Tallassee Tribune March 8 2023

also state Bean, 39, was pregnant when she was shot last month near Keys Court in Shorter.

“On or about Sunday, Feb. 5 the defendant(s) did commit the murder or act as an

Council honors Tallassee wrestlers

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

The Tallassee City Council celebrated the success of this year’s Tallassee High School wrestling team.

Coach John Mask said the Tigers were successful as a team, finishing second in the duels but singled out four wrestlers who placed in the top four in their weight classes.

Mask said senior Rutland Phillips finished the year 49-4 and was second in the state at 106 pounds. Sophomore Mason Nelson earned a 41-4 record and captured third at 113. Senior Caden Griffith was 47-6 and took fourth in the state at 182. Sophomore Land Bell finished 43-3 with most losses at higher weight classes. Bell was the state champion at 132.

NEAR PERFECT WASTEWATER REPORT

The council approved an annual report for the discharge from the city’s sewage lagoons to the Tallapoosa River.

“It is a summary report of daily reports that has to come before the council,” CDG engineer Jeff Harrison said. “There were no violations, period. That is incredible.”

Harrison noted the city lost points due to the age of the lagoons which will be rectified with upcoming renovations at the city’s wastewater treatment facility.

PUMP STATION BUILDING SURPLUSED

It’s a white building on Gilmer Avenue between First Community Bank and Taco Bell and owned by the city. But it hasn’t been needed in years. It was built to house a pumping station as the City of Tallassee expanded its water system west into the Tallaweka area.

Today the pumps are bypassed and a developer is interested in buying the property if the building isn’t there.

“We don’t need it,” public works superintendent James Garner said. “There is some work that needs to be done.”

The work needed would move the city’s water lines into the right of way of the road. The council surplused the building but said it didn’t want to see

See COUNCIL, Page A2

CLIFF WILLIAMS THE TRIBUNE

Thing 1 and Thing 2,The Lorax, Cat in the Hat and more made appearances at Tallassee Elementary School last week. Students and staff celebrated Dr. Seuss and other authors as students dressed as their favorite book characters and listened to some of their favorite books read by local celebrities including Tallassee High School students and mascot Tally. The program is designed to encourage students to read and learn how reading can help take them anywhere in life they want to go.

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

Court dockets are packed and riddled with names. Some of those names are repeat offenders and 19th Judicial Circuit

District Attorney C.J. Robinson said the Prison Reform Act of 2015 passed by the Alabama legislature has tied the hands of law enforcement, prosecutors

accomplice of Jessica Bean,” the documents state. Kennebrew was arrested Feb. 23 and Driscol was arrested Monday. Both are in the Macon County Jail with no bond available to them.

and judges. Robinson said the 2015 legislation to control the prison population is “a failed experiment.”

“In 2015 our state put a price tag on public safety,” Robinson said. “We had to make a decision. Our state decided that instead of increasing prison capacity, we would prioritize who was going in.”

Robinson said the state prisons were at 197 percent of capacity in 2014.

“That has shrunk once the prison reform act came in,” Robinson said. “For every one person that goes in, essentially two come out.”

But in reducing the prison population, Robinson said the public is now at a higher risk of becoming a victim.

“We have early release,” Robinson said. “We have more parole hearings.

Obituaries

MARY LOUISE WEBSTER

JERRY LEE BROWN

Mary Louise Webster, a resident of Tallassee, Alabama, passed away February 26, 2023, at the age of 94. She was born May 12, 1928 in Elmore County, Alabama, to Arthur L. and Ada Meek Wright.

She is survived by her son, Keith McNelley (Kathy); grandchildren, Katie Fannin (Joey) and Kevin McNelley (Stephanie); great grandchildren, Koden McNelley, Tristan Fannin and Branden McNelley. Mary was a dedicated employee at Mt. Vernon Mills for forty years.

She is preceded in death by her parents; son, Freddy McNelley; first husband, Calvin McNelley; second husband, C.D. Webster and several brothers and sisters.

The family will receive friends Wednesday, March 1, 2023 from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM at Jeffcoat Funeral Home Chapel. Funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM Thursday, March 2, 2023 at Jeffcoat Funeral Home Chapel with burial at Old Sharon Cemetery.

Online condolences are available at: www. jeffcoatfuneralhome. com.

Jeffcoat Funeral Home Directing Tallassee, Alabama

Police Reports

TALLASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT

MARCH 2

• Suspicious activity was reported on Cobb Road.

• A prowler was reported on Redden Avenue.

MARCH 1

• A suspicious person was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

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

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Barnett Boulevard.

• A suspicious vehicle was reported on Herren Hill Road.

• A civil dispute was reported on Hillcrest Street.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Freeman Avenue.

• A Black male was arrested during a traffic stop on Central Boulevard.

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

• A motor vehicle accident with no injuries was reported on Indian Trail.

• Assistance was given during a medical call on Clay Street.

FEB. 28

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Friendship Road.

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Washington Street.

• Animal control was requested on Willow Street.

• A civil disturbance was reported on Redden Avenue.

• Gunfire was reported on South Dubois Street.

• A fight in progress was reported on Powers Extension.

• Assistance was given to an-

COUNCIL Continued from A1

Jerry Lee Brown of Tallassee was born August 12, 1949 and passed away February 26, 2023 surrounded by close family. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 pm on Thursday, March 2, 2023 at Linville Memorial Funeral Home. Funeral service will be at 12 noon on Friday, March 3, 2023 at Linville Memorial Funeral Home with Rev. John Sparks officiating. Burial will follow in Carrville Cemetery with military honors. He is preceded in death by his parents, Sue (Stump) Morgan; father, Howard Brown; brother, Jesse Brown and daughter, Lynn Nix. He is survived by his wife, Melinda Brown and daughter, Jeri (Dale) Dillard. He was the 5th of eight brothers, surviving brothers

OSCAR ABRAM BUTLER

CMS Sgt. Retired Oscar Abram Butler, a resident of Equality, Alabama passed away Monday, February 27, 2023 at the age of 98. He was born April 10, 1924.

Mr. Butler is survived by his son , Rickie (Holly) Butler; nieces Patty (Fred) Oliver, Brenda Forehand, Teena Blythe, Barbara Stearns; nephews Terry Butler and Andy Moore; brother & sisters-in-law Mary Reeves, Joan Powers, Ruby & Lewis Gerish.

He is preceded in death by his parents; wife Miriam King Butler; brothers Solomon C. “Buddy” Butler, Andrew Butler, and Jack Butler; sisters Ruby Boddie, Addie Moore, Lois Stearns, and Lucy Collum.

Mr. Butler enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corp in 1942. He served during World War II, The Korean Conflict, and the Vietnam War. After 27 years in the Air Force he

other agency on Cliff Street.

• Assistance was given to another agency on Barnett Boulevard.

• Debris was reported in the roadway on Gilmer Avenue.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Gilmer Avenue.

• An animal complaint was reported on Ashurst Avenue.

• A child custody dispute was reported on Barnett Boulevard.

• Animal control was requested on Gilmer Avenue.

• An animal complaint was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• A complaint of a fight was reported on Gen. Chappy James Street.

