Tallassee Tribune Nov. 29 2023

Commission gives Tallassee drone

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

The City of Tallassee is now in full possession of a tethered drone after action by the Elmore County Commission at its Monday meeting.

The drone was originally purchased by the county through a reimbursement grant program with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency State Homeland Security Program.

“They have been using it already,”

Commissioner Mack Daugherty said.

“With mutual aid it will be able to be used across the county in various emergency situations.”

The mutual aid arrangement is through the Elmore County

Emergency Management Agency for drone use across Elmore County.

Commissioner Henry Hines thanked the county’s road crews and the public works department for efforts in maintaining county rightsof-way on the county’s nearly 1,000 miles of roads.

“They have just about finished the second grass cutting,” Hines said. “With good weather it should be completed in the next week.”

Hines said after the new year crews would start trimming back limbs and trees on the county’s roadways.

IN OTHER ACTION THE ELMORE COUNTY COMMISSION:

• Approved minutes of the Nov. 13 meeting.

• Approve the memorandum of warrants and purchase orders totaling $3,373,576.33 for Nov. 4 through Nov. 17.

• Set a public hearing for 5 p.m. Dec. 11 for comments on the transfer application of Class II Package Store Alcohol license for Jani Bhai LLC as well as the transfer of an off premises retail beer and retail wine license for Dollar General in Holtville.

• Approved a two-year contract with Blackbaud for historical access to financial records for audit purposes.

The next meeting of the Elmore County Commission is scheduled for 5 p.m. Dec. 11.

BRIDGE WORK NEARING COMPLETION

PHOTOS BY CLIFF WILLIAM THE TRIBUNE

Traffic delays on the Fitzpatrick Bridge are almost finished as work is nearing completion. Earlier this week contractors started removing the safety fencing from underneath the bridge that allowed all of the iron work to be sandblasted and repainted. Tallassee Mayor Sarah Hill said workers should remove the overspray on the sidewalk portion of the bridge soon and finish up work on the surface of the bridge.

THURSDAY, NOV. 30

By ABIGAIL MURPHY Multimedia Reporter

Sheila Carver’s husband died in 2004, leaving her with a 9-year-old and a 13-year-old.

Over the years, her eldest grew up and it was soon just her and her daughter at home. However, that soon would change. Through their church, they had gotten to know a foster family in town. The more they got to

Obituaries

ROBERT S. “BOBBY” GRESHAM

Mr. Robert S. “Bobby” Gresham, Jr. a resident of Tallassee, Alabama, passed away Wednesday, November 15, 2023 at the age of 77. He was born in East Tallassee, Alabama, November 17, 1945, to Robert S. Gresham Sr. and Martha Downing Gresham.

Mr. Gresham is survived by his daughter, Amanda Gresham; sister, Carol G. Williams; sister-in-law, Jill Jones; several nieces, nephews, cousins and many special friends.

MR. LEE HORNSBY

Mr. Lee Hornsby, a resident of Tallassee, Alabama, passed away Tuesday, October 10, 2023, at the age of 90. He was born in Tallassee, Alabama, August 11, 1933, to Luther James and Irene Thornton Hornsby.

Mr. Hornsby is survived by his children, Karen Principe (John), Pam Griggs (Noah), Jennifer Bennett (Keith), Michael Hornsby (Kirsten) and Jamie Hornsby; son-inlaw, Mervyn Callahan; grandchildren, Andrea Walgren (Joe), Destiny Guy, Ross Thomas, Jamie Cacciatore, Adrianne Wag-

He is preceded in death by his wife, Judy R. Gresham; his parents, Seamon and Martha Gresham and his sister, Brenda Ingram. Bobby worked over sixty years in the grocery industry. He was a Veteran of the United States Army National Guard. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Children’s Harbor, 1 Our Children’s Hwy, Alexander City, Alabama 35010 / childrensharbor.com or you may visit Bobby’s obituary at www.jeff-

ner (Sean), Nicole Leiser (Nicholas), Taylor Toro (Chris), Madison Griggs (David Smith), Matthew Bennett, Erick Hornsby and Abigail Hornsby; thirteen great grandchildren; one great-great granddaughter; special friend Kim Wallace (Claire) and extended family, Robin Hooks.

He is preceded in death by his wife of 48 years, Barbara C. Hornsby; his parents, Luther and Irene Hornsby; sister, Sarah Hornsby Roberts and his daughter, Donnette Callahan.

Mr. Hornsby retired as a Master Chief with

PATSY JEAN (KELLY) LEE

Patsy Jean (Kelly) Lee, 81, died peacefully on November 17, 2023, surrounded by her family in Moulton, AL. Mrs. Lee was born on September 6, 1942, in Tallassee, AL, and preceded in death by her husband, John Lee; son, Larry Lee; daughter Kimberly (Kim) (Lee) Connor; and parents Roosevelt (Rosie) and Eva Mae Kelly both of Tallassee, AL. Mrs. Lee is survived by her son, Allen (Bo) Lee and wife, Sharyl Lee of Houston, TX; grandchildren, Caleb Lee and wife Ali Lee of Moulton, AL, Jordan Lee and wife, Emmie of Birmingham, AL, and Tayla Connor of Hartselle,

Police Reports

TALLASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT NOV. 26

• A noise complaint was reported on Third Avenue. NOV. 25

• A civil disturbance was reported on Darnell Road.

• A domestic incident was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• A noise complaint was reported on Hornsby Drive.

• A runaway juvenile was reported on Rickey Lane.

• A noise complaint was reported on Pinehurst Street.

• Trespassing was reported on Lee Street.

