Tallassee Tribune March 15 2023

County commission recognizes Tallassee wrestler

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

McCraney-Cottle Arts open mic night a success

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

The McCraney-Cottle Arts Council is known for big events.

Missoula Children’s Theater, Auburn University Chamber Choir and Singers, gospel music, Peking Acrobats, Viennese Boys Choir and more have been hosted by the arts council over the years. But this year arts council board member Santana Shelton brought a different idea to the table.

“She wanted to add that and we decided to do it,” McCraney-Cottle Arts director Jerry Cunningham said. “We had good participation. It went well.”

Quilts of Valor honor Redland resident

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

John Miller will feel a little warmer now.

After it was given to him by Quilts of Valor, Miller can now seek warmth and comfort from a handmade quilt by Quilts of Valor volunteer Karen Daniels of Newnan, Georgia.

“We make quilts to cover service members and veterans who have been touched by war to provide comfort, honor and gratitude for services and sacrifices,” Daniels said while delivering the quilt to Miller at his Redland home.

Miller was nominated for receiving the quilt by his nephew Dennis Oaks who saw a ceremony for Quilts of Valor in

HONOR, Page A3

NATIONWIDE STANDOUT

By ABIGAIL MURPHY Multimedia reporter

Flipping through a magazine, the Lovelady family stumbled upon an essay contest sponsored by Lazy C Diamond Simmental Ranch.

The winner of this essay contest would win a Simmental heifer from a 99 lot in North Dakota. Reeltown student Aubrey Lovelady, the oldest of four siblings, knew this prize would make a great addition for her family’s farm. A couple days before the competition’s deadline, Lovelady and her dad sat at the kitchen table, and she began to write.

“We went through about four drafts on paper and then we typed it up,” Lovelady said. “That was definitely a process, but I enjoyed writing and getting to tell people about what I like to do.”

With over 30 essay submissions, Lovelady was announced as the winner last month. In her essay, Lovelady detailed her interest in agriculture and also what she hopes to do with the heifer, Miss K, should she win.

“My parents are the main reason that I became interested in agriculture,” Lovelady’s essay states. “Mom has always been a horse girl and is always in charge of our family gardens. She also loves to teach her children about each. Dad is a veterinarian and the reason I love cattle. I enjoy helping him on the farm working our cattle, as well as on farm calls for clients and patients.”

Lovelady explained she has a couple different tasks on her family’s farm called Four Daughters Farm. After school, she feeds the cows and last summer she started helping with the family hay business.

Four Daughters Farm also uses artificial insemination (AI) as a breeding process. Lovelady has started helping with this aspect ever since participating in the AI school last year at Auburn University’s Beef Unit.

During the AI school program, Lovelady learned the steps of AI with live demonstrations, presentations and practice sessions using an AI rod on both a

Reeltown student wins essay contest for family’s farm

SUBMITTED | THE TRIBUNE

Reeltown High School student Aubrey Lovelady recently won a nationwide essay contest and won big for her family’s farm.

Obituaries

JACKIE RALPH HAMMOCK

Mr. Jackie Ralph Hammock, a resident of Wetumpka, Alabama, passed away on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, at the age of 78.

Jackie was born and raised in Tallassee, AL, which was a place near and dear to his heart. He attended Auburn University, and received a Bachelors degree in Business Finance. He then completed a Masters degree in Education from the University of Montevallo. He taught at Elmore County High School and Wetumpka High School. Jackie then worked as an Education Specialist with the State Department of Education’s Driver and Traffic Safety division. He took pride in teaching young drivers the rules of the road and taught local private courses until his health began to decline.

Jackie had many favorite pastimes, such as restoring antique cars and quail hunting. He found much joy in fishing

with friends on the Tallapoosa River and Lake Martin, and was an avid outdoorsman. He never passed up an opportunity to visit with friends, old and new, and family members. He genuinely loved people, never hesitating to lend a helping hand, and truly never met a stranger. Jackie accepted Jesus into his heart at the age of 6 and dedicated his life to serving His Savior, his church and spreading the good news of the Gospel. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Wetumpka for 45 years and proudly served as a deacon during most of that time. He loved his wife and daughters and was the epitome of a girl dad, attending ballgames, competitions, and performances. He felt grateful and blessed to have 4 granddaughters and 1 grandson, and took every opportunity to be an active, godly example to them.

Jackie was preceded in death by his

JAMES ALBERT “BUDDY” RANSOM

Born February 16, 1942 – Died March 6, 2023

Buddy passed away peacefully at home in Auburn, AL surrounded by his family and loved ones. He was born in Tallassee, AL to Arminta Ballentine Ransom and Willie Albert Ransom. He was in the Air National Guard in Montgomery, AL and became an X-ray technician before becoming a registered nurse at St. Margaret’s School of Nursing and later a nurse anesthetist upon his graduation from the University of Alabama Medical College’s School of Anesthesiology. He was hired by Anesthesia Services of Birmingham where he worked at various hospitals in Bir-

Police Reports

TALLASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT

MARCH 9

• Theft was reported on Third Avenue.

MARCH 8

• A motor vehicle accident was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• A domestic dispute was reported on Hillcrest Street.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Barnett Boulevard.

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

• An animal bite was reported on Friendship Road.

• A suspicious vehicle was reported on Notasulga Road.

MARCH 7

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Friendship Road.

• A motor vehicle accident with no injuries was reported on Highway 229.

• A domestic dispute was reported on Hicks Store Road.

• A welfare check was conducted on Red Hill Road.

• Harassment was reported on Hanil Drive.

• Assistance was given to medics during a medical call on Cliff Street.

• Theft was reported on Herd Street.

• A motor vehicle accident was reported on Notasulga Road.

• A motor vehicle accident with no injuries was reported on East Patton Street.

MARCH 6

• A welfare check was conducted on Barnett Boulevard.

Continued from A1

fake cow and later a real one.

• A suspicious vehicle was reported on Roosevelt Street.

• Animal control was requested on Hillcrest Street.

• A private property accident was reported on Barnett Boulevard.

• A domestic dispute was reported on North Johnson Street.

• Theft by deception was reported on Hudson Place.

• Menacing was reported on Manning Circle.

• A person with a gun was reported on Central Boulevard.

• Suspicious activity was reported on Hillcrest Street. MARCH 5

• Gunfire was reported on Camellia Drive.

• A white male was arrested during a traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.

• Gunfire was reported on

Gen Chappy James Street.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Gilmer Avenue.

• Trespassing was reported on Sims Avenue.

• Reckless driving was reported on Friendship Road.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Friendship Road.

• Harassing communications was reported on Dusty Road.

• Reckless driving was reported on Friendship Road.

• Reckless driving was reported on Ashurst Avenue.

• Assistance was given to the Tallassee Fire Department on Burt Mill Road.

• A domestic dispute was reported on Washington Street. MARCH 4

• Assistance was given to another agency on Martin Road.

• Gunfire was reported on Oak Heights Road.

• A civil dispute was reported

“We don’t have a bull at our house,” Lovelady said. “We have a tank of semen, and we get (the cows) all in the same cycle and schedule. So we breed them all at the same time in hopes that they will all have calves around the same time.”

