Mustangs finish off Rams in tourney Sports, Page 8. Wetumpka, AL 36092
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SATURDAY-SUNDAY • MARCH 26-27, 2016
THEWETUMPKAHERALD.COM
VOL. 11, NO. 13
Second suspect arrested Uncle of suspect allegedly supplied gun used in drive-by shooting by shooting that left two dead and two injured. Martin Aaron King, 34, of Montgomery faces two murder charges and two felony charges. King, Edwards’ uncle, allegedly gave him the handgun, court records show. Edwards, a 32-year-old
By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
The Elmore County D.A.’s office said a Montgomery man was arrested Wednesday afternoon and charged with supplying the 9mm pistol to alleged shooter Marcus L. Edwards which was later used in the March 19 Wetumpka drive- King
Wetumpka resident, was placed on an elevated $700,000 bond in his first court appearance at a Monday, March 21, bond hearing. “It’s not a criminal offense in itself to give someone a firearm,” said Elmore County Chief Assistant District Attorney C.J. Robinson. However, Robinson said it was See SHOOTING • Page 2
Corey Arwood / The Herald
Officials lead Martin A. King, who faces two murder charges and two felony charges, into a courtroom on Monday.
Community Hospital is Tier 1 in Blue Cross rankings
Elmore County’s February jobless rate is 2nd best in state Only Shelby Cuunty has better unemployment numbers By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer
By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
Wetumpka’s Elmore Community Hospital moved from a Tier 2 to a Tier 1 service provider status under Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama’s grading system, which could mean less out-of-pocket payments on copays and smaller deductibles for those covered by the company. The ECH administrator, Michael Ritzus, said the tier system was basically a hospital report card on the conditions the insurance company deemed necessary for a health care facility to be considered a preferred provider. He said it was a complex scorecard that looked at a range of variables, from costs accrued by the hospital, to the costs transferred to the patient and even patient satisfaction scores. He said the size of the hospital as well as the standard number of inpatient
A crime prevention group is looking for leads and to warn local businesses after what appeared to be two men dressed as women, scammed a retailer with what Wetumpka Police Department called a strategic “switcheroo” and made off with $495. According to Central Alabama Crime Stoppers the theft took place earlier this year around late January. A WPD investigator said they recently turned
See TIERS • Page 7
See SCAM • Page 3
Submitted / The Herald
The Wetumpka Police Department is searching for two unknown subjects who appear to be men dressed in drag that victimized a local retail store in a credit/gift card scam. Law enforcement officials believe the two suspects were last seen travelining in this burgundy SUV, below, when they left the establishment where the scam was pulled.
CROSS-DRESSED CRIMINALS
Suspects of unknown gender give local Walmart a card ‘switcheroo’ By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
Despite ticking up one tenth of a percentage point in February, unemployment in Elmore County remained the second-lowest in the state – behind only Shelby County – at 5.4 percent, according to preliminary, seasonally adjusted numbers prepared by the Alabama Department of Labor in cooperation with the Bureau of Labor Statistics and released by the office of Gov. Robert Bentley on Friday. Shelby County’s February unemployment rate was 4.7 percent. The Elmore County rate was up from 5.3 percent in January and the same 5.3 percent in February a year ago. The overall February unemployment rate for Alabama stayed steady at the same 6.2 percent measured in January. That rate is two-tenths of a percentage point higher than in February 2015, when unemployment in Alabama was at 6.0 percent. “The momentum that we are seeing in our employment numbers continues to be encouraging,” Bentley said in the Friday release. “Our mission to provide all Alabamians with a job remains my top priority. The growth that we are consistently seeing, combined with the regular announcements of new jobs See UNEMPLOYMENT • Page 3
Miles sentenced to 41 months in federal prison STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
File / The Herald
Former Tallassee assistant Chief of Police Chris Miles and his wife Kelli Miles walk into the U.S. District Court - Middle Alabama in Montgomery, Alabama where Miles plead guilty to one count each of obstruction of justice, deprivation of rights and distribution of marijuana.
