Defense drives Lady Tribe on winning streak. Sports, Page 12. Wetumpka, AL 36092
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SATURDAY-SUNDAY • March 5-6, 2016
THEWETUMPKAHERALD.COM
VOL. 11, NO. 11
Mark your calendars
Acts and attractions announced for the 2016 Craterfest STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
Wetumpka Area Chamber of Commerce announces its plans for its 4th annual large scale music festival, Wetumpka Craterfest to be held on Saturday, April 16 on the banks of the beautiful Coosa River which flows under the Bibb Graves Bridge and next to Gold Star Park. This event
will focus on attracting tourism to the area, highlighting the area’s Marine Impact Crater and offering the event at no cost with the help of sponsorships from community businesses. This family-centered festival will be held at GoldStar Park in downtown Wetumpka from 2 to 7 p.m. rain or shine. Bring the family and be prepared for a day filled with
fun. Handicap parking is available. General parking is available within easy walking distance of the park. Limited bleacher seating is located near the stages, but it is suggested that you bring a lawn chair or blanket for your convenience. The KidZone will feature numerous, brightly colored inflatables; See CRATERFEST • Page 3
Mitch Sneed / The Herald
Country singer Colt Ford will bring his high energy show to CraterFest.
Wetumpka plans big Arbor Day celebration
DA: Death penalty ruling no factor here District Attorney Houston weighs in on capital murder sentencing
City has been honored as a Tree City USA Community for 29 years
By MITCH SNEED Editor
While a Jefferson County appellate court judge has ruled that four men accused of murder can’t face the death penalty, 19th Circuit District Attorney doesn’t think that will have an impact on local cases at this time. In Birmingham, attorneys for Kenny Billups, Stanley Chatman, Torrell McMullin and Benjamin Acton argued that Alabama’s death penalty sentencing laws should not be valid in their cases because it’s unconstitutional. They pointed to the Hurst case in which the U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled Florida’s sentencing rules were unconstitutional because a judge, not a jury, had the final say in whether the death penalty is imposed. “I am convinced that the Jefferson County ruling will have no impact of any case here in Elmore County at this time,” District Attorney Randall Houston said. “Until the Supreme Court rules on a case involving Alabama’s law, I don’t see how it can have an impact. “Not only that, but that was done pre-trial. The case that we have here that some have pointed to, it is totally different. So no, I don’t think that ruling applies at all.” The case that some have questioned whether the running would impact is the murder conviction of Calvin See ELECTION • Page 5
By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
The City of Wetumpka will celebrate Arbor Day and its 29th year as an official “Tree City” with a tree-planting ceremony in Gold Star Park to commemorate four community members who died last year. Along with the memorial tree planting, the annual event, scheduled for Tuesday, March 8 at 2 p.m., will include an award presentation in honor of the city’s accomplishments of participating in all but about 10 years of the Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree City USA program, which began in 1976. There will also be a free tree seedling giveaway, and according to a city press release, the public is encouraged to attend the event sponsored by Wetumpka Pride and the Wetumpka Tree City Committee. A statement by Mayor Jerry Willis read, “The City of Wetumpka likes to take this opportunity to recognize and honor the citizens who have played a major role in the community” Willis said. “By planting a tree in their honor, they will be remembered for their contributions and dedication to Wetumpka.” The tree planting ceremony will commemorate Anne Robinson, See ARBOR • Page 3
Corey Arwood / The Herald
WES held a Literacy Night, filled with costumes, games and books. Above, Wetumpka Elementary School teachers, Cheryl Jones, “Sam I Am” and Sharon Adams, “Fox in Socks,” talk with WES studen, Jessa Wyatt, at Literacy Night.
ALL ABOUT THE BOOKS Wetumpka Elementary shines on Literacy Night By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
Wetumpka Elementary School celebrated the life and writings of “Dr. Seuss” and all things reading with a Literacy Night event filled with costumes, bingo, pizza and most important of all – books. It was a fun effort to encourage WES students to read and get the parents involved in their education. The afternoon began with a welcome and thank-you to the parents who braved the evening’s bad weather by WES Principal Bonnie Sullivan. Afterward their was a performance by what Sullivan called, the “famous” WES clown troupe, while the parents and kids alike were treated to pizza and drinks. See READ • Page 5
Voter turnout on Super Tuesday beats numbers in most recent elections Wetumpka man arrested in By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
Contributed / The Herald
Elmore County Probate Court Judge John Enslen relays vote totals Tuesday at the Wetumpka Civic Center.
CONTACT US 334-567-7811 • Fax: 334-567-3284
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Elmore County Probate Judge and Chief Elections Officer John Enslen said the 2016 Super Tuesday primary elections for the county produced the largest turnout of voters in recent election history, topping both 2014 and 2012 in voter turnout. Runoff elections for candidates in what was called the ‘hotly contested races’ are scheduled for April 12. When the final results were in late Tuesday night, the overall turnout for Elmore County was roughly 45 percent with more than 20,000 registered
Thursday killing in Pratville
votes. The numbers for Wetumpka were nearly representative of the county average and almost as consistent with 1,050 ballots cast at the Fain Park polling place of the 2,807 voters registered there. While at the Wetumpka Civic Center there were 3,320 registered voters and 1,619 ballots cast. “We had an outstanding turnout, the largest turnout in the memory of most voters,” Enslen said. He explained his thoughts for the increase in numbers. “I think there were two
STAFF REPORTS TPI Staff
Prattville Police Department officials are releasing few details about a Thursday night killing that has a 19-year-old Wetumpka man facing murder charges. Wetumpka’s James Rembert has been arrested and charged with murder after police were called to a residence in the 100 block of Jones Street in Prattville. The call came in at about 8:55 p.m. Once on the scene officers found a man, whose identity was not released, unresponsive. The victim had suffered a gunshot wound to the chest. First responders began CPR, but the See ARREST • Page 5
See VOTERS • Page 5
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ELMORE COUNTY WEEKEND
Area Calendar ORIENTATION: Wetumpka Elementary School’s Kindergarten orientation is on Monday, March 14. Registration begins at 3:30 p.m. and an Information Program is at 5:30 p.m..
March 5
PRAYER AND HEALING SUMMIT: Open Arms International Outreach Ministry is hosting a Prophetic Prayer and Healing Summit March 5 at 3 p.m. at the Jeanette Barrett Civic Room behind the Wetumpka Depot Players. Free and open to the public. FISHING TOURNAMENT: The Eclectic Volunteer Fire Department is host a fishing tournament on March 5 at Wind Creek State Park from safe daylight until 3 p.m. The entry fee for this tournament is $100 per boat and there is a $5 launch fee that is required by the state park.
