Tallassee schools working to improve state report
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
Many parents can remember studying for tests. Some can remember the cramming as the test quickly approached. The same can be said for the staff of Tallassee City Schools as they ready students for the next round of assessments beginning this week.
In December the system received a 78 or a C on the system’s report card. The state average was an 83 or a B. Superintendent Dr. Brock Nolin said the score is not an indication of the quality of education students get in Tallassee.
“The majority of the test is a picture of what happens on one day with a single day,” Nolin said. “It is 40 to 50% of the score depending on the grade level. The remainder of things are things like graduation rate, chronic absenteeism. I’m expecting our scores to be significantly higher this time around.” The issue is the
DAVIS
AND
OTHERS
WIN
EASILY
IN ELMORE COUNTY
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
Brad Davis was a little surprised while waiting for numbers to come in on Super Tuesday. Davis was running for the District 2 seat on the Elmore County Commission against Jennifer Bennett and Brent Langley. But Davis had an advantage. He campaigned for the same office in 2020 against incumbent Mack Daughtery and lost.
“We knew he had a strong following,” Davis said. “We also knew at some point you have to get in the race. We did that with the understanding it was going to be tough. We had a really good campaign four years ago. That is what solidified us coming back and running four years later.” Davis is a Tallassee native and came back after serving in the Marine Corps. What he didn’t already know about the area, the 2020 campaign filled in the knowledge gaps about
the district.
“We live in a phenomenal county,” Davis said. “It’s been a really good county for a long time. We are a blue-collar community, a blue-collar county. We have conservative roots. We want to be left alone by big government.”
Davis doesn’t see any major flaws with how the county commission is operating. But also wants to reserve
See WIN, Page A5
CLIFF WILLIAMS TPI Campaign signs for Brad Davis were placed outside the polling location at Rushenville Baptist Church near Eclectic last week. Davis won the race for District 2 seat of the Elmore County Commission without a runoff.
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
Elmore Coun-
Blake Hicks, 33, stood before federal magistrate Judge Jerusha Adams in Montgomery Tuesday and admitted he kicked and punched Tristen Quinn while he was handcuffed and on the ground in
School CHOOSE to help private schools
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
Money will now follow some students as they leave public education and enroll in private schools.
Staff and administration are working on improving the Tallassee City Schools state report card. Students have been prepping for ACT at Tallassee High School and working to receive incentives for improving their scores.
We’re All Ears!
Do you have a great story idea, a grievance, photo submission or something else?
Give us a call, we are here to listen. 256-234-4281
Elmore County man denied parole
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
A man convicted of sex crimes in Elmore County in 1999 will remain behind bars.
Herbert James Reeves, 57, has served 24 years and eight months of a 3-year
Obituaries
HERBERT “MACK” JOLLY
prison sentence following a conviction for first-degree sexual abuse, first-degree sodomy and first-degree rape. According to court records, Reeves was originally arrested in 1998 and convicted the following year.
According to Feb. 29
Herbert “Mack” Jolly, 73, of Birmingham, Alabama passed away on March 6, 2024. He was preceded in death by his parents, Wilson and Louise Jolly. He is survived by his brother, Wilson Jolly, and sister, Suzanne Dickerson; his furbaby Maggie; and
WALTER “BUTCH” HOGUE
Walter “Butch” Hogue, 80, of Tallassee, died Tuesday, March 5, 2024, at his home. Funeral services will be Saturday, March 9, 2024, at 11:00 A.M. at Bradford’s Chapel Methodist Church with Jed Carter officiating. Visitation will be prior to the service beginning at 10:00 A.M.
He was preceded in death by his parents James and Juanita Hogue of Lewisville, Ohio, and his sister Mary Alice Arnold of Marietta, Ohio.
Mr. Hogue is survived by his wife of 58 years Marjorie Hansen Hogue; his children Johanna “Joey” Hogue Courson (David) of Smiths Station, AL, and Christina “Christy” Nelson
parole hearing minutes from the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Parole, two of Reeves’ family members spoke in favor of early release. A victim advocacy group spoke against Reeves’ release. Ultimately the board voted for Reeves to remain in state prison.
His next chance for a parole hearing is in 2029.
numerous friends. Mack was a retired dentist from Jefferson County Department of Health. He sang in the Cathedral Church of the Advent Church Choir for many years. Mack was a true southern gentleman. He had a kind word for everyone, unless you were misbehaving and he had to give you a
(Phillip) of Tallassee, AL; his grandchildren Caroline Walker (Trey) of Smiths Station, Catherine Courson of Smiths Station, Caleb Courson of Smiths Station, Faith Nelson of Tallassee, and Mason Nelson of Tallassee; his sister Marjory Fouss (Doug) of Sun City Center, FL; and several loved nieces and nephews. He was a member of Bradford’s Chapel Methodist Church.
After struggling with alcohol addiction for many years, Walter entered rehabilitation where he worked hard to achieve sobriety. He acknowledged that addiction was a daily struggle, and attended Alcoholics Anonymous for over 31 years. He faithfully served as a sponsor for oth-
Police Reports
TALLASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT
MARCH 10
• Trespassing was reported on Hillcrest Street.
• A white female was arrested on U.S. Highway 231.
• A domestic dispute was reported on Friendship Road.
• A domestic dispute was reported on Zion Street.
• Harassment was reported on Seventh Street.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Gilmer Avenue.
MARCH 9
• Theft was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• A white male was arrested during a theft call on Gilmer Avenue.
• A child custody dispute was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• A civil disturbance was reported on Wall Street.
• Theft was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Theft was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Gunfire was reported on Seventh Street.
• Trespassing was
reported on Hillcrest Street.
• A suspicious vehicle was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Debris was reported in the roadway on Friendship Avenue.
• Shooting into an unoccupied vehicle was reported on Cherokee Trail.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Whiteoak Lane.
MARCH 8
• A Black female was arrested on Freeman Avenue.
• Theft was reported on Noble Road.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Notasulga Road.
• A Black male was arrested on Freeman Avenue.
• Theft was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• A white female was arrested on Freeman Avenue during a disorderly conduct call.
• A motor vehicle accident with no injuries was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Reckless driving was reported on Highway 229.
• A child custody dispute was reported on
Power Avenue.
Reeves is currently incarcerated at Easterling Correctional Center.
REEVES
stern look. He was an avid supporter of many charities, the arts, and Pinot Grigio. Mack was an avid Alabama fan, supporter, and alumni. A graveside service will be held on Wednesday, March 13, 2024 at 2pm at Rose Hill Cemetery in Tallassee, Alabama. Services will be officiated by Rev. Emily Freeman Penfield.
ers with similar struggles. He found new passion and purpose through serving his local AA chapter and supporting others in their journey of sobriety. If Walter could give anyone words of advice, he would tell others it is never too late to change. His pride and joy was his family. The family remembers his sense of humor and generosity. He enjoyed the outdoors and spent many hours fishing and camping with family. He had a strong work ethic and instilled that into others. In his retirement years, he enjoyed reading his Bible on a daily basis. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Bradford’s Chapel in Shorter, Alabama.
• Suspicious activity was reported on West Butler Street.
• An arrest was made on Barnett Boulevard. MARCH 7
• Suspicious activity was reported on Ashurst Bar Road.
• A juvenile complaint was reported on Evergreen Street.
• Gunfire was reported on Third Avenue.
• An arrest was made on Barnett Boulevard.
• An arrest was made during a theft call on Pemberton Road.
• Suspicious activity was reported on Thelma Drive.
• Assistance was given to another agency on East Patton Street.
• A white female was arrested on U.S. Highway 231.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on North Ann Avenue.
• A suspicious person was reported on South Tallassee Drive.
• An abandoned vehicle was reported on South Tallassee Drive.
• A domestic dispute was reported on South Tallassee Drive.
MARCH 6
• A noise complaint was reported on Third Avenue.
• A domestic incident was reported on Second Avenue.
• Debris was reported in the roadway on Central Boulevard.
• A private property motor vehicle accident was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Eubanks Street.
• A private property motor vehicle accident was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• A welfare check was conducted on Third Avenue.
• A welfare check was conducted on Rickey Lane.
MARCH 5
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Jordan Avenue.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Central Boulevard.
• Debris was reported in the roadway on Notasulga Road.
• A domestic dispute was reported on Greenwood Road.
See REPORTS, Page A3
Humane Society of Elmore County News Abandonment is a serious problem
By REA CORD HSEC Executive Director
Abandoned is a legal term defining a pet that has been left to fend for itself by its owner and is sadly something we deal with far too much at our shelter. Think about it – last year the ‘owners’ of 2,270 dogs and cats in Elmore County actively left them to ‘make it on their own’ (or die), or for someone else to find and deal with. Those 2270 are animals brought to us as strays or seized by animal control that no one ever came for.
