Looking for something to do in the area?
High school players get instruction at camp
Newcomer’s Guide to Elmore County inside
CALENDAR, Page 5
SPORTS, Page 10
FOR SUBSCRIBERS
Eclectic Observer The
WEDNESDAY • JULY 25, 2018
TheWetumpkaHerald.com
Vol. 29, No. 30
Eclectic man charged with incest
By AMALIA KORTRIGHT Staff Writer
A 41-year-old Eclectic man was charged recently with felony incest after a lengthy investigation. Ricky Winston Smith Jr., who lists an address on Lindsey Road, was arrested by the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office on July 9.
ECSO Chief Ricky Lowery said an initial report against Smith was filed in April and authorities investigated it for several weeks before sending evidence gathered from the investigation to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for analysis. A warrant
for Smith’s arrest was issued shortly after the results came in. “The findings supported the case of incest,” Lowery said. According to court documents, the victim is a juvenile related to Smith by either blood or marriage. Incest is a Class C felony.
Smith
If convicted, Smith could face up to a decade in prison. As of July 19, Smith remained in the Elmore County Jail on a $150,000 bond. Smith’s initial appearance at the Elmore County Courthouse was scheduled for 10 a.m. on July 11. As of July 19, the date for a preliminary hearing had not been scheduled.
Winslett sworn in to town council
Observer editor dies at 58 Tuesday
By AMALIA KORTRIGHT Staff Writer
STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
Eclectic Obesrver Managing Editor David Granger, 58, died Tuesday afternoon following a stroke he had nearly two weeks ago. Granger started working for Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. when he was hired as a staff writer at The Alexander City Outlook in January Granger 2015. In December 2016, Granger took the position of managing editor for TPI’s Elmore County newspapers overseeing The Wetumpka Herald, The Eclectic Observer and The Tallassee Tribune. Granger is from Opp and had been living in Equality with his wife Lynn Holley Maynard Granger for many years. He graduated from Elmore County High School in Eclectic and earned a bachelor of arts in journalism in 1984 from Auburn University. Throughout his multi-decade journalistic career, Granger earned several awards from the Alabama Press Association and Alabama Sports Writers Association. In the APA’s 2018 Better Newspaper Contest, Granger was awarded third place for his column, “Holidays bring fireworks… to my kidneys!” in the Best Humorous Column category. He also earned second place in Best Editorial Column or Commentary for “Facebook killing sparks quests for answers.” Granger was a big sports fan and a large space of his heart was dedicated to the Atlanta Braves and Auburn Tigers. TPI staff members are sad to lose a piece of their work family and said Granger will be missed but always remembered for his talent and humor.
Today’s
Weather
91 70 High
Low
Carmen Rodgers / The Observer
Verizon Wireless employees Alondra Griffin, Mike Hall and Mark Ferguson handed out free backpacks Sunday. Ajaidyn Kennebrew was one of many students from Tallassee and Eclectic who picked up a backpack during the giveaway.
GIVING SPIRIT W Eclectic, area students attend backpack giveaway
ith about two weeks of summer remaining, many parents and some students are already looking forward to returning to the classroom. Many students from the Tallassee and Eclectic area took part in Verizon’s backpack giveaway this weekend. The event ran from 1 to 4 p.m. at the 431 Gilmer Ave. location in Tallassee. There were 220 backpacks available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Each backpack was filled with pencils, paper, a pencil box, folders, glue and other school supplies. Students had a variety of colors to choose
Dog’s death on Lake Martin gains social media attention ECSO: Grand jury to decide what charges, if any, for suspect By AMALIA KORTRIGHT Staff Writer
THURSDAY: HIGH 94 LOW 71
from when selecting a backpack, including pink, blue, green and camouflage colors. “We’re giving out backpacks for charity,” Verizon Wireless team leader Mark Ferguson said. “It’s part of our culture of good that we do with TCC (The Cellular Connection). It’s our way to give back to the community.” Verizon has hosted the backpack giveaway for many years. However, this is the first giveaway in the Tallassee area. “This is the first time that this store has done this but TCC has been doing charitable events like that backpack give away for many years,” Ferguson said. See BACKPACK • Page 3
A new member of the Eclectic Town Council was sworn in during a regularly scheduled council meeting July 16. Eclectic resident Carmen Winslett took her oath of office to serve in place three of the city council. Mayor Gary Davenport said she is replacing former council member Winslett Joe Creamer, who recently moved outside of the town limits. Winslett was selected out of five candidates, including Nathan Collins, Robert Newman, Josh Pack and Stephanie Stepney. During the previous council meeting on June 18, Davenport said they chose her after a unanimous vote. Davenport said Winslett was selected because of her extensive involvement with the Eclectic Public Library and the Alabama Cotton Festival Committee, as well as because of her efforts to re-open the town’s trade day events. “The council felt that, because of her volunteerism, she would make a good councilperson,” Davenport said. As of July 19, multiple messages seeking comment from Winslett have not been returned. The council also passed a resolution concerning the locations where food trucks are allowed to conduct business; approved a $500 appropriation from the city to the Butterfly Bridge Children’s Advocacy Center; approved a project grant to install lights at the Aaron Park baseball field.
The death of a dog, which police say was killed by a boater near Goat Island on Lake Martin, has gained widespread attention because of provocative Facebook posts. But, Elmore County Sheriff Department officials said a man accused via social media of having killed the dog was not involved in any way. A two-year-old boxer named Cletus was swimming in the lake this past weekend when he was killed by a passing boater. Before Cletus died, Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin said the family had been trying to alert the boater that the dog was
in the water. A friend of the family claims the boater intentionally hit the animal. Franklin said a report was filed by Cletus’ owner and, after an investigation, deputies were able to identify the driver of the boat. Initially, Franklin said the ECSO had planned to arrest the boater on a felony charge that was later reduced to a misdemeanor charge by the Elmore County District Attorney’s Office that said the crime fell under the misdemeanor statute under the Alabama Code of Law. Because the boater would not have been charged with a felony, Franklin said the dog’s owner refused to sign the warrant See DOG • Page 2
A Facebook post recounting the death of a boxer named Cletus has gone viral after it said the dog was intentionally killed by a boater on Lake Martin. Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin said a grand jury will make a decision on whether the suspect in the case will be indicted and arrested on a felony or misdemeanor charge.
Where Superior Service is Standard
Gassett
Funerals On Site Cremations Pre-Needs • Monuments
Funeral Home & Crematory, LLC
Celebrating 40 Years of Service!
Submitted / The Observer
Joe Al All Allen len Gasse len G Gassett, assett tt, tt Founder 1942-2009
(334) 567-8433 www.gassettfuneralhome.net • 204 East Charles Avenue, Wetumpka, AL 36092
PAGE 2 • JULY 25, 2018
TheWetumpkaHerald.com
Obituaries
WPD addresses suicide among police officers
Mrs. Helen Rogers 1947 - 2018 Funeral Service for Mrs. Helen Rogers, 71, of Eclectic, Alabama, will be held Monday, July 30, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at the Children’s Chapel at Children’s Harbor. The family will receive friends on Monday, July 30, 2018 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Children’s Chapel at Children’s Harbor. Mrs. Rogers passed away on Monday, July 23, 2018 at her residence. She was born on January 6, 1947 in Troy, Alabama to Aubrey Floyd and Voncile Floyd. She was an active member of Union United Methodist Church. Mrs. Rogers worked for over thirty years in leadership positions in the Alabama Department of Transportation and the ABC Board. She enjoyed traveling, caring for her cat, Streak, her wild birds, her pal, Hot Dog, and spending time with her family and friends. She is survived by her son, Patrick Rogers of Baltimore, MD; siblings, Kenneth Floyd, Charles Floyd, Kyle Floyd, Tim Floyd, Dale Law, and Tommy Floyd. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Ned Rogers. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the American Cancer Society. Memorial messages may be sent to the family at www.radneyfuneralhome.com. Radney Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Dog
THE ECLECTIC OBSERVER
continued from page 1
for the boater’s arrest. “Me and (the owner) had a very good, healthy, wholesome conversation,” Franklin said. “I understand where he’s coming from. If it were my dog, I’d be upset.” Franklin said the ECSO is not in charge of prosecuting suspects and does not have control over what types of warrants are issued. “We are the fact finders. We investigate the crimes and we bring those facts to the DA’s office for them to prosecute in a court of law,” Franklin said. Franklin said he is asking the District Attorney’s office to present a case to an Elmore County Grand Jury during its next session in October. The grand jury will then decide what charge, if any, will be filed and whether that charge will be a felony or a misdemeanor. The social media posts have wrongfully accused one man of being the boat driver, Franklin said. “That particular gentleman has nothing to do with nothing. He doesn’t know what’s going on,” Franklin said.
