CONGRATS TO THE TALLASSEE HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 2016 Despite the threat of ominous weather, the show went on and the Tallassee High School Class of 2016 were able to toss their caps after singing the school’s Alma Mater during graduation, which was Friday night at J.E “HOT” O’Brien Stadium.
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VOL. 117, NO. 19
IDB seeks city approval of new position
By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
Early this month, the Alabama House of Representatives passed HB 169 to amend section 40-9B-5, Code of Alabama 1975. This House Bill granted the Elmore County Commission the right to supersede a city or the municipality’s industrial authority, the Tallassee
Industrial Development Board’s, ability to abate a county tax, if the city does not have a matching municipality tax. This “new layer of bureaucracy” did not sit well with Rick Dorley, chairman of the Tallassee Industrial Development Board. Dorley maintains that the process of tax abatement should reside in hands of the industrial development board in order to keep the tax abatement process
efficient. HB 169 will add an additional 10-13 days to the current tax abatement process. It is the unnecessary steps and time that Dorley is trying to avoid. “It does away with the one-stop-shop, politicalizes the process and that’s been the board’s take on it the whole time, and still is,” Dorley said. “Before, I could say that I can take care of the abatement. I can no longer say that. I can’t guarantee
American Legion of Tallassee rewards THS students
an industry what another entity, regardless of what that entity is may or may not do.” The Tallassee Industrial Development Board recently declared the title of an Economic Professional and asked the mayor and city council to recognize the new title. Dorley asked for this in the See IDB • Page 11
The man who built Mount Vernon Mill A recount of local, historical figures in building Tallassee
By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
Sam Benson and Bill L A Taunton surprised a few deserving THS students on Friday, May 13. Students going to state this year are Gracie Miller, Jake Baker, Hudson Deem and Landon Dubose. Tallassee High School sends students to Boys and Girls State, which are the leading programs for teaching students how government works. The program also works to develop leadership skills as well as an appreciation for citizen’s rights. As a participant in the program, the students will run for office, learn public speaking and create and enforce laws. Students will also actively participate in all stages of constructing and managing a working government in this summer program. “Boys and Girls State
The Mount Vernon Mills originated in the Jones Falls area of what is now known to be Baltimore, Maryland. Beginning around 1810, many of the Maryland mills were beginning to transition from flourmills and gristmills to cotton duck mills, and it was one of these converted mills that became the original Mount Vernon Mill. As the company bought more of the local mills, the area soon became the Mount Vernon Company, which was a frontrunner in the fabrication of cloth sails for clipper ships and cloth for canvas tents. Soon after, the Mount Vernon Company shifted its eyes southward and began construction in Tallassee. In 1844, the Tallassee Falls Manufacturing Company went into operation on the west banks of the
Reeltown grown, AU Golden Sunshine
could soon be sold worldwide By WILLIAM CARROLL Managing Editor
If you happen to find yourself on Alabama 120 in Tallapoosa County just outside of Reeltown you may have noticed hundreds of trellises lining the highway. Those trellises are part of an intricate pergola system for the growing of kiwi fruit, a very special type of kiwi created right here in Alabama and destined for markets around the world. For Southeast Kiwi Farming Cooperative Vice President and Orchard Manager Clint Wall, the farm is just another day at the office,
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but one, which has massive potential for growth. Wall started the local operation in September 2014 after spending many years in New Zealand working as a manager of kiwi farms. Wall, who has 12 years of experience with kiwi farming techniques said that the demand for kiwi, especially in international markets, is high right now. One of the reasons for this is a bacteria known as pseudomonas syringae pv actinidiae or PSV, which has wiped out the kiwi industry in other counties. Luckily, the bacteria has not found its way to the U.S., See KIWI • Page 3
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THE TALLASSEE TRIBUNE
Obituaries Charles Taylor
Mr. Charles William “Billy” Taylor, a resident of Friendship, Alabama, passed away Friday, May 20, 2016, at the age of 84. Funeral services were held Monday, May 23, at 11 a.m. at Friendship Baptist Church, Tallassee, with Gary Buchanan officiating. Burial followed in Friendship Cemetery, Jeffcoat Funeral Home directing. The family received friends Monday, May 23 from 10 a.m. until service time at Friendship Baptist Church. Mr. Taylor is survived by his wife of 62 years, Mrs. Dean Oliver Taylor; sons, Stephen William Taylor (Jennifer), Byron Dean Taylor (Marsha) and Jeffrey Warren Taylor; grandchildren, Seth Taylor and Haley Taylor. He is preceded in death by his parents, Gershon and Annie Ruth Taylor. Mr. Taylor was a member of Friendship Baptist Church for more than 69 years. He was employed with United States Postal Service for 28 years. Mr. Taylor was an avid volunteer fireman for Tallassee and
Friendship and in 1987, he was appointed as an Honorary State Trooper. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Friendship Baptist Church Building and Maintenance Fund, 4345 Friendship Road, Tallassee, Alabama 36078. Online condolences are available at: www.jeffcoatfuneralhome.com. Jeffcoat Funeral Home Directing Tallassee, Alabama
Anita Pitchford
Anita Carol Taunton Pitchford, 66, of Tallassee died Friday, May 20, 2016, at Southern Springs Healthcare in Union Springs. Graveside funeral services will be Tuesday, May 24, 2016, at 11 a.m. at Calebee Cemetery with Rev. Will Haynes officiating. Visitation will be Monday, May 23 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Corbitt’s Funeral Home in Tuskegee. Mrs. Pitchford is survived by her daughters Stacey (Michael) Gray and Marsha (Dickie) Segrest; grand-
children Wyatt Pitchford, Colby Gray, Megan Gray and Clay Segrest; great grandchild Braydon Gray; brothers David (Myra) Taunton and James (Brenda) Taunton; sister Linda (Richard) Perry; and numerous nieces and nephews. Mrs. Pitchford was preceded in death by her husband Lamar Pitchford, parents Doston and Lottie Taunton, brother Lonnie Taunton, sister Jackie Curry, sister Patrictia Taunton and brother Curley Taunton. Send condolences atwww.corbittsfuneralhome.com.
Eleanor Garnett
Ms. Eleanor Joan Stalnaker Mann Garnett, 77, of Notasulga, passed away May 20, 2016. She was born July 8, 1938. Visitation will be Monday, May 23, from 5-8 p.m. at Saugahatchee Assembly of God. Funeral service will be Tuesday, May 24, at 2 p.m. at Saugahatchee Assembly of God with Rev. Travis Bittle and Rev. Lee Kilpatrick officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery, Linville Memorial Funeral Home directing. She is survived by her chil-
dren, Wayne Mann, Cindy Worley (Mark), Julie Rodgers (Bill), and Amy Henderson (Shawn); brother, Sammy Stalnaker (Sue); nephew, Michael Stalnaker; grandchildren, Billie Austin Broach 3rd (Amy), Jeff Davis Mann 2nd, Jennifer Joan Broach, Jonathan William Rodgers (Allison), Zachary Davis Rodgers (Sabrina), Terri Deline Mann (Lamar), Blake Scott Winslett (Helena), Kristian Lyn Winslett, Mark Lee Worley 2nd (Brittany), Kristopher Jim Henderson, Blair Phillips (Jason), Jessica Ransom, Jacob Hallum, Kayla Milner and Kimberly Simmons; fifteen great grandchildren; daughters-in-law, Tricia McDonald and Rhonda Mann; and many other loved nephews and nieces. She is preceded in death by her parents, Esther and Edward Stalnaker; son, Jeff Davis Mann; and ex-husband, Davis Mann. Online condolences at www.linvillememorial.com Linville Memorial Funeral Home Eclectic, Alabama
Open Arms cancer support group to assist people in local communities By CARMEN RODGERS Tallassee Tribune
Tallassee’s newest cancer support group continues to help people and family members of those who have been touched by cancer. James Martin founded the organization as a way for people to come together and share life experiences with each other as way to help heal. The support group is looking into ways to further help cancer patients with expenses. Often cancer treatments are very costly, perhaps the most costly on the pharmaceutical market. Even those with the best insurance can be left toting the burden of extra copays. “Even if they have insurance, they have to go so often that it really adds up quickly,” said Martin. This is why he hopes to soon be able to offer assistance to those who need it most at time when it is most needed. Open Arms cancer support group is also looking into offering assistance with the cost of transportation to and from doctor’s appointments for patients with cancer. In the May 17 meeting, Dr. Brandon Johnson was on hand offering advice to cancer patients. Dr. Johnson explained the chances of a person being
struck with cancer. Johnson explained that cancer is a gamble and that everyone has the same probability of having cancer at some point in his or her life. Johnson went on to explain which cancers are more prevalent in various ages, races and sexes. “The most diagnosed cancer in men is lung cancer, and for women it is breast cancer,” Johnson said. Dr. Johnson also explained various forms of treatment, their cost and newer cutting-edge treatment that are still being tested. After, Dr. Johnson also took questions from attendees and offered as much advice as possible. “A positive attitude really is what makes the difference in cancer patients,” he said. These meetings are free to attend and everyone is encouraged to attend. The next meeting will be held on June 21 at 6 p.m. inside the Community Hospital classroom. Dr. Rand of the Tallassee Community Medical Center will be the guest speaker along with Pastor Derek Gentle of First Baptist Church in Tallassee. Meetings are held every third Tuesday of each month. The group is also expanding into the Eclectic Submitted / The Tribune area, with a meeting scheduled for the third Dr. Brandon Johnson explains the various forms of cancer as well Thursday of each month at the Warehouse on Main as treatment options for patients touched by cancer during the May Street in downtown. 17 Open Arms Cancer Support Group meeting at the Community Hospital classroom.