There is a reason this is a criminal act though sadly virtually never prosecuted. Out of the 1,163 Adult Dogs (over six months old) we took in last year, 767 came to us as strays. Of these 767, 24% (185) were reclaimed by their owners happy to get their wayward pet back. Sadly when we
look at puppies (495 stray dogs under six months old), the reclaim rate dropped to less than 4% which indicates that there are people who take their unwanted litters of puppies and simply dump them to fend for themselves. How many more litters of puppies were abandoned only to die by starvation, dehydration, cars, wildlife…. simply heartbreaking to think about.
Where cats are concerned, the news is absolutely abysmal. Of the 383 ‘Adult Stray Cats’ brought to us in 2024 only 6 or 1.5% were reclaimed by their owner. And of the 833 “Stray Kittens” brought in, only ONE was reclaimed. That left 1,209 “Stray” cats & kittens for us to care for and try to find homes for, BESIDES the 753 cats & kittens turned into us by their owners. Now with cats, many of these are feral
(meaning no owner) and we understand that. Cats are also exceedingly challenging as they can be gone for weeks or months before returning home, so we get quite excited whenever we can get a cat back to its family!
And don’t forget that those strays are not the only pets we are dealing with as we took in over 1,486 dogs and cats surrendered by their owners! Pretty daunting numbers no matter how you look at this!
So while pets can and do run away or get lost, why is it that so very few are ever reclaimed by their owners?
Good question.
Yes, we take in pets that are starved, filthy, sick and may very well deserve a better home than the one they had. But we also receive a lot of pets in perfect health, well groomed, clean, new collars (hardly ever any
Scrappy is a sixteen-month-old male
Lab mix, 60 lbs, house and crate trained, great with children, dogs and cats. He was originally found as a stray, kept for a few months and then brought to us. He is active and playful but not super high energy and we were told he was more of a couch potato.
Our adoption fees are $100 for dogs & $50 for cats under one-year-old; 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
Continued from A2
to a citizen on Barnett Boulevard.
• Burglary was reported on Hunters Ridge.
• Trespassing was reported on Hillcrest Street.
• An animal complaint was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• A Black Female was arrested during a traffic stop on Highway 229.
• A private property motor vehicle accident was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• A white male was arrested on U.S. Highway 231.
• A Black female was arrested during a traffic stop on First Avenue. MARCH 4
• A suicidal subject was reported on Hillcrest Street.
• A fight was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• A white female was arrested during a welfare check on Rifle Range Road.
• A welfare check was conducted on Rifle Range Road.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Zion Street.
• A motor vehicle accident with injuries was reported on Oak Heights Road.
• Assistance was given to a citizen on Third Avenue.
• A Black male was arrested during a traffic stop on First Avenue.
• Theft was reported on
for dogs, rabies vaccination if old enough, free health exam with your participating veterinarian.
If you are interested in meeting Scrappy or any of our pets, our first step is our Adoption Application you can do here: https://elmorehumane.org/adoption-application-online-form2.html . Once approved, we will coordinate with you to set up an appointment to meet & adopt.
We are located at 255 Central Plank Road, Wetumpka, AL, 36092, our phone number is 334-567-3377 and our website is www.elmorehumane.org for more information
Riverknolle Road.
• A white male was arrested on Washington Street.
• A white female was arrested on Gilmer Avenue.
• An abandoned vehicle was reported on Highway 229.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Clover Street.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Gilmer Avenue.
• A noise complaint was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Suspicious activity was reported Lower Tuskegee Road.
Assistance was given to a motorist on Highway 229.
WETUMPKA POLICE
DEPARTMENT
MARCH 5
• Unlawful breaking and entering and theft was reported on Georgia Road.
MARCH 1
• Theft and forgery was reported on U.S. Highway 231.
• Domestic violence was reported on Highway 170.
FEB. 26
• Criminal mischief was reported on Cherry Street.
rabies/ID tag or microchip), and yet no owner comes for far too many of these pets. That is extremely frustrating to those of us in Shelters everywhere.
Our dogs and cats depend on us for their care and well-being which is why abandoning a dog or cat is not only morally wrong, but punishable as a Class A Misdemeanor as Cruelty to Animals under the Alabama Code Section 13A-11240(b). This code states: “the word “cruel” as used in this article shall mean: “Every act, omission, or
neglect, including abandonment, where unnecessary or unjustifiable pain or suffering, including abandonment, is caused or where unnecessary pain or suffering is allowed to continue.”
No matter how upset we may be at the people who dump these pets or never seem to look for their own pet, we highly commend all the people who take them in, pick them up off the side of road, take the sick and injured to veterinarians, try to find the owners and do all they can to help these scared and bewildered pets who
wanted so little in return for their loyalty.
If you have any questions about surrendering a pet or if you have found a stray or believe an animal to have been abandoned please call us at 334-567-3377 or email hselco@bellsouth.net for guidance. Our first wish for any lost pet is to find its way back home and we will always work diligently to help strayed pets go safely back home with their owner.
Rea Cord is the executive director of the Humane Society of Elmore County.
Pet of the Week - Scrappy
Our View Opinion
I survived the ‘news’ outage of 2024
It’s a morning ritual for me.
Drink coffee and scroll.
Some days I wonder why my right thumb doesn’t have a blister. I use Facebook to keep up with friends, but more importantly I use it for work. I attempt to see what everyone is talking about, what the news of the day might be. Some days there are posts I have to look into and others are just entertaining.
Support your local businesses
It’s time to step up and support small businesses. This weekend, Lake Martin Brewing in Alexander City put out a video on Facebook stating that the company has seen no momentum shift and has made zero profit in the seven months since it opened in 2023.
Owner Ed Durrett said in the video that they were struggling to even pay the bills. He asked the question “Why are we doing this?” and said the brewery is at “the lowest performing of all breweries probably in the entire United States.”
He then went on to say he was going to give the business 60 more days to see a major shift, and if it does not see a positive swing that he will be closing the doors for good.
It’s time to support small businesses.
We hear complaints all the time that there’s nothing to do in the towns we live in. But when something is built or opened like Lake Martin Brewing, people do not go out and support.
If you want things in your community, you have to go out and support them.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 20% of small businesses fail within the first year they’re open.
Even if the business is not for you, there should still be the support from the community. Everyone involved in the local shops that line Wetumpka and Alex City are normal people. These aren’t conglomerates that are taking over our cities. These are everyday folks who are just trying to make a living and bring a unique store, restaurant or brewery to town so there’s variety.
Nobody would be happy with just a McDonalds, Dollar General and a single gas station in town. So when we have somebody open a business near us, we need to support them. Us at Tallapoosa Publishers are going to try to do our best to help local businesses. We are going to eat lunch at the restaurants, we are going to have a drink or two at the local watering holes, and we’re going to go shopping at the mom and pop stores that line downtown. If you want things in your community, you have to go out and support them.
We’d like to share your thoughts and opinions with the community for free. You may submit one letter to the editor per month (300 words or less) and/or a guest column (500 words or less). Include name, address and phone number. We reserve the right to refuse any submissions. Mail: Your View, The Tallassee Tribune 211 Barnett Blvd., Tallassee, AL 36078 Email: editorelmore@thewetumpkaherald.com
Obituaries: 35 cents
Weddings,
Announcements:
be sent as a .jpeg attached to the email. Announcements will appear within 10 days in The Tribune, The Herald or The Observer. Follow. Like. Subscribe.
It’s where I sometimes find if there was an arrest overnight, or it could be Johnny pitching a perfect game. It’s quick most of the time, unless I keep going. Oh, just a little more.
It’s convenient because it fits in my hand while on the couch. It’s always reliable — well at least at working because we all know not everything on the internet is true. Like many, I panicked last Tuesday morning when I couldn’t log into Facebook. Multiple attempts to log in didn’t work.
Maybe it was Joe Biden or Donald Trump who didn’t want me to see the news of the day?
Maybe I had been hacked, I thought. Was it my password? I tried all my favorites. But still, The Zuck didn’t let me log in.
I didn’t have time to deal with it. I had work to do. I had to be in a federal courtroom for a story and get ready to report on an election. I made my calls. I talked to
CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
people.
I checked a time or two and was still locked out.
I kept working and finally realized something, I didn’t need Facebook or any other social media. I was getting better, more reliable information. How? By talking to real, live people. The last few years I have found myself on social media a lot. It is something I do more often than I care to admit. I track down so many things shared on social media that when I finally figure out what is going on, it is either down right wrong or so jaded.
When you see how wrong the information behind the post is, you wonder why it was shared to begin with.
I think I know why it gets shared. Often we only read the part of the post in social media and rarely the link shared with it. We see what friends share and soon we are sharing it as well.
Now Mr. Zuck sees a pattern and keeps feeding similar posts our direction. A little while later we are still down the rabbit hole and soon believing the posts.
After all, if it is shared by our friends and coming from five different sources it must be true. It’s on the internet.