Elmore County BOE Meeting When: March 14, 4:30 p.m. Where: Eclectic Elementary School Details: Anyone wishing to be placed on the regular board meeting agenda must make an official request to the superintendent’s office before 4 p.m.
March 18
TURF MEETING: The Alabama Cooperative Extension System will be conduction an athletic turf management meeting a the Elmore County Extension Service March 18 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cost is $10 and you must pre-register at 334-5676301. This meeting is for coaches or anyone from a school who manages athletic turf and for City Parks and Recreation employees that manage city fields. Topics to be discussed are mowing, aeration, topdressing, irrigation and drainage, overseeding and transition, and maintaining pitcher’s mounds. Dr. Dave han and Dr. Chip East will be conducting this meeting.
Wetumpka City Council Meeting When: March 7, 6 p.m. Where: Wetumpka City Hall Details: A work session will begin at 6 p.m., followed by the regular meeting.
March 8
ARBOR DAY: Wetumpka will hold its annual Arbor Day celebration March 8 at 2 p.m. at GoldStar Park. This year’s event will feature a memorial tree planting, presentation of the Tree City award and distribution of free tree seedlings to attendees.
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March 19
RELAY FOR LIFE SINGING: The 11th Annual Relay for Life Singing for the American Cancer Society! Saturday March 19, 2016 at 6:00pm at Faith Baptist Church, Wetumpka! Corner of Chapel Rd. and Coosa River Pkwy! Featured singers will be the Dye Family from Alexander City and Forgiven Heart from Wetumpka! Pastor Gerald Wood will emcee! All proceeds go to the Jessica’s Cancer Busters Relay for Life team! please make checks payable to the American Cancer Society! For more information call Bubba Wood at (334) 300 - 2134!
March 20
SPAGHETTI LUNCHEON: First United Methodist Church of Wetumpka, will have their annual Relay for Life Spaghetti Luncheon following the 10:30 worship service on March 20th, 2016 located in the Family Life Center. During lunch, coloring contest and face painting will be available. After the luncheon, children birth - 6th grade, will have an Easter Egg Hunt. Come out and join them on this special day, celebrating Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Don’t forget to bring your Easter baskets and a friend! Wetumpka City Council Meeting When: March 21, 6 p.m. Where: Wetumpka City Hall Details: A work session will begin at 6 p.m., followed by the regular meeting.
March 30
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Obituaries
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. Community
April 16
CRATERFEST: Gold Star Park will be the site for Craterfest April 16 form 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. with music arts and crafts, kidzone, train pony rides and more. When: April 24, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. Where: 7250 Central Plank Rd. Wetumpka, AL 36092 Details: Event is free. Come enjoy food, fun and fellowship and inflatables for the kids.
May 21
PADDLE FOR A PURPOSE: Children’s Harbor Lake Martin Campus is hosting Paddle for a Purpose May 21 at 8:30 a.m. Registration fees are $35 for the mile race and $45 for the 3 and 6 mile race. This event is part of the SUP the South race series. Non-racers are welcome to watch. UNION ACADEMY REUNION: The Union Academy Senior Class of 1974 is hosting a School Reunion and barbecue. When: May 24, 2 p.m. Where: University Station RV Park, Hwy 14, Auburn. Details: All students, faculty, their famililies, and anyone associated with Union Academy are invited. Contact Eddie Hughes, 334-257-3826, email hughesautoparts@ centurytel.net; Priscilla Hammonds,334-283-2233, email steven505@centurytel.net; Carolyn Hood, 334-319-3434, email auburnhood@aol.com; or Genice Fuqua, 256-5081768, email gfuquaret@ gmail.com for more information. Assistance will be provided for those with mobility problems.
May 28-29
ART ON THE LAKE: Children’s Harbor Lake Martin Campus is hosting Art on the Lake May 28 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and May 29 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Art on the Lake provides an opportunity for artists from all over the Southeast to showcase their art including canvas, jewelry, pottery and sculpture are available for purchase with a portion of the sale benefiting Children’s Harbor. ONGOING EVENTS
WETUMPKA CITY POPS: Wetumpka City Pops community band rehearses on Thursdays from 7-8:30 p.m. on the second floor of the Wetumpka City Administration building. Any woodwind, brass, and percussion players are encouraged to participate. Santuck Flea Market When: First Saturday, March-December, dawn to 2 p.m. Where: Area surrounding Santuck Baptist Church Details: An outdoor flea market with booths featuring arts, crafts, antiques, novelties, imports, food and more. Free admission to the public with free parking available. For info, call 334-567-7400. Bluegrass Jam When: First Saturday, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Where: Alabama River Region Arts Center, Wetumpka Details: All acoustic instruments welcome guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, bass, singers. Beginner, intermediate, advanced and listeners. For info, call 334-5789485.