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Kiwi
May 25, 2016 • Page 3
continued from page 1
which creates a perfect location for growing the fruit. Wall said the goal for his kiwi operation is to grow kiwi for markets in Asia. “The premium markets for kiwi are located in China, Japan and Korea,” Wall said. “Our goal will be to produce fruit specifically for those markets overseas.” The kiwi grown here is not the same type of kiwi you might be familiar with. “Most of the kiwi you see in your local grocery store is green kiwi,” Wall said. “We are growing a variety of gold kiwi known as AU Golden Sunshine.” According to Wall, golden kiwi is actually sweeter to the taste buds than is green kiwi and the golden variety also has more nutrient content. The AU delineation in the kiwi’s title comes from Auburn University, which Wall credited with creating this specific variety. “The plants were developed by Auburn University under the direction of Dr. William Dozier,” Wall said. According to Auburn University Associate Professor Dr. Jay Spears, Dozier was instrumental in developing this particular variety of kiwi fruit. “He was very involved in developing these cultivars,” Spears said. “In fact if you look at the patents, you’ll see Dr. Dozier’s name.” Spears said research in the southeast on kiwi plants dates back to the 1980s. “Several groups tried growing kiwi fruit on the Gulf Coast in the 1980s,” Spears said. “All of these plants go dormant in the winter and they have a chilling requirement between 32 and 45 degrees.” Spears explained that due to warmer temperatures on the Gulf, the original plants did not produce many flowers or fruit since the chilling temperature was never reached. He said at that point additional research was conducted including Auburn’s own research into kiwi fruit. “The gold kiwi we now have came from a seedling selected in China,” Spears said. “Since 1995 we’ve been evaluating these cultivars.” Spears agreed that golden kiwi fruit is sweeter to the taste noting that most people actually prefer it to the more traditional variety. Spears said that Auburn works closely with the cooperative. “We collaborate quite a bit, hopefully we will be able to get a lot of research out of the proj-
ect,” he said. “They (the cooperative) employ a lot of student workers. They have a lot of job opportunities. In fact we have two students out there right now. A lot of my research projects are geared towards helping to make the project successful.” Wall said in addition to Auburn students he also offers opportunities for local high school students including those at Reeltown High School. “We have been fortunate in that we have been able to hire local workers,” Wall said, noting that he has a core group of seven, who put in 60 plus hour weeks and a total of 15, including part time workers. The farm itself is located on 418 acres located alongside Alabama 120. Of that acreage, 108 acres are currently cultivated for kiwi farming. The fruits, which grow on vines, require an extensive trellis system and state of the art irrigation techniques in order to produce. In support of the irrigation system the property has natural water sources in the form of several lakes serviced by pumping stations, which Wall said can push some 7,000 gallons of water a minute. Both male and female plants are required to produce the golden fruit. In order to pollinate the female plants, Wall uses a male variety appropriately called AU Tiger. Wall also is working with an area beekeeper to keep bees on the property for pollination purposes. “We have 54 hives on the property,” Wall said. The plants themselves start off at a nursery in Tuskegee, which has partnered with the coop. Ross Carlton, who works for the nursery, said that he has provided some 30,000 plants to Wall over the last couple of years. Carlton said the plants are grown in the nursery until they are a year old and then they are sent to the coop to continue the growth process. According to Spears, kiwi is not an inexpensive crop to grow. “It is an intimidating crop to grow,” says Spears. “You need a large investment for the trellis system and all the work that is involved. The trick is finding that funding.” Wall said that he has around $10,000 per acre invested in the active parts of the farm, which includes the pergola and irrigation systems. Wall was able to acquire investors in California who were willing to partner with him to fund the
operation. Wall said he hopes to be fully producing fruit by 2018 and that the ultimate goal for the coop is not simply growing kiwi fruit, but that he wants to create an Alabama brand, which will be recognized and respected throughout the world. In creating the brand he wants to set specific quality control standards to ensure the best quality product. Wall said the plans for the future also include building a pack house and cool storage facility that could be used not only to store kiwi, but also to help other Alabama farmers package and store their own fruits. “We have a lot of good fruits here in Alabama,” he said. “I’d like to see us package and market them for a bigger market.” “I am very excited about all of this,” Spears said. “We don’t have anything like this in the southeast. I’d like to see it expand and help to enhance fruit production in Alabama. Our hope is that others will see what is happening here and get interested in getting involved.”
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Guralnick's biography of Sam Phillips meets expectations
ype and narcissism are alive and well in the world of journalism and publishing, and sometimes such traits are as palpable as a large pile of Jello. I know of one columnist who, at the end of each month’s commentary, would list the journalism awards he’d won in years past. The tagline at the end of another regular contributor’s monthly magazine installments proclaimed him to be the “preeminent” purveyor of his particular craft “of our time.” Yeesh. These two writers will remain nameless because I don’t want them to get any publicity, even of the backhanded variety. But such hoopla sure comes across as conceited, regardless of whether or not they composed or authorized it. However, I’ve seen one line about one author that uses “preeminent,” and I don’t have a problem with it at all: “Peter Guralnick is widely regarded as the nation’s preeminent writer on twentiethcentury American vernacular
The So-Called Column By Willie G. Moseley music.” The line is found on the back of more than one of his anthologies. Originally from Boston, Guralnick is indeed to American music history what David McCullough is to early American socio-political/governmental history. Both writers do a plethora of research for their biographical works, and it’s obvious that McCullough and Guralnick admire or respect the individuals they’re profiling. Guralnick, for example, is an unabashed fan of Solomon Burke. Most biography aficionados would agree that the, er, preeminent tomes for Guralnick were Last Train to Memphis and Careless Love, an acclaimed two-volume history of the life of Elvis Presley. Readers ought to appreciate that the author never seems to
sensationalize his subject, nor does he lecture, condescend, or wax judgmental. But he still compels you to pay attention, which is no mean feat in a literary field that careens all too often into supermarket tabloid territory. Guralnick’s most recent effort, released in late 2015, is SAM PHILLIPS: The Man Who Invented Rock ‘N’ Roll (Little, Brown and Company). An apparent (lengthy) extension of the sub-title is also found on the front cover: How one man discovered Howlin’ Wolf, Ike Turner, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, and Elvis Presley, and how his tiny label, Sun Records of Memphis, revolutionized the world! Five extended “blurbs,” including one by Bob Dylan, are found on the back cover. The thing is, it’s hard to take exception to such assertions about Guralnick. In the early Fifties, Phillips, a native of Florence, Alabama, turned a lot of sociological and musical institutions upside down in a hole-in-the-wall recording facility located at 706 Union Avenue in down-
town Memphis. Portrayed in Guralnick’s biography as a man on a self-assigned, one-of-a-kind mission, Phillips was also influential in the careers of Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, B.B. King and other icons who aren’t listed on the cover. As for sources, the author had plenty of access to Phillips as well as family members, former business associates, musicians and others. Guralnick deftly discusses Phillips’ musical and private lives and how those two facets affected each other (Sam’s decades-long business tribulations with his brother Jud being exemplary). Those who might surmise that the Phillips biography borrows too much from Guralnick’s previous books on Elvis won’t find such selfplagiarism; the King doesn’t figure into the narrative too much following his transition to RCA Records and manager Col. Tom Parker. Phillips’ descent into eccentricity is also addressed, the best-known example of which is a bizarre 1986 appearance on Late Night with David
Remembering our fallen warriors this Memorial Day
“D
ear Captain Fuller, in science this week, we’re talking about the human body, and I hope your human body doesn’t get shot, but I have homework to do.” “Dear Caption (sic) Fuller, You are the most kind man in the world to risk your life. For many, it’s the ultimate sacrifice. You do the most for us, so we won’t ever get attacked in the middle of English.” I received these letters from these precious children while deployed to Iraq eight years ago during my second tour there in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. I thank God every day that my human body did not get shot, and I also thank Him for those men and women who indeed paid the ultimate sacrifice. As a platoon leader, I lost my two soldiers when they were hit by an improvised explosive device on April 4, 2004, during my first deployment. Philip Rogers died instantly, and Tyanna Felder died from her injuries three days later. There’s not a day that goes by that we don’t think about our fallen warriors and friends. I try to focus on faith, family, and friends in some way, shape, form or fashion in this column, but today, with respect to Memorial Day, I’m adding freedom to the mix. Where would we be without
JODY FULLER Guest Columnist
the men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice? What freedoms would we have? Where would you be? With respect to my fallen warriors, whether or not we should have been in Iraq or not is beside the point. We were there. Philip and Tyanna raised their right hand and volunteered to serve their nation so that you or your loved ones wouldn’t have to serve involuntarily, and for that we should be forever grateful. Salute. I have the incredible honor of being the guest speaker at the Memorial Day services in my hometown on Monday. I’ve spoken or performed comedy in a lot of places for a wide range of folks, but as honored and excited as I am to do this, I’m equally as terrified, but I look forward to the challenge. “If a man does his best, what else is there?” General George S. Patton said. Some people are unaware of the true meaning of Memorial Day and
lump many of the military related holidays together. While those grateful Americans mean well, it’s important not to confuse Memorial Day with Veterans Day; Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died in the line of duty, while Veterans Day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans “Another reason I would like to thank you is because you are serving the nation. Without people like you who join the military, our country would be bad.” I think this last letter really sums it up. So, to each of you who have ever worn the uniform, we thank you every day for what you have done for this great nation, and we’ll throw you a celebration come November 11, but Memorial Day is for our brothers and sisters from every walk of life who paid the ultimate sacrifice, so that we can sleep in peace at night when we lay down our head. That debt can never be repaid, we are forever grateful and will never forget. Jody Fuller is 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.