I use all the posts and comments as a starting point for further investigation in my work. We should question everything we see on social media. Let’s ask ourselves who has vetted the information? Are there other motives behind the post?
A day after the outage that everyone marked themselves safe from, I realized we should cherish the moment. We actually talked to each other once again during the outage. We found the muscles in our necks to lift our heads to speak with one another. We had friendly discussions about many things, including politics.
Hopefully we also discovered everything on social media and the internet is not true.
Maybe we start to question some of the posts and comments we see online.
At the end of the day, I hope we realized we can have great conversations on topics we can disagree on without hiding behind the keyboard and wall of glass that is social media.
Cliff Williams is the news editor of Tallapoosa Publishers Inc.’s Elmore County newspapers. He can be reached at cliff.williams@ thewetumpkaherald.com.
Book ‘em, Danno
t comes in waves, literally.
IThe advent of streaming television services makes it easy to either binge watch a series or dedicate time to watching as many episodes as one can.
Over the past year, I have revisited a police procedural that, in so many ways, set the template still used today for crime dramas on TV – “Hawaii Five-O.”
While there was a successful reboot that ran recently on CBS, the version I’ve been watching is the original that ran for twelve seasons on CBS from 1968-1980.
Probably 99% of the episodes take place in Hawaii – and remember, when the series began, Hawaii had only been a state for nine years. The authenticity and beauty of the scenery is often cited as the reason for the show’s success. However, viewers also thrilled to the interesting plots, intelligent writing, groundbreaking stories, and the character actors who populated the cast.
“Hawaii Five-O” also may have had the greatest theme music of all time. The theme by Morton Stevens was so well-known, the composer’s car tag read “A-AC-E-D-A” – the first six notes of the theme song! The opening
sequence by Reza Badiyi was so successful and memorable, it was updated and used again for the reboot series in a nearly shot-forshot remake.
At the head of the cast was Steve McGarrett, played to perfection by noir-ish actor Jack Lord. McGarrett led Five-O, a police unit named for Hawaii being the 50th state, that worked in collaboration with local authorities. Five0 handled all kinds of felonies, murders, assassination attempts, foreign agents, organized crime, and more. Steve McGarrett *is* Hawaii Five-O. Without his chiseled looks, stone-cold demeanor, tailored suits, and perfect hair, this show just wouldn’t be the same! McGarrett’s second-in-command was Danny Williams, called “Danno” by Steve. Other Five-O officers included Kam Fong as Chin Ho; Zulu as Kono; and Herman Wedemeyer as Duke.
Another appeal of this series are catching the guest stars, who were sometimes cast against type (usually as the bad guy) from their more well-known roles. Some notables included Patty Duke; Ed Asner; Leslie Nielsen; Ricardo Montalban; Helen Hayes; Gavin MacLeod; Hume Cronyn; Robert
and
Wo Fat was McGarrett’s nemesis all twelve seasons. Over twelve seasons, obviously there will be peaks and valleys just like on Diamond Head. To be honest, with Jack Lord nearly in his fifties as the series began, it was somewhat believable to see him as a seasoned cop jumping off ledges and tussling with bad guys. By the time we get to the 12th season, Lord was a little long in the tooth to be engaging in fight sequences with the perpetrators each week. But that is a minor point. The dazzling part of this show that has been so attractive over the past year is the stellar storytelling. I have found myself enthralled with many of the episodes that kept me guessing how McGarrett would figure it all out before the end of the show! Somehow, he always does.
McGarrett works at the behest
Vaughn;
many more. Finally, Khigh Dheigh played the evil Wo Fat, who was a Red Chinese terrorist wanting to control the entire Pacific.
MICHAEL BIRD Columnist
Book characters come to Reeltown Elementary
By ABIGAIL MURPHY Multimedia Reporter
This past week, many local schools celebrated Read Across America Week and Reeltown Elementary was no exception.
Students got to end the week with the Book Character Parade, which had Spiderman, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Fancy Nancy, Tom Sawyer and many more. With a panel of judges, the parade selected 10 winners for their costumes. The top themed winners included Kendall Worley as “The Bad Case of Stripes,” Paysyn Ray as “Chicka Chicka Boom,” Jacob Williams as “The Lorax,” Addie Chamness as “The Smart Cookie,” Cayson Bunn as Spongebob and Ava Stanfield as the
ABIGAIL MURPHY | TPI
White Witch. The winner for Match the Character was Ellis Johnson’s Sherlock Holmes. The Best Use of Props was Wheaton Gunn as Dogman. The Best Execution was Melody Trejo’s Little Mermaid, and the overall winner was awarded to Lawson Hodge as “The Wizard of Oz.” All the book characters did get a cer-
tificate of participation after the parade. Earlier in the week, students wore their pj’s on Monday for “Llama Llama Red Pajamas.” Tuesday students wore their grade level color for Reading Rainbow day. Then, Wednesday was “Wacky Wednesday.” Students wore their favorite hat for “Cat in the Hat” day on Thursday.
The commission recognized Wetumpka High School wrestlers Willie Cox, Christian Preston and Noah Smith and Elmore County High School wrestlers Myles Eyerly and Tyler Payton for winning AHSAA state championships.
Commission approves projects for Eclectic, Holtville and Tallassee
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
More quality of life projects are coming to Elmore County.
At its Monday meeting the Elmore County Commission committed $20 million and in kind services to projects in Eclectic, Holtville and Tallassee. The funds will install artificial turf on the football fields at Elmore County High School, Holtville High School and at Tallassee’s J.E. “Hot” O’Brien Stadium. It also includes artificial turf installations at the baseball and softball fields at Elmore County and Holtville high schools. Tallassee will see the construction of a new recreation center if the city can find a way to move the public works department.
“I think this is an excellent opportunity to work with our partners,” commissioner Mack Daughtery said. “We have a great education system, law enforcement and quality of life.”
Local author on Amazon Best Seller List
By CARMEN RODGERS
For Tallapoosa Publishers
A local author is on Amazon’s Best Seller List.
It was 8-years ago when Randy Sewell and his nephew were riding through a small town, and they saw an old house that looked like something straight out of a horror story. That is when the two began to imagine twisted plotlines that could be set inside a house like the one they had passed. Sewell and his nephew started sharing the scary tales for fun and as a way to pass the time, but little did he know that it would set him on a path that would take him to Amazon’s Best Seller List.
“I wasn’t even thinking about writing a book, but it hit me like a brick wall, and I had to write it,” Sewell said. “This story. It just hit me, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I kept adding more to it. I couldn’t
stop until I completed it.
Now, I am six books in.”
Sewell authored his first book, “Down the Dirt Road,” in 2017 and has continued working on the series for the last seven years.
Sewell, who uses the pen name Livell James, escapes through his writings.
“It takes me away from the real world,” he said. “When I start writing, I lose myself in the story. I picture in my mind what I am writing as I write it. I don’t plot. I write as I go, and the story comes to me as I am writing it. I make up worlds. In my vampire series, I created the whole world. It’s set in Louisiana and there is an entire city below the city of Shreveport.”
According to Sewell, he is always brimming with ideas for his book’s storylines, and he often finds inspiration from the creativity of others.
“I’ve always had a flair
a final judgment on that until he gets more first hand information.
“We want to get in there and understand what is working efficiently and working the way it should,” Davis said. “We will figure those things out.”
The mission is simple though: protect what is here, such as the recreational opportunities surrounding the river and lakes, and maintaining and expanding employment opportunities.
“We want to create a com-
report card is delivered to schools in December. The next round of testing starts this week leaving educators limited time to prepare students. But school staff are trying to help students be ready despite the short window.
“We have some retired teachers who have come in for bootcamps at the high school with 11th graders covering math, science and English,” Nolin said. “Those are currently going on.”
for creativity, and it doesn’t take much to set it off,” he said. “I can spot something, and it would ignite my imagination. Observing other people’s creativity also fuels my own. I enjoy being around other creative individuals as it motivates me to be imaginative.”
This love for fellow creators led Sewell and his wife, Michelle, along with their friend and co-host Tammie Smith to organize the Capital City Author Event in 2019. It is a conference for authors of nearly every genre, held at the Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center in Montgomery each year.
Sewell has always been a storyteller, through various media, and it was looking through a viewfinder that led him to focus on writing and hosting the Capital City Author Event.
“I started as a photographer in the book world in
munity where our families want to return when they get to choose a place to live,” Davis said. The method to success is simple — communication, being active and being present. Davis is already highly active. He is a church deacon, president of the Tallassee Community Development Corporation and involved in schools with his three children and wife. In Tallassee, Davis has already been meeting with stakeholders for years, but wants to learn more about Eclectic, Kent and the rest of District 2. “We will start having meetings with groups and munici-
Staff are also trying to help students concentrate on the testing. When the juniors are taking their assessment, the rest of Tallassee High School will not be on campus and learn virtually that day.
“We want the 11th graders to be distraction free as much as possible,” Nolin said. “All staff will be available in the assessment of that test to encourage and monitor it.”