A former Tallassee Assistant Police Chief has been sentenced to almost four years in prison for beating a suspect and then lying to investigators about his attack. Chris Miles, 41, was sentenced to 41 months in prison for depriving a suspect of his federally protected rights by beating the suspect with a phone book-sized packet of paper during an interrogation and then lying about the incident to an FBI agent investigating the matter. Miles was also sentenced for selling marijuana that he stole from the police evidence room. Miles pleaded guilty on Nov. 17, 2015, to one count of deprivation of civil rights, two counts of false statements and one count of possession with intent to distribute. He was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Myron H. Thompson of the
pka m u t e W
Middle District of Alabama. According to admissions made during his plea hearing, in April of 2013, while he was on duty as assistant police chief, Miles beat a prisoner who was serving a sentence at Tallassee jail while Miles was interrogating that prisoner about uncharged crimes the prisoner was suspected of having committed. During the questioning, Miles grabbed a thick packet of copy paper and used it to strike the victim multiple times across the victim’s face and head. Miles also repeatedly slapped the victim across the face and head with his hand. His abuse caused the victim to suffer bruising and physical pain. Miles also admitted that earlier in 2013 he stole approximately 16 pounds of marijuana from the police evidence room and later sold it to a known drug dealer. “Law enforcement leaders serve
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as role models for their fellow officers, and at all times they must act with integrity, fairness and professionalism,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Justice requires even-handed treatment for all, and without exception, we will aggressively prosecute any officer who beats an inmate, breaks the law and lies to federal investigators.” U.S. Attorney George L. Beck Jr. of the Middle District of Alabama said Miles actions were inexcusable. “Miles was a maverick, working outside the law,” said Beck. “While we expect interrogations to be thorough, an officer cannot turn an investigation into a punishment. Fortunately, the overwhelming majority of our law enforcement See SENTENCED • Page 2
Page 2 • MARCH 26-27, 2016
TheWetumpkaHerald.com
ELMORE COUNTY WEEKEND
Area Calendar March 26
EGG HUNT: The city of Tallassee is having its Easter egg hunt at City Hall March 26 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. for children 10 and under. EGG HUNT: Community Easter Egg Hunt will be Saturday, March 26th 10a.m. Wall Street AME Zion Church, 71 Zion Street, Tallassee, AL (334) 283-2594. Look us up on facebook www.wallstreetamez.com Event Coordinator is Mrs. Della Hayes, Pastor, Edwrin Sutton. Everyone is invited!
March 27
EASTER SERVICE: Church at the Brook will host an Easter service March 27 at 10:30 a.m. EASTER SERVICES: First Presbyterian Church of Wetumpka is hosting an Easter Sunrise Service at Gold Star Park at 7 a.m., a Children’s Easter Program at 9:45 a.m. in the fellowship hall and an Easter Cantata at 11a.m. in the sanctuary.
March 28
COUNCIL MEETING: The Tallassee City Council will meet March 28 at 6 p.m. at City Hall
March 28- April 1
SPRING BREAK: Tallassee City Schools
Spring Break will be March 28 - April 1.
March 30
ESTATE PLANNING WORKSHOP: There will be a free estate planning and asset protection workshop at the Archibald Senior Center. Education workshop presented by local attorney Raley Wiggins. Topics include wills, trusts, powers of attorney, advance directives, living wills, long-term care, Medicaid qualification, and probate administration. Also, how to protect your assets from: divorce, remarriage, creditors, bankruptcy, and nursing homes. Registration is required. Call (334)-625-6774 or online at www.redoaklegalpc.com.
March 31
AFTER HOURS: Wetumpka Depot Business After Hours, Thursday, March, 31 from 5 to 6:30 p.m., at 300 S. Main Street, Wetumpka. CAREER EXPO: The Elmore County Technical Center will be hosting the Elmore County Career Expo at the Wetumpka Civic Center March 31. This event is for our local students during the morning and midday hours (8:00-1:30), and we have a portion of the day reserved for the general public in the afternoon (2:00-6:00).
Obituaries
April 5
ID BOARD: The city of Tallassee ID Board will meet April 5 at 5:30 p.m. at 1 Twin Creek Drive.
April 9
5K RUN: The Roaring 5K Run is set for Saturday, April 9. Co-Sponsors are Tallassee Lion’s Club and Neptune Technology Group. Proceeds benefit the Lion’s Sight program. Registration begins at 7 a.m. and the race starts at 8 a.m. Early registration is on-line through the Tallassee Chamber of Commerce at tallasseechamber.com
April 9-10
COMBAT ON THE COOSA: 2 Day Crossfit Competition. Individual -Saturday, Team- Sunday. Hosted by Crossfit Intrigue. For more info visit www. thegaragegames.com/combat-on-the-coosa
April 10
CHURCH HOMECOMING: Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Eclectic will host homecoming April 10 at 10:30 a.m. The Joy Masters will be singing and there will be lunch afterwards.
April 15
CHILD ABUSE AWARENESS: There will be an event at Holtville Elementary School April 15 at 1:30 p.m. to bring awareness to child abuse and neglect as April is is Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Awareness Month. he
Elmore County Extension, Family Resource Center, Juvenile Judge, DHR Director, Superintendent of Education and many other community partners will be in attendance as well as about 100 elementary students. This is a celebration of all the good work that the schools, churches, agencies and communities do to strengthen families which prevents child maltreatment.