Letterman (which can even be found on Youtube). One potential annoyance for purists is Guralnick’s insertion of himself in some portions of the chronology, which temporarily shifts the text from third person to first person. While it adds to the veracity of the narrative, some biography aficionados would probably opine that personal recollections ought to have their own sections before and/or after the main story. The thing is, Guralnick’s so good at what he does, such complaints would probably come off as nitpicking. SAM PHILLIPS: The Man Who Invented Rock ‘N’ Roll is an informative, entertaining and detailed look at a formidable personality and sometimes-overlooked cultural icon and Guralnick’s tome boosts Phillips’ importance considerably. One would expect nothing less from the author. I’ve seen “peerless” applied to Guralnick as well. I don’t have a problem with that term, either.
SOMETHING ON YOUR MIND? Want to share your opinion on a situation, topic, etc.? • WRITE: Your View The Tallassee Tribune P.O. Box 99 Wetumpka, AL 36092 • EMAIL: Editor@tallasseetribune.com Include your name, address and phone number. Only your name and city will be printed. We reserve the right to edit or to refuse to publish any submission. You may submit one letter per month, limited to 300 words or less.
THE TALLASSEE TRIBUNE (533-160) is published weekly on Wednesday by Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc., 301 Gilmer Ave., Tallassee, AL 36078. Periodical postage paid at Tallassee, Alabama. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Tallassee Tribune, 301 Gilmer Avenue, Tallassee, AL 36078. ISSN # 2150-3982. 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 - $0.25 per word with a $15 charge for a picture. Obituaries can only be accepted by the funeral home handling the arrangements. The Tallassee Tribune does not accept obituaries from individuals. •Weddings/Engagements/Birth Announcements - $0.25 per word with a $15 for a 2 column, color photo. • One year $25 (In Elmore County, Tallapoosa County and Notasulga) Elsewhere $38 The publisher reserves the right to change subscription rates during the term of subscription with a 30-day notice. The notice can be mailed to the subscriber, or by notice in the newspaper itself. To subscribe or if you missed your paper, call David Kendrick at The Alex City Outlook: 256-234-4281. © 2015 Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved and any reproduction of this issue is prohibited without the consent of the editor or publisher. Steve Baker, Publisher publisher@tallasseetribune.com • 256-234-4281 William Carroll: Managing Editor william.carroll@tallasseetribune.com • 334- 567-7811 Corey Arwood: Reporter corey.arwood@tallasseetribune.com • Ext. 102 Carmen Rodgers: Reporter carmen.rodgers@tallasseetribune.com • Ext. 101 The Tallassee Tribune is contract printed each Tuesday evening in Alexander City, Ala. by Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. 256-234-4281.
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Talks THE TALLASSEE TRIBUNE
Inside the Statehouse By Steve Flowers
Honoring a great politician:
Perry O. Hooper Sr.
A
few weeks ago former Alabama Chief Justice Perry O. Hooper Sr. died at his home in Montgomery at age 91. He was the epitome of the southern gentleman. He was also one of the founding fathers of the modern Republican Party in Alabama. Hooper Sr. was a GOP leader long before it was cool to be a Republican in Alabama. He was the state’s longtime National Committee Chairman as well as a one-time party chairman. Many of Hooper’s early GOP stalwarts, like Wynton Blount and Jim Martin, used to jest that there were so few Republicans in the state that they could call a state executive committee meeting or convention in a phone booth. Hooper was a marine as a young man. He graduated from Birmingham Southern and then the University of Alabama School of Law. During this time, he married the love of his life, a beautiful Kappa Delta at Alabama from Montgomery, “Mrs. Marilyn.” He began his law career in Montgomery. He was elected probate judge of Montgomery County in 1964 and reelected in 1970. In 1974, he was elected as a circuit judge in Montgomery. In those Montgomery judgeships, he was the first Republican elected since Reconstruction. However, he became the ultimate Republican political pioneer in 1994 when he became the first Republican chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. In fact, he was the first Republican state justice since Reconstruction. Today, Republicans hold all nine seats on the Alabama Supreme Court. Hooper broke the ice and paved the way. As a jurist, Judge Hooper was seen as a role model for other judges. He was nonpartisan and fair. Both Democrat and Republican lawyers said he was friendly and treated them with respect and regard in his courtroom. Suburban Alabamians began voting Republican in the 1960 Kennedy/Nixon presidential race. In fact, Nixon carried Montgomery. The tide turned totally in 1964. The state voted overwhelmingly for Barry Goldwater in what became known as the Southern Goldwater landslide. Alabamians not only voted for the Republican standard bearer, Goldwater, but a good many pulled the straight Republican lever. This Goldslide put five new Republican congressmen in office, including Bill Dickinson, Jack Edwards and Jim Martin. Judge Hooper also rode this tidal wave to become Montgomery Probate Judge. He used the slogan “Put Barry in the White House and Perry in the Courthouse.” However, this would not to be his toughest race. Hooper’s perseverance and resolve were exemplary as he won the 1994 State Supreme Court Race and broke the stranglehold that the plaintiff trial lawyers and Democrats held on the Supreme Court. At that time, the state’s and nation’s business communities were incensed at the jackpot justice haven that Alabama had fostered. They were determined to root out the plaintiff lawyer-oriented/Democratic court. We were called “tort hell” in a cover story by Time Magazine. The Business Council of Alabama backed Hooper. They also hired one Karl Rove to work on the campaign. The Alabama trial lawyers backed incumbent Sonny Hornsby. It was a bitter and expensive campaign. Hooper narrowly beat Hornsby in the November election by less than 300 votes out of 1.1 million cast. Hornsby and the trial lawyers challenged the election. After a long court battle and several recounts, the U.S. Supreme Court declared Hooper the winner by a final margin of 262 votes. After Hooper’s win in 1994 the wall was lifted. The Republicans swept the court and have not relinquished any of the seats on the State Supreme Court. Due to the state’s mandatory age limitation of 70 for judges, Hooper could not run again in 2000. However, if he could have run, his reelection would have been much easier than in 1994. Judge Hooper is survived by his wife of 63 years, Marilyn, along with his sons, John, Walter, Conwell and Perry Hooper, Jr. and a host of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Perry Hooper, Jr., affectionately known as “Perry O.”, was my best legislative buddy. He has enjoyed a stellar career highlighted by 20 years as a state representative from Montgomery. Judge Hooper was a fine gentleman. See you next week. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
www.TallasseeTribune.com
May 25, 2016 • Page 5
What I would like to know . . .
I
would like to know if anyone knows Abigail on the Alexander Shunnarah commercials that says she is from Tallassee, Alabama and got a settlement of $90,000. I’ve asked a lot of people and no one I have asked seems to know her. Now, don’t get me wrong I just want to know if anyone knows her. What I would like to know is who wins the publishing clearinghouse prizes. They send out letter after letter up until the last minute and everyone that sends the letters back keeps getting more and more letters telling them how close they are to winning. Finally, the day comes and everything goes quiet. You don’t hear a thing. Some time goes by and a new set of letters comes asking if I want to win seven thousand dollars a week for life. I would be the last person to say they didn’t give anyone a prize, I’m just wondering why it’s not on TV, radio or the newspaper and if it is why did they hide it from me. I see a TV crew with a 3x5 check running into somebody’s yard, ringing doorbells and carrying on but I still don’t know who or where they are. What I would like to know is why on TV these car companies say we are cutting the price on 2015 models by $10,000. Well, you know
The Coffee Breaker By Ronald Brantley they still are making a big profit to pay for these ads, pay overhead, salesmen, etc. Let’s add five more thousand. Does that mean they were making fifteen thousand dollars per vehicle before they gave the ten thousand discount? I’m just an Alabama boy who took math and arithmetic in school. What I would like to know is who is giving who what. What I would like to know is who in the world would do this. There is an ad on television that sells mattresses, they say, interest free for eight years with payments as low as $27 per month. Now, when they say as low as $27 per month that means that is the cheapest thing they have. Figure it out, that is $324 a year and for eight years. That’s $2592 for eight years, interest free. Who’d pay that kind of money for the cheapest mattress a company sells and in the same ad they say we’ll finance up to 20 years. Who in his right mind would pay on a mattress
for twenty years, that’s what I would like to know. Another thing I’d like to know is why people will carry their children to a store or restaurant and turn them loose to run and play. I’ve seen them playing with bouncy balls, playing pitch with toys and running all over the place. In restaurants I’ve seen them pouring out the salt. Screaming if they didn’t get what they want after they have changed their minds a number of times or not getting to sit by the one they wanted to. Mamas and daddies go blind and deaf as if they don’t see or hear a thing. They act as if they don’t care if they ruin everyone’s meal. A department store is not a place to play hide and seek. What I would like to know is if I can see all of this why can’t they. Well there’s a lot of what I want to know in this world. I would bet if I was a betting man that you have a lot too. Some may be funny; some may be serious but we all have them. Want to have some fun, try it sometimes. Just say what I would like to know. Ronald Brantley is a Tallassee resident and a regular columnist for The Tribune.