FEB. 27

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Barnett Boulevard.

• Animal control was requested on Gilmer Avenue.

• Shoplifting was reported on Notasulga Road.

• Criminal mischief was reported on South Ann Avenue.

• Harassment was reported on Redden Avenue.

• Public lewdness was reported on Powers Avenue.

• Gunfire was reported on Gen. Chappy James Street.

• A Black male was arrested during a disorderly conduct call on Stewart Street.

• A welfare check was conducted on Redden Avenue.

• A welfare check was requested on Benson Avenue.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Gilmer Avenue.

• Theft was reported on North Johnson Street.

• A vehicle accident was reported on Cherokee Trail.

• A domestic dispute was reported on Riverside Avenue.

• Animal control was requested on Friendship Road.

the city footing the bill for all the work for demolishing.

The idea is to approach the developer with the potential property owner funding the demolition.

CEMETERY CHANGES

With two employees leaving the city’s cemetery department, city officials adopted changes to help the city’s finances. Now funeral homes will be responsible for opening and closing graves after checking with city employees. It is something done at other area municipal cemeteries.

“The biggest changes to our budget are the restructuring of our cemetery,” Tallassee Mayor Sarah Hill said. “It will save about $56,800 between salary and insurance.”

The move also means a Dodge Durango will get

are Howard, John (Judy), Albert, Roy, Joe (JoAnn) and William Brown. He is also survived by five grandchildren, six great grandchildren with another almost here. Jerry served in Vietnam. He was a sergeant in the 731st Army National Guard where he served for 22 years. He also served in Desert Storm. He enjoyed woodworking and made the best red velvet cake. He loved and took care of his family and friends. He always liked taking the scenic route and we are sure he saw amazing views on the road to Heaven. Online condolences may be posted at www.linvillememorial.com.

Linville Memorial Funeral Home and Crematory Eclectic, Alabama

returned to Alabama and was hired by the State of Alabama Department of Conservation and retired after 13 years of service. After retirement he enjoyed gardening, fishing, and was an avid bird hunter. He was also a Mason with the Penick Lodge in Eclectic, Alabama.

The family will receive friends, Friday, March 3, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. with the funeral service at 11:00 a.m. at Seman Congregational Church with Rev. Doyle Brown officiating. Burial will be at the church cemetery with Gassett Funeral Home of Wetumpka directing.

Serving as pallbearers will be Terry Butler, Jamie Butler, Lewis Gerish, Jimmy Skinner, Andy Moore, and Scott Pritchett. Honorary pallbearers will be Rick & Jackie Dean, James “Bubba” Marsh, and Grady Hicks. Online Guest Book available at www.gassettfuneralhome.net

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Gilmer Avenue.

• Livestock was reported in the roadway on Dolan Road.

FEB. 26

• Suspicious activity was reported on Barnett Boulevard.

• Debris was reported in the roadway on Gilmer Avenue.

• A white male was arrested during a traffic stop on Barnett Boulevard.

• A suspicious vehicle was reported on Roosevelt Street.

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Gilmer Avenue.

• Animal control was requested on Adams Street.

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Barnett Boulevard.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Gilmer Avenue.

• Suspicious activity was reported on Hickory Street.

• A stolen vehicle was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• Reckless endangerment was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Gilmer Avenue.

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Barnett Boulevard.

• A suspicious vehicle was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• A suspicious person was reported on Sims Avenue.

• Assistance was given to another agency on Lower Tuskegee Road.

• A noise complaint was reported on Third Street.

• Theft was reported on Notasulga Road.

• A Black male was arrested on Third Avenue.

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

• Harassment was reported on Dorman Avenue.

• A burglary was reported on

Third Avenue.

• A Black male was arrested on Lee Street.

• Animal control was requested on Gilmer Avenue.

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

• A Black female was arrested during a traffic stop on Barnett Boulevard.

• A welfare check was conducted on Gilmer Avenue.

WETUMPKA POLICE DEPARTMENT

MARCH 1

• Domestic violence was reported on Stone River Loop.

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

FEB. 28

• Domestic violence was reported on U.S. Highway 231. Feb. 27

• Fraudulent use of a credit or debit card and theft was reported on Wilson Street.

• Domestic violence was reported on Company Street.

• Harassing communications was reported in Wetumpka.

FEB. 24

• Criminal mischief was reported on Government Street.

• Theft was reported on Commerce Street.

FEB. 22

• Harassing communications was reported in Wetumpka Garden Apartments.

FEB. 21

• Criminal mischief was reported on U.S. Highway 231.

FEB. 20

• Domestic violence was reported on Holtville Road.

repurposed and used by the city’s parks and recreation department and senior center.

IN OTHER ACTION THE TALLASSEE CITY COUNCIL:

• Approved minutes of the Feb. 13 meeting.

• Heard from Tim Hutch with the East Central District of the Alabama Department of Public Health who went over services the department offers in Elmore and Tallapoosa counties.

• Appointed Blake Turner to the planning commission to replace Beth Turner who resigned.

• Heptagon Jason Kabel started the conversation with the council about using Heptagon to help with securing the city’s computer networks.

• Canceled the second council meeting for March.

• Was informed by Hill the city had been awarded an additional $580,000 in TAP Grant funding to allow the streetscape project in downtown Tallassee.

The next scheduled meeting of the Tallassee City Council is 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 14.

BLACK HISTORY MUSEUM REOPENS

EXPERIMENT

Continued from A1

We have smaller sentences, more cases, more people on probation, fewer people getting revoked.

We have more criminals on the street than we have ever had. It all means more victims.”

Currently a second offense of possession of marijuana is a Class C felony with a mandatory one year in prison. The Prison Reform Act of 2015 created a Class D felony. Possession of methamphetamines is a Class D felony but instead of going to prison after a second or third offense, offenders can get away with a “slap on the wrist” for up to eight offenses.

Robinson said on the first offense charges might get dropped for providing information that leads to a bigger “bust.” But then the second offense comes around.

“Maybe the next time you do pretrial diversion — first time offender, trying to get help and get you back on the right track,” Robinson said. “But it doesn’t always take. Third time you go to drug court with intensive supervision. More programs that last longer.

“Next time, again drug court. These do not result in a conviction if you complete those programs.”

Robinson said at the fifth arrest a defendant is out of deferred options.

“Now the system runs its course,” Robinson said

But because of the Class D felony created under the 2015 legislation, there are still hurdles.

“You cannot go to jail,” Robinson said, “You cannot go to prison. The next three convictions cannot go to jail or prison.” Robinson said after the eighth arrest the defendant now has three prior felonies.

“That puts you in a Class C felony; that is a year and a day up to 10 years,” Robinson said. “Now jail or prison is a possibility. But wait, it’s not that simple.”

Robinson said the way the end of sentence is calculated and good time issued, someone sentenced 15 years can get a parole hearing in just over a year.

“We have people getting parole hearings on 15-year sentences in less than

two years,” Robinson said. “That should not happen. Fifteen-year sentences were cut to five. In addition to a five-year sentence, they serve a fraction of that five years. That is the reason you see the revolving door. It doesn’t end there.”