KENADY, Mrs. Phyllis Wilkins, passed away at her Wetumpka residence on Tuesday, March 1, 2016 at age 77. Funeral Services will be held on Friday, March 4, at 10:00 a.m. at Mountain View Baptist Church, with Rev. Jeff Hammock officiating. Burial will follow in Pine View Memorial Gardens with Gassett Funeral Home of Wetumpka directing. Mrs. Kenady is survived by her husband, Dewell A. Kenady; children, Randall (Lisa) Kenady and Dee Kenady (Lee) Tarver; brother, David (Susan) Wilkins; sisters, Melinda (Scott) Miller and Dorcas Hammock; grandchildren, John Tarver and Craig Kenady. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Thursday at Gassett Funeral Home. Online Guest Book available at www.gassettfuneralhome. net
Sit and Sew When: First Saturday of each month, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Where: Alabama River Region Arts Center, Wetumpka Details: All sewers and knitters welcome. Bring your own sewing machine or hand-sewing project. Assistance and encouragement to help you through your project. Ironing board and iron provided. Free. For info, call 334-578-9485 or visit www.arrac.org. Pottery Class When: Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Where: Alabama River Region Arts Center, Wetumpka Details: For age 16 and older. $80 for four classes or $20 per week. Taught every Saturday by Rick Bowman. Bring your own tools or use art center tools. Center provides other supplies. For info, call 334-313-1646. Creative Writing Workshop When: Saturdays, 11 a.m. Where: Alabama River Region Arts Center,
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Wetumpka Details: For age 12 and older. $32 for four classes. Taught every Saturday by Cliff Wayne. For info, call 334-300-9394. Master Gardeners Lunch and Learn When: Second Tuesday of each month, 12 to 1 p.m. Where: Elmore County Extension Office, Wetumpka Details: Hosted by the Central Alabama Master Gardeners Association. Free. Open to the public. Bring a sack lunch, drinks provided. For info, call 334-567-6301 or visit www.aces.edu/counties/ Elmore/. SENIOR ACTIVITIES: “Prime Time” activities at the Wetumpka Senior Center, held at the Fain Center, 120 Cotton Street for those 55 and older: Regularly Scheduled Activities Monday-Friday - Lunch, 11:30 a.m. Cost is $1.60 donation if possible. SilverSneakers Classic Exercise Class - M, W, F at 9:30 a.m. - total body toning and muscular strength SilverSneakers Circuit Exercise Class - Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. - cardio workout SilverSneakers Yoga Class - Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. - deep breathing, stretching, muscle relaxation Bridge Club Wednesdays, Noon to 3 p.m. Audio Book Club- second and fourth Monday of every month at 1 p.m. - enjoy listening to a book on tape while knitting, crocheting, sewing, etc. New Regularly Scheduled Activities DIY Classes - Every first and third Monday at 1 p.m. Do It Yourself Classes to learn to make things you can use around the house, including soap, lotions, crafts and decorations. Uno Wednesdays - 1 p.m. every Wednesday take part in a rousing game or two of Uno. Sock Sisters - 1 p.m. every Thursday come and make non-slip socks to give to nursing home residents. Volleyball - Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. Join us for an intense game of volleyball, using a beach ball! Bridge - Wanted: Bridge players for afternoon Bridge Club. Meets Wednesday afternoons Noon to 3 p.m. NOTE: For info on any Prime Time event, call 334-567-1335. ECLECTIC: The Eclectic Senior Center is open every weekday until noon. For more info, call Deborah Rowe at 334541-3581.
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TheWetumpkaHerald.com
CraterFest
MARCH 5-6, 2016 • Page 3
continued from page 1
face painting; pony rides, swings, petting zoo, a four-car train ride driven by a conductor, and many additional games and rides including the “Dino Dig.” Big Bird and Barney the Dinosaur costumed characters will be on hand to pose for photos and the JAKES Trailer (National Wildlife Turkey Federation) will be set up to educate about conservation of the wild turkey and preservation of our hunting heritage. A wide variety of arts, crafts, and business information booth spaces will be set for browsing for the entire day. Food and beverage vendors will be on hand to tempt the crowd with delicious treats. The menu will include hamburgers, hot dogs, fried fish plates, barbecue plates, funnel cakes, “old fashion” lemonade, cold drinks, peanuts, popcorn, nachos and much, much more. Country music recording artist, Colt Ford who is best known for his Billboard chart topping hit song, “Declaration of Independence” will be the headline act on the City Stage, sponsored by Wind Creek Casino and Hotel of Wetumpka. We will have two stage venue areas within a short walking distance from each other, the City Stage and the GoldStar Stage. Stage entertainment runs from 2 p.m. until 7 p.m. Included are a variety of local group and individual performers who will sing, dance and perform to delight the audience of all ages. Supporting acts will include Markus Fox, Bradley Roberson featuring the Tyler Braden Band, Shades of Gray and the third place winner of Relay for Life’s 2016 Battle of the Bands Contest, Andrew McCarter.
“We saw this as a great opportunity to brand Wetumpka’s rare treasure and share the story of the Impact Crater, as only we can tell it here in Elmore County, Alabama.” says Joel Hunt, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the WACC. This year, the Wetumpka Impact Crater Commission will host Crater bus tours for $5, on Saturday, April 16th, beginning at 1 p.m. and running until 5 p.m. from the City’s Administration Building at 408 S. Main Street, Wetumpka. See the rim of the Impact Crater and hear from Impact Commission volunteers as they explain the details and answer questions about the state’s only marine impact crater. The Kelly Fitzpatrick Memorial Art Gallery located in the City’s Administration Building at 408 S. Main Street in Wetumpka will host a multi-faceted art exhibition including oversized story boards documenting scientific research about the Wetumpka Impact crater, including works of art from a juried competition featuring original student and adult artwork related to the Wetumpka Impact crater and the cretaceous period. At the end of this exhibit, the Kelly Fitzpatrick Memorial Art Gallery will donate a large portion of the exhibit to the Wetumpka Impact Crater Commission. The donated components will serve as a foundation for what will eventually become a permanent Wetumpka Impact Crater Exhibit. “The City of Wetumpka, the Wetumpka Crater Commission and Wind Creek Casino and Hotel sponsor and fully support the annual Craterfest music festival. The Wetumpka Area Chamber of Commerce is looking forward to another success-
Arbor
ful event to bring the community together for fun and entertainment, while drawing attention to Wetumpka from outside the area” says Hunt. From 4:30 p.m., the Wetumpka Rotary Club will host the River Region Duck Dash, a rubber duck race from the Bibb Graves Bridge to the Gold Star Park Boat Launch for cash prizes with proceeds benefitting the Wetumpka Rotary Club which supports programs in our community to empower youth and help families in the community achieve self-sufficiency. More details and announcements are posted on the chamber’s website at www.wetumpkachamber. com. If you are interested in volunteering or being a food or arts/crafts/information vendor, or just need additional information, please contact the Chamber at 334-567-4811 or by email at info@ wetumpkachamber.org.
continued from page 1
Dianne Enslen, Marion Sanford and Watt Jones, Jr. According to information on the Arbor Day Foundation’s website, The Tree City USA Program extends over roughly 3,4000 communities nationwide and indicates what it calls a status of “sound urban forestry.” It is maintained by meeting four standards set by the nonprofit organization, which acts in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters and the USDA Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry program. One of the four “core standards” is to celebrate Arbor Day. The release stated that Wetumpka had met the four standards through maintaining a community tree board, implementing an ordinance on tree care and having what it called a “comprehensive community forestry program.” Ron Hilyer said he had been the Tree City Chairman for about 20 years, a designation, Hilyer
said, likely because he is a registered forester. The committee is part of Wetumpka Pride, a city-wide beautification program, that oversees numerous projects including the cities recycling program. Hilyer said it helps to maintain thoroughfares and highways that come through Wetumpka and several flower beds at major intersections, not just the city’s public trees. He explained the group as a collection of different people, some master gardeners, foresters and some city officials, “people that are interested locally in trying to preserve and maintain the aesthetic qualities that trees (and) plants bring to any community for that matter,” Hilyer said. He said he was proud of the beautification efforts of Wetumpka “Absolutely I’ve lived here for almost 40 years and I’ve seen a lot of positive things done in that regard over the last 35 years,” Hilyer said.