State of the race and a little conventional wisdom
D
onald Trump sewed up the Republican nomination by appealing to those tired of Washington insiders’ self-serving dealings and to disaffected bluecollar workers whose pay has gone lower under the Democrats’ open borders and slow growth economy. Now Trump has his work cut out for him to win over a key demographic holdout: the GOP. Trump did get some prominent Republicans to fall into line lately with a simple plan. He demolished all of their other 16 options. He shored up conservative support by releasing a list of eleven judges he would appoint to the Supreme Court; each reflects his judicial temperament. Fortunately, he had many options for his pool of Trump-like judges; most on his list will be available because American Idol went off the air this year. The Democrat campaign of envy and hate continues as Hillary and Bernie’s Antiques Roadshow goes from town to town. Bernie is sticking around because he knows Hillary should be indicted over her email crimes. And at 74, Bernie has coeds following him everywhere screaming his name, and he just doesn’t want it to end. College kids are scared to death they might have to pay for something someday, so they flock to the socialist’s campaign. Bernie’s shtick plays well to a generation of college kids who have been given everything except discipline and drive. Bernie won Oregon; he wins pretty much any state where weed is legal. He actually crushed Hillary in Oregon. She finished fourth behind a hacky sack and a pair of Birkenstocks. Sanders won West Virginia and said he
RON HART Guest Columnist
thought he did so by winning the black vote there. It turns out they were coal miners voting against Hillary, but a win is a win. In fact, Sanders has won 19 of the last 25 state primaries and caucuses (not a typo). For a man with “no chance of winning,” he seems to win a lot. Party insiders who created this rigged, Byzantine, Democrat Party nomination system calculate that, if Sanders can just win the rest of the states, Hillary will get the Democrat nomination by a landslide. Things are so bad that Hillary had to change her slogan to “Stronger Together” because way too many signs with her old slogan, “Ready For Hillary,” were appearing in front of federal prisons. Bernie Sanders should have a new slogan himself: “This soap opera ain’t over until her staffers sing about the fat lady to the FBI.” Hillary cannot fully devote her time to trashing Trump with Bernie nipping at her pantsuit. She is getting help from her staffers at the NY Times and Washington Post to attack Trump by concocting stories making him out to be a sexist. They are painting Trump as a congenital philanderer and liar. Hillary doesn’t know which instinct to go with here: run negative ads against Trump or marry him. I fully believe Trump will abolish many of the 650-odd duplicative agencies in D.C. But after reading
the NY Times hit piece on him, I feel certain that he will be the first president to appoint a “Federal Bikini Inspector.” Further, I expect he will elevate it to a Cabinet-level position in his second term. Bernie Sanders, a geezer who once wrote creepy soft-core porn, has a “women issue,” too. Sanders addressed it by saying “he has his girl looking into it.” The pundits’ two articles of faith were that Hillary would quickly wrap up the nomination and that Trump’s campaign would be marred by violence until the GOP convention. The opposite is true. Hillary has a battle all the way to the DNC convention. And all the violence and drama the media said were a part of the Trump campaign have actually been the trademark of Democrat gatherings. The site of the Democrat National Convention is liberal stronghold Philadelphia. After more violent events at the Nevada Democrat state convention, the mayor of Philadelphia is trying to beef up police presence for the upcoming national gathering. But, like most Democrat-run cities, Philly is in a financial mess and its police force is in shambles. Since the city is too broke to pay cops overtime to work the convention, the police have been asked to come to the convention to beat up Sanders’ supporters for sport, to become a part of history, and for a chance to be on TV. A libertarian op-ed humorist and award-winning author, Ron Hart is a frequent guest on CNN. He can be contacted at Ron@RonaldHart.com or @RonaldHart on Twitter.
Page 6 • May 25, 2016
www.TallasseeTribune.com
TALLASSEE
Parker
AUTOMOTIVE
Tire & Service Center 334.283.4979
Drive a Little, Save a Lot!
(334) 262-2544
1618 Gilmer Avenue • Tallassee, AL
1508 Gilmer Ave. • Tallassee, AL www.parkertire.com
www.tallasseeautomotive.com
Learning Lodge
•catfish •wings •burgers burgers •vegetables •chicken fingers
1410 Gilmer Avenue •Tallassee, AL
334-252-0400
618 Hudson Place Tallassee, AL
(334) 283-6272
Selling & Managing Alabama Dreams
(334) 224-1696 904-B Gilmer Avenue • Tallassee, AL www.3riverlandco.com
101 S. Dubois Street • Tallassee, AL (334) 252-0025 www.learning-tree.org “Since 1967”
SITE WORK • GRADING CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION ASPHALT PAVING CO. P.O. BOX 210577 MONTGOMERY, AL 36121-0577
(334) 215-3000
312 James Street • Tallassee, AL
(334) 283-4938
Tallassee, AL
www.godwinsflowersal.net
J. Alan Taunton & Company, LLC
334-741-7600
www.alfootcare.com
1161 COUNTY RD. 39 NOTASULGA, AL
334-257-3441
DRIVE A LITTLE AND SAVE A LOT
Randal D. Herring, D.C. Caroline E. Herring, D.C. ____ 315 Friendship Road Tallassee, AL (334) 283-6838 HerringChiropractic.com
1405 Gilmer Avenue • Tallassee, AL www.apothecaryinc.com
Kellye & Elmer Jones, Owners
ALIGNMENTS
334.283.3120
TALLASSEE
Certi¿ed Public Accountants
200 Executive Park Drive Tallassee, AL 334.283.2567
alantaunton@tauntoncpa.com
1616 Mt. Meigs Road • Montgomery, AL (334) 215-1617 www.wiregrassconstruction.com
specs
2190 Gilmer Avenue Tallassee, AL (334) 283-6841 www.walmart.com
(334) 283-3611
J&M
TANK LINES, INC. 7051Meadowlark Drive Birmingham, AL
256.876.1900 www.jmtank.com
1 Twin Creeks Drive, • Tallassee, AL
(334) 283-3113
TIRES/BRAKES
www.tallasseeidb.com
PRATTVILLE
KEITH CANNON, OWNER 220 Company St. • Wetumpka, AL 334-567-6760 www.singletonsmuffler.com EXHAUST OIL CHANGES
“Honest Labor – Fair Prices” 1259-C South Memorial Drive • Prattville, AL
334-365-5085
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Tallassee Parks PRESCHOOL & Recreation 450 Gilmer Avenue
Cotton Patch
Tallassee, AL
1210 Taylor Road Tallassee, AL
334.283.4165
Trustmark Banking and Financial Solutions 304 Barnett Boulevard • Tallassee, AL 19570 Rifle Range Road Tallassee, AL
334-567-4700
(800) 892-4326
SCREENPRINTING EMBROIDERY • SIGNS
Contact us via email at: growers3am@aol.com
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(334) 991-4770
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1533 GEORGIA ROAD, WETUMPKA, AL
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Singleton’s Alignment and Muffler Service, LLC AUTO & RV REPAIR CENTER, LLC
Forest Appraisal • Forest Analysis Forest Management
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2304-B Gateway Drive (Hwy. 280) Opelika, AL Feet Hurt at All? Call Dr. Paul!
Apothecary Pharmacy
The
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Parts & Equipment
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Tallassee, AL
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Sizemore Since 1949 Sizemore Inc.
119 Main Street • Tallassee, AL (334) 991-4055
2808 Kent Road Tallassee, AL
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“All Aspects of Lawn Care and Landscape Design”
AUTO - HOME MOBILE HOME - BOAT - COMMERCIAL Give us a call and let us help you SAVE!
EXTERMINATING CO.
200 Caldwell Street •Tallassee, AL
www.tallasseechamber.com
(334) 283-2160
Southeastern Insurance, LLC
334.257.1998
17 Sistrunk Street Tallassee, AL 36078 (334) 283-5151
(334) 277-3100
The Learning Tree
Charles & Margaret Webster
Service Center
Tallassee, AL
2560 Alabama River Pkwy. Montgomery, AL www.bluehaven.com
C&M
Elmer’s 6841 Tallapoosa Street
12 Gilmer Avenue
Godwin n rs Flowers 117 Central Blvd.
Serving Greater Montgomery & Central Alabama
THE TALLASSEE TRIBUNE
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May 25, 2016 • Page 7
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 25
The Tallassee City Schools will destroy all special education records of students who are 21 years of age or older and who exited Tallassee City Schools prior to June 2011. Individuals desiring to obtain their special education records may do so by contacting: Tallassee City Schools Special Education Services 308 King Street Tallassee, AL 36078 (334) 283-5675 A picture I.D. is required of all persons picking up special education records. All special education records must be picked up before Thursday, June 2, 2016. RELAY FOR LIFE: 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.
since the wars, and if you have a family member that you’d like to honor, please bring flowers to place on the monument. One of the members of Eclectic the Beautiful will be available to list the names and call them out at the end of the program. At that time either a family member (or an ETB member, if you’d prefer), will lay the flowers on the monument for the family in remembrance of the brave men and women who served our country, fought to protect our freedom and will always be remembered. MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONY: The Tallassee Memorial Day Ceremonies will be held again this year at the gazebo in Veteran’s Park on Barnett Blvd., at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 30. The Mayor will address the crowd, there will be Veteran Recognition, the laying of the wreath, James Bush singing Lee Greenwood’s God Bless the USA and leading the audience in singing God Bless America. Our veterans risked their lives, and many lost them in defending the liberties this country has stood for. Let’s us do our part in remembering those who did not come back, and thanking those who did! Tallassee Post 5035 encourages all to attend the short ceremony and enjoy the light refreshments on Veteran’s Day, Monday, May 30. We look forward to seeing all of you there!
June 1
POOL OPENING DAY: Pool season for 2016 begins Wednesday June 1 at 1 p.m. and ends Saturday, July 30. Hours of operation will be Monday-Saturday from 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Daily pass is $3 per day and individual pass is $45, family pass for up to four in same household is $60 and five or more $75 for season. SUMMER LUNCH PROGRAM: Free summer meals for kids and teens will be served in Tallassee. Meals will be provided to all children without charge. Acceptance and participation requirements for the program and all activities are the same for all regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. Call 283-6864 for location and other information.