Once out on parole or probation and out of an Alabama Department of Corrections [DOC] prison, Robinson said it is difficult to get a defendant revoked and back in prison due to the system of dips and dunks. Robinson said the system was created to keep the prison population down.

“If you fail a drug test, you get a dip, 48 hours in the county jail,” Robinson said. “You got to have three dips before you get dunked. Dunked is 45 days in the DOC. By the time DOC comes to get you, your 45 days, you will sit that in the county jail.”

Robinson said it will take three of those cycles before a defendant can be revoked.

Robinson said a recent defendant in Elmore County is evidence the new sentencing guidelines under the 2015 legislation do not work. He spoke of Michael Padilla’s arrest earlier this year. Padilla now has more than 90 arrests on his record and Robinson has victims calling him asking how he got out of prison.

“In January 2021 he was convicted of three felonies,” Robinson said. “At that time, he had 20 priors. He was given 100 months. He got a chance on community corrections.”

But even on monitored release, Padilla was quickly behind bars again to serve 100 months. But Padilla was never transferred to a DOC prison

“He was paroled out of the Elmore county jail after one year,” Robinson said. “He never set foot in the department of corrections. He stayed at Elmore County Jail. He never got picked up.”

Robinson said the system created in 2015 forced Padilla’s early release.

“His [end of sentence] was two years, seven months with goodtime. With mandatory release he is only serving a year and seven months. You still have the parole hearing kick in.”

Robinson said the parole hearing starts at 30 months before the end of sentence.

“This is happening time and time again,” Robinson said.

Just in time for Black History Month the Elmore County Black History Museum reopened last week.With new paint and HVAC system, curator Billie Rawls welcomed visitors once again.The museum has new hours. It will be open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays,Thursday and Fridays and every first and third Saturday of the month. A re-grand opening is being planned for a later date.

SUBMITTED THE TRIBUNE

Judy Weed, left, Dawn Frisbee and Sharon Mason of Life Choice Pregnancy Center in Tallassee accepted a donation from Tallaweka’s Golden Crystals’ Paul Miller. The Golden Crystals collected a love offering from church members earlier in the month and hosted a baby shower to benefit the pregnancy center. Monetary donations totaled $2040, along with diapers, wipes, clothing, bottles and many other baby essentials were presented to the center.

CLIFF WILLIAMS THE TRIBUNE

CLIFF WILLIAMS | THE TRIBUNE

District Attorney C.J. Robinson, left, speaks with the Elmore County Commission about the case

load his office has. Robinson also addressed issues of how some defendants are constantly related.

Obituaries:

Well, y’all had to know it wouldn’t take too long for me to write a column about sports. In fact, I’m impressed with myself for holding off for more than a month.

But alas, here we are.

If y’all don’t know me from my time as sports editor, then you may not know I am a huge hockey fan — the Washington Capitals to be specific. Readers listened to me as I griped about never winning a championship, in any of my sports fan life actually. I’m also a Detroit Lions fan, so that’s fun.

However, you also got to read as the Caps and I worked ourselves through the playoffs in 2018 and finally — finally — won the Stanley Cup. It was an emotional journey, probably more so for myself than for you. But I felt like you were there with me.

Since then, the Caps are basically back to status quo circa 2008 — decent enough to make the playoffs, but disappointing in the end. We’ve lost in the first round of the playoffs every year since, and now we’re in a rebuilding phase.

Friday was the NHL trade deadline, and all week, the Caps have been unloading player after player — mostly for draft picks and youngsters. But Wednesday, they traded Lars Eller.

Celebrate the big moments in sports — and in life

LIZI GWIN Managing Editor

happen. In pro sports, it’s very rare someone is going to stay in one place his whole career. It’s impossible not to feel the struggles eventually.

Yes, I realize that name means absolutely nothing to you, and that’s OK. But Lars Eller, phew; he scored that famous goal, the one that finally got us there — the game-winning goal in the Stanley Cup Finals. That one hit harder somehow; there are very few remnants of the Stanley Cup winning team anymore. If you do know anything about hockey, you know Washington star Alexander Ovechkin is hunting down Wayne Gretzy’s all-time scoring record. Ovechkin isn’t getting any younger, and he’s still 81 goals away. He’s also in his 18th season. That’s pretty much the main focus for the Caps right now and deservedly so. With the past four seasons ending in an early boot and a roster full of a ton of newcomers and young guys, it’s official rebuild time. And no sports fan ever wants to admit that because it means starting from the bottom again. However, these phases are necessary. Every team goes through it, and to stay relevant, it has to

Patriots. They’ve been the best ever since I was like 10, it feels like. However, Tom Brady leaves and it’s a whole different story. The whole team has to be rebuilt around a new set of faces.

sports fan, I’ve learned to celebrate the good moments to their fullest. Sometimes you have to be OK with a season where the Lions go 9-8 and almost make the playoffs. Realize when you’ve got someone special, and enjoy it while it lasts. When your team does finally win the championship, celebrate like no one’s watching.

day.

to our daily lives. Some days are better than others; some days are horrible, and some days we just can’t stop smiling. Always remember to appreciate what’s in front of you because it could be gone at any moment.

March 15 — does it really mean anything extraordinary?

The soothsayer gives a foreboding warning the soonto-be-ex-Roman emperor Julius Caesar on this day back in 44 BC: “Beware the ides of March.”Of course, by the time Julius Caesar made it to the Capitol, he was stabbed 23 times. His final words were, “et tu, Brute?”

Full moons, black cats and broken mirrors aside, there’s something ominous about the William Shakespeare play “Julius Caesar,” and it may be this famous line that has made us feel so uncomfortable all these years.

According to Roman history, the calendar was based around lunar phases. There were other names, such as Kalends and Nones.

Ides, however, referred to the first full moon of a given month. Like this week, these usually fall somewhere during the week that includes the 13th, 14th and 15th. Prior to the connotation discussed in this article, the Ides of March was actually a time of rejoicing.

Since the time of Shakespeare 500 years ago, however, the phrase has become more and more sinister. If a television series has an episode with these words in the title, look out.

Bad things didn’t happen for a Chicago-area rock group that took the name the Ides of March back in the early 1970s. Led by guitarslinger and songwriter Jim Peterik, the Ides of March created one of the most memorable brass-rock songs of that or any era: “Vehicle.” In fact, to this day, many marching bands across the country (including our own) perform this song.

An interesting side note –Peterik went on to form another band, Survivor, in the 1980s. It

had a No. 1 hit we still hear all the time, “Eye of the Tiger.” Peterik’s name may be unknown to the average music fan, but his musical compositions are heard constantly all over the world. In the case of “Eye of the Tiger,” we hear it much more often in Tallassee and Auburn than in most places.

The Smithsonian Institution has listed the top 10 reasons why we should beware the Ides of March. In conclusion, I submit these 10 memorable events from the Smithsonian, with their comments included.

1. Assassination of Julius Caesar, 44 B.C. “Conspirators led by Marcus Junius Brutus stab dictator-forlife Julius Caesar to death before the Roman senate. Caesar was 55.”