By AMALIA KORTRIGHT Staff Writer
Wetumpka Police Department Chaplain John Gallups said 140 police officers nationwide died as the result of suicide in 2017. Because of the stigma surrounding suicide, Gallups said he suspects that number could be higher. “More officers died from suicide than they did in the line of duty (that year),” Gallups said. “In 2016, we had a little bit of a drop in it. We thought the trend was going down, but then it jumped right back up. “The thing is, it depends on how it’s reported. A lot of departments didn’t report it as a suicide because of the stigma to it and things like that. With the 140 officers who committed suicide in 2017, that’s 140 too many.” So far, Gallups said no officers employed with WPD have died by suicide. However, in 2013, Gallups said one former officer who moved out of town lost her life to suicide several months after she left the WPD. “There were times it bothered me, simply because she was one of us. She was basically my sister in blue,” Sgt. Ella Roberts said. “With the things that happened, it was a stressful situation.” While many people view suicide as a selfish act or believe it happens as the result of a mental illness, Gallups said he disagrees. “Suicide is a painful act,” he said. “Whatever they’re going through in their life, they feel like this is the ultimate decision or the only decision that they have. How long does it take? It literally takes the blink of an eye to take your own life. If you’ve ever been stressed out and you feel like there is no other answer and you have a gun to your head and
Amalia Kortright / The Observer
WPD Chaplain John Gallups said an estimated 50 percent of police officers nationwide have thoughts of suicide at one point or another. While no WPD officers have died as the result of suicide, Gallups encouraged locals to be supportive, appreciative and compassionate of local officers.
you pull the trigger, it’s the snap of a finger. You can’t take that back.” Gallups said he is one of the 50 percent of police officers who are estimated to have, at one point, had suicidal thoughts. Gallups said he had come as close to holding a gun to his head before his life turned around, and credited his survival to God. “I was in a lot of pain, but God told me something different. The spirit said, ‘What are you doing?’ I put my gun back in my holster, and I’m here today because God had a better plan for me, because I didn’t make that split-second decision of a wrong choice,” Gallups said. “We have choices in life. God just controls the outcomes of those choices. There are probably more people who have been in that situation and thought about it, but that’s why I understand it, because I’ve been there.” Far too often before it happens, Gallups said no one sees the signs. Because of that, Gallups said he makes a point of speaking to officers regularly about job-
related stress. “The Bible says that you can’t serve two masters,” he said. “You’ll either hate one or love the other. Police officers try to serve three every day. I call it walking the dog. Police officers walk three large dogs every day of their career. They walk the department dog, they walk the street dog and they walk the family dog.” According to Gallups, one of the largest stressors is the media’s portrayal of police. “The accumulation of stress in people’s lives sometimes causes them to have a negative outlook on life,” Gallups said. “When you look at media, you will find that most people are against cops. I doubt that’s really true in reality, but telling people that people support law enforcement doesn’t sell papers.” Gallups said the WPD, among other departments throughout the state, is relying on chaplains and peer support programs to help officers manage their stress. “It’s all in the ability to handle the stress of the
job and getting officers an avenue to where they can talk about their stress and trust the people they’re talking to,” Gallups said. Recently, Gallups started the One to One program, which pairs people to local first responders. As part of the program, first responders are prayed for daily and receive monthly notes of encouragement from their partner. “Knowing there is someone else out there that prays for me on and off the job is a big help,” Roberts said. However, Gallups said he would much rather see locals praying and supporting officers of their own accord. Gallups said civilians can also help by being positive and thankful for the officers who work to keep the community safe every day. “Encourage and discourage have one word in common: courage. What’s wrong with going and buying a dollar card and sending it to a department, saying, ‘Hey, thank you for your service?’” Gallups said.
GÚpeĒ MeeĖĐĔĘ August 12-15, 2018
Georgia Road Church of Christ
Super Cool Summertime
Georgia Road (Hwy. 170) • Wetumpka, AL
Dan Wheeler, Speaker
CD Rates
Dan Wheeler is an outstanding gospel preacher who preaches for the Pine Castle Church of Christ in Orlando, Florida.
SUNDAY 9:00 a.m. Bible Classes 10:00 a.m. Worship Hour 11:00 a.m. Lunch 1:00 p.m. Worship Hour MONDAY - WEDNESDAY 7:00 p.m. Evening Services
Limited time offer! Lock in your rate today to let your investment do the work while YOU relax!
15 Month CD
1.50%APY* 2 Year CD
3 Year CD
2.50%APY*
Everyone welcome. Bring the family. Enjoy warm fellowship, singing hymns of praise and hearing the ancient gospel set forth fully with pathos and power.
4 Year CD
The Georgia Road Church of Christ
3.00%APY*
2.00%APY*
Need your business to
STAND OUT from the crowd?
Call us, we can help!
256.234.4281
• • • • •
Alexander City Outlook Dadeville Record Wetumpka Herald Eclectic Observer Tallassee Tribune
Your Your time time is is valuable... valuable... MRI MRI & & CT Imaging CT Imaging Without the wait. wait. Without the wait. wa 805 Friendship Road, Tallassee • 334-283-6541
Community Hospital Tallassee
fcbca.com WETUMPKA WEST PRATTVILLE ::
:: MILLBROOK :: PRATTVILLE HOLTVILLE :: ECLECTIC :: TALLASSEE
*$1,000 minimum deposit and balance required to earn stated annual percentage yield which is effective date of publication and subject to change without notice. Substantial penalty for early withdrawal. See a financial service representative for further information about applicable fees and terms.
MEMBER FDIC
THE ECLECTIC OBSERVER
TheWetumpkaHerald.com
JULY 25, 2018 • PAGE 3
Humane Society of Elmore County News
Wags & Whiskers Auction to be Friday By REA CORD HSEC Executive Director
This Friday is the night for our 13th annual Wags & Whiskers Auction at the Wind Creek Wetumpka Entertainment Center located at 100 River Oaks Drive in Wetumpka. If you don’t already have your ticket(s), not to worry as they will be on sale at the door for $25 per person and the doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are also available at the shelter through Thursday. This is both a silent and live auction and even if you have never been to an auction, don’t worry, you get instructions at arrival and we’ll show you how it works. Silent Auction bidding begins at 6 p.m. when we open the Entertainment Center doors but no reason to rush as bidding will go on throughout the evening. Wind Creek Wetumpka will ensure a great layout of food for everyone as well as two cash bars. Kyle from Kyle-Co Entertainment will keep us entertained and informed as our Master of Ceremonies and High as the Sky Auction Company will crank up the live auction bidding around 7 p.m. Silent Auction bidding will continue throughout and until the cowbell clangs and our many auction volunteers will then help everyone collect their items and do the final payment processing. Parking for our auction will be primarily in the parking deck so please plan accordingly to drop someone off if you need to and then you will be able to pull up for loading at the end of the auction. Please do not park in the gas station/store area or behind the Entertainment Center as your vehicle will be towed. You can preview all of the auction items by checking out our special auction website: www.elmorehumane.auction. There will be some items we received late that won’t be on the website so look at
those as bonus surprises Friday night. We have something for everyone: weekend hotel/resort packages for The Grand Hotel Marriott Resort in Point Clear, Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel & Spa & Marriott Shoals Hotel & Spa; tickets for two to the October Talladega NASCAR Truck Series Race and Monster Energy Cup in October; wine baskets, Granary Basket from Oakview Granary; numerous gift certificates to a wide cross-section of local businesses and services; Luke Skywalker’s Land Speeder for your child to motor around in; artwork galore; jewelry of all kinds; antique solid wood Secretary; cross-section of gift baskets; home décor; sports and outdoor items and so much more. And for our Alabama and Auburn Football fans you will want to purchase raffle tickets for your huge team basket chock full of team collectibles! You don’t want to miss out on so many great items as well as an evening with fellow shelter supporters and animal lovers. Please do thank our board and auction volunteers who work year-round to make this event successful as it is a culmination of tremendous work and generosity on the part of so many. We look forward to seeing everyone Friday.
CONTACT HSEC 334-567-3377 hselco@bellsouth.net www.elmorehumane.org 255 Central Plank Road in Wetumpka
HOURS Monday through Thursday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, July 27: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Pet of the Week – Saturn
S
aturn is a Lab mix girl who is eight-months old and weighs about 60 pounds. She is the last of her litter and has been with us since February because she is a very shy girl. While Saturn is very loving, her comfort zone is with another dog so really needs a home where she will have another dog as a buddy — then you can see her shine. She is happy as a lark playing in water and will do well with an adopter willing to let her slowly develop her confidence in her new surroundings. Shelter adoption fees are $100 for dogs & $50 for cats under one-yearold; cats over one-year-old can be adopted by approved adopters for a
fee of their choosing. This adoption fee completely covers the mandatory spay or neuter, basic immunizations, de-worming, microchip, heartworm check for dogs, rabies vaccination if old enough, free health exam with a participating veterinarian. To meet Saturn and other pets at the shelter, visit 255 Central Plank Road in Wetumpka. For more information, visit www.elmorehumane.org, email hselco@bellsouth.net or call 334-567-3377. The shelter is open for adoptions Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (so shelter staff can get ready for the Silent Auction starting at 6 p.m.) and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Police investigating burglary at local humane shelter By AMALIA KORTRIGHT Staff Writer
The Wetumpka Police Department is currently investigating a burglary that took place at the Humane Society of Elmore County at around 2 a.m. on Monday. Three white male suspects wearing masks, hoods and gloves, climbed fences on the Humane Society’s property, and damaged gates, back doors and the office’s glass window before they took the keys to the organization’s vehicles, according to
Humane Society Executive Director Rea Cord. The suspects climbed over another gate and climbed into the shelter’s red Dodge truck and Ford F-150 and drove away. Cord said, from reviewing the surveillance footage taken during the incident, she believes this is not the first time they have committed a theft. “I doubt this was their first rodeo at stealing things,” Cord said. “They need to be caught and put in jail, in my opinion. It hurts. You’ve got people stealing from a non-profit.”
