they also hit the road against Opelika and even have a mid-season matchup set up in

scored 30 goals and added 11 assists to help Tallassee to a 15-4 record.

AREA TOURNEYS UP NEXT

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

Following a tough end to the

Tallassee is looking

postseason

The Tigers are hosting Beauregard Monday, Feb. 5 at 5 p.m. in the

the

Area

tournament. The winner of the game clinches a playoff berth and will face No. 1-seed Valley in the area championship while the loser sees its season come to an end.

“We really just need to have a good week of practice,” Tallassee coach Keiven Mixson said.

“Beauregard knows us and we know them. We’ve played two times so we’re familiar with each other’s personnel. We can’t focus on the outcome as far as just focusing on each day of practice and trying to get better. It’s going to come down to execution and who doesn’t turn the ball over.”

Tallassee and Beauregard both ended area play with a 1-3 record

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

The third time’s usually the charm — and that’s what Tallassee’s girls basketball team is counting on.

Tallassee hits the road Saturday to play in the AHSAA Class 5A, Area 7 tournament. The Tigers, who went 0-4 in area play, are the No. 3 seed and will travel to face No. 2 Beauregard at 5 p.m.

The winner will advance to the playoffs and will play for the area championship against No. 1 Valley later in the week.

Tallassee went 0-2 against Beauregard this season, but both were very winnable games. At home Jan. 11, Tallassee lost 44-40 in overtime. On the road Jan. 25, Tallaseee lost 36-31.

In both games, Tallassee had a second-half lead and saw it disappear down the stretch.

Since then, coach Alfonzo Johnson and the Tigers have been working on closing out games. “We have to learn how to finish our ballgames,” Johnson said. “We have to make our free throws and keep our defense locked in. That’s kind of gotten away from us since the beginning of the season. We’re just not finishing. Both games we’ve played against them were winnable games for us.”

Cooper Watson is the life of Beauregard’s team, and she showed that in both games against Tallassee. In the first game, she scored 17 points to lead the Hornets. Thirteen of those points came

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

Tallassee girls soccer coach Matt Tarpley is more than pleased with how his team performed in its first season as a

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Reeltown baseball looking to defend area crown

By HENRY ZIMMER Sports Writer

Success breeds even more success. With the success Reeltown has had in all its sports this school year, baseball should be no different.

In the second year under coach Matt Johnson, the Rebels are looking to win their second consecutive area crown. Reeltown caught fire at the end of last season, and went toe to toe in the first round of playoffs with the eventual 2A state champion in Ariton.

This year, the team wants to take things up a notch in order to defend its area title and play much further in the postseason.

“The great thing about a small school is that success breeds success,” Johnson said. “In the attitude and the way things are carried. When football has a successful season, you are coaching the same guys, so those expectations are there.”

The only big difference from last year’s Reeltown team to this year’s is it’s added even more talent. Johnson has added guys like freshman phenom Jamarkius Smith while also retaining senior standouts Blake Smith and Jake

Hornsby. The roster is loaded with strong arms and consistent bats, and the hope is to capitalize on every last bit of that.

“The expectations are very high,” Johnson said. “I think we have gained some ground on last year. I think we have taken a step forward after winning the area last year. We have really vamped up the schedule. It is going to be extremely tough, but that’s what we want.”

After winning the area, Reeltown has gone from the hunter to the hunted. The team went

into the playoffs winning five of its last six and 10 of its last 14. With an area consisting of Coosa, Thorsby and Isabella, it will be the other three teams looking to undercut Reeltown from repeating.

“That is the position you want to be in. You want to be everybody’s target,” Johnson said.

“We have a mature group coming back and some good arms. We have some extremely talented youth. We have freshmen that will be contributing at a very high level.”

Of that youth, two players

really stand out. Brodie Smith, who came alive late in the season last year, will be back for his sophomore season. Smith batted .333 with only two strikeouts while also pitching 13 ⅔ innings and giving up just 11 hits.

“Brodie swings it well and came in and threw a lot of innings for us,” Johnson said. “He is young but still has the experience to feel like an old guy. We are expecting a lot out of Brodie. He is a really good ball player and works as hard as anybody.”

Brodie’s brother Blake will begin the year injured, nursing a shoulder. Johnson said the senior Huntingdon commit is “making a lot of ground” and will certainly return during the season.

Even younger than Brodie is athlete Jarmkius Smith, who at only 15 years old, is touching over 90 miles an hour off the mound.

Smith will be playing in his first year at Reeltown once he concludes basketball. Johnson said he cannot wait for basketball season to end so he can get a good look at his freshman flamethrower.

“He is one of those guys that

Elmore County, Dadeville football to renew rivalry

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

One of the area’s longest rivalries is back on the football schedule.