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: The Wall Street AME ZION Church at 71 Zion Street in Tallassee is hosting vacation Bible School June 14-16 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Rev. Edwrin Sutton is the host pastor. Preschool children to adults and ministers are invited to take part in this fun-filled Bible program. For more information contact Mrs. Jeannetta Brooks at 334-283-2594.
June 17
CONCERT: Jessica Meuse will perform a concert June17 at 7 p.m on the Wetumpka Depot Players Depot Stage. Local children will have the opportunity to have a private jam session with Jessica prior to the concert and will perform a song or two with her at the end of her performance. Tickets can be purchased by calling 334-868-1440 or online at wetumpkadepot.com. To sign children up for your activities including the opportuinity to sing with Jess, contact Kristy Meanor Depot Executive Director.
June 23
BEEKEEPING CAMP: The Central Alabama Beekeepeers and Elmore County 4-H are hosting a beekeeping camp June 23 and 24 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for ages 9 to 14. Take a look into the fascinating world of honey bees and see the role they play in our everyday lives. Registration is $30 and includes a t-shirt and snack. Participants must bring a sack lunch. For more information and to register contact Allyson Andrews at 334-799-2254 or call at allyson.andrews@ icloud.com
JUNE 3
Relay for Life Paint the Town Purple at J.E “HOT” O’Brien Stadium
June 5
GOSPEL MUSIC: Lebanon Baptist Church in Titus is hosting Justified in concert Sunday, June 5 at 6 p.m. Come visit for an evening of great gospel music.
Tallassee
Health and Rehab, LLC
June 7
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.
May 30
MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE: The Eclectic the Beautiful organization has planned its annual service for Memorial Day, May 30, 2016 at 10 a.m., in the Veterans Memorial Park in Eclectic. Chairs will be available for those who wish to be seated during the service, and chairs may be brought form home if you’d like to bring them. We invite everyone to attend in honor of those Veterans who died during or
Industrial Development Board meeting 1 Twin Creek Drive from 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m.
“Our Family Caring for Yours”
June 10-11
TALLASSEE NOW: Tallassee Now event is set for June 11 at Bell Park and J.E. “Hot” O’Brien Stadium.
June 13-July 8
SWIM LESSONS: First session of swim lessons for ages 4 and up (must be 4 by time of lesson) will be June 13-June 24, Second session will be June 27-July 8 (closed July 4) Third session will be July 11-22. Registration fee for Tiny Tots is $55 and Levels 1-6 will be $65. You may register at Recreation Department until Thursday, May 26, and after May 26 please register at pool.
June 14-16
2639 Gilmer Avenue Tallassee, AL 36078
334-283-3975
RELIGION
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Page 8 • May 25, 2016
www.TallasseeTribune.com THE TALLASSEE TRIBUNE
There is evil we do while attempting to do good
E
ver think about how much evil has been done in the name of God? Throughout history, vast evil, suffering, torture, cruelty and killing has been done in the name of God. The Spanish Inquisition and the Crusades are two examples that come immediately to mind, but there are many others that are less well known. Like the expulsion of the Jews from England in 1290 and from Spain in 1492; the 30-years war between Catholics and Protestants in which an estimated 10,000,000 were killed; flogging, branding, hanging of 17th Century Quakers in Massachusetts; the overwhelming opposition to integration in many churches in the ‘60s. The list goes on and on. Often we attribute evil to those involved in the crucifixion: Judas the betrayer, Caiaphas, the high priest, Pilate the Roman governor. No doubt,
they did commit great evil, and no doubt, in his gospel, John attributes evil or selfish motives to all of them and makes sure we know it. But, I wonder if at least these three didn’t do that terrible evil while trying, as best they could, to do what they thought was right in God’s eyes or, at least, what they thought was their duty – Judas forcing Jesus into declaring himself the Messiah; Caiaphas who saw Jesus as a blasphemer and a threat to Judaism; Pilate trying to keep peace in a volatile land. It may be that they were doing the best they could, or, as Charles Williams says: They chose the least imperfect good that they could see, and their choice crucified the good. Williams goes on to remind us that while our sins and faults destroy good, our search for and attempts to find and do good in the name of God, many times our very best, most
BOB HENDERSON Trinity Episcopal
ardent and honest efforts to do the good, actually injure or destroy the people and the good we are trying to do. These range from an honest attempt to help another to the need to force another to look good so we, too, can look good. For example, how often have we punished a child because of a slight, insignificant transgression, which we thought or felt made us look bad in the eyes of others? In the church, in all churches, we find people so dedicated to doing good and making sure that others do good, that they are perfectly willing to destroy the community, the mission
and the role of other people in the church. Think about what happens when a particular church splits over theology or the preacher, or when individuals, clergy and parishes leave their denomination for various reasons like women’s ordination or sexuality. Destroying good while trying to do good isn’t confined to “other” people. It’s right here – I’ve done it, you’ve done it. The same kind of good-doing that crucified Jesus is the same kind of good-doing that inhabits our own souls, constantly seeking a way to escape and crucify another person in the name of God. In every case, every case, there is always someone we can point to and say: “Yes, it was he, she, they who did exactly that” and avoid looking into our own hearts and actions to ask: “What or who did I destroy in order to do good?”
On Good Friday, we Christians are called to contemplate the enormous evil of crucifixion, which was ordered in the name of God – the God of self, the God of the Jews, the God of Roman rule. This call isn’t confined to Good Friday. Every day, every hour we are called to contemplate and constantly consider the evil we do in the name of God or at least, in the name of good. Let us not forget to look inside ourselves, not at the goodness of our motives but at the evil our actions cause. And let us pray, that even though Jesus’ death takes away our sins, that the circumstances of his death, the people involved, and their actions, will remind us to constantly consider the evil of our actions rather then the seeming purity of our attempt to do good. Henderson is a rector at Trinity Episcopal Church.
Religion Briefs • Episcopal Church of the Epiphany On May 29 at 9:30 a.m. the “Confirmation and Coffee” Sunday School series will conclude with discussion of the Episcopal Church’s teachings on Liturgy and Sacraments led by Father Wells Warren. The confirmation series will culminate in a visit on June 5 from The Rt. Rev. Santosh K. Marray, Assistant Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama. At 10:30 a.m. Father Wells will celebrate the Holy Eucharist, with coffee hour to follow. For more information, visit the church website: http://epiphanytallassee. org/ • St. Vincent de Paul OUR LIFE’S JOURNEY is a service of St. Vincent de Paul Church and airs weekly from 8:00-8:30 a.m. on 580 WACQ and FM 101.1 in Tallassee. Listen Live on www. wacqradio.com or the TuneIn app on your smartphone. The pastor of St. Vincent de Paul is Monsignor Charles Troncale. May 29 - Building Better Families part 3 (Matthew Kelly) June 5 - Vatican II Council AME ZION Mt. Zion Chapel AME Zion 2340 Crenshaw Rd., Wetumpka 567-4413 Rogers Chapel AME Zion 709 W. Bridge St., Wetumpka 567-8144 Jackson Chapel AME Zion 4885 Coosada Rd., Coosada Jones Chapel AME Zion 2414 Ingram Rd. (Co. Rd. 3), Elmore ABUNDANT LIFE Abundant Life Church 9301 U.S. Hwy 231., Wetumpka 567-9143 ASSEMBLY OF GOD Agape Tabernacle Assembly of God 1076 Kowaliga Rd., Eclectic 541-2006 Bethel Worship Center 11117 U.S. Hwy 231., Wetumpka 567-5754 Crossroads Assembly of God 2534 AL Hwy 14., Millbrook 285-5545 First Assembly of God 3511 Shirley Ln., Millbrook New Home Assembly of God 5620 Caesarville Rd., Wetumpka 569-2825 BAPTIST Abraham Baptist Church Millbrook Antioch Baptist Church 1115 Antioch Rd., Titus 567-2917 Beulah Baptist Church 2350 Grier Rd., Wetumpka 514-2881 Blue Ridge Baptist 4471 Jasmine Hill Rd., Wetumpka 567-4325 Brookwood Baptist Grandview Rd., Millbrook Calvary Baptist 504 W. Osceola St., Wetumpka 567-4729 Central Baptist 3545 W. Central Rd., Wetumpka 541-2556 Coosada Baptist 20 Kennedy Ave., Coosada Deatsville Baptist 184 Church St., Deatsville Eclectic Baptist Church 203 Claud Rd., Eclectic 541-4444 Faith Baptist 64 Chapel Rd., Wetumpka 567-4417 First Baptist Church 205 W. Bridge St., Wetumpka 567-5191 First Baptist of Elmore Hwy. 14 Co. Rd. 74, Elmore
Sister Judy Moss at 334-401-0390.
