March 13, 2019 Eclectic Observer

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SPORTS, PAGE 10

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ECHS’ Traylor named to all-state team

Encore Players present ‘The Music Man Jr.’

Eclectic Observer The

WEDNESDAY • MARCH 13, 2019

TheWetumpkaHerald.com

Vol. 30, No. 11

Roof repair County commission approves 2 roof bids

By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer

‘Student-centered’ ECHS’ Rogers believes involvement key to success

Editor’s Note: This is the fifth in a series profiling school principals in the Elmore County School System.

By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer

R

eaching out to and building up each of his students, encouraging them to find their perfect fit while in high school and best preparing them for whatever future they choose is a driving force behind Elmore County High School principal Wes Rogers and how he oversees the school.

“We have a lot of goals and missions here,” Rogers said. “We want to make sure we remain student-centered. We want to make sure they enjoyed high school — that they were involved, that they made memories, made friends and that they’re prepared for the future.”

Referencing studies showing students who are more involved while in high school are more successful and enjoy their time, Rogers said he works See ROGERS • Page 2

Today’s

Weather

75 65 High

Donald Campbell / The Observer

Elmore County High School principal Wes Rogers watches as a handful of his students work in the Panther Bank as part of the school’s effort to help students be prepared for the future.

With actions taken by the Elmore County Commission at its meeting Monday night, work can soon begin on replacing portions of the roof at the Elmore County Courthouse and repairing the roof at the Elmore County Jail.

Elmore County chief engineer Richie Beyer said the county initially bid both projects together as a package but it was higher than expected so the two projects were split and re-bid.

During Monday night’s meeting, the commission approved a bid of $77,620 from Tecta America Southeast to complete work on the courthouse roof and $193,900 from Alabama Roofing & Sheet Metal Company Inc. for the jail roof.

Beyer said the combined total is still projected to run approximately $20,000 over what the county had budgeted but he said items can be revised.

The commission also approved a motion authorizing the Elmore County Emergency Medical Services Board to begin contract negotiations with Haynes Ambulance to provide EMS services to the county.

Haynes, the sole bidder in the process, currently holds the contract with the county.

In other action at the meeting: • The memorandum of warrants of the period from Feb. 22 to March 5, totaling $1,090,588.44, was approved.

• The commission recognized the Edgewood Academy boys basketball team and members of the Wetumpka High School wrestling team for winning state championships. “Congratulations and I want to commend you for your hard work and dedication,” commission chair Troy See COMMISSION • Page 2

Local businessman donates $3K to local storm relief

Low

By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer

THURS: HIGH 75 LOW 56

Wetumpka businessman Pat Whatley has joined the growing list of individuals and groups doing what they can to support the community in the aftermath of the Jan. 19 tornado, donating $3,000 to local organizations.

Through the sales of black T-shirts with a golden heart and depiction of the Bibb Graves Bridge, Whatley gave $1,500 to the City of Wetumpka and $750 each to local Boy Scouts of America troops 13 and 50.

“I live in downtown,” Whatley said. “I wanted to do something and since I do shirts for a living, it just made sense to me.”

Whatley said he began working on the shirt the Monday morning after the Jan. 19 tornado, sketching out design ideas on a whiteboard before finally settling on having the heart and bridge over the words “Wetumpka Strong.” Once the design was finalized, Whatley said the first shirts were printed and available for sale on Jan. 26.

Since then, there have been three print runs for the shirt with strong sales seen at local events and on a website Whatley created to sell them.

“Through our online sales, we’ve seen shirts shipped out to 16 states,” Whatley said. “We may look at doing a fourth print run.”

See STORM • Page 2

Wetumpka businessman and Eagle Scout Pat Whatley donated $750 to Troop 13 from sales of T-shirts he designed and sold as his relief effort following the Jan. 19 tornado in Wetumpka.

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PAGE 2 • MARCH 13, 2019

Commission

TheWetumpkaHerald.com

THE ECLECTIC OBSERVER

continued from Page 1

Stubbs said.

• The commission authorized the Elmore County Sheriff’s Department to surplus some of its vehicles and sell them through JM Wood Auction in Montgomery. “This is routine,” Beyer said. “These vehicles have outlived their service life.”

• The commission heard from Elmore Community Hospital’s Amanda Hammon, who asked for assistance on renovating portions of the current hospital building. The commission believes it is important to have a successful local healthcare network but wants Hammon to provide additional information.

• After receiving an update on the Thames Building, the commission said it will continue looking at options for what to do with the building.

• The commission passed a pair of motions allowing the commission chair to execute a commercial lease keeping the Millbrook annex of the Elmore County Probate Office in its current location, as well as a contract with CMH Architects to begin the design process on a new facility for the Elmore County Drug Task Force.

• A public hearing on a retail beer and retail table wine liquor license application for Lake Jordan Bait and Tackle was rescheduled for the next commission meeting.

• Elmore County resident Judy Robertson asked the county to take action on various issues, including drainage on Pine Forest Drive and Jasmine Hill Road. She said she has heard conflicting information from the county. Stubbs said none of Robertson’s neighbors have contacted the county on this matter and Beyer said he believes some of what Robertson discussed is on private property and not the county right of way.

• The commission approved a motion to deny a petition for excess funds from a tax sale held in 2011. County officials said since the sale occurred under an old ordinance, the county was not compelled to grant this petition.

• The consent docket, including an emergency medical leave for a county employee, was approved.

The next meeting of the Elmore County Commission will be held at 5 p.m. on Monday, March 25 at the Elmore County Courthouse.

CORRECTION The name of the wife of murder victim Tony Carr was incorrectly reported as Misty Carr in the Feb. 28 edition of The Eclectic Observer. Her correct name is Kristie Carr. The Observer also incorrectly referred to Carr as the perpetrator once in the story. Efrem Brown is the perpetrator.

The Observer regrets these errors.

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Donald Campbell / The Observer

Elmore County High School principal Wes Rogers shares a laugh with a handful of his students working in the Panther Bank as part of the school’s effort to help students be prepared for the future.

Rogers

continued from Page 1

hard to serve as a positive model for all of his students while also encouraging them to be more involved in what the high school offers. This begins when future ECHS students are still in the eighth grade and attending orientation at the high school.

Among the many programs the school has created includes a partnership with First Community Bank for the Panther Bank, an on-campus bank run by students, as well as teaching students about financial matters and helping students interested in a banking career gain valuable experience.

The partnership with the Elmore County Technical Center has also proven valuable, as students at the high school earn technical certifications and can pursue a career in such fields. For example, Rogers said recruiters from the Port of Mobile recently visited the high school looking for future welders and distributing information to students showing what they can accomplish through the programs offered by this partnership.

“There’s always room for improvement but if you include all of our activities, I believe between 75 and 80 percent of our students are involved,” Rogers said. “We still hope to reach the others.”

Having spent the last 25 years in education, Rogers has worked all but one year in the Elmore County system following his first year teaching at South

Storm

Montgomery Academy. Originally from a small town outside of Tupelo, Mississippi, Rogers came to the River Region to attend Faulkner University.

“Before I came here, I had never heard of Eclectic,” Rogers said. “It seemed like a place I would want to come and work.”

Rogers began at Elmore County High School by teaching seventh-, eighth- and ninth-grade English while also serving as the school’s head baseball coach and an assistant football coach. One of the school’s former administrators encouraged Rogers to attend Alabama State University and earn his master’s degree in administration. Afterward, Rogers continued to serve as a teacher at the high school until 2004, when he and his wife became parents to triplets.

Having quality teachers is key in Rogers’ methods, as qualified and dedicated teachers can further develop their students’ desire to succeed.

“I got here at 6:50 (Monday) morning and there were already half a dozen cars in our parking lot,” Rogers said. “We have a softball doubleheader today and I know when I leave here around 9 tonight there will still be cars in our lot. We want our students to see someone who shows up every day with a passion and a strong work ethic.”

All of these efforts have been paying off, as Rogers said he sees

continued from Page 1

Whatley, an Eagle Scout and friend of many of those currently involved with scouting in the Wetumpka area, said it was not a hard decision to present some of the money raised through the shirt sales to the local scout troops, especially after the meeting locations of troops 13 and 50 were damaged by the storm.

“The troops were shocked,” Whatley said. “They didn’t know I was raising money for them until I called and told them I

had a check to present to them.”

Along with the donations to the city and the Boy Scout troops, Whatley has plans to donate $2,000 to help rebuild the Fain Senior Center.

Whatley said his efforts have been a massive success, bringing in far more than he could have hoped for at the beginning.

“I was hoping to make $500 with this but it’s been more like $5,000 now,” Whatley said.

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students come back on a fairly regular basis, visiting with teachers who inspired them and sharing where life has taken them.

“We had one student who overcame some serious issues in his life,” Rogers said. “He recently came back and told us he had finished up boot camp in the National Guard and would be starting at AUM (AuburnMontgomery) in the fall. It’s always something to see students like these come back and say how impactful their time here and their teachers were. It’s always rewarding to see them become successful.”

One of the key challenges Rogers said the high school faces is always finding the right teacher to fill a position whenever a vacancy arises, although this concern is not exclusive to Elmore County High School. Rogers also believes it is highly important to make his school a place that is safe and disciplined and making sure the school has competent and qualified people teaching.

Despite these challenges, Rogers wants his students to strive for continued success.

“There’s always room for improvement but when you have a 95 percent graduation rate, a projected $3 million in scholarship money for 126 seniors, successes on the athletic fields and a highly decorated band, it does feel successful,” Rogers said.

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Submitted / The Observer

Wetumpka businessman and Eagle Scout Pat Whatley donated $750 to Troop 50 from sales of T-shirts he designed and sold as his relief effort following the Jan. 19 tornado.

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MARCH 13, 2019 • PAGE 3

Sylvan Learning expanding in River Region

By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer

Students throughout Elmore County have another option to improve their educational standing after Sylvan Learning Center expanded into Prattville.

“We had six locations prior to this expansion,” Sylvan Learning vice president of franchise development Georgia Chasen said. “Prattville is our seventh location and we have several other locations in the pipeline.”

Chasen said the center’s franchisees in Montgomery have been successful and the company believed Prattville was a good place for expansion in the River Region since students from Prattville were making the trip to the Montgomery center.

The Sylvan center in Prattville held its ribbon-cutting celebration March 5 and its first tutoring session was held Saturday. The center, operated by Terry Wettig and his wife, is 1,800 square feet and currently employs a staff of 10.

“We started the process about a year ago,” Wettig said. “The process was a fairly lengthy one.”

Wettig said he and his wife began looking for something meaningful and constructive to do following his career in the military and the security industry in Virginia. The couple wanted to return home to Prattville and felt Sylvan was a great fit for them since they

Submitted / The Observer

Above: Representatives from the City of Prattville and Sylvan Learning Center celebrated a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Sylvan facility in Prattville on March 5. Right: During Saturday’s first tutoring session at the new Sylvan center in Prattville, tutor Kendall Gremaux provided instruction to the center’s first enrollee, Yannis Ibrahim.

were familiar with it.

Inside the Prattville center, Wettig said there is space for six learning tables which can accommodate three students each. Along with these tables are two specialized training rooms. One focuses on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and robotics, while the second offers college prep programs; both allow for up to six students to receive instruction at one time.

“We can provide assistance to students

across the entire educational spectrum,” Wettig said. “If there’s a need for a certain specialization, we can bring in more tutors and educators.”

Wettig said students from across the River Region are welcome to enroll at the Prattville center, which he feels is also a convenient location for students in Wetumpka, Millbrook and Selma.

Since the ribbon cutting, Wettig said parents and students have expressed a pos-

itive sentiment for the center; six students have already enrolled with another 10 going through the enrollment process.

Wettig and Chasen have high hopes for the Prattville center and believe it will do a great service for area students.

“I think it’s going to be very successful,” Chasen said. “I think (the Wettigs) will be excellent franchisees.”

The center’s grand opening celebration is scheduled in May.