Incentives are being offered to students to perform better on the ACT assessment at Tallassee High School. Students who improve their test
The commission is partnering with the Elmore County Board of Education, the Town of Eclectic and the City of Tallassee on the projects.
The commission also approved agreements with Dalhoff Thomas and Seay, Seay Litchfield to design the projects. They are the same firms involved in the design of 17 Springs in Millbrook. Some of the projects could start this fall according to Elmore County chief operating officer Richie Beyer.
The commission recognized Wetumpka High School wrestlers Willie Cox, Christian Preston and Noah Smith and Elmore County High School wrestlers Myles Eyerly and Tyler Payton for winning AHSAA state championships.
The commission also recognized 25 Elmore County residents who completed CERT training just before the meeting.
The commission held a public hearing for comments for a consolidated waste man-
CARMEN RODGERS | TPI
Randy Sewell, who uses the pen name Livell James, at the Prattville Library for a book signing.
2014,” Sewell said.
Not long after, he began designing book covers.
“We went to events all over the United States, book conferences,” Sewell said. It was during these travels that the Sewell’s were inspired to host a similar conference in Alabama.
It didn’t take long and the Sewell’s were collaborating with other authors to host a local book conference.
“One thing led to another, and it just grew,” Sewell said.
palities,” Davis said. “Hopefully at least once a quarter go to places like Eclectic and meet with the various groups to see what they think the county is doing well. What are things we, I specifically, can do better?”
Davis believes communication is key moving forward for the best interests of everyone.
“We want to have an active presence where everyone feels comfortable giving you a call,” Davis said. “If people feel communication is not two-way, they will stop calling. They will stop speaking with you. We don’t want that. We want to have an open line of communication.”
Elmore County residents will
scores by three points will get free parking at the school for the next year.
Students and Tallassee Elementary and Southside Middle schools will take the ACAP in April. They haven’t been left out in preparation during the short window either. Students have already taken practice tests online. It is important especially for second graders who will be taking the assessment for the first time.
“It is getting them used to how the test is conducted so there is not as much anxiety on test day,” Nolin said. “They
There are over 80 authors lined up for this year’s event.
While Sewell specializes in writing paranormal shifter and vampire romance books, he is constantly seeking creative outlets.
“My mind is a creative place,” Sewell said. “I always have so much going on. I always have to have something to do. I have to find some way to express my creativity, and this lets me do that beyond anything that I have been able to do.” Sewell, who lives in the
agement program with Autauga County. There were no verbal comments. Any comments from both counties, written or spoken, will be compiled and presented to the commissions of the two counties during consideration of the consolidated program.
IN OTHER ACTION THE ELMORE COUNTY COMMISSION:
• Approved minutes of the Feb. 26 meeting.
• Approved a memorandum of warrants in the amount of $2,001,299.66 for Feb. 17 to March 1.
• Authorized an agreement with ALDOT for widening and resurfacing of Jackson Road, Old Ware Road and Peace Church Roade from Rifle Range Road to Redland Road.
• Approved the surplusing of sheriff’s department vehicles sale through GovDeals.com.
The next scheduled meeting of the Elmore County Commission is scheduled for 5 p.m. March 25.
Wetumpka/Millbrook area, is a Tallassee native.
“I was born in the old hospital, across the river,” he said with a chuckle.
For many years, Sewell and his family lived in the Red Hill area of Eclectic. When he isn’t writing or planning for the next Capital City Author Event, Sewell keeps his creative juices flowing through photography, and with his latest project, Hippie Dude Creations.
“I make tumblers and swag for other authors, keychains, bookmarks, t-shirts for kids, and more,” Sewell said.
Since being added to Amazon’s Best Seller List, Sewell said he is grateful for the dedicated readers of his publications.
“I am very thankful for all the support,” he said. “When I first wrote a book, I wasn’t expecting anyone to read it. Just one person wanting to read it made me feel good and inspired me to write more, and I appreciate it.”
Across the district including Elmore, Autagua and Chilton counties, Calhoun received 14,002 votes or 52.09%, Tomlinson 6,965 or 25.91% and Clark 5,914 22%.
Calhoon will take the bench on Jan. 1, 2025.
Elmore County voters selected Jason Britt to replace retiring probate judge John Thornton. Britt received 8,271 votes to Vicki Bonner Ward’s 4,259.
also see new representation in Congress. After redistricting in Alabama, Elmore County will be a part of the United States Representative 6th Congressional District Jan. 1. Gary Palmer is the incumbent and last week Elmore County voters got a chance to vote for him for the first time. County voters favored Palmer with 81.38% of the vote compared to Gerrick Wilkins 11.56% and Ken McFeeters 7.06%. It is similar to the rest of the district where Palmer led the group with 83.25% of the vote. There is a new family court judge coming to the 19th Judicial Circuit. The position will start in January 2025. In Elmore County, Dee Dee Calhoun received 4,959 votes (41.79%), Jacquelyn Tomlinson 4,161 votes (35.06). Nicole Clark received 2,747 votes (23.15%).
need to understand the drag and drop options. The older students need to know where the calculator is on the test if it is allowed. There are a lot of mechanics involved in the tests the students need to understand. It is not just the content.”
While many plans are in place to improve testing scores, the results come six months later when the scores are released. Until then, educators really don’t know if what they are doing is working for improving assessment scores.
“You are trying to put
the parts and strategies in place for the next assessment,” Nolin said. “You do what you can in the short window and see how that bears out to figure out what works and doesn’t. You adjust and keep working on it.”
The efforts are not solely Nolin’s. He is assisted by everyone in the school district to help students improve.
“The help has always been there,” Nolin said. “They really stepped it up for the quick turnaround between the report and the next round of testing.”
One of the areas the
system was docked for in last year’s report card was chronic absenteeism. It is when a student misses 18 or more days of school. Tallassee City Schools had already been working on the issue using notices to parents and some incentives. Nolin said what the schools have been doing has been working.
“This school year to date we have cut chronic absenteeism in half district wide,” Nolin said. “I really appreciate our parents working with us and getting the kids to school. If the students are not at school they can’t learn.”
Reeltown Elementary hosts its Book Character Parade for Read Across America Week on March 8.
Local cattlemen’s association hosts AI class
By ABIGAIL MURPHY Multimedia Reporter
Developing one’s herd is an important aspect for cattlemen and artificial insemination is just one way to go about it.
Last Friday members of the Tallapoosa County Cattlemen’s Association came together for an Introduction to Artificial Insemination (AI) class.
Organizer Justin Whitehead said AI is simply another tool cattlemen can use to breed their cattle more efficiently and, in a way, that’s cost-conscious.
The association invited
Select Sires to instruct on AI, and the clinic was held at Reeltown’s Four Daughters Veterinary Services.
Select Sires led a classroom portion that morning and then after lunch, the members had hands-on training.
When it comes to the benefits of AI, Whitehead explained you could purchase a bull to breed with your herd or you could purchase the semen of a bull and use AI to breed your own cow. With AI, since a cattleman is just purchasing semen, they can afford to breed their herd with a higher quality
bull than they could otherwise.
“It’s a way to improve your cattle fast and affordably,” he said. “But it is a little more labor intensive than putting a bull in a pasture.”
There is an art to it. The cattlemen need to have a good read on where their cattle is in its cycle and do the AI process in the right window of time.
The association works to organize educational opportunities for members and education clinics, such as these, occur once to twice a year. The board got together recently and felt an AI class would be an asset for many local cattlemen.
Whitehead and chapter president Steven Blackmon said it can be difficult organizing events in general, but the people in the cattle industry are always so willing to help one another, making this not only possible but a much smoother process.
“Agriculture is such
March 2022.
a small community,”
Blackmon said, speaking nationwide. “With that, which Justin was alluding to, we are such a tightknit community. We have friends all over this state and that’s part of being in the organization, creating those contacts.”
Whitehead added the association is especially thankful to all the sponsors of this event. The sponsors include Lake Martin Tractor and Outdoor, Pop’s 49 Feed, 4D Veterinary
Adams asked Hicks a series of questions to determine if he was competent to enter a guilty plea.
Hicks admitted to Adams he is being treated for mental illness.
“I have been since I got back from Afghanistan,” Hicks said.
Hicks said he was being treated at the VA and was currently taking medication for his mental illness.
Hicks said he was not being treated for anything else and had no addictions.
Hicks’ attorney Richard Keith asked him a series of questions about Hicks’ role in the arrest of Quinn. Hicks admitted to breaking Quinn’s cheek bone, giving him a concussion and lacerations as he
to enroll in a private school.
More than 12,000 Elmore County students are enrolled in public education in Tallassee City Schools and Elmore County Schools. About 235 students are enrolled at Edgewood Academy, a private school, whose headmaster Susan Barner believes the CHOOSE Act and its ESAs will increase enrollment at her school.