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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
MARCH 5-6, 2016 • Page 4
OPINION TheWetumpkaHerald.com
“Our liberty cannot be guarded but by the freedom of the press, nor that be limited without danger of losing it.” --Thomas Jefferson 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 Larger voter turnout is an encouraging sign
V
oters turned out in surprising numbers for the Super Tuesday primary. In Tallapoosa County, 41.98 percent of the registered voters went to the polls Tuesday. In Elmore County, 44.66 percent of voters filled out a ballot. And across Alabama, the voter participation number hit 41.4 percent. Since 1988, the Alabama Secretary of State’s office reports that in presidential primaries, the voter turnout has averaged much lower: • June 7, 1988 – 20 percent • June 2, 1992 – 29 percent • June 4, 1996 – 23 percent • June 6, 2000 – 20 percent • June 1, 2004 – 17 percent • Feb. 5, 2008 – 42.6 percent • March 13, 2012 – 24.42 percent In the past seven presidential primary elections, an average of 25 percent of the state’s registered voters have found the motivation to cast a ballot. It’s hard to say exactly what drove the surge at the polls. In Elmore County there were some hotly contested commission races that drew people to the polls. In Tallapoosa County there were very few contested races, but still people voted. Perhaps it was the presidential race, which has seen unprecedented news coverage, a massive number of debates and a huge helping of controversy as well. Some have credited the GOP frontrunner for the flow to the polls. This year billionaire/reality TV star Donald Trump has been the big draw. Despite your political views, it is obvious that he has impassioned our country’s voters. While we think Trump would be a dangerous U.S. president because of his governmental inexperience and his mercurial personality, we’re happy to see that more people are now involved in the presidential election process. That is indeed a positive takeaway from this year’s Super Tuesday voting in our area.
Enough of the craziness, give me predictable moderation
I
s it my imagination or has the world we live in suddenly become a world of extremes? Last week, when I attended a newspaper convention in Austin, Texas, I heard think-tank gurus talking about the impact of technology in our world. A guy from Harvard said yes, newspapers are steadily moving toward a digital delivery. A publisher from Georgia won a major award for his work creating an Internet television station that broadcasts ads and news from his newspaper and has reporters putting down their notebooks and reading the news like seasoned anchors. But we heard over and over that technology change is not just affecting newspapers. It’s every affecting business. To prove the point, we saw a video of a new machine now in operation in Asia. It looked like one of the new 3D printers we’ve heard about, laying down layer after layer of material as it turned corners. And it worked on the same principal, except it wasn’t adding layers of plastic to create a small object. It was stacking ribbons of concrete, creating a complex, multi-room building without any people involved.
KENNETH BOONE Publisher
Talk about extreme disruptive technology. Almost every business is challenged to adapt and change these days. And the pace of that change is only going to increase in coming years. Nationally, the big news today centers around presidential politics, which can only be described as a race of extremes. In fact, I’ve never seen a more polarized race in my lifetime. Presidential politics came to Alabama this week during the Super Tuesday primary which sent more than 40 percent of our county’s voters to the polls, even though the average turnout has been closer to 25 percent in recent years. That was followed by yet another extreme debate where, instead of talking about policy to help our country, front-runner Donald Trump apparently decided America needed to hear about the size of
his penis. By the way, in case you want to know, The Donald guarantees “there’s no problem” in that department. Funny? No question. Presidential? Just plain No. How did America come to this extreme state of politics, where the crucially important topics of running the country are not debated, but the escalating insults between candidates are what everybody’s talking about? Even our natural world seems to be moving from moderation to extremes. Just this week in Elmore County, I’ve sweated through a T-shirt on a bluebird 70-degree afternoon and seen a deluge of sleet bouncing off the hood of my truck and collecting in the corners the roof. All this extreme change leaves me feeling unsettled, like the earth is shifting under my feet. It’s the way I fear people felt during the industrial revolution, the Depression and World War II, when uncertainty and fear lead to rash actions that harmed everyone. I, for one, long for the golden days of predictable moderation. Boone is publisher of The Herald.
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
What are the intentions of the PREP Act?
A
fter months of revisions and discussions, Senate Pro Tem Del Marsh has introduced his RAISE Act, which morphed into the Preparing and Rewarding Educational Professionals (PREP) Act of 2016. Here is some language in the bill: “This bill would provide a procedure for observing and evaluating teachers, principals, and assistant principals on performance and student achievement. “STUDENT GROWTH MODEL. A statistical growth model used to isolate the effect and impact of a teacher on student learning, controlling for pre-existing characteristics of a student including, but not limited to, prior achievement. “The model evaluation system developed by the department pursuant to this act shall define the elements of evaluation and standards for effectiveness for teachers providing classroom instruction at the K-12 level.” So the good Senator’s intent is all about how teachers are evaluat-
LARRY LEE Guest Columnist
ed, ranked and rewarded. OK. But does he practice what he preaches? For instance, Philip Bryan is his chief of staff. Information obtained from the Alabama Open Checkbook shows that he had an annual salary in 2011 of just over $51,000. Today he makes $146,000 a year. My math says that’s an increase of around 180 percent in five years. By comparison, Alabama teachers had a two percent increase in 2013. That is their only raise in the last eight years. How does Marsh evaluate his staff? How does he decide that someone is worthy of a $95.000 jump in five years? Does he have a procedure for observing and
evaluating staff? If so, what is it? Does he use a statistical growth model to determine how much impact a staffer has on the legislative process? What are the standards his staff members must meet to get huge salary increases? Since the legislature had to have two Special Sessions in 2015, did this count AGAINST his staff performance? Surely, Senator Marsh has another bill waiting to be introduced. One that would apply the same kind of standards to those who work for him as he wants to apply to teachers. One he could dub the Politicians Rigorous Evaluation Process (PREP) act of 2016. If he doesn’t, I think I can find some educators who will be glad to draft it for him. Larry Lee led the study Lessons Learned from Rural Schools and is a longtime advocate for public education. larrylee133@gmail. com. Read his blog: larryeducation.com
ELMORE COUNTY WEEKEND
TheWetumpkaHerald.com
Voters things that brought out the voters,” Enslen said. “One is a very strong voting support for Donald Trump, second thing was some hotly contested local races particularly commission races and the board of education.” Enslen said he had no position on the importance of any particular local race, and he laughed and said he did not have any comment on the presidential race. However, when the votes came in for the different precincts Enslen had a few clear questionable facial expressions at announcing the numbers of select presidential candidates up for election. Overall Elmore County constituents voted 80 percent at 3,019 votes for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and nearly 20 percent at 694 votes for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. For Wetumpka, at Fain Park there were 289 votes for Clinton and 53 for Sanders, while at the civic center Clinton had 159 and