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Donald Campbell / The Observer

The Wetumpka Depot Encore Players will put on four performances of ‘The Music Man Jr.’ this week, enthralling audiences with the musical and its humorous storyline.

Encore Players present ‘The Music Man Jr.’

By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer

The Encore Players will perform “The Music Man Jr.” for audiences later this week.

“The Encore Players is our senior theater outreach program,” Kristy Meanor with the Wetumpka Depot Players said.

Meanor described the group as not only an outreach program of the Wetumpka Depot Players but one that often writes its own material and performs in places such as nursing homes.

The Encore Players’ performance of “The Music Man Jr.” features an all-female cast of approximately 20 actresses from diverse backgrounds. Meanor said all the actresses are having a great deal of fun with the show and are excited to perform.

One of the reasons the group is performing this particular show is a program being tested by the company Music Theater

International which markets condensed versions of iconic stage shows to schools and youth theater programs in addition to the full-length versions of shows for theater groups.

In an effort to expand offerings for senior theater groups, MTI has created a pilot program, turning its “Jr.” series of shows into a “Sr.” series and asking the Encore Players to be among those testing out the concept as part of the program.

“It’s special to be chosen for this,” Meanor said.

Performances for the show will be held Thursday and Friday at 10 a.m., Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m., all at the Depot Players theater.

Tickets for “The Music Man Jr.” can be purchased either by calling the Depot Players box office at 334-868-1440 or at the door before performances.

“This helps the Depot Players accomplish

our mission,” Meanor said. “By giving them a creative outlet, we are accomplishing our mission.”

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Telephone: (334) 567-7811 | Fax: (334) 567-3284 Email: news@thewetumpkaherald.com Management Kenneth Boone Chairman kenneth.boone@alexcityoutlook.com Steve Baker Publisher, 256-414-3190 steve.baker@alexcityoutlook.com Angela Mullins Business Manager, 256-414-3191 angela.mullins@alexcityoutlook.com Jimmy Wigfield Managing Editor, 256-414-3179 jimmy.wigfield@alexcityoutlook.com Tippy Hunter Advertising Director, 256-414-3177 marketing@alexcityoutlook.com Audra Spears Art Director, 256-414-3189 audra.spears@alexcityoutlook.com Betsy Iler Magazine Managing Editor, 256-234-4282 betsy.iler@alexcityoutlook.com Erin Burton Circulation Manager, 256-234-7779 erin.burton@alexcityoutlook.com Lee Champion Production Manager, 256-414-3017 lee.champion@alexcityoutlook.com Newsroom Donald Campbell Staff Writer, 334-350-3919 donald.campbell@thewetumpkaherald.com Santana Wood Design Editor, 256-234-3412 santana.wood@thewetumpkaherlad.com Lizi Arbogast Sports Editor, 256-414-3180 lizi.arbogast@thewetumpkaherald.com Caleb Turrentine Sports Writer, 334-350-3922 caleb.turrentine@thewetumpkaherald.com Advertising Sales Marilyn Hawkins Sales Manager, 334-350-3917 marilyn.hawkins@thewetumpkaherald.com Shannon Filyaw Marketing Consultant, 334-444-8981 shannon.filyaw@tallasseetribune.com Kat Raiford Digital Advertising Director, 334-444-8981 kat.raiford@alexcityoutlook.com

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Democrats run universal healthcare up the flag pole

A

retired couple who are friends of mine told me, “Many people believe us old people get our healthcare free. Do they realize that we, and we are not alone, pay over 50 percent of our income for healthcare insurance, and that doesn’t include co-payments or cost to get to and from doctor’s offices or hospitals. The VA does help us (maybe) with co-payments and mileage but that isn’t true for most people on Medicare.”

Democrats promised to fix healthcare with the Affordable Care Act, signed into law March 23, 2010. Nowadays, Democratic presidential hopefuls for 2020 are proposing new and improved plans for fixing healthcare called universal healthcare or Medicare for all.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, the self-proclaimed leader of the socialist pack of Democrats, has been beating the universal healthcare drum for years. In a CBS Interview last month, Sanders said, “If our friends in Scandinavia can provide quality healthcare to all of their people as a right, for far less than we spend, you tell me why we can’t do it.”

Bernie’s fellow presidential hopefuls are trying to follow his lead. Universal healthcare will be a huge issue in the 2020 election, and supporters will appeal to systems in other “developed” nations that apparently work just fine.

How are Scandinavian nations

DANIEL GARDNER Columnist providing “quality healthcare to all of their people?” According to a March 8 Reuters’ article, there is trouble in healthcare utopia.

“Healthcare systems across much of the developed world have come under increasing stress in recent years as treatment costs soar and people live longer, meaning fewer workers are supporting more pensioners,” Anne Kauranen wrote. “Nordic countries, where comprehensive welfare is the cornerstone of the social model, have been among the most affected. But reform has been controversial and, in Finland, plans to cut costs and boost efficiency have stalled for years.”

A recent BBC article also noted the problems in Finland.

“Like many developed nations, Finland has an aging population that is putting financial pressure on its social welfare systems.

As an increasing number of people live longer in retirement, the cost of providing pension and healthcare benefits can rise.

Those increased costs are paid for by taxes collected from the working-age population — who make up a smaller percentage of the population than in decades

past.”

American voters need to know Scandinavians at every income level have to pay higher taxes than Americans in order to pay for socialist services including healthcare.

According to the Tax Foundation: “A lot of the spending-side programs in Scandinavian countries cost a lot. Taxes would definitely need to be increased in the United States if it were to adopt them.

If the U.S. were to raise taxes in a way that mirrors Scandinavian countries, taxes — especially on the middle-class — would increase through a new VAT (value added tax) and high payroll and income taxes. Business and capital taxes wouldn’t necessarily increase, in fact, the marginal corporate income tax rate would decline significantly.”

In other words, the federal government would have to create more taxes, and Americans would have to pay higher payroll and income taxes to cover costs for universal healthcare or Medicare for all.

Many Americans understand the dangers socialism poses for any nation. Medicare is not free in America today. Medicare for all would be disastrous.

Daniel L. Gardner is a syndicated columnist who lives in Starkville, Mississippi. You may contact him at PJandMe2@ gmail.com or interact with him on the Clarion-Ledger website.

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GOP chair: Jones misleading on voter registration

S

top it, sir. Please just stop it. The NFL referees in the New Orleans playoff game may not have thrown a yellow flag on an obvious flagrant foul, but I am throwing one on your false and outrageous comments on minority voter suppression.

You are either totally unplugged on voter registration facts or you really do believe this nonsense is true — and I’m not sure which one is worse.

Here’s what you said on March 3 on “Face the Nation:” “Well, you know I think if you look at — carefully you have to look at the state legislatures, governors and members of Congress that are Republicans,” Jones retorted. “For whatever reason, they do not want African-Americans and other minorities to vote. I assume rather than trying to get those votes, they seem to want to restrict those votes.”

Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill shares the following data proving the good work that is happening in Alabama: Since January 19, 2015, we have registered 1,211,906 new

voters with a record 3,468,747 registered voters in Alabama.

Those numbers are unprecedented and unparalleled in the history of the state.

Per capita, no state in the union has registered more voters than Alabama in the same period of time. We have broken every record in the history of the state in voter participation in the last four major elections: presidential primary 2016 — 1.25 million people voting; presidential general 2016 — 2.1 million people voting; special U.S. Senate Race December 2017 — 1.3 million people voting; midterm general November 2018 — 1.7 million people voting. Not one instance of voter suppression has been reported.

There is free voter ID where the secretary of state’s office has a mobile unit to go to a person’s home, business, school, church or wherever needed to give them one.

There has never been more ways for a qualified Alabamian to register to vote and it has never been easier to vote in the history of our state for anyone.

This is something to celebrate, not continue to divide us.

Your reckless comments are blatantly untrue. Please apologize for spreading misleading information on national television and continuing to stereotype our state with your fraudulent words. You at least owe all of our citizens that at a minimum.

I have had a long-standing offer that is still open today — if anyone who is an eligible Alabama citizen that wants to register to vote or is not allowed to cast a vote due to any type of discrimination to call me. I will personally help them do so. So far, no one has taken me up on that offer. It still stands.

There are no “for whatever reasons” as you irresponsibly told the nation. Shame on you, Senator Jones, for disrespecting Alabamians with your shallow words and continuing to separate us instead of taking a great opportunity to show the country how we are leading the way on voter history.

Terry Lathan is chairman of the Alabama Republican Party.

THE ECLECTIC OBSERVER

TheWetumpkaHerald.com

MARCH 13, 2019 • PAGE 5

CommunityCalendar Friday, March 15

• GETTING DOWN WITH THE DAWGS: The Humane Society of Elmore County will be holding its annual Getting Down with the Dawgs $10,000 Drawdown at the Wind Creek Wetumpka Entertainment Center. The doors open at 5 p.m., the buffet dinner begins at 6, followed by the drawdown at 7. Each ticket holder and one guest will enjoy a great night of fun, buffet dinner/beverages while supporting our shelter.

Tickets are on sale at the humane shelter, located at 255 Central Plank Rd. in Wetumpka, calling 334-567-3377 or emailing hselco@bellsouth.net

Saturday, March 16

• BENEFIT CONCERT: The We Are One for Wetumpka benefit concert and car show will be held at The Blue Iguana, located at 1714 East Main St. in Prattville. The car show will take place in the parking lot that will be roped off from 3 until 5 p.m.

There will be entertainment, food available and T-shirts available. Those interested in the car show should contact Sharon Brooks at 850-3390472.

Saturday, March 30

• WETUMPKA UNITED: A night of laughs and music to bring the community together, the Wetumpka United event will be held at Calvary Baptist Church at 504 West Osceola St. in Wetumpka. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the concert starts at 6.

• SPAGHETTI DINNER: The Red Hill Community Club is holding a benefit spaghetti dinner at the former Red Hill School on Highway 229 in the Red Hill community from 4 to 6 p.m. For $10 a plate, guests

Submit calendar items: Participate in your Herald and Observer by calling 256-234-4281, faxing them to 256-234-6550, sending your event to the.editor@thewetumpkaherald.com or logging on to http://www.thewetumpkaherald.com/.

receive spaghetti, salad, bread, dessert and a drink. Proceeds will be used to help pay for the building’s upkeep. Following the dinner, the band Montgomery Junction will be playing from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Ongoing Events

• STORY TIME: The Wetumpka Public Library holds a preschool story time every Tuesday and Friday at 10 a.m. throughout the year. It is the library’s philosophy that early introduction to reading and the library makes for well rounded and eager readers. The Wetumpka Public Library is located at 212 South Main St. For more information, contact 334-567-1308.

• NAACP: The Elmore County Branch #5026 of the NAACP meets at 6:30 p.m. every third Tuesday (the executive committee) and every fourth Tuesday (full membership) at the Martin Luther King Center, located at 200 North Lancaster St. in Wetumpka.

• CELEBRATE RECOVERY: Celebrate Recovery meets at Grace Point Community Church, located at 78223 Tallassee Hwy. every Tuesday night at 6:15 p.m. All are welcome. These meetings are a safe and loving environment for individuals seeking to conquer their hurts, habits, and hang-ups. For more information, visit Gracepoint.info or contact Gwin Greathouse at gwingreathouse@gmail.com • CELEBRATE RECOVERY: Celebrate Recovery meets every Thursday evening at 6:15 p.m. at Santuck Baptist Church, located at 7250 Central Plank Rd. This is a Christ-centered 12 step program for anyone struggling with hurts, habits, and hang-ups. Call 334-567-2364

File / The Observer

Humane Society of Elmore County will have its annual ‘Getting Down with the Dawgs’ $10,000 drawdown at the Wind Creek Wetumpka Entertainment Center on Friday. The shelter, located at 255 Central Plank Rd. in Wetumpka, has tickets for sale. Those interested may also call 334-567-3377 or email hselco@bellsouth.net for more information or contact jyates@santuckbaptist.org • FRESH START RECOVERY: Fresh Start Recovery meets every Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at First United Methodist Church at 306 West Tuskeena St. Fresh Start Motorcycle Ministry began when God laid it on the heart of a lifetime biker to minister to those with his background. All are welcome and it is not a requirement to own or ride a motorcycle. Format used is the Holy

Bible. For information, contact ministry leader Paul Henderson at 334-201-5428.