After a two-year break, Elmore County will travel to Dadeville during Week 0 of the 2024 football season. The two teams last met in 2021 when Dadeville won 47-7. The two teams have met 55 times since 1923 and 14 times since 2006. Dadeville owns the all-time series, 36-19.

Dadeville will travel to

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Dallas.

Tarpley doesn’t care what his team’s overall record is as long as the Tigers reach the playoffs.

“Our schedule this year is very different than it’s been the last few years,” Tarpley said. “I was very intentional about beefing up the level of competition to help prepare us for the area games that are so important. We’re jumping right into it with a game against Auburn.”

Leading the Tigers on the field will be one of the best players across the entire state. Irvin Delfin led the entire county in scoring a year ago as he racked up 30 goals across 20 games and added 11 assists in the process. He was named All-State across all classifications. He comes back but will have to pick up the load of graduated offensive players Will Blocker and Jonathan Wright, who combined for 49 goals a year ago.

“It pretty much starts and ends with Irvin,”

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Elmore County in the season opener in 2025.

“This is great for both communities,” Elmore County coach Kyle Caldwell said. “We are keeping the game regional. It’s a 20-minute drive and it’s been a really competitive series over the years. Both teams are used to being playoff teams and you want your kids to play in a playoff atmosphere, even if it is at the beginning of the season.”

The game was a late addition to the schedule. When it announced

Tarpley said. “He’s got a lot of recognition around the state so Irvin is certainly a key playmaker for us.”

Helping him up front will be two new playmakers, Lewis Moseley and German foreign exchange student Luis Ruemmler. Ruemmler, Delfin and Yuren Rodriguez will control the middle of the field for Tallassee.

“I feel like adding those guys can kind of make up for the lost goals from last year,” Tarpley said.

On defense is goalkeeper Trey Bosch, who barely allowed a goal per game last season. In front of him will be Grant McCraney and Alec Carswell, both returning starters playing center back. The two outside backs will be Ricky Murillo and Rush Wright.

“We feel our back line is the best we’ve had since I’ve been at Tallassee, skill wise and they’re just really athletic,” Tarpley said. “Three of them are also over 6 feet tall and that should be formidable for opposing attackers.”

That starts with working on two-touch soccer. Tarpley makes sure his team can receive the ball cleanly and pass the ball to others accurately.

From there, he works on understanding the game better.

“We’re still developing at

its schedule more than six weeks ago, Elmore County was originally slated to travel to Chelsea during Week 0. But when Dadeville came calling, it was a game Caldwell couldn’t pass up, especially when it comes to the financial benefits.

“Both communities show up to games so it’s really good for both schools,” Caldwell said.

“Any games we can get that are close, region wise that are still very competitive, a lot of people want to see those and it helps

both programs financially.”

For Caldwell, he will be facing his former team.

Caldwell was a multi-year starter at Dadeville before enjoying an illustrious college career. He helped lead Dadeville to the playoffs multiple years, passed for more than 6,000 yards and was an All-State player.

“When I started coaching and was at Dadeville early in my career, we played Elmore County twice then,” Caldwell said. “It definitely brings back some memories but at the end of the day, it’s all

and the Tigers won the coin toss to decide which team will host. They split the regular season, 1-1.

Tallassee won its game at home, 61-49 on Jan. 11. Two weeks later, Beauregard won at home, 51-44.

Tallassee has found success at home this season. The Tigers are 6-2 at home and have not lost at home since Dec. 13 to Valley.

After that loss, Tallassee is 3-0 at home and has outscored its opponents by an average of 31.6 points per game.

“If you look at the last few years, we’ve really created a home court advantage and much of that credit goes to our students,” Mix-

in the second half when she almost single-handedly outscored Tallassee in the fourth quarter of the comeback.

In the second game, she scored 14 points, nearly half her team’s total points.

“Cooper has been really good for them,” Johnson said. “She’s a small forward and just brings them great energy.

times,” Tarpley said. “A lot of times, the ball may just bounce off their foot and their first touch isn’t as clean as we want it to be. So we are working on that and then just understanding where we want the ball to go and finding open spaces. That has to continue to develop alongside their soccer IQ.”

The Tigers aren’t super inexperienced, however. The team features some players who

everybody knows,” Johnson said.

“He is something serious. I am really, really, really looking forward to getting him out there.”

Like many of Reeltown’s baseball players, Smith is currently playing another sport. Many are playing basketball, some track. Johnson has to tow a fine line between wanting his athletes to win state championships in other sports and wanting them at baseball practice as soon as possible.

“Once we get everyone together and start meshing and figuring out who is going to be where, it is going to be a lot of fun,” Johnson said.

Reeltown has less than a month before it opens its season against rival Tallassee. The start of Reeltown’s schedule features teams from 2A area games all the way to 6A competition. If Reeltown is going to get out of the first round this year, the team will have to challenge itself early and often.