• Trespassing was reported on Friendship Road. NOV. 24

• Menacing was reported on Third Avenue.

• A domestic incident was reported on Benson Avenue.

• Gunfire was reported on First Avenue.

• Suspicious activity was reported on Gilmer Avenue. NOV. 23

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Gilmer

Continued from A1

Avenue.

coatfuneralhome.com and follow the link to “Plant A Tree” in his memory. The family will receive friends Saturday, November 18, 2023, from 10:00AM until service time at 11:00AM, at Jeffcoat Funeral Home Chapel, Rev. Jay Woodall officiating. Burial will follow in Rose Hill Cemetery. Online condolences are available at: www.jeffcoatfuneralhome.com.

Jeffcoat Funeral Home Directing Tallassee, Alabama

the United States Navy after twenty-one years of service. He later retired from Civil Service at Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Alabama. During their retirement years, he and his wife, Barbara, enjoyed traveling all over the United States in their fifth-wheel camper. The family would like to extend a special Thank You to Mr. Hornsby’s caring and loving caregivers, Shandra Skipper, Tonia Kendrick, Mary Dallas and Jackie Lynn.

The family will receive friends Monday, October 16, 2023, from 1:00PM until service time at 2:00PM at Jeffcoat Funeral Home Chapel. Elder Steve Flowers will be officiating, and burial will follow at Providence Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery, Kent, Alabama. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Disabled American Veterans of Foreign Wars (DAV), 215 Perry Hill Road, Montgomery, Alabama 36109. Online condolences are available at: www.jeffcoatfuneralhome.com.

AL; great-grandchildren, Lexi, Hampton, and Everett Lee, Carter Lee, Ethan Lee and wife, Katlyn Lee of New Braunfels, TX, Gemma Lee and David Ford of Houston, TX, and Alyssa Ford of Boulder, CO. Mrs. Lee was a beloved and trusted nurse for over 40 years, and many of those years she spent at Tallassee Community Hospital. Patsy was a talented seamstress, devoted wife, outstanding cook, avid crocheter, full-time family nurse, and follower of Jesus Christ. Mrs. Patsy was known for her love of people, her infectious laughter, her devotion to her husband, John, of

• A welfare check was conducted on E.B. Payne Sr. Drive.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on West Patton Street.

• Harassment was reported on Freeman Avenue.

• A welfare check was conducted on Second Avenue.

• Harassment was reported on McNeal Street.

• A domestic incident was reported on Hillcrest Street. NOV. 22

• Theft was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• An animal complaint was reported on McNeal Street.

• An animal complaint was reported on Alber Drive.

• A juvenile complaint was reported on South Tallassee Drive. NOV. 21

• A welfare check was reported on Macedonia Road.

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Lower Tuskegee Road.

• Trespassing was reported on Lee Street.

Jeffcoat Funeral Home Directing Tallassee, Alabama

over 50 years and the endless love of her family. Mrs. Lee was also a member of Liberty Baptist Church for over 20 years. Mrs. Lee’s celebration of life will be Saturday, November 25, 2023 at Liberty Baptist Church with visitation at 9:00 a.m. and the funeral immediately following at 10:00 a.m. Rev. Lance Houlton will officiate and the burial will follow in the church cemetery. Online condolences may be posted at www.linvillememorial.com.

Linville Memorial Funeral Home and Crematory Eclectic, Alabama

• Drug activity was reported on Third Avenue.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Highway 229. NOV. 20

• Gunfire was reported on First Avenue.

• A welfare check was conducted on Central Boulevard.

• A white female was arrested on Barnett Boulevard.

• Assistance was given to the Tallassee Fire Department on Central Boulevard.

• Harassment was reported on Magnolia Street.

• Theft was reported on Little Road.

• Suspicious activity was reported on Riverside Avenue.

• A white female was arrested on U.S. Highway 231.

• Criminal mischief was reported on Hickory Street.

• A juvenile complaint was reported on Lower Tuskegee Road.

• An animal complaint was reported on Gene Street.

• Theft was reported on Freeman Avenue.

• Criminal mischief was reported on Magnolia Street.

• Trespassing was reported on Lower Tuskegee Road.

• A white female was arrested during a traffic stop on Powers Extension.

WETUMPKA POLICE DEPARTMENT NOV. 19

• An assault was reported on U.S. Highway 231. NOV. 17

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

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

• Theft was reported on Ready Street. NOV. 16

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

• Theft was reported on U.S. Highway 231. NOV. 15

• Theft was reported on Tucker Drive. NOV. 13

• Theft was reported on U.S. Highway 231. NOV. 12

• Domestic violence was reported on North Bridge Street.

Humane Society of Elmore County News

Think before adopting a pet for Christmas

By REA CORD HSEC Executive Director

In celebration of National Mutts Day on Saturday, what better time to talk about perhaps adding a new pet to the family?

Christmas can be a good time as many people are on extended time off from work and have time to integrate a new pet into the home. But Christmas can also be a super busy time with shopping, parties, church activities and, for some, actually too busy a time to bring in a new pet. And no matter the holiday, come Jan. 2, most people are back to work and getting into the pattern of another year. What this means is before getting a pet for Christmas (or any time for that matter), we ask that everyone give some thought to personal schedules to ask if this is truly a good time to add a cute new puppy/dog or cat/kitten to the family. Getting off to a good start will set the tone for the rest of the

pet’s life so please plan ahead before bringing home a new pet, no matter what time of year.