Lovelady said her family also does embryo flushing, where an embryo is transferred from a donor cow to a surrogate cow. One of the benefits of the Simmental heifer she won is it

OPEN MIC Continued from A1

father and mother, Ralph and Florence Hammock, and his brothers Leon Hammock and Morrell Hammock. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Janice Montgomery Hammock, children Christina Hammock Burroughs (Beau), and Lucy Hammock Townsend (Turner), and grandchildren Virginia, Mary Austin, and Alice Townsend, and Grace and Rafe Burroughs.

The family will receive friends on Saturday, March 11, 2023, at 10 am, in the sanctuary at First Baptist Church Wetumpka, with the funeral service directly following at 11am. Burial will be at Carrville Cemetery in Tallassee, AL, with Gassett Funeral Home of Wetumpka directing. In addition to flowers, memorial contributions may be made to First Baptist Church of Wetumpka, 205 West Bridge Street, Wetumpka, AL 36092. Online Guest Book available at www.gassettfuneralhome.net.

mingham until his retirement in 2008. He enjoyed coaching his boys in any sport they played and was a Scoutmaster for them until they reached Eagle Scout at the same time in 1999 (Buddy was an Eagle Scout as well). Buddy retired to Auburn where he finally got his house on the lake to fish and enjoy retirement. He is survived by his wife of 47 years (51 years counting “Time Served” if you asked him or his wife) Mary Glenn Wilkins Ransom, sons James Hamilton (Stephanie) and Christopher Eric (Megan), granddaughter Luella Glenn Rose Ransom, sisters Joanne Hart and Sally Fillingham, brother Martin Ransom, and numerous other family members.

on Central Boulevard.

• A domestic dispute was reported on Thompson Avenue.

• A suspicious vehicle was reported on Log Circle.

• A suspicious vehicle was reported on East Roosevelt Street.

• A suspicious vehicle was reported on Cliff Street.

• Reckless driving was reported on Ashurst Bar Road.

• Trespassing was reported on Lakewater Drive.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Gilmer Avenue.

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Second Avenue.

• Harassment was reported on Clover Street.

MARCH 3

• Assistance was given to medics on King Street.

• Suspicious activity was reported on South Tallassee Drive.

• A juvenile complaint was reported on Highway 229.

• A verbal altercation was reported on Clover Street.

• Criminal trespassing was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• A noise complaint was reported on Third Avenue.

• A Black male was arrested on Gilmer Avenue.

• A white male was arrested on Freeman Avenue.

• A motor vehicle accident with injuries was reported on Notasulga Road.

• An animal complaint was reported on Notasulga Road.

• Theft was reported on Old Bridge Street.

• A suspicious vehicle was reported on Redden Avenue.

• A domestic dispute was reported on Ashurst Avenue. MARCH 2

• A welfare check was con-

can be a part of the breeding process and be used to build a herd.

While Lovelady said she enjoys helping with the breeding process, what she wants to do long term is become a veterinarian. Currently, she does assist her dad with some of the veterinarian side of things such as administering vaccines.

In the future, Lovelady said she wants to attend Auburn’s vet school to provide care for both large and small animals as well as possibly exotic ones.

ducted on Wallatchee Drive.

• A suspicious person was reported on Freeman Avenue.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Central Boulevard.

• Breaking and entering a vehicle was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• A domestic dispute was reported on Dolan Road.

• A domestic dispute was reported on Dolan Road.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Central Boulevard.

• An animal complaint was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• A white male was arrested during a traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.

• A welfare check was conducted on West Gantts Mil Road.

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Outer Drive.

• A child custody dispute was reported on Little John Drive.

WETUMPKA POLICE DEPARTMENT

MARCH 7

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

• A domestic incident was reported on Forrest Avenue. MARCH 6

• Domestic violence strangulation was reported on Harrogate Springs Road.

• Domestic violence was reported in Hillside Trailer Park.

MARCH 2

• Theft was reported on U.S. Highway 231. Feb. 23

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

“It’s just one of those things I’ve grown up around,” she said. “I’ve been around it my whole life and I think it’s just something I want to do with my life.”

The open mic night idea was to have an event with local participation to show what is happening all around the Tallassee area.

“We wanted to get local people to showcase their talents — poetry, short stories, art and singing,” Cunningham said. “It is a way to promote arts and local artists.”

The event was held at Tallassee business Restoration

Currently, Lovelady is an eighth grader at Reeltown High School. Along with her work at Bermuda Hay Farm, she is also a member of the Future Farmers of America and the 4-H Club. In her essay, Lovelady states she would like for Miss K to be a part of demonstrations for these clubs. Now, with Miss K won she also has plans on doing cow shows starting this fall.

Lovelady said it’s still hard to believe she is the winner. However, Miss K is predicted to be making her way towards Bermuda Hay Farm this week.

49 to raise funds for the arts council.

“It was perfect for that type of event,” Cunningham said. “Everyone was able to get a coffee and enjoy themselves.”

Cunningham is often the face of the arts council but he gave the credit for the success of the event to Shelton.

“She did a great job putting it together,” Cunningham said. “It was a big success for the first and we will definitely do it again. We might even consider doing it a couple times a year.”

Elmore County Community Calendar

MARCH 20-25

BEAUTIFUL TABLE SETTINGS: May

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

SATURDAY, MARCH 25

Warner Robins, Georgia.

“I didn’t know anything about it until about two or three weeks ago,” Miller said. “I served but I’m no hero or anything like that.”

The Quincy, Pennsylvania native might be a bit humble about his service in the U.S. Army from June 1950 to June 1953.

“I got out of high school in 1950,” Miller said. “Jobs were a little hard to find. A friend of mine said, ‘Let’s go join the service.’ We went to go see a recruiter.”

Miller said he wasn’t set on a branch until the conversation with the recruiter.

“It was four years for the Air Force and three years for the Army,” Miller said. “I said, ‘I think three years will be enough.’” Daniels explained Miller’s service record in Korean Conflict — in particular in the Chosin Reservoir campaign. She said the battle took place about a month after the People’s Republic of China entered the conflict and sent the People’s Volunteer Army to infiltrate the northeastern part of North Korea.

“On Nov. 27, 1950, the Chinese force surprised the US Corps in a brutal 17 day battle in freezing weather,” Daniels said. “In December 1950, 30,000 United Nations troops, later nicknamed ‘The Chosin Few’ under the field command of Maj. Gen. Oliver P. Smith were encircled and attacked by about 120,000 Chinese troops who had been ordered to destroy the UN forces.”

Daniels said the UN forces broke out of the encirclement and made a fighting withdrawal to the port of Hungnam while inflicting heavy casualties on the Chinese.

“The retreat of the US Eighth Army from northwest Korea in the aftermath of the battle and the evacuation of the U.S. soldiers from the port in northeast Korea marked the complete withdrawal of UN troops from North Korea,” Daniels said.

Daniels said more than 1,000 U.S. soldiers and Marines died in the Chosin Reservoir campaign.