Cord said none of the animals were harmed during the burglary, but the humane society’s office cat Fred is still “shook up.” Both vehicles were recovered near Narrow Lane Road in Montgomery by the Montgomery Police Department at about 7:47 p.m. on Monday night, according to Central Alabama Crime Stoppers. WPD Detective Clarence said neither of the vehicles were damaged and no suspects were found in or near the vehicles. Cord thanked Reid, along with other WPD and MPD officers who
helped recover the vehicles. She also thanked staff members who traveled with her to Montgomery to retrieve the truck. Reid said two suspects were later arrested by the MPD on unrelated charges. The third suspect, however, has not been taken into custody. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact the WPD at 334-567-5321 or Central Alabama Crime Stoppers at 215-STOP or online at 215STOP.com. According to Crime Stoppers, tips may lead to a cash reward.
Backpack More than 1,200 participating TCC and Wireless Zone stores across the U.S. are invited local families and their children to visit select Verizon store locations to pick up a backpack filled with various school supplies. “This is happening nationwide right now,” Ferguson said. “There are certain days during the year where we have giveback times to the community, whether it’s through sales or not anything Verizon-related other than trying to give back to our
continued from page 1
local area.” Round Room LLC, the nation’s largest Verizon Authorized Wireless Retailer, recently announced its TCC and Wireless Zone stores would be donating 187,000 backpacks full of school supplies to ensure children across the U.S. are well prepared for the start of the school year. This donation marks TCC’s sixth annual School Rocks Backpack Giveaway. Since 2013, TCC has donated 752,000 backpacks filled with supplies to kids.
“We are thrilled to support the education of our youth in our communities,” said Scott Moorehead, CEO of Round Room, parent company of TCC. “By providing families across the country with essential school supplies, we’re easing the back-to-school shopping burden and helping set children up for success.” According to the National Retail Federation, families with school-aged children plan to spend an average $687.72 each, an
8-percent increase, for a total of $29.5 billion, on school supplies this year. With nearly one of every five school-aged children in the U.S. living in poverty, TCC is working to alleviate the rising costs of school supplies through this annual program. TCC makes ongoing investments in the local communities where it operates through its Culture of Good movement. Earlier this year, the company donated supply packs to more than 5,000 teachers
across the country and 3,000 care kits to senior living communities. In 2017, TCC donated 172,000 backpacks with school supplies to children, 3,000 care kits to senior living communities and supply packs to more than 5,600 teachers and 2,500 veterans across the nation. Supporters of the School Rocks Backpack
Giveaway are encouraged to use hashtags #SchoolRocks and #BetterTogether on Instagram and Twitter to help spread the word. To learn more about TCC, visit www. TCCRocks.com. Customers can also connect with the company at www.facebook.com/ tcctalk and www.twitter. com/tcctalk.
RODNEY GRIFFITH Lake Martin Properties Serving Lake Martin, Tallassee and the Surrounding Area
RODNEY GRIFFITH BROKER CELL: 334-207-0666 WEB: www.rodneygrif¿th.com EMAIL: rodneygrif¿th@windstream.net
RUSTIC CABIN – 2 bd/1.5 ba., Highway 50 close to Walnut SOLD Hill, nice shop, $85,000. LOTS IN RIVER HILLS SUBDIVISION – Good views of Lake Tallassee, underground utilities, sewage, walking distance to downtown, 9 lots remaining, priced from $20,000 to $32,000. REDSO HILL LD – 3 bd/2 ba., brick, very nice and private, 1 acre, only $109,000. LAKE MARTIN LOT with mobile home, 55-ft. waterfront, 3 bd/2 baths, south end of lake, close to Castaway and Kowaliga, only $225,000. BEAUTIFUL PENDINGBRICK HOUSE in Plantation Pines, 4 bd/3.5 baths, 1.6 acre lot very modern and pretty, REDUCED TO $279,000. REDSO HILLLD very nice brick home ,3 bedrooms, 2 baths, open den and kitchen, completely remodeled, super nice, new roof, 1 Acre lot, very private. REDUCED TO $112,000. CASTAWAY PENDINGISLAND – Lake cabin , 3 bd/1 bath on a great lot, great view sandy beach, boat house and ramp. $410,000. TALLASSEE LOT – Great commercial lot in Tallassee next to Dairy Queen, with 3 bd/2ba house. REDUCED TO $84,900. 117 DEAN CIRCLE – 4bd/3ba, very nice home on 9 ACRES. 3000 sq.ft., New paint inside and out, New carpet, Granite counters, 2 dens, Large wrap-around deck. $269,500.
Steve Baker, Publisher Opinions expressed in guest columns and letters to the editor do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of the management of Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc.
Page 4 • JULY 25, 2018
Opinion
“Our liberty cannot be guarded but by the freedom of the press, nor that be limited without danger of losing it.” —Thomas Jefferson
The
Observer
TheWetumpkaHerald.com
The Observer strives to report the news honestly, fairly and with integrity, to take a leadership role and act as a positive influence in our community, to promote business, to provide for the welfare of our employees, to strive for excellence in everything we do and, above all, to treat others as we would want to be treated ourselves.
YOUR VIEW We’d like to share your thoughts and opinions with the area. It’s free, and it only takes a few moments of your time to submit a letter to the editor. You may submit one letter per month, limited to 300 words or less. You can mail your letter in to us, or email it.
WRITE: Your View The Wetumpka Herald P.O. Box 99 Wetumpka, AL 36092
EMAIL: news@thewetumpkaherald.com Include your name, address and phone number. Only your name and city will be printed. We reserve the right to edit or refuse to publish any submission.
Eclectic Observer The
#Resist: We don’t know, but... H ow many times have #Resist (Trump) folks’ heads exploded over something President Trump said or did, or over the unconventional way he said or did something? And yet, millions have not died as predicted, the world is not on the precipice of a nuclear war, and America’s economy continues to improve. Nevertheless, Democrats, national media outlets, and all forms of the #Resist movement continue to be the most potent agitators of instability, uncouth epithets, and advocates of violence in America today. We all agree Trump is an unconventional president. Americans are divided over how Trump’s words and actions are interpreted, because those on the left (including #Resist Republicans) can only speculate meanings, saying, “We don’t know, but….” CLUE: When anyone begins to report or analyze news with “We don’t know, but…” all that follows is opinionated speculation. Consider news from NATO in context with Trump’s predecessors. Both Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama asked NATO nations to increase their defense spending, but defense spending in NATO remained flat. President Trump exhorted NATO nations to increase defense spending, and 15 NATO nations raised their defense spending with promises from all to raise their spending to at least 2-percent of GDP by 2024. That’s results on the international stage!
DANIEL L. GARDNER Columnist
How have #Resist interpreted this accomplishment? “President Trump offended all of our NATO allies! We’re all doomed!” President Trump misspoke at a news conference following a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. If #Resist reactions are any indications, this is the only time any American president has ever misspoken. Associated Press reporter Jonathan Lemire asked, “Just now, President Putin denied having anything to do with the election interference in 2016. Every U.S. intelligence agency has concluded that Russia did … who do you believe?” Part of President Trump’s reply: “My people came to me, Dan Coates came to me and some others, they said they think it’s Russia. I have President Putin; he just said it’s not Russia. I will say this: I don’t see any reason why it would be. But I really do want to see the server.” Please note that no one in America’s intelligence community has examined any of the hacked servers. Crowdstrike, a private cybersecurity contractor with ties to the Clinton campaign, is the only group reported to have examined any of the servers. Later, Trump tried to clarify his remarks by saying,
“The sentence should have been...’I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t be Russia.’” #Resist folks have questioned Trump’s clarification, and speculated about what Trump and Putin discussed in their one-on-one meeting. “We don’t know, but….” Confounding the #Resist camp even more, Trump invited Putin to the White House this fall. Heads have been exploding ever since this news broke! “We have undeniable proof Russia meddled in the 2016 election! And, Trump invites our adversary, Putin, to the White House! We’re all doomed!” CLUE: Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev supported John F. Kennedy in the 1960 election and “meddled” in that election. Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, and other nations have meddled in American elections for decades. America meddles in other nation’s elections. President Obama meddled in Israel’s elections, among other meddling, reportedly with taxpayers’ money! As a former businessman, Trump calls our allies ‘partners.’ He calls our adversaries ‘competitors.” He deals with each as such, contrary to conventional American political rhetoric and protocol. Why are #Resist heads exploding? “We don’t know, but….”