We love helping families find their new best pet but also remind everyone a pet is a serious commitment in responsibility, money, time, training, patience and love. And considering many of our dogs and cats live well into their teens, may have medical needs during their lives and look to us for all of their needs, adding a pet to the family should be done only after much consideration and planning for both the near-term and long-term.

For those who bring in a new puppy or kitten, they will only be small and puppy/kitten adorable for a few very short months. Then you will have the fun of a gawky, sometimes unruly, perhaps wild teenager for another few months before they begin to settle down into adulthood. Some breeds take longer to mature than others and will challenge you

with two to three years of sometimes maddening behavior and you simply need to be up to that challenge.

Doing some breed research before bringing home that new puppy can help you prepare for what challenges they may bring as there is a rather big difference in the antics of a 3-month old Dachshund puppy versus a 3-month old Labradoodle type — think digging and chewing on two very different scales.

Even kittens can make for interesting challenges compared to a more sedate adult cat so we suggest – get two! But the rewards of learning your new pet’s personality, integrating them into your family routine and being given complete and unconditional love in return are certainly worth it to those of us who think of our pets as family.

Most shelters, ours included, discourage giving pets as gifts to non-family members as getting a pet is best done

Kurt looks to be a 2-year old male Catahoula mix who weighs about 50 pounds. He was found as a stray and brought to us, but no one ever came to claim him. Kurt is full of personality. He is happy-go-lucky and great with other dogs and children.

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

know this family the more both Carver and her daughter wanted to become a foster home themselves.

They knew there was a need for foster homes in Tallapoosa county, so they went through the classes and the paperwork process.

Carver said the goal with foster care is always to reunite the foster kids with their biological family. However, there are times where that is unable to happen.

With some of her foster kids that was the case and her caseworker asked her if she would consider adopting these children. Carver said it was an obvious yes.

“These foster kids need permanency,” Carver said. “They need stability and a safe living environment.

Once adoption is the goal, it goes fairly quickly.”

Now, Carver has three adopted boys with the oldest being 12 years old and her other sons being 7 years old. She said the two youngest boys are only 5 months apart so it’s almost like having twins even though they aren’t biologically related.

The adoption process was the same each time, but she said the nature of

after careful deliberation and honesty about the kind of home, the humans can provide for that pet. But for your children or parents or siblings, what can work perfectly is to make up an Adoption Gift Certificate, perhaps get a stuffed toy dog or cat and some toys, food bowls, etc. and put everything in a big basket with a bow as that first step towards finding that next pet. Then, after all the hoopla of the holidays has settled a bit, the search for that great pet match can begin. Because far too often, we see the results of pets obtained spur-of-the-moment or with unrealistic expectations, we have an application process so we can help any potential adopter make the right choice. We not only know more about the pets in our care than just their cute looks, we have a lot of experience as to why these pets were surrendered and what kind of placement might set both our pet and their adoptive family up for success.

Once we approve an adoption application, we will set up an appointment so that we can best facilitate a good meeting and hopefully successful adoption. Our goal is for our “mutts” to find their

best match so everyone will be happy for the duration of that pet’s life.

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

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

If you are interested in meeting Cola or any of the pets at HSEC, the first step is to fill out an adoption application online. Once approved, you will be contacted by someone from the humane society. HSEC is located at 255 Central Plank Road in Wetumpka. The phone number is 334567-3377 and the website is www.elmorehumane.org.

it felt different for each child. Her first kids she adopted in 2019 and, with it being the first time, there was a learning curve.

However, the Department of Human Resources and the caseworker guided her through the process.

Carver said the two things she hears the most about adoption is that it takes long and it’s expensive, but neither of these are true.

“I’m just a regular person with a regular job,” Carver said. “It doesn’t cost a lot to open your heart and open your home. And give a child a chance — they deserve a chance.”

Carver said the greatest part of adoption has been watching her kids grow and learn as well as watching them become the best version of themselves that they can be.

Another joy is watching them do things for the first time. Carver said for an upcoming family trip, they are going to the Great Smoky Mountains together — a place the kids haven’t been to before.

As for the challenges, Carver said each of her adopted kids have special needs. On her end, she has had to educate herself, learn how to best advocate for them and help them overcome barriers life may present.

But at the end of the day, she said adoption has

made them a family.

“It has really enriched my life,” she said. “I learn from these guys every day and I love watching them grow and become more confident. They are all so kind hearted.”

With November being National Adoption Month, Governor Kay Ivey was able to announce statewide DHR has found permanent homes for 741 foster kids through adoption. While many foster children are able to return to their biological family, for those who are unable to, adoption provides stability.

“We could not have accomplished this without our partners in the permanency and adoption process, especially the judges, adoptive parents and foster parents,” said Alabama Department of Human Resources Commissioner Nancy Buckner. “However, we must remember that the work is not done. We still have children that are waiting for a permanent family. Our staff and others work diligently every day to give these children the permanency they need. Always remember that there are no unwanted children, only unfound homes.”

For those interested in foster care or adoption, the local Tallapoosa County DHR office can be reached at 256-825-3740.

Tallassee Talks

60th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination

The assassination of John F. Kennedy happened 60 years ago this week. It occurred to me that a good many of you may be too young to remember that horribly sad day of November 22, 1963. Anyone living on that day can tell you exactly where they were when President John F. Kennedy was shot and killed by an assassin in Dallas, Texas. It was a perfect fall day in the Lone Star State. Lyndon Johnson was Vice President and he and Kennedy disliked each other immensely. The Kennedy’s had put Johnson on the ticket as Vice President in 1960 to assure that the Democrats carried Texas in the General Election, not because they liked him. It was totally a political marriage. They not only did not like Johnson, they did not trust him. It was a Friday afternoon. The last high school games of the year were to be played that night. High school football was big in Alabama. By the way, it was also big in Texas, thus the movie “Friday Night Lights.”

