Lady Indians eliminated by rival at regionals Sports, Page 8. Wetumpka, AL 36092
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THEWETUMPKAHERALD.COM
VOL. 11, NO. 19
Miles in custody, set to serve prison time By COREY ARWOOD & CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writers File / The Herald
Former Tallassee assistant Chief of Police Miles walks into the U.S. Court for the Middle District of Alabama where he plead guilty to one count each of obstruction of justice, deprivation of rights and distribution of marijuana.
Former Tallassee assistant police chief Chris Miles will soon begin a 41-month sentence after U.S. Marshals arrested him Thursday for failing to show up to begin his
prison time originally scheduled to begin Wednesday. It was reported the arrest went without incident and Miles was not confrontational at 7 a.m. Thursday as marshals carried out the warrant at a location where Miles was located in Notasulga. A chief deputy with the U.S.
By WILLIAM CARROLL Managing Editor
By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
Submitted / The Herald
Six Elmore County High School students have been selected to participate in the Panther Branch bank program with First Community Bank of Central Alabama. From left to right (seated) Mary Kathryn Bowron, Emily McCord, Hannah Traylor, Jordan Bridgman, (standing) Justin Pack and Joey Youngblood.
PANTHER BRANCH ECHS gives students a leg up in banking field By WILLIAM CARROLL Managing Editor
A group of six Elmore County High School students are ready to get a handson course in banking courtesy of the Panther Branch of the First Community Bank of Central Alabama. The program is in its third year, according to ECHS Principal Wes Rogers. Rogers said that students will intern with the program during the summer with two of the students working at the branch full-time. The students will get experience in how a bank functions
and will be allowed to perform simple transactions for customers. FCB Executive Vice President Rana Futral said that students will start working this summer as interns at the Eclectic branch of the bank. During this time they will learn basic banking skills. “They will do things like taking deposits and cashing checks,” she said. “They will also do things like help customers with their balances.” Futral said that students will intern for 10 days out of the summer then they will actually start working at the school See BANKING • Page 2
Lucky find reunites Wetumpka graduate with missing class ring
Submitted / The Herald
Ronny Barber (left) presents Charles Bazemore with his 1966 Wetumpka High School class ring, lost on a camping trip in 1967.
Annual Art Guild show reaches record breaking participation By WILLIAM CARROLL Managing Editor
Last year, Ronny Barber, who works as the shop superintendent for the City of Wetumpka, was using his metal detector to hunt for treasures near Lake Jordan. After 20 minutes, he detected a gold signal from six inches below the dirt. Much to his surprise, he recognized a 1966 Wetumpka High School graduation ring and has spent the last year finding its rightful owner. “The ring had been in the ground for 49 years,” Barber said. “I knew right then it was a class ring, and I know a lot of my questions are finally answered.” The answers to those questions are steeped in WHS history. The ring belongs to Charles Bazemore, brother to “Coach” Stokely Bazemore who led the 1981 WHS football team to its See RING • Page 2
The Elmore County Art Guild celebrated its 2016 Sparking the Arts Achievement Program Tuesday evening with a record number of students from Elmore County schools. According to Guild President Shirley Esco, the guild accepted a record number of entries this year, 263. “We have been doing the children’s art show since 1993,” she said. “The last three years we have held it at the Wetumpka Civic Center as it has continued to grow each year.” Esco said that the Guild begins the process of selecting young artists by contacting all of the schools in the See AWARDS • Page 7
William Carroll / The Herald
Wetumpka Elementary School student Josephine Yarboro, 10, (left) and Prattville Christian Academy student Molly Acre, 12, show off their Rising Star awards during Tuesday evening’s Sparking the Arts show hosted by the Elmore County Art Guild.
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Planning Commission members sat down for a frank discussion at their last meeting about the future of the department and the role they wanted to play in a developing Wetumpka now that downtown revitalization efforts are underway. A quorum was not present, with only four of the nine total members at the meeting, therefore no business could be discussed which would require a vote. However, the commissioners engaged in a self-evaluation of the department, its duties, powers, and how it could steer the growth of Wetumpka in a structured and planned manner. “We’ve got the best guidance we’ve had ever, and the city’s making the most progress it’s made downtown and I think we have an opportunity to take a leadership role for the development of the city,” said Johan Beumer, planning commissioner. The city’s planning and project director, David Robison, gave them an update on the downtown revitalization efforts. Robison said the Alabama Department of Transportation was still working on the environmental impact assessment for the street repaving and roundabout project, See COMMISSION • Page 3
By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
pka m u t e W
CONTACT US
See MILES • Page 3
‘Mission for Commission’ plans unveiled
Wetumpka Chamber looking for student interns The Wetumpka Chamber recently sent out a call for a few qualified students to act as summer interns to assist in the daily operations of the chamber. The chamber is seeking rising junior and senior high school students with an interest in community and economic development, business development, startup companies, tourism, hospitality, event planning and a host of other customer service based skills. Chamber Director Gerald Purcell said that as far as he is aware this is a new program for the chamber. “We have not had a program like this in Wetumpka for some time, if at all,” he said. “We decided that we have a number of goals we want to achieve here and we need people to help us achieve those goals.” Purcell said the program would allow high school students the opportunity to get a strong professional work reference that they can use for college applications or other employment opportunities. He added that the work would give students a meaningful experience in a business environment. “We are not going to have them doing menial tasks,” he said. “They will shadow me, they will go where I go and do what I do.” Some of the tasks will include going to city, county and civic meetings, interviewing prospective and current chamber members as to their needs and wants and working See CHAMBER • Page 3