“Thousands more were wounded in the

battle or incapacitated by cold weather,” Daniels said.

The moment wasn’t lost on Miller, who joked about his selection of branch of service.

“Maybe I should have gone in the Air Force,” Miller said. “I would have been a lot better off.”

After Korea, Miller was stationed at Camp Rucker in south Alabama until his discharge in June 1953.

Quilts of Valor currently has about 10,000 volunteers from across the country who make quilts for veterans and service members, but the organization started small in 2003.

“Katherine Roberts founded Quilts of Valor when her son was deployed to Iraq,” Daniels said.

Roberts awarded the first quilt at Walter Reed Hospital just to say “someone cares about you,” Daniels said. It took about three years for a small group to make the first 100 quilts.

By 2014 the 100,000th quilt was given to a service member at Walter Reed. Miller’s quilt was No. 340,406 and they bring a three-part message.

“We honor you for your service and your sacrifices,” Daniels told Miller. “We honor you for protecting us from the effects of war. We can never know all that you sacrificed to serve our country,”

Daniels said the second was to thank Miller for his service and what he endured.

“We thank you that we are free to meet here today,” Daniels said. “We can choose our place of worship on Sunday and our children can go to the schools of their choice.”

Third, Daniels said the quilt offers both comfort and warmth and is meant to be used.

“Throughout history when young men left to fight in a war, many of them took a quilt that was homemade by a family member,” Daniels said. “It may be all they had warmth and for memories of loved ones back home.

“These quilts still have the ability to offer a source of both comfort and warmth. We want you to use this quilt. We don’t want you to hang it on a wall.”

SATURDAY, APRIL 15

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

SATURDAY, APRIL 22

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

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

WRESTLER

Continued from A1

it is very rare to pin your opponent,” Mask said. “Much less everybody you wrestle. He had probably the most dominant performance at a finals I have seen in my 23 years. He was undefeated [the entire season] at 132.”

Commissioner Henry Hines said he also wrestled at 132, “many years ago.”

“I think I have put on a few pounds since then,” Hines said. “I wasn’t dominant like that. I had to win by points. In the state championship I got beat by the Talladega Blind School gentleman. You have done a great job.”

Mask said Bell excels at things other than wrestling too.

“Land is not only great on the mat, he is great in the classroom,” Mask told the commission. “He is a leader on and off the mat.”

In other action the Elmore County Commission:

• Approved minutes of the Feb. 27 meeting.

• Approved warrants and purchase orders totaling $1,695,790.39.

• Recognized graduates of the most recent training class of Community Emergency Response Team.

• Approved retail beer off premises only and retail table wine off premises only licenses for Dollar Generals on Central Plank Road and Cain off no comments during a public hearing.

• Authorized the chair to execute a five-year contract with Pitney Bowes for a mailing system for the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office.

• Rejected a bid network endpoint security.

The next meeting of the Elmore County Commission is scheduled for 5 p.m. March 27.

HONOR Continued from A1

CLIFF WILLIAMS | THE HERALD Redland resident and Korean War Veteran John Miller was given a quilt by Quilts of Valor volunteer Karen Daniels in Miller’s home Thursday.

CLIFF WILLIAMS | THE TRIBUNE

Redland resident and Korean War Veteran John Miller watches as his quilt is unveiled. The quilt was given by Quilts of Valor volunteer Karen Daniels.

Editor’s Note: This article involves talk of suicide, self-mutilation and depression. If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, contact the 9-8-8 National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

There’s never a good way to talk about suicide and death. It’s never an easy conversation to have.

Over the course of the last two weeks, Tallapoosa Publishers has had a pair of suicides and another death of a student. It’s not easy for me as an editor, and it certainly hasn’t been easy for our reporters who are on the ground.

Suicides are one of the hardest questions a news editor faces. How delicate should you be when reporting on them? How do you report the cause of death? Should you? Is it a personal matter, or was it a public figure? Was it in a public place? These are all questions we have had to deeply consider the past two weeks.

Another thing we were forced to consider, and obviously wanted to avoid, is the possibility of suicide contagion.

According to an article by Boston Children’s Hospital, suicide contagion doesn’t just affect the friends and family of the person who died.

“After suicide, the person’s closest friends aren’t necessarily the ones at greatest risk,” said Kimberly O’Brien, clinical social worker in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Boston Children’s Hospital, in the article. “The kids at greatest risk are the ones

The dictionary definition of harrowing simply says, “acutely distressing.”

If there were a word beyond harrowing, I would use it to describe a new documentary series streaming on Hulu and airing on Freeform: “Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence.”

The series was profoundly disturbing. Yet I found myself glued to the TV, simultaneously gripped by disbelief and disgust at the story that was unfolding.

Sarah Lawrence College is a prestigious and progressive liberal arts college located north of the Bronx in New York City. These students obviously had the academic standing to attend beyond their freshman years — as well as the financial ability. In other words, this is no junior college or even a state school; this is an expensive and selective private school.

The series begins in the fall of 2010. College sophomores Talia, Max, Dan, Gabe, Claudia, JuliAna, Santos, Isabella and Raven had the opportunity to move into a dormitory house in which everyone would have their own room: Slonim Woods Building 9.

Enter Larry Ray.

Talia’s father, Larry, was around 50 years old when he started visiting his daughter and her housemates at Slonim Woods 9. Larry had just gotten out of prison — wrongly convicted, he said. He regaled the college kids with tales of conquest on the world stage: he was a friend of Mikhail Gorbachev; he was a Marine; he negotiated insider deals with New York City officials from Wall Street to the NYPD. The groundwork for this mythology had already been laid by Talia, who idolized her father and brought him into the lives of her friends.

Larry started staying over. He ingratiated himself into the lives of the coeds by grilling steaks, buying groceries and hosting game nights. Larry seemed like a great guy and had an uncanny ability to get inside the heads of the young people, listening

who are already emotionally vulnerable and those who believe their classmate solved their problems through suicide.”

Either way, suicide is something that needs to be talked about. Whether it be the newspaper diving into services offered and mental healthcare in the area or a conversation between a parent and child, suicide prevention is something that should be at the forefront.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the No. 3 cause of death for people ages 15 through 19. It’s something that cannot be ignored.

But how do you talk about suicide?

I’m not a parent, so I haven’t had to face that challenge yet. However, I have had to deal with suicide head on, and the only thing I know to do is tell you my story.

If you’ve read my columns before, you’ve heard me say a million times,

“High school is the worst place on earth.”

time for me. I considered suicide on multiple occasions and became a regular self-mutilator.

about me. I used to feel like I was alone and couldn’t talk about them to anyone. It was “taboo.” But now, more than 15 years removed from high school, I say to heck with what’s taboo and what isn’t. These are serious issues that could be facing you, your child, your best friend, your nephew — anyone in your life. The idea that some people don’t “show the warning signs” seems like a bit of a copout. Everyone should know at this point that everyone in high school struggles. thoughts; I won’t pretend I know that much. But I do know when I got onto the other side, I quickly learned how lucky I was I never went through with. I really wish these kids had a crystal ball because things do get better. my heart all week, and I’ve been racking my brain for “the right thing

I’m not even sure the popular kids would tell you 10 years later they enjoyed high school.