By postseason play, they should be ready.

“We are going to make this as tough as possible, but when we get to that first round, we are going to be ready to go,” Johnson said.

about the kids. But it will be cool to play them. I’m sure I’ll have a lot of family there.” Dadeville is coming

son said. “We play much better at home and we feel it definitely gives us an advantage. We feel comfortable here and our players feed off that energetic crowd.”

Tallassee and Beauregard play very different styles of basketball.

The Tigers are a smaller team and only have two players –Rowen Thornton and Roderius Glover – who are over 5-foot-10.

Beauregard, on the other hand, has almost an entire lineup of players over 6-foot.

“They have some athletes who are big and strong,” Mixson said.

“They have a lot of size across the board and their size gives us a little bit of trouble. But our mindset just needs to be to try and execute the game plan.”

Tallassee’s game plan runs

When things go wrong, she gets them energized. The entire game starts around her. She’s a really good ball player.”

Tallassee will need to turn around a late season struggle if it hopes to extend its season at least two more games.

In the last three games it has played, Tallassee is 0-3 with losses to Barbour County, Valley and Beauregard. Two of those three losses were by five points or less.

The Tigers have not only lost their last three,

made massive impacts on the field last season, starting with sophomore Tania Alvarez, who led the team with nine goals.

Just behind her was Jhala Anderson with eight goals, and the two were neck-and-neck all the way until the final game.

Helping them out is eighth grader Madison Moseley, who Tarpley says showcases loads of potential.

Isabelle Diego is expected to

through Thornton, who is averaging just under 22 points per game in his junior year. In the home matchup against Beauregard, Thornton dropped 30 points and knocked down four 3-pointers.

He will need to do the same, but Tallassee will also need some help from other players. In that game, Antonio Hooks, JD McKenzie, Jamarrion McCoy and Glover all scored to help keep the Tigers ahead. That has to happen again.

“We’re going to need a few guys to knock down a few shots so we have a chance,” Mixson said. “Guys like Antonio and JD had big games the first time we played them. We need those guys to do it again. They’re going to play important roles in this game.”

but five of their last six games dating back to Jan. 5. “It’s been our defense,” Johnson said. “We’ve also struggled shooting 3-pointers and free throws. Add in some of the injuries and sickness we’ve had, and we’ve needed some people to step up. Some games they have, some they haven’t.” Johnson is confident in his team’s ability to perform in the playoff game. The injuries that have plagued the team

play a big role as a newcomer, and Aubrey Paggett, Anouk Calhoun and Milly Crain are all going to help lead the team.

“We’re really excited about this bunch of girls and seeing their continued development,” Tarpley said.

the last month are starting to resolve themselves as players are returning to practice.

With everyone back healthy, Johnson and his team are taking the next week easy as they prepare for what they hope is not their final game of the year.

“Hopefully we will be prepared,” Johnson said.

“It’s going to be a good ball game. A lot of our girls are coming back and they’re confident we can get this thing fixed.”

Tallassee’s season almost looked very different last season. Four games were decided by scores of 1-0, and all four of those games were area games against Brewbaker Tech twice, Valley and Beauregard.

If those games flipped, Tallassee likely could have found itself in the playoffs as the No. 2 seed.

That’s the team goal this year.

“We’re looking to take that next step and win some of those close games now that they’re comfortable playing,” Tarpley said.

Reeltown baseball looks to build off last season’s area championship in year two under Matt Johnson.

off a 4-5 record while Elmore County went 8-3. Both teams lost in the first round of the playoffs on the road.

Elmore County has added Dadeville to its 2024 football schedule. Kyle Caldwell and the Panthers will travel to the Tigers on August 23 to start the season.

Player of the week

Wetumpka’s Smith dominates Hornet Slam

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

Noah Smith put on quite the show at Beauregard this weekend.

Smith, competing in the 132-pound weight class for Wetumpka, dominated his opponents in the Hornet Slam. The Montevallo signee took down three opponents, two of which were ranked, en route to his tournament win.

He knocked off Class 5A’s No. 5 wrestler in Beauregard’s Reese Thorn, then turned around and beat No. 2-ranked Noah Guthrie from Gulf Shores in the championship.

For his commanding weekend, Smith is the Elmore County Player of the Week.

“He’s wrestling really well right now,” Wetumpka coach Josh Highland said. “He’s finally healthy and he’s hitting his stride at the right time. He beat two ranked guys in pretty dominant fashion. I was really proud of the way he wrestled.”

Smith is peaking, and now he just wants to get back to the state tournament. He missed last

year’s tournament due to missing weight, so he had to sit on the sidelines as his two teammates – Willie Cox and Christian Preston – each claimed state championships.