“We are looking forward to this opening the doors to Edgewood that might not otherwise be able to come,” Barner said. “We are very excited for the passage of this. We appreciate all the legislators that worked hard on it.”
Students would pay for the tuition through the ESA up to $7,000 per year. Anything above that would be covered by the students’ parents. It will also allow families who choose to home school to receive $2,000 per student per year capped at $4,000 per year.
What the plan will not allow is students to transfer among public schools.
“The students enrolled in public schools will still go to the school they are zoned for,” Elmore County Schools superintendent Richard Dennis said. “We
Services, Twin Creeks Veterinary Services, Western Don Walker’s Wear, Tallapoosa County Commissioner John McKelvey, Alfa Insurance Drake Martin and Stephanie Phillips, Roanoke Stockyards, Clay County Stockyard, Oliver Angus, Tallapoosa County Farmers Federation, Alabama AG credit Land and Farm Lenders, Taleecon Farmers Co-Op and SunSouth.
The Tallapoosa County Cattlemen’s Association
kicked and punched the handcuffed defendant.
The incident stemmed from a Wetumpka Police Department traffic stop. Quinn was handcuffed and placed in the back of a Wetumpka patrol vehicle and escaped. A call for backup went to dispatch and Hicks responded. Two officers tased Quinn and video captured by security cameras at a nearby convenience store appears to show Quinn falling backwards.
The video shows an officer running then jumping onto Quinn. Kicks and punches follow.
As part of the plea agreement Hicks agreed to surrender his APOSTC certification and never seek employment as a corrections or law enforcement officer.
The U.S. Government, through Assistant United States Attorney Eric Counts for the Middle Dis-
have hardship waivers that will allow parents to apply for students to move schools.”
Under CHOOSE, planning for the future becomes difficult for public schools. They are tasked by law to educate students. It often takes three or more years to build new facilities at existing campuses, even when funding is available. But planning for future needs is more difficult for public schools when students leave easily.
Luckily for Elmore County Schools there are no major projects on the horizon. A new front entrance at Wetumpka Elementary School is in the works to make the school more secure. A new diesel instruction shop and classroom is planned at the Elmore County Technical Center. Both projects are facilitated by grants from the state.
Projects on the capital plan for county schools but not yet in the works include major renovations at Elmore County High School.
“Might as well call it a new school at Elmore County High School, but it would be done in two to three phases on the same site,” Dennis said.
A new Holtville High School is on the plan. The old Holtville High School is on the National Registry
is the county-level of the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association. The Tallapoosa chapter focuses on providing educational opportunities for its members and connecting those in the cattle industry with one another. Those interested in more information on Tallapoosa’s Cattlemen’s Association, individuals can visit its Facebook page or visit the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association website.
trict of Alabama, agreed to seek a minimal sentence and not to pursue additional charges from the incident.
Adams said the federal district judge is not bound to sentence according to a plea agreement. Hicks could be sentenced up to 10 years in a federal prison, levied a $250,000 fine and given a three year supervised probation upon release from prison.
Adams allowed Hicks to remain released until sentencing as Hicks has stayed in treatment for a mental illness, has full time employment and a young child.
“Since his indictment he has complied with the requests of the U.S. Probation Office,” Adams said. A pre-sentencing report must be completed before Hicks is sentenced. No date for a sentencing hearing has been set.
and can’t be torn down. Dennis said it would be reconfigured for middle school use.
Without transfers to private schools, Holtville already has a need for more class rooms.
“We have four portables there now,” Dennis said. “We have a little space at the other schools but are anticipating growth.”
Tallassee City Schools rebuilt about half of its high school. Superintendent Dr. Brock Nolin would like to rebuild the remainder of the school, some of which is 60 or more years old. But the system is waiting on funding.
Barner said Edgewood is currently looking at expanding its facilities, but not necessarily overnight with portable classrooms.
“Several of our classes are already full,” Barner said. “We have to be diligent about where we put students. We have placed them in portables in the past, but that is not our preference. If it is truly short term, that may be the only solution.”
Planning is also necessary to meet all the requirements for teachers in public schools.
Certifications must match up as well. Nolin said Tallassee will watch to see what happens over the next few months.
“We will make adjust-
ments if needed,” Nolin said. “There’s always attrition, retirements and people moving. We’ll make those calls as they come.” Ivey signed the bill on Thursday making Alabama the 14th state to adopt a school choice program.
“Our plan will not only work for Alabama families — it will work for the state and will be effective and sustainable for generations to come,” Ivey said. “With the CHOOSE Act, Alabama will now be a leader when it comes to school choice. I am hopeful that this will make a difference for Alabama families.”
Dennis is hopeful if students rebound back to public schools the funds quickly follow the student back. He is fearful of midschool year transfers and the system being responsible for funds already paid out to private schools.
Some have said the plan will not help students in rural Alabama much if any because of the lack of private schools or transportation to get to them.
“Let me also be clear that my commitment to public education remains unrelenting,” Ivey said. “At the end of the day, we all want every Alabama student — no matter the zip code, no matter the school, to receive a quality education.”
Pledge your faith to God
Scripturally speaking, “pledge” is our response to God’s abundance in our lives. A pledge offers a statement of thanksgiving and an outward and visible sign of our commitment to follow the ways of Jesus, by giving as God gives to us. A pledge can help us to grow in faith and trust in God.
“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.” As a citizen of the greatest country in the world, I outwardly project and inwardly honor the freedom “Old Glory” gives to each one of us.
JACKIE WILBOURN Columnist
In Vacation Bible School, not only did we pledge the flag of the United States of America, but we pledged the Bible. “I pledge allegiance to the Bible, God’s Holy Word, and I will make it a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path, and will hide its words in my heart that I may not sin against God,” (Psalm 119). The pledge to the Bible is an integral part of one’s com -
mitment to Christian living. Not only is it getting to know God, but understanding how we should live our daily lives.
“I pledge allegiance to the Christian flag and to the Savior for whose kingdom it stands.” All of our loyalty goes to God alone and our actions today should be consistent with our beliefs.
A biologist once put a plant in a clay pot. He then encircled the rim of the pot with caterpillars, lined up one behind the other. He observed that each caterpillar followed the one immediately in front of it. Round and around they went! For a week the cater-
Tallassee Churches
pillars followed one another around the rim, never breaking rank to go to the potted plant to eat. Conforming behavior is not confined to caterpillars! Many times we, too, find it difficult to go against the flow. However, as we look back to the Old Testament, we find that Mordecai was not such a person. The Persian king’s command was that all the royal officials honor Haman. Mordecai refused to kneel down before this man. It was definitely risky behavior, but Mordecai was more interested in honoring God than in conforming to
the conduct of those around him. “All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor.” (Ester 3:1-6 NIV) If the pledges we mouth are from our heart, we can grow in our faith and trust in God and have great strength in crucial times if we are faithful during the ordinary times of our lives.
Jackie Wilbourn, member of Bethel Baptist Church, is a chaplain with Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief Team.
Surrounding Area
Churches
Sports
2024 Elmore County Boys Player of the Year
But
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
Nate Rogers’ talent level is not a secret.
The senior point guard is one of the best scorers across the
“This
2024 ALL-ELMORE COUNTY BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
LAYER OF THE YEAR:
PNate Rogers, Wetumpka senior Wetumpka’s Rogers proved that he was in a class of his own when it came to scoring this season. The now back-to-back Elmore County Player of the Year averaged 25 points per game, six more than the next closest in-county player. To add to his scoring, he averaged five rebounds, three steals and three assists per game.
FIRST TEAM
Jaden Eason, Elmore County junior
The Elmore County sharpshooter averaged 12.4 points per game this year, but he took another step when it came to area games. In the five most important games of the year – four area games and the playoff game – Eason averaged 16.3 points. To clinch a playoff berth, Eason knocked down four 3-point attempts against Holtville in the area tournament.
Corian Gilder, Stanhope Elmore senior Stanhope Elmore had a handful of seniors who all made an impact this season, but none bigger than Gilder. The point guard did it all as he averaged 13.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.7 steals per game. In a loss in the county tournament championship, he scored a team-best 23 points as the Mustangs came up just short of the win.
Johnny Groves, Edgewood Academy senior Groves was a first-year player for Edgewood this season, but the senior instantly made an impact on the court. He averaged a team-best 10.6 points and 3.2 steals per game while adding 2.2 assists and 4.7 rebounds. He helped lead
Edgewood to back-to-back Class AA state championships and scored 14 points in the championship game.
Malik Owens, Wetumpka senior After earning All-County honors a year ago, Owens entered the 2024 seasons as one of the best forwards in the surrounding area. He proved to be that and more this season as part of Wetumpka’s dangerous 1-2 punch with Nate Rogers. Owens averaged 12 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block per game this season.