Marshals Service of the Middle District of Alabama, Ashley Hefelfinger, said Miles was taken to a federal courthouse in Montgomery, where he had an initial appearance at 11 a.m. The former Tallassee assistant
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Page 2 • MAY 14-15, 2016
TheWetumpkaHerald.com
ELMORE COUNTY WEEKEND
Obituaries Susan Ann Gosvenor Ward
WARD, Susan Ann Gosvenor; a resident of Wetumpka, Alabama was born on February 20, 1925 in Colbaugh, Arkansas and passed away Monday, May 9, 2016 at the age of 91. The family will receive friends on Saturday, May 14, 2016 from 2:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. at Gassett Funeral Home. Funeral services are Saturday at 3:00 p.m. at Gassett Funeral Home Chapel with Dr. James Troglen officiating. Interment will follow at a later date at Colbaugh Baptist Church Cemetery in Hindsville, Arkansas. Mrs. Ward was lovingly devoted to her family, church family, and members of her Sunday school class at the First Baptist Church. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Brenda and Joe Colquitt; grandchildren, Susan Colquitt Jones, Scott Colquitt (Cindi), Stacey Colquitt Slater (Robbie), Marjana Vinson, and Jamie Reeves (David); twelve great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; sisters, Fleeta Harris and Mildred Herron. Mrs. Ward was preceded in death by her husband, Howard Ward; daughter, Linda Ward Goeden; grandchildren, Charles Vinson, III, and Andrea Suzanne Goeden. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions are requested to the First
Baptist Church Impact Building Fund, 205 West Bridge Street, Wetumpka, AL 36092. Online Guest Book available at www. gassettfuneralhome.net
James William “Billy” Wagnon
Mr. James William (Billy) Wagnon of Tullahoma, Tennessee, passed from this life on Wednesday, May 11, 2016, at Life Care Nursing Home in Tullahoma at age 85. Mr. Wagnon was born on February 11, 1931, in Wetumpka, Alabama, to the late Mr. William Wagnon Marlowe Wagnon and the late Odessa Turner Wagnon. He was a United States Army Veteran, having served his country in the Korean Conflict. Later he attended Alabama Polytechnic Institute (Auburn University) where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering in three years, War Eagle! Mr. Wagnon was employed at AEDC where he worked in the Instrumentation Engineering section of the Propulsion Wind Tunnel Facility, retiring in 1993 after 37 years of dedicated service. He was an active member of First Baptist Church Tullahoma, where he
and his wife, Mary, taught Sunday School for many years in the children’s and preschool departments. He also coached Little League baseball in Tullahoma for many years. Mr. Wagnon was an avid golfer and loved to play both the AEDC and Lakewood courses. In addition to his parents, Mr. Wagnon is preceded in death by his sister, Dorothy Skinner, his identical twin brother, Bobby, and his faithful companion and golf buddy, Muffin. He is survived by his loving wife of 61 years, Mary Frank Wagnon of Tullahoma, two sons, Bill (Pam) Wagnon of Decatur, Mississippi, Fred (Brenda) Wagnon of Normandy, Tennessee, and two daughters, Kathy Abel of Tullahoma and Amy (Ed) Dorman of Tullahoma, and by 14 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Visitation with the family will be Saturday, May 14 from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. at Kilgore Funeral Home. Funeral Services will be Sunday, May 15 at 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church Tullahoma with Dr. J. Herbert Hester officiating. Burial will follow in Rose Hill Memorial Gardens in Tullahoma with Mr. Wagnon’s grandsons to serve as pallbearers. The family is especially grateful to the staff of The Life Care Center of Tullahoma for outstanding service and ministry during his stay there.
Kilgore Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
John David Dennis Jr.
DENNIS, John David Jr., a resident of Wetumpka, AL; passed away Thursday, May 12, 2016 at the age of 72. Graveside services will be held Sunday, May 15, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. at Coosa River Cemetery with Pastor Ralph Mims officiating. Gassett Funeral Home of Wetumpka directing. Mr. Dennis is survived by his wife, Ollie Mae Driver Dennis, sons, John David Dennis II, James Allen Dennis, Bobby Dennis, Donnie Dennis, Daniel Dennis, Charlie Dennis, daughters, Brenda Carol Dennis Antley, Tammy Louise Dennis Johnson, brother, Tony Leon Dennis, sisters, Linda Milton, Gloria Dennis, Barbara Boling, Carolyn Boley, Rita Fowler, 20 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. Pallbearers will be Casey Antley, Sam Antley Jr., Boe Antley, Justin Johnson, John Dennis III, Jay Dee Dennis, Tyler Dennis, and Boe Lusco. Visitation will be held Sunday, May 15, 2016 from 1:30 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. at Gassett Funeral Home. Online Guest Book available at www. gassettfuneralhome.net
Banking in the ‘Panther’ branch of the bank on Fridays from 9 to 11:30 a.m. “During this time they will be able to do anything a normal bank teller can do,” Futral said. Futral said students often open student accounts at the branch and the bank has a program that allows patrons to use their Panther debit cards, whereby five cents are given back to the school for each use. Futral said the process to join the program is selective. “The bank and school sit down and look at all of the candidates,” she said. “We look for things like grades, participation in school activities, attendance and other
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factors.” From this Futral said the bank and the school narrow the candidates down to 30 who are selected for interviews before narrowing the pool down to the final six students selected for the program. Futral said that while it is not a requirement, they also look for students who might want to look at a career in the business or finance sector. “I think this group is going to do well,” she said. “They all interviewed really well and they all are very outgoing. They are going to represent the program well.” The students were all excited about the opportunity to be a part of the program. “It is pretty exciting,” said student Mary Kathryn Bowron. “I like the idea of learning a new skill that I can take with me toward the future.” “I think it is a good opportunity,” said Emily McCord. “I am excited to have a summer internship and just being part of something at my school.” Students Justin Pack, Hannah Traylor and Joey Youngblood said their interest came in part from their own families’ background in banking.