2. A Raid on Southern England, 1360

“A French raiding party begins a 48-hour spree of rape, pillage and murder in southern England. King Edward III interrupts his own pillaging spree in France to launch reprisals.”

3. Samoan Cyclone, 1889

“A cyclone wrecks six warships—three U.S., three German—in the harbor at Apia, Samoa, leaving more than 200 sailors dead.”

4. Czar Nicholas II Abdicates His Throne, 1917

Lizi Arbogast Gwin is the managing editor of Tallapoosa Publishers Inc.

Beware the Ides of March

“Czar Nicholas II of Russia signs his abdication papers, ending a 304-year-old royal dynasty and ushering in Bolshevik rule. He and his family are taken captive and, in July 1918, executed before a firing squad.”

5. Germany Occupies Czechoslovakia, 1939

“Just six months after Czechoslovak leaders ceded the Sudetenland, Nazi troops seize the provinces of Bohemia and Moravia, effectively wiping Czechoslovakia off the map.”

6. A Deadly Blizzard on the Great Plains, 1941

“A Saturday-night blizzard strikes the northern Great Plains, leaving at least 60 people dead in North Dakota and Minnesota and six more in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.”

7. World Record Rainfall, 1952

“Rain falls on the Indian Ocean island of La Réunion— and keeps falling, hard enough to register the world’s most voluminous 24-hour rainfall: 73.62 inches.”

8. CBS Cancels the “Ed Sullivan Show,” 1971

“Word leaks that CBS-TV is canceling “The Ed Sullivan Show” after 23 years on the network, which also dumped Red Skelton and Jackie Gleason in the preceding month.”

9. Disappearing Ozone Layer, 1988

“NASA reports that the ozone layer over the Northern Hemisphere has been depleted three times faster than predicted.”

10. A New Global Health Scare, 2003

“After accumulating reports of a mysterious respiratory disease afflicting patients and healthcare workers in China, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Singapore and Canada, the World Health Organization issues a heightened global health alert. The disease will soon become famous under the acronym SARS (for Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome).”

Michael Bird is a

MICHAEL BIRD Columnist

Letter to the Editor

Our last football championship in Tallassee

Dear Editor,

The recent death of Dr. Danny Wilbanks flashed me back to the fall of 1954. The Tallassee Tigers football team during that magic time played into the state championship. That is our last one to date.

I was an undersized junior guard buried deep in the depth chart, willing fodder for the big boys in weekday scrimmages. I can still name every starter on that team and many of the reserves. Those guys could flat-out play football.

Sonny Chavis, who died a year or two ago, manned the center position. Larry Ledbetter and Wayne Joiner were great guards with J.W. Woodall and Tommy Higgins as massive tackles. At the ends stood Sonny Britt and J.V. Ashurst.

Louis Sides was a Houdini at quarterback, and Wilbanks, later a star at Alabama, a bull of a fullback. Jerry Golden and Ed Cristian played the halfbacks with Lafayette Peters adequately filling in. The latter three were juniors as was Ashurst with Sides and Wilbanks joining the other starters in the senior class.

The team went 9-1, the only loss at Valley when several key players missed the game with injuries — or at least were hobbled. My memory has the score at 13-7. We handled the rest of the schedule, including a star-studded Lanett team and the always powerful giant: the Sidney Lanier Poets.

A memorable early game took place in Sylacauga against B.B. Comer. At the time, Comer, I believe, was second in The Birmingham News rankings, the only poll that mattered then. We clobbered them, 43-6. Even us scrubs got into that game.

The play of the year, or maybe the non-play, occurred in Wetumpka. Sides faked a handoff into the middle of the line. Every official dug through the pileup blowing their whistles, searching for the ball. They failed to find it because Louis ran all alone down the left sideline carrying that lost football. Embarrassed refs had to call the play back for an “inadvertent” whistle.

Shortly after the season concluded, The Birmingham News showed up at Tallassee High School to award the team the 1954 Alabama State 2A Football Championship trophy. At that time, there were no playoffs, only three classifications and no postseason games — just the good judgment of the News’ sports staff.

I’ve lost track of most of the team personnel. Of those I know who have passed include the aforementioned Wilbanks and Chavis. Britt was killed in a motorcycle accident the following summer, Joiner in a horrible car wreck the next spring. Also, I know Christian, Sides and Peters are gone. In addition, other squad members no longer with us include Russell Chandler, Buddy Burton, Joe Tom Crockett, Buddy Billingsley and I’m sure others. I wish I knew what has become of every player. Somewhere in the halls or a closet at Tallassee High School is a beautiful brass trophy. It needs to be polished and prominently displayed in honor of that magnificent football team of sixty-eight years ago.

Larry Williamson (Tallassee, Alabama) is the author of three historical novels, Tallapoosa; Legend of the Tallassee Carbine; and Muskogi Sunset, and a compilation of Tribune columns, Over the River, Long Ago. He teaches the novel writing workshop for Auburn University’s Outreach Program.

Alabama newspapers are not disappearing

Recent changes in the newspaper landscape in Alabama have us wanting to share some good news about newspapers. Alabama newspapers are alive and printing.

Like most every industry in the world, our industry is experiencing changes some have characterized as the end of newspapers.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Alabama has 109 paid circulation newspapers that have a print edition at least every week.

Newspapers have evolved in how they deliver news to their readers but not in their mission to provide quality journalism in their communities. Their print products are now complemented with various platforms, including websites, electronic editions, social media and video. Online-only newspapers, in their new frontier, still continue to provide a valuable service in their communities for local news.

This multimedia combination delivers the greatest exposure of news, entertainment and public notices available in any community in our state.

And our newspapers remain a reliable and important source.

A recent market study, conducted by the independent research firm Coda Ventures, reports 3.2 million,

or 81%, of Alabama adults rely on newspapers every month for local news and advertising. That is strong.

The study also found that among consumers who plan to shop for specific products and services, the targeted reach of newspapers is unrivaled.

Our newspapers are an unmatched source of information because they help people know what’s going on in their community, and this promotes a sense of social engagement. The news you receive in your community newspaper is news you cannot get from any other news source.

Local newspapers keep residents up to date on births and deaths; updates from local schools and stories about students who are making a difference; information on civic clubs, fundraisers, and community events; in-depth coverage on local sports teams; openings of new businesses and industries; and updates on arts and entertainment events.

A local newspaper’s focus is to make your community stronger and safer and to encourage its readership to be more involved.

These days, we hear a lot about transparency. Your local newspapers play an important role in making

sure relevant information citizens need to make informed decisions is disclosed. They act as a form of communication between governments and the citizens they serve. They hold local governments accountable to the taxpayers. They are there to cover city council, county commission and school board meetings where decisions are made that affect your everyday life.

Lastly, a good newspaper is the record of a public voice. Articles on key issues affecting communities, letters to editors, and guest columns offer citizens and elected officials alike the opportunity to share their views, demands and grievances, criticisms and appreciation of governmental activities.

By offering a place to air complaints and discuss problems, newspapers help strengthen the bonds of their communities and facilitate the exchange of ideas.

So, don’t believe everything you hear about newspapers going away. There are 109 voices in Alabama that disagree.