• GAMBLERS ANONYMOUS: Gamblers Anonymous meets Saturdays at 6 p.m. at Cedarwood Community Church, located at 10286 U.S. Highway 231 in the Wallsboro/Wetumpka community. Call 334-567-0476 for more information.

• GRIEFSHARE: The Griefshare Ministry meets on Saturday morning at 10 a.m.

at Calvary Baptist Church, located at 504 West Osceola Street. This ministry helps assist those who have lost loved ones. Contact the church office at 334-567-4729, Pamela Livingston at 334-324-2211 or visit www.calvarybaptistwetumpka.org for more information.

• ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: AA meetings and separate Al-anon meetings are held on Monday nights at 7 p.m. at 105 Tuskeena St. in Wetumpka.

Humane Society of Elmore County News

Tickets are selling fast for Friday’s drawdown

By REA CORD HSEC Executive Director

This is it. The ninth annual “Getting Down with the Dawgs” drawdown fundraiser for the Humane Society of Elmore County is this Friday at the Entertainment Center of Wind Creek Wetumpka. As of Monday, some tickets were still available but were selling fast, so come by the shelter early this week for your one in 312 chance to win $10,000 (you do not have to be present to win).

The humane society has a wonderful surprise for everyone at the event.

Wetumpka’s very own Jessica Meuse, talented singer, songwriter, TV star, animal lover, marathon runner and more will not only be joining in the fun, but will help open up the evening by performing a couple of her hit songs. We are thrilled to have Jess showcase her talent and she will then be with us through the evening for any autographs and photos, though give her time to enjoy some food and drawdown fun with her family please.

Thank you Jess, it is going to be a fun evening.

Tickets are $100, with each ticket holder and guest getting a delicious buffet dinner/beverage, awesome gift baskets given out after every 25th ticket drawn and cash bars for your

convenience. If you have a guest that would like to attend with the ticket holder(s), cost for their entry/meal is $25.

Upon arrival to Wind Creek Wetumpka, please park in their parking garage. Do not park in the gas station/store parking lot next to the venue. If you need assistance getting from the parking area to the Entertainment Center, please check with the casino valet for assistance.

Doors will open Friday at 6:00 p.m., dinner begins at 6:30 and the drawdown follows at 7:15. Tickets can be purchased by individuals and organizations/clubs, as what group couldn’t use some additional money for their activities/cause? Purchase a ticket for a friend or family member to give them a chance at big winnings while also supporting the shelter.

Stop by the shelter at 255 Central Plank Rd. in Wetumpka from Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. (unless we sell out earlier) early this week to purchase your ticket.

You can purchase your ticket(s) over the phone with a credit card but we cannot mail them, per federal law and will hold them in “will call.” The shelter will post on its Facebook page when we sell out of all 312 tickets.

For any questions contact the shelter at 334-567-3377 or email hselco@ bellsouth.net. See everyone on Friday.

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Pet of the Week — Tyra

T

yra is a 4-year old female lab mix. She weighs about 50 pounds and came to the shelter as a stray, and no one ever came looking for her.

She is a little on the shy side at first but wants to get close for reassurance then she is a big love bug. Once she is comfortable with you, she is ready for playtime. Tyra is good with other dogs too.

Shelter adoption fees are $100 for dogs and $50 for cats under 1 year old; cats over 1 year old can be adopted by approved adopters for a fee of their choosing. This adoption fee completely covers the mandatory spay or neuter,

basic immunizations, de-worming, microchip, heartworm check for dogs, rabies vaccination if old enough and a free health exam with a participating veterinarian.

To meet Tyra and all the other great pets at the shelter, visit 255 Central Plank Rd. in Wetumpka or visit its website at www.elmorehumane.org. For more information, email the shelter at hselco@bellsouth.net or call 334-567-3377.

The shelter is open for adoptions Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m; This Friday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. (in preparation for the drawdown fundraising event that starts at 6 p.m.) and Saturday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.

PAGE 6 • MARCH 13, 2019

TheWetumpkaHerald.com

THE ECLECTIC OBSERVER

ClassiÄeds

Lake & River Fax (205) 669-4217 The Alexander City Outlook

Employment

classiďŹ eds@alexcityoutlook.com public.notices@alexcityoutlook.com

Reaching more than 22,000 households in Tallapoosa and Elmore counties

Phone (256) 277-4219

The Dadeville Record

Job Opportunities

classiďŹ eds@thewetumpkaherald.com public.notices@thewetumpkaherald.com

The Eclectic Observer

Job Opportunities

The Tallassee Tribune

Job Opportunities

SEEKING SALESMAN for Rubber & Plastic Items Call to apply: 205-243-6661

Job Opportunities

Bill Nichols State Veterans Home NOW-HIRING!!!

‡ SP DP /31 51 &KDUJH 1XUVH 6LJQ RQ %RQXV

We Are Looking to Fill the Following Positions: 1. RN/LPN Nursing Supervisor 2. Caregivers Provide appropriate care and supervision to Elderly and Disabled individuals.

Call us at 256-342-5222 or email: aohcs08@gmail.com

Apply at: hmrveteranservices.com Contact:Brandy Holman 256-329-0868 ,I LQWHUHVWHG LQ WHDFKLQJ DUW FODVVHV RQ D YROXQWHHU EDVLV FRQWDFW 6KRQGD <RXQJ $'& 'LU RI 5HFUHDWLRQDO 6HUYLFHV ([W

Now Hiring Heavy Equipment Operators and CDL Drivers Competitive pay and EHQHÂżWV 3UH HPSOR\PHQW GUXJ WHVW UHTXLUHG Equal Employment 2SSRUWXQLW\ (PSOR\Hr Call: 205-298-6799 or email us at: jtate@forestryenv.com

Â&#x2021;51 /31 &KDUJH 1XUVH 0RQGD\ )ULGD\ SP SP Â&#x2021;351 3RVLWLRQV )XOO WLPH SRVLWLRQV ZLWK H[FHOOHQW SD\ DQG EHQHÂżWV (PDLO UHVXPH

White Oak Transportation

DSLWWV#FURZQHKHDOWKFDUH FRP

%URZQ 1XUVLQJ DQG 5HKDELOLWDWLRQ Moco Transportation OTR Drivers Needed 25 yrs old, 2 yrs Exp. Hazmat Required.

Good MVR. NO LOCAL RUNS Call: 1-800-328-3209 The Tallapoosa County Revenue Commission is taking applications for Mapper Trainee Apply at the Tallapoosa &RXQW\ &RPPLVVLRQ 2IÂżFH in Dadeville.

Deadline March 15, 2019 Tallapoosa County is an EOE

Â&#x2021;&HUWLÂżHG 1XUVLQJ $VVLVWDQWV DP SP SP SP SP DP VKLIWV ([FHOOHQW SD\ DQG EHQHÂżWV $SSO\ LQ SHUVRQ DW :DVKLQJWRQ 6WUHHW $OH[DQGHU &LW\

Hiring CDL Drivers, Backhoe Operators, and Laborers Must be highly motivated and able to follow directions Must have own transportation Please call: 334-322-4432 NOW HIRING Â&#x2021;(PHUJHQF\ 5RRP )7 51 DP SP Â&#x2021;37 6XUJLFDO 6FUXE 7HFK Â&#x2021;)7 &513 :HWXPSND 3HGLDWULFV (PDLO UHVXPH OUD]LFN#LY\FUHHNKHDOWK FRP 1HHG WR ÂżQG WKH ULJKW FDQGLGDWH" Call 256-277-4219 WR SODFH \RXU DG LQ WKH FODVVLÂżHGV WRGD\

EARN EXTRA CASH PART-TIME DRIVER NEEDED Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. seeks a Part-time Delivery Driver for the Tallapoosa & Elmore County areas.

0XVW EH DEOH WR ZRUN Ă&#x20AC;H[LEOH KRXUV ([FHOOHQW GULYLQJ UHFRUG Ability to lift 35-45 lbs..

Apply in person: Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. &KHURNHH 5RDG $OH[DQGHU &LW\ $/

Shoneys of Wetumpka Now Hiring Manager Trainees, Cooks and Servers Apply within during business hours Monday-Friday: 4700 US Highway 231 EOE DRIVERS Hanna Truck Lines is seeking Professional Flatbed Drivers.

56 cpm-No surprises: Starting pay (all miles): 54cpm, 55cpm at 6 months, 56cpm at 1 year. 100% Outbound loads Pre-loaded & Tarped. 75% Inbound No Tarp. Late Model Peterbilt Trucks. AirRide Trailers. Home weekends. Low cost BCBS Health/Dental Ins. 0DWFKLQJ . 4XDOLÂżFDWLRQV 18 months Class A CDL driving H[SHULHQFH ZLWK PRV Ă&#x20AC;DWEHG Applicants must meet all D.O.T. requirements.

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The Wetumpka Herald

PUZZLES & HOROSCOPE ARIES (March 21-April 19) You say what you feel, and your words have wings. Caring emanates from your intensity and willingness to listen. Still, be practical and do not lose touch with an issue, Ă&#x201E;nancial or otherwise. You could come out on top, soaring like an eagle. Tonight: You deserve a night oÉ&#x2C6;.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Curb a tendency to be reactive in dealing with unanticipated events.

Know that you can deal with them.

Make it your mantra. You could turn a seemingly negative situation into a winner. A friend might confuse you with many ideas and his or her own style.

Instead, let this person inspire you.

Tonight: Out. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Emotions run high. You look around and see that the world is your oyster.

An unusual realization could be significant. Your professional style could be inspiring others to a new level. Tonight: If you can dream it, you can make it real.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) You could feel out of sync with others.

Make it OK to seek out more privacy than you have in the recent past. Know that what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re experiencing is just a passage, and this mood soon will dissolve into a very upbeat period. Tonight: Get some extra R and R. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Aim for what you want and would like to expect! Friends surround and give you support thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s laden with suggestions. Be gracious; do listen, but feel free to follow your chosen path.

Schedule some personal time. Tonight: Surrounded by a crowd.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Stay on top of a project. Be willing to discuss it with a higher up. Confusion surrounds you. Minimize the impact of impending chaos by conĂ&#x201E;rming meeting times and places. You feel the best around the home front. Tonight: A force to be dealt with.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Reach out for someone at a distance who you care about or admire. You often Ă&#x201E;nd that your discussions revive your energy and help you gain a new perspective. Pace yourself, and you will accomplish a lot more than you thought possible. Return calls. Unusual news awaits. Tonight: Read between the lines.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Relate on a one-on-one level. Make time for a signiĂ&#x201E;cant person in your life.

You gain from his or her perspective and ability to bypass a problem. Your caring soars to a new level if you are open to growth and closeness with this person. Tonight: Togetherness.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Others express a positive outlook and are full of enthusiasm. You might Ă&#x201E;nd that others beat you to the punch, although you are assertive. Sort through news, calls and suggestions. You will feel most relaxed at home with a loved one. Tonight: Stay put!

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Your ability to state your case and express your needs draws you to the forefront. You might be dealing with several issues simultaneously and clearing out as much work as possible. You could be unusually quick in your responses.

Tonight: OÉ&#x2C6; to get some exercise.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Your playfulness draws many people whose inner child is also close to the surface. Understand what is happening around a Ă&#x201E;nancial matter. You might not have as much control as it seems.

Check the facts and Ă&#x201E;gures. Tonight: Hang with a fun friend.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) A level of inner tension develops around a fundamental matter. You might want to clear the air about an issue in your personal life and/or reconsider the possibility of working from home. Caring abounds. Tonight: Make it simple.