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Sanders 50. County wide the Republican presidential nominee statistics ran: Donald Trump at roughly 48 percent, Ted Cruz at 18 percent, Ben Carson at about 15 percent, Marco Rubio with roughly 13.4 percent and John Kasich at 3.5 percent. Wetumpka voters from both polls voted a combined 1,009 for Trump, 411 for Cruz, 273 for Carson, 269 for Rubio and 83 for Kasich. There seemed to be a general pattern that Elmore County precincts voted in with only slight variations in both local and national races, so much that Enslen quit reading most of the results and focused solely on the most contested races. And outside of the political realm, Enslen said the results were evidence of something else. “All I can tell you is Elmore County is growing,” Enslen said. “If we have 48,000 registered voters, which we do, then the census is really low if they say we only have 85,000 people
Read Sullivan said the event was organized “to celebrate Dr. Seuss and to encourage all Children to love reading.” After the introduction they dispersed to rooms where elementary teachers oversaw games of character driven, word-based bingo, while other teachers in full costume gave students animated readings of their children’s book of choice. Brandi Ingram, a 2nd grade teacher and member of the Accelerated Reader Committee was one of the main coordinators of the event. Ingram said it was “a literacy night to get the parents to come and be involved and let them see what we do here at school.” One of the stops on the night’s agenda was to the school’s computer lab where the parents were introduced to the testing facilities that the students used as part of the Accelerated Reader program. Principal Sullivan said the students would check out a book from the school’s library, then after having read it three times they would take a test in the computer lab, which would gauge their reading comprehension through a comprehension score.
here.” Enslen said he projected a population of at least close to 100,000 people in in Elmore County, about 20,000 more than projected by government census numbers. And from those numbers, Enslen said he saw the west half of the county growing more rapidly than the east, with the exception of the Red Land, Ala. area, which Enslen said was growing “quite well.” He congratulated and praised the election workers in providing what he said was an overall “successful” election. “When you have 48,000 registered voters there’s bound to be some small amount of errors in the assignment to district or whatever,” he said. Enslen concluded, “But overall it was a successful election and we can be proud of the fact that in Elmore County we have honest and efficient elections free of corruption, deceit or dishonesty. The people have spoken.”
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She said this was done every nine weeks. Familiarizing the parents with what Sullivan called AR Home Connect was a main focus of the night. Sullivan said the system was a way parents could log in from a computer at home and see all the books their children have read and the tests they have taken. “It’s an awesome way to get involved,” Sullivan said. There was a book fare from which the proceeds of the sales went to the school’s library. A Dr. Seuss photo booth was set up in the halls, and teachers grabbed both parents and teachers alike for a “Cat in the Hat” themed photo shoot. The students were given punch cards at the beginning of the event and over the hour-and-a-half worth of activities they had a hole punched for every room they went to, and at the end of the night there was a drawing for prizes from those cards. “I think we had a great turnout, I love whenever we get our community together,” Sean Kreauter, WES administrative assistant, said. “This is parental involvement … It just brings our community together and it lets the parents and the teachers start that relationship.”
MARCH 5-6, 2016 • Page 5
Ruling
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McMillan for the 2007 killing of Bryan Martin in the parking lot of the Millbrook Walmart store. After finding McMillan guilty, the jury recommended life without parole, but the judge stepped in and sentenced McMillian to death. Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange agreed with Houston. “Judge Todd’s ruling today is not a general pronouncement for the State of Alabama, but is strictly limited to the four cases upon which she ruled in the Jefferson County Circuit Court,” Strange said in a released statement. “Alabama’s capital sentencing statutes are constitutional. Just yesterday the Alabama Supreme Court denied the appeal of a capital murder defendant who had filed a similar pre-trial motion, and the Court refused to declare Alabama’s capital statutes unconstitutional. We are currently reviewing the Judge’s written order, and expect to file an appeal. We fully expect today’s ruling by Judge Todd to be reversed.”
Arrest
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victim was pronounced dead at a local hospital. There was no information released on a possible motive, or what led investigators to arrest Rembert. Bond for Rembert has been set at $250,000 and has of late Friday afternoon he remained in custody at the Autauga County Jail.
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ELMORE COUNTY WEEKEND
The Mississippi Delta part 2: Further on down the road
echnically, the song on which the title of this essay is based doesn’t have much to do with the Mississippi Delta—“Farther Up The Road” was first popularized by Bobby “Blue” Bland, a Tennessee native who also recorded hits like “Stormy Monday Blues” and “Turn On Your Love Light.” Over time, the original title sort of morphed into “Further On Up The Road,” and several versions of that tune were recorded by Eric Clapton. But when Bland was based out of Memphis, he played his share of venues in Mississippi that were part of the legendary “chitlin’ circuit,” and “Farther Up The Road” is an excellent blues shuffle. As noted in last week’s column, I had finished my short stay in Clarksdale, Miss. (having spent an enlightening time at the Delta Blues Museum), and headed towards another museum about 60 miles south. The gargantuan, flat-and-fertile landscape of the Delta continued to roll by as I headed down Highway 49. One of the road signs I passed noted an intersection where a right turn would take a driver to Rosedale, a town mentioned in Robert Johnson’s “Cross Road Blues.” Ultimately, I arrived in Indianola, which claims B.B. King as its most famous son. The nearby community of Berclair is where the actual site of Riley B. King’s birth is located; sometimes his birthplace is cited as being in yet another town named Itta Bena, a larger community just north. But it’s the B.B. King Museum that is Indianola’s primary tourist attraction. The museum isn’t on a main thoroughfare, but there are signs to guide visitors. Part of the overall structure was originally a cotton gin where King worked as a youngster, which is one reason the location was selected; the gin building was restored and the rest
The SoCalled Column By Willie G. Moseley of the facility was linked to it. One of Mr. King’s tour buses sits out front. There’s a brief introductory film in a small theatre (always a positive and informative way to start a visit to a historical site or museum). The cinematic vignette includes a visit by Mr. King to his birthplace and documentation of a concert appearance in Paris. In the film, King also validated the fertility of his home area’s soil by remarking “Cotton is king in the Delta.” The walk-through section of the museum has subtle lighting and is arranged chronologically. On display are some of the earliest recordings made by King and other Mississippi artists who ended up in Memphis. Some of those records are even on the original Sun label (underlining a lot of what I’d just read in the new biography of Sun founder Sam Phillips). Old guitars and other instruments are also seen; one of them is misidentified (it bears a glued-on medallion of a better-grade guitar brand on its headstock), but that’s just noticeable to guitar snobs. There is plenty of other memorabilia, as well as interactive displays. Unlike the Delta Blues Museum, the facility in Indianola is centered around one individual, but the evolution of the original Civil Rights Movement and how black music was involved in that crusade is also addressed. Short black and white film clips of protests
Contributed / The Tribune
and arrests—including one incident in Indianola itself—complement the timeline of Mr. King’s career, and later charitable performances are also cited. The rural and agrarian setting of the Mississippi Delta means that trips or pilgrimages to this musically-historic area need to be planned in advance; i.e., this ain’t some close-proximity gaggle of tourist attractions like what’s found in central Florida or a centralized historical locale such as Washington, D.C.