April 16
CRATERFEST: Wetumpka Craterfest & Duck Dash will feature National and local music artists, Kidzone, Arts & Crafts, Crater Bus MiniTours, Crater Art Exhibit/ Video Saturday, April 16th from 2-7PM at Gold Star Park. Vendor spaces and sponsorships available! Contact Jamie Young at jyoung@wetumpkachamber.org or 334-567-4811. REELTOWN REUNION: The Sixth Reeltown High School Reunion of the Classes from 1950-1970 will hold its 20-Year Class Reunion on April 16 in the original Reeltown High School Auditorium. The Reunion begins at 10 a.m. for a time to meet, greet and tour the school. The “Assembly” will begin in the auditorium at 11 a.m. The RHS Jazz Band will be guest and play a few jazz tunes. Donations will be received for new Rebel Pride Marching Band uniforms. All donations greatly appreciated. Welcome, recognitions, etc., will follow. Please bring your “ole fashion brown bag/sack
Lee, son, Donald “Don” Wayne Lee (Jody), daughters, Teresa Ann Nobles (Bob), Terry Lynn Munroe (Larry), brothers, Pete Lee, Furlow Lee, sisters, Nancy O. Quain, Ann Wright, grandchildren, Josh Munroe, Brad Nobles, Brittney Simmons, Haley Fincher, Cody Lee, Caity Jo Lee, and one great-grandchild, Henley Kate Lee. Pallbearers will be Josh Munroe, Brad Nobles, Cody Lee, Shane Fincher, Brandon Simmons, and Brandon Tew. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Claud Independent Methodist Church, 81232 Tallassee Highway, Eclectic, Alabama 36024. Online Guest Book available at www.gassettfuneralhome.net
James William Lee
LEE, James William “Jim” a resident of Wetumpka, Al; passed away Thursday, March 24, 2016 at the age of 75. Funeral services were held Friday, March 25, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. at Gassett Funeral Home Lee Chapel with Jason Charles Tew II officiating. Burial was held at Claud Independent Methodist Cemetery with Gassett Funeral Home of Wetumpka directing. Mr. Lee is survived by his wife, Margaret Ann
lunch” with a drink. No meal will be available. Classes will meet after assembly in the cafeteria for their sack lunch meal. Tours of the school and grounds will be available following the assembly and lunch.
es attention on the main protagonists of the French & Indian War - France, Britain and their American Indian allies. Additionally, the event features daily life at a French frontier fort and Creek village in the year 1756. Soldiers will engage in mock battles each day and souvenirs replicating items of the time period will be available from merchants on site. Living history demonstrations of military, Indian, and civilian life will take place on Saturday and Sunday throughout the day. Re-enactors will be dressed and equipped as they appeared in North America during the middle of the eighteenth century. Boy Scouts of America Troop 50 will sell food and drink on Saturday; however, there will be no refreshments available for purchase on Sunday so please plan to bring a picnic lunch.
April 16-17
FRENCH INDIAN WAR ENCAMPMENT: Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson Park, the Alabama Historical Commission, and the Friends of the Forts are pleased to announce the annual French & Indian War Encampment taking place April 16-17 at Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson Park near Wetumpka. Admission is $4 for adults and $2 for children six to eighteen years of age. The event takes place 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. This special event focus-
Sentenced
Joe Bennett, Robin Ellison, Vicki Mullino, Sherry Thorne, Keith Nobles
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continued from page 1
of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerusha T. Adams for the Middle District of Alabama, and Trial Attorney Gabriel Davis of the Civil Rights Division.
officials act reasonably and within the bounds of the Constitution.” This case was investigated by the Auburn resident agency of the FBI’s Mobile Field Office, with the assistance of Alabama’s State Bureau
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believed King gave Edwards the gun with the knowledge in mind that Edwards had criminal intentions in obtaining the weapon. He said the investigation was ongoing and minimal information was known at this time. No hearings have yet been set for King, Robinson said. The shooting was said to have occurred around 2:30 p.m. Saturday only about two blocks from where Edward’s lived. The victims were said to be cousins of Edwards. The two killed were D’Osha Jackson, 19, and Darryl “Bunny” Hunt, 46, and the injured were listed as Jacoreian Jennings and Roderick Jones. In all there were 12 shots fired at the crowd gathered near a residence on Wetumpka’s South Shelby Street. When scheduled, Robinson said more information would come from King’s hearing.
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ELMORE COUNTY WEEKEND
TheWetumpkaHerald.com
Unemployment
continued from page 1
coming to the state, is helping us to achieve that goal. Our economy is supporting 106,900 more jobs now than when I took office in January 2011. But there’s still a lot of work to do, and I remain committed to doing that work.” “No change in the unemployment rate is good news this month,” Alabama Department of Labor Commissioner Fitzgerald Washington said. “We continue to see high numbers of employed people, which again is topping two million. We have consistently seen over two million employed people for 21 straight months. Additionally, a high number of people are in the workforce, which tells us that people are confident in the labor market. People haven’t shown this level of confidence in the job market in over three years.” Unemployment rates in Current population survey (CPS) employment has been at or above two million since June 2014, when it registered 2,000,174. According to the CPS, the number of people counted as employed in February was 2,033,386 (seasonally adjusted). The last time this many people were counted as employed was in August 2008, when there were 2,042,834 employed. There were 2,167,723 people counted in the labor force in February. The last time this many people were in the labor force was in October 2012, when the number measured 2,167,852. “Wage and salary employment continues to show growth as well,” Washington added. “Like January, this is our best February since 2008, with a job growth per-
centage of 1.25% – the second highest growth percentage of the last five years.” Wage and salary employment measured 1,946,300 in February. The last time it was at this level or higher during February was in 2008, when it measured 1,994,500. Over the year, wage and salary employment increased 24,100, with gains in the education and health services sector; the trade, transportation, and utilities sector; and the professional and business services sector, among others. Wage and salary employment increased in February by 12,300. Monthly gains were seen in the education and health services sector; the professional and business services sector; and the leisure and hospitality sector, among others. In addition to Elmore and Shelby counties, other counties in the state with unemployment rates below 6.0 percent in February were Lee at 5.5 percent, Autauga at 5.6 percent, Madison at 5.6 percent, St. Clair at 5.7 percent, Cherokee at 5.8 percent, Cullman at 5.8 percent, Limestone at 5.8 percent and Tuscaloosa at 5.9 percent. Counties with the highest unemployment rates in the state include Wilcox at 15.4 percent, Clarke at 12.5 percent, Lowndes at 11.4 percent, Greene at 10.8 percent, Monroe at 10.7 percent, Perry at 10.1 percent Major cities with the lowest unemployment rates were Vestavia Hills at 4.1 percent, Homewood at 4.4 percent and Hoover at 4.5 percent.