Smith is at the same level as them, and is ranked No. 2 in Class 6A in his weight class. So to sit on the sidelines as they earned rings, it was a humbling experience that he isn’t planning on feeling again.

“He’s not taking things for granted this year,” Highland said.

“He knows he has to put in the work and this is the last shot he has. This is it for him and he’s running away with it.”

Smith is 29-2 this season and his only loss is to the No. 1-ranked wrestler in his class, Moeen Almansoob from Homewood, by a 10-5 decision back in November.

Since that match, Smith is 20-0.

“He’s going to have to avenge that early loss if he wants the championship,” Highland said. “We like the underdog mentality. That loss has fueled him and he knows he will wrestle against him two more

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

times. He’s changed some things up and it’s going to be a different match.”

Wetumpka has been known the last two years for its heavyweight wrestlers, and that’s for good reason. Between the 285, 215 and 195 classes, Wetumpka’s Cox, Preston and Zach Crosthwait are a combined 97-5. They all get to wrestle against the best every day in practice, but Smith isn’t able to wrestle those guys because of the weight difference.

Instead, he’s in the lighter weight classes, helping build up the younger wrestlers and helping improve the future of the program.

He has helped train Wetumpka’s 120 and 126, Swayze Martin and Troy Watson, both of whom are freshmen.

Wetumpka’s Noah Smith, a Montevallo signee, went 3-0 and won the 132-pound championship at Beauregard’s Hornet Slam on Saturday.

And he has helped lead Martin to a 29-10 record while Watson has a 31-10 record.

“He’s able to anchor those guys and that’s made such a huge difference in our program,” Highland said. “Our success down there is because of the impact Noah is making.”

Smith is no stranger to pinning opponents, but he has shown he has the stamina to dominate entire matches.

Two of his wins from this past weekend’s Hornet Slam were by technical fall, which means he outscored his opponents by over 15 points and the match was called when that threshold was met.

He won, 21-5 and 23-4, both in the third period.

In fact, he has five technical fall wins in the entire season. He also has seven major decisions, which means he

went the full three periods and won by a lead of eight to 14 points.

“He is a go-getter,” Highland said. “From the beginning to the end, he is just relentless on the mat. He can go six minutes after six minutes and never seems to get tired. He leads our team in takedowns by over 20. He’ll let his opponent up and then take them down 100 times if he has to. He can score at will.”

Elmore County’s Williams signs with Blue Mountain Christian University

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

Abbi Williams is taking her versatility to the next level.

Elmore County’s star volleyball player signed her National Letter of Intent on Friday to play at Blue Mountain Christian University in Mississippi.

Williams initially reached out to BMCU first then went on a visit after some communication between the two parties. Williams didn’t always want to move away from home, but after her visit she realized it felt like a new home for her.

“This is great,” Williams said. “I’m very excited and I feel like I’ve worked extremely hard for this. I just really liked the campus and the team was really nice and I loved the coach. The team was really welcoming.”

DALTON MIDDLETON | TPI

Elmore County senior Abbi Williams signed her National Letter of Intent with Blue Mountain Christian University. Williams is signing with the volleyball program to be a right side hitter and defensive specialist.

Williams has played a variety of roles for Elmore County, mostly as a setter. She has been on the All-County list every season since she became a varsity starter in ninth grade.

During her junior year, she recorded 504 assists, 103 service aces, 252 digs, 168 kills and 8 blocks. She had a 93.5% serve percentage.

She changed roles slightly going into her senior year to explore her abilities on defense more and she shined in whatever role she was needed to play in.

For her second straight First Team All-County season, she recorded 314 kills, 263 digs, 79 service aces, 40 blocks and 72 assists. While her assist total was

the lowest of her four seasons, she still accumulated 1,000 assists in her career. Despite that, she will not be setting in college. She has committed and is now signed as a right side hitter and defensive specialist.

“I just think I can bring a lot of hard work and dedication,” Williams said. “I’m a versatile player, but my dedication is what I can bring to them.”

The program Williams is joining is fairly new, but it’s already accomplished. Started in 2019, BMCU has already racked up two conference championships in the Southern States Athletic Conference.

After back-to-back losing records in 2019 and 2020, the team has been nothing short of stellar the last three seasons.

In that time, BMCU is 90-14 overall and has won three straight SSAC conference champion-

SPORTS CALENDAR

Tuesday, Jan. 30

High School Wrestling

4 Elmore County/ Carver at Wetumpka, 5 p.m.

4 Tallassee at Benjamin Russell, 5 p.m.

4 Holtville at Beauregard, TBD High School Basketball

4 Elmore County at Chilton County, 4:30 p.m.

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

4 Wetumpka at Montgomery Academy, 6 p.m.

4 Prattville at Stanhope Elmore, 6 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 1

High School Wrestling

4 Elmore County, Holtville at St. James, TBD

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

High School Basketball

4 Loachapoka at Elmore County, 5 p.m.

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

High School Soccer

4 Opelika at Wetumpka, 5:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 2

High School Basketball

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

4 Holtville at Reeltown, 5 p.m.

4 (G) Winner of Patrician/Restoration at Edgewood Academy, TBD

High School Soccer

Elmore County Invitational at 17 Springs

4 (G) Stanhope Elmore vs. Benjamin Russell, 5 p.m.