Felicia Mason is the Alabama Press Association executive director and Darrell Sandlin is the APA President.

News

Let shelters help in reuniting pets and owners

By REA CORD HSEC Director

We want to give a huge

and shoutout to

for setting up at our Tail’s End Thrift Store on Saturday to sell chicken tacos and drinks! The tacos were yummy to say the least; the crew was simply awesome;

TEXTILE MILLS ASBESTOS CLAIMS

and more than $1,000 was raised for our animals.

We are truly humbled the business owners wanted to do this for our shelter and all the animals in our care; they have been wonderful supporters of ours for many years now and we ask everyone to please stop by their shop at 2872 US-231 in Wetumpka. Check out all the great stuff offered and say thanks for being huge animal lovers and shelter supporters.

Throughout March, our shelter will receive $1 from every $2.99 Community Bag sold at our local Wetumpka Winn-Dixie. As we see a lot of folks shifting to reusable shopping bags, there is no better time than now to swing by Winn Dixie to pick up a bag or two or three.

by owners and only about 1% of cats sadly. We are constantly screening the lost and found reports that have been called in to see if we might have a match; nothing makes us happier than reuniting a lost pet with its very relieved owner.

We are also looking at all the lost and found pages on Facebook daily and the main one for our area is “Elmore County Alabama Lost & Found Pets.” We highly recommend you post a lost pet to this page, your personal page and any neighborhood pages for your area as Facebook does truly help in reuniting lost pets.

owner. And it does work — in most cases an animal with a tag can be reunited with its owner the same day.

For those who say their pet loses its tags we highly recommend two other methods of identification — microchip and writing your phone number on your pet’s collar. We scan every animal coming into our shelter for a microchip, which is placed by a veterinarian under the skin between the shoulder blades of your pet via a simple injection.

lost pets without it ever coming into our shelter. But one very important thing is to take the found pet to the closest vet or shelter to be scanned for a microchip. Also very importantly, a found pet is not the finder’s to just keep or give away as, under law, any finder must do due diligence to find the proper owner. This is why it can be best to bring a found pet to your supporting shelter as we do this day in and day out and make sure to validate ownership before a pet is released.

One of the most frustrating things in the shelter world is all the animals that come to us that no one ever reclaims. About 15% of dogs are reclaimed

If a pet has a microchip our scanners will pick it up; we then contact the chip maker who can then put us in touch with that pet’s owner. It works! Please contact your vet to ask about getting your pet microchipped; it is simple and takes only a few minutes.

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

More than 90% of pets coming into our shelter have no collars and of those with collars only a small fraction have rabies or ID tags. When we get an animal in with a rabies or ID tag the very first thing we do is call the veterinarian to see if we can get help reuniting the pet and

Pet of the Week – Harvey

Harvey looks to be about 3 years old. He is a male — perhaps a Shepherd/Mastiff mix — who weighs about 75 pounds. He was a stray in a neighborhood for weeks until he was brought to the Humane Society of Elmore County. Harvey is a super nice boy, good with his female kennel partner, loves people, is pretty laid back and doesn’t have high energy.

HSEC’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 fee completely covers the mandatory spay or neuter, basic immunizations, deworming, microchip, heartworm check for dogs, rabies vaccination if old enough, and a free health exam with your participating veterinarian.

If you are interested in meeting Harvey or any of HSEC’s pets, the first step is filling out an adoption application which can be found online. Once approved, someone from the shelter will coordinate with you to set up an appointment to meet and adopt.

HSEC is located at 255 Central Plank Road in Wetumpka. It can be reached at 334-567-3377 and online at www.elmorehumane.org for more information.

SATURDAY, MARCH 11

SPRING FESTIVAL: The Tallassee Chamber of Commerce is holding its annual spring festival March 11 on the grounds of Tallassee City Hall.

MARCH 20-25

BEAUTIFUL TABLE SETTINGS: May Eason is bringing back the Beautiful Table Settings Bash March 20-25 at the Wetumpka Civic Center in two different sessions. To sign up or for more information, visit https://beautifultablesettingsllc. stor.co/.

SATURDAY, MARCH 25

COMMUNITY CLEANUP: The Reuben Thornton Memorial Spring Cleanup will be held March 25. Breakfast will be served at the Red Hill Community Center from 7 to 8 a.m., and the trash cleanup will take place from 8 a.m. to noon. Dumpsters will be located at Red Hill Community Center and Lake Martin Mini Mall, where there will be live music and lunch starting at noon. This cleanup is hosted by the Red Hill Historical Preservation Association.

Sadly some people can be — how shall we say — less than gracious about someone “finding” their pet, so let us deal with those situations at the shelter where we keep the identity of finders, owners and adopters confidential.

For those who find pets, the same applies. Call us with the pet’s description as we have reunited many

SATURDAY, APRIL 15

COOSAPALOOZA: Main Street Wetumpka is hosting the 2023 CoosaPalooza Brewfest from 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 15.

SATURDAY, APRIL 22

DOWNTOWN ART SHOW: Don Sawyer is hosting a Downtown Artists Art Show in downtown Wetumpka Saturday, April 22.

ONGOING

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

ECLECTIC TOWN COUNCIL

MEETINGS: Eclectic Town Council meetings are held on the third Monday of each month at Town Hall. Council meetings begin at 7 p.m. with work sessions taking place prior to the meeting at 6 p.m. Meetings are held in the Dr. M. L. Fielder

Municipal Building, 145 Main Street. NAACP MEETINGS: The Elmore County Branch No. 5026 of the NAACP meets at 6:30 p.m. every third Tuesday (executive committee) and every fourth Tuesday (full membership) at the Martin Luther King Center at 200 North Lancaster St. in Wetumpka. LIVING WORD: You belong here. You and your family are always welcome here. We are located at 1826 Kowaliga Road Eclectic, across from the Dollar General. Call 334-492-0777 for more information.

OPEN MIC: The Equality Performing Arts Center hosts an open mic jam session from 7 to 9 p.m. every second Friday of the month at 560 Highway 9 in Equality. There is no charge but donations are welcome as they keep the center running. Bring a snack or finger food to share during the intermission. RED HILL COMMUNITY CLUB

MEETINGS: Red Hill Community Club Meetings are held every second Monday of the month. Join the Red Hill Historical Preservation Association in the auditorium of the Old Red Hill School, located off state Route 229 at 6:30 p.m. to discuss upcoming events.

thanks

Heady Scoops n Smoothies

Elmore County Community Calendar

is

In Our Prayers

and

and

the arrival of spring. We are probably due for snow on April Fool’s Day, but that is nothing more than the reality of weather in central Alabama.

One of the most common responses to challenging news is “You are in my (our) prayers.”

The expression is intended to demonstrate empathy and solidarity. When we hear of the struggles of others, a pledge of prayer is a natural human response.