RODNEY GRIFFITH Lake Martin Properties
Scam
Serving Lake Martin, Tallassee and the Surrounding Area continued from page 1
the information over to the group after having no luck in their attempts to track down the suspects. Cpl. Clarence Reid said they ran into a dead end in their investigations. The strategy, Reid said, was not unusual, but the perpetrators’ method of dress however stood them apart from other groups of same-sex scammers. “Like I said they look like women, but we were told they were probably men dressed as women,” said Reid. “This kind of ‘switcharoo’ every now and then we get something like that,” Reid said. “That’s unusual. Normally the way you seem them is normally how they really are. If they are a man or a woman that’s normally what you see,” Reid said. “Every now and then you get those kind of
cases where they may be dressed up as the opposite sex or whatever.” From surveillance footage Reid said the two suspects could be seen talking to the clerk, presumably about putting the roughly $500 on the card. However, Reid said one of them had a blank card in a purse, and told the clerk they needed to go to their vehicle because they had left their money there. He said when they returned one handed the clerk the blank card, and left with the real card, later to return it and redeem the funds. Tony Garrett, of CACS, said he does not get a lot of calls with scams like this. Most of the time, he said the clerk was at least somewhat aware of suspicious behavior. “But this person has practiced, they’ve prac-
ticed this scam before and that’s why they were successful this time,” said Garrett, who retired from a 20-plus-year career in law enforcement from the Montgomery Police Department. He said he wanted to release the video footage from surveillance cameras to show area businesses so they could train their clerks to be prepared and able to defend against such an attempt. He said their method of deception was becoming more common, and recalled a robbery at a beauty supply store that involved juvenile males dressed as females, who Garrett said were also accompanied by females adding to both the confusion and authenticity of their disguise. “We don’t know if these guys were just passing through Wetumpka or if they’re actually residents because no one has
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recognized them as of yet,” Garrett said. He said Crimestoppers met regularly with stores from around the River Region in an effort to better store security practices and to stay up to date on the trends of whatever type of theft is popular at the time. Currently, Garret said the standard “push out,” and the bar-code switch are leading the way in local retail theft methods. So far the type of scheme at the Wetumpka Walmart has not seemed to catch on, and Reid of WPD said he had not heard anything from any surrounding agencies of similar activity. All of which points to this case being an isolated instance, Reid said, and not part of a larger affiliate of local gender-switching con artists.
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Kenneth Boone, Publisher Mitch Sneed, Editor Opinions expressed in guest columns and letters to the editor do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of the management of The Wetumpka Herald
Page 4 • MARCH 26-27, 2016
OPINION
“Our liberty cannot be guarded but by the freedom of the press, nor that be limited without danger of losing it.” --Thomas Jefferson
TheWetumpkaHerald.com
ELMORE COUNTY WEEKEND
The Herald strives to report the news honestly, fairly and with integrity, to take a leadership role and act as a positive influence in our community, to promote business, to provide for the welfare of our employees, to strive for excellence in everything we do and, above all, to treat others as we would want to be treated ourselves.