MICHAEL BIRD Columnist

When I was in high school, I became very depressed. Between constant bullying, whacked out hormones, feeling weird in my own body and so much more, high school was just a really bad

intently to their problems while asking probing questions about their upbringing. In fact, the first episode features everyone saying generally good things about the guy. And then, it gets dark — quick.

The first target was Isabella, a quiet and shy girl from Texas. Strangely, Larry began staying in Isabella’s room having all-night “sessions,” in which he was supposedly counseling her through her problems, which included heretofore unknown abuse and neglect from her parents. In reality, he was engaging Isabella in deviant sexual role-playing and other activities.

Isabella was his first victim, the last one to stand by his side at the end, and the damage done to her is incalculable as she forever stopped speaking to her family. She went to prison last month.

Larry rented a high-rise in Manhattan. What college students wouldn’t be attracted to a free, allexpenses-paid life in New York City with this wise, generous older man guiding the way? Larry lured all the housemates to his apartment — and there they would live, in cramped quarters, for the next few years.

From Larry’s perspective, Dan seemed confused about himself. Larry decided to make Dan as masculine as possible and forced him into hard labor situations to keep him from being gay.

Claudia also began staying in Larry’s room. He would eventually sell Claudia into slavery and prostitution, extorting $700,000 in money made from her activities to pay what he called “damages.” But all of that was to come.

The whole crew from the Manhattan apartment migrated to family land in North Carolina, where Larry put them into a hard labor camp. Footage shows him standing

The sad story of ‘Stolen Youth’

over them like a slave driver, while the young people dutifully follow every maddening directive. But all these stories, terrible as they are, pale in comparison to the complete destruction of the family at the center of the series.

Santos was dating Talia when Larry entered the picture. Santos and Larry spent hours together, discussing family problems. Santos’s parents, who didn’t speak English, – who spoke no English, worked very hard to get their children an American education. All three of their children were drawn into Larry Ray’s web and moved into the Manhattan apartment. Over time, all three were brainwashed to believe their parents were part of a conspiracy led by New York City police commissioner Bernie Kerik and Mayor Rudy Giuliani to defraud and defame him. Strangely enough, all three siblings believed it to the point they convinced their parents to give their house, cars and life savings to Larry.

Perhaps the most shocking transformation in the series is Felicia, who we see transition from a happy, smiling, well-put-together medical student to a shrieking, wild-eyed, totally dependent shell of a woman. In the series, she crawls around crying, hanging on Larry and begging him to tell her what to do next.

It makes one want to scream at the television. How could these smart, wealthy, progressive-minded college students so easily fall under the spell of a cult leader?

“It is literally impossible to evaluate Mr. Ray in the usual clinical manner,” read the psychiatrist’s report presented at Larry Ray’s sentencing in the series. “He is able to manipulate and control almost any situation in which he finds himself. He is calculating, manipulative, and hostile.”

In January, convicted of sex trafficking, extortion, and forced labor, Larry Ray was sentenced to 60 years in prison.

Michael Bird is a music teacher at Tallassee City Schools.

Tallassee choir members sing in All-State Festival

STAFF REPORT

TPI Staff

Ten Tallassee High School choir members participated in the annual Alabama Vocal Association All-State Choral Festival in Birmingham last weekend.

Students auditioned on a challenging set of musical compositions in November and were judged by a traveling panel of adjudicators.

Approximately 1,100 students from around the state were selected out of around 2,500 applicants. The students were placed into three choirs: SATB (Soprano-Alto-Tenor-Bass), SSA (Sopra-

no1-Soprano2-Alto) and TTBB (Tenor1-Tenor2Bass1-Bass2).

Tallassee students selected to participate were Anna Griggs, Danielle Bird, Maria Lynn, Trevor Towery, Robert Towery, Alex Hughey, Gaines Nolin, Dalton Williams, Draven Haynes and Noah Crouch. They are directed by Michael Bird and Kelley Hill.

The students then had the honor of working with a guest conductor for three days in Birmingham. The men’s TTBB group was led by Dr. Charlotte Botha from Pretoria, South Africa; SSA by Dr. Meredith Bowen from Virginia; and the SATB by Mr. Francisco Nunez of New York City.

Stanhope principal responds following 2 student deaths

STAFF REPORT

TPI Staff

Within the last two weeks, Stanhope Elmore High School has experienced the unthinkable — two tragic and unexpected deaths of students. Immediately, community leaders have come together to provide support and counseling for other students.

With a high focus on grief counseling, the school has been equipped with several hands on deck this week.

Community pastors, grief counselors, local school counselors and members of the Montgomery Association Council on Substance Abuse are stationed at the school this week for constant support.

“Our hearts grieve for our students and we know the entire Millbrook community is heartbroken as well,” Stanhope principal Ewell Fuller said in a letter to parents. “We understand the current events will impact our students, staff members and their families. Questions will be asked and the need to talk with others is expected. We have put together some resources that will be helpful and available to you and yours during this difficult time.”

Representatives from Carastar, formerly Montgomery Area Mental Health Authority, have been providing grief counseling and Autauga Baptist Association members offered chaplaincy support. Even local law enforcement agencies have been available for additional grief counseling.

In the letter, Fuller also said the staff will be getting training with Mental Health

First Aid to learn warning signs and how to talk about possible issues. He cited the National Suicide Prevention Hotline, which can be reached by dialing 988.

“Please know that the students are our main focus and highest priority,” Fuller said in the letter. “We would like to remind everyone that we have several resources in place, and we ask for your

continued help in reporting any concerns. We will continue to tell our students, staff and families that if they hear something or know something to say something.”

Fuller also provided a list of potential questions surrounding the suicides, including how to cope, learning the warning signs and what to do if you believe someone is suicidal.

Beautiful Table Settings is still growing

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

Wetumpka’s May Eason is grinning from ear to ear.

Despite working feverishly to organize the second annual Beautiful Table Settings (BTS) conference in Wetumpka later this month, Eason is proud of the accomplishments of the group of friends who started to gather on BTS Facebook page in 2019. In March 2022, the convention had more than 500 attendees for one two-day session and more than 115,000 followers on Facebook. But it is still growing.

“We now have more than 163,000 members on Facebook,” Eason said. “This year’s convention will be in two sessions so we can host more people.”

The Facebook page and convention surrounds table settings Eason believes aren’t as important with the younger generations.

“It’s to show your pretty things, the things you have inherited, the things you have collected, the things you registered for as a bride,” Eason said. “We want to get the younger crowd involved.”

Eason said younger people are mostly using things readily available.

“They are registering at Big Box stores,” Eason said. “They are only getting household stuff you can pick up everyday. When I was a bride you registered for sterling silver, china, crystal and that is where we got your nice things that you keep forever.”

Eason said the idea is to get people used to sitting down to eat using a “beautiful arrangement of plates, silverware and more.”

“We are trying to get people interested in setting their table again,” Eason said. “Tables are really the people around it but we want to show people how special they are by doing a pretty tablescape for them.”