June 12 - Sola Scriptura part 1 • First Baptist Church Reeltown Invites you to Community Senior Day on Wednesday, May 25 at 11a.m. Pastor Tim Smith will have a Memorial Day Devotion with patriotic music and stores. Be sure to bring your favorite dish to share at the Fellowship Luncheon in honor of Memorial Day. Wear your red, white and blue. Help unite Reeltown’s surrounding areas by bringing a friend. • St. Mark All Nations Pentecostal Foundation Church 50 Men in Black Celebration will be May 29 at 3 p.m. come one come all. You are cordially invited to attend our Annual 50 Men in Black Celebration. We are asking all men to come out and be a part of this joyous gospel-singing occasion. Invited guest include: Navigator from Opelika, AL, Spiritual Travelers from Tuskegee, AL and Beulah Male Chorus from Notasulga, AL. For more information contact Sister Brenda Stubbs at 334-401-0706 or
Galilee Baptist 95 Old Georgia Rd., Wetumpka 567-4178 Good Hope Baptist 1766 S. Fleahop Rd., Eclectic Goodship Baptist Hwy. 143, Millbrook Grace Baptist Old Montgomery Hwy., Wetumpka 5673255 Grandview Pines Baptist Deatsville Hwy., Deatsville Green Ridge Baptist 288 Turner Rd., Wetumpka 567-2486 Harvest Baptist 2990 Main St., Millbrook Hillside Baptist 405 Old Montgomery Hwy., Wetumpka Holtville Riverside Baptist 7121 Holtville Rd., Wetumpka 514-5922 Lake Elam Baptist 4060 Gober Rd., Millbrook Liberty Hill Baptist 61 Crenshaw Rd., Wetumpka 567-8750 Lighthouse Baptist 2281 Main St., Millbrook Living Water Baptist 1745 Grass Farm Rd. (Co. Rd. 80), Weoka Millbrook Baptist Millbrook 285-4731 Mitts Chapel Baptist 935 Cold Springs Rd., Deatsville 569-1952 Mt. Hebron West Baptist 150 Mt. Hebron Rd., Elmore 567-4441 Mountain View Baptist 1025 Rifle Range Rd., Wetumpka 567-4458 New Harmony Baptist 3094 New Harmony Rd., Marbury 312-1878 New Home Baptist 1605 New Home Rd., Titus 567-0923 New Hope Baptist 6191 Lightwood Rd., Deatsville 569-1267 New Lily Green Baptist 6504 Deatsville Hwy., Deatsville New Nazareth Baptist Hwy. 143, Deatsville Pleasant Hill Baptist Pleasant Hill Rd., Eclectic 541-3460 Prospect Baptist Prospect Rd., Eclectic 567-5837
Redland Baptist 1266 Dozier Rd., Wetumpka 567-8649 Rehoberth Baptist 8110 Rifle Range Rd., Tallassee 567-9801 Rushenville Baptist 10098 Georgia Rd., Eclectic 541-2418 Saint James Baptist 1005 Nobles Rd., Wetumpka 567-6209 Saint James Baptist 101 Gantt Rd., Deatsville 569-3006 Santuck Baptist 7250 Central Plank Rd., Wetumpka 5672364 Seman Baptist Seman, Alabama Shoal Creek Baptist 13214 Holtville Rd., Deatsville 569-2482 Springfield Baptist Hwy. 7, Millbrook Thelma Baptist 810 Weoka Rd., Wetumpka 567-3665 Titus Baptist 6930 Titus Rd., Wetumpka 334-531-2120 Tunnell Chapel Baptist 210 Central Plank Rd., Wetumpka 567-2589 Victory Baptist 5481 Main St., Millbrook Wadsworth Baptist 2780 Hwy. 143, Deatsville 569-2851 BAPTIST - MISSIONARY Atkins Hill 565 Atkins Rd., Wetumpka 567-1141 Cathmagby Baptist 3074 Mitchell Creek Rd., Wetumpka 5674787 First Missionary Baptist at Guilfield 412 Company St., Wetumpka 567-7455 Goodhope 1389 Willow Springs Rd. Wetumpka 5677133 Lebanon 17877 U.S. Hwy. 231, Titus 514-1097 Mount Canaan 1125 Weoka Rd., Wetumpka 567-2141 Mount Pisgah 16621 U.S. Hwy. 231, Titus 567-3668 Mt. Zion 371 AL Hwy. 14, Elmore, 567-2613 Mt. Zion #3
• East Tallassee United Methodist Church The “River’s Edge Flea Market” is open every Saturday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. All vendors are welcome: new items, old items, crafts, youth groups, ball teams, baked goods, produce and food. The flea market is sponsored by the East Tallassee UMC and is located across from City Hall. We will offer various priced booths. To reserve a space call Joan Wood at 334-312-4913. All proceeds raised by ETUMC will be used for church-sponsored programs. • St. John All Nations Pentecostal Foundation Church 3495 Hwy 14 Notasulga, AL 36866. Minister Alma Purter, Pastor. Welcome, welcome, welcome! We look forward to your presence. Program committee: Sis. Brenda Moss 334-401-0706, Sis. Linda Pullium 334-209-3208 and Sis. Judy Moss.
1813 Luke Paschal Rd., Eclectic New Home 5130 Elmore Rd., Wetumpka 567-5966 Second Missionary 760 N. Bridge St., Wetumpka 567-8601 Spring Chapel Jasmine Hill Rd., Wetumpka 567-6493 Sweetwater 163 Michael Lane, Wetumpka 334-538-9415 Tabernacle Baptist 1020 W. Tallassee St., Wetumpka 567-0620 BAPTIST - PRIMITIVE Bethel Old School 4625 Jackson Rd. (C.R. 103), Wetumpka Providence 4850 Chana Creek Rd., Tallassee CATHOLIC Our Lady of Guadalupe 545 White Rd., Wetumpka 567-0311 CHURCH OF CHRIST Church of Christ of Elmore 470 Caesarville Rd., Wetumpka 567-6670 Church of Christ Grandview Pines 165 Deatsville Hwy., Millbrook Cold Springs Church of Christ 5920 Alabama Hwy. 143, Deatsville Georgia Road Church of Christ 4003 Georgia Rd., Wetumpka 567-2804 Lightwood Church of Christ 251 New Harmony Rd., Deatsville 569-1510 Redland Road Church of Christ 2480 Redland Rd., Wetumpka 514-3656 Wetumpka Church of Christ W. Bridge St. At W. Main St., Wetumpka 567-6561 CHURCH OF GOD Elmore Church of God 10675 Rucker Road, Elmore Gethsemane Church of God 705 Cotton St., Wetumpka 567-9886 Church at the Brook 2890 Hwy. 14, Millbrook Maranatha Church of God 2621 Holtville Rd., Wetumpka 567-6786 Victory Tabernacle AOH Church of God Hwy 143, Millbrook Wetumpka Church of God Hwy. 9 N. Wetumpka 215-3091 CONGREGATIONAL CHRISTIAN
Cedarwood Congregational Christian 10286 US Hwy 231 N, Wetumpka 567-0476 Seman Congregational Christian 15970 Central Plank Rd., Seman Union Congregational Christian 8188 Lightwood Rd., Marbury 569-2122 EPISCOPAL The Episcopal Church of the Epiphany 2602 Gilmer Ave., Tallassee 252-8618 Trinity Episcopal Church 5371 U.S. Hwy. 231, Wetumpka 567-7534 St. Michael & All Angels Church 5941 Main St., Millbrook HOLINESS New Beginnings Holiness 865 Crenshaw Rd., Wetumpka 567-9211 Summit Holiness 2050 Hwy. 14, Millbrook Temple of Deliverance Holiness 620 Alabama St., Wetumpka 514-3114 JEHOVAH’S WITNESS Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses 9235 U.S. Hwy. 231, Wetumpka 567-8100 LATTER DAY SAINTS Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 1405 Chapel Rd., Wetumpka 567-8339 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Cobbs Ford Rd., Millbrook LUTHERAN Christ Lutheran Church 2175 Cobbs Ford Rd., Prattville PRESBYTERIAN First Presbyterian Church 100 W. Bridge St., Wetumpka 567-8135 Millbrook Presbyterian Corner of Main St. & Coosada Rd. Valley View Presbyterian - PCA 4125 Rifle Range Rd. Wetumpka 386-2386 SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST First Elmore Seventh Day Adventist 210 Lucky Town Rd., Elmore 514-1020 INDEPENDENT METHODIST Claud Independent Methodist Church 81232 Tallassee Hwy, Eclectic 541-2552 UNITED METHODIST Cain’s Chapel United Methodist 96 Lightwood Rd., Deatsville 569-2375
Submit your church news to editor@tallasseetribune.com •••
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If you would like to be a sponsor of the Devotional Thoughts each week, please give us a call, 334-567-7811. The Tallassee Tribune
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THE TALLASSEE TRIBUNE
Pet of the Week – Artie
Submitted / The Herald
The final tally from the May 7 ‘Run for the Roses - Coosada Style,’ Kentucky Derby Party at The Elms was $3,450! Isn’t that simply fantastic
Run for Roses event a big success By REA CORD Executive Director
The final tally from the May 7 ‘Run for the Roses - Coosada Style,’ Kentucky Derby Party at The Elms was $3,450! Isn’t that simply fantastic? We are so lucky to have so many pet loving shelter supporters in our corner and can never thank them enough. The Elms is the perfect location for this event and all the hosts and hostesses that make this such a top-notch event deserve a huge round of applause. Thank you again for coming together for our pets like this each year! We hope you have your calendar marked for our 11th annual Wags & Whiskers Auction on Friday, July 29 at the Wetumpka Civic Center. This is one of our biggest fund-raising events with a room full of
HUMANE SOCIETY OF ELMORE COUNTY NEWS items for auction, great food, door prizes, and fun for everyone. All the proceeds go to our humane shelter to help ensure we can continue our work and be there for the public and so many pets in need. We are still accepting items for our auction and would love to add some furniture items (that winners can transport home the night of the auction), perhaps some antiques & sports and outdoor items. If you would like to donate an item to our auction please contact Sandy Faulk at 334-5412505 or email her at silentauction@ elmorehumane.com. All donated items are tax-deductible and support a great cause (we are a bit
biased). This is both a silent and live auction so plenty of opportunities for everyone to find one or more treasures. The fun, food and bidding begins at 6 p.m. when we open the Civic Center doors. Creek Casino Wetumpka will again be providing tables full of yummy hors d’oerves. Scott & Michelle Williams from High as the Sky Auction Company will make sure our live auction is a fun experience for everyone and DJ Ziggy from PowerSounds USA will keep our energy level high as our master of ceremonies. Silent auction bidding will then continue until the final whistle and our many auction volunteers will then help everyone collect their items and do the final payment processing. You can preview
each and every item that will be in our auction by checking out our special auction website: http:// www.elmorehumane. auction/. New items are being added weekly so check back often to see what new treasures will be up for bid. You can pre-purchase tickets ($25 couple/$15 single) at our shelter (255 Central Plank Road, Wetumpka) or at the door. We also have a limited number of tables seating eight for $300 – come to the shelter or call us at 334-567-3377 to pay for your table before they are all gone! Our silent auction is our biggest single fund-raising event, so we hope for a huge crowd who want to have fun, find a few treasures and support our work to help as many animals as we can each and every day.