“I come from a family of bankers,” Pack said. “That is what got me interested. I think this is a really good opportunity and I am interested in seeing what I can learn from banking.” “I am honored to be part of this program because you had to be chosen,” said Traylor. “My grandmother is a banker and my step-mom worked in a bank. I am interested to learn what it is about.” “I think this will be a good experience,” Youngblood said. “It is an excellent thing to put on a resume. My grandmother was in banking for 40 years so I felt it would be a good idea for me to try.” Jordan Bridgman said she liked the idea of giving back. “I am excited to learn a new skill and I think this will be a good opportunity for the future,” she said. Futral said the bank is proud to be a partner in the program. “This program helps create a path for students to help them get where they are going, or just to figure out what they want to be,” she said.
Ring
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first undefeated season. “Coach” later was inducted into both the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and the Alabama Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame. Their father, Charles Sam Bazemore, is known throughout WHS for his legacy of teaching vocational agriculture for 34 years. Given the family history, Barber recognized the initials on the unearthed ring but had to do some online digging to locate Bazemore. “I Googled his name online, and I kept running into brick walls,” Barber said. “Eventually I found a Susan Bazemore, and I saw that she worked at Auburn University. I emailed her and found out that the ring belonged to
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her father.” Finding the ring proved to be coincidental as Bazemore would be in Wetumpka to present two scholarships at the WHS Honors Day ceremony on Tuesday. Bazemore is surprised at Barber’s luck and grateful for the ring’s return. “I was stunned when my daughter called to inform me that Ronny Barber from Wetumpka had been trying to locate me about finding my class ring,” Bazemore said. “I lost it in 1967 when I was on a camping trip, and I thought I had lost it forever. It was a surprise when I got the call 49 years later,” he said. For Bazemore, timing proved to be everything as his 50th year high school reunion is also soon approaching. “The discovery came at the perfect time,” Bazemore said. “What a story it will be to tell, and the ring still fits. I will be forever grateful to Ronny for taking the initiative of locating me and returning my ring.” Bazemore has since been reunited with his 1966 keepsake. He praises Barber’s perseverance and attitude of good will for its safe return. “He is certainly a wonderful example of a genuinely selfless man. It was indeed a pleasure to meet him and his wife,” Bazemore said. Barber, who still enjoys spending his free time using his metal detector, will continue to look for buried treasure amid Wetumpka’s wilderness in anticipation of another eventful encounter. “I metal detect all the time. Any time I can get a chance, that’s what I do,” Barber said. “It’s my hobby, and the process of finding out bits of history is exciting.”
ELMORE COUNTY WEEKEND
Commission which he said at the latest would be completed by the end of June. Afterward, he said, the right-of-way acquisition phase would begin, and a projected start date might not be until October, with a roughly 6-month timeframe of completion. Robison explained after the meeting that the commission was now looking forward to what comes next after downtown development was finished. Beumer described a city as a “living organism” and said he wanted the business of the planning commission to be to guide, steward and develop. He said with the economic downturn, the appearance was such that the planning commission had not been doing much in recent years, however he said that was about to change. “Wetumpka is definitely going to grow and how it’s going to grow is really up to the planning commission,” Beumer said. “If we’re not going to take an active role in it that’s fine, but no one is going to be able to complain about how things have turned out if no one was willing to put out the effort to guide how it’s going to develop.” Commissioner Justin Edwards asked how they could turn the observations and ideas brought up in the meeting into legitimate measures their department could put into practice. A consideration mentioned by more than one commissioner was the upcoming municipal election cycle and the possibility of a change in the current city council body. Differences of opinion arose when the council representative to the planning commission, Percy Gill, said they should hold off on taking too active of a role until the new council body was elected in August for fairness to new members. The other commissioners seemed to agree that taking immediate steps to bolster the planning commission’s authority, and clearly define what actions it could take was the right move, despite outgoing or new council members. Edwards asked the commissioners a hypothetical question about what they would want Wetumpka to
Chamber on a whole host of events for the chamber. “We are really looking for goal oriented young people, who may or may not know what they want to do with their lives,” Purcell said. “We want to give them the opportunity to learn about what we do and about our businesses here in Wetumpka.” Purcell said that this program is part of a larger strategy to get area schools involved in the business community to train the leaders of tomorrow. “I would like to extend an invitation to all of our area schools to participate with us,” he said. Purcell added that in the future he would like to implement a leadership program targeting top high school students in the area to have them work with area colleges and businesses. “We are big on programs with the high schools,” he said. “We want to get kids involved with the workforce and we want to continue to work with secondary and post-secondary students to build our workforce.” Purcell said the program will be a six-week, parttime unpaid internship of approximately 20 hours per week. The program will actually have two separate rotations, one in early summer and one beginning in mid-summer. “I would love to have between two and six students, possibly with two to three in the first rotation and the
TheWetumpkaHerald.com
MAY 14-15, 2016 • Page 3
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look like 50 years from now. Beumer answered saying they should focus on future land use plans, what Wetumpka should be and look like, and as an example he asked if they wanted the city to be pedestrian driven, allowing easy access to most places on foot. He said those things could be channeled through the regulations available to the commission, or, he said, “You can just let developers do whatever they feel like doing.” A concern Beumer raised was that, with the growth of Wetumpka, he did not want it to, as he said, “be indistinguishable from any other city you’ve ever driven through.” “The thing is I just think that the city is making more steps than it’s ever made. It’s hard to see that the downtown is going to be dramatically different but it is and that wheel’s all ready in motion,” Beumer said. Gill also brought up strategic planning and land use, but said he wanted to see that extend outside of downtown. Robison clarified the measures the planning commission could take in an active capacity and defined what the commission was responsible for. Emphasis was placed on developing master plans for projects and using tools like location analysis and citizen surveys. A skate park was used as an example and the methods of other likewise-tasked bodies of both larger and similarly sized cities were taken into consideration. Upon the adoption of a master plan, it was explained the commission was charged by state statute as a body to approve and review the character and extent of any public way or space and to see if it complies with that measure. “I like where we’ve gone tonight in that we are going to kind of review what we’ve got, to see what we need to do (to) kind of come up with some strategy,” Beumer said. Robison said the goal was to “Hammer out and adopt a mission for the commission.”