I was in the seventh grade. It was just after lunch. My homeroom teacher at Troy Junior High School was Mrs. Elaine Dodson. All of a sudden, the music teacher for our schools, Jerry Spann, came into our room and announced that the President had been shot. Everyone was traumatized. The President died about an hour later at a Dallas hospital.

The next three days all of America watched on television the funeral preparations and the Monday funeral. It was an unbelievably sad event. The scene of the riderless white horse brought tears to your eyes. If that did not, the scene where little John John Kennedy, a precious pre-

cocious two year old boy who gave a salute to his father was one of the most heart wrenching, tear jerking moments I have ever witnessed in my life. It still brings tears to my eyes 60 years later as I write this column. John John grew to be a very handsome young man like his father. He like his father died an early untimely death in an airplane crash. Even though he did not have political aspirations, I believe that “John John,” John Kennedy, Jr., would have been president. I am not a conspiracy theorist but allow me to illuminate some facts. Lyndon Johnson was the most ruthless, morally bankrupt, and crudest man to ever sit in the White House. Johnson was the ultimate political animal. He lived by the rule that whatever it took to win and grab control of power is what you did. If you doubt that, read Robert Caro’s books on LBJ, or better yet ask any historian about his years as U.S. Senate Majority Leader.

In recent years, the Secret Service has released files that reveal the following facts. First, Johnson insisted that Kennedy go to Dallas, Texas, and campaign. The Secret Service asked Kennedy not to go because the Civil Rights issue was boiling in Texas. At Johnson’s urging, Kennedy agreed to go.

Second, the Secret Service came to Kennedy and said, “Mr. Pres-

ident, if you go you cannot use the main artery boulevard in your entourage. We cannot protect you.” Kennedy agreed. When Johnson heard of this, he told Kennedy he had to go down that boulevard because, “It is a Texas tradition,” said Johnson. Kennedy agreed at Johnson’s insistence.

Finally, the Secret Service, in exasperation, told President Kennedy, “Mr. President we asked you not to go to Dallas. We also asked you not to go down that boulevard because we cannot protect you from all the high building windows. To a sharpshooter you will be a sitting duck. If you go to Dallas and go down that thoroughfare, we must insist, you let us put up a protective bubble to protect you.” Kennedy agreed. Johnson heard of the bubble and insisted to President Kennedy that he could not do that because he would appear distant, detached, aloof and arrogant to Texans. President Kennedy, once again, acquiesced to Johnson’s pleas. The rest is history.

The horrific, tragic scenes of Jackie Kennedy’s blood stained pink dress, a little two year old boy’s goodbye salute to his father, and the riderless white horse are indelibly planted in my memory 60 years later. The 1960’s was a very tumultuous and memorable time to come of age in America and November 22, 1963, is etched in a lot of our generation’s minds.

Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. Steve served 16 years in the state legislature. He can be reached at steveflowers.us.

Obituaries: 35 cents per word with a $25 charge for picture per paper (Herald, Observer, Tribune). Obituaries are only accepted via the funeral home in charge of arrangements. We do not accept obituaries from individuals.

Weddings, Engagements, Anniversaries, or Birth

Announcements: These significant family events or milestones are 35 cents per word and $25 for a photo and must be emailed to us at announcements@thewetumpkaherald.com. Include name and telephone number. The text for the announcement must be in the body of the email (not as an attachment) and photographs must be sent as a .jpeg attached to the email. Announcements will appear within 10 days in The Herald or The Tribune.

t has already happened – the radio is playing “The Chipmunk Song.” Must be Christmastime. While one may argue the merits of the original Chipmunks vs. the 1980s version and the recent reboot, the contemporary movies and records are finding a new audience for the squeaky-voiced trio.

I remember watching reruns of the early 1960s series THE ALVIN SHOW, and at the end of each episode’s credits was an animated sequence that said “Bagdasarian Productions”. Who is Bagdasarian? He was a cousin of the famous playwright and author William Saroyan. He was also a child of Armenian immigrants who learned orchestration and arranging while studying music. He and Saroyan co-wrote Rosemary Clooney’s 1951 hit single, “Come on A-My House,” and Bagdasarian produced

the unique-sounding record which featured a harpsichord. (Side note: Clooney hated the song, but Columbia’s Mitch Miller told her, “sing it or be fired.” It became her biggest hit.)

Bagdasarian appeared in the Alfred Hitchcock film “Rear Window,” among other films, but was down to his last $200 when he spent $190 on a reel-to-reel tape recorder that allowed for variable speed. Bagdasarian created three-part harmony on the song “Witch Doctor” and, by speeding up the tape, had his first taste of success as David Seville and

the Chipmunks with a No. 1 hit in 1958. Old-style hi-fi record players had several speeds: 78 RPM, 45 RPM, 33 1/3 RPM, and 16 RPM. A Chipmunks record played at 16 RPM would reveal Bagdasarian’s secret –three “David Seville”s in harmony. By Christmas 1958, “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)” was a monster hit for Bagdasarian’s Chipmunk operation, and he gave the three boys the monikers that exist to this day: Simon, Alvin, and Theodore (named for record executives Simon Waronker, Theodore Keep, and Alvin Bennett – Waronker’s son, Lenny, is still a record executive at Warner Bros. Records to this day).