REV. JONATHAN YARBORO Columnist

The response should not be taken lightly. In recent years, some have commented, in the face of tragedy, the words “Our prayers are with you” are meaningless. This comment recognizes that praying for something and doing something about it are not the same thing. First, we should all recognize praying about something can be doing something about it. If the pledge of prayer for something or someone is sincere, the healing powers of empathy and solidarity begin to flow. If the pledge of prayer is not sincere, they do not. Perhaps it is a better thing to consider prayer as the first step in doing something. Is it possible praying for something or someone is not an end in itself but actually

the beginning of a process? I don’t know about you, but I believe it can. Take a recent tragic reality in our community as an example. Within one week’s time, two students attending Stanhope Elmore High School committed suicide. There is no connection between the two events. Neither student fit anyone’s profile for student’s at risk for suicide.

The first and best response to such news should always be prayer for all affected. Lift up the families of Nathen Jones and Makayla Reaves. Lift up the family of Stanhope Elmore and the community it serves. That should be our collective starting place.

If any of us wonder whether or not such a first step has any merit, we need only ask people who are

Tallassee Churches

working their way through such tragic news. Does prayer fix things? No, it does not. Does prayer make a difference? Yes, it does.

The practice of prayer requires speaking first and listening second. Most of us are pretty good with the first part, but we struggle with the second. Our county board of dducation has numerous programs and plans for addressing teen suicide in place. Those programs and plans are continuously updated and refined. The goal is to prevent such occurrences. The simple truth is that neither Nathen nor Makayla came under the radar of those programs and services.

What does this reality lay on your heart? Does it cause any of us to think our school system is failing its students? Does it cause any of us to continue to lose hope in the

generation coming of age? Does it make any of us think if we could only perfect programs and services we would never hear such tragic news again?

I do not know what this reality lays on my heart, much less what it lays on yours. What I do know is if I am sincere in prayer for this situation and those affected by it, God will lay upon my heart what God needs me to hear. I’m not special. God does this for everyone.

Regardless of the nature of our personal relationship with God, no one can contend with God’s gift of prayer. Speak what troubles your heart. Open it to God’s response. Act accordingly.

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

Free gets Edgewood over the hump, claims AISA state title

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

Edgewood Academy basketball coach Darryl Free knew his boys team had the chance to be special this season, but his team had to learn how to win the close games.

Edgewood finished a measly 11-17 last season and lost in the quarterfinals of the playoffs. While the losing record isn’t impressive, it didn’t necessarily show how high Edgewood’s level of play truly was.

Nine of Edgewood’s 17

losses from a year ago came from six points or less. Free knew if his team could get over that hump, he’d have a special group on his hands. The Wildcats did exactly that and won close games against Abbeville Christian, Macon-East and Evangel early in the season. That led to gaining confidence, and his team carried that confidence all season.

Edgewood went 23-4 and claimed the AISA Class AA boys state title. Free is the 2023 Elmore County Boys Basket-

ball Coach of the Year.

“We struggled winning close games last year, but I really felt like we could be successful if he could get over the hump,” Free said. “When we beat Abbeville by one point at their place, I knew we could be special. After that game, we kept finding ways to win even if it wasn’t pretty.” While the Abbeville win helped give the team confidence early, it was a two-game series with Macon-East that

2023 ALL-ELMORE COUNTY BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

DILLON BARNES, STANHOPE ELMORE SENIOR Barnes had already proven himself to be one of the top basketball players and scorers in the county, and he reassured that during a stellar senior season in 2023. The Mustangs’ star player got it done all over the floor, averaging 16.3 points, 4.2 assists and 2.1 steals per game.

AUSTIN CHAMPION, EDGEWOOD ACADEMY SENIOR After being the Edgewood Academy catalyst for the past few years,

Edgewood’s senior point guard finished his career on top of the AISA. Champion capped off his stellar career with a state championship win while averaging 15.2 points, 4 rebounds and 3.7 steals per game this season.

G: D’MARCUS PEAKE, WETUMPKA SENIOR When coach Steven Thomas took over the Wetumpka program, he was instantly impressed with Peake’s ability to play basketball. Peake showed why that was during his standout senior season and was one of the most versatile players in the county. He averaged 16 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals this year.

NATE ROGERS, WETUMPKA JUNIOR

For the second-consecutive season, Rogers proved he can score at will on opposing teams while helping lead the Indians to a 15-win season. Whether he was driving to the basket or shooting 3-pointers, the 2023 Elmore County Player of the Year averaged 18 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals per game.

F: KAYDEN SLAY, TALLASSEE SENIOR Slay, who consistently went viral on social media for his high-flying dunks and impressive ability to grab rebounds at will, was another player who jumped onto the scene

See TEAM, Page B2

Rogers uses strength, balance to dominate as a guard

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

When Wetumpka junior Nate Rogers wasn’t named the county’s top basketball player in 2022, he took it upon himself to make sure that mistake wasn’t made again. Rogers had a stellar sophomore season, but he knew he needed to be a better all-around player. So he worked hard on his fundamentals. On offense, he wanted to improve his shooting percentages while working on his defense and becoming a better teammate and passer. He did exactly that as had one of the best overall seasons in the county and averaged 18 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals per game. While doing so, he helped lead Wetumpka to 15 wins under firstyear coach Steven Thomas. For his play, Rogers has been named the 2023 Elmore County Boys Basketball Player of the Year.

“I worked really hard this offseason to achieve my goal of being Player of the Year,” Rogers said. “I made sure I put in the time and effort to get to where I am this year. I really worked on my fundamentals and my shooting. I wanted to improve all of my percentages across the board. I became a better defender and worked on being a better teammate.” Rogers has always been able to knock down a

and 2

ELMORE COUNTY COACH OF THE YEAR

CLIFF WILLIAMS THE TRIBUNE

Edgewood Academy coach Darryl Free coaches his team in the state championship game against Autauga Academy. The Wildcats went 23-4 and won the AISA Class AA state title.

CLIFF WILLIAMS THE TRIBUNE Wetumpka’s

ELMORE COUNTY PLAYER OF THE YEAR

DILLON BARNES

D’MARCUS PEAKE NATE ROGERS

KAYDEN SLAY

AUSTIN CHAMPION

CLIFF WILLIAMS THE TRIBUNE

TEAM Continued from B1

during his senior season. The Tallassee star averaged a double-double this year with 12 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. He also added 59 assists and 53 blocks.

SECOND TEAM

G: Garrett Allen, Elmore County senior

G: Jarquez Brown, Holtville freshman

G/F: Sami Kochi, Stanhope Elmore senior

G: Payton Stephenson, Elmore County senior

G: Tim Washington, Tallassee senior

HONORABLE MENTION

Edgewood Academy: Cooper Hall, G, Sr., Brody Whitt, G, Jr.; Elmore County: Logan Pack, G, Sr., Carson Willis, F, Sr.; Holtville: Sadrick Myrtil, G, Sr., Caleb Blackmon, F, Jr.; Stanhope Elmore: Tyrone Williams, G, Jr., Collin Ross, F, Jr., Corian Gilder, G, Jr.; Tallassee: Rowan Thornton, F, So., Jamarrion McCoy, G/F, Jr., Jaiden Gordon, G, 7th; Wetumpka: Malik Owens, F, Jr.

ROGERS

Continued from B1

3-pointer at any given moment, but his shiftiness and strength he gained during football season and the offseason has allowed him to find success in the paint.