Order in.

THE ECLECTIC OBSERVER

TheWetumpkaHerald.com

MARCH 13, 2019 â&#x20AC;˘ PAGE 7

ECHS holds 2019 alumni ball STAFF REPORT TPI Staff

The Elmore County High School Alumni Committee recently held its 2019 ECHS Alumni Ball at The Eclectic Warehouse, using the proceeds to start a scholarship fund for seniors at ECHS. The event was emceed by Michael Blevins, who spoke about the association and gave away door prizes.

Blevins received a surprise during the evening when Eclectic Mayor Gary Davenport took the stage to award him a special proclamation plaque naming the day Michael Blevins Day for his generosity to the Town of Eclectic, the community and the Alumni Association.

Attendees spent the night socializing with fellow alumni and friends

Job Opportunities

and dancing to music from DJB Entertainment. There was a silent auction, refreshments were served, and Chrietzberg Photography was on hand to capture special moments throughout the night.

Alicia Blevins, the 2015 ECHS Alumni Ball Queen, passed the crown to 2019 ECHS Alumni Ball Queen Abby Traylor. Due to this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s event being held around Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day, Kelsey Taylor was crowned Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Queen during the event.

Job Opportunities

Wetumpka Area Wood Pallet Operation Needs: Â&#x2021;0DLQWHQDQFH 0LOOZULJKW Must have working knowledge of welding/ torching, hydraulics, pneumatics, and electrical systems. Â&#x2021;3URGXFWLRQ 6XSHUYLVRU Report to Plant Manager and be hands on with people/equipment. Must be willing to operate equipment as needed. Â&#x2021;0DFKLQH 2SHUDWRUV Operate wood sawing, stacking and nailing machinery.

Apply at Bass Lumber RU FDOO

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Merchandise

New Competitive Pay scale & Shift Differential Apply In Person Adams Health and Rehab 1555 Hillabee Street Alexander City Rebecca Clark (256)329-0847

Now Hiring for Full-Time Manufacturing Positions in the Alexander City Area.

All Shifts Available.

Overtime & some Saturdays may be required. Pay rates start at $9.00/hr & increase depending on the company.

Your choice of two Health Insurance Plans available.

Must pass drug screen & client background requirements.

Apply in person at: 207 South Central Avenue Alexander City, AL 35010 or Online at www.asapply-ag.com Now Hiring Experienced Mechanical/ Structural Draftsman SURÂżFLHQW LQ 'LPHQVLRQDO AutoCAD drafting.

Contact Brown Machine & Fabrication, Inc. Alexander City, AL 0RQGD\ 7KXUVGD\

Need to find the right employee?

WE CAN HELP. Reach the Tallapoosa and Elmore County markets for less using the Alex City Outlook classifieds. Need a quick quote? Submit your ad online at www.alexcityoutlook.com.

Call 256.277.4219.

Apartments

â&#x20AC;˘ Alexander City Outlook â&#x20AC;˘ Dadeville Record â&#x20AC;˘ Wetumpka Herald â&#x20AC;˘ Eclectic Observer â&#x20AC;˘ Tallassee Tribune

Recreational Vehicles

Deals & Bargains The Learning Tree, Inc. is Accepting Applications for 2nd, 3rd and Weekend shifts for Direct Care Applications can be picked up at: 101 S. Dubois Street Tallassee, AL 36078 Or contact Shatia Carr (334)252-0025 Ext. 101 Email: Scarr@learning-tree.org

Looking for Janitorial work Part-time. Have References.

Call Mike 256-786-9049

Â&#x2021;FULL-TIME PRN CNAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S (2PM-10PM) Shift Differential Â&#x2021;LPN/RN CHARGE NURSE (7PM-7AM/FT)

are happy to say that we are offering two $1000 scholarships to graduating seniors at ECHS, one to a male student and one to a female student.

We are very excited to be able to give back. Our plan going forward is to hold this event yearly. Our next ball is scheduled for February 21, 2020.â&#x20AC;?

For more information about next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ball, the scholarship fund or for a scholarship application, visit the associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website at www.echsalumniball.com.

Bring more shoppers to your door with locally focused advertising from the experts.

Auctions & Sales Estate Sales Estate of Ray & Mary Edith Voss March 13 8am-6pm March 14 & 15 9am-4pm March 16 8am-1pm 1977 Voss Road, Alexander City Many collections including: clocks, model cars, Coke memorabilia, pocket watches, knives, lighters, keychains, shot glasses, walking canes, coins/currency, spoons, lamps, baseballs/baseball cards, WKLPEOHV ÂżJXULQHV $QGUHD ELUGV Ă&#x20AC;RZHUV DQLPDOV decanters, Auburn/Alabama memorabilia.

LOTS of furniture in every room, fully stocked kitchen, Lenox Harvest Wheat china, quilts/bedspreads, framed prints/paintings (including Elilah Graves, Cheeko Douglas), milk/Carnival/crystal/depression glassware, pottery, stained glass doors/windows/hanging pieces, costume/silver/gold jewelry, tools/chest toolboxes, deer heads/antlers, vintage VWRUH VFDOHV VDIHV ÂżVKLQJ gear, birdhouses, outdoor furniture-old Robinson Iron patio set, vacuum cleaners, Victrola, and MUCH MORE!!

ADM

Garage Sales

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2015 Wildwood 24 foot camper

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Miscellaneous For Sale Gourds for Sale (334)558-7155

Notices General Notices Heating Season Assistance Starts December 15th, 8:00am for Chilton/Elmore/ Autauga & Shelby Counties.

Appointment Lines: Chilton/Elmore/Autauga: 205-287-0139 Shelby: 205-610-8916 Online: eaaoac.cascheduler.com 11th Area of Alabama O.A.C.

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Rentals Apartments NOW LEASING 1, 2, & 3 Bedroom Apartments at Whispering Pines & Morningside Contact: 256-825-4385 Available Now!!

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3BR-starting at $478 2BR-starting at $419 1BR-starting at $374 Kitchen furnished w/appliances, sewer/water/garbage services provided.

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State ClassiďŹ ed AlaScans

REPLACEMENT WINDOW SALE!!!

Jobs Wanted

CNA classes starting this month.

Come and join our team.

Helping make this event an outstanding success for everyone were committee members Alicia Blevins, Abby Traylor, Lahoma Leonard, Sheri Evans, Kristy Fletcher and Amanda Hughes. The entire committee did an outstanding job organizing the event. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This year, we wanted to be able to give back to our high school, so we decided to start a scholarship fund with the proceeds from the ball,â&#x20AC;? Hughes said in an email. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We

Houses For Rent HOUSE FOR RENT 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, separate dining area.

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Alex City. $850 per month.

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2 and 3 Bedroom 4073 Whaley Ferry Rd Alexander City.

Rent starts at $350-$550 plus deposit. No pets.

Call 334-745-7367 Eclectic: 282 Jordan Road, off Highway 63. Cozy 2BR mobile home. Nice kitchen. On 5 1/2 acres in family neighborhood of quality homes. For 1 or 2 people ONLY. $500 per month lease. 334-301-4051

Transportation Automobiles For Sale: 1991 Dodge Dakota Extended Cab 172,000 miles.

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Used as a farm truck.

Asking $1300.

Call Gary (334)283-2827 If no answer, leave name number and brief message.

2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 4x2 66,500 miles Asking $18,800 (256)825-1961

2004 White Ford Mustang 40th Anniversary Edition 3.9 V-6 engine, 115K miles Asking $4,990 Call 256-392-3429

Boats & Watercraft 1993 14-foot Sylvan V-hull Boat w/drive-on trailer, 30 HP Evinrude motor, live well, WUROOLQJ PRWRU GHSWK ÂżQGHU rod holders. Asking $2800 Call Tom @ 256-307-1423

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Fencing

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gregâ&#x20AC;?

Birmingham Fence Co. Specializing in: Â&#x2021;5HVLGHQWLDOÂ&#x2021;&RPPHUFLDO Â&#x2021;3ULYDF\Â&#x2021;$OXPLQXP Â&#x2021;5RG ,URQÂ&#x2021;&KDLQ /LQN Â&#x2021;9LQ\OÂ&#x2021;%DUE :LUH Â&#x2021;5HVWRUDWLRQ Â&#x2021;$QG PRVW W\SHV FREE ESTIMATES â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gregâ&#x20AC;? 334-531-8429

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TheWetumpkaHerald.com

THE ECLECTIC OBSERVER

Millbrook police recover stolen vehicle from juveniles STAFF REPORT TPI Staff

Millbrook police recovered a stolen vehicle in the possession of two juvenile suspects after it was involved in a collision at the intersection of Highway 143 South and Cobbs Ford Road on March 4.

The 2017 Hyundai Veloster was reported stolen on Feb. 26, according to the Montgomery Police Department.

On March 5, the Montgomery Police Department notified Millbrook detectives the Hyundai had been located and was occupied by two juveniles, ages 13 and 14. The driver was taken into custody by the Montgomery Police Department and was charged with first-degree receiving stolen property. The 13-year-old was taken into custody by Millbrook detectives and was charged with first-degree theft and first-degree receiving stolen property. Both will be adjudicated in the Elmore County Juvenile Court, according to Millbrook police chief P.K. Johnson, who said the area is facing an “epidemic” of armed juveniles committing violent crimes.

“While I am pleased that we were able to work with the Montgomery Police Department to recover the victim’s stolen vehicle and that our investigators have been able to make arrests in this case, I am sickened to learn that the offenders in this case are juveniles,” Johnson said in a release. “Young men 13 and 14 years old have no business engaging in dangerous criminal activity. They should be in school, playing sports and engaging in activities that young people do to become productive citizens in the future.”

Johnson said the juveniles appear to be part of a group involved in numerous vehicle break-ins and thefts in the River Region.

“While some of these offenders are adults, the overwhelming majority of these offenders are juveniles,” he said. “Even more disturbing is that many juveniles that we and other agencies have apprehended over the past several months have been armed with firearms. We believe this is due to the fact that far too many people are leaving firearms unsecured in their vehicles and they are being stolen.”

Millbrook police responded to the 3700 block of Henderson Place shortly before 6 p.m. on March 4 after the complainant reported the Veloster was occupied by several black male subjects and was last seen traveling southbound on Main Street, Johnson said. The complainant tried to follow the stolen vehicle but stopped following when one of the offenders pointed what appeared to be a firearm out of the window, according to Johnson.

Officers attempting to locate the stolen vehicle came upon a collision involving multiple vehicles at the

Submitted / The Observer

For its performance of the play ‘The Diviners,’ The Wetumpka Depot Players took first place at the Southeastern Theater Conference and will be competing against other theater groups from across the country at AACTFest19 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania this June.

Wetumpka Depot Players going to national competition

By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer

A

t a recent competition of community theater organizations from across the Southeast, 15 actors and cast members representing the Wetumpka Depot Players won and also got their tickets punched to go to the American Association of Community Theaters’ AACTFest19 to compete against others from around the country.

The Wetumpka Depot Players took top honors at the Southeastern Theater Conference in Knoxville, Tennessee, with their production of Jim Leonard’s play “The Diviners,” Kristy Meanor with the Wetumpka Depot Players said in an email. The prestigious national festival features 12 companies from across the U.S. and will be hosted by the American Association of Community Theaters in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, in June, Meador said.

The Southeastern Theater Conference brings representatives from youth, university, professional and community theater together in one place, according to Meanor. To get to the regional competition, Meanor said the group had to come out a winner at the state community theater competition, which the Wetumpka Depot Players tries to attend on an annual basis.

Since beginning to compete against other community theater groups across the state and region, the Wetumpka Depot Players have won the state competition seven times and the regional competition three times along with

The ClassiÀeds:

Submitted / The Observer

The national festival features 12 companies from across the US and will be hosted by the American Association of Community Theaters.

a handful of awards for directing and sets, among others.

The national competition is held every other year, so it’s just the second time the Wetumpka Depot Players have been invited to AACTFest19.