Artie is a nine-month old Dachshund/Hound mix, only about 30 pounds so he is as big as he is going to be. Poor Artie has been with us since February and just keeps getting bypassed, which is sad considering how happy, playful, and loveable he is. Artie is great with other dogs, loves to play with toys, and is the perfect size for most any family. Our adoption fees are $100 for dogs and $50 for cats under 1 year old; cats over one year old can be adopted by approved adopters for a fee of their choosing. This adoption fee completely covers the mandatory spay or neuter, basic immunizations, de-worming, microchip, heartworm check for dogs, rabies vaccination if old enough, 45 days of pet health insurance and a free health exam with your participating veterinarian. To meet all the great pets at our shelter come to 255 Central Plank Road, Wetumpka, AL, 36092, go to our website at http://www.elmorehumane.org/ for more information, email us at hselco@bellsouth.net or give us a call at 334567-3377. We are open for adoptions Mon–Fri 10-5 and Sat 9-3.
THE TALLASSEE TRIBUNE
www.TallasseeTribune.com
May 25, 2016 • Page 11
Mill
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Tallapoosa. It was this textile mill that produced goods for the Confederate Army during the Civil War, not the structure that sits on the east banks of the Tallapoosa, as reported by many after fire consumed the historic building early this month. The Mount Vernon Mills conglomerate absorbed the Tallassee Falls Manufacturing Company in 1900 and constructed two additional mills. Instead, it was Mill No. 2 and 3 which were engulfed on that Wednesday evening. The historic buildings had stood for over 100 years. While most of the mills constructed by the Mount Vernon Company were brick buildings, the famous explorer Benjamin Hawkins made note of the stone bricks used for the construction of the Tallassee Mills. George Washington appointed Benjamin Hawkins as General Superintendent of Indian Affairs, dealing with all tribes south of the Ohio River. It was during this time that Hawkins explored the Tallassee area and reported back to Washington, “The rock is a light gray, very much divided into square blocks of various sizes for building. It requires very little labor to reduce it to form for plain walls. Large masses of it are so nicely fitted and regular as to imitate the wall of an ancient building where the stone has passed through the hand of a mason. The quantity of this description at the falls, and in the hills adjoining them, is great--- sufficient for the building of a great city.” In his writing, Hawkins was correct, and perhaps prophetic, as Tallassee was built from these mystic stones. It was these same stones Hawkins wrote of that Mr. Issac Pienezza used in the construction of the Tallassee Mills No. 2 and 3. Pienezza is the grandfather of Suzannah Solomon Wilson, owner of Suzannah’s Photography in Tallassee, and she has many memories of her grandfather and other family members who helped shape the present day city. According to Wilson, Pienezza arrived in Tallassee from Atlanta, Georgia, in or about 1892. As master
IDB
wealth of knowledge of the history of Tallassee. Bill died in 1990,” said Wilson. Not only did Pienezza leave many tangible impressions on Tallassee, he also left many memories for his family. “There are some funny stories about my great grandfather Isaac,” Wilson said. “They say when he bought his first car it was ‘such a puzzle’ that he kept driving it around one block until it gave out of gas. There are, according to my mother’s memories, descriptions of ‘old man Pienezza’ chasing children away from his newly laid sidewalks, shaking his trowel at them, gesticulating wildly, and shouting in Italian and English at them.” Wilson and her family have personal memories of the man who built the mill, but for the city these men left great footprints, and while most of the Mount Vernon Mills no. 2 and 3 were destroyed in the May 4 fire, the cornerstones of the building remain. It is the same infallible workmanship that built these cornerstones that allowed them to endure the inferno and stand like stone pillars, a memory of what once was.
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May 9 city council meeting. However, during the meeting, members of the council asked Dorley to meet with them in an open meeting on May 19 for further review. Councilman Bill Godwin began the questions with, “What exactly are we doing here?” After further explanation from Dorley and other members of the IDB, all of the councilmen present, Godwin, Wilson, Rygiel, Stough and Blaylock, made it clear that they would not condone anything that would jeopardize the city of Tallassee. Godwin was quick to point out that he did not want to insult ECEDA with this new designation of Economic Professional to the Tallassee Industrial development Board. “ECEDA has been good to us,” Godwin said. Dorley reassured the council that the new designation would not harm the city’s relationship with the county, in any form. “We’re asking for a unified voice, DOC has already been made aware of it,” Dorley said. “It doesn’t do anything against any other organization, it just enhances the Industrial Development Board to better do its job.” Councilmen Rygiel asked what would be best for the city’s bottom line. “Our cost is the same whether we go through ECEDA or not,” Dorley said. Councilman Charles Blaylock wanted to know what has happened over the last year to cause the Tallassee Industrial Board to want to change and add this new designation. The answer was simple; the Department of Commerce created the term “Economic Professional”. This term gave the IDB the ability to deal directly with the Alabama Department of Commerce on expansion projects. “I won’t be involved in anything that will have a negative affect on the people who help us,”
Legion
mason and chief of his crew, he arrived in Tallassee with 30 other masons to accomplish the expansion of the Tallassee Falls Manufacturing Company textile mills. These men built the stone railroad trestle which still stands along Alabama Highway 229 near the O’Daniel Bridge, the extant Company Store (1893), the 1897-1898 stone textile mill and adjoining picker building still in use by Mt. Vernon Mills in 2000, the Power Plant (1901), a tunnel leading from the Power Plant to the textile mill, concrete steps down the river banks to the east and west mills, and stone retaining walls on both sides of the river. Other examples of the work of these men can be see in various parts of Tallassee. Before moving to Tallassee, Pienezza worked in the coal mines of West Virginia, where he obtained his citizenship. Not long after, Pienezza went to work for the Mount Vernon Mill Company. It was this company that would send Pienezza to Tallassee and beyond. “We believe that a company sent him to both Tallassee to work on the mills and to the Panama Canal to work on it,” said Wilson. While Pienezza traveled throughout North and Central America, it was Tallassee that captured Pienezza’s heart. “Mr. Pienezza met Olive Louise DuPriest, a local girl, and they fell in love and married. They left Tallassee and spent some time in Atlanta where he ran a stone-cutting business with a Mr. Girometta. It was in Atlanta where their sons Morrell and Harvey were struck with diphtheria and died. They came back to Tallassee, and he worked on the construction of the 1923 addition to the mill,” she said. Together the couple had six children. Of the six children, three lived to see adulthood. “CB, whom the women loved, died in a car wreck. Harry, a taxi cab driver, farmer, and bootlegger, died at the age of 42 of tuberculosis. Bill went to law school at the University of Alabama, served in the Alabama legislature, and became the city attorney for the city of Tallassee. He had a
Blaylock said. “Tallassee is No. 1.” Councilman Stough was equally perplexed and questioned the working relationship between the IDB and ECEDA, pointing out a good working relationship with ECEDA is healthy for the city. “We need to work with the ECEDA. It sounds like we have a conflict somewhere and I feel like that needs to be out in the open. Why do we need to go straight to the Department of Commerce when ECEDA has been doing the job for years?” Stough asked. Councilman Darrell Wilson again explained the he had reached out to ECEDA to assure that all perspectives were truly represented in the meeting. Wilson, too, was concerned about the working relationship between the city and the county. Again the IDB assured the council that this new title would in no way harm the working relationship between the City of Tallassee and other organizations on any level, state or county. Furthermore, the IDB claims that not having this designation of an Economic Professional has hindered its ability to deal with the Alabama Department of Commerce. This applies to a particular situation, if industries were to expand, and it would be unnecessary for ECEDA or the Elmore County Commission to participate in the process then the IDB can deal directly with the Alabama Department of Commerce, using the new designation.
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is sponsored by the American Legion,” said Sam Benson, Commander of the Tallassee American Legion Post. “The boys go to Tuscaloosa from May 29 through June 4. The Girls State is located at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and their dates are June 5-10.” The American Legion chose students from around the state to go Boys and Girls State. “The American Legion sponsors this nationwide. Each department, and each state is a department, sponsors it for the entire state. The University of Alabama hosts this and they offer housing, and the purpose is to teach young boys and girls principles of governing state, county and city,” Benson said. This experience is also aimed to broaden the perspective of participants. “You can imagine what the difference between a student from north Alabama and one who lives in Mobile. There’s a difference in their way of life and this teaches them how to relate to one another,” said L A Taunton. The participants will also have plenty of outdoor fun while participating in this summer program. “They will have baseball or softball games and basketball,” Taunton added. In order to be considered for the program, students must meet certain requirements. Teachers are heavily involved in the selection of the participants. “Teachers know the students best,” Benson said. “Here in Tallassee they will pick certain students, which qualify to go. These are well-mannered, well-educated and they represent not only the high school but also the city of Tallassee.” The American Legion in Tallassee has been in existence since 1929. About three years ago the American Legion tried to revamp the organization and since then the local post 118 has given the high school more than $1,500 for Boys and Girls State.