Moreover, it’s a history that, as noted in last week’s column, has often seen such unique American music ignored or stolen in times past. The Delta Blues Museum and the B.B. King Museum are somewhat isolated, but they’re dedicated to presenting the history of blues music and its museum in an appropriate and appreciative manner. If you’re a fan of such a genre, such a sojourn to the Mississippi Delta is, for all intents and purposes, a requisite pilgrimage.
Don't cross the 'Crazy Cat Ladies'
I
have lived, and I learned. I’ve learned that you don’t quit one job before you have another. I’ve learned that it’s okay to talk to professionals when you’re going through hard times. I’ve learned that you don’t leave a dead beaver floating in an ice chest for two weeks in the middle of an Alabama summer. These lessons are all documented. I’ve also learned you don’t tug on Superman’s cape, spit into the wind, pull the mask off that old Lone Ranger, and you don’t mess around with Jim, but I’ll be completely honest with you about something. I’m not too worried about Jim. Jim was my neighbor in Shreveport. He was weird. I will, however, tell you who you don’t mess around with and that is crazy cat ladies. I
JODY FULLER Guest Columnist
learned this first hand this past week, and I had no intentions of messing around with them in the first place. I blame it on Facebook. Facebook is the devil and has a new feature that allows the user to “react” to a friend’s post by clicking on an icon featuring an emotion. If you haven’t seen it, then it’s difficult to explain. It’d be about like explaining how to use a slide ruler to a kid, “new math” to an old person or common core math to me, so I just won’t. Just trust me on this one.
I’ve often written about the love I have for my animals in my articles and post about them daily online. They are a huge part of my life. Without thinking, I decided for Abby, my cat, to be a part of my six-second video of me reacting, literally, to Facebook’s new feature. The first three seconds of the video had me sitting in my recliner with Abby while I pretended to watch a friend’s video on my phone. The next three seconds I jumped up and down screaming. I was “reacting” to the faux video. Somewhere in the middle, Abby bolted from lap. I posted it on Facebook. What happened next will impact my life forever. It was as if a cat distress signal activated all the crazy cat ladies of the world uniting them as one. They all con-
verged on my Facebook page, bombarding my video with comment after comment wondering how I could scare that poor defenseless cat in such a manner. Within minutes, they were organizing a “Cats Lives Matter” protest out in front of my house. They were throwing Molotov cattails at my home. It was a horrific scene. We had to call in the National Guard. Perhaps Facebook has a cat distress feature that I’m unaware of. So, I’m exaggerating just a bit. There were only three of them, but they were three of the first four comments. On top of that, they are three of the sweetest, most supportive ladies I have ever known, but now I know something else. Don’t ever cross a cat lady. Lesson learned. I took the video down
after that fourth comment. Abby is treated like a queen and lives better than 98 percent of the world’s population. I don’t know how many lives she used up before she landed with me, but she won’t need to use any more of them until it’s time to go to the land of giant catnip in the sky. I can’t judge the crazy cat ladies, because I may be a fanatical feline fella one day myself, that is, if I’m not one already. In fact, my friend Angela, already calls me “cat boy.” 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.
Nature Center offers Spring Break Camp STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
Millbrook’s Alabama Nature Center will hold a Spring Break Camp March 21-25. Campers will explore the natural world through hands-on activities such as fishing, canoeing, crafts, games, hiking, wildlife watching, exploring and more! The camp is open to children ages 6-12 and the cost is $125 for the week. Campers will learn about water, plants, wildlife and geology while getting down and dirty, and even a little wet. Daily activities may include fishing, hiking, outdoor games, observing and collecting wildlife, nature crafts, swimming and so much more! The Alabama Nature Center, a handson outdoor education facility located at Lanark in Millbrook, Alabama, is a joint project of the Alabama Wildlife Federation and benefactors Isabel and Wiley Hill. The Lanark property, State Headquarters for the Alabama Wildlife Federation, contains 350 acres of striking forests, fields, streams, wetlands and
ponds that are traversed by five miles of trails and boardwalks including a tree top viewing platform. In addition to the trails, boardwalks, and pavilion, the Alabama Nature Center includes the NaturePlex, a 23,000 square foot structural facility that serves as the Welcome and Education Center. The facility includes a 120-seat Theater equipped with up to date technology; Hands-on Discovery Hall with wildlife and nature-based displays; Educational Classrooms; Community Room available for meeting use and rental; and a Gift Shop. The NaturePlex can be reserved for school field trips, teacher training workshops, seminars, and other educational programs by contacting the Alabama Wildlife Federation. Interested groups can choose from programs designed by AWF’s staff, or programs can be customized to meet your needs. The grounds at Lanark contain five destinations: AWF Headquarters, Historic Lanark, Lanark Pavilion, ANC and the new NaturePlex. For more information call 334-2854550.
Submitted / The Herald
Children enjoy outdoor activities at last year’s Spring Break Camp at the Alabama Nature Center in Millbrook.
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MARCH 5-6, 2016 • Page 11
Community Hospital now offering Community Skilled Care and Rehab program By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Witer
The newest addition to Community Hospital is the Community Skilled Care and Rehab program. The program is a partnership of Community Hospital and Crain Rehab. This new treatment program is designed to assist patients after hospitalization is no longer
required. Unlike other rehab services, the Community Skilled Care and Rehab program allows the patient to stay in the same room. While the room does not change, the level of care does. The program offers a personalized inpatient rehabilitation program that is tailored for each patient.