Bagdasarian died of a heart attack at age 52 in 1972, and the

STEVE FLOWERS Columnist

MICHAEL BIRD Columnist

Greetings from the corner of Bridge and Bridge! I pray that everyone reading this week’s column had a joyful Thanksgiving holiday. The weather could not have been more perfect, and Sunday’s gray, rainy conditions was perfect for satisfying last minute Thanksgiving naps!

Most years, the Sunday following Thanksgiving Day is also the first Sunday of Advent. Advent is the season leading up to Christmas on the Christian calendar. It is a time when followers of Jesus Christ proceed to the manger in preparation for the birth of the Christ child. It is one of the most beautiful and meaningful seasons of the Christian calendar.

Every few years, Thanksgiving Day falls earlier in the month of November than

usual. These years, the Sunday following Thanksgiving Day is not the first Sunday of Advent. It is Christ the King Sunday, which is the last Sunday on the annual Christian calendar. People responsible for worship in liturgical churches love these years. Having a Sunday between Thanksgiving and the start of Advent is a blessing. Think of as having a little breathing room between two of the biggest holiday seasons of the year. I admit that I love these years. The fact that Thanksgiving was on November 23rd

this year and the first Sunday of Advent isn’t until December 3rd is more than a potential blessing to those who serve liturgical churches. The calendar occurrence this year is no accident. As it turns out, it is providential.

Having 10 days between Thanksgiving day and the beginning of Advent is theologically significant. It does more than provide opportunity to resist the consumerism that accompanies Christmas. It emphasizes what is at the heart of Thanksgiving and Christmas: Gratitude.

Most people are taught that the most important part of Thanksgiving is giving thanks. Yes, the traditions of sharing lots of food and fellowship are meaningful, but the underlying motto is being thankful. Counting

Tallassee Churches

blessings and being grateful for them is a worthy experience. But wait. There’s more!

Being rooted in gratitude alters the way we interact with the earthly kingdom. The first order of business on any day given to us should be giving thanks for it. No matter what the day holds, the privilege of being in it is worthy of thanksgiving. We all have plenty of reasons to resist such thanksgiving.

Some of those reasons are inconsequential, of the first world whining variety. They are rooted in a theology of lack. Beginning the day with reminders of what we do not have has toxic consequences. Some of those reasons are very consequential. We may be suffering with serious illness or have a loved one

who is. We might be facing false persecution. We might be a victim of crime. A theology of lack prevents recognition of divine blessing. In essence, it turns daily living into an everlasting black Friday. If all we allow ourselves to hear is talk of what we don’t have, we easily lose sight of what we actually do have.

Allowing the truth of God’s means of provision to set the tone is life-changing.

Recognizing the blessings we all have and giving thanks for them keeps whatever lack or challenge we are facing in check. In other words, being grateful first and foremost makes for living joyfully as God intends, whatever any day holds.

Rev. Jonathan Yarboro is the Pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Wetumpka

The Tallassee Tribune

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

Lindsey Brown is a household name around the high school volleyball scene in Alabama, and her level of play every season shows exactly why that is the case.

Brown just wrapped up her final high school season of her career, and it was one for the books.

She helped lead the Edgewood Academy dynasty to its fifth-consecutive state

championship while also dominating in all facets of the game.

While leading Edgewood to its 37-2 record, she recorded 290 kills, 181 service aces, 116 digs and 340 assists. Brown is the 2023 Elmore County Volleyball Player of the Year.

“I feel like this was a really special year,” Brown said. “I’ve been here before, but this year was even more special because it’s my senior

year. Everything just means more your senior year and it feels a lot better emotionally. This team really helped me along the way and I would not have been able to do it without them.”

Brown committed to play volleyball at the University of Alabama over a year ago and has since signed with the Crimson Tide. With that out of the way, she knew what she needed to work on.

The aspect of her game

she needed to fix was her serves. So, she spent three days a week in the gym working on getting stronger, and she worked on different types of serves. After rotating through some different ones, she landed on one that she found to be very successful.

Brown started using the jump topspin serve, which is designed to be hit with power and velocity in

2023 ALL-ELMORE COUNTY VOLLEYBALL TEAM

FIRST TEAM STAR ANGIER, WETUMPKA SENIOR Angier wasn’t the tallest person on the court on any given night, but she was one of the most dominant players around the net for either team in a match. Wetumpka’s lone senior led the Indians in kills this season and had a knack for having the majority of her kill attempts finding the ground. She helped lead Wetumpka to the second round of the Class 6A super regionals.

ZOIE HOLMES, STANHOPE ELMORE JUNIOR

aces, 182 digs and 50 kills. She made history earlier this season as she served a perfect 25-0 set.

MADISON MARTIN, EDGEWOOD ACADEMY SENIOR

Martin’s 6-foot-2 frame made her a demanding physical presence at the net, and she proved that over and over again as she helped lead Edgewood Academy to its fifth-consecutive state championship. At the net, Martin recorded 236 kills to go along with a team-high 77 blocks. She also added 53 digs and 75 service aces.

and has done so year after year.

During her stellar junior season, she helped lead Edgewood Academy to its fifth-consecutive state championship. In the process, she racked up 188 kills, 242 assists, 57 service aces, 11 blocks and 76 digs.

ABBI WILLIAMS, ELMORE COUNTY SENIOR

Brown serves Edgewood Academy to fifth consecutive title Moncrief leads Panthers to 27 wins, 14th straight title

ANNABELLE ORR, ELMORE COUNTY SENIOR

Zoie Holmes proved to be one of the most versatile players in the entire county this year. The Stanhope Elmore star helped lead the Mustangs to a postseason appearance and a super regionals matchup. She recorded 325

Playing as the primary setter in Elmore County’s 5-1 set, Orr set school records during her impressive senior campaign. She recorded an incredible 657 assists, the most in one season by a player in Elmore County history. To go with her assists, she also recorded 43 service aces and 35 kills. Her passing skills helped the Panthers reach 28 wins this year.