Rogers isn’t usually the biggest player on the court in any given game. Standing at 6-foot, he runs the point for Wetumpka but has as much success as any given player in the paint.

When he goes up against someone bigger and taller than him, he uses his strength and balance he gained from the weight room to withstand contact and still score effectively.

He also grabs rebounds at an impressive rate for a guard, and that’s due to his ability to block out and withstand contact from bigger bodies than his.

“He’s a strong kid,” Thomas said. “You can look at him and see he’s dedicated to the weightroom. You can thank the football team for that. He has a good center of gravity and is balanced well. You won’t knock him off when he’s driving and you won’t disrupt him because he’s stronger than most kids out there. He’s able to explode off the jump quickly past opponents and is able to get to the rim with his pure strength.”

While he has all the tools and skills to be an effective basketball player, one of the things that helped him the most this year was the emergence of another guard.

Last season, Rogers was the leading guard and was a one-man show at guard sometimes.

This year, he had senior D’Marcus Peake to help play guard. Both players shined in their duo role and both were named to the All-County First Team because of it.

Together, the duo put up impressive numbers that can rival any duo across the state. They combined for 34 points per game, 11 rebounds, 8 assists, and 4 steals.

“D’Marcus kept me in the game a lot of times,” Rogers said. “He would make sure I was good before he was going to do anything, So I thank him for that. He was my backbone. He kept my head on. It’s always good to have someone who helps me. I can’t do everything by myself, so it helps having him there to take over at times.”

While the duo dominated the backcourt for the Indians, it was Rogers who really led things both on offense and defense.

Thomas said Rogers’ level of play would set the tone for Peake then it would trickle down to others such as forward Malik Owens and so on.

Wherever Rogers went, the rest of the team went with him.

“He really stepped up this year on the court,” Thomas said. “He set the tone defensively for us every game, and you would see that triple down the rest of the team. He would pick up the effort, then D’Marcus would, then the rest of the team would. He’s an all around great basketball player and that’s just a testament to his dedication to the sport.”

Elmore County Player of the Week

Holtville’s Boone shining in leadoff spot

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

Bailea Boone has been the perfect leadoff hitter for Holtville this season. Boone, a sophomore slap hitter for the Lady Bulldogs, proved last year she could get on base at an astonishing rate at the top of the Holtville lineup. That hasn’t changed in 2023. She’s helped lead Holtville to a 9-3-2 record through three weeks, and she’s gotten better each week. In eight games this week, Boone finished 16 of 26 at the plate while scoring eight runs and stealing two bases. She recorded multiple hits in six games and recorded three hits twice.

She scored a run in seven games and reached base via walk two more times. On the base paths, she added

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

two stolen bases. For that reason, she has been named the Elmore County Player of the Week. “Bailea has been paramount to our success throughout the early part of the season, especially this past week,” Holtville coach Reese

was the turning point of the season for Edgewood.

Edgewood and Macon-East played each other Dec. 10. Edgewood was winning that game by 15 points in the second half, but eventually saw Macon-East storm back to win, 43-41. Ten days later, the two teams met again and Edgewood took out its own frustrations. Macon-East was up by 15 points early. Much like the Knights did to them, Edgewood rallied back and forced overtime. The Wildcats eventually won, 56-54.

Following that game, Edgewood went on to win 17 of its last 18 games and stormed past most of its opponents.

“That was such a huge game,” Free said. “We knew we could compete with teams in our classification, but that game showed us we could compete with any team in AISA. I really think that was a catapult game for us moving forward into the season.”

Edgewood kept its win streak into the playoffs, but it only got tougher for the Wildcats there. After a blowout win in the quarterfinals, Edgewood was scheduled to face a tough Patrician Academy team in the semifinals.

That ended up being what Free said was his team’s best game of the season, and Edgewood won by 14 points and punched its championship ticket. The biggest issue, however, is star point guard Austin

Claybrook said. “Anytime you have a lead off that is batting over .600, your offense is bound to flourish. Her versatility and selflessness at the plate make it extremely difficult for the defense to come out on top when she’s up to bat.”

During her week-long hitting spree, Holtville finished 5-2-1 and had a successful outing in the Trojan Classic at Troy. While she slapped the ball around the field and scored runs every game, she also came through in big moments with runners on base. She drove in five RBIs this week, including two against Maplesville and two against Eufalua. Her success at the plate has been steady this season. Over the first six games, she was batting .600 and was 9 of 15 at the plate.

After her stellar week this week, she’s now hitting a county-high .609.

Champion went down with a fractured foot and the championship was the next day.

So with no practice days and no time to heal his injury, Free and company had to completely change the game plan.

Champion still played, but the team couldn’t press on defense because of his mobility. Champion was also the main player who would take the ball up the court on offense, which he couldn’t do either.

So Free put the ball in the hands of eighth grader Thomas Justiss and senior Cooper Hall, running the offense through them against Autauga. He knew his players had the talent to do it, but he had never asked them to because he had Champion. So in the biggest game of the year, he put his faith in his kids. It paid off.

In a 43-40 championship win over rival Autauga, Justiss and Hall combined for 26 points. The non-pressing zone defense didn’t work like Free wanted to, so he made his team begin pressing in the second half. Champion fought through his injury to do so, and the team held Autauga to only four third-quarter points in the process.

“Winning that last game is just a testament to our guys,” Free said.

“We had some good, smart basketball players on this team. We were outmatched athletically a lot of times, but everything came together at the end. That win meant everything to me. This group of boys winning a state championship will always be a highlight of my career, no matter what happens going forward. I will cherish that forever.”

Edgewood Academy coach Darryl Free hugs a player after

DALTON MIDDLETON THE TRIBUNE

Through 14 games this season, Holtville sophomore Bailea Boone has a county-high .609 batting average with 25 hits in 41 at-bats.

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Tallassee stuns Opelika with 9 late runs

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

Despite being down by more than a handful of runs, Tallassee had no intention of going down without a fight. In fact, it had no intention of going down at all.

Trailing by seven runs in the fifth inning, the Tigers stunned Opelika in the Wetumpka Softball Tournament by scoring nine runs in the final three innings. Tallassee ultimately won, 9-8.

After being held in check for the majority of the game, eighth grader Cheyann Easterling got the Tallassee offense started with a one-out single in the bottom of the fifth. After a fielder’s choice left two on base, Brooke Royster drove both in with a double.

Two errors, a single and a sacrifice fly later and Tallassee had five runs on the board — all scored with two outs.

Royster drove in the next run by hitting into an error in the bottom of the sixth. Jenna Manning followed that with an RBI double and Alli Smith added an RBI single.

Tied 8-8, Regan Easterwood capped off the day with a walkoff double to score Easterling.

That wasn’t the only success Tallassee saw over the weekend. The Tigers went 3-1 at the tournament, eventually falling to Prattville in the second round.

In a 4-1 win over Russellville, Madeline Weldon pitched four innings and allowed only one hit while Smith and Marlee Stewart each drove in runs.

Smith, Stewart and Manning all drove in more runs in a high-scoring affair against Stanhope Elmore, while Haley Baker and Kam Tate each added two RBIs.