Rowen Thornton, Tallassee junior Thornton put the entire state on notice with an early season performance where he scored a career-best 50 points. He continued to score at a high level for Tallassee as he averaged 19.6 points and 4.7 rebounds per game as he led Tallassee to the Class 5A playoffs. He shot 92-of-130 at the free throw line and knocked down 52 3-pointers this year.
SECOND TEAM
Caleb Blackmon, Holtville senior Jamarion McCoy, Tallassee senior Jabari Murphy, Elmore County senior Brock Whitt, Edgewood Academy sophomore Tyrone Williams, Stanhope Elmore senior
HONORABLE MENTION Edgewood Academy: Brody Whitt, Sr., Prescott Bonner, Sr. Elmore County: Cam Brown, Sr., Gage Davis, So. Holtville: Elijah Headley, Jr., Caleb Sutton, Sr. Stanhope Elmore: Charles Johnson, Sr., Jaylon Young, Sr., Kaleb Sanders, Fr.
Tallassee: Roderius Glover, Sr., Jaiden Gordon, 8th. Wetumpka: Andrew Voyles, So.
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
From the outside, it seemed that Scott Phillips landed in a gold mine when he accepted the head coaching job at Edgewood Academy this past summer. The Wildcats were coming
off the AISA Class AA state championship and had 10 seniors returning for another run at it.
But it wasn’t that easy. Only two of those 10 returning players averaged over four points per game, while four of them averaged less than one point. All of them combined averaged just 23.1 points.
Edgewood lost its top three scorers, and nearly all of its starters from its championship run including All-County player Austin Champion, a multi-year starter at point
Jaden Eason
Corian Gilder
Rowen
Johnny Groves
slowed down every season and I took advantage of that as well as just being aggressive and having confidence in myself.”
Wetumpka lost nearly 16 points per game in graduating D’Marcus Peake in 2023.
Rogers knew he would have to make that up. So, he started taking a few more shots in games, and it quickly paid off for him.
In the Indians’ first game of the season, it was evident Rogers was going to have a special season. Against Central-Hayneville, Wetumpka trailed 61-60 with under five seconds left when Rogers was inbounded the ball.
Instead of passing, he dribbled straight down the court past two defenders and laid in the basket as the buzzer sounded. Wetumpka won that game, 62-61, and Rogers was on top of the world to start the season.
“That shot was amazing and it really just gave me a lot more confidence in myself and it gave coach (Steven) Thomas more confidence in me,” Rogers said. “That helped me out a lot this year. It always helps you play better when you know everyone has confidence in you.”
Rogers went on to have multiple 30-point nights across the season, but none bigger than his two area games against rival Stanhope Elmore.
The two teams played three times, and Wetumpka won all three. Rogers dropped 18 points against the Mustangs in the county tournament, but then went off in the last two matchups.
At home, Rogers scored a season-high 37 points and led the Indians to a 77-67 win. On the road, he did even better. He scored a career-best 40 points and led Wetumpka to a 75-58 win, clinching the No. 3 seed in the area tournament.
Rogers’ goal was to score 50 points in a game this year, but doing what he did against Stanhope made up for not hitting the half-century mark.
“It felt so good doing that against my rival team,” Rogers said. “I didn’t reach my original goal of 50, but my two highest point totals of the year were both against Stanhope so it evened out a little bit.”
Fans of Stanhope Elmore are going to be happy to see Rogers in a UAB football jersey and no longer sporting the Wetumpka black and gold next season.
Rogers went 4-0 in games against the Mustangs this season, and dominated them in every outing. In football season, he passed for a career-high 305 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for 135 yards and two more scores. He finished his high school football career with a 3-0 record against Stanhope as a starter.
Against the Mustangs in basketball this year, he also went 3-0 and averaged 32 points against them with the two big scoring outbursts.
“I just feel like in the big games, I like to show up a little more,” Rogers said. “Everybody is watching and knows me around the area so I like to put on a show. I wanted to leave my mark on the rivalry.” guard. It was tough to replace them, and that showed early in the season as Edgewood started the year 4-7 and was just 7-12 entering January.
But then Edgewood hit area play and found its identity, and that carried into the postseason. After clinching the area title, Phillips and the Wildcats went on to claim the AISA Class AA state championship with a 14-16 overall record.
For his success, Phil-
Tallassee boys move to 2-0 in area play
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
The Tallassee boys soccer team controls its own destiny.
After one week of area play, the Tigers are sitting on top of AHSAA Class 5A, Area 3 play with a 2-0 record. They have already beaten last year’s area champion Elmore County, 3-2, and then Beauregard, 10-1, to remain unbeaten. Both wins came on the road.
Brewbaker Tech is also 2-0, and the two teams meet up on Thursday night in Montgomery with the winner in the driver’s seat for the area championship.
“It is an amazing feeling to be 2-0 in the area,” Tigers coach Matt Tarpley said. “It’s where we needed and wanted to be. We have a big game on Thursday night that we have to get ready for. That game is pivotal and will determine how the rest of the year goes.”
Brewbaker Tech beat Tallassee in both games the two teams played last year, and the matchup was the reason why the Tigers missed the playoffs despite having a 5-3 area record.
They’ve met once already this season, on Feb. 10, and the game ended in a 2-2 tie. Tallassee played that game without some of its best players, including Irvin Delfin, Yuren Rodriguez, Rush Wright and others, all of which were starters.
Now Tallassee is at full strength.
“Brew Tech is very talented and plays well together,” Tarpley said. “We came up short in both games last year and we’re looking to turn both around this year. Having all of our starters back that missed the first game will be a huge difference. If we
had those guys back the first time, I don’t think that game would have ended in a 2-2 tie.”
While Delfin and Rodriguez remain the team’s best two offensive players, a lot of faces have stepped up and played well since area play started.
In the two games, Tallassee has scored 13 combined goals. Delfin and Rodriguez have scored two each, while other players have been the main goal scorers.
Sophomore Ricky Murillo has four goals in area play, two in each game. Junior Luis
Ruemmler has scored three goals, while sophomores Preston Parker and Fransisco Diego have scored one goal each.
“We had six different guys score at Beauregard last week,” Tarpley said. “It’s nice to have that many quality players who are able to step up and put the ball in the back of the net, and that takes the pressure off Irvin and Yuren. We’re doing our jobs out there. Sometimes it’s their job to score and sometimes it’s to distribute.”
Tarpley’s girls squad is still searching for that first area
win of the year. The Tigers are 0-2 with a 2-1 loss to Elmore County and 3-1 loss to Beauregard. A year ago, those teams beat Tallassee a combined 20-0 in four games.
“The girls have vastly improved over last year,” Tarpley said. “The results are not showing how well they’re playing right now. I’m very proud of them and how they’re playing right now. They show up every night and give us 100% and our opponents recognize that.”
Tallassee’s Jones wins all-star wrestling match
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
Ethan Jones shined in his final wrestling match of his career.
Jones was invited to wrestle in the Alabama Wrestling Coaches Association’s second annual North/South All-Star duals tournament held at Huntingdon College on Saturday.
The 150-pound wrestler represented the North team and helped lead the North to a 28-13 win in the event. He did so with an impressive major decision, 12-2, over Elmore County’s Shawn Colvin in their match.
“It really is just an honor to be picked for this,” Jones said. “It shows that my hard work I put in all year paid off, and the coaches just putting this one for all of us to have one final match is really cool all around. It was a really fun experience.”
quickly with an early takedown in the first period, but he was unable to get much more as Colvin was able to withstand any other attempts at near falls or pins.
Colvin earned an early escape in the second period, but Jones got another takedown to make the score 4-1 heading into the final.
That was when the match turned massively into Jones’ favor.
Jones and Colvin are very close friends, and they’ve spent a lot of time in their careers on the mats with each other. Jones was happy he was able to wrestle his best friend to end his career, but he didn’t take it easy on Colvin.
lips has been named the Elmore County Boys Basketball Coach of the Year.
“It wasn’t always as easy as just returning 10 players from a championship squad,” Phillips said.
“We knew we had to develop some guys. Guys who were the fourth or fifth option last year had to be the top option this year. We had to work through a lot of adversity early in the year learning roles.”
When it got to January, Phillips and his team knew the first 19 games of the season didn’t matter. The only games that mattered were the
Jones won the match, 12-2, with a strong 8-0 third period where he earned two near falls and a final takedown. Both wrestlers haven’t touched the mat in nearly a month, so both were not conditioned the way they would have liked.
four area games in front of them – two against Hooper Academy and two against Autauga Academy. The first matchup was a home game against Autauga, a rematch of the season prior’s state championship. In that game, Edgewood trailed by seven points with 1:10 left in the game and stormed back to tie it and send it to overtime.
In OT, Edgewood was able to pull out a 58-55 win and went to 1-0 in area play. Four days later, Edgewood beat Hooper by 15 points and controlled its own destiny.
That didn’t stop Jones from pulling away late though.