The first session starts Monday, March 20 with the second starting March 22.

“As one session is leaving Wednesday, another is coming in,” Eason said. “We did two sessions because we are trying to get to 1,000 people. Wednesday is wine and charcuterie from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. They will be out eating and shopping on Wednesday.”

The sessions are filled with speakers, many of whom are active on the BTS Facebook page.

“We have Replacements from Greensboro, North Carolina coming to talk,” Eason said.

“There is Jim Gatling. He is our page storyteller from Arkansas. He talks real Southern and tells the wildest stories. Justin Peters from Enterprise Estate Sales is going to do a mini-antique roadshow Monday and Friday. Jill Hastings will talk about linens and lace. Phillip Thompson is going to show centerpieces and tablescapes.”

Wetumpka Area Chamber of Commerce executive director Shellie Whitfield will speak as well, and Provisions will help Wednesday. Each day features other local eateries for lunch.

“I have Grumpy Dog doing food twice,” Eason said. “Woodcraft Cafe is doing food one day; Cooper House Deil is doing a day.”

But there will be more than just speakers and presenters. Eason said 25 vendors will be set up inside the Wetumpka Civic Center to help BTS guests find missing pieces to their collections.

Those vendors will be available for public shopping from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 25. There is a $5 entrance fee for Saturday shopping.

SUBMITTED THE TRIBUNE

Tallassee High School was represented well at the All-State Choral Festival. Pictured are front row, from left to right, Michael Bird, Anna Griggs, Danielle Bird, Maria Lynn, and Kelley Hill; second row:Trevor Towery, Robert Towery,Alex Hughey, Gaines Nolin, Dalton Williams, Draven Haynes, Noah Crouch.

FILE | THE TRIBUNE

ABOVE: Attendees last year’s Beautiful Table Settings Bash in Wetumpka take a look at some of the wares of vendors in attendance for the three day event.

BELOW: Jonathan Wood presents ways to use Japanese techniques in floral arrangements at last year’s Beautiful Table Settings Bash.

Humane Society of Elmore County News

Things to consider before buying from a breeder

By REA CORD HSEC Director

We know not every dog or cat lover will get their next pet from a shelter. People obtain pets from many sources — pets being rehomed by family, neighbors and friends; puppies and kittens from unplanned litters; pet stores; farm auctions; flea markets; newspaper ads; flyers posted in public places; and breeders.

While many pets obtained from any one of these sources live wonderful lives and are well loved, far too many end up again needing new homes or, worse, being neglected by owners who were not prepared or quickly lost interest.

Adding a living, breathing animal to your family should be a deliberate, well-thought out process. Many people are quite surprised we have an adoption application. The application process attempts to ensure the adoption is a good fit for the pet and new owner. Questions about lifestyles, home environment, the adopter’s expectations, children, etc. help us match the right pet with the right family.

appropriate. Our puppies and kittens must be at least 8 weeks old before we place them for adoption; this gives them time to socialize with kennelmates and get at least the two sets of vaccinations complete.

We say this as conscientious breeders will also ensure their babies are healthy, vaccinated and ready to leave the mother and littermates.

If you do turn to a breeder, here are some helpful hints. Reputable breeders:

• will not sell at a flea market, auctions or out of the trunk of a vehicle.

• will not ask to meet in a parking lot because “the house is too hard to find.”

• will decline a sale if they don’t think it is in the best interest of the animal.

• care more about the animals than the money.

• help by becoming mentors to those who purchase and stand by their pets.

• are there for the puppies and kittens even years after the sale if the need arises.

• work very hard to teach responsible pet ownership and have much expertise to offer.

If you began working in a Textile Mill, Tire Plant, Paper Mill, Steel Mill or any other industrial setting before 1980: You may have a claim against the asbestos manufacturers. Call now for your free evaluation.

We do this because far too many animals in the shelter are there because someone took on a pet without really thinking it through and it turned out to be a bad fit for all concerned.

Just like there are good and not-so-good shelters, there are wonderful breeders but there are breeders who are only in it for money.

Good breeders care about the homes they are placing their animal in. Good breeders question potential buyers thoroughly to ensure the new owner can provide a good home for the pet for its entire lifetime. Good breeders do not just sell a puppy or kitten to the first person who can pay the purchase price.

All our pets leave fully vaccinated to what’s age

Next time you are thinking of adding a new pet to your family, take your time. Do your homework; make sure you are ready. Check with a shelter perhaps, and if you do choose to purchase from a breeder, take the time to do your research.

One way to find a conscientious breeder is to ask area veterinarians; caring breeders will be good clients of veterinarians. Getting a pet is a serious commitment in terms of time and money so please make sure you are truly ready to commit to that pet for the next 15 to 20 years of its life.

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

Pet of the Week – Cola

Cola looks to be about 2 years old; she is a female who weighs about 40 pounds. She is super loving and sweet. She knows how to sit and has good leash manners. She excels at playing fetch and loves tummy rubs. She will get all excited at first for attention but then

settles down and loves to get and give loving.

The Humane Society of Elmore County’s adoption fees are $100 for dogs and $50 for cats under 1 year old. Cats over 1 can be adopted by approved adopters for a fee of their choosing. This adoption fee covers the

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

If you are interested in meeting Cola or any of the pets at HSEC, the

first step is to fill out an adoption application online. Once approved, you will be contacted by someone from the humane society. HSEC is located at 255 Central Plank Road in Wetumpka. The phone number is 334-567-3377 and the website is www. elmorehumane.org.

Faith is all about the things you can’t see

t is difficult to imagine

Each of us have experienced imaginations that led us to

or believe things that really were not there. But for the Christian, what about heaven?

“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him,” (1 Corinthians 2:9 KJV).

JACKIE WILBOURN Columnist

God is so much greater than we are. He is unlike we are. He is the One who has no end or no limits; God is so big He made the universe by a mere word. If we apply what no eye has seen to what awaits us in heaven, we can correlate it to many rewards promised in scripture. The unique thing about all of this is faith.

“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen,” (Hebrews 11:1).

A pastor by the name of Ray Palmer penned the words to one of the most loved hymns produced by an American Christian. He grew up in Boston and spent most of his life as a minister of God’s word. At a young age of 22, Rev. Ray was quoted as saying, “The words of the hymn were born of my own soul,” a private poem of faith that ended up as a hymn. Hebrews 11 is known as the faith chapter, and I challenge you to read it. Faith is being sure of what you do not know; it may sound crazy, but that is how the heroes of faith lived.

Tallassee Churches

A perfect example is when God told Abraham to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice; he obeyed with the reasoning that God’s promise to bring a great nation through him could still happen somehow. Abraham took Isaac to the mountains along with his knife. Now Abraham did not act on what he did not know, he acted on what he did know. He knew God is the creator; God had guided him; God had rescued him; he also knew God did not condone human sacrifice; he knew God had given him a miracle son once — from

an aged womb — and He could do it again! That is the essence of faith!