“It’s really special for us to be going,” Meanor said. “It puts Alabama in the national spotlight. It lets people know good

things are happening in community theater in Alabama.”

With the national competition looming, Meanor said the participants are apprehensive and excited.

“We want to do our best work and keep refining our product,” Meanor said. “We do feel we have the ability to win.”

intersection of Highway 143 South and Cobbs Ford Road. Witnesses said a vehicle traveling south toward Montgomery ran the traffic light just prior to the collision, Johnson said.

Officers attempted to catch up to the vehicle but lost sight of it prior to reaching the southbound lanes of Interstate 65, according to Johnson.

While assisting the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency in working the traffic collision at Highway 143 and Cobbs Ford Road, officers determined one of the vehicles involved in the collision was stolen in Montgomery, Johnson said.

“According to our investigators, a total of five young men occupied a 2017 Honda CR-V which had been reported stolen in Montgomery on Feb. 26,” Johnson said. “They were parked in the 3700 block of Henderson Place when they observed the driver of the 2017 Hyundai exit the vehicle which was left with the engine running. Several of the subjects exited the Honda and took possession of the Hyundai, fleeing the area in both stolen vehicles. A relative attempted to follow the stolen vehicles and alert law enforcement.

They discontinued when one of the offenders pointed what they believed to be a firearm out the window.

“Apparently both stolen vehicles attempted to run the traffic light while traveling southbound on Highway 143. The Hyundai made it through the intersection. The Honda did not, causing a traffic collision involving four vehicles.”

One victim was transported to Jackson Hospital by private vehicle with what appeared to be minor injuries, Johnson said.

Millbrook investigators have identified the other three suspects in the case, according to Johnson.

“Charges are pending and additional arrests will be made,” he said.

“These individuals and their associates are known to have committed numerous thefts and breaking and entering of vehicles throughout the River Region and beyond.”

Johnson said changes are needed in the juvenile justice system to stop young people from getting deeper into a life of crime.

“We are facing what appears to be an epidemic with the increase in juvenile offenders committing these violent and dangerous crimes,” Johnson said. “There needs to be a serious effort to make changes in our juvenile justice system to make it easier to incarcerate and correct these violent and chronic juvenile offenders while there is still an opportunity to do so.

There must be serious repercussions for these offenders or they will continue to commit these crimes. I spoke to a 13-year-old child that had absolutely no remorse for taking other’s property and endangering countless lives with his reckless behavior. As a career law enforcement officer this both scares and saddens me greatly.”

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TheWetumpkaHerald.com

MARCH 13, 2019 â&#x20AC;˘ PAGE 9

WES childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s choir takes trip to Tuskegee Airmen Museum

By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer

As a special reward for its hard work at the recent Black History Month program held by the Elmore County AfricanAmerican Heritage Association, the Wetumpka Elementary School childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s choir will take a special field trip to the Tuskegee Airmen National Museum Thursday. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is the first time weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done a trip like this,â&#x20AC;? Winfred Wise with the ECAAHA said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We wanted to reward them for their performance at our program.â&#x20AC;?

Wise, a Tuskegee alumnus, visited the museum several times while studying at the university.

Located at Moten Field, the airfield where the Tuskegee Airmen conducted their basic flight training, the museum gives visitors the chance to learn more about Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first black military pilots.

Wise said he informed the

school and the childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s choir of the trip before rehearsals for the Black History Month program began, leading to the students working even harder while practicing for the program. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been excited the whole time,â&#x20AC;? Wise said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our association members were thrilled for their performance. We were so proud of them.â&#x20AC;?

During the visit, Wise said museum officials will have a special scavenger hunt for the students to take part in, helping them learn more about the Tuskegee Airmen and the role they played in defeating Nazi Germany.

With the trip coming up, everyone involved is eagerly anticipating visiting the museum and enjoying such an interesting reward for all of the hard work the childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s choir put into their performance at the program. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want to give back to them for helping us out,â&#x20AC;? Wise said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what this trip is all about.â&#x20AC;?

Submitted / The Observer

For their hard work and stunning performance during the recent Black History Month program, students from the childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s choir at Wetumpka Elementary School are taking a field trip to the Tuskegee Airmen National Museum Thursday, sponsored by the Elmore County African-American Heritage Association.

Police Reports Wetumpka Police Department Thursday, Feb. 28

â&#x20AC;˘ There was a report filed of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, a felony, at the corner of Dozier Street and West Bridge Street. The incident was reported when a clear plastic baggie containing a white crystal substance believed to be meth and two glass pipes with residue believed to smoke narcotics were found on an individual. â&#x20AC;˘ There was a report filed of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, a felony, at the corner of Dozier Street and West Bridge Street. The incident was reported when a glass pipe used to smoke meth was found on an individual.

Friday, March 1

â&#x20AC;˘ There was a report filed of theft of property, a misdemeanor, at the 4000 block of Highway 231.

The incident was reported when $40.09 in merchandise was stolen from a department store. â&#x20AC;˘ There was a report of theft of property, a misdemeanor, at the 4000 block of Highway 231. The incident was reported when $28.65 in merchandise was stolen from a department store.

Saturday, March 2

â&#x20AC;˘ There was a report of criminal mischief, a misdemeanor, at the 1 block of Cherry Street. The incident was reported when there was damage to the driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s side door of an automobile.

Submitted / The Observer

Fourth-grade students from Wetumpka Elementary School recently toured the Alabama Department of Archives and History.

Rep. Mike Holmes from House District 31 met with students and talked with them about his service in the Alabama legislature.

The students got up close and personal with things they have been learning throughout the school year.

Wetumpka fourth-graders take trip to capitol

By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer

Two groups of students from Wetumpka Elementary School took a trip to Montgomery earlier this month to visit the Alabama State Capitol building and the Alabama Department of Archives and History. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is a trip we go on annually,â&#x20AC;? Wetumpka Elementary School fourth-grade teacher Melinda Tyler said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This relates to our standards and sums up what weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been studying throughout the school year.â&#x20AC;?

According to Tyler, 40 students from her class and Cindy Rogersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; class made the visit to the capitol, learning more about Alabama and its history throughout the day.

During the visit to the archives, Tyler said Alabama House of Representatives District 31 Rep. Mike Holmes visited with the students for a few minutes, speaking with the children about what was going on in the state government.

The students took a tour through the Alabama Voices exhibit, a

Monday, March 4

â&#x20AC;˘ There was a report filed of theft of property, a felony, at the 200 block of Henry Street. The incident was reported when a Stihl weed eater and blower, valued at $647 were stolen from a residential home.

Wednesday, March 6

â&#x20AC;˘ There was a report filed of theft of property, a misdemeanor, at the 4000 block of Highway 231.

The incident was reported when $69.60 in merchandise was stolen from a department store. â&#x20AC;˘ There was a report filed of damage to city property at the 200 block of West Bridge Street. The incident was reported when there was damage to a fuel tank valued at $500.

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user-friendly interactive museum that includes displays and information from the earliest Native Americans to more modern times. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The boys really liked seeing all of the weapons and guns on display,â&#x20AC;?

Tyler said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The miniature railroad was also a big hit.â&#x20AC;?

In addition to going through the Alabama Voices exhibit, the students toured the capitol

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building and learned about its lengthy history.

After seeing her studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Alabama history lessons come to life, Tyler said those who made the trip had a great and enjoyable day touring various aspects of the

capitol. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The students were amazed and enjoyed relating it to what theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been learning,â&#x20AC;?

Tyler said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They were excited to be learning outside of the classroom.â&#x20AC;?

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PAGE 10 • MARCH 13, 2019

ANDY GRAHAM Columnistt

Auburn has a great draw in SEC tourney

T

he Auburn Tigers wrapped up the regular-season on Saturday with a thrilling victory over the No. 5 Tennessee Volunteers 84-80 in front of a soldout crowd at Auburn Arena.

The game was played at an extremely high level by both teams and was one of the best wins for the Tiger program in the last 50 years.

I’m not exaggerating.

Bruce Pearl has been a perfect fit on the Plains and is in the process of building a quality program capable of sustained success. It hasn’t always been pretty and certainly hasn’t been easy, but back-to-back seasons of at least 20 wins are proof all the hard work is paying off.

Last year, AU finished the regular-season 25-6 and won the SEC regular-season title but limped in to the postseason figuratively and literally with several players banged up. That resulted in a first-round ouster of the SEC tournament and a second-round departure from the NCAA tournament.

This year, the Tigers finished the regular season 22-9, but appear to be peaking at the right time and are healthy with the exception of Austin Wiley. Perhaps, that will translate into greater postseason success. It all starts Thursday with the SEC tournament.

Auburn doesn’t exactly have an illustrious history when it comes to the conference tournament. In fact, the Tigers have only one SEC tournament championship. They defeated Alabama 53-49 in overtime in 1985.

Auburn was the runner-up to Kentucky in 1984 and to Arkansas in 2000. Oddly enough, the 1985 season was considered a disappointment with the Tigers going 8-10 in conference play. Sonny Smith was set to “retire” at the end of the year, but Auburn went on a run, winning the SEC tournament and making it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament. Smith kept his job and led the Tigers to the Elite 8 the following year.

To be honest, Auburn couldn’t have asked for a better draw in 2019. After a first-round bye, the Tigers will face the winner of Georgia and Missouri. They beat Mizzou by 34 points earlier this season and have already beaten the Bulldogs twice. A first-round victory would set up a rematch with South Carolina who barely edged the Tigers 80-77 in Columbia. The Gamecocks are definitely the most desirable opponent considering the other top seeds of LSU, Kentucky and Tennessee.

Auburn is now projected to be a No. 5 seed in the Big Dance. I suppose the Tigers could possibly move up to a No. 4 seed if they won the SEC tournament, but their position is unlikely to change otherwise. This is probably where we normally cue the argument about the uselessness of conference tournaments, but that’s an argument for another day.

Of course, somewhere Luke Robinson is ranting and raving about some undeserving team winning their conference tournament and stealing a spot in the big tournament from some bubble team (usually Alabama). If it’s not that, it’s whining about there being entirely too many teams in the tournament making it a watered-down product. Geez, enough Luke! Who asked you?

It would be great to see Auburn win the SEC tournament or make a deep run in the NCAA tournament, but either way, the program is in better shape now than it has been in a very long time.

Andy Graham is a regular columnist for Tallapoosa Publishers Inc.

Sports

Visit our sister website: TallasseeTribune.com TheWetumpkaHerald.com

The

Observer

TOPS IN THE STATE 4 locals earn spots on all-state teams

STAFF REPORT TPI Staff

A quartet of locals were recognized this weekend as they were named to the Alabama Sports Writers Association all-state teams. The county had a pair of second-team selections and two third-team selections.

Edgewood Academy junior guard Robert Stewart and Elmore County senior Madison Traylor were both named to their respective second team.

Stewart had a last-season offensive surge, helping the Wildcats to the AISA Class AA title. The 5-foot-11 junior averaged 11.6 points per game over 27 games but pushed it to 15.3 in the last seven games and was selected the AISA State Tournament’s MVP. Stewart made 43 3-pointers during the season and added 5.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.1 steals per game.

Traylor was named to the Class 4A second team after finished with 16.5 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. She finished with 17 double-doubles.

In her senior year, she set career highs in points, rebounds and steals and had her best game against Booker T. Washington in the area tournament with 27 points and 16 rebounds to send ECHS to the sub-regionals for the sixth consecutive season.

Earning spots on the third team were Tallassee’s Tyrek Turner and Holtville’s Drake Baker in Class 5A and 4A, respectively.

Turner averaged 13.2 points, 12.2 rebounds and 4.5 blocks while playing in all 30 games during the Tigers’ run to the sub-regionals. Turner recorded 18 double-doubles and enjoyed his best game of the season in the first round of the Elmore County Tournament with 25 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks in a win over Stanhope Elmore.