In this program the patient to doctor and patient to nurse ratio is much smaller than those of traditional rehabilitation facilities. “What differentiates us from the skilled nursing care that you would receive at a nursing home is the fact that we have a 24-hour doctor on staff and our patient to nurse ratio is much smaller, it’s about 1-6 verses 1-30,” said RN, Swing Bed Coordinator Beth Nelson. This new swing bed program is one of few in the region. With the nearest swing bed unit located miles away, this addition to Community Hospital will benefit Tallassee and surrounding areas. “I think the closest one to us is Troy Regional; they have a swing bed program,” said Nelson. Jessica Dingler is the manager of the new swing bed program and she believes this new unit will be a useful resource not only for the local community, but also for surrounding communities. “It’s a tool that we can use to help get our patients back into the community without having to go to a nursing home or to another county, without having to leave what they know as home,” she said. “A lot of our patients come here because they love the hospital, they love the staff, they know
Submitted / The Herald
Beth Nelson, RN, Swing Bed Coordinator, Jessica Dingler, RN, Swing Bed Manager and Melissa Dean, RN, Director of Nursing at Community Hospital, are excited about the addition of the Community Skilled Care and Rehab, which give patients in and around Tallassee an additional option for rehabilitation services.
everyone, they feel comfortable here and it really is a wonderful tool.” For Nelson and Dingler, their satisfaction comes from seeing firsthand how beneficial this new program is to patients. “It’s the miraculous change that they make. We see them go from not being able to get out of the bed to being able to walk on a walker down the hall,” said Nelson. Much like the city of Tallassee, the Community Skilled Care and Rehab program offers a hometown feel that often helps in healing. With this program offered so close to home, patients have the opportunity to see loved ones who may not have been
able to travel the longer distances to other facilities. “They can return to the community faster, reduce their hospital stay, be with their family and friends, and in turn give back to the community because they are able to go out and do their shopping and things like that here,” said Dingler. “The patients love it and think that, physiologically, helps them heal faster.” This new rehab program offers physical, occupational, speech and respiratory therapy, as well as dietary and nutritional services, a coordinated and planned activity program and a team approach to discharge planning.
“We take in patients and get them back to functioning better than they were before they were admitted,” Nelson said. “This is a program offered for rural hospitals. We are certified for 10 beds. It gives everybody in the community another option.” This program is recognized as a unit of a hospital that has a Medicare provider agreement and has been granted approval from HCFA to provide post-hospital extended care services and be reimbursed as a swing-bed unit. Current patients, as well as patients form other hospitals are eligible for the rehab program offered at Community Hospital in Tallassee.
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SPORTS
Page 12 • MARCH 5-6, 2016
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Defense drives Lady Tribe on winning streak Tribe’s junior keeper Alee Theroit, who’s pitched two shutouts during the team’s current streak, while only giving up five goals. “Her size is a good part of why she’s been successful. Over the last two years, she’s developed into an outstanding goalie,” the coach said. “She reads the ball well and she understands the defense.” As Wetumpka opened up Class 6A, Area 4 at rival Stanhope Elmore Friday, Holbert said her team’s transition game from defense to offense would be vital for its run to the postseason. “It’s one thing we do so well, but the problem is the one thing we do well, we can’t always convert into goals. We’re comfortable allowing the other team to possess the ball and playing defense on them, instead of being aggressive and going after the ball,” Holbert said. “We’ve got good things happening, but there is still some things we need to get better at.” Behind sophomore forward Marlon Taite’s hat trick, Wetumpka downed Elmore County, 3-1, Tuesday at Hohenberg Field. Taite scored all three of the Indians’ goals in a game that was called at halftime due to inclement weather.
Cory Diaz / The Herald
Wetumpka senior left back Taylor Keithahn (17) bodies Elmore County’s Autumn Ware during a match at ECHS earlier this season.
THE WETUMPKA HERALD
Ellis, Lee lift Wildcats to walk off over Autauga
By CORY DIAZ Sports Editor
Wetumpka scored two early goals and stood its ground the rest of the way, completing the season sweep over Elmore County, 2-1, Tuesday at Hohenberg Field. Sophomore Carson Campbell and freshman Ellen Anne Singleton notched first-half scores for the Lady Indians (4-42) as their defense protected the lead, while ECHS’s lone goal came off a late penalty kick. Led by a veteran-laden defensive back line including seniors Erica Bush, Brooke Cannon, Taylor Keithahn, Lanisha Traylor, Wetumpka extended its streak to five matches without loss, including its fourth victory in the stretch. “Defensively, I feel like that’s where we’re strong,” WHS girls soccer Jessica Holbert said. “We’ve got four seniors that runs our defense, mostly, with a sophomore who’s doing a really good job. We run a diamond defense, and they’re working very well together. They move real well together and cover each other positions. We’re working as a team, probably better than ever before. I feel confident we could qualify and progress into regional play. They’re playing to each other’s strengths and weaknesses.” Holbert also lauded the play of the Lady
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By CORY DIAZ Sports Editor
Cory Diaz / The Herald
Edgewood Academy junior wide receiver Jackson Tate (3) lowers his shoulder to a Marengo Academy would-be tackler during the 2015 AISA Class AA State Championship Game at Veterans Memorial Stadium at Troy University in November.
Trojans extend offer to EA’s Tate By CORY DIAZ Sports Editor
Jackson Tate made his national television debut during Edgewood Academy’s 2015 season opener, hurdling an Escambia Academy defender en route to scoring a touchdown in his team’s victory. Last Friday, Troy University gave the junior wide receiver his first scholarship offer, more than six months after landing ESPN SportsCenter Top 10 Plays’ No. 1 spot and catching the attention of college coaches. Tate (5-foot-11, 190) has garnered strong interest from Memphis, Western Kentucky, South Alabama, and has unofficially visited Vanderbilt and Tennessee, but the Trojans shone the spotlight first. “A lot of weight is lifted off my shoulders, I’ve been dreaming about it since I was little, being able to play college football,” Tate said. “Going into my senior year knowing that I have somewhere to play and not hoping to get a scholarship, hoping to play to a level people will offer a scholarship is a lot of relief but I’ve still got to work hard. “I don’t want to get complacent with just that one offer. I really thank Troy for offering me a scholarship, but I do hope that more come with my, and I know I got to work extremely hard and get even better to hopefully get more options.” Tate didn’t peak with his No.