“My Faith Looks Up to Thee,” explains, “All thru life’s transient dream, until death’s sullen stream shall o’er me roll, blest Savior, with Thy love, fear and distrust remove; make me thy grace to prove, transform my soul.” Without faith, one will never see or hear what God has in store.

Jackie Wilbourn, a member of Bethel Baptist Church, is a chaplain with Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief Team.

Phone: 334-283-6568

Fax: 334-283-6569

www.TallasseeTribune.com

March 15, 2023 • Page B1 Dalton MiDDleton SportS eDitor dalton.middleton@thewetumpkaherald.com

Stanhope Elmore’s

Russo dominates the mats

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

Stanhope Elmore senior Connor Russo had a wrestling season for the ages.

Russo, who has been one of the team’s top wrestlers since he was in eighth grade, capped off his career last month. He finished his senior campaign with a dominating 48-1 overall record and claimed the AHSAA Class 6A state championship in the 170pound weight class.

After suffering his lone loss in the sectional finals to Aiden Knight, Russo bounced back and beat Knight in the state finals, handing the defending state champion his only loss. Russo is the 2023 Elmore County Wrestler of the Year.

“This season was really good for me,” Russo said. “A lot of my matches were quicker matches, but they got harder towards the end when we got to sectionals and the state tournament. My only loss of the year was to the kid I beat in the finals and he won state last season. All-in-all, it was a really good way to finish out my high school wrestling career.

Not only did Russo have the best record of any county wrestler, he also

By DALTON MIDDLETON

Sports Editor

LAND BELL, TALLASSEE SOPHOMORE Bell joined an impressive list of state championship wrestlers from Tallassee when he won the AHSAA Class 5A title in the 132-pound weight class. The sophomore went 43-3 across the season and won multiple tournaments including the Hornet Slam and the Julian McPhillips Invitational.

WILLIE COX, WETUMPKA JUNIOR Cox turned in one of the most impres-

was one of the most dominant point spreads in the state. In his 49 matches, Russo outscored his opponents, 40810.

Russo wasn’t taken down the entire season, and six of the 10 points against him were penalties and stalling calls. He had 15 matches end by tech fall, which is a win given when a wrestler is ahead by 15 or more.

Stanhope coach Hunter Adams has coached a lot of great wrestlers such as Holtville’s Hunter Scott and Stanhope’s Tobias Harris, but he has yet to see a season as dominant as Russo’s.

“I’ve never had a kid do anything close to that,” Adams said. “The thing about Connor is that he’s so prepared and studies the craft so well that he already has the answer to your next three possible moves in his head. He just smoothly transitions from one to the other and once he gets into a position he’s confident in, he’s relentless.”

Russo’s only loss of the season came in the sectional finals to Knight.

While Russo did not give up a single point to Knight, he still walked away with a 4-2 loss. He took down Knight to go up 2-0 before stalling penalties gifted Knight the win.

The entire next week, Russo knew he would see Knight again in the state

championship. So he studied around 50 of Knight’s videos and tried to prepare for whatever was going to be thrown at him.

The two each made it back to the finals, and it was a rematch for the ages for Russo. In a rare defensive match between the two, Russo found himself down 2-0 in the second period. When he found Knight getting comfortable, Russo capitalized and he nearly earned a pin.

Instead, he was given three points for the near-fall and led 3-2. He then turned on the defense and rode that score to the final buzzer, giving him his state championship and giving Knight (89-1) his only loss of the year.

“All week long, I drilled specifically for Aiden,” Russo said. “I wasn’t worried about other matches or opponents. I drilled a lot based on movement and tried not to let it get decided by a referee again. He was really confident against me in sectionals but at state, he guarded his legs a lot better and kept his stance back so I couldn’t get any shots in. I worked upper body with him and let him try to get some looks he wanted to throw him off. When he thought he had control, I’d turn it around on him. It felt great. It was a good feeling.”

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

Tallassee wrestling coach John Mask knew his team would be talented, but he didn’t know how quickly the Tigers would adapt to the varsity level.

Tallassee graduated seven senior starters in 2022 — half of the Tigers’ starting lineup. His replacements had the skills, but most had never wrestled at the varsity level.

Despite the youth and inexperience, his team continued to step up this year. Tallassee’s duals team went 32-1 and finished runner-up in AHSAA Class 5A. The Tigers reached the duals state championship for the first time in program history, losing by a narrow five points to state champion Jasper. For those reasons, Mask has been named the 2023 Elmore County Wrestling Coach of the Year.

“Every year is different when you start out,” Mask said. “You always hope and plan, and we thought we had a good group. They really grew and progressed as each week passed. They worked hard and we had countless kids step up. That’s what it takes to have a good year as a team. 32-1 is a very hard record to achieve. That’s just a testament to their hard work.”

One of the most important aspects of duals wrestling Mask had to teach his young team is it’s not always about winning the match.

Wrestlers have to do what’s best for the team, and that could include just getting a major loss instead of getting pinned, or sitting out of the match this week because there’s a better matchup for someone else.

Mask’s starting duals lineup consisted of only three seniors by the end of the season, but the veteran wrestlers really helped solidify it was a team event and trying to scramble at the end of a match for points could sometimes hurt the team worse than it could help.

“We had to get them to understand that they’re playing a role,” Mask said. “Even if someone loses, if they don’t get pinned and only give up three points, that’s helping our team. That’s sometimes really tough for young men to understand but our guys have always believed in doing what’s best for the team. That’s what our kids bought into this year.

Tallassee ran through the majority of its duals, but there was always one team in the back of the Tigers’ mind: Gulf Shores.

Gulf Shores eliminated Tallasee from the duals tournament in 2022 in blowout fashion, 59-9. That

sive wrestling seasons across the entire state. The junior heavyweight went 43-2 while claiming the AHSAA Class 6A state championship. He has qualified and placed two times each in the state tournament.

JULIANA ELDRIDGE, WETUMPKA EIGHTH GRADER

The lone girl on the All-County wrestling team, Eldridge wrestled a perfect season and claimed the 107-pound state championship this year. The No. 1-ranked girls wrestler in the state went 25-0 and did not give up a takedown the entire season.

MYLES EYERLY, ELMORE COUNTY JUNIOR

Out of six Elmore County kids to qualify for the state tournament, Eyerly was the lone champion for the Panthers. The heavyweight wrestler had a superb junior season during which he won the Class 5A state championship and finished with a 40-6 overall record.

CADEN GRIFFITH, TALLASSEE SENIOR

One of the top dual-sport athletes in the county, Griffith placed fourth in the state at 182 pounds in Class 5A. The star linebacker and wrestler capped off his career with a 47-6 record in his senior season.

Stanhope Elmore’s Connor Russo (48-1) avenged his only loss with a win over McAdory’s Aiden Knight (89-1) in the 6A 170-pound finals.

THE HERALD

Tallassee wrestling coach John Mask led the Tigers to

32-1 overall duals record and a state championship appearance.

DALTON MIDDLETON THE HERALD

Land Bell finished his sophomore season with

43-3 record and won the Class 5A state title in the 132-pound weight class.