Baker was named to the 4A third team after coming back from preseason elbow surgery to average 17.3 points and 11.7 rebounds per game.

He led the Bulldogs to 10-plus wins for the third consecutive season and added 2.7 assists, 2.5 steals and 2.2 blocks per game.

File / The Observer

Elmore County’s Madison Traylor was named to the Class 4A all-state second team.

View the full list of the ASWA all-state teams on Page 12.

Elmore County pitching too much for Bears

By GRIFFIN PRITCHARD For The Herald

Landon Maynard struck out eight but left a whole bunch more Bears frustrated as the Elmore County Panthers upended Billingsley, 5-2, Friday night in front of the hometown faithful.

“I challenge our pitchers to dominate without throwing a lot of pitches,” Panthers coach Michael Byrd said. “He had a couple of quick innings and they got a couple of hits early, but that’s because he was throwing fastballs trying to get ahead.

He started mixing things up later in the game and it got a little harder for them. He got the ball running and two of those last three fastballs he threw were easily 86, 87 (mph) all day long.”

The Bears scattered four hits through seven innings in the loss.

“I thought we hit the ball hard, but we hit the ball right at them,” Byrd

said. “They made several good plays.

We hit four or five balls right on the nose, but they made every play.”

After fanning a trio of Billingsley batters on 12 pitches to start the third, the Panther offense took control in the home half of the inning, securing a lead it never relinquished.

Richie Smith struck out the first Panther he faced looking then loaded the bases on a trio of walks. Taylor Henderson drove a seeing-eye-single between third and short to score two runs and put the Panthers up 2-0.

“We kept hitting the ball hard and I felt like we were going to have that big inning, but we never did,” Byrd said. “But the good thing is that when they scored, we answered back and we were able to extend the lead there at the end.”

Billingsley added a run to start the fourth, but Eclectic answered.

Payne Watts was handed a free pass then scored on a Brady Lewis double to left. The Panthers, after four com-

plete, pushed ahead 3-1.

The Bears took advantage of a pair of Elmore County fielding errors to push a run home in the fifth.

Eclectic answered. Henderson tripled then scored on a passed ball to double the Panthers’ lead, 4-2.

The Panthers pushed the final run home in the bottom of the sixth, Lewis drew a walk off new pitcher Tripp Glass then scored on a single.

The Panthers, who have now won five straight dating back to late February, seem to be building an impressive season.

“So far, we’ve been able to take advantage of other teams’ mistakes,” Byrd said. “That shows we’ve got a little character and a little fight and that’s a good thing.”

The big inning that Byrd was looking for in Eclectic were found in Billingsley a day later as the Panthers traveled to Autauga County and blasted the Bears in front of the black-andgold faithful Saturday.

Panthers doomed by pool play losses

By CALEB TURRENTINE Sports Writer

Caleb Turrentine / The Observer

Elmore County’s Madelyn Becker swings at a high pitch during the Panthers’ first game at Wetumpka’s tournament on Friday.

The Elmore County softball team was one of 20 teams to participate in the annual Wetumpka tournament over the weekend. The Panthers put themselves in a hole after losing both games in pool play before being eliminated from the tournament by a 12-2 loss to Prattville Christian.

Elmore County opened the weekend against Marbury on Friday afternoon. The Panthers got a two-run homer from Kelina Daniels along with two hits each from Ebone Pierson, Madelyn Becker and Madison Britt but it was not enough to erase a five-run second inning by Marbury as the Bulldogs pulled away with a 7-4 victory.

Things did not get any easier for the Panthers the next morning when they had to face Alabama Christian. Elmore County took the lead in the first inning with an RBI single from Daniels which scored Pierson.

However, that was the only run of the game for See PANTHERS • Page 11

THE ECLECTIC OBSERVER

TheWetumpkaHerald.com

MARCH 13, 2019 • PAGE 11

Patrick leads ECHS track team in Troy STAFF REPORT TPI Staff

The Elmore County boys track team had a particularly strong performance in the Troy Invitational meet on March 7.

DJ Patrick led ECHS by winning the 200 (22.91) and finishing second in the long jump (21-4) but the Panthers had numerous top-10 efforts, including placing four of the top 10 in the 800 (Zefeniah Edwards 3rd in 2:05.45, De’Angelo Splunge 4th in 2:08.45, Dejuan Lyles 9th in 2:19.48 and Stone Svencer 10th in 2:20.96).

In the 1,600, Elmore County’s boys also got a sixth from Josh Smith (5:21.83) and 10th from Sawyer Lett (5:41.15); a fifth from Smith in the 3200 (11:35.08); and second in the 4x4 (3:38.30), 4x8 (9:05.01) and high jump (Shakwan Bickley, 5-10).

In the javelin, Jake Moseley finished seventh (104-8) and Parker Watts ninth (98-5).

BASEBALL Elmore County easily takes down Billingsley in doubleheader

After a narrow victory over

Billingsley on Friday, Elmore County’s baseball team was unstoppable against the same squad in a doubleheader Saturday afternoon. The Panthers won the first game, 15-3, then continued its dominating, 17-1, in Game 2.

In the opening game, ECHS dominated offensively, racking up 15 hits and scoring at least two runs in all five innings. Landon Maynard paced the prolific offense with four hits and three RBIs. Jamie Singleton also had three hits, while Taylor Henderson, Austin Downey and Cole Downey had two apiece.

Henderson, Singleton, Austin Downey and Garrett Cole all drove in a pair of runs.

The Panthers also got strong pitching performances from Austin Downey and Zach Jones, who combined to allow just five hits. Downey threw the first four innings, giving up four hits and striking out seven. Only one of his three runs allowed were earned, and he didn’t walk any. Jones entered for the final inning, allowing one hit, two strikeouts and a pair of walks.

In the nightcap, although Elmore County collected eight

File / The Observer

Landon Maynard and the Elmore County offense had a pair of strong outings in a sweep of Billingsley this weekend. Maynard had five hits and five RBIs in the doubleheader.

hits, it also got a lot of help from Billingsley’s defense, which finished with eight errors.

After leading just 3-1 through four complete innings, the Panthers blew the game wide open with six

runs in the top of the fifth and eight in the top of the sixth.

This time, Cole led the way with two hits and two RBIs. Chase Wilson, Jones, Jacob Taunton, Landon Maynard, Singleton and Brody Ward each had one hit. Taunton,

Maynard and Singleton all drove in two runs apiece.

Brady Lewis fired six innings for the complete-game victory. He gave up just four hits and one run. Lewis racked up seven strikeouts and didn’t walk any.

2019 SLE Rodeo coming this week at Garrett Coliseum STAFF REPORT TPI Staff

Submitted / The Observer

David Gaston of Sylacauga boated five bass weighing a cumulative 16 pounds, 15 ounces Saturday to win the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League Bama Division opener on Lake Martin. Gaston won $6,956 for his second career victory on Lake Martin in BFL competition.

Locals fare well at BFL opener on Lake Martin STAFF REPORT TPI Staff

\Sylacauga’s David Gaston put five bass in the boat weighing a cumulative 16 pounds, 15 ounces Saturday to win the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Bama Division opener on Lake Martin hosted by the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce.

“I fished shallow brush piles in 2 to 3 feet of water in Madwin and Sandy creeks,” Gaston said in a release. “I worked areas in both creeks and hit probably 40 different brush piles. I would pull up and flip them five or six times and then move on.”

Gaston — who earned his second career victory on Lake Martin in the BFL competition and won $6,956 — said he caught eight or nine keepers throughout the day, using black and blue D&L Baby Advantage casting jigs with a Strike King Menace Rage Tail Craw of the same color. He also weighed one off a Delta Redcolored Strike King 1.5 KVD HC Silent square-billed crankbait. He used P-Line 20-pound-test Tactical Fluorocarbon line which he said ended up being a crucial part of his catch.

“They were really subtle bites,” Gaston said. “They didn’t thump the bait, they kind of just picked it up and held onto it and the sensitivity of the line helped me feel them.”

Dusty Robinson of Eclectic caught a 6-pound, 10-ounce largemouth — the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division — and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $490.

Local knowledge proved crucial as five of the top 10 finishers in the Boater Division were from Sylacauga, Eclectic, Tallassee and Wetumpka.

Robert Hays of Elmore won the Co-angler Division and $1,959 after catching five bass weighing 12-4.

Gary Marlowe of Montgomery caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division weighing in at 5-14 to earn the division’s Big Bass award of $242.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 17-19 BFL Regional Championship on Lake Guntersville.

Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard.

The 2019 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers with 128 tournaments throughout the season and five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division along with the five winners of the qualifying events will advance to one of six regional tournaments. The top

Panthers the Panthers as ACA ran away with a 7-1 victory behind six runs in the final two innings. Elmore County got only two more hits after the opening inning.

Because of the two losses in pool play, the Panthers were forced into one of the first round games in bracket play against Dadeville. With its tournament life on the line, Elmore County came out swinging and had its best offensive outing of the tournament, earning an 11-4 victory.

six regional finishers will go to one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing — the BFL All-American May 30-June 1 at the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland.

The top performers in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the FLW Tour.

Top 10 finishers Boater Division 1. David Gaston, Sylacauga, 16-15 (5) 2. Marty Giddens, Cropwell, 15-0 (5) 3. Jimmy Miller, Eclectic, 13-7 (5) 4. Dallas Weldon, Tallassee, 13-2 (5) 5. Terry Fisher, Jacksonville, Florida, 13-1 (5) 6. Steven Ingram, Tallassee, 12-11 (5) 7. Robert Pelt II, Montgomery, 12-7 (5) 8. Terry Tucker, Gadsden, 12-1 (5) 9. Ken Walters, Wetumpka, 12-0 (5) 10. Christopher Jones, Midfield, 11-10 (5) 10. Michael Purvis, Canton, Georgia, 11-10 (5) Top 10 finishers Co-angler Division 1. Robert Hays, Elmore, 12-4 (5) 2. Roman Robinson, Steele, 11-15 (5) 3. Michael Ingram, Cropwell, 11-13 (5) 4. Ty Story, Prattville, 11-5 (5) 5. Gary Marlowe, Montgomery, 11-3 (5) 6. William Jackson, Sharpsburg, Georgia, 10-15 (5) 7. John Bryan, Carrollton, Georgia, 10-13 (5) 8. Franklin McCutcheon, Jacksonville 10-8 (5) 9. Ray Puckett, Wetumpka, 10-5 (5) 9. Michael Smith, Piedmont, South Carolina 10-5 (5)

continued from Page 10 Becker got things started in the first inning with a double before scoring on a single from Daniels.

Eleanor Watts, Maci Curlee, Pierson, Britt and Lela Hall each added at least one RBI with two outs in the first inning to give the Panthers a 9-0 lead before Dadeville came to the plate.

Curlee pitched the complete game in the circle, allowing five hits and just one earned run across three innings for her only victory of the tournament.

Elmore County (3-6) found itself tied with PCA in the second inning of the second round matchup after an RBI from Akerria Harden. However, the Lions scored 11 runs over the last two innings to win, on their way to winning the tournament championship.

Pierson led the Panthers with six hits across the team’s four tournament games. Daniels hit the team’s only home run and led Elmore County with four RBIs.

The 2019 SLE Rodeo is being held through Sunday at Garrett Coliseum in Montgomery.

This year’s rodeo season is filled with events sure to please any audience. Whether it’s the parade downtown, the Stick Horse Rodeo or the Western Festival, there’s something for everybody to enjoy.

The rodeo features the top bucking stock in the country through 2016 PRCA Stock Contractor of the Year Frontier Rodeo Company. Coordinators for this year’s rodeo said it will have more cowboys and cowgirls who competed in the National Finals Rodeo than any other rodeo within 200 miles.

The SLE Rodeo also features freestyle bullfighting, which involves highly skilled, talented human and bovine athletes partaking in a dangerous battle where control, strength, aggression and courage are displayed.