Daniel L. Gardner is a syndicated columnist who lives in Starkville, Mississippi. You may contact him at PJandMe2@gmail.com or interact with him at www. clarionledger.com
334-567-7811 • Fax 334-567-3284 email: news@thewetumpkaherald.com THE ECLECTIC OBSERVER (005-022) is published weekly on Wednesday by Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc., 548 Cherokee Road, Alexander City, AL 35010. Periodical postage paid at Wetumpka, Alabama. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Eclectic Observer, P.O. Box 99, Wetumpka, AL 36092-0099 ISSN # 1536-688X We reserve the right to refuse to print any advertisement, news story, photograph or any other material submitted to us for any reason or no reason at all. •Obituaries - $.25 per word per paper. Additional $15 charge for a photo per paper. (Herald, Weekend, Observer, Tribune). •Weddings/Engagements - $.25 per word per paper. $15 charge for a 2-column photo. •Birth Announcements - $.25 per word per paper. $15 charge for a photo. SUBSCRIPTION RATES One Year in Elmore, Tallapoosa or Coosa County: $25 One Year Elsewhere: $38 The publisher reserves the right to change subscription rates during the term of subscription at any time. To subscribe or if you miss your paper, call 256-234-4281. © 2016 Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved and any reproduction of this issue is prohibited without the consent of the editor or publisher. ADMINISTRATION Steve Baker publisher@thewetumpkaherald.com NEWS Amalia Kortright, staff writer amalia.kortright@shelbycountyreporter.com Carmen Rodgers, staff writer carmen.rodgers@thewetumpkaherald.com SPORTS Caleb Turrentine, sports writer caleb.turrentine@thewetumpkaherald.com SALES Marilyn Hawkins, marketing consultant marilyn.hawkins@TheWetumpkaHerald.com Ext. 309
Letter to the Editor
Does state parole board have a conscious? Dear Editor, We learn of outrageous violent crimes anywhere we are revolted. But when it happens in our hometown and its horror is unspeakable, one realizes it isn’t something that takes place in a far off place, but right at home. Last Friday, July 13, Marie Kitchens, 74, her great-grandson Colton Lee, 7, and her neighbor Martha Reliford, 65, were brutally murdered by a homeless man in a robbery attempt in Guntersville, Alabama. The killer, Jimmy Oneal Spencer, 52, has a long violent criminal history. He was serving a life sentence in an Alabama prison until January of this year when he was released by the Alabama Pardons and Parole Board. Spencer was a native of Franklin County, Alabama — across the state from Guntersville — where he had lived since his release.
Franklin County District Attorney Joey Rushing issued a terse emotional statement upon Spencer’s recent arrest expressing frustration on his failure to convince the AP&PB to deny his release. Rushing emphasized his anger to area media that despite having been sentenced to life, Spencer has now murdered three people including a child. Early release practices by the pardons and parole board has been under scrutiny for a decade with the current case being typical of gross mistakes in judgment. So, where does the accountability lie? Is it people who are appointed through the political appointment systems that is nothing more than politicians “taking care of their cronies” with lengthy high paying positions. While victims, prosecutors and even judges can and do protest and oppose the release of violent criminals, they are, nonetheless, powerless to
stop the board’s decisions. Somehow, this system just does not jive with our judicial system. When a jury decides the guilt of an offender, a judge passes sentence, the appeals court reviews the case and agrees, why should a handful of bureaucratic good old boys in Montgomery overrule and invalidate that procedure? Especially when it leads to the multiple deaths of innocent people? Please keep in mind that while these deaths are devastating to the relatives, these crimes are against ALL the citizens of Alabama as well. One has to wonder how members of the Pardons & Parole Board feel about the deaths of Martha Reliford, Marie Kitchens and her great grandson Colton Lee. Does the word conscious come to mind? James W. Anderson Talladega
THE ECLECTIC OBSERVER
TheWetumpkaHerald.com
CommunityCalendar Wednesday July 25
• Noah’s Ark Adventure VBS program at Redland Road Church of Christ located at 2480 Redland Road Wetumpka from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The classes are for all ages. Saturday July 28 • The Orsi Family Remembrance Balloon Release will be at the Wetumpka Sports Complex ballfields on Highway 14 July 28 at 10 a.m. This is a time for our entire community to come together in remembrance of the Orsi family and the many memories we have shared. Please bring any type of balloon you would like to release. For more information contact Kacie Williamson 334-530-9878. • Noah’s Ark Adventure VBS program at Redland Road Church of Christ located at 2480 Redland Road Wetumpka from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The classes are for all ages.
Friday, July 27
• Central Alabama Chapter Dinner & Live Auction will be hosted by Alabama Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation July 27 from 6 to 10 p.m. The event will be at the Wetumpka Civic Center located at 410 South Main Street in Wetumpka. It is the “do-not-miss” social event of the year with a chance to win top-notch firearms, premium hunts and exclusive RMEF merchandise. Guests will experience the kind of camaraderie and sense of purpose and accomplishment that keeps most attendees coming back year after year. Best of all, you will have a great time while supporting a cause that’s close to the hearts of hunters, their families and the future of great outdoors. • Wags & Whiskers Auction will be July 27 from 6 to 10 p.m. at 100 River Oaks Drive in Wetumpka. You are invited to join us at our 13th annual auction. There will be hundreds of items up for auction (both silent and live), great food door prizes and more. All the proceeds go to the humane shelter to help ensure we can continue our work and be there to help all the pets brought to us in need of our help. The fun, the food (cash bar as well) and bidding begins at 6 p.m. when we open the Entertainment Center doors.
Saturday, July 28
JULY 25, 2018 • PAGE 5
Submit calendar items: Participate in your Herald
and Observer by calling 256-234-4281, faxing them to 256-2346550, sending your event to the.editor@thewetumpkaherald.com or logging on to http://www.thewetumpkaherald.com/.
Develop Your People and Get Them Into Print” by local fiction and nonfiction author Linda Alexander for three Saturdays in August.
• Come join us for a “fun”raiser to benefit Felecia Brown at the Red Hill Community Center (Old Red Hill Schoolhouse) located at 3554 Red Hill Road from 4 to 9 p.m. There will be a spaghetti dinner, homemade cake auction, bingo prizes and music provided by David Stough, Philip Carter and Wild Country. The fundraiser is to benefit Brown, a single mother who has been successfully treated for throat cancer. For more information, please call Jennifer Bennett at 334-324-1895.
Monday, August 13
• Come Join The Eclectic Girl Scouts Troop No. 9192 at Eclectic United Methodist Church located at 1035 Main Street in Eclectic from 6 to 7 p.m. The event will be hosted by Catherine Rutherford Fulmer and Randelle Branson Luster. Is your daughter interested in becoming a Girl Scout? If so join us for our new parent and registration meeting.
Tuesday, July 31
• Heather Layne will be at Grace Point Community Church at 78223 Tallassee Highway in Wetumpka. There will be a free concert and this event is open to the public with dinner to be served at 5:45 p.m. The concert is hosted by Celebrate Recovery. Layne is a recording artist and published songwriter. Her voice and songs can be heard on Christian and country music radio.
Ongoing events
Rent an historical location for your celebration from the Red Hill Historical Preservation Association, Inc. It rents out the almost 100 year old Red Hill School building for your special occasions. Take your wedding vows or have the reception in the auditorium where Hank Williams performed! Have your family reunion where many of you might have attended school. Contact Paula Castleberry at 334541-2474 or email her at mcasby53@ windstream.net. • The Wetumpka Public Library hosts preschool activities and Story Time every Tuesday and Friday morning at 10 a.m. • The Kelly Fitzpatrick Memorial Gallery is located at 408 South Main St. in downtown Wetumpka and will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and by appointment. On the third Tuesday of each month, a “lunch & learn” event called Tuesday with Kelly will be held at noon. To schedule a tour call Cookie at 334.567.0050. For more information, visit thekelly.org or friend us on Facebook. • The Eclectic Public Library hosts activities at 2 p.m. every Tuesday and 10:30 a.m. every Saturday for area children. The programs are free and include stories, rhymes, dress up, dance and music. • Santuck Flea Market operates from daylight until 2 p.m. on the first Saturday of each month from March until December. The location is 7300 Central Plank Road, Wetumpka. • The Elmore County Branch #5026 of the NAACP meets at 6:30 p.m. every third
Saturday, August 4
• Santuck Flea Market and Plank Road Market are in Santuck from 5 a.m. 3 p.m. on the first Saturday of each month.
Sunday, August 5
• The Wall Street African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Zion Church will celebrate 138 years of ministry at the church located at 71 Zion Street in Tallassee at 2:30 p.m. We are grateful to God that he has sustained us and allowed us to preach teach and inspire members of the Wall Street Community and abroad down through the years. A program is being prepared to commemorate this joyous occasion. Our guest minister for the occasion is Reverend George E McKain Director of Bureau for the A.M. E. Zion Church. You are cordially invited to join us for the celebration. Dinner will be served after the program.
Saturday, August 11
• A Writer Workshop, located at The Wetumpka Library at 212 South Main Street in Wetumpka, will be August 11 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Friends of the Wetumpka Library present “Summer Somethin’ Getting Into Character: How to
Tuesday (the executive committee) and every fourth Tuesday (full membership) at the Martin Luther King Center located at 200 N. Lancaster St. in Wetumpka. • The DAC Foundation exhibit located at 219 Hill St. in downtown Wetumpka will be open each Monday and Wednesday from 10:00 am until 12:00 pm. and by appointment. To schedule an appointment call 334-513-1086. For more information, visit DixieArtColony.org or us on Facebook. • Celebrate Recovery meets at Grace Point Community Church, located at 78223 Tallassee Highway, every Tuesday night at 6:15 p.m. All are welcome! These meetings are a safe and loving environment for individuals seeking to conquer their hurts, habits, and hang-ups! For more information visit gracepoint.info. • Celebrate Recovery meets at Journey Church, located at 2960 East Cobbs Ford Road every Monday at 5:30 p.m. There is a meal and childcare provided. Celebrate Recovery is a Christ-centered 12-step for anyone struggling with addiction or life-challenging issues. Call Larry at (334) 832-5714 or visit myjourneychurch.com for more information. • Celebrate Recovery meets each Thursday evening at 6:15 p.m. at Santuck Baptist Church, located at 7250 Central Plank Road. This is a Christ centered 12 step program for anyone struggling with hurts, habits, and hang-ups. Call (334) 567-2364 for more information. • Fresh Start Recovery meets every Thursday from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at First United Methodist Church Wetumpka located at 306 W. Tuskeena St. Fresh Start Motorcycle Ministry began when God laid it on the heart of a lifetime biker to minister to those with his background. All are welcome, not a requirement to own/ ride a motorcycle. Format used is the Holy Bible. For information contact ministry leader Paul Henderson at (334) 201-5428. • Gamblers Anonymous meets Saturdays at 6 p.m. at Cedarwood Community Church, located at 10286 U.S. Highway 231 in the Wallsboro/ Wetumpka community. Call (334) 567-0476 for more information.