4 (G) Prattville vs. Holtville, 5 p.m.

4 (B) Stanhope Elmore vs. Benjamin Russell, 6:30 p.m.

4 (B) Prattville vs.

Holtville, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 3

High School Basketball

4 (B) Winner of Sparta/ Southern at Edgewood Academy, TBD

4 (G) Stanhope vs. Wetumpka at Montgomery Carver, 3 p.m.

4 (G) Tallassee at Beauregard, 5 p.m.

High School Soccer

Elmore County Invitational at 17 Springs

4 (G) Stanhope Elmore vs. Prattville, 9 a.m.

4 (G) Benjamin Russell vs. Holtville, 9 a.m.

4 (B) Stanhope Elmore vs. Prattville, 10:30 a.m.

4 (B) Benjamin Russell vs. Holtville, 10:30 a.m.

4 (G) Stanhope Elmore vs. Holtville, 12 p.m.

4 (G) Foley vs. Benjamin Russell, 12 p.m.

4 (B) Stanhope Elmore

vs. Holtville, 1:30 p.m.

4 (B) Prattville vs. Benjamin Russell, 1:30 p.m

4 (G) Prattville vs. Foley, 3 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 5

High School Basketball

4 (B) Beauregard at Tallassee, 5 p.m.

4 (B) Wetumpka vs. Lanier at Carver, 5:30 p.m.

4 (B) Stanhope Elmore at Carver, 7 p.m.

4 (G) Holtville at Elmore County, TBD

Tuesday, Feb. 6

High School Basketball

4 (B) Elmore County at Holtville, TBD High School Soccer

4 (B) Lanier at Wetumpka, 5:30 p.m.

4 Pelham at Stanhope Elmore, 5:30 p.m.

ships, which are held at the Cramton Bowl Multiplex in Montgomery.

The last two seasons, BMCU is a combined 60-5.

“They’re a great team,”

Williams said. “They’ve had a volleyball team for five years and won multiple championships already. It’s a new program but they’re already really, really good.”

Black History Month begins this month

STAFF REPORT

TPI Staff

With the start of February, the nation begins Black History Month.

The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) dedicates a theme each year for the month. For 2024, the theme is African Americans and the Arts.

According to ASALH, the theme focuses on African, Caribbean and Black Americans lived experiences and how those experiences are fueled into the arts.

This includes visual and performing arts with literature, film, music, food, folklore, fashion and architecture all being a part of this year’s theme. Throughout history, African American arts have been pushed back from the spotlight or co-opted by non-Black creators.

African American arts can be seen through the centuries with sweetgrass baskets, blues to soul to gospel music, the Black Renaissance in the 1920s, the Black Arts Movement in the 1960s, hip-hop and Afrofuturism.

More generally, Black History Month began when Black historian Carter G. Woodson and a handfull of others formed Association for the Study

of Negro Life and History. In the 1920s, the now ASALH started Negro History Week.

During the 1960s Civil Rights movement, Negro

History Week evolved into Black History Month.

In 1976, the president of the United States designated February as Black

History Month and every president since has done the same.

In observance of Black History Month, Tallapoosa Publishers is beginning

a Black History Month series highlighting Black figures in our local community and the ways the community is coming together to celebrate.

STAFF REPORT TPI Staff

“Change Makers – A Celebration of Black History” is starting this month as Reeltown’s art contest in observance of Black History Month.

must be 8x10, 11x14 or 16x20.

All non-free standing entries must be attached to a backing that is rigid or semi-rigid to display on an easel. Submissions must also have the participants name, grade level if a student and phone number on the back.

This contest asks participants to reflect on key figures and movements throughout Black American history that have impacted history and today. There are four categories: junior high school with students in grades sixth through eighth grade, high school with students grades ninth through 12th, faculty and staff with any RHS staff members and Reeltown community members.

Paintings, drawings, digital art, sculptures and photography can be entered as long as the pieces fit with the theme. Original entries

Submissions will be open from Feb. 12 though Feb. 16 to be turned in at the front office. The contest will also have prizes with junior high and high school winners receiving AirPods, faculty and staff receiving a $50 gift card and an additional special prize and the community member winner will receive a $50 gift card. There will be a RHS Art Exhibit from 5 to 7 p.m. Feb. 22 where the pieces will be judged and displayed.