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Miles
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police chief, who pled guilty last year to federal counts of deprivation of rights, false statement and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, is now under U.S. Marshal custody. “He is here and remanded to our custody and at some point in time he will be shipped out (to prison),” said Hefelfinger. He said there were no objections from either side at Miles’ hearing, which was a result of the new warrant placed for his arrest after he did not show up to court on Wednesday. Miles’ sentence was not affected by his failure to appear to court and self-surrender, and Hefelfinger said he would now be turned over to the Bureau of Prisons through the Marshals Service. Miles’ failure to appear comes after he was late for his previous court appearance. Unlike Miles’ previous tardiness, this time he was a complete no-show, prompting the U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Taskforce to issue an active warrant for his arrest. Miles last appeared before Elmore County Judge Sibley Reynolds after the grand jury charged him with one count each of second-
degree burglary and second-degree theft of property on April 13. Miles reached a plea agreement that includes a 24-month prison stay that would run concurrently with his 41-month federal prison sentence. This comes after Miles pleaded guilty to one count of deprivation of civil rights, two counts of false statements and one count of possession with intent to distribute before Judge Myron H. Thompson of the Middle District of Alabama. Miles admitted to beating a suspect with a notebook-sized ream of paper during an initial investigation of Stephen Conrad. Conrad was suspected and initially charged with over 100 counts of child abuse, sodomy and sexual torture but those charges were dropped to three counts of sexual abuse and one count of sexual abuse in connection with the abuse of four victims who ranged in age from 1 to 3 years old. Circuit Court Judge John Bush sentenced Conrad to 16 years. Miles also admitted to taking 16 pounds of marijuana from the evidence room at the Tallassee Police Department and selling it to a known drug dealer, who has yet to be named.
same number in the second rotation,” he said. Qualifications for the position include: • Students must be in good standing in the school system. • Students must provide school references (teachers, coaches, etc.) • Must possess good communication skills. • Basic computer skills. • Knowledge and familiarity with social media platforms. • Reliable transportation. Purcell said the program already has one candidate selected for the program, a college student with an interest in business and marketing. “She is a rising star,” he said. “We’d like to find students with the same drive.” For more information, students or their parents may contact Associate Director Jamie Young at 334-5674811 or jyoung@wetumpkachamber.org.
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Steve Baker, Publisher William Carroll, Managing Editor Opinions expressed in guest columns and letters to the editor do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of the management of The Wetumpka Herald
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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.
Your
Opinion Reader: ‘Josh Moon’s Southern Way of Life article is offensive to me’ Dear Editor, This is in reference to author “wannabe” Josh Moon. First I would like to say that I am making arrangements to purchase Josh a ticket on the same outbound carrier that will be transporting all those other “pointed-headed liberals” leaving the country when Donald Trump is elected President. (Oh yeah, Josh, “pointed-headed liberal” is a George Wallace term, which you probably don’t care for either!!) My first question to Josh is: Why do you live here? You do nothing but put the South down and ridicule perfectly honest and trustworthy people. I would be ashamed of myself if I moved to New York City and then started complaining and degrading the city. I would not move there. Us educated southerners know exactly why the Civil War was fought. It was fought over slavery MORE THAN 250 years ago! And, oh yeah, I had ancestors that were white slaves in Europe 200-300 years ago and have no desire to bring up those times, nor go to Europe and start tearing down all those statues and historical markers just because! You quoted in your article – “If Alabama and the South ever hopes to move ahead, it would be best to let it die.” You know Josh, we just can’t, because of people like you that keep bringing up our dirty past and helping us remember it.
C
Looking for input: the good, bad and ugly
alling all residents: Seeking opinions including good ones, bad ones and ugly ones. That is somewhat of a clarion call I have issued at every paper I have been at. I love letters to the editor, especially those that disagree with me. I feel that the editorial page of a newspaper is where the community can really talk about any number of issues, even those that might not always be polite. In the two weeks I have been in Elmore County I have heard from quite a few of you regarding your opinion of the newspaper and what we are doing well and what we need to do better. My opinion is that not only is a newspaper an integral part of the community, but that the community is integral to the newspaper. Without input from our readers, it makes it very difficult for us to give you the best possible product we can. That being said
WILLIAM CARROLL Managing Editor
my hope is that if you see me out and about in the community, whether it is Wetumpka, Eclectic, Tallassee or somewhere else you’ll stop me and talk with me about the paper. My goal is to make these three papers the best they can be. There is definitely potential here as this area has a very good nose for news. During my short time here I have noticed that the communities we cover are quite different, each with their own character and identity. All are in Elmore County, but some are as different as night is to day. I find that aspect very interesting and
everyone I’ve met so far has a story to tell. Over the next several months we will be making some changes to your paper. My hope is that with the staff we have now we will be able to produce some award winning pieces. If you notice your paper getting thicker that is no accident. Over the next several months we intend to give you more news for your hard earned dollar and we hope in the process to win a few more converts. But again it all starts with you, the reader. So don’t be shy. Lets us know what you think. Have a story idea that has been burning a hole in your conscience? Tell us about it. Know of some good deed? Don’t keep it a secret. A community paper thrives on community involvement. The more the merrier! William Carroll is the managing editor for The Wetumpka Herald.