Our
Opinion
Easter is a time to celebrate rebirth
E
aster is a time renewal, a reminder of life restored. The natural sense of the coming of spring mingles for the day with the Christian promise of eternal life, through Jesus’ death and resurrection. Christianity was born in persecution. Jesus spoke the truth to the religious leaders of the day, and they conspired with civil officials to kill him. Christians suffered persecution at the hands of the Romans, pagan barbarians and Muslim invaders over the centuries. Great Christian civilizations like the Byzantine Empire were wiped from the map. Today, Christians die for their beliefs at the hands of the Islamic State’s Muslim fanatics. Real religious persecution is hard for us to truly comprehend in this country. Christians battle with secular humanists and each other over social issues of the day — abortion, capital punishment, same-sex marriage — and the passion on both sides of each issue is real. In the West, with its promise of religious liberty, Christianity’s greatest enemy is apathy, and a growing indifference to spirituality. This weekend, about 2 billion Christians will celebrate the most important event on the church calendar. Christmas — the celebration of the birth of Jesus — might attract the most attention in the secular world because of its great commercial importance. But Easter is essential to Christianity’s very meaning. For Christians, there is no Christianity without Jesus’ resurrection. It promises victory over death. It promises eternal life. It promises salvation. And Christians believe that it is granted freely to all who seek it. Easter’s celebration again brings hope to Christians around the globe. Now, as they have through the centuries, many will take comfort in that hope in a world that seems to be growing increasingly dangerous and chaotic. And on Easter, we mark the cycle of life and death and life again, knowing that joy and pain are its inevitable offshoots. We endure and we rejoice, and we remember once more that we can renew and begin again.
A few things of interest on a sunny weekend start
O
nce again, Europe has been struck by a senseless act of violence, this time in Brussells, Belgium. ISIS quickly claimed responsibility for the attacks that killed 31 and were allegedly carried out by Belgian brothers Ibrahim el-Bakraoui, 29, and Khalid el-Bakraoui, 27. Ibrahim blew himself up at the Brussels airport and Khalid at the Maelbeek subway station in the Belgian capital. Attacks such as this one are becoming much too frequent in our world. The attackers have no regard for life, including their own. Yet it is difficult to stop zealots – religious or otherwise – whose radical commitment to their radical ways is so difficult to understand … Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders did their parts on Tuesday night. Cruz won the Utah Republican caucus and Sanders won Democratic caucuses in Utah and Idaho. Trouble is Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton were the winners from their respective parties in the Arizona primary. As a result, Sanders will gain roughly five delegates on Clinton and Trump will widen his lead by 14 delegates over Cruz. With such little net change in the delegate count, it still looks as if we are running headlong into a Clinton v. Trump general election in November. … If you listen real hard, you just might hear the distant thwack of ash meeting horsehide. High school baseball season is well underway and the major leaguers are in Florida
DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer
and Arizona getting ready for their season, which opens in less than two weeks. As a fan of the Atlanta Braves, I don’t expect much from the team this year, but things might be on the upswing, albeit a potentially long upswing. Most experts say, through trades of some of their best talent, the Braves have stockpiled a lot of young talent. Unfortunately, that means there are few recognizable Braves left on the roster. Freddie Freeman, Julio Teheran, Nick Markakis, A.J. Pierzynski and second-year second-sacker Jace Peterson are about it. Gone are Andrelton Simmons and pitchers Craig Kimbrell, Alex Wood and Shelby Miller. Hopefully, the youngsters in the Braves’ system will grow up quickly and several of them will be ready for The Show when the team moves to Cobb County next year. I’m sure the Georgia taxpayers would appreciate some decent baseball for the $372 million they’re shelling out for the Braves’ new SunTrust Park. … If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Bill Clinton should be flattered by the recent reported sexual shenanigans of Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley. The website Yellowhammer
reported Wednesday the governor’s ex-wife made recordings of Bentley and his former communications director, Rebekah Mason, implicating them in a sexual affair. On one recording, the governor calls Mason “baby,” recalls intimate times spent with her and talks about how much he likes to stand behind her and touch certain parts of her body. There is no mention of cigars in the Yellowhammer account, however. The Bentley-Mason affair caused Dianne Bentley to file for divorce from the governor last year after a half-century of marriage. … As you read this, I have just returned from Birmingham’s Kirklin Clinic having a heart catheterization. It’s just another step (I hope!) in getting approved and listed for a liver transplant. I appreciate all the prayers I have received from my readers and ask that you continue them. Hopefully, all will turn out well and you folks will be moved to read my jabberwocky for many years to come. Finally, remember this: Good manners, as Bennet Cerf once said, are the noises you don’t make when you’re eating soup. David Granger is an Outlook staff writer who is occasionally moved to write a column. Obviously, the views reflected here are his own. Who else would want them? You can email David at david.granger@alexcityoutlook.com.