ERRORS PLAGUE ELMORE COUNTY

The Elmore County softball team saw itself take a quick exit from the Wetumpka Tournament after a plethora of errors gifted Prattville run after run.

Elmore County lost to Prattville, 9-1, in the first round of the single-elimination bracket. The Panthers committed eight errors, four in the infield and four in the outfield. All nine runs the Lions scored were unearned.

ECHS added three more errors in its other two games on the weekend and finished 1-2.

There were positives to the weekend, however, as Hailey O’Brien struck out 14 batters across 10 innings of work. She earned the team’s only win of the weekend in a 2-1 defeat of Calera. She pitched a complete game and allowed only two hits. On the offensive side of things, Elmore County scattered 15 hits across the diamond.

Anna Catherine Segrest and Katie Capell each had three hits over the weekend.

LEFT: Tallassee’s Regan Easterwood hits a walk-off double against Opelika on Saturday.Tallassee

RIGHT: Tallassee’s Madeline Weldon pitches against Opelika on Saturday.

BELOW: Elmore County’s Ashtyn Pannell hits against Prattville on Saturday.

Tallassee girls win first game in program history

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

The Tallassee girls soccer team earned its first win in program history on Tuesday night.

Tallassee is fielding a girls team for the first time in 2023 . After suffering losses in their first few games, the Tigers beat area opponent Valley, 2-1, in double overtime Tuesday. Tania Alvarez scored both goals, including the game-winning penalty kick with 90 seconds left in double overtime.

“It’s super exciting to see this happen for the girls,” Tallassee coach Matt Tarpley said. “It was evident through their reaction last night when that last goal went in. They celebrated like they just won the national championship. It was awesome to see. Seeing their expressions and how excited they were is the reason why I coach. It means the world to me to see that.”

Alvarez is one of the only Tigers who has any experience playing soccer.

Tarpley said before the season he was having to basically start from scratch with the squad, but now he’s seeing his girls grow faster than he initially expected.

The team has certainly had its struggles, as it was mercy-ruled by a very good Class 7A Auburn team just two games before the first win. But the Tigers kept fighting and improving, and Monday night’s match against Holtville saw some real improvement.

The Tigers lost to rival Holtville, 3-0,

Monday night. They trailed only 1-0 at halftime and continued fighting despite the loss.

Tuesday night, Tarpley said he saw the look in the eyes of his players and knew they were ready to play.

“To be honest, this win probably came a little earlier in the season than we expected,” Tarpley said. “I think we may be a little ahead of schedule. We knew it was going to be a growing process this year. But these girls are tough. They’ve kept fighting all season and went out there on Tuesday and battled.”

The game was back-and-forth, and it didn’t come easy by any means. Alvarez scored her first goal of the game and it remained tied, 1-1, all the way into double overtime.

With about two minutes left, Tarpley began trying to figure out which five girls would take penalty kicks in the inevitable shootout.

Shortly after, however, Alvarez was fouled in the box and set up for a penalty kick to give the girls the lead. She kicked her shot to the right of the Valley goalkeeper. As the ball landed in the back of the net, the Tallassee girls team, boys team and fans all erupted with cheer.

“They had to earn it and had to work for it,” Tarpley said. “It didn’t get done until double overtime, so it was certainly a hard fought contest. Valley is a good team, but our girls just worked relentlessly for 90 full minutes to get the win.”

The Tallassee girls soccer team beat Valley, 2-1, for the first win in program history on Tuesday night. This is the first year the Tigers have fielded a team.

DALTON MIDDLETON THE TRIBUNE

Cleanup day coming to Red Hill

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

To honor the memory of Reuben and Jackie Thornton, the Red Hill Historical Preservation Association is continuing the tradition of an annual cleanup in the area March 25.

Red Hill Historical Preservation Association president Paula Castleberry said the organization is wanting to continue the tradition of the cleanup organized by the Thorntons.

“Reuben and his wife Jackie sponsored this,” Castleberry said. “They cooked breakfast and served it outside. It was always a pretty day. The Thorntons did it at Dirt Road Gourmet up on Highway 229 for several years. They were a sweet couple. Because they had done this for so many years we decided to do this in his memory.”

This year will be a little different than the Thorntons cleanup. Volunteers will be served breakfast at 7 a.m. at the Red Hill Community Center and lunch at noon at the Lake Martin Mini Mall.

But many things will remain the same; dumpster locations will be at the community center and Lake Martin Mini Mall.

“The Lake Martin Resource Association would have a big dumpster in the yard,” Castleberry said. “Everyone would bring the trash back to put it in. They also furnished safety vests, those orange vests, garbage bags, pickers. They organized and assigned roads for volunteers to go pick up.”

Castleberry said the cleanups are regretfully necessary.

“It is unbelievable what some people throw out on the side of the road,” Castleberry said. “People throw baby diapers, cans and all kinds of stuff. People dump tires too. Some people just don’t seem to care. They don’t seem to care about keeping the roadways clear.”

Castleberry said her age has changed what she can do during the cleanups.

“It’s been several years since I was able to get out and walk the road,” Castleberry said. “I won’t do that anymore but I will be cooking and serving breakfast. There will be plenty of coffee and juice.”

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

Thing 1 and Thing 2, The Lorax, Cat in the Hat and more made appearances at Eclectic Elementary School last week.

Students and staff celebrated Dr. Seuss and other authors as students dressed as their favorite book characters and listened to some of their favorite books read by local celebrities. The program is designed to encourage students to read and learn how reading can help take them anywhere in life they want to go.

“Making a splash” Chamber collected over $20,000 from polar plunge

By WILLIAM MARLOW Multimedia Reporter

The Polar Plunge is a time-honored Lake Martin tradition, but the fun annual event is making a splash in more ways than one.

Hundreds gathered January 14 at Kowaliga Restaurant to plunge into the new year during the 2023 Lake Martin Young Professionals Polar Plunge. However, according to Liz Holland, with the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce, participants who either took the plunge or watched from the shoreline actually benefited the lake.

According to Holland, the Lake Martin Young Professionals is a program through the chamber, and since 2016, it has raised money from the event, largely from ticket sales, to support Lake Martin Resource Association.

“Strictly all profits and proceeds go directly to LMRA,” Holland said.

“It’ll go to benefiting

basically what I like to say is lighting up the lake, and making sure that they have lift buoys for safety,” she said.

In fact, over the past seven years, she said the young professionals have collected more than $20,000 for LMRA.

2023 was no exception, either, and Holland said the event raised $4,824 this January. Overall, Holland described the event as one of the chamber’s most unique traditions.

“The cool thing about polar plunge is it’s a little bit different than our other events in that it brings a different crowd, and more than just our local community but our community around the lake as well,” she said.

“Everyone there is always super kind, and we have a really good crowd every year.”

The chamber will host a check presentation March 24, during which the 2023 funds will be donated to LMRA board members.

CLIFF WILLIAMS THE OBSERVER

This year’s Polar Plunge, hosted by the Lake Martin Young Professionals and the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce, raised nearly $5,000 this year for Lake Martin Resource Association.