Dale Bain Millbrook
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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 Steve Baker, publisher steve.baker@thewetumpkaherald.com William Carroll, managing editor william.carroll@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
I
Give those graduates a dose of reality
n yet another bad decision, an education administrator asked me to give a high school commencement speech. He must know that I write a column; he obviously hasn’t read it. When I questioned his judgment, the principal said, “Just give the kids some sound graduation advice.” I asked, “Should I tell them I hear the Monsanto plant is hiring?” “No,” said the educrat. “Encourage them. Tell them they can do anything.” “So I should lie? Have you seen most of these kids? They can’t do anything. Most think Shariah law is a daytime TV show hosted by a no-nonsense judge.” That’s the problem. Kids are getting pie-in-the-sky advice and, judging by obesity rates, they are also eating the pie. Should I turn into Maya Angelou and tell entitled kids – who graduated because of grade inflation, who think Mao Zedong is the Asian equivalent of French kissing, who don’t read newspapers and who can’t find Syria on a map – that they can do anything? Or would a healthy dose of reality be preferable? Guess which one I am going with? Students should prepare for a job. Maybe, instead of taking a fifth field trip to the Trail of Tears site, do one to learn about real jobs in an area they might want. Let them attend more Take Your Children to Work days – unless their parents work in the adult movie business. That’d just be awkward. John Maloney is right about the misinformation we get as kids. Growing up, I really thought from watching cartoons that quicksand was going to be a bigger problem than it turned out to be. I was not prepared for real-life problems, like relatives who want to borrow money. The top 5 percent of students in that graduating class do not need me
RON HART Guest Columnist
telling them they can do anything. They get it. The damage comes in pandering to the bottom half of the class, who are led to believe that: “Just be yourselves and the world is your oyster.” They then might respond, “Why trade school? I’m told I’m the best white rapper in Calhoun County.” That sort of coddling false confidence is why half of American workers are unhappy and disappointed when they have to work hard at something. They inevitably view themselves as “victims” (a.k.a. Democrats). Intuition tempts us to call this “compassion,” which is really feel-good lies fed to kids that take the onus off them and put the blame on others. It becomes a perpetual excuse. Boys go to work out of school and are blindsided by reality. They never know what hit them; it’s like marrying a Kardashian. Unrealistic expectations may be the reason suicide rates are up among middle-age Americans, now outnumbering deaths from automobile accidents. Suicides among whites rose a staggering 40 percent from 19992010. This is the generation of ninthplace “participation” ribbon recipients who post a picture of the sandwich they had for lunch on Facebook. They confuse any effort with success, and their parents often don’t have the guts to let their kids face consequences. Students are victims of a giant fraud: the government-run education system that has molded them for 12 gullible years. Public schools are government-run; teachers are government-hired; and government determines standards, pay, curricula
and graduation requirements. Government seeks to produce compliant citizens it can someday rule without much pushback. Smart, independent thinkers are not wanted. Blowing smoke up your graduation gown serves government well. The result is kids who are not prepared for life or for the workforce. Twenty million young “adults” ages 18-24 live with their parents. Most parents have child-proofed their homes, but millennials still get back in. Members of the Greatest Generation at age 19 were saving Europe from the Nazis and asking nothing in return. Now kids stay on their parents’ health insurance until age 27. Kids are voting for socialist Bernie Sanders in droves, scared to death they may have to pay for something someday. They have been conditioned to believe that hard work is for chumps. “Why work? The government or my parents will take care of me.” Kids watch reality TV shows like “The Deadliest Catch” and marvel at men who work hard every day. Few schools teach about the value of hard work, ingenuity, gumption and entrepreneurship. Those lessons are as rare as Donald Trump bumper stickers in the faculty parking lot. Teachers today spend more time helping students decide which bathroom they “most identify with” using, rather than which job they should prepare for in order to support a family. We need to start teaching the tenets of economics so kids will stop being tenants in their parents’ basements. Ron Hart, a libertarian op-ed humorist and award-winning author, is a frequent guest on CNN. He can be contacted at Ron@RonaldHart. com or @RonaldHart on Twitter.
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ELMORE COUNTY WEEKEND
TheWetumpkaHerald.com
MAY 14-15, 2016 • Page 7
‘I hate Hamlet’ wowing crowds through May 22 By LIZ ELY Staff Writer
As the Wetumpka Depot Players Theater celebrates its 36th season, it’s making its mark by bringing to the city its rendition of the Paul Rudnick classic comedy, “I Hate Hamlet.” The production, which began on May 12, is scheduled to run through the following two weekends beginning at 7:30 p.m. Originally debuting in 1991, the play tells the story of a television actor who must tackle everything from ghosts to girlfriends in this production that pokes a little fun at Shakespeare. “I hope people laugh,” said Director Tom Salter. “I don’t see how they couldn’t. It’s a great script, and it has a little meat to it. The characters are funny and at the same time, they evolve during the course of the play. I hope audiences will fall in love with the characters and enjoy seeing their journey.” In this play, based on events that happened to the author, protagonist Andrew Rally plans to take on the role of Hamlet upon moving to the Big City. In a surprising turn of events, deceased actor John Barrymore returns from the dead to coach Rally for the part. Salter hopes the humor is not lost on audiences and that they will find the performance relatable. “A number of characters come in and out of the play and give very funny performances,” Salter said. “It’s a lot of people’s favorite play, and I think they can relate to it. It talks about how confusing Shakespeare is to understand and makes fun of that a little.” “I Hate Hamlet” has been seen on stages throughout the nation and is an
award-winning production. It has been showcased everywhere from community theaters to Montgomery’s Alabama Shakespeare Festival and has been featured on Broadway. Throughout time, the play has garnered a reputation as being the ultimate crowd-pleaser - something that Salter is confident that the Depot will be able to honor. “Everyone is excited and has worked very hard,” Salter said. “I’m really impressed with the level of talent. This is a relatively small cast of only six characters, but for me, it’s more fun to work with a small ensemble. The actors are always ready to go, and it’s a true community theater.” Salter, who works not only as a director but also acts and does technical aspects behind the stage, admits that there are always a few jitters before any performance. “If you’re not nervous, then you don’t understand what is going on,” he said. “Even the performers get a little nervous, but that can be very positive. It keeps the energy up and prepares you to be ready for the show, especially for a comedy. A little bit of adrenaline is a good thing.” Although the play debuted 15 years ago, Salter’s plans to make the play fit in with today are minimal. As Director, Salter does not see that the play requires much tweaking given how the production has resonated with audience members over the years. “It’s a contemporary piece already,” he said. “It’s a little bit timeless, and we’ve only made one small change, but other than that, we’ve kept it as it is.” Salter and his team have worked
Submitted / The Herald
Actors with the Wetumpka Depot Players Theatre act out a scene from “I Hate Hamlet.” The show is currently playing and is scheduled to run through the following two weekends until May 22.