1 to begin last season, as he went on to set a new AISA record for single-season receiving yards with 1,785 on 76 catches with 25 touchdowns. Even with those gaudy stats, schools like Memphis are looking at the junior at safety. Admittedly while most comfortable on offense at receiver, Tate and head coach Bobby Carr believe the Edgewood product could play on either side in college. “Everybody knows what kind of player he is,” Carr said. “If I had to compare him collegiately to somebody, I’d compare him to (Stanford’s) Christian McCaffrey in that he can do just about anything. Memphis really loves him at safety, and their offensive coaches would love him on their side, too. It’s the same thing at Troy. “Jackson is a big team leader for us. He’s the type guy that when he enters the room, it lights up because he makes everyone around him feel better about who they are. He brings that air to the room.” While he plans to attend Western Kentucky’s and Memphis’ Junior Days on April 2 and 16, respectively, Tate said he had no plans to commit any time soon. “I’m going to try to ride it out as much as I can. I really did like Troy, I got a couple of other visits planned out, so I’ll see what I can get. I don’t want to commit anywhere and burn bridges too early.”
Edgewood Academy’s sticks woke up at the last at-bat alarm to the tune of three hits, scoring two runs in the walk off, 3-2, victory over Autauga Academy in its first game of the Edgewood tournament Friday. Garnering just four hits and trailing 2-1 through the first four frames, freshman C.J. Weldon energized her team’s rally in the bottom of the fifth, leading off with a double. Senior Emilee Ellis beat out a throw to first on a ground ball, and an errant toss across the infield allowed Weldon to score the tying run, 2-2, with no outs. Haylee Brown got a hit, advancing Ellis to third ahead of junior Caity Jo Lee, who plated the speedster on a grounder to lift her team. “She’s in a three-hole and that threehole is a hard spot to be in,” Lady Wildcats softball coach Britt Wilkerson said. “She struggled the first two times at-bat. She gets the pitcher’s best, she saw it, swung at two changeups and missed them. For her to put the ball in play and do exactly what I had called timeout and asked her to do. I said, ‘put it in play or put in on the green. That’s your job.’ She did exactly that. “I wasn’t sure how we would respond, and I was very proud of our girls,” Lady Wildcats softball coach Britt Wilkerson said. “Top to bottom, I think we all hit well, my nine hit when she needed to, my one got on. We really worked hard on hitting, and I think it showed today.” Winning its seventh game in nine times out to start the season, Edgewood (7-2) continued its hot streak battling back from a shaky first inning from junior pitcher Morgan Brown, who walked in a run and allowed another as Autauga led, 2-0. Brown rebounded and retired nine of the next 11 batters, holding the Lady Generals and giving the Lady ‘Cats a chance. In the bottom of the third, EA got a run back on a two-out RBI single from Grayson Laney. “This game is a lot about pitching. When you open up the game by walking a few, especially walking a run in, to have Morgan come back and respond, getting outs, not letting that affect her early on shows her maturity that I don’t think she’s had in the past,” Wilkerson said. “Last year, when we ended I felt the most confident of any other coach in AISA at the AA level because I was the only one with returning pitchers. Although they are young, and a little inexperienced, I think last year definitely set them up.” EA played Pike Liberal Arts at 6 p.m. Friday and continues tourney play today.
Wetumpka fends off Dawgs for 6-5 victory By CORY DIAZ Sports Editor
No two in a row for Holtville. Two weeks after losing a six-game winning streak, Wetumpka rejected the Lady Bulldogs’ bid for consecutive series victories in a close, 6-5 win at Holtville Tuesday. Winning wasn’t easy for the Lady Indians (4-8) as they staved off a bottom of the seventh comeback from Holtville, who scored four runs in its last at-bat before WHS closed the door. “Anytime you beat one of your rivals, it’s good for your program,” Indians softball coach Randy Belyeu said. “We had a fly ball get away from us in the outfield and that opened the floodgates. Holtville didn’t have any quit in them and they came back. We’re going to be able to score against anybody, but we have to outscore them because our defense is suspect. They’ve got to buckle up, I’ve been saying it week after week, we’ve just got to do it. And the girls know it, too.” Ahead 5-1 entering the seventh, Wetumpka added an
assurance run in the top half, taking a 6-1 lead and needing just three outs to seal the victory. The Lady Bulldogs capitalized on a leadoff walk and an error, loading the bases with no outs. Junior outfielder Haley Mann knocked in a run and senior Reagan Law plated a run on a fielder’s choice, before freshman Kaylyn Dismukes hit a two-run double, cutting the Tribe’s lead to 6-5 with one out, after chasing pitcher Riley Greene, and bringing the game-winning run to the plate. Junior Mary Beth Slater came in on relief, and got a pop out to Cornelius, who followed that up by throwing out Dismukes at third to end the game. “We didn’t play very well; we looked lost,” Holtville softball coach Daryl Otwell said. “We hit the ball well the whole game, but we’d hit it right at them. We loaded the bases a couple of time, but we couldn’t get any runs. “They battled back and we got some timely hits in that last inning. Our girls didn’t quit when we were down 6-1 with three outs to work with. They
battled every pitch which is what I ask them to do.” Greene earned her first win on the year, pitching 6.1 innings while allowing four earned runs on seven hits with two strikeouts. “Riley threw her butt off, she ran short on gas there at the end,” Belyeu said. “But she showed her bulldog mentality out there, went after them and kept Holtville off stride with her offspeed and screwball. Hats off to Riley Greene.” Despite striking out 11, Dismukes (5-3) took the loss giving up six runs on 10 hits in the complete game effort. “She pitched well enough to win. But when you play a team like Wetumpka, you can’t those mistakes,” Otwell said. “With the caliber of team we’re playing, errors make it difficult to win, no matter who’s on the mound.” Offensively, Greene, sophomore Alexis Austin and junior Kelsie Cornelius led Wetumpka with two hits apiece, while freshman first baseman Amari McCreary had two RBIs. For Holtville, Brooke Cooper had an RBI hit.
Submitted / The Herald
A pair of Wetumpka Middle School seventh-graders brought home top-10 finishes from the Archery Shooters Association National Tournament Feb. 27-28 in Foley, Alabama. Olivia Hay won the Middle School Pins Girls division, while Jacob Weldon placed seventh out of 24 archers in the Middle School Pins Boys category. Both shooters are members of Shoot-Em Straight Archery Club, a non-profit organization.