LEC taking applications for Class of 2019 By AMALIA KORTRIGHT Staff Writer
Elmore County residents, along with those who are interested in learning more about the community, are invited to apply for the Leadership Elmore County Class of 2019. According to LEC Chair Jenifer Glover, applications are due by Aug. 1, and between 10 and 20 people are accepted each year. “We are looking for people who are involved in their community, or people who want to become involved in the community or people who want to develop their leadership skills,” Glover said. “This is open to anybody in any position.” Glover said involvement in Leadership Elmore County begins in September with an overnight retreat and ends in May with a graduation ceremony. In between, Glover said, are monthly
File / The Observer
Vicki Bonner Ward and Frank Bertarelli talk to a visitor about Leadership Elmore County at a community expo in Wetumpka earlier this year. According to LEC Chair Jennifer Glover, applications for the Leadership Elmore County Class of 2019 are due by Aug. 1 and between 10 and 20 people are accepted each year.
classes that touch on different aspects that go into building and maintaining the community. “We visit each of the
it is typically paid by each member’s place of employment. Scholarships are available for small business owners or
communities in Elmore County to see what goes into them,” Glover said. While tuition costs $450, Glover said
those who are paying the tuition out of pocket. During the application process, Glover said all
submissions are reviewed and phone interviews are conducted to see who would be a good fit for the class and has time to participate. Perhaps one of the most important benefits of LEC, Glover said, is how members are able to delve into what it means to be a leader. “One of the things we do within the program is a positive leadership curriculum, where we explore different aspects of leadership and its applications in our dayto-day lives,” Glover said. In past years, Glover said LEC classes have consisted of a wide variety of people. For the 2019 class, Glover said the LEC Board is looking for younger members of the community. Those who do not live in Elmore County are also welcome to apply. Glover encouraged anyone interested in LEC to reach out to her by sending an email to info@leadershipelmore county.com
Cylinder Special! Have YOUR Each 2 Wednesday Only! 0-Lb. C ylinders Filled for 12-5 PM $ 00 Throughout July
10
NE W
ders 20-Lb. C ylin For
$ 39
95
Plus Tax
SUPERIOR GAS, INC. 8561 8 56 61 US S Hig Highway h y 231 • Wetumpka, W Wetumpka ettumpk ka AL AL 24 Tallapoosa St. • Notasulga, AL
More and more parents are choosing natural chiropractic healthcare for their children! Chiropractic is a drug free option for your family that focuses on creating and maintaining a healthy body from day one rather than waiting until the body is sick and treating symptoms. Most of the children in our practice are completely medication and toxin free and that is something we are really excited about! 315 Friendship Road Tallassee, AL
334-283-6838 herringchiropractic.com
Drs. Randal & Caroline Herring
PAGE 6 • JULY 25, 2018
TheWetumpkaHerald.com
THE ECLECTIC OBSERVER
THE ECLECTIC OBSERVER
TheWetumpkaHerald.com
JULY 25, 2018 • PAGE 7
District governor promotes polio awareness By AMALIA KORTRIGHT Staff Writer
Normally, District Governor Sam Adams’ attire would not be appropriate for a Rotary club meeting. But to those present at the Wetumpka Rotary Club meeting at the Wind Creek Casino and Hotel last Tuesday, it sent a message. Adams showed up to the meeting wearing a T-shirt bearing the words “End Polio Now,” running shorts and a blazer. “We’ve been working on this for 40 years; it’s a long time,” Adams said. “Flash back 40 years, did you know that 350,000 people a year got polio? You say, ‘That wouldn’t happen to me.’ How many of you have had the flu? It’s the same thing. You catch (polio). It’s a communicable disease.” In the hour before the meeting started, Adams had already run two miles through the city in an effort to raise awareness of polio. “I started from here (at the casino) and got on Google Maps and determined that the bridge downtown is about a mile,” he said. “I actually ran over the bridge, came back and looked (like I was) in pretty bad shape, but I made it. It was a good run.” Adams said the disease has left
Amalia Kortright / The Observer
District Governor Sam Adams speaks about the importance of ending polio at a July 17 Wetumpka Rotary Club meeting. Prior to the meeting, Adams ran two miles through the city to raise awareness.
a long-lasting effect on many of its victims. He cited several notable people, including “MASH” actor Alan Alda, director Francis Ford Coppola and golfer Jack Nicklaus who contracted polio and survived. “These names most of y’all know, but think of the thousands of people you don’t know who were impacted negatively by this horrendous disease. It spread all over the place,”
Adams said. “A lot of these guys who were involved with polio, none of us know them. We barely remember them, and we barely know what polio is, but it does make a difference. It’s about these unsung heroes.” While many people believe Jonas Salk was largely responsible for curing polio, Adams said the injectable vaccine he developed was only about 33 percent effective.
Adams referred to Salk’s colleague and rival Albert Saban, who developed an orally ingested vaccine, as the true inspiration. “It became 100 percent effective in combating the polio virus. Once that was discovered, it transformed the whole battle of polio,” Adams said. Adams said Saban began spreading his vaccine internationally, starting with the Eastern Bloc countries and then moving it to the United States and Cuba. “He didn’t make a dime off of it. He said, ‘I’m a doctor. I’m a researcher. I want to help humanity.’ He didn’t take a patent on it, and therefore, it became accessible all around the world,” Adams said. “To me, that’s an inspiration when you sacrifice your own personal benefit to help other people.” Since then, Adams said Rotary clubs from all over, alongside the Gates Foundation, have taken up the gauntlet to fight polio. In this day and age, Adams said only about a dozen cases of polio are reported per year, and they mainly take place in third world countries plagued by conflict, like Pakistan and Afghanistan. “Rotarians have been killed in trying to administer this immunization. It’s not easy, but we’re going to break through,” Adams said.
PAGE 8 • JULY 25, 2018
TheWetumpkaHerald.com
THE ECLECTIC OBSERVER
Jones reiterates serious issues from potential tariffs By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
Earlier this year, President Donald Trump announced a series of new tariffs to be levied against motor vehicles and automobile parts being imported into the United States, as well as newsprint paper produced in Canada and exported south. Last Thursday, Sen. Doug Jones reiterated the problems these tariffs can create with the Alabama economy during his weekly conference call with news agencies across the state. “In 2017, 57,000 jobs in the state of Alabama were related to automotive manufacturing,� Jones said. “Tariffs like this will devastate our economy. Automobiles are not a national security threat.� As a way to try and keep the state and national economy from suffering potentially irreparable damage, Jones reiterated he and Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) are working to introduce a bill to Congress that would suspend the automotive tariffs. These import taxes will increase costs on both fresh-ofthe-line vehicles and parts needed to complete assembly at a U.S.-based plant by 25 percent. This means automobiles produced at locations throughout Alabama and neighboring states, including Hope Hull (Hyundai), Vance (Mercedes-Benz), Lincoln (Honda), Huntsville (the Toyota and Mazda plant under construction), West Point, Georgia (Kia) and Chattanooga, Tennessee (Volkswagen), not to mention the multitude of smaller factories that manufacture parts to be utilized in these larger plants, will cost more to produce and thus be more expensive on the showroom floor. Not only will this hurt the consumer out to purchase a new car, but this will be detrimental to those who work in any of these facilities. With Alabama having one of the largest car manufacturing bases in the country, the feeling will be that much more severe here than in many other places. According to data recently released by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Alabama would be the sixth-hardest state hit under these tariffs, with $3.6 billion in exports threatened.
File / The Observer
Doug Jones held a conference call with Alabama journalists last Thursday and reiterated the problems these tariffs can create with the Alabama economy during his weekly conference call with news agencies across the state.