The bullfight itself is a 60-second competition with a whistle at the mandatory 40-second mark after which the bullfight can be “sold.”

Bullfighters are judged on and will gain points by how well they maneuver around the bull, working in close with the bull, staying in control, working in both directions and “selling” the fight. Bullfighters must maintain control of the barrel if the bull engages it. A bullfighter will lose points by getting run over, run up the fence or not controlling the barrel if engaged.

Bullfighters can gain extra points with jumps, barrel hops or walking down the bull’s back using the barrel.

Each bullfight is scored 1 to 25 points by each judge on how strong the bullfighter fights and 1 to 25 points on how strong the bull performs.

With two judges there are a possible 100 points.

This year’s rodeo will feature Rockin’ Robbie Hodges, the professional barrelman and rodeo clown. Hodges has created an experience unlike any other for rodeo fans across the world. As the hottest barrelman and rodeo clown going down the road today, Hodges has used his quick wit and loveable personality to reach crowds on a personal level. His unscripted, hilarious banter and connection with children has given rodeo fans something new to enjoy about rodeos.

This passion has helped him eagerly take on rodeo performance of any size and venue.

Hodges personalizes each performance by getting to know his crowd before ever entering the arena.

But Hodges will quickly change to the serious job at hand each night. While some barrelmen use their barrel as a prop, Hodges moves his barrel and becomes part of the protection team on each bull ride. His talent of reading a bull’s movement has led him to positioning himself as a sole protector of not only the contestant but the bullfighters in many cases.

The Roman Rider, Dusti Crain Dickerson, will also be featured at the rodeo. Dickerson was born and raised in a rodeo family. Her father owned a small rodeo company in southern Illinois where she carried flags and barrel raced. Dickerson caught the Roman riding and trick-riding bug at 11 during a family vacation to Branson, Missouri, to Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede. She went home, worked tirelessly and grew into one of the fastest and most exciting acts in rodeo today. The last 12 years, Dickerson was the featured Roman rider in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and is coming out of retirement. Her acts are high-flying with fast, beautiful horses and colorful, unique costumes.

For more information about the rodeo, call 1-888-2RODEO2 or visit slerodeo.com/ticket-information/.

PAGE 12 • MARCH 13, 2019

TheWetumpkaHerald.com

THE ECLECTIC OBSERVER

ALABAMA SPORTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION ALL-STATE BASKETBALL TEAMS Abbi Holley, Deshler, Sr., G, 5-4 Te’Nequa Rhodes, Handley, Jr., G, 5-4 Jordyn Starr, Cherokee Co., Jr., G, 5-5 Jailah Swain, Childersburg, Sr., G, 5-9 Coach of the year Blake Prestage, Rogers

Honorable mention Corryne Blanks, Evangel Christian, Sr., G, 5-7 Laiken Hussey, Lowndes Academy, Sr., G, 5-8 Chloe Seithalil, Hooper, Sr., F, 5-8 CJ Weldon, Edgewood, Sr., G, 5-4 Coach of the year Chris Burford, Wilcox Academy