334-567-7811 • Fax 334-567-3284 email: news@thewetumpkaherald.com THE WETUMPKA HERALD (681-260) is published twice weekly on Wednesday and Saturday by Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc., 548 Cherokee Road, Alexander City, AL 35010. Periodical postage paid at Wetumpka, Alabama. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Wetumpka Herald, P.O. Box 99, Wetumpka, AL 36092-0099. ISSN # 1536-688X. We reserve the right to refuse to print any advertisement, news story, photograph or any other material submitted to us for any reason or no reason at all. •Obituaries - $.25 per word per paper. Additional $15 charge for a photo per paper. (Herald, Weekend, Observer, Tribune). •Weddings/Engagements - $.25 per word per paper. $15 charge for a 2-column photo. •Birth Announcements - $.25 per word per paper. $15 charge for a photo.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES (includes Wednesday & Saturday) One Year in Elmore, Tallapoosa or Coosa County: $50 One Year Elsewhere: $75 The publisher reserves the right to change subscription rates during the term of subscription at any time. To subscribe or if you miss your paper, call 256-234-4281. © 2016 Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved and any reproduction of this issue is prohibited without the consent of the editor or publisher. ADMINISTRATION Kenneth Boone, publisher kenneth.boone@thewetumpkaherald.com Mitch Sneed, editor mitch.sneed@thewetumpkaherald.com NEWS Corey Arwood, staff writer corey.arwood@thewetumpkaherald.com Carmen Rodgers, staff writer carmen.rodgers@thewetumpkaherald.com Cory Diaz, sports editor Cory.Diaz@TheWetumpkaHerald.com. . . . . . . . . . . Ext. 306 SALES Jayne Carr, marketing consultant Jayne.Carr@TheWetumpkaHerald.com. . . . . . . . .. .. Ext. 313 Molly Brethauer, marketing consultant molly.brethaur@TheWetumpkaHerald.com. . . . . . . . Ext. 305
There is nothing quite like flying on faith M y friend Joe is a battalion chief with the Auburn Fire Department and owner of the local Two Men and a Truck franchise. More importantly, he’s a great husband, father, and friend. He’s also a pilot. For years, he’s told me that he’d fly me somewhere if I needed to get to a show or speaking engagement in a hurry, particularly if it was something involving veterans. I didn’t want to take advantage of his generosity, but I did keep in the back of my mind just in case the opportunity ever presented itself. Well, on Sunday, March 7 the opportunity presented itself. I had to be at a fundraising event in Tampa on Sunday night and back in Auburn on Monday morning to open up a conference at the university. The event in Tampa was with my brothers born to international mothers, The GIs of Comedy. It was for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, which provides college scholarships for the surviving children of fallen Special Operations Forces. Joe vowed to fly me
JODY FULLER
Guest Columnist
down, weather permitting. The second to last place I’d ever want to be is in a small plane during unfavorable weather conditions. The only place worse would be Tuscaloosa after a national championship, but I digress. The weather was perfect, and I was looking forward to the two hour flight versus what would have been a seven hour drive in the middle of the night had I been forced to drive. There was room in the plane for an additional passenger. In fact, there was room for two, but I was only going to take one. Initially, I asked a couple of my good friends to go. I thought it would be a wonderful experience for them, and it’d be neat for them to see me in action outside of East Alabama; however, each had prior engagements which prevented them from making the trip. On Saturday, I asked another friend to go. She
writes for a magazine. She could have followed us around all day long capturing the moments in color for the magazine. I thought it would have been made a nice spread and a great story. She couldn’t go either. It was at that point that I realized that it’s really up to each of us to write our own story. I knew it would never happen. I knew she would say no. The chances of it happening were slim and none, and slim and was nowhere to found. Be that as it may, I took a shot in the dark anyway. I texted my mama. At 66 years old, she swore up and down that she’d never fly. She’s said as much for as long as I can remember. She’d wear an Auburn shirt or have a pet rat before she flew. “Makes me dizzy just thinking about it,” she texted back, “But I’m almost tempted to say yes. My arms are so weak.” She did more than think about. She did it. I was so proud of her. Never say never. She conquered one of her greatest fears. Joe is such a calm, trustworthy guy, so she had faith in him from the
start. He told her that the plane, a Cirrus SR-22 was equipped with a parachute. According the Joe, the plane also floated. I thought he was just saying these things to comfort her, but his statements were indeed true. The flight went off without a hitch, although there is probably a pile of fingernails in the back seat. Once we got past the crosswinds, she did just fine. It was a beautiful day to fly. The show went well. On the way back, she slept most of the way. Her first flight was on a small four-seater plane. If she passed this test, she can do anything. I think I’ll go to the pet store and get her rat. I might even get it a little Auburn shirt. Never say never. Have faith and conquer your fears. Jody Fuller is a comic, speaker, writer and soldier with three tours of duty in Iraq. He is also a lifetime stutterer. He can be reached at jody@jodyfuller. com. For more information, please visit www.jodyfuller.com.