This places Alabama behind only Washington ($6.2 billion), Louisiana ($5.9 billion), California ($5.6 billion), Texas ($3.9 billion) and Illinois ($3.8 billion). “When we raise tariffs, we can count on others retaliating with their own,� Jones said, adding that the union representing many of those who work in auto manufacturing centers has said if these tariffs go through, the Hyundai plant outside Montgomery would be among the first to see serious cutbacks. Tuesday, Jones and a number of his colleagues went before the United States International Trade Commission to testify regarding both the automobile
and newsprint tariffs and the negative effects they may have. After hearing testimony from these senators, the ITC will be voting on this matter on Aug. 28, according to Jones. “You have my support on this (delay and repeal of the tariffs),� Jones said. “The more information we can get out about this, the better.� Newsprint paper tariffs could deal a severe, perhaps even crippling blow to small-town newspapers throughout the state and across the country. For publications that have a press and print not only their own newspapers, but also papers from other communities, this will create a serious ripple effect. Since these
companies cannot absorb the entire cost increase, they will have to pass some of it on to the papers who pay to have the larger group print their publications. In turn, the smaller papers will then have to either charge more or cut staff in order to maintain a workable revenue margin. Following his discussion on the effect the president’s tariffs could have on the state and national economy, Jones opened up the discussion to other topics. During this time, he responded to questions on his civil rights cold case bill, the president’s comments during the recent Helsinki Summit with Vladimir Putin of Russia and the latest ads supporting Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court opening, among other items. “I am stunned at President Trump’s comments,� Jones said. “There is not much confusion on what he said.� Jones felt, until the president acknowledges there was interference, there will be a problem that could continue to pop up again and again in the 2018 midterms and the 2020 general election. With so much focus having been placed on the recent summit in Finland, Jones said there has not been a major amount of action surrounding his bill to release records surrounding cold cases from the modern civil rights era, and while no co-sponsors have come on board over the last few days, Jones is looking to secure another primary sponsor to join Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and Kamala Harris (D-CA) in supporting the legislation. Jones admitted he has not seen the ad backing Kavanaugh, and will continue his own investigation into the nominee. “I am currently building my files,� Jones said. “It’s unfortunate that people take sides so quickly. I will continue doing my research and I will be watching the Senate Judiciary hearings.� Wrapping up his conversation before returning to a committee meeting, Jones had one final call to action for those taking part in the call. “These tariffs are a bipartisan issue that affects everyone,� he said. “Let your voices be heard.�
Highway 231 walking bridge reopens By AMALIA KORTRIGHT Staff Writer
A wooden, 300-foot pedestrian bridge located on U.S. Highway 231, north of Fort Toulouse Road, officially reopened to the public on Friday, July 13. According to Wetumpka City Clerk Tiffany Robinson, the bridge had been closed since early February, after it was severely damaged during a fatal car accident. Public Works Director Tex Grier said about half of the bridge was destroyed during the incident. Grier said it had been repaired to meet its original specifications, and Robinson said repairs were covered by insurance. Before the bridge was closed, Robinson said she saw many people walking and fishing on it each day. “I’ve seen quite a bit of social media buzz on people being excited that they can now walk all the way to Fort Toulouse again and not have to worry about traffic,� Robinson said. “We like to be a walkable community.� According to Robinson, the bridge is one of several that allow residents to walk across town along the Coosa River. Robinson said the path taken regularly by many people will not only be enhanced by the bridge’s reopening, but also by the addition of a new bridge. “We’re actually in the process of building another bridge on the other side of Bibb Graves, so you’ll actually be able to walk from Fort Toulouse Road, all the way down past (city hall), cross the bridge and walk all the way to the sports complex,�
Amalia Kortright / The Observer
Pedestrians in Wetumpka now have access to the walking bridge on U.S. Highway 231 that had been shut down for almost five months. Public Works Director Tex Grier said half of the bridge was destroyed, and has been rebuilt to the original bridge’s specifications.
Robinson said. “You’ll pretty much be able to walk from one side of the city to another.� Grier and Robinson said the city’s pedestrian bridges have provided an important avenue for
Drive a Little, Save A Lot!
SUN, SURF & SAVINGS Going on now @ Tallassee Automotive
physical activity in Wetumpka, and provide easy access to different parts of the city for some. “I think it’s good for the walkers. The people that are exercising and using the gyms, they are doing a lot of walking from Fort Toulouse into town at present,� Grier said. “We want all of our parks and everything to be accessible, so it’s avenues like these bridges that make it accessible for people that live in West Wetumpka or any parts of Wetumpka,� Robinson said.
AlabamaPublicNotices.com Public notices from Alabama newspapers
NEW & USED VEHICLES, SERVICE & PARTS
TALLASSEE
‡ $FFHVV SXEOLF QRWLFHV VWDWHZLGH ‡ )5(( PDQXDO VHDUFKHV ‡ 6HDUFK E\ NH\ZRUG FRXQW\ RU SDSHU ‡ 0XOWL FRXQW\ RU FURVV UHIHUHQFH VHDUFKHV
C H R Y S L E R
AlabamaPublicNotices.com
A U T O M O T I V E
1618 Gilmer Avenue 161 Tallassee, AL
public notice affects you
THE ECLECTIC OBSERVER
I
TheWetumpkaHerald.com
JULY 25, 2018 • PAGE 9
The Lord’s Prayer to our Father
n my last column, I wrote that the Lord asks us to call Him Abba, Father – or, in our modern times, Daddy. When we come to pray we need to stand before God as our caring, loving Father — Daddy. We need to let it sink deep to our hearts and minds — Our Daddy cares for us, our Daddy knows our needs. Our Daddy loves us! The first line of the Lord’s Prayer says, “Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name.” The first thing we need to do when we come before our Father is not to ask. The prayer says, “hallowed be thy name” — give Him praise and adoration, saying “Daddy, I love you!” It cannot be just as a dry beginning, but an expression of love. Take your time to express your love: “I want your
AME ZION Mt. Zion Chapel AME Zion 2340 Crenshaw Rd., Wetumpka 5674413 Rogers Chapel AME Zion 709 W. Bridge St., Wetumpka 5678144 Jackson Chapel AME Zion 4885 Coosada Rd., Coosada Jones Chapel AME Zion 2414 Ingram Rd. (Co. Rd. 3), Elmore ABUNDANT LIFE Abundant Life Church 9301 U.S. Hwy 231., Wetumpka 567-9143 ASSEMBLY OF GOD Agape Tabernacle Assembly of God 1076 Kowaliga Rd., Eclectic 541-2006 Bethel Worship Center 11117 U.S. Hwy 231., Wetumpka 567-5754 Crossroads Assembly of God 2534 AL Hwy 14., Millbrook 285-5545 First Assembly of God 3511 Shirley Ln., Millbrook New Home Assembly of God 5620 Caesarville Rd., Wetumpka 569-2825 BAPTIST Abraham Baptist Church Millbrook Antioch Baptist Church 1115 Antioch Rd., Titus 567-2917 Beulah Baptist Church 2350 Grier Rd., Wetumpka 514-2881 Blue Ridge Baptist 4471 Jasmine Hill Rd., Wetumpka 567-4325 Brookwood Baptist Grandview Rd., Millbrook Calvary Baptist 504 W. Osceola St., Wetumpka 5674729 Central Baptist 3545 W. Central Rd., Wetumpka 541-2556 Coosada Baptist 20 Kennedy Ave., Coosada Deatsville Baptist 184 Church St., Deatsville Eclectic Baptist Church 203 Claud Rd., Eclectic 541-4444 Faith Baptist 64 Chapel Rd., Wetumpka 567-4417 First Baptist Church 205 W. Bridge St., Wetumpka 5675191 First Baptist of Elmore Hwy. 14 Co. Rd. 74, Elmore Galilee Baptist 95 Old Georgia Rd., Wetumpka 5674178 Good Hope Baptist 1766 S. Fleahop Rd., Eclectic Goodship Baptist 1554 Hwy. 143, Millbrook 285-0094 Grace Baptist Old Montgomery Hwy., Wetumpka 567-3255 Grandview Pines Baptist 346 Deatsville Hwy., Millbrook 2855125
Name to be praised everywhere Daddy, I love you Daddy.” The next line of the Lord’s Prayer says, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven.” Before I ask for what is important for me, I want to ask for Your kingdom. For You! That’s the most important thing. Daddy I want you. Daddy I want to be in your holy presence. In our own daily lives, we often begin with the next line: “give us this day our daily bread.” In fact, by the time we reach that point in the Lord’s Prayer, we have spoken to the Father as Child-Father (“Our Father, who art in Heaven”); I love you Daddy (“hallowed be thy Name”), I want only you Daddy (“thy kingdom come”), I’m accepting your will Daddy because I know it is best (“thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven”).