around the clock to ensure the performance will be a treat for audience members. He credits the success of the Depot in part to the acting ensembles and notes that the Depot is a special place for both performers and visitors. “We use local people who come in because they love the theatre,” Salter said. “We’re very blessed to have a very talented group who work at the Depot. Our board has a strong commitment to quality work, and the actors’ commitment is something you don’t always find in community theatre.” Salter also doesn’t hesitate to credit
Area Calendar May
MUSEUM EXHIBIT: During the months of April and May, the Elmore County Museum’s exhibit will feature the nationally known Elmore County Band - fondly called “The Big Blue”. The exhibit is filled with yearbooks, pictures of the band beginning in the 1950s and running through the 70s, plaques, scrapbooks, and a video of the 2003 Big Blue reunion! There are some funny, FUNNY stories told on the video! Come by Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday between 10 a.m. & 3 p.m. and take a step back in time!
MAY 11-UNTIL
RELAY PLANNING: Relayers, cancer survivors, community leaders, team captains and hard workers are all needed to help plan the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life. Relay For Life is a unique fundraising event that allows participants from all walks of life – including patients, medical support staff, corporations, civic organizations, churches and community volunteers – to join together in the fight against cancer. Volunteers from the Tallassee Community are needed. If you would like to join the Relay For Life of Tallassee as a volunteer or team participant, call Amber Voss with the American Cancer Society at 334-612-8174.
May 14
UNION REUNION: Union Academy, Dadeville, Class of 1974 is hosting a School Reunion BBQ: On Saturday, May 14th from 2 p.m. until at University Station RV, Hwy 14, Auburn. All students, faculty, their families and anyone associated with Union Academy are invited. Contact Eddie Hughes, 334-257-3826, hughesautoparts@ centurytel.net; Priscilla Hammonds, 334-283-2233,steven505@centurytel.net; Carolyn Hood, 334-319-3434, auburnhood@aol.com; or Genice Fuqua, 256-508-1768, gfuquaret@gmail.com for more information. Assistance will be provided for those with mobility problems. LADIES NIGHT: Calvary Baptist Wetumpka Ladies Ministry invites all ladies to “Ladies Night At Calvary” on Saturday, May 14 at 6:00 p.m. The event will consist of food, fellowship, and a movie. For more information contact the church office at 334-567-4729. YARD SALE: Cain’s Chapel UMC huge yard sale is 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Friday, May 13 and Saturday, May 14, 2016 (during the Slapout VFD parade and barbeque sale). There will be electronics, TVs, sports equipment, clothes, household items, sheets, pictures, etc. The yard sale will be inside the air conditioned Family Life Center.
May 15
GRADUATE CELEBRATION: Calvary Baptist Wetumpka will have celebrate our graduates on Sunday, May 15 at 10:30 a.m. This is a time to say Congratulations to the Class of 2016. CHURCH HOMECOMING: Homecoming will be observed at Darien Primitive Baptist Church on Sunday, May 15, beginning at 10:30 a.m. CST. Elder Jonathan Blakeley of Wetumpka, AL will be the guest minister. A covered dish lunch will follow the morning service. All friends and descendants of former members are cordially invited
the people of the community for their attendance, and he hopes the success of the Depot will continue to thrive. “The Depot has been here 36 years, and that’s because people come and see plays,” salter said. “It’s a great evening of entertainment, and we have the world’s best popcorn for only one dollar. We hope people will continue to come and support our theatre.” The last performance of “I Hate Hamlet” is scheduled for May 22 at 2:00 p.m. For more information, go online to www.wetumpkadepot.com. For tickets, call the box office at (334) 868-1440.
Awards
to attend this service. Darien Church is located 5 miles west of Wadley, just off Hwy. 22 at Cotney’s old store.
May 16
STOP HUMAN TRAFFICKING: Family and Child Development is excited to be part of bringing this speaker Tajuan McCarty to Wetumpka. McCarty will be speaking at the Wetumpka Civic Center Monday, May 16th 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. This is a free event open to the public please see the attached flyer. Content may not be appropriate for children under 12 years of age.