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

It will be more than a year and half before a new mini-pumper fire truck will arrive at the Tallassee Fire Department, but the order is now in.

The Tallassee City Council approved the order at last Tuesday’s meeting. Tallassee assistant fire chief David Rogers said it is funded by a $362,857.14 grant, and the firefighters association will fund the 5% match of $18,142.86. Thus, the truck will not cost the city anything.

“It will improve our capabilities to fight fire in hard-to-access areas of our response area,” Tallassee fire chief Eric Jones said.

“We can respond safely and effectively to rescue

calls, wildland fires, brush fires and more in areas where we cannot get our current firefighting vehicles to.” The new truck will come from Emergency Equipment Professionals in Pelham. The company was one of three companies to present a Request for Proposals (RFP) to the city. It will replace the city’s current brush truck. IN OTHER ACTION THE TALLASSEE CITY COUNCIL:

• Approved minutes of the Jan. 9 meeting.

• Approved spending funds collected by the city under Rebuild Alabama for paving portions of South Ann Avenue.

The next meeting of the Tallassee City Council is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13.

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Public Notices

Public Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE

C&M is having an auction Feb.15,2024 @ 104 Caldwell St. Tallassee Al. 36078 for a 2009 dark blue Chevrolet Malibu Vin# 1G1ZH57B49F226159

Tallassee Tribune: Jan. 31 and Feb. 7, 2024 AV/09 CHEVROLET

PUBLIC NOTICE

C&M is having an auction Feb.28,2024@ 104 Caldwell St. Tallassee Al. 36078 for a 2010 White Chrysler Town & Country Vin# 2A4RR4DE8AR214388

Tallassee Tribune: Jan. 31 and Feb. 7, 2024 AV/10 CHRYSLER

PUBLIC NOTICE

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS BAND ROOM RENOVATIONS TO TALLASSEE HIGH SCHOOL FOR TALLASSEE CITY SCHOOLS

TALLASSEE, ALABAMA

MCKEE PROJECT NO. 22.221

Sealed proposals for this project shall be received by Dr. Brock Nolin at Tallassee City Board of Education, 308 King Street, Tallassee, AL 36078; Phone: 334283-6864, until 2:00 P.M. Central Time, Thursday, February 8, 2024, then opened and read aloud. This project shall be bid excluding taxes. Bids must be submitted on proposal forms furnished by the Architect or copies thereof. No bid may be withdrawn after scheduled closing for receipt of bids for a period of ninety (90) days. The Owner reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to waive technical errors if, in the Owners judgment, the best interests of the Owner will thereby be promoted. payable to Tallassee City Schools in an amount not less amount of the bid, but in no event more than $10,000.00 must accompany each bidder’s sealed proposal. Performance and statutory labor and material payment bonds will be required at the signing of the Contract. All bidders bidding in amounts exceeding that established by the State Licensing Board for General Contractors must be licensed under the provisions of Title 34, Chapter 8, Code of evidence of license before bid-

Public Notices

ding or bid will not be received or considered by the Architect. All bidders shall show such evidence by clearly displaying their current license number on the outside of the sealed envelope in which the proposal is delivered. PDFs of the project can be reviewed by going to the McKee website @ www.mckeeassoc. com and selecting “Project Bid List”. Also, if you are not receiving NOTIFICATIONS from us, please register on our website, “Project Bid List” by selecting The documents may be viewed on-line and printed by General Contractors, Sub Contractors and Suppliers. Documents published through this procedure are the only documents endorsed by the Architect. The Architect is unable to monitor,sites that provide documents. Addendums will be provided to entities that have CONFIRMED bidding for this particular project. The Architect retains ownership and copyrights of the documents.

BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE CAPITAL CITY CLASSIC

CLIFF WILLIAMS | TPI

More than 40 high school show choirs from across Alabama and Georgia took part in the Capital City Classic hosted by Tallassee High School at the Montgomery Performing Arts Center Friday and Saturday. Groups from two dozen to nearly 100 competed on stage in the first week of competition season for show choirs. Tallassee High School’s Divas,Voltage and Gold Edition performed in exhibition.

Food tasting brings out 500 for a good cause

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

Taste of Elmore County is always a success for diners, vendors and especially the Elmore County Food Pantry.

The annual event is always a sell out and it is the main fundraiser for the organization serving those who wonder where their next meal will come from.

“It brings in enough funding to help us manage the food pantry effectively,” food pantry executive director Kathy Hall said. “It helps us purchase food at a great discount.”

The event brings enthusiasm to the staff and board of the food

pantry with 500 tickets sold in a matter of days.

It’s an event Noah Griggs participates in every year with his 1220 Cafe in Tallassee and The Wharf in Wetumpka — even if he loses business to the event every year.