FATHER MATEUSZ RUDZIK St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church
These are not casual statements. Why would Jesus put these words in the Bible if they talk about something very obvious – that God’s home is in Heaven? I would like us to see more behind it, more that really addresses our lives and is meant to bring us onto right path of relationship with God. Heaven is where God is present. God is Heaven. Seeing Him face to face and adoring Him – this will be our beatific vision. It will be our Heaven, for all eternity. Heaven is present where God is present. And Jesus said that where two or three of you
gather in My Name there I am. We are invited to not only desire Heaven but bring it here. In many ways, Heaven begins, in very imperfect ways, here on Earth. We are good at raising hell. We are good in making others suffer, and being in pain ourselves. We are great at doing what is not good, or even what is evil. We are completely lost when it is about doing good. Heaven begins here and now. Jesus calls it God’s Kingdom. God’s reign. The Heavenly Kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven. And this heaven is all about sharing God’s Love, compassion, mercy, and forgiveness with others. There is a story about cat who falls asleep. When he wakes up, under his favorite tree, there is dense fog around him. He thinks that he is in Heaven. And so he goes to
Area Churches
Green Ridge Baptist 288 Turner Rd., Wetumpka 567-2486 Harvest Baptist 2990 Main St., Millbrook Hillside Baptist 405 Old Montgomery Hwy., Wetumpka Holtville Riverside Baptist 7121 Holtville Rd., Wetumpka 5145922 Lake Elam Baptist 4060 Gober Rd., Millbrook Liberty Hill Baptist 61 Crenshaw Rd., Wetumpka 5678750 Lighthouse Baptist 2281 Main St., Millbrook Living Water Baptist 1745 Grass Farm Rd. (Co. Rd. 80), Titus 514-7304 Millbrook Baptist 3431 Browns Road, Millbrook 2854731 Mitts Chapel Baptist 935 Cold Springs Rd., Deatsville 569-1952 Mt. Hebron West Baptist 150 Mt. Hebron Rd., Elmore 567-4441 Mt. Herron East Baptist Church 4355 Mt. Herron Rd. Eclectic, Al 36024 334-857-3689 Mountain View Baptist 1025 Rifle Range Rd., Wetumpka 567-4458 New Harmony Baptist 3094 New Harmony Rd., Marbury 312-1878 New Home Baptist 1605 New Home Rd., Titus 567-0923 New Hope Baptist 6191 Lightwood Rd., Deatsville 5691267 New Lily Green Baptist 6504 Deatsville Hwy., Deatsville New Nazareth Baptist Hwy. 143, Deatsville Pleasant Hill Baptist Pleasant Hill Rd., Eclectic 541-3460 Prospect Baptist Prospect Rd., Eclectic 567-5837 Redland Baptist 1266 Dozier Rd., Wetumpka 5678649 Refuge Baptist Church 3098 Red Hill Road Tallassee 334-857-2638 Rehoberth Baptist 8110 Rifle Range Rd., Tallassee 5679801 Rushenville Baptist 10098 Georgia Rd., Eclectic 541-2418 Saint James Baptist 1005 Nobles Rd., Wetumpka 567-6209 Saint James Baptist 101 Gantt Rd., Deatsville 569-3006 Santuck Baptist 7250 Central Plank Rd., Wetumpka 567-2364 Seman Baptist Seman, Alabama Shoal Creek Baptist 13214 Holtville Rd., Deatsville 569-2482
Springfield Baptist Hwy. 7, Millbrook Thelma Baptist 810 Weoka Rd., Wetumpka 567-3665 Titus Baptist 6930 Titus Rd., Wetumpka 334-531-2120 Tunnell Chapel Baptist 210 Central Plank Rd., Wetumpka 567-2589 Victory Baptist 5481 Main St., Millbrook Wadsworth Baptist 2780 Hwy. 143, Deatsville 569-2851
BAPTIST - MISSIONARY Atkins Hill 565 Atkins Rd., Wetumpka 567-1141 Cathmagby Baptist 3074 Mitchell Creek Rd., Wetumpka 567-4787 First Missionary Baptist at Guilfield 412 Company St., Wetumpka 5677455 Goodhope 1389 Willow Springs Rd. Wetumpka 567-7133 Lebanon 17877 U.S. Hwy. 231, Titus 514-1097 Mount Canaan 1125 Weoka Rd., Wetumpka 5672141 Mount Pisgah 16621 U.S. Hwy. 231, Titus 567-3668 Mt. Zion 371 AL Hwy. 14, Elmore, 567-2613 Mt. Zion #3 1813 Luke Paschal Rd., Eclectic New Home 5130 Elmore Rd., Wetumpka 5675966 Second Missionary 760 N. Bridge St., Wetumpka 5678601 Spring Chapel Jasmine Hill Rd., Wetumpka 567-6493 Sweetwater 163 Michael Lane, Wetumpka 334538-9415 Tabernacle Baptist 1020 W. Tallassee St., Wetumpka 567-0620 BAPTIST - PRIMITIVE Bethel Old School 4625 Jackson Rd. (C.R. 103), Wetumpka Providence 4850 Chana Creek Rd., Wetumpka CATHOLIC Our Lady of Guadalupe 545 White Rd., Wetumpka 567-0311
2804 Lightwood Church of Christ 251 New Harmony Rd., Deatsville 569-1510 Redland Road Church of Christ 2480 Redland Rd., Wetumpka 5143656 Wetumpka Church of Christ W. Bridge St. At W. Main St., Wetumpka 567-6561 CHURCH OF GOD Elmore Church of God 10675 Rucker Road, Elmore Gethsemane Church of God 705 Cotton St., Wetumpka 567-9886 Church at the Brook 2890 Hwy. 14, Millbrook Maranatha Church of God 2621 Holtville Rd., Wetumpka 5676786 Victory Tabernacle AOH Church of God 2080 Main Street, Millbrook Wetumpka Church of God Hwy. 9 N. Wetumpka 215-3091 CONGREGATIONAL CHRISTIAN Cedarwood Congregational Christian 10286 US Hwy 231 N, Wetumpka 567-0476 Seman Congregational Christian 15970 Central Plank Rd., Seman Union Congregational Christian 8188 Lightwood Rd., Marbury 5692122 EPISCOPAL The Episcopal Church of the Epiphany 2602 Gilmer Ave., Tallassee 252-8618 Trinity Episcopal Church 5371 U.S. Hwy. 231, Wetumpka 5677534 St. Michael & All Angels Church 5941 Main St., Millbrook HOLINESS New Beginnings Holiness 865 Crenshaw Rd., Wetumpka 5679211 Summit Holiness 2050 Hwy. 14, Millbrook Temple of Deliverance Holiness 620 Alabama St., Wetumpka 5143114 JEHOVAH’S WITNESS Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses 9235 U.S. Hwy. 231, Wetumpka 5678100
CHURCH OF CHRIST Church of Christ of Elmore 470 Caesarville Rd., Wetumpka 5676670 Church of Christ Grandview Pines 165 Deatsville Hwy., Millbrook Cold Springs Church of Christ 5920 Alabama Hwy. 143, Deatsville Georgia Road Church of Christ 4003 Georgia Rd., Wetumpka 567-
LATTER DAY SAINTS Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 1405 Chapel Rd., Wetumpka 5678339 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Cobbs Ford Rd., Millbrook LUTHERAN Christ Lutheran Church
check it out. He passes kids playing on the playground, and birds singing beautifully from the trees. He comes to meet a familiar looking always angry dog from the neighborhood. And as usual, this dog barks at him very loudly. Normally this little cat would run away. This time, however, he pauses for a moment and thinks: I’m in Heaven. What should I do? And so he goes to the dog and gives him a big hug, which leaves the dog speechless. And he continues his journey. Who are the angry barking and hostile dogs in your life? What would be Heaven’s worthy reaction? What could I change to make the Heavenly Kingdom more visible, to bring even the smallest piece of Heaven down on Earth? Father Mateusz Rudzik is a regular faith columnist for Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc.
2175 Cobbs Ford Rd., Prattville PRESBYTERIAN First Presbyterian Church 100 W. Bridge St., Wetumpka 567-8135 Millbrook Presbyterian Corner of Main St. & Coosada Rd. Valley View Presbyterian - PCA 4125 Rifle Range Rd. Wetumpka 386-2386 SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST First Elmore Seventh Day Adventist 210 Lucky Town Rd., Elmore 5141020 INDEPENDENT METHODIST Claud Independent Methodist Church 81232 Tallassee Hwy, Eclectic 5412552 UNITED METHODIST Cain’s Chapel United Methodist 96 Lightwood Rd., Deatsville 5692375 Central United Methodist Church 11721 Central Plank Rd. Central Elmore United Methodist Church 40 Hatchet St., Elmore 567-8653 First United Methodist Church 306 W. Tuskeena St., Wetumpka 567-7865 First United Methodist Church 3350 Edgewood, Millbrook Harmony United Methodist Church 8000 Titus Rd., Titus Mulder Memorial United Methodist 3454 Fire Tower Rd., Wetumpka 567-4225 New Style United Methodist 64 Old Georgia Plank Spur, Wetumpka 567-9840 Oak Valley Station United Methodist 162 Parsonage Road, Tallassee 541-3924 Pierce Chapel United Methodist 1003 Pierce Chapel Rd., Santuck 265-6099 Providence United Methodist 1540 Providence Rd., Titus Robinson Springs Methodist Church 5980 Main St., Millbrook Trinity United Methodist 135 Little Weoka Creek Rd., Equality 567-9997 Union United Methodist 691 Central Rd. Eclectic Wallsboro United Methodist 11066 US Hwy. 231, Wetumpka CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE Millbrook Church of the Nazarene 3251 Browns Rd., Millbrook PENTECOSTAL Faith Deliverance Church 475 Jackson St., Elmore 567-9209 Victory Temple 1173 Old Montgomery Hwy., Wetumpka 567-7779
HEALTHY TEENAGERS AND YOUNG ADULTS CAN GET BACTERIAL MENINGITIS. HERE IS HOW IT SPREADS:
Know that the people protecting your home are licensed by the State of Alabama. Coughing & Sneezing
Sharing Drinks & Utensils
Kissing
Living in Close Quarters
ABOUT 10% OF PEOPLE WITH BACTERIAL MENINGITIS WILL DIE, SOMETIMES WITHIN 24 HOURS. SURVIVORS MAY HAVE BRAIN DAMAGE, LOSS OF LIMBS, AND HEARING LOSS.
THERE ARE 2 TYPES OF MENINGOCOCCAL VACCINES RECOMMENDED FOR PRETEENS AND TEENAGERS. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON BACTERIAL MENINGITIS AND THE MENINGOCOCCAL VACCINE, VISIT alabamapublichealth.gov/immunization or facebook.com/AlabamaImmunizationInfo. #PreventMeningitis #GetVaccinated
Licensedsecurity.org Do have a home security system?