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Tiers procedures affected the grading as well. “It takes a lot to maintain a Tier 1 status,” said Ritzus. He said it was one of ECH’s top priorities and the hospital made it a monthly task to be, as Ritzus said, as proactive about their scoring as possible. “I’m very excited to be classified as a Tier 1, that’s a reflection of the overall quality of work that we have here at the hospital,” Ritzus said. And for those outside of the Wetumpka area, the new rating could also mean lower costs for individuals visiting a number of the recently upgraded facilities in surrounding counties. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama created the tiered program of hospitals in 2006 to ensure cost containment, quality and patient satisfaction at the hospitals in its network. Due to the increase in healthcare costs, this year’s criteria had a greater emphasis on cost. This year, 73 percent of Blue Cross’ network hospitals classified as Tier 1 and 27 percent classified as Tier 2. Scoring will be conducted quarterly, which will give hospitals a chance to improve from Tier 2 to Tier 1. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama members who use Tier 2 hospitals may pay a higher deductible, copay or coinsurance. Any difference in prices paid may be dependent on the type of policy held as well as the hospital’s ranking. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama Hospital Tiered Network (HTN) is an effort to ensure fiscal responsibility, high quality outcomes and patient satisfaction in network hospitals. Since the inception of the HTN, Blue Cross has, according to its website, “continued to provide more meaningful information to consumers in an effort to foster informed decision making relative to their healthcare, while streamlining processes for the provider.” Hospitals were evaluated in three categories. While the categories may look similar to past years, there are changes to the measures within the categories, including a greater emphasis on costs because of the increase in healthcare costs. The three evaluation categories are: • Cost: Focuses on performance against inpatient and outpatient financial benchmarks • Quality: Focuses on performance on Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services hospital process measures and risk adjustment readmission rates. • Patient Experience: Focuses on performance on CMS patient-experience surveys in member hospitals. Other central and south Alabama hospitals that saw a change in their tier rating were: • Baptist Medical Center South (Montgomery)
TheWetumpkaHerald.com
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– Dropped from Tier 1 to Tier 2 • Elmore Community Hospital – Improved from Tier 2 to Tier 1 • Evergreen Medical Center – Dropped from Tier 1 to Tier 2 • Mizell Memorial Hospital in Opp – Dropped from Tier 2 Tier 1 • Prattville Baptist Hospital – Dropped from Tier 1 to Tier 2 • UAB Hospital in Birmingham – Dropped from Tier 1 to Tier 2 • Wiregrass Medical Center – Improved to Tier 1 from Tier 2
MARCH 26-27, 2016 • Page 7
PAGE 8 • MARCH 26-27, 2016
SPORTS
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THE WETUMPKA HERALD
ASWA RANKINGS BASEBALL CLASS 6A
1. Florence (20-6) 2. Hartselle (21-9) 3. Cullman (20-5) 4. Muscle Shoals (183) 5. Spanish Fort (11-7) 6. Opelika (12-9) 7. Decatur (19-7) 8. HillcrestTuscaloosa (16-4) 9. Northview (17-6) 10. Oxford (18-3)
CLASS 4A
Cory Diaz / The Herald
Stanhope Elmore freshman second baseman Alex Johnson (31) tags Brewbaker Tech’s Jeff Wright on the foot sliding into second for an out during Friday’s game in the Wetumpka Baseball Spring Break Tournament at Bazemore Field. Bottom, Stanhope Elmore junior infielder Parker Head (2) tells a runner on third not to advance home on a ball in the dirt during play in the Wetumpka Baseball Spring Break Tournament at Bazemore Field.
MUSTANGS FINISH OFF RAMS IN TOURNEY By CORY DIAZ The Wetumpka Herald
Stanhope Elmore finished the game strong on offense, stretching its lead out of reach to defeat Brew Tech, 8-4, Friday in its opening game of the Wetumpka Baseball Spring Break Tournament at Bazemore Field. Leading 2-1, the Mustangs (9-8) scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth en route to winning its third straight contest. Junior infielders Parker Head and Mark MoGowin combined for three hits during Stanhope’s last two at-bats, two RBIs and a run scored. Head ended the game going 2-for-3 with a team-high two RBIs, while McGowin went 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. “Once you get ahead, you put your foot on their throat and you got to keep it on there,” SEHS head baseball coach Josey Shannon said. “We can’t score three or four runs and say hey let’s coast through it because something like this last inning can happen – especially when we’re limited with our arms.” Sophomore lefthander Brody Feith jammed Brew Tech much of the game, giving up just three hits in the first six frames before the Rams pieced together four hits in the top of the seventh, plating three runs to
pull within 8-4. “I would have liked to have taken Brody out in the fifth inning because he started wearing down. We’re strapped for arms, so he did a great job of finishing the game for us,” Shannon said. “He started the season off with a little arm trouble. I feel like he’s just now getting back comfortable with his confidence on the mound. He’s got to learn to throw strikes and let his defense work for him because he’s got good enough stuff to not get it by people – he’s not a big strikeout guy – but he is a good groundball, fly ball pitcher.” Feith finished with five strikeouts in the complete game effort to pick up the victory. The Mustangs jumped up early, getting a sacrifice RBI from Head scoring junior leadoff Tanner Anderson in the bottom of the first. McGowin scored his first run on an error, giving SEHS a 2-0 advantage. Brew Tech got a run back in the fourth off a two-out base hit from senior catcher Christian Armstrong, before Stanhope opened things up in the fifth. After a McGowin walked loaded the bases, a throwing error allowed Kameron Bellinger and Anderson to score, and then two batters later senior Caleb Stinchcomb
drove in McGowin, who had an RBI to start off the bottom of the sixth. SEHS continues play in the WHS Spring Break Tourney today.