“I was joking a little earlier about the restaurant, it is dead tonight because everybody is here,” Griggs said. “You have to be here. It is a great event. If you are going to be local, you have to be in it. It is a great cause.”

Griggs is OK giving up the one night of business in the restaurant as the event helps bring customers to his restaurants. The Wharf brought a honey pecan shrimp to

sample and a lady tried it for the first time.

“She said, ‘That’s amazing. I would never order that at the restaurant because I didn’t think I would like it,’” Griggs said. “Here it is free, she tries and now it may become her favorite menu item. It pays off.”

Lake Martin Pizza Company and Rita Italian Ice from Our Town on Lake Martin are newcomers to Taste of Elmore.

“We are looking to serve the communities where are our customers are,” owner Brett Gelband said. “We want to get the name out and make sure everyone tries.”

Larry Dozier is a

retired Elmore County Food Pantry board member. But he still has influence to a cause he has served for more than 10 years. That influence stretches to Must Stop Cafe and owner Murray Simpson who brought cream cheese pound cake for diners to sample.

“He is at the restaurant all the time,” Simpson said. “I like supporting him.”

Taste of Elmore County also featured BBQ, hamburger steaks, chicken, turkey, sliders, tacos and enough desserts to satisfy the sweetest tooth.

It’s an event Grumpy Dog owner Wil Lanum has been a part of for 10 years. This year brought

CLIFF WILLIAMS TPI

Guests of the annual Taste of Elmore County benefiting the Elmore County Food Pantry filled the Wetumpka Civic Center Monday to raise money for the cause. Funds will be used to purchase food for those who are food insecure in the area.

a salad with candied Conecuh sausage, marinated beets, garbanzo beans and a smoked lime dressing. The creation was part of the buffet. Lanum likened the event to a family reunion.

“Everyone here is like my second family,” Lanum said. “I have met a lot of people through this event and get to see them once a year. It is like going to a wedding or funeral.”

Lake Martin Mini Mall starts The Local Market

By ABIGAIL MURPHY Multimedia Reporter

Those along Lake Martin will soon have a new place to shop for fresh produce, local goods and artisan works alike.

The Lake Martin Mini Mall is hosting The Local Farmers and Artisan Market for the first time this March. Right now, the market managers have vendor applications in for fresh vegetables, jams and jellies, pickles, eggs, baked goods, meats, honey, soaps, flowers and freeze-dried candy with hopes for crochet items, woodworking, hat makers and potters to come.

For those selling produce, the farmer needs to grow at least 70% of what they are selling.

“People are looking for fresh produce or as fresh as you can get it,” market manager Melissa Palmer with Palmer Farm explained.

Meanwhile the artisans featured will focus on handmade works or upscaled pieces. There also will be food trucks and live music at the markets. The aim is to create a hub for local products and for farmers and artisans to connect with people in the community.

“One of the main purposes we always strive for around our store here is bringing the community together and this is just another way to bring our community together,” market manager Jason Left with Lake Martin Mini Mall said.

The Local Market will have a curated selection of vendors for each market date so that there is a variety of products. While the market begins in March, it will run all the way through to December.

“We will still be accepting vendors until our last market because our last market will be a Christmas market,” market manager Allyson

Andrews with Wildly Blessed said. “The vendors we have in March, our first market, might not have items to sell in December and the people who want to come in December may not be able to be here in March.”

The managers also aim to post in advance what vendors will be at the upcoming markets so attendees will know who to expect. The link to become a vendor is also posted on Lake Martin Mini Mall’s Facebook page.

THE FULL SCHEDULE OF THE LOCAL MARKET IS AS FOLLOWS:

• March 23 Spring Party from 2 to 8 p.m.

• April 12 from 2 to 7 p.m.

• April 26 from 2 to 7 p.m.

• May 10 from 2 to 7 p.m.

• May 24 Memorial Day Weekend from 2 to 7 p.m.

• May 25 Memorial Day Weekend from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. • June 14 from 2 to 7 p.m.

REELTOWN BOYS POUNCE ON PANTHERS

By HENRY ZIMMER Sports Reporter

Reeltown jumped out to an early lead over Elmore County and never relinquished.

The Rebels defeated the Panthers 58-43, limiting Elmore County’s scoring all night and disrupting the visiting team at every turn.

“We played pretty well,” Reeltown coach Jonathan Gardner said. “We played pretty lackadaisical in the first part of the game, but the boys stuck with it.”

Both teams struggled to score in the first half. By halftime, Reeltown led Elmore County narrowly 23-20.

After half, Reeltown’s offense came alive while the Panthers struggled to keep pace.

In the fourth quarter alone, the Rebels’ Jamarkius Smith scored 11 of his 13 total points, connecting on two balls from deep. Elmore County as a team scored just 10.