“It felt really good,” Jones said. “I think I won 12-2 and I’m just glad it wasn’t a close match because I might not have been able to pull that one out. I haven’t done much since the state tournament, but it felt really good to win.” Jones took a 2-0 lead
Needing only one win in its final two games to clinch the area, Edgewood did so in the third game, a matchup with Hooper.
Senior Brody Whitt hit a deep 3-pointer to tie the game and Johnny Groves hit the game-winning layup and Edgewood clinched the area championship.
“The only games that mattered were Hooper and Autauga,” Phillips said. “Our guys came out and were ready to play in those. We were able to put a lot of motivation and time into those games. Winning
Jones earned a near fall following a takedown to go up, 9-1, and then Colvin was able to get out of that attempt at a pin. Shortly after getting out, Jones earned another near fall and led 12-1. In the final seconds of the match, with it decided, Jones flipped out of his takedown which gave Colvin one final escape and ended the match at 12-2.
“I was really just able to get my wing tilt and got it to the opposite side of Shawn,” Jones said. “I got six points off of two near falls from that. After that I cut him and took him back down and racked up some more points.”
that Autauga game just spurred the whole season. I saw us start playing as a team right then.”
Coming from behind seemed to be the recipe for success for Edgewood’s team this year.
It started in the Autauga game, but it seemed to strike in nearly every win down the stretch.
In a 45-42 win over Evangel, Edgewood found itself down 10 points with three minutes left. The Wildcats came back to win.
In two games against Hooper, both wins, Edgewood was down three points in the final 15 sec-
onds and then down 13 points in the second quarter of the state semifinals. Even in the championship game against Abbeville, a team that beat Edgewood twice in the regular season, the Wildcats found themselves down in the first half before a barrage of 3-pointers in the third quarter secured the win and the state title.
“They just developed a never give up attitude,” Phillips said. “That Autauga game helped that. We were down, but we could always come back. I saw grit out of my guys and they never gave up.”
PHILLIPS
DALTON MIDDLETON TPI
Tallassee’s Ethan Jones won his All-Star match over Elmore County’s Shawn Colvin by a 12-2 major decision. Jones was able to earn two near falls in the third period to separate the two wrestlers.
Tallassee’s Ricky Murillo has four goals in two area wins against Elmore County and Beauregard.The Tigers take on Brewbaker Tech in a battle of first place teams on Thursday.
Stanhope Elmore’s Anderson thriving in leadoff role
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
Hayden Anderson is taking a new role on Stanhope Elmore’s baseball team.
Only a sophomore, Anderson is in the midst of his second season starting at shortstop for the Mustangs. But instead of being a role player at the bottom of the lineup like he did as a freshman, he’s now the team’s leadoff and he’s excelling in that role.
He has led off in 12 of the 14 games Stanhope Elmore has played, and led off all five of the Mustangs’ games last week. In those five games, Anderson went 6-for-14 with seven walks, one hit-by-pitch and scored nine runs. He also had one double and one RBI.
For his performance in the leadoff spot, Anderson is this week’s Elmore County Player of the Week.
“He’s been doing a good job in the leadoff spot and playing shortstop this year,” Mustangs coach DK Shuman said. “I’m proud of the way he’s developed and I think he’s doing a good job for a young kid being put into the role he’s in this year.”
Last season, Anderson mostly hit in the eight-hole in the lineup. He was the starting shortstop all season, but he was on a team filled with college-bound seniors who led the way for multiple years.
That included Troy’s Colton Walls, South Alabama’s Zach Stevens and Jacksonville State’s Colin Woodham among four other players now at the college level.
So with a large senior class
bursting at the seams with talent, Anderson sat back and just enjoyed being part of the ride.
This year, however, he’s the most experienced player and he’s having to play like it.
He’s done exactly that through 14 games this year. He has a .325 batting average, good for second best on the team. He also has a .509 on base percentage with 13 hits, 12 walks and three hits-by-pitch.
“He’s had to take a lot of that leadership role even though he’s still a baby and just a sophomore,” Shuman said. “I try not to ask too much of him, but he’s done a good job of keeping it simple and not letting the weight of his role mess with his performance. I do think he still has a few steps to take when it comes to vocal leadership.”
His performance makes up for the vocal leadership that is still a work in progress.
Of the normal starters, he has the team’s highest on-base percentage at .509. In 55 plate appearances, he has 13 hits –six doubles and a triple. He leads the way in walks and runs scored with 15, one of only two Mustangs in double digits.
In a win against Greenville on Thursday night, Anderson
went 0-for-1 at the plate but walked twice and was hit by a pitch once. He scored twice.
“He’s very disciplined at the plate,” Shuman said. “He’s not chasing a lot and he doesn’t swing at bad pitches. You always want to try and start every inning with a base runner, and him leading the team in OBP shows why he’s at the top of the lineup.”
Anderson doesn’t just get on base with singles, however. The slugger has seven of the team’s 16 extra-base hits, while no other player has more than two. He has six doubles on the season, three more than the next closest player. He also has one triple, one of only two players on the team to hit one.
So not only is he getting on base, but he’s getting into scoring position on half of his hits so far.
“When he does get a pitch in the zone, he does a good job of getting his bat on the ball and giving himself a chance,” Shuman said. “He’s a strong kid so when he barrels one up, it’s a hard hit ball. You always like your chances when you hit the ball hard.”
Elmore County’s Colvin finishes career as all-star
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
Shawn Colvin’s senior wrestling season was cut short due to suffering a concussion, but he got one last chance to wrestle on Saturday.
Colvin suffered a concussion in the Super Sectionals Tournament early in February and was forced to miss the state tournament after qualifying in the 144pound class. The Elmore County senior thought his career was over, but he got a call on Friday morning asking him to join the Alabama Wrestling Coaches Association’s second annual North/South AllStar duals tournament as a member of the South team.
He wrestled Saturday morning in the 150-pound class against Tallassee’s Ethan Jones, his best friend, and lost 12-2 via major decision.
“It really was an honor to be selected as an AllStar,” Colvin said. “It was
Wednesday, March 13
High School Baseball
4 Russell County at Wetumpka, 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 14
High School Baseball
fun to wrestle with all these great wrestlers. I also got to wrestle my best friend in my last high school match so that was really cool.”
Colvin took to the mat and matched Jones early on in a close match. The two went back-and-forth, with Jones taking a 2-0 lead after the first period on a single takedown. In the second period, Jones earned another takedown but Colvin was able to get on the scoreboard with an escape.
That was as close as it got as Colvin’s endurance got to him in the third period. Not having wrestled in almost a month to the date, he wasn’t in wrestling shape and wasn’t able to get into wrestling shape after being asked to join.
He wrestled in the event just 24 hours after being asked to participate. He tried to get some conditioning in on Friday, but was unable to get back to his normal self.
“I took it on a day’s notice,” Colvin said. “I’m
not in the best shape I could have been, but it was still a lot of fun. I did a little bit of conditioning on Friday, but it wasn’t
4 Holtville at Charles Henderson, 5:30 p.m. 4 Stanhope Elmore at PCA, 6:30 p.m. 4 Beauregard at Elmore County, 5 p.m.
School Soccer
Tallassee at
p.m.
Soccer 4 Wetumpka at Stanhope Elmore, 5:30 p.m. 4 Holtville at Demopolis, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 16
School Baseball 4 Wetumpka at Dothan (DH), 11 a.m.
4 Holtville at Shades Valley (DH), TBD
4 Edgewood Academy at Macon East Tournament, TBD
enough. There just wasn’t enough time.” Colvin was able to earn one final escape in the final seconds of the match, but
4 Stanhope Elmore at Smiths Station (DH), 11 a.m.
School Softball 4 Edgewood Academy at Macon East Tournament, TBD
Monday, March 18
School Baseball
4 St. James at Wetumpka, 5 p.m.
4 Reeltown at Tallassee, 6:30 p.m.
4 Ezekiel at Edgewood Academy, 3:30 p.m.
High School Softball
4 Wetumpka at Sidney Lanier, 6 p.m.
4 Tallassee at Reeltown,
had
by
Nonetheless,
as an
his
DALTON MIDDLETON TPI
Stanhope Elmore sophomore Hayden Anderson
walked seven times.
Jones
already wrapped up the match
then.
Colvin ended
senior campaign
exclusive member of the All-Star team which featured just 28 boys from across the state of Alabama. He ended his senior year with a 17-13 overall record.
DALTON MIDDLETON TPI
Elmore County’s Shawn Colvin wrestled Tallassee’s Ethan Jones in the ALWCA North/South All-Star Duals Tournament held at Huntingdon College. Colvin finished his senior season 17-13 overall and was a state qualifier.
Lake River & Classi eds
Job Opportunities
Discounts available. Call: 833-449-1307.
BECOME A PUBLISHED AUTHOR! We edit, print and distribute your work internationally. We do the work… You reap the Rewards! Call for a FREE Author’s Submission Kit: 888-283-4780
AlaScans
Top quality - Made in the USA. Call for free consultation: 844-809-9165. Ask about our specials!