AVERY WHITE, EDGEWOOD ACADEMY

JUNIOR

Much like her Player of the Year counterpart, White is a do-it-all player for the Wildcats

Much like she has done each of the last three seasons, Williams had a stellar senior season while helping lead Elmore County to its 14th-consecutive area championship and a super regionals appearance. She did it all for the Panthers as a defensive specialist and right side hitter. She recorded 314 kills, 263 digs, 79 service aces, 40 blocks and 72 assists.

SECOND TEAM

Edgewood Academy: AC Kelley, Katelynn Shaner

Elmore County: Ally Orr, Morgan Spear, Taylor Spear

Holtville: Abbi Snider, Bella Brooks

Stanhope Elmore: Zori

Holmes, Emily Wilson, Sam Wilson, Olivia Stephens

Tallassee: Regan Easterwood, Lilly Haynes, Blaire Butler

Wetumpka: Ashlynn Turner, Cheyenne Boshell, Hannah Burdett

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

After losing 10 seniors from a super regionals team this offseason, Elmore County coach Kim Moncrief didn’t know what to expect from her team in 2023.

She knew the team would be talented, but there were going to be a lot of inexperienced players on the court for her.

After a tough summer play date, she realized this team could be special. The Panthers were exactly that and more, as they finished the year with a 27-8 overall record while claiming their 14th consecutive area championship and making it to the super regionals tournament.

In the super regionals, Elmore County advanced to the second round and came just two sets shy of punching its ticket to the state tournament. For the team’s success with a lot of new players, Moncrief is the 2023 Elmore County Volleyball Coach of the Year.

“It was an exciting year,” Moncrief said. “We had a pretty tough schedule and played a lot of teams that were notorious for making it to state. I feel like our girls played up to that competition very well. Our girls were dedicated from the beginning and I was blessed that’s the way they took on the season.”

The summer play date set the tone for the tough

schedule and season for Elmore County.

The Panthers hit the road to Mobile and played teams such as Spanish Fort and Faith Academy, who both qualified for super regionals while Spanish Fort won 61 games and advanced to the state tournament.

Moncrief felt if her team could even pull out one win in the tournament, it would be in good shape. But then the Panthers defeated Bayshore Christian, Class 7A Alma Bryant, then a third win.

“When we ended up with three wins to start, it was like ‘Wow, we’re coming together and this might be a special bunch,’” Moncrief said.

“That play date helped us realize the level we were going to need to play at to succeed.”

Elmore County played at that level for much of the season, but had some lulls in the middle of the year. Moncrief said with how many games her team played, they would sometimes find themselves in an “automatic way of thinking” and just sort of hitting cruise control in some matches.

After going undefeated in the month of August, the Panthers found themselves in cruise control in some of their tougher matches in September.

Elmore County lost to Montgomery Academy and to LAMP, then lost to PCA a few days later.

See BROWN, Page A9 FILE THE TRIBUNE

Edgewood Academy’s Lindsey Brown has been named the 2023 Elmore County Volleyball Player of the Year after recording 290 kills, 181 service aces, 116 digs and 340 assists.

STAR ANGIER ZOIE HOLMES MADISON MARTIN

ANNABELLE ORR AVERY WHITE ABBI WILLIAMS

ELMORE COUNTY PLAYER OF THE YEAR

ELMORE COUNTY COACH OF THE YEAR

Reeltown faces playoff rematch with Comer

By HENRY ZIMMER Sports Writer

These two teams know each other all too well.

When Friday night’s AHSAA Class 2A football semifinal kicks off, Reeltown will be in the same stadium in Sylacauga facing the same team it lost to in the postseason last year.

Coming off a win at Cottonwood, the Rebels face off against B.B. Comer, which defeated Highland Home last week, for the chance to play for the championship in Tuscaloosa.

Reeltown has not been to state since 2019. Comer reached the summit last season. To get revenge, the Rebels will have to continue their dominance on both sides of the ball and keep the ball out of the hands of Comer’s Kamore Harris.

In the playoffs, Reeltown has already scored 124 points; it is averaging 43.6 points per game this year. Compared to last year, that’s 70 more points and about a touchdown per game better than a season ago.

Comer is no stranger to high scoring, but Reeltown could certainly give it fits as it’s allowed just 50 points all postseason. However, the Tigers set a school record this season with 536 total points, or an average of 41.2 per game. They have 112 points in the playoffs, including a

Stanhope

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

21-14 win over Highland Home, and have allowed only 36 against.

When the regular season ended, Reeltown was ranked the No. 3 team in Class 2A; Comer ended at the top spot.

Much of what Comer does on both sides of the ball flows through the large body of Harris, the 2022 Class 2A Back of the Year and three-star recruit. He is averaging 15.1 yards per carry and has 24 rushing touchdowns. For kicks, he even has a passing score.

On defense, Harris clogs up the middle and has logged 82 tackles, four for a loss, three forced fumbles and a pick.

Harris is certainly not the only solid returning player as the Tigers also returned quarterback Devin Harvey. Both he and Harris scored twice in last year’s win against the Rebels.

The 6-foot-2 senior has 14 touchdown passes this season and zero interceptions. On the ground, he has 10 rushing scores and three games with more than 100 rushing yards.