JOBS available
Tallapoosa Publishers is a multi-media news and sales organization that is located in Wetumpka and Alexander City,
Alabama. The Wetumpka Herald and The Tallassee Tribune along with its sister publications have been the voice of central Alabama since 1892. Wetumpka enjoys steady growth along with a list of many recreational opportunities.
We currently are seeking one outside and one inside advertising account executive.
As an Advertising account executive you will be expected to develop new business and maintain an existing account base of clients by selling a variety of advertising products and services. Some of our advertising products include print, online and mobile editions of the newspaper, magazines, inserts, direct mail and email marketing. This role is critical to supporting the over all revenue objectives at out organization. Our Account Executives use a consultative sales approach to identify the marketing and advertising needs of their clients in order to make effective recommendations. At the close of sale, this position requires you to complete detailed paperwork to fulfill orders that include placement of ads, the creative message, and reports to communicate campaign performance.
Qualifications Ideal candidates will have 2 plus years of outside sales experience. Most importantly, the candidate will have a demonstrated track record of achievement and be able to work in a fast paced and deadline oriented environment. Bachelor’s degree preferred. Candidates must have excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills including basic computer skills for Microsoft office suite including Google for email, scheduling, and documents. Our outside sales positions require you to have reliable transportation, a valid driver’s license and a clean driving record.
Please email resume to marketing @alexcityoutlook.com
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Phone 334-283-6568 Fax 334-283-6569 www.TallasseeTribune.com www.tallapoosapublishers.smugmug.com
SPORTS
Track and Field grows in popularity in Tallassee, nationwide By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
Track and Field is continuing to grow in popularity in America and nowhere is this more obvious than in Tallassee. THS’s track and field team’s numbers continue to grow. Despite not having proper training facilities, Tallassee’s track and field students practice on school yard grass. Earlier this month Tallassee High School’s Head Track and Field Coach Danny Worley, took 18 students nine boys and nine girls to the state meet. “Of those 18, 12 had never been to state meet before,” Worley said. “Quite a few kids surprised us. We knew this would be a rebuilding year. We are very young. We had 48 kids go out for track this year and 32 of them were seventh, eighth and ninth graders, a lot of young kids.” With so much young talent on the team, Worley understood there could be limitations. “We knew we would be limited this year but they stepped up and we had a good year.” The only placer for Tallassee was Zeryes Rivers. “He ended up in 7th place in the shot put, but we had some outstanding performances from the meet. We had quite a few kids that did real well. Salina Lawrence had an outstanding meet. She’s a ninth grader and she was able to set school records in 800 meter run. She ran 2:32:18, which last year she was 2:45. She dropped a lot of time this year. She ended up tenth overall, that’s good for a freshman. For the mile she ran 5:45 and she knocked one second off of the school record that she already owned.” Another member of the Tallassee track and field
team that did well was Katherine Crawford. “She did a great job in the 1600 and she also ran in the 4x800 relay.” It seems the 4x800 relay event was the most successful event for Tallassee’s female track team members. “The 4x800 relay, we were real pleased with those girls. They were Yolanda Walsh, Salina Lawrence, Catherine Crawford and Linden Oliver. Those girls did an excellent job and placed third in sectionals and they were 12th at the state meet.” At the state meet, there are four meets going on at once. Each classification is individualized and there were over 2,000 kids that participated in this month’s state meet. “Track and field has now become the number one participation sport in the United States high school and it’s the number one participation sport in Alabama.” Worley believes this increase in popularity is largely because the sport is broad in scope and often focuses on individual talents. “There are so many options,” he said. “When we go play baseball, there are nine positions on the baseball field. There are 56 spots for boys and 56 spots for girls on the track team, so we can find something for everyone to do. There is a place for every kid.” This is what is driving the popular demand for the sport. Each child has an equal opportunity to shine. After speaking with Tallassee School Superintendent Wade Shipman, it was confirmed that the possibility of a true practice track is further down the road. In the mean time, in true Tallassee fashion, the students press on and continue to shine.
The Tallassee Tribune • May 25, 2016
Reeltown High School Honor Band
Carmen Rodgers / The Tribune
Left to right: 2016 Reeltown Honor Band,Brody Newman, Alex Janke, Chere’e Guevara, Alexius Lowe, Sharnette Howard, Mr. Tyler Strickland, Ben Brumbeloe, Christina Jones, Daniel Spain,Bailey Brumbeloe and Reagan Newman.
Ridiculously early college football predictions
E
very year about this time, I dig incredibly deep into my prophetic reservoir and make 10 ridiculously early predictions about the upcoming college football season. If you’re not familiar with my column, it’s uncanny how impeccably accurate my prognostications have been over the years. If you are familiar with my column, just play along and don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story. This is no joke. I had a dream about an old friend on Sunday night. She called me out of the blue on Monday afternoon because she had a dream that made her think of me. Is that The Twilight Zone theme I hear? Apparently, my psychic powers are at their peak in the month of May. I apologize if my potent brain waves adversely affected anyone else. Visions of the future can be chaotic, so bear with me. Here are 10 ridiculously early predictions about the 2016 college football season. 1. South Carolina bounces back from a 3-9 debacle in 2015. Will Muschamp’s influence improves the defense immediately, but the overall talent gap is too much to overcome. The Gamecocks go 7-6 and lose to West Virginia in the Liberty Bowl.
ANDY GRAHAM Sports Columnist
2. While Jim Harbaugh might not exactly be the easiest guy to like, he did a tremendous job in Ann Arbor last year. I foresee Michigan going 11-1 in the regular-season and defeating Wisconsin 31-20 for the Big Ten championship in 2016. 3. Auburn will name Sean White it’s starting quarterback three weeks into fall camp. John Franklin III will have a “package” that’s built-in to the game plan. White incurs a high ankle sprain in the 3rd quarter of game two and Franklin takes over. In the best traditions of Wally Pip, Franklin never releases the starting role again. 4. The Ole Miss Rebels were one insanely-bizarre-overtime-loss-against-Arkansas away from heading to their very first SEC Title game a season ago. Quite frankly, the 2016 schedule is brutal. Colonel Reb can’t live up to expectation and finishes the season 9-4.
5. Alabama freshman QB Jalen Hurts causes a stir during fall practice, but Cooper Bateman takes the first snap against USC. A game the Tide will win by 17 points. Nick Saban is curt with the media. 6. Stanford’s Mr. Versatility Christian McCaffrey wins the Heisman Trophy dispelling the myth of East Coast bias and creating a new myth of West Coast bias. 7. LSU running back Leonard Fournette leads the SEC in rushing with 2072 yards and 24 rushing TD. Les Miles says weird things, wears his hat a little funny and still coaches the Tigers in 2017. 8. Kevin Sumlin wears out his welcome in College Station after five years with a 7-5 regular-season. A declining win total and unrest among the players forces a change. 9. Gus Malzahn restores the faith of the Auburn people (for a year or two anyway) with an offense that averages 464 yards a game which is good for No. 3 in the SEC. 10. The four teams playing for it all in the College Football Playoff are Clemson, Michigan, Oklahoma and Alabama. Graham is a sports columnist for The Tribune.
Prime Time Athletics holds ribbon cutting ceremony By CARMEN RODGERS Tallassee Tribune
Reeltown resident Rodney O’Neal wanted to do something to continue to support area kids and give them an opportunity to achieve, thus giving birth to Prime Time Athletics. O’Neal is a 2010 graduate of Reeltown High School. After graduation he attended Southern Union and eventually finished his collegiate career at Troy University where he cheered for the Trojans. O’Neal graduated from Troy University in 2015 with a degree in Elementary Education and he returned home to put it to use. “I teach fourth grade math and science at Tuskegee Public School,” said O’Neal. “I work with children all day then I come here and work with them at night.” O’Neal knew from an early age that he wanted to teach children. “In high school I was a peer tutor. I knew I was going to work with kids,” he said. After graduation, O’Neal returned home only to realize the need for a program that would build cheering and tumbling skills for children in the area. This is how Prime Time Athletics came to fruition. “We have a lot of dance studios and baton and things like that, but I was a cheerleader and I realized that in our area we don’t have that for kids who want it. So I came back and got the training through Troy University and implemented that here,” O’Neal said. While the facility is situated at the intersection of Highway
Submitted / The Tribune
Members of the Tallassee Chamber of Commerce along with Troy University cheerleaders and members of the O’Neal family gathered Saturday for the official ribbon cutting ceremony at Prime Time Athletics which is owned by Reeltown’s own Rodney O’Neal and specializes in cheer skill building and tumbling for students from the community who are ages 4 and up.
14 and Highway 49, O’Neal wants the community to know this new facility is for everyone. O’Neal may have graduated from Reeltown High School but he welcomes students from all area schools. “We are not a school-based foundation. It is a community-based foundation. We have kids from Tallassee, Reeltown,
Notasulga, Loachapoka and Auburn,” he said. “I want Prime Time Athletics to be what I experienced when I went to college. I was able to meet amazing people in one setting and that’s what I want Prime Time Athletics to be.” PTA offers a number of classes that will fit into any schedule. “We offer beginner tumbling,
intermediate tumbling, advanced tumbling. We have stunt classes and a boys progressive class.” Out of these categories O’Neal most favors advanced tumbling. “You really get to see everything from beginner to intermediate come together and become advanced,” he said. “It’s all the skills in one.” PTA serves children as young
as 4 years old all the way through college age students. Children are grouped according to skill, rather than age. “We have some that are in advanced because they can perform the skill.” To sign your child up for classes or for more information, call 334-252-0180.