May 17
GRIEFSHARE: Calvary Baptist Wetumpka is once again offering GriefShare (A Ministry Helping Those Deal with Loss of Loved Ones). The next sessions will begin on Tuesday, May 17. The morning sessions will begin at 10:00 a.m. and the evening sessions at 6:30 p.m. There is a small charge for the workbook and materials. For more information please contact the church office 334-567-4729 or visit our website www.calvarybaptistwetumpka.org
May 19
AFTER HOURS: Chamber Business After Hours, Sunset Reception is set for Thursday, May 19 at Wind Creek Wetumpka, 100 River Oaks Drive, Wetumpka from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. SCHOOL ENDS: Final day of the 2015-2016 school year
MAY 20
GRADUATION: THS Graduation 8 p.m. at J.E “Hot” O’Brien Stadium.
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. GOSPEL CONCERT: The LeFevre Quartet will be in Concert Saturday, May 21 at Calvary Baptist Wetumpka. The LeFevre Quartet is recognized as one of Southern Gospel Music’s top groups. The Concert will begin at 6:00 p.m. There is no charge for the concert. However, a Love Offering Will Be Received for the quartet. For more information please contact the church office 334-567-4729 or visit our website www.calvarybaptistwetumpka.org
May 22
FOURTH SUNDAY SINGING: The annual 4th Sunday Singing in May will be held on Sunday, May 22nd beginning at 10 a.m., at Balm of Gilead Church located at 5187 Balm Road. The quest singers will be the Master’s Touch from the Valley. Lunch will be served at noon. SINGING: Titus Baptist Church in Titus is hosting a singing Sunday, May 22 at 6 p.m. The Dyes will be singing. Free admission and love offering will be taken.
continued from page 1
county, public and private. She said several area art studios are also included in the process to obtain the best possible art work from Elmore County students. Esco explained that art guild members are then assigned to individual schools to help select those pieces of art which will be presented at the annual show. From the pieces submitted in the show, students are awarded gold, silver and bronze medallions based upon the judge’s analysis of their work. Three students are specifically singled out for the Rising Star award, which is awarded for grades K-5, 6-8 and 9-12. A prize is also awarded for best in show. This year’s best in show winner, Katrina Vance, was not present to receive her award, but her teacher, Wetumpka High School art teacher Fagale Grant, was on hand to accept the award for the sophomore. “She is an excellent artist,” Grant said. “She is definitely a star in a number of areas.” Grant said that Vance is well rounded in all areas and disciplines of art. “She comes from a very artistic family,” Grant said. “Her mother and two older sisters are also talented artists. Her work is very highly respected.” Grant said she believes that Vance will pursue a career in art after she graduates from high school. The Rising Star award winners included: Josephine Yarboro, 10, in the K-5 group, for her piece “My Umbrella Will Protect Me;” Molly Acre, 12, in the grade 6-8 age group for her piece “Fly Fishing at Sunrise;” and three area students for a model based upon the book “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Yarboro, a student at Wetumpka Elementary, said she was very excited to be a part of the art show. “This is my first time to be here,” she said. “I wanted to bring this piece to Crater Fest but I hadn’t quite finished it.” Acre, a student at Prattvile Christian Academy said she is no stranger to this event. “I have been to three of these events and I’ve been fortunate to win several prizes,” she said. Elmore County Superintendent Dr. Andre` Harrison congratulated all of the winners during a brief speech about the event. “Arts are very important to a child’s education,” he said. “When I was younger arts helped me to expose my creative side.”
SPORTS
PAGE 8 • MAY 14-15, 2016
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ELMORE COUNTY WEEKEND
LADY INDIANS ELIMINATED BY RIVAL AT REGIONALS By CORY DIAZ The Wetumpka Herald
TROY, Alabama -- The regional wall. After run-ruling Hueytown, 10-0, to open its tournament, that’s what Wetumpka hit as its sputtered to lose its next two Class 6A South Central Regional Tournament games to Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa, 11-5, and county and area rival Stanhope Elmore, 10-1, Thursday at the Troy Sportsplex. The Lady Indians (34-20) collected 15 hits in its two losses, but a committee of pitchers allowed a number of free passes and gave up 22 combined hits, and the defense rolled up seven errors, five versus Hillcrest. “We were just a different team on the field,” Tribe senior third baseman Katelyn Carswell said. “We all wanted to be here the first game and then, we just hit a brick wall in the second game. I don’t know. But we won’t use today to explain this season because we had many more good times than today.” The reigning 6A state champions, Wetumpka came out smoking, plating five runs in the bottom of the first against Hueytown, highlighted by a two-run double from sophomore catcher Madison McKee. Junior Kelsie Cornelius went 3-for-3, including a solo home run, and senior Marissa Campbell and junior Sydney McKissick both had two RBIs. Junior Mary Beth Slater earned the win in the shutout, allowing five hits and striking out three in six frames. In three starts on the day, it would be the ace’s lone win, dropping the next two contests, allowing 12 runs in 3.2 frames pitched. With a two-run single from McKissick and Slater drawing a bases loaded walk, the Tribe had the early
Cory Diaz / The Herald
Above, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa senior Mi’Asia Barclay (9) runs around Wetumpka senior pitcher Riley Greene’s (5) tag during Thursday’s Class 6A South Central Regional Tournament winner’s bracket game at the Troy Sportsplex. Bottom, Wetumpka senior pitcher Riley Greene (5) tags Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa’s Madison McElroy (5) out on her face at home plate during Thursday’s Class 6A South Central Regional Tournament winner’s bracket game at the Troy Sportsplex.