The tandem of Harvey and Harris will go toe to toe for a second straight year against Reeltown’s own dynamic tandem of Arthur Woods and Tae Martin.

Woods has been nothing short of phenomenal in his senior year, averaging almost 170 yards per game

ABOVE: Quarterback Jake Hornsby is one of a handful of returning players to Reeltown who played in last season’s playoff loss to B.B. Comer.

RIGHT: Led by players like linebacker Finn Henderson, the Reeltown defense will have to slow down a Comer offense that averages 41.2 points per game and has scored 70 points in the playoffs.

on the ground to go with 28 ground scores. Martin is the Rebels’ leading receiver and second-most prolific rusher. He has 16 touchdowns, nine rushing and seven receiving. Defensively, he has five picks and eight tackles for loss.

Both will have to be part of a larger scheme that has played essentially top-notch all year and will need to do so yet again.

Elmore’s Seals

Stanhope Elmore senior Kris-

tian Seals started his senior campaign with a dominant outing.

Seals, wrestling in the 157pound weight class, started his senior season in the Jamie Blakely Duals Tournament held at Tallassee High School last week.

Facing Elmore County, Tallassee, Beauregard and Reeltown, Seals went a commanding 4-0 with four-consecutive pins to help pace the Stanhope Elmore team to a 2-2 record.

For his performance, Seals has been named the Elmore County Player of the Week.

“It was just the basics for me really,” Seals said. “I used good defense and was working off of their mistakes. I made them make those mistakes basically. It’s my senior year so I had to start it off with a bang. This is my last chance to make something happen.”

Seals started his day with a big-time performance against Beauregard, where he pinned opponent Josh Lugo to cut into the Hornets lead, 30-24. The Hornets then used three-consecutive forfeits to push the lead back out and take the win.

He then pinned Reeltown opponent Hayden Bragg, then Frankie Mann from Elmore County.

There are plenty of holdovers from the team that was defeated in the third round still on Reeltown. Quarterback Jake Hornsby might remember best, as on the final drive of the game, Hornsby had a pass intercepted.

The last time Reeltown defeated Comer was in October 1993. Thirty years later, the Rebels have a chance to add to that total.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

goes unbeaten, pins all 4 opponents

wrestler by trackwrestling.

To begin his senior year, he was voted as the No. 3-ranked wrestler in the 145 class by coaches across the state.

But he’s no longer at 145. Seals started the year heavier than he ended his junior season, so he wrestled at 157 and still dominated his opponents. Moving forward, he knows he won’t be able to get back down to 144 or 145 where he was, but he will have the chance to wrestle at either 157 or 150.

He will continue to wrestle 157 for the time being, then work down to 150 after the Christmas break.

“I haven’t really decided what I want to do with my weight yet,” Seals said. “I haven’t been able to wrestle any matches at 150 right now, but I’ve been watching and will continue to compare to what I’m doing in my class. So when the time comes, I can make that decision.”

mance.”

“He is a very aggressive wrestler and he actively moved his

In Stanhope’s final match of the night against Tallassee, Seals’ weight class was the final match of the night. The Tigers were up, 71-6, but Seals squared up with Braxton McLain and got the Mustangs back on their feet with a big performance. He was cruising in the matchup, picking up his opponent and getting takedowns left and right before he finished the match with his fourth pin of the day.

guys and controlled his matches,” Stanhope first-year head coach David Adams said. “It was a good example of him being a team leader. In the Tallassee match, we were getting our butts handed to us and he was able to get everyone back on the bench excited by dominating and picking up his opponent and slamming him. For my first matches with him, I couldn’t ask for a better perfor-

The start of his senior year looks a little different than his junior season did. Seals wrestled at 145 last year, and finished the season as a state qualifier in that class but did not place at the state tournament as he went 2-2. He ended his junior year 30-12 with 19 pins and four technical falls, and was rated as a three-star

His decision won’t come lightly. In the 150 class, Mortimer Jordan’s Cage McIsaac enters the year as the No. 1-ranked wrestler, but he has wrestled in 164 to start the season.

At 157, defending champion Daishun Powe from Gardendale enters the year at No. 1, but is also wrestling at 164 to begin the year. Both could move depending on their weight gain or loss, so Seals will have his research to do before deciding what class he wants to take on when the season gets closer to the end.

DALTON MIDDLETON | THE TRIBUNE

Stanhope Elmore’s Kristian Seals, right, is the Elmore County Player of the Week after going 4-0 with four pins in the Jamie Blakely duals tournament held at Tallassee last week.

HENRY ZIMMER | THE TRIBUNE

Tallassee wrestling dominates duals tourney

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

The Tallassee wrestling team put on a dominant performance in its Jamie Blakely duals tournament on Tuesday afternoon.

Tallassee hosted Stanhope Elmore, Elmore County, Reeltown and Beauregard in the annual tournament. The Tigers (6-0) went undefeated on the day and claimed the tournament championship with big-time wins.

Tallassee beat Reeltown, 84-0; Elmore County, 66-16; Beauregard, 65-12; and Stanhope Elmore, 65-12.

Tallassee lost only seven of the 52 matches it wrestled in the tournament.

“Our guys really wrestled hard,” Tallassee coach John Mask said. “We had some tough matches between Beauregard and Eclectic, and both teams had some mighty fine wrestlers. Our guys did a great job. It’s always good to get out and get rolling, and the more you wrestle, the more you see things that you need to work on. We have some things to improve on, but I’m tickled by the way they wrestled.”

Following the matches, each of the coaches vote on who they feel deserves to be named the Most Outstanding Wrestler in the tournament. After Tuesday’s votes, two Tallassee wrestlers were tied for the lead, so sophomore Avery Brantley and junior Roman McWilliams earned co-MVPs in the tournament.