First-team All-State Andres Burney, Pike Co., Jr., C, 6-8 Auston Leslie, Westminster Christian, Sr., G, 6-4 Cooper Meadows, Prattville Christian, Sr., F, 6-6 Caden Millican, Plainview, Sr., G, 6-3 CLASS 3A GIRLS Srjdan Petrovic, Houston Academy, Sr., First-team All-State G, 6-3 Carissa Horton, Locust Fork, Sr., G, 5-4 Second-team All-State CLASS 7A BOYS Annie Hughes, Pisgah, Sr., G, 5-10 Kyler Chaney, Holly Pond, Jr., F, 6-2 First-team All-State Emma James, Colbert Heights, Sr., G, BJ Comer, Prattville Christian, Sr., G, 6-2 Kriston Davis, Baker, Sr., G, 6-0 5-7 PJ Eason, Dadeville, So., F-C, 6-9 Ahman Ellington, Hoover, Sr., G, 5-10 Jemeriah Moore, Midfield, Jr., G, 5-10 Koby Tinker, Plainview, Sr., G, 6-2 Demond Robinson, Lee-Montgomery, Kaitlyn Reyes, Prattville Christian, Sr., Braydon Whitaker, Slocomb, Jr., G, 5-10 Sr., F, 6-8 G, 5-8 Third-team All-State Malik Tyson, Sparkman, Sr., G, 6-4 Second-team All-State Josh Childers, Westminster Christian, Trendon Watford, Mountain Brook, Sr., Abby Davis, Phil Campbell, Sr., F, 5-11 Sr., F, 6-4 F, 6-9 Molly Heard, Pisgah, Fr., G-F, 5-11 Robert Gaines, Weaver, Sr., G-F, 6-2 Second-team All-State Morgan Holland, Susan Moore, Jr., G, Tyler Irons, East Lawrence, Sr., F, 6-1 DaMarcus Beckwith, Florence, Jr., F, 6-4 Wyatt Newton, Lauderdale Co., Sr., G, 5-9 Josh Birdsong, Austin, Sr., F, 6-5 Janazsia Nettles, T.R. Miller, Jr., G, 5-5 5-10 Dallas Howell, Enterprise, Jr., G-F, 6-6 Leighton Robertson, Montgomery Alex Odam, Piedmont, 8th, G, 6-1 Matthew McNeece, McGill-Toolen, Sr., Academy, So., G, 5-7 Honorable mention F, 6-4 Third-team All-State Christian Hubbard, Oakman, Jr., F, 5-11 Nathan Moore, Huntsville, Sr., F, 6-8 Ella Jane Connell, Prattville Christian, Deontae Lawson, Mobile Christian, So., Third-team All-State Fr., G, 5-8 F, 6-3 Garrett Hicks, James Clemens, Sr., G, Caleigh Cortez, Weaver, Sr., G, 5-10 Trey Lindsey, Montgomery Academy, 6-0 Anna Beth Giles, Glencoe, Jr., G, 5-7 Sr., G, 6-0 Colby Jones, Mountain Brook, Jr., G, 6-5 Kelly Pickett, Hanceville, Jr., G, 5-6 Coach of the year Riley Leonard, Fairhope, So., F, 6-5 Sydney Prater, Piedmont, Sr., F, 5-11 Robi Coker, Plainview De’Marquiese Miles, Lee-Montgomery, Honorable mention Jr., G, 5-11 C’era Beck, Winfield, Sr., G, 5-5 CLASS 2A BOYS Dee Pearson, Gadsden City, Sr., G, 6-1 Jesslyn Culverhouse, Geneva, Sr,, G, First-team All-State Honorable mention 5-5 J.D. Davison, Calhoun, So., G, 6-3 Emrey McGill, Clements, Sr., G, 5-7 Luke Couch, Vestavia Hills, Sr., G, 6-1 Christian Fortner, Thorsby, Sr., G, 6-5 CLASS 6A GIRLS Coach of the year Jordan O’Neal, Theodore, Sr., C, 6-5 Noel Jones, Central-Coosa, Jr., G-F, 6-1 First-team All-State Jason Roberson, Prattville Christian Jalin Thomas, Smiths Station, Sr., G, 6-3 Jaquon Kincey, Abbeville, Sr., G, 6-2 Farrah Pearson, Hazel Green, Jr., F, Coach of the year Jayden Stone, Sacred Heart, Jr., G, 6-3 5-10 CLASS 2A GIRLS David Armstrong, Baker Second-team All-State Kaitlin Peterson, Eufaula, So., G, 5-8 First-team All-State Malik Atkins, Tanner, Jr., F, 6-1 Sara Puckett, Muscle Shoals, So., F, 6-1 CLASS 6A BOYS Daquan Kincey, Abbeville, Sr., G, 5-10 Marisa Snodgrass, Hazel Green, Sr., G, Camryn Crider, Cold Springs, Sr., G, 5-3 Ayanna Foster, Sacred Heart, Sr., F, 6-1 First-team All-State Jovon Richardson, Central-Coosa, Sr., 5-5 Elizabeth Hill, Cold Springs, Jr., F, 5-11 Kobe Brown, Lee-Huntsville, Sr., G-F, G, 5-8 Moriah Taylor, Hartselle, Sr., G, 5-5 Mary Beth Long, G.W. Long, Jr., C, 6-1 6-7 Brakevion Saffold, Houston Co., Jr., F, Second-team All-State Karoline Striplin, Geneva Co., So., C, JaLon Johnson, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa, 6-6 Kaitlyn Bryant, Opelika, So., F, 5-10 6-3 Sr., G, 6-0 Khalil Watkins, Sacred Heart, Sr., G, 6-3 Elsie Harris, B.C. Rain, Jr., G, 5-7 Second-team All-State Mark Sears, Muscle Shoals, Jr., G, 6-0 Third-team All-State Jajuana Lambert, Blount, Sr., F, 6-0 Kirby DeBoard, Sand Rock, Sr., G, 5-8 Jaykwon Walton, Carver-Montgomery, Corey Boston, LaFayette, Jr., G, 5-10 Mary Denman Luker, Pell City, Sr., G, Feliah Greer, LaFayette, So., F, 5-7 Sr., G, 6-6 Shemar Dixon, Daleville, Sr., C-F, 6-6 5-7 Ty’Quajah Griffin, Goshen, Sr., G, 5-6 Kam Woods, Pinson Valley, Jr., G, 6-0 Devin Doss, Sheffield, Fr., F, 6-2 Randrea Wright, Carver-Birmingham, Derrica McCall, Central-Hayneville, Jr., Second-team All-State Kaleb Jones, Collinsville, Jr., G, 5-11 So., G, 5-6 G, 5-11 Kuran Garner, Buckhorn, Sr., G, 6-1 Hunter Vest, North Sand Mountain, Sr., Third-team All-State Grace Walters, Asbury, Jr., G, 5-6 Zondrick Garrett, Oxford, Jr., F, 6-7 G., 5-9 A’nya Banks, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa, Sr., Third-team All-State Jamiah Holloway, Columbia, Sr., F, 6-7 Honorable mention G, 5-8 Saige Blanton, Winston Co., Sr., F-C, Laquaveus Nelson, Eufaula, Sr., G, 6-0 Omar Gaddis, Central-Coosa, Sr., G, Kristin Brown, Carver-Montgomery, Jr., 5-11 Brody Peebles, Hartselle, So., G, 6-2 5-10 G, 5-7 Myiah Harris, Sacred Heart, Jr., G, 5-6 Third-team All-State Evan Keller, Ohatchee, Sr., G, 5-11 Tatyanna Davis, Lee-Huntsville, Jr., F, Zakyria Johnson, Ariton, Jr., G-F, 5-10 Trinity Bell, Albertville, So., C, 6-7 Jyquan White, Geneva Co., Sr., C, 6-5 6-1 Brittany Rivera, Collinsville, Jr., F, 5-10 Taye Fields, Opelika, So., G, 6-2 Coach of the year Alexis Hudgens, Northview, So., G, 5-8 Toni Young, Calhoun, Sr., F, 5-8 Brandon Nicholas, Mae Jemison, Sr., G, Jeremy Freeman, Central-Coosa Jamya Tyus, McAdory, Jr., G, 5-8 Honorable mention 6-3 Honorable mention Cordasia Harris, Central-Hayneville, Jr., Aaron Powe, B.C. Rain, Jr., G, 6-0 CLASS 1A BOYS Anna Katherine Eastman, Cullman, Jr., F-C, 6-1 Eddie Smith, Huffman, Sr., G, 6-2 First-team All-State G, 5-4 Alexis Smith, Cedar Bluff, Sr., G-F, 5-10 Honorable mention Noah Boler, Decatur Heritage, Sr., F-C, Hannah Lightsey, Albertville, Sr., F, 6-1 Tori Vice, Ohatchee, So., G, 5-9 Jabre Barber, Northview, Jr., G, 5-10 6-8 Justyce Smith, Oxford, Sr., C, 5-10 Coach of the year Eugene Leonard, Oxford, Sr., G, 6-0 Quindario Lee, McKenzie, Sr., F-C, 6-7 Gail Whiting, Park Crossing, Sr., F, 5-9 Tammy West, Cold Springs JJ Taylor, Saraland, Sr., G, 6-2 Tommy Murr, Lindsay Lane, Jr., G, 6-1 Coach of the year Coach of the year Martavius Payton, Georgiana, Jr., F, 6-6 Jarvis Wilson, Carver-Birmingham CLASS 1A GIRLS Darrell Barber, Pinson Valley GianCarlo Valdez, Decatur Heritage, Jr., First-team All-State G, 6-3 CLASS 5A GIRLS River Baldwin, Pleasant Home, Sr., F-C, CLASS 5A BOYS Second-team All-State First-team All-State 6-5 First-team All-State Titus Griffin, Covenant Christian, Jr., G, Taylor Henderson, Center Point, Sr., G, A’Nautica Bibbs, R.A. Hubbard, Sr., G, DeAntoni Gordon, LeFlore, Sr., F, 6-8 6-1 5-11 5-6 Austin Harvell, East Limestone, Jr., F, Collin Lockard, Skyline, Jr., C, 6-5 Quintasia Leatherwood, CentralKatie Jones, Decatur Heritage, Jr., G, 6-5 Braden Pyron, Marion Co., Sr., G, 6-5 Tuscaloosa, Jr., G, 5-2 5-10 Reginald Perry, Fairfield, Jr., C, 6-7 Isiah Sanchez, Spring Garden, Sr., G, Niaira Jones, Charles Henderson, Jr., Ally McCollum, Phillips, Jr., F, 6-1 Cameron Tucker, Wenonah, Sr., G, 6-2 6-0 G, 5-7 Bailee Usrey, Skyline, Jr., F, 5-7 Desmond Williams, Brewbaker Tech, Sr., Avery Thrasher, Mars Hill, Sr., G, 5-10 Thaniya Marks, Wenonah, Sr., F-C, 6-1 Second-team All-State G, 6-1 Third-team All-State Destinee McGhee, Madison Academy, Claire Davidson, Coosa Christian, Sr., Second-team All-State Jermaine Brown, St. Luke’s, Sr., G, 5-10 Jr., C, 6-2 G, 5-6 Corien Frazier, Vigor, Sr., G, 6-3 Parker Driggers, Brantley, Sr., F, 6-0 Second-team All-State Gracie Hallman, Phillips, Jr., G, 5-7 Kisean Johnson, Ramsay, Jr., G, 6-1 Arayvion Jones, Keith, Jr., G-F, 6-3 Samira Moore, Charles Henderson, Jr., Kaitlin Hill, Loachapoka, Sr., G, 5-6 Justin Minter, Wenonah, Sr., G, 6-4 Kaleb Moore, Hackleburg, Sr., F, 6-3 F-C, 6-1 Alyse Madden, Lanett, So., F, 5-10 Shamari Simmons, Central-Clay Co., John Stanford, Cornerstone, Jr., G, 5-11 Jirah Rogers, East Limestone, So., C, Precious Rogers, Linden, Jr., G, 5-6 Sr., G, 6-0 Honorable mention 6-1 Third-team All-State Dennis Taylor, Jackson, Sr., C, 6-3 Noah Jackson, Lynn, Sr., F, 6-4 Taylor Sharpe, Brewbaker Tech, Sr., G, Morgan Hunter, Notasulga, Sr., G, 5-9 Third-team All-State Weston Kirk, Spring Garden, So., F, 6-0 5-8 Payton McGinnis, Spring Garden, Sr., Reginald Brown Jr., Marbury, Jr., G-F, Trey Lewis, Millry, Jr., G, 6-1 Maggie West, Shelby Co., Jr., G-F, 5-8 G-F, 5-6 6-2 Jaylon Stevenson, Holy Spirit, Jr., G-F, Sakyia White, Central-Tuscaloosa, Jr., Whitney Novak, St. Luke’s, So., G-F, 5-9 De’Yonte’ Cutts, Bibb Co., Sr., G, 6-1 6-2 F, 6-2 Gabby Perkins, Brantley, So., C, 6-1 Jason Manning, Corner, Sr., F, 6-6 Coach of the year Third-team All-State Morgan White, Westminster-Oak Mailk Powell, Sylacauga, Sr., G, 5-9 Jason Marshall, Decatur Heritage Aaliyah Austin, Faith Academy, Jr., C, Mountain, Jr., G-F, 5-9 Tyrek Turner, Tallassee, Jr., F, 6-5 6-2 Honorable mention Honorable mention AISA BOYS Nykeria Boykin, Jackson, Sr., G, 5-8 Faith Johnson, Talladega Co. Central, Marquise Barrow, Carroll, Sr., G-F, 5-9 First-team All-State Miriam Oldacre, West Point, Jr., G, 5-7 Fr., G, 5-6 Lucas McNutt, Russellville, Sr., G, 6-0 Payton Allen, Chambers Academy, So., Aniyah Smith, Ramsay, Sr., F, 5-10 Alexis McCarley, Brilliant, Jr., G, 5-3 Terrell Sistrunk, Charles Henderson, Sr., G, 6-3 Sarah Wright, Madison Co., Jr., G, 5-6 Macy Reedy, Spring Garden, Jr., G, 5-2 F, 6-4 Da’vantae Bowick, Lakeside, Sr., F, 6-1 Honorable mention Amaysia Whitfield, Elba, Sr., G, 5-4 Landan Williams, Alexandria, So., C, 6-7 Gunnar Henderson, Morgan Academy, Niya Austin, Rehobeth, Sr., G, 5-6 Coach of the year Coach of the year Sr., G-F, 6-3 Mackenzie Mahone, CentralBruce Pears, St. Luke’s Audwin Howard, Wenonah Hadrian McNeil, Tuscaloosa Academy, Tuscaloosa, Jr., G, 5-10 Sr., G, 5-10 Jiselle Woodson, Corner, Sr., G, 5-4 AISA GIRLS CLASS 4A BOYS Micaiah Overton, Bessemer Academy, Coach of the year First-team All-State First-team All-State Sr., F, 6-6 Michael Rivers, Central-Tuscaloosa Kelsey Curry, Tuscaloosa Academy, Sr., Trey Bonham, UMS-Wright, Jr., G, 5-11 Second-team All-State G-F, 5-10 JP Robinson, Deshler, Sr., G, 5-10 Armanie Burton, Success Unlimited, Sr., CLASS 4A GIRLS Joiner Hughes, Abbeville Christian, Sr., Kobe Simmons, Talladega, Jr., F, 6-4 G, 6-2 First-team All-State G, 5-6 K’sun Stokes, Headland, Sr., G, 6-0 Tyree Curry, Evangel Christian, So., G, Caroline Bachus, West Limestone, Fr., Chloe Johnson, Tuscaloosa Academy, Jarrett Taylor, Hillcrest-Evergreen, Sr., 5-11 F, 6-2 Fr., G, 5-9 G, 6-2 Jace Daniels, Sparta, Sr., G, 6-2 Allasha Dudley, Anniston, So., G, 5-2 Anna Blake Langford, Fort Dale Second-team All-State Robert Stewart, Edgewood, Jr., G, 5-11 Madie Krieger, Rogers, Fr., G, 5-6 Academy, Sr., G, 5-6 Antonio Kite, Anniston, Fr., G, 6-0 Tiquale Taylor, Escambia Academy, Jr., Taylor Smith, Sipsey Valley, Jr., G, 5-5 G, 6-2 Kathleen Wheeler, Priceville, Sr., G, 5-10 Emily Phillips, South Choctaw Academy, Martez Jones, BTW-Tuskegee, Jr., F, Sr., G, 5-4 6-5 Third-team All-State Second-team All-State Second-team All-State Cole Maddox, Good Hope, Jr., G, 6-2 Sam Aldridge, Lee-Scott, Sr., G, 5-10 Adrianna Galloway, Headland, Jr., G, Faith Copeland, South Choctaw Kedrick Turnipseed, Sumter Central, Jr., Jackson Blalock, Abbeville Christian, 5-7 Academy, Sr., C, 6-1 G, 6-2 So., G, 6-2 Tekyia Jackson, Anniston, Sr., F, 6-1 Lue Williams, Escambia Co., Sr., F, 6-3 Jared Kelly, Hooper, Sr., F, 6-1 Eunique McKinney, Childersburg, Jr., G, Laken Harvel, Wilcox Academy, Jr., C, 6-0 Third-team All-State Clay Moye, Monroe Academy, Sr., G, 5-10 Madisyn Kennedy, Macon-East, Sr., G, Drake Baker, Holtville, Jr., F, 6-4 5-11 Madison Traylor, Elmore Co., Sr., G-F, 5-10 Darrell Brown, Williamson, Sr., G, 5-8 Witt Warren, Northside Methodist, Sr., 5-3 Amber Kirksey, Sparta, Sr., F, 5-6 Damarius Jenkins, Dale Co., Sr., G, 5-9 C, 6-6 Jenna Walker, Priceville, So., G, 5-8 Mary Mykal Prewett, Lee-Scott, Jr., G, Kwame Milton, Anniston, Jr., G-F, 6-4 Honorable mention Third-team All-State 5-6 D’Corian Wilson, Talladega, Jr., G, 6-1 Dione Allen, Morgan Academy, Sr., G-F, Daejah Bailey, BTW-Tuskegee, Jr., G, Third-team All-State Honorable mention 6-3 5-8 Sydney Beasley, Lakeside, So., G, 5-10 Ivory Moore, Cherokee Co., Sr., G, 5-11 Asa Button, Eastwood, Jr., G, 6-1 Jolee Cole, Danville, Sr., G, 5-8 Phil McDuff, Tuscaloosa Academy, Jr., Trinity Hambright, Greensboro, Jr., F, 5-8 Grace Compton, Clarke Prep, So., F, 5-8 Dusty Quillen, Brooks, Sr., G, 5-11 F, 6-1 Chardai Watkins, Sumter Central, Fr., F, Analeigh Givens, Abbeville Christian, Jr., Dakari Smith, Sipsey Valley, Sr., G, 5-8 G, 5-6 Coach of the year Jamari Smith, Success Unlimited, Jr., G, 5-9 Chucky Miller, Talladega 6-3 Imani White, Hillcrest-Evergreen, So., F, Morgan Grant, Glenwood, Sr., F, 5-10 Ashlyn Simpson, Northside Methodist, Coach of the year 5-11 Jr., G, 5-10 CLASS 3A BOYS Kerwin Washington, Evangel Christian Honorable mention

CLASS 7A GIRLS First-team All-State Sarah Ashlee Barker, Spain Park, Jr., G, 6-0 Emily Bowman, Huntsville, Jr., F, 6-6 Joiya Maddox, Hoover, Sr., G-F, 6-0 Amiya Payne, Hewitt-Trussville, So., G, 6-1 Nya Valentine, McGill-Toolen, So., G, 5-2 Second-team All-State Kaylyn Colvin, Tuscaloosa Co., Jr., G, 5-9 Hannah Edwards, Oak Mountain, Jr., C, 6-6 Eryn Johnson, Central-Phenix City, Jr., G, 5-7 Skyla Knight, Hoover, Sr., G, 5-7 Olivia Porter, Auburn, Fr., G, 5-8 Third-team All-State Deyana Dodd, Sparkman, Sr., G, 5-5 Kaitlyn Knight, Foley, Jr., G, 5-5 Ahrielle Parks, Spain Park, Sr., G, 5-6 Ariel Thompson, Theodore, Jr., F, 6-0 Kelsey Thompson, Davidson, Fr., G, 5-10 Honorable mention Ki’Aja Elliott, Austin, Sr., G, 5-7 Morgan Kirk, Hewitt-Trussville, Sr., G, 5-6 Elissa Murry, Alma Bryant, Jr., G, 5-5 Ariana Powe, Grissom, Sr., F, 6-0 Coach of the year Sally Jeter, Foley