3-0 lead against Hillcrest before the wheels fell off in the top of the third. Capitalizing on three hit-by-pitches, two walks and three WHS errors, the Patriots pushed nine runs across off only three hits, jumping ahead, 9-3. After eighth-grader Julianna Thames pitched the middle frames against Hillcrest giving up a run, senior Riley Greene closed the game,
surrendering an unearned run in three innings. Greene, who only had 12 appearances on the season, relieved Slater versus Stanhope in the second inning, holding the Lady Mustangs to two runs in 3.1 innings-pitched. “Even though I don’t get that many opportunities to pitch, I just know that every time I need to come in, I need to do my job because I love pitching and I consider it my primary position,” Greene said. “When I do get called in, I do want to be able to do my part.” McKissick led the way for Wetumpka against the Pats, with two RBIs on as many hits. Carswell managed the lone run-scoring hit against Stanhope, missing a home run by about three feet to left field and settling for an RBI double, pulling WHS within 2-1 in the first. “Overall, I feel like we had good hitting. A bunch of people had really good hits, but the other teams just made some really good plays,” Carswell said. “We just hit it right to them. There were times where we all got down and weren’t hitting at all. Against Hueytown, we had some really good hits, especially Kelsie’s (home run).” Winning the state championship as a junior last year and coming back after a 4-11 start this season, Greene said her high school career had it all. “We started from the bottom, we had to work our way back up. It’s just taught us that we need to work together and we need communication,” Greene said. “Those are what’s key to being a good team. “This game just proves that you can’t get down, you have to stay up the whole game. As Taylor says, ‘be lit the whole game.’”
SEHS runs down history, wins first regional game vs rival WHS By CORY DIAZ The Wetumpka Herald
TROY, Alabama -Stanhope Elmore made history Thursday at the Troy Sportsplex. And that was before what was arguably the biggest win in program history. The Lady Mustangs rebounded from a Class 6A South Central Regional Tournament opening loss to Pelham, 7-5, to win their first regional game over Chilton County, 6-4. Not to settle, they turned around and eliminated rival and reigning 6A state champion Wetumpka, 10-1, to advance to the second day of regionals for the first time. Stanhope’s historic run came to an end Friday morning, as the Lady Mustangs lost to Hueytown, 18-9. Getting through their rival to reach the second day, senior shortstop and pitcher Kerstie Reynolds said she couldn’t have been more excited for her
team. “I’m pumped. To lose to Wetumpka as many times as we have this season, to come out with a win here, it feels great,” Reynolds said. “I don’t even know what to say, I’m so speechless. I’m at a loss for words.” Unlike its first two contests of the tournament, Stanhope grabbed the early lead versus the Lady Indians, who came in off a loss to HillcrestTuscaloosa. After a leadoff double from sophomore Maris Stinchcomb in the top of the first, freshman McKayla Wilson drove her in on a sacrifice and junior designated hitter Katie Gilder smashed a solo home run off Wetumpka’s Mary Beth Slater, who had beaten SEHS four times this season. Stinchcomb led the Mustangs, going 2-for-3 with three runs scored. Katelyn Carswell hit an RBI double in the bottom half to cut
the lead to 2-1, but the Lady Mustangs (10-20) clamped down on the Tribe and chased Slater, plating three runs in the second, as freshman centerfielder Taylor Roland had a two-run double before coming around to score on a passed ball, putting Stanhope ahead, 5-2. “This morning, we played a little rocky,” SEHS softball coach Virginia Barber said. “I think the first game, it was a lot of nerves. The second game, we just kind of cruised through it. We had a long talk after that game. “And really, we’ve been wanting Wetumpka. We’ve played them, I think, nine times this year. I told the girls from the beginning, we had to jump on them, we had to shut their No. 1 pitcher down. I felt like we did that. They fought the whole game and that was a big win for us.” Eighth-grade pitcher Sherrell Matthews
Cory Diaz / The Herald
Wetumpka junior second baseman MiKayla Holt (36) applies the tag to a Carver-Montgomery base runner during Tuesday’s Class 6A, Area 5 matchup at Carver in Montgomery.
allowed one run on six hits and struck out three to pick up her second straight decision over Wetumpka. “She is a beast,” Reynolds said of Matthews. “Every time
she’s on the mound, I just have so much confidence in her, and (seventh-grader) Harleigh (Anderson). I just feel so confident because they act our age. They are mature on the mound. They pitch
strikes, they don’t get nervous doing what they got to do.” For the tournament, Gilder hit two home runs and finished with five RBIs. Reynolds had five RBIs.
Matthews becomes SEHS’s first D-1 signee in 10 years By CORY DIAZ Sports Editor
D’Maria Matthews became Stanhope Elmore’s first Division I softball signee in a decade Friday, signing a national letter-of-intent to play collegiately at Grambling State University. But the pitcher nearly missed her chance to leave her mark on the Lady Mustangs’ program. As a freshman, Matthews made the move over to Holtville High School, playing third base and rarely pitched. She sat out her junior year, before moving back to Stanhope for her last season. “Cliché quote, ‘there’ll be obstacles, but God always has a plan for you,’” Matthews said. “I’ve been reaching for my goal and just letting God lead every step of the way. “It’s big (to be SEHS’s first D-I signee in 10 years). I came here from kindergarten to eighth-grade, moved to Holtville then came
back my 12th-grade year. It’s great to come back and do something big at Stanhope.” Grambling took notice of Matthews during the summer, leading to her return to the Mustangs, where she helped lead her Reviving Baseball in the Inner Cities (RBI) travel softball team in the circle to the RBI World Series in Arlington, Texas. Practicing every day – a pitching technique called snaps – allowed Matthews to see her dream realized in front of family and friends. “I’m so excited. I’ve always dreamed of this,” she said. “I started playing when I was 11 and I’ve always dreamed about going big or going home and playing at the next level. Ever since the 10th-grade, I’ve been trying really hard. “It’s a special moment, I almost started crying. My friends, my family being here, it’s just a great time to get together.”
Cory Diaz / The Herald
Stanhope Elmore senior pitcher D’Maria Matthews, flanked by her family, signed a national letter-of-intent Friday to play college softball at Grambling State University.