Eliminate gutter cleaning forever! LeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking gutter protection. Schedule a FREE LeafFilter estimate today. 20% off Entire Purchase. Plus 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-833-683-2005
Prepare for power outages today with a Generac Home Standby Generator. Act now to receive a FREE 7-Year warranty with qualifying purchase* Call 1-877-323-5516 today to schedule a free quote. power move.
AlaScans
off install (for military, health workers & 1st responders.) Call Erie Metal Roofs: 1-833-955-3163 AUTOMOTIVE SUPPORT THE BLIND! Donate a car to the American Council of the Blind. FAST FREE PICKUP. 24-hour response. Running or not. maximum tax deduction and no emission test required! Call 24/7: 844-601-1342.
Public Notices @ cdge.com prior to the meeting. This is a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) Loan Program through the Alabama Department of Environmental Management.
Tallassee Tribune: Feb. 28, Mar. 6, 13 and 20, 2024 PUBLIC MEETING PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE
Pursuant to the “Self Service Storage Act” (Alabama Acts Number 81-679, Page 1321, Section 1), Tallassee Storage LLC storage facility gives notice of sale under said act to-wit: On March 23, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. at the following location: Tallassee Storage,
LONG DISTANCE MOVING: Call today for a FREE QUOTE from America's Most Trusted Interstate Movers. Let us take the stress out of moving! Speak to a Relocation Specialist, call 844-925-3534
WATER DAMAGE CLEANUP & RESTORATION: A small amount of water can lead to in your home. Our trusted professionals do complete repairs to protect your family and your home's value! Call 24/7: 1-877-727-2344 Have zip code of service location ready when you call!
EDUCATION
ATTENTION ACTIVE Duty & Military Veterans! Begin a new career and earn your Degree at CTI! Online Computer & Medical training available for Veterans & Families! To learn more, call 866-475-1014 (M-F 8am-6pm ET).
HEALTH/BEAUTY ATTENTION OXYGEN THERAPY USERS! Inogen One G4 is capable of full 24/7 oxygen delivery. Only 2.8 pounds. FREE information kit. Call 844-322-9935.
ATTENTION: VIAGRA and CIALIS USERS! A cheaper alternative to high drugstore prices! 50 Pill Special - $99 + FREE Shipping! 100% guaranteed. CALL NOW: 866-505-0828. FOR SALE
DirecTV Satellite TV Service Starting at $59.99/month! Free Installation! 160+ channels available. Call Now to Get the Most Sports & Entertainment on TV! 844-594-7108
NEED NEW Flooring? Call Empire Today to schedule a Free in-home estimate on Carpeting and Flooring. Call Today! 1-888-381-0916.
UPDATE YOUR HOME with Beautiful New Blinds & Shades. FREE in-home estimates make it convenient to shop from home. Professional installation.
Safe Step. North America's #1 Walk-In Tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-theline installation and service. Now featuring our FREE shower package and $1600 Off for a limited time! Call today! Financing available. Call Safe Step 1-844-871-6175 Wesley Financial Group, LLCTimeshare Cancellation Experts Over $50,000,000 in timeshare debt and fees cancelled in 2019. Get free informational package and learn how to get rid of your timeshare! Free consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. Call 866-605-5915 Portable Oxygen Concentrator May Be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One.
AUTO INSURANCE from $29 month Free 2-minute Quote! We Compare all Insurance providers offers for you! Lowest Rates! Call Now 866-450-0943 WANTED 10 HOMES in your county needing Metal Roofs, Siding or Windows. March ONLY METAL ROOF $4,395 COMPLETELY INSTALLED. Payments $89/mo* SAVE$$$ Call800-664-4856 *for details VEHICLE TITLE Problems? We have a solution! Call Jason Steward Enterprises, We’re Alabama’s #1 Vehicle Title Problem Experts! Free telephone consultation. North AL 1-256-850-0527, Central AL 1-205-267-5735, South AL 1-251-342-8538.
Public Notices
Public Notices
NOTICE
MEETING NOTICE Notice is hereby given that the
held at the Tallassee City Hall located at 3 Freeman Avenue, Tallassee, Alabama. Information on the project is available for public review by contacting CDG, Inc. at 334677-9431 or carmen.chosie@
Elmore County baseball goes 2-1 in FCA Tourney
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
The Elmore County baseball team had an impressive showing in Montgomery this week.
The Panthers played in the 31st annual Jason Armstrong Memorial Baseball Classic hosted by the Alabama Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Elmore County played three games– two at Paterson Field and one at Riverwalk Stadium – and went 2-1 with wins over Pike Road and LAMP and a loss to Trinity.
The Panthers defeated Pike Road, 4-3, on Monday then turned around and beat LAMP, 7-0, on Tuesday. They then suffered their first loss of the season to Trinity on Thursday, 6-5, on a walkoff bases-loaded walk.
“We played really well this week,” Panthers coach Michael Byrd said. “The first two games, we were clean defensively and everyone played well. We pitched well and made plays defensively. Today, we made errors on routine balls and walked too many guys. That was the difference.”
The Panthers have only played eight games this season, so Byrd wanted to make sure he got some pitchers some innings. Southpaw ace Brandon White pitched Game 1 against Pike Road, while Dalton Fuller and Ryals McNeely each came in and pitched in relief.
Jaden Eason pitched a complete game in Game 2, then ‘Johnny Wholestaff’ took the mound in Game 3.
Shelton Darnell started and went 3 ⅓ innings before Hayden Jones pitched 2 ⅓ innings. McNeely came in and pitched one full inning and suffered the loss
with the walkoff.
“We really wanted to get experience for our guys on the mound so we threw three guys who haven’t pitched much this year,” Byrd said. “Ryals has been closing for us, but he doesn’t have a lot of innings. We just wanted to approach this week to get some depth because we’re only two weeks away from starting area play.”
Byrd got some depth, but he also got exactly what he wanted out of White and Eason.
In the 4-3 win over Pike Road, White took to the mound and faced Prep Baseball Report’s No. 7-ranked team in Class 6A. White didn’t care about rankings as he went out and dominated the Patriots.
The lefty tossed six complete innings of no-hit baseball. He walked three Pike Road batters, but he struck out six as he held onto a 4-0 lead when he exited after 89 pitches.
In Game 2, Eason came in and pitched a complete game in a six-inning affair. He struck out seven batters and walked only one Tiger in the 7-0 win. He allowed just two hits and threw 53 of his 82 pitches for strikes.
White has four outings so far this season. He has allowed just one earned run in 17 innings and struck out 28 batters. Eason has taken to the mound three times and allowed just six hits in 11 innings and has yet to allow a run.
“Brandon and Jaden both have good stuff and they pound the zone,” Byrd said. “They’re going to challenge batters and not get behind in counts. People don’t take many good swings on them. When you have good stuff and work ahead like they do, you’ll have some good outings.”
LACK OF WATER ONLY TEMPORARY IN ECLECTIC
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
Some residents along
Highway 63 south of Eclectic are without water. Others are experiencing low pressure. But it is temporary.
The issue started Wednesday as Eclectic Water Works started work near a decommissioned water tank on Highway 63 to meet an ADEM regulation for drinking water systems.
“They have a requirement that if you are not using a tank, it has an air gap between the supply lines and the tank,” Eclectic Mayor Gary Davenport said. “We hadn’t done that. We had just turned it off. That is what started all this is we started putting in the air gap and found these other lines.”
As the tank was disconnected, a nearby leak was discovered. It was repaired Wednesday only to discover another nearby leak. It was repaired early Thursday morning but by
sunrise, water had flooded a nearby pasture.
“We think there was another line that we connected to that had a crack in it or either the repairs we did didn’t hold and we have to go back in and tighten everything,” Davenport said.
Crews were working through lunch Thursday. A section of 8-inch pipe was removed to allow inspection and reconnection of joining hardware.
In the meantime, those south of the tank are with little to no water. Davenport estimates about 25 different water meters
were impacted. Everyone is hopeful this set of repairs solves the issue. The long range repair is to bypass the issue all together. It is far more expensive and would require a bidding process. To do so also requires permitting from ALDOT to install the waterline along the roadway. It would be a necessary remedy if the Town of Eclectic does anything with the property. “This site could be used for something else,” Davenport said. “We might move a town department there. We might sell it to somebody.”
Eclectic Elementary celebrates Read Across America
DALTON MIDDLETON | TPI
ABOVE: Elmore County’s Shelton Darnell pitches against Trinity in the FCA Tournament held at Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery.
BELOW: Elmore County shortstop Hayden Jones catches a pop up against Trinity at Riverwalk Stadium.
CLIFF WILLIAMS TPI
Town of Eclectic crews are joined by private contractors to repair a leaking water main Thursday. The nearby water tank has been out of operation for at least 10 years.
CLIFF WILLIAMS TPI