“He has been leading us in scoring these past couple games,” Gardner said. “He has been doing really well. He is really figuring it out.”

To Elmore County coach Nathan Taylor, Monday’s game was all about Reeltown’s players on the perimeter beating his guys.

“We just got outplayed by their guards,” Taylor said. “They have good guard play.”

Elmore County was led in scoring by Jabari Murphy, who scored all of his 12 points through the first

three quarters. Tough refereeing saw Murphy foul out. Camron Brown added 10 points, all in the second half.

At halftime, down only three but feeling the game starting to slip, Taylor told his team to stay with it.

But as was the case all game, the Panthers could not find a consistent way to keep making shots.

“I told them that we had to keep fighting,” Taylor said. “We missed some shots, and they made them.

That’s it.”

The Panthers will take the loss into Tuesday night’s game against Chilton County, before facing off against Holtville in the 5A, Area 6 tournament on Feb. 6.

If there was anything to take from the 15-point loss, it was that the Panthers didn’t give up.

“Nothing went our way and we continued to fight,” Taylor said. “If there is a silver lining, that’s it.”

As for Reeltown, the Rebels have two more games before area play.

They travel to Coosa on Tuesday, and rematch with Holtville on Friday. Reeltown defeated Holtville by 16 points to start its season.

On Feb. 5, the Rebels will face Lanett to open the 2A, Area 6 tournament. Games like Monday’s are the perfect way to get the Rebels ready for postseason play.

“These games get us ready for the area,” Gardner said. “These are the games to take advantage of and get better at our craft.”

• June 28 Independence Day Weekend from 2 to 7 p.m.

• June 29 Independence Day Weekend from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. • July 12 from 2 to 7 p.m. • July 26 from 2 to 7 p.m. • August 30 Labor Day Weekend from 2 to 7 p.m.

August 31 Labor Day

FOURTH QUARTER SEES ECHS PAST

REELTOWN

By HENRY ZIMMER Sports Reporter

Reeltown and Elmore County went blow for blow for three quarters.

In the fourth, the Panthers took over.

Elmore County walked out of Reeltown with a 51-34 win over the Rebels, fueled by an 18-point explosion in the game’s final frame.

“That’s all the effort they have been giving at practice,” Elmore County girls basketball coach Kyle Caldwell said. “We have been emphasizing effort and want to and consistency on defense.”

Both teams kept the scoring low in the first half, with the Panthers taking a three-point lead into halftime.

After the break, the game looked to be much of the same in the third, as Elmore County had a four-point lead going into the final eight minutes.

In the fourth, aided by six points by Addy Peadon, the Panthers closed the door once and for all.

The entire night Elmore County deployed its full-court press defense, trapping Reeltown players off the inbounds and generating countless turnovers.

In the fourth, the defense shut down anything Reeltown was trying to do, as the Rebels managed just five points.

“We have some girls with some length arm-wise,” Caldwell said. “They are able to create pressures and tips and steals and baskets in transitions. And then set it up again. Practicing that full speed every day, with the depth we have, that has been key for our success all year.”

Caldwell’s team gave up a little bit of size to Reeltown’s bigs London O’Neal and Chizyiah Riley. The only way around that was to play tough.

While O’Neal finished with a game-high 23 points, the Elmore County defense limited the rest of the team to just 11 points total.

“We played a little bit tougher,” Caldwell said. “They had a good game plan to get it to (O’Neal) and she played really well. She is a great player. But we had a little bit more depth and that contributed to us expanding our lead in the fourth.”

For Reeltown, not being able to play through Elmore County’s pressure was the team’s demise.

Elmore County’s Emily Mason, playing with four fouls late, was one of the defenders Reeltown coach Will Solomon said his team simply couldn’t get by.

“They really got hot and we didn’t take care of the ball,” Solomon said. “(Mason) came back in the game, really good ball player, and she got a couple turnovers that really turned the momentum.”

O’Neal’s big game got slightly overshadowed by the late collapse, but it highlights a need for the Rebels to figure out. The team has to get her some help when she is going off.

“The team did a good job of getting London the basketball, and realizing that she was hot,” Solomon said.

“But she got a little tired. We need to get her some help. That is the biggest thing, when she is getting a little winded, getting her some help.”

Despite the pestering defense all night, Solomon was happy with the product his girls rolled out.

“I was pleased, we had great effort,” Solomon said.

Reeltown will play two more regular season games before facing Lanett, at Lanett, on Saturday in the area tournament.

Elmore County will play Holtville at home on Feb. 5.

HENRY ZIMMER | TPI

Reeltown’s Finn Henderson goes up against Elmore County’s Jabari Murphy.

HENRY ZIMMER | TPI

Powered by an 18-point fourth quarter, Elmore County defeated Reeltown on the road.