ELMORE COUNTY WRESTLER OF THE YEAR

WRESTLING COACH OF THE YEAR

FIRST TEAM

Elmore County Player of the Week

Elmore County’s Pannell finding power swing

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

Ashtyn Pannell was expected to be the team’s top power hitter this year, and the Elmore County senior is certainly fulfilling that expectation.

An Anderson University signee in the outfield, Pannell has belted out extra-base hit after extra-base hit this year. That was done at an exceptionally high rate this past week, when she smacked seven in six games for the Panthers (10-7). She hit two home runs, three triples and a pair of doubles while driving in nine RBIs. Pannell has been named the Elmore County Player of the Week for her play.

“I felt like a lot of our success would be dependent on her having a really good senior season, and she’s

TEAM

Continued from B1

BRADY GOODWIN, HOLTVILLE SENIOR

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

lived up to that up to this point,” Elmore County coach Mark Segrest said. “She does have several home runs and extra base hits so she’s providing a must-needed power surge in the middle of the lineup.”

Goodwin, wrestling at 160 pounds in Class 5A, placed fourth overall in the state tournament after winning the south super sectional tournament the week before. The senior is a Huntingdon wrestling signee.

RAMON LOZADA, WETUMPKA JUNIOR

Lozada transferred into Wetumpka from Elmore County this season and made an immediate impact for the Indians. The junior went 43-6 in the 113-pound bracket and is a four-time state qualifier and two-time state-placer.

CHRISTIAN MCCARY, TALLASSEE JUNIOR

McCary put together one of the most dominant seasons of anyone in Class 5A this season. The junior rallied back from injury to finish the year 42-5 and was a state qualifier. He won three tournaments including the south super sectional.

MASON NELSON, TALLASSEE SOPHOMORE

At 113 pounds, Nelson went 41-4 during his sophomore season. The young wrestler won the south super sectionals before finishing third overall in his weight class in Class 5A at the state tournament.

TYLER PAYTON, ELMORE COUNTY EIGHTH GRADER

One of the youngest wrestlers in the county, Payton didn’t show his youth as he finished with a 21-5 overall record. After qualifying for the state tournament, Payton went on to finish fourth place in the 152-pound weight class.

RUTLAND PHILLIPS, TALLASSEE SENIOR

Phillips, one of Tallassee’s star seniors, had a stellar senior season during which he went 49-4 and reached the state cham-

Batting in the No. 3 hole, she is expected to drive in runs and get extra-base hits. Through the team’s first six games of the year, she had only two extra base hits — a triple and home run. She then had an extrabase hit in three straight games, and Elmore County won all three of those games. On the year, she has three home runs, five triples and four doubles with a team-high 19 RBIs. ECHS is 5-3 in games where she has recorded an extra base hit.

“She’s critical to our success because we don’t really have a power hitting team,” Segrest said. “She certainly has that ability to be that for us this year. Our success really depends on her having impressive power numbers. A big slugging percentage will go a long way in helping us get back to Oxford.”

pionship match in the 106-pound weight class. In the process, he overcame the 100-win milestone for his career and won a trio of tournaments.

CHRISTIAN PRESTON, WETUMPKA JUNIOR

Wrestling at 220 pounds, Preston claimed the AHSAA Class 6A state championship this weekend. Preston finished his junior season with a 36-4 overall record and is a three-time state qualifier; he has placed twice at state.

CONNOR RUSSO, STANHOPE ELMORE SENIOR Russo put together quite possibly the most dominant season of a wrestler across the entire state of Alabama. The all-time school points leader finished the season with a 48-1 record and claimed the AHSAA Class 6A state championship at 170 pounds. In the process, he outscored his opponents, 408-10

CHAD STRICKLAND, WETUMPKA SENIOR

Wetumpka’s star senior wrapped up an illustrious career with a state championship appearance in the Class 6A 138pound weight class. Strickland finished his senior year with a 40-3 overall record. He is a four-time state qualifier and threetime state placer.

SECOND TEAM

Nolan Addeo, Tallassee freshman, 195 pounds

Avery Brantley, Tallassee freshman, 126 pounds

Hunter Chavis, Holtville sophomore, 182 pounds

Shawn Colvin, Elmore County junior, 138 pounds

Zach Crosthwait, Wetumpka sophomore, 154 pounds

Ethan Jones, Tallassee junior, 138 pounds

Roman McWilliams, Wetumpka sophomore, 120 pounds

Melvin Owens, Wetumpka senior, 160 pounds

Kristian Seals, Stanhope Elmore junior, 145 pounds

Noah Smith, Wetumpka junior, 126 pounds

Carson Thomas, Elmore County senior, 145 pounds

Jackson Wade, Stanhope Elmore junior, 152 pounds

Stran Webb, Elmore County eighth grader,106 pounds

Clark Wood, Elmore County senior, 182 pounds

HENRY ZIMMER THE

Wetumpka’s Chad Strickland finished his

DALTON MIDDLETON THE HERALD

Elmore County’s Ashtyn Pannell has seven extra base hits in her last six games. She is the Player of the Week.

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STEP BY STEP

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

There is still plenty of work to be done, but the Tallassee baseball team is starting to put together a few wins on the diamond.

Tallassee, led by John Goodman in his first season since returning as head coach, is off to a 6-4 start.

The Tigers are currently on a three-game win streak with victories over Reeltown, Dadeville and Horseshoe Bend.

The team now has two wins each over Reeltown and HBS and a defeat of Alabama Christian Academy. After losing three of its first four games, Tallassee has won five of its last six.

Despite the recent success, Goodman said the Tigers are still learning how to win and compete and they’re not taking anything for granted.

“We still have a lot of work to do,” Goodman said.

“We’re starting to get there but we still have a long way to go. When area play gets here, it’s going to be tough. Right now, we’re playing for April. We’re not playing for right now. Every at-bat we take and every pitch we make is for April.”

The Tallassee offense has taken huge strides at the plate this season. In a win over Dadeville on Saturday, Tallassee knocked around 14 hits across six innings and scored 10 runs in the 10-3 win.

Most of those hits came late, but Tallassee was able to knock Dadeville’s best pitcher out of the game early by taking quality at-bats and big hits from the likes of

Cade Everson, Brady Mason, Chase Chumley and Thomas Lemmond.

Tallassee has found quite a bit of success offensively with 86 runs in 10 games this year and has been held under six runs only once. The Tigers have scored in double digits four times.

“The offense is getting there,” Goodman said. “I feel like we get better with the more pitching we see. When you get that sick feeling in your stomach when you have a bad at-bat or a bad game in general, that’s when you know you’re getting on the right track.”

Also getting into better shape is Tallassee’s pitchers.

Saturday’s starter was Jackson Rhodes, whom Goodman said has been throwing well this season. In the win over Dadeville, he struck out five Tigers in the first two innings before running into trouble with walks. When he was pulled, Chumley took over for his first game in a few weeks. He allowed one run and threw multiple innings to preserve the win.

Another pitcher who has had a sore arm, Brady Mason, also threw the final inning. He allowed one run but closed out the game without any real trouble.