AlabamaWorks: Opportunity-Innovation-Accountability-Inclusion
Are you licensed in Alabama?
Now there’s a way to recruit, train and empower, a highly skilled workforce driven by business and industry needs. It’s your competitive advantage in Alabama. It’s time to grow at: www.alabamaworks.com
Sports
29
DAYS UNTIL FOOTBALL PAGE 10 • JULY 25, 2018
Visit our sister website: TallasseeTribune.com TheWetumpkaHerald.com
The
Observer
Alabama Wildlife Federation to host 15th annual fishing rodeo By BETSY ILER Managing Magazine Editor
In just a few weeks, the Alabama Wildlife Federation will host its annual Youth Fishing Rodeo at the catfish pond. The The 15th annual free fishing fest starts at 7 a.m. Aug. 4 and is open to children ages 15 and under, said Alabama Nature Center Camps and Community Programs Coordinator Matt Vines. “This event is one of the things that connects people to the outdoors in a family setting, especially the kids,” Vines said. “They have a great time, and this is a good experience that hopefully encourages them to go outside as they get older.” Gates open at 6:30 a.m., and participants will meet at the pavilion in the pecan grove to pick up stringers and T-shirts. Fishing will start at 7 a.m. at the upper pond. Alabama Nature Center is located on the AWF grounds at 3050 Lanark Rd., Millbrook. Though a free event, the rodeo is limited to 200 participants and reservations are recommended, Vines said. Participants should call 334-285-4550 to reserve a spot and sign up for a free T-shirt. Snacks and drinks will be available, and door prizes will be awarded. All participants must be accompanied by an adult and should bring their own fishing poles, coolers, buckets and other gear. “We hand out stringers to the kids during the rodeo, and there are door prizes, too – things like cups, coolers, tackle boxes, hats, gifts cards and fishing gear,” Vines explained. Kids will be allowed to catch and release as many fish as they want until 11 a.m., and they will be allowed to take home five of the catfish they catch. “It’s not a tournament – we will have a tournament later in the year. This is just a fun event for the kids. It always fills up though, so we need them to call the office and get their names on the list,” he added. Vines said the event is a great opportunity for quality family time that could help children develop an appreciation and understanding of the natural environment, as well as an introduction to the sport of fishing. Sponsors are needed to help stock the pond with fish and provide fish food, bait, door prizes, bottled water, ice, snacks, T-shirts and portable toilets and hand-washing stations. Anyone interested in sponsoring part of the event is encouraged to call Vines for information.
Griffin Pritchard / For The Observer
High school players from Wetumpka, Stanhope Elmore, Holtville, Elmore County and Prattville all took part in last week’s soccer camp, held by Liverpool Football Club PreAcademy director Daniel Beecham.
LEARNING FROM THE BEST High school players get instruction at camp
By GRIFFIN PRITCHARD For The Observer
Soccer skill camps have paid dividends for clubs in and around Wetumpka. Ken Sanders, who has been behind the organization of most of them, decided to step it up a notch this summer and bring in something a little more advanced. “(Daniel Beecham) is the coordinator for the Liverpool Academy in New Jersey,” Sanders said. “This is a tactical development decision-making camp. We’ve had sessions in the morning and in the afternoon. We’ve got five high schools (Wetumpka, Stanhope Elmore, Holtville, Elmore County and Prattville) involved and represented out here.” Beecham serves as the Liverpool Football Club PreAcademy Director. “I’ve been working for Liverpool for just over a year now,” Beecham said. “I’ve been in the country for about five and three of those I’ve known Ken and have come out and done various camps with him. But he’s been looking to bring something to the area that’s a little more advanced and goes into the decisionmaking side of the game rather than just footwork and foot skills.” For the soccer novices reading, Sanders and Beecham essentially described the camp as a critical-thinking camp for future players. Beecham even broke down situations and “you had four opportunities to pass the ball on that run,” or “don’t get into a one-onone there, you had three opportunities to make a pass.” Sanders explained: “You’re a defender and I want to receive the ball: there are some tactical things I can do to create space to give me an opportunity to
receive the ball in an open area. You can have all the physical ability, but soccer is so much from the neck up. There are so many things you can do out there that requires critical thinking and the ability to make decisions quickly.” While this camp will lead into the AYSO soccer season, Sanders and league representatives were pleased with the turnout of the camp as most of the different age groups have been represented during the week-long event. Beecham, who had a vague knowledge of soccer in Alabama, didn’t really know what to expect. “I’ve seen some of the high schools play and I’ve seen one or two good players and the rest, the standards have been kind of iffy,” Beecham said. “But when I got here and worked with this older group, I’ve been blown away. There are some kids here that could walk into the Academy teams back in New Jersey where I coach and compete. “I’m looking for kids that are willing to work, compete and improve and three of the youngest kids out there (referring to the older group) are three of the best kids I’ve seen. I’ve been surprised with the standard down here and that’s a testament to what Ken and some of the coaches are doing.” He paused and surveyed the soggy pitch, newly constructed alongside the Coosa River Parkway. The field was cut in half with soccer goals set up on one side and oodles of youth football players filling the other side. “We’ve got 15 kids playing soccer and probably 30 kids playing American football. If that doesn’t tell you anything about what the sports doing down here,” Beecham said. “It’s surprising and great
Balloon release to honor Cadence Orsi By AMALIA KORTRIGHT Staff Writer
Submitted / The Outlook
The annual fishing rodeo will take place Aug. 4 and participants can keep up to five fish.
to see, especially since Alabama is a football state. We are down here using half the field with the most popular sport.” Now, while the younger soccer starts, they can carry the skills learned this week into a fall season. The high schoolers will have to wait until the spring. But, as Beecham pointed out, soccer is a minimalist sport. All you need is a ball and the desire to improve. “It’s all about taking what they’ve learned here and continuing to practice at home,” Beecham said. “I tell kids all the time, you’ve been with me an hour and a half. Think about the percentage of your time, that’s less than 1 percent of your week. If you want to improve and be at the highest level, you need to be (practicing) two or three more times what you’ve done (in camp) at home. Thirty minutes at home with a soccer ball each day and you are quadrupling what you’re doing out here.” Beecham said when he was a child and was sent on an errand, he’d take a soccer ball and dribble it down to the store and back: “And now I have mastery of a ball when it’s at my feet.” “In Brazil, Portugal, they would do the same thing,” Beecham said. “When they would go to the store, they would juggle it and it wouldn’t touch the floor. You don’t need anything to play soccer. At home, we’d play Jumpers for Goalposts. Four kids and four jackets would make two goals. You can use anything for a ball, we’d use an empty Coke can. You can play it anywhere, on a gravel parking lot if you wanted.” Should they go the gravel route, be wary of the slide tackles. They might leave a mark.
To honor the life of 12-year-old Cadence Orsi, who died as the result of a recent murder-suicide in the Redland community, the Wetumpka Youth League is holding a balloon release ceremony at the Wetumpka Sports Complex baseball fields at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 28. Softball coach Kacie Williamson said she remembers Cadence as a sweet soon-to-be seventh grader, a great softball player and a talented artist. According to Williamson, Cadence had also started learning the saxophone. Cadence was one of a set of triplet daughters, and is survived by them and an older sister. Both of her parents died in the murder-suicide. “I wanted to do some-
Help us with our award-winning sports coverage
Tallapoosa Publishers is looking for people with a love of sports and a passion for writing and/or photography to help us cover high school sports in Tallapoosa, Coosa & Elmore counties.
Interested? Email Lizi Arbogast lizi.arbogast@alexcityoutlook.com Please include name, number & writing samples, if possible.
Courtesy / Kacie Williamson
The Wetumpka Youth League is inviting the community to a balloon release ceremony for 12-year-old Cadence Orsi, who died with her parents in a recent murder-suicide.
thing to honor Cadence. She was a wonderful ballplayer, a sweet girl and a joy to be around,” Williamson said. “She was hilarious, a goofball
if you caught her in the right moment. She was just wonderful. I loved her like my own.” Williamson said the balloon release will also serve to commemorate Cadence’s mother, Charley Orsi. Williamson described Charley as a dedicated mother, who loved all four of her daughters dearly. Williamson said the Wetumpka Youth League family will not be the same without her. “With Cadence playing ball, the other triplets in gymnastics and (their older sister) in the band, she was everywhere,” Williamson said. “She was a staple in the stands.” Although police said Bob Orsi was responsible for the murder-suicide, Williamson said she felt the tragedy was the result of “spiritual warfare,” and wanted to give the
community an opportunity to mourn him, as well. “We will never know what all went into it, what he was thinking and feeling,” Williamson said. “I just wished he would have asked for help.” Williamson said it is necessary for the community to come together in remembrance because so many lives were impacted by the Orsi family. While friends and family will have mourned the Orsis at the memorial service and funeral, Williamson said the balloon release will serve as a more lighthearted way to celebrate their lives and share memories. “I just want anybody that wants to be there to come. It’s not just a softball thing,” Williamson said. “I wanted to open it to the community because so many lives were touched by that family.”
Acapulco Mexican Grill
Best Margaritas in town!
Monday Night Kids Eat FREE! Tuesday $2 Beer after 4pm Thursday Karaoke Night 6-10 • $1.99 Margarita ALL DAY
2867 Gilmer Avenue, Tallassee • (334) 283-2725
MADE FRESH DAILY!