Under an overcast sky, Brewbaker Tech sunburned Holtville, 9-5, Thursday in the opening game of the annual Wetumpka Spring Break Baseball Tournament at Bazemore Field. The 10th-ranked Bulldogs (13-7) found the offensive light first, plating four runs in the top of the first, but managed just one hit off junior pitcher James Shell the rest of the way as the Rams methodically took over the lead. “We started hot swinging it, but we kind of relaxed and went through the motions,” Holtville head baseball coach Michael Dismukes said. “Their guys came in, scored two (in the bottom of the first), and that gave them confidence and (Green)
gave them momentum. We relaxed on the lead, didn’t extend the lead like we always want to do, and they took advantage of our noncompetitive at-bats throughout the rest of the game and finally took the lead and put it away late.” The Dawgs cashed in a couple of hits and a couple of errors in the opening frame, highlighted with sophomore third baseman Chase Driver’s two-run hit. Senior starting pitcher Brandon Dunn recovered from allowing two runs in the first to helm up the Rams for the next three innings, but Brew Tech seized the momentum for good in the bottom of the fourth. After cutting the lead to 4-3, junior Jaylon Thornton flipped the scoreboard with a tworun single, giving the Rams the 5-4 lead.
AISA
1. Glenwood (25-2) 2. Edgewood (18-6) 3. Autauga Academy (18-5) 4. Monroe Academy (17-5) 5. Marengo Academy (17-1) 6. Abbeville Christian (19-7) 7. Northside Methodist (17-7) 8. Tuscaloosa Academy (9-11) 9. Clarke Prep (122-1) 10. Macon-East (15-9) Others nominated: Cornerstone Christian (13-7), Jackson Academy (13-9), Pickens Academy (7-2), Lowndes Academy (9-9), Lee-Scott (11-7).
SOFTBALL
CLASS 6A
1. Southside-Gadsden (9-3) 2. Chelsea (14-4) 3. Oxford (19-4) 4. Gardendale (207-1) 5. Florence (14-3) 6. Pell City (23-6) 7. Daphne (8-5) 8. Muscle Shoals (176) 9. Walker (10-5) 10. HillcrestTuscaloosa (8-10-1) Others nominated: Cullman (10-6), Pinson Valley (106), Scottsboro (9-8), Wetumpka (14-13).
Brew Tech outlasted Bulldogs in Spring Break Tourney By CORY DIAZ The Wetumpka Herald
1. UMS-Wright (11-5) 2. St. James (10-5) 3. Deshler (15-2) 4. Trinity (8-6) 5. Oneonta (11-5) 6. Jacksonville (9-4) 7. Cherokee County (14-3) 8. Hokes Bluff (10-5) 9. Haleyville (10-8) 10. Holtville (13-6) Others nominated: Cleburne County (8-8), Cordova (12-7), Curry (14-7), Headland (10-8), Sipsey Valley (7-4).
CLASS 4A
Cory Diaz / The Herald
Holtville junior Austin Lankford (3) winds up to throw a pitch against Washington High School (Pensacola, Florida) as a hard rain starts to fall during Wetumpka’s Spring Break Baseball Tournament Thursday at Bazemore Field.
“I thought Brandon competed well. He didn’t make enough pitches when he was ahead in the count,” Dismukes said. “There were three or four hits there where they barreled up some balls, which doesn’t usually happen with Dunn pitches. That hurt him, made him throw a lot of pitches in the middle innings and helped them get the momentum.” Bulldog senior catcher Hunter Roberts garnered his team’s last hit for the ballgame, leading off the fifth with a
base hit, but sophomore first baseman grounded into a double play to thwart any threat. Brew Tech extended its advantage and chased Dunn in the sixth, with another RBI from Thornton and added three more runs. Senior Bradley Brown scored the game’s final run in the seventh off an errant throw to third that ran into the dugout. One of the first times all season his guys didn’t stay focused, Dismukes said he hopes they learned from it. “Our concentration
went down and (Shell) settled in,” Dismukes said. “He mixed his pitches well, and we were trying to cruise through the game instead of keeping the pressure on. “I hope it’s an eye-opener for our bunch. That’s the first time we really had this happen, so hopefully they can see that when we get the lead, don’t stop playing.” Holtville played Wetumpka at 6 p.m. Friday and continue play in the WHS Spring Break Tourney Saturday.
1. Curry (16-0) 2. Westminster Christian (24-4) 3. Northside (23-3) 4. LAMP (19-2) 5. Cleburne County (18-2) 6. Wilson (16-2) 7. Clarke County (9-4) 8. Handley (17-8) 9. West Blocton (12-6) 10. Holtville (14-14) Others nominated: Crossville (10-5), Headland (13-10), Satsuma (157), Straughn (11-4), Thomasville (11-9).
AISA
1. Macon-East (27-4) 2. Glenwood (31-4) 3. Pickens Academy (9-1) 4. Patrician Academy (11-4) 5. Clarke Prep (10-4) 6. Marengo Academy (7-3) 7. Pike Liberal Arts NA 8. Edgewood (14-8) 9. Abbeville Christian (17-11) 10. Bessemer Academy (15-9) Others nominated: Northside Methodist (21-9).