During the three-game win streak, Tallassee pitchers have allowed only four total runs and have one shutout.

“All-in-all, we’re still fighting through everything,” Goodman said. “Our guys aren’t used to the level of work their arms are enduring right now so we’re doing our best to get them where they can get it done on the mound.”

Tigers’ baseball team learning how to win

Harris to recount her Wetumpka

experience at library

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

Sophia Bracy Harris grew up in Wetumpka as a Black girl going to school during integration.

But instead of using that as an excuse for not getting an education, Harris channeled her experiences into motivation to “break the cycle of inadequacy that I first experienced as a young girl,” she said.

The Wetumpka native went on to become an advocate for women’s equality and civil rights writing a memoir of her self-discovery, “Finding My Own Way: A Journey to Wholeness Against the Odds.”

Harris will be the featured author and speaker for the Friends of the Wetumpka Library (FOWL) book talk at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 23.

“The book she wrote is like the local tip of the iceberg,” Wetumpka Public Library director Susan Hayes said. “She is a really interesting person that has done amazing things.”

Harris’ book was published last year and a copy is at the Wetumpka Public Library.

“It has circulated well,” Hayes said. “We are happy she is willing to come and talk about her book and her experiences, especially here in Wetumpka. I think she is a fascinating person to get to know.”

Harris and her sister expe-

rienced the loss of a home and persecution while being part of the first 12 African American students to walk the halls of Wetumpka High School. The sisters knew it would be tough but they had their reasons and it wasn’t about being the first Black student.

“Our interests was not being with white folks,” Harris told The Herald in February 2022. “The interest was to get a better education so we could better ourselves.”

The sisters had left W.B. Doby School where their aunt taught seeking a better education, but it was not without issues.

“Her experiences here are quite remarkable,” Hayes said. “That might be what she mainly talks about because there is a lot of local interest.”

Harris found allies to help make life easier as a student at the freshly integrated Wetumpka High School. Her experiences helped lead her to a life of advocacy beyond Wetumpka.

“Not only did she make her way locally but she was able to take her story and passion beyond Wetumpka and Elmore County,” Hayes said. FOWL had hoped to get Harris to the library for Black History Month but Hayes said Harris was pleased to serve another purpose.

“Ms. Harris was quick to say she would be happy to come to honor Women’s History Month,” Hayes said.

Continued from B1

loss stayed with Tallassee throughout the offseason, and the two inevitably faced a rematch in the state semifinals.

Instead of being nervous, Mask saw his team determined to avenge last season’s loss. Every wrestler who was supposed to win did, and he even had a few kids who

were outranked on paper or in the standings walk away with victories.

Tallassee ended up winning, 32-29, to advance to its first-ever duals state championship.

“Our guys expected to win and we had a lot of young kids step up and propel us to victory by pulling through their matches,” Mask said. “Our guys were excited about that opportunity from the beginning of the season. Our guys remembered what happened at home against them last year and they wanted to face them again.”

Following the end of the duals tournament, Tallassee turned its sights back to the individual championships. After a few years of not having anyone place in the state tournament, Mask was ready to see a few more kids get their names on the wall inside the team gym.

Tallassee had 11 wrestlers qualify for state in Huntsville, five more than any other team in the county. Of those 11, four placed, earning an etching of their names on the gym walls.

Sophomore Land Bell won the state championship in the 132-pound class, while seniors Caden Griffith and Rutland Phillips and sophomore Mason Nelson also placed.

“This year, the goal coming in was to put people on that wall,” Mask said. “We were able to do that with four guys. They did really well, and we had seven other guys who made it to state and that’s a tough feat to achieve. Our guys bought in. To have 11 kids qualify for state is a remarkable feat.”

COACH

DALTON MIDDLETON THE TRIBUNE

Tallassee’s Jackson Rhodes struck out five Dadeville batters in the first two innings of Saturday’s matchup.

FILE | THE TRIBUNE

Sophia Bracy Harris, left, autographs her book last year at the Elmore County Training School. The book details Harris’ experiences growing up in Elmore County, integrating Wetumpka High School. Harris will be at the Wetumpka Public Library next week to talk about her book and experiences during integration.

Elmore County’s Hall strikes out 15, ties single-game school record

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

Elmore County senior Payton Hall wanted to make last Wednesday’s game one to remember.

Hall lost his great-grandfather earlier in the week, so he’s been spending most of the week with his family and loved ones. His grandparents, who usually attend all of Hall’s games, had to miss Wednesday’s while dealing with the loss.

So Hall sought out to use his grandparent’s absence as motivation to play the best he could. He did exactly that as he pitched a complete game win over Montgomery Academy.

He allowed only one hit and struck out 15 batters, which tied the school record for most strikeouts in a single game.

“Dealing with everything this week just really made me think it’s a blessing to be able to wake up every day and be able to even play the game of baseball,” Hall said. “I told myself I wanted to make the game memorable for them. It just pushed me to go out there and do my best.”

Hall usually visits with his grandparents a few times a week as they live close to the school. He tried to stop by Thursday morning, but they weren’t there.

He called his grandmother after nobody answered the door, but he was told they were at his great-grandmother’s house. His grandmother then told him that she heard he did really great and was proud of him.

“Honestly, that just meant the world to me to hear her say that to me,” Hall said.

Hall’s school-record 15 strikeouts wasn’t a fluke game for the senior pitcher. Hall has been dealing all season long this year and has been the Panthers’ best pitcher.

Hall has pitched in six of the Panthers’

nine games this year, and he’s started four. He leads the team in appearances, starts, and innings pitched (19).

During that span, he has racked up a 2-0 record with a 1.4 earned run average and has allowed 12 hits, walked nine batters and struck out a whopping 36 strikeouts. He has 25 more strikeouts than the next closest player on the team.

“He’s always been a talented pitcher,”

Elmore County coach Michael Byrd said.

“He was our most consistent pitcher two years ago, and then he struggled some last year, but he’s just matured so much and doesn’t let the little things bother him anymore. If he misses a spot or gives up a hit, he doesn’t put his head down. He just gets back on the mound and starts pitching again.”

While he’s been the top on the mound, he’s also been one of the team’s top hitters. Hall is one of six Panthers currently hitting over .400.

He has 10 hits in 24 at-bats, good for a .417 batting average. Eight of his 10 hits have been singles while he’s also roped two doubles and added eight RBIs. He’s been walked five times and has struck out only twice.

Standing at 6-foot-4 and 300 pounds, Hall is the biggest kid on Elmore County’s roster. While that comes with its perks, it also makes it less likely for teams to throw him fastballs.

As a junior, Hall felt he did a bad job of hitting the fastball when it was thrown to him. So he set out in the offseason to hit the fastball over and over as it was his biggest weakness.

“I’m really trying to progress on hitting the fastball, and I feel like I’ve done a good job with that this year,” Hall said. “I’m a big guy. If they even throw me a fastball, I have to hit it.”

SUBNMITTED THE OBSERVER

Elmore County’s Payton Hall struck out 15 batters in a complete game win over Montgomery Academy. The 15 strikeouts tied a single-game school record for the Panthers.