Both wrestlers went 4-0 in the tournament against some tough competition. Brantley had two pins over Reeltown and Stanhope Elmore opponents, earned a technical fall (15-0) over his Elmore County opponent and a 9-2 decision over his opponent from Beaureagard.

McWilliams, who is a transfer from Wetumpka, also earned two pins on the day. He pinned his opponents from Elmore County and Reeltown, then also earned a technical fall win (20-4) over Stanhope Elmore.

In what was probably the biggest match of the day, he took on Reese Thorn from Beauregard, who is the preseason No. 4 ranked wrestler in Class 5A in the 132pound weight class. McWilliams, ranked No. 2 in the 138-pound class, won 10-4.

“Both Roman and Avery had some great matches today,” Mask

MONCRIEF

Continued from A7

said. “Roman was able to defeat one of the better wrestlers that Beauregard has to offer, and those two will likely have more matches this year as they’re both state qualifiers. Avery had some big wins and I was proud of him doing that against the competition he faced. We were excited about the opportunity to face all the great wrestlers we did.”

With the wins, Tallassee improved to 6-0 in duals matches early this season. Before the Jamie Blakely tournament, Tallassee defeated Beulah, 73-6 and Central Phenix City, 65-9.

Dating back to the start of last season, Tallassee is 38-1 in duals matches with the only loss coming in the state championship match, a

narrow 5-point loss to Jasper.

Tallassee took the rest of the week off for Thanksgiving, and is back at home for matches with Auburn and Prattville.

“We were able to build a lot of depth this past week, and we want to continue doing that and getting as many wrestlers experience as we can,” Mask said.

“We’ve got a lot of people some matches today and that’s a blessing. They wrestled hard and now we just have to make sure we don’t go crazy over Thanksgiving so we can make weight going forward.”

ELMORE COUNTY GOES 2-2, FINISHES IN THIRD PLACE

Elmore County earned two big wins

But it was the loss to Horseshoe Bend in Elmore County’s Block Party Tournament that opened their eyes. In that match, Elmore County was up in sets, 1-0, before losing back-to-back sets in a game they were once dominating. That ended The Panthers run in their own tournament, and turned the season. Following that loss, Elmore County won 11 of its next 14 games with its only losses coming to St. James then Northridge and Auburn

Chipmunk act went dormant until 1979 when Ross Bagdasarian, Jr. released an LP

called CHIPMUNK PUNK. The new version retained the same technology with an updated repertoire. Thus began a second life for Bagdasarian’s greatest creation.

in the Jamie Blakely duals tournament. The Panthers started the tournament with backto-back losses, a 39-36 loss to Beauregard and 66-16 loss to Tallassee, but ended the day with two wins.

The Panthers beat Reeltown, 62-12 and beat Stanhope Elmore, 42-36.

Head coach Mason Thornton liked what he got from his team, especially his most experienced guys from last year.

Myles Eyerly, the Class 5A heavyweight state champion from a year ago, went undefeated on the day as well as freshman Tyler Payton.

Junior Luke Reinert, who hasn’t wrestled since he was a seventh grader, went 3-1 with

in a tough weekend tournament.

“You’re used to things just being automatic and I think when we lost to Horseshoe Bend, that was the lightbulb moment that told us we have to actually go out and play every game,” Moncrief said.

“That was when our season flipped. They took that

From 1983 until 1990, NBC programmed “Alvin & The Chipmunks” on its Saturday morning cartoon block. Records and videos were produced along the way. And then, almost two

his only loss coming to Beaureard. The three wrestlers were the only ones to earn wins over rival Tallassee.

REELTOWN GOES WINLESS

The young Reeltown team did not win a duals match in the tournament, but wrestled hard while some players were still out playing football. On the day, Reeltown’s Benjamin Ledbetter (106) earned a win over Beaureagard’s Kaden Bell via pin. That was the only non-forfeit win for Reeltown in the match. Against Stanhope Elmore, Drake Wood (120) earned a pin over Micheal Johnson. That was also the only win that wasn’t a forfeit win.

BROWN

Continued from A7

an attempt to beat the receiver to the spot and record a service ace. It worked, as she recorded nearly double the amount of service aces than she did during her Player of the Year campaign a year ago.

“I feel like nowadays, everyone is used to the float serve that is pretty common,” Brown said. “I feel like the jump topspin is the most successful. Most people aren’t used to seeing that kind of serve, especially with the added spin. Not many people can do it, and if you can, it really helps you out.”

With her mastering the new technique, Brown proved successful time and time again with the jump topspin serve. She served the ball a total of 530 times, nearly 150 serves more than the next closest teammate. She was as efficient as they come however, as her 181 aces resulted in her recording an ace 35% of the time she served the ball.

Every three times she served the ball, her team would get a free point without even having to hit the ball.

She recorded two aces per set, which helped her team win 90 of the 100 sets they played this year.

“Aces help a team so much,” Brown said.

“Serving and receiving are the two biggest parts of volleyball. If you can’t get past the first touch, you’re not going to get anywhere. Serving was really big for our team this year. We had strong servers all the way around the court.”

While the stats are nice for Brown, it wasn’t the ultimate goal this year.

Edgewood has won seven of the last eight state championships in volleyball, and Brown has won every championship since her eighth grade season.

The Wildcats entered the season on top, and had to defend their championships after losing a large handful of talented seniors from a year ago.

The Wildcats only two losses came late in the season and came within a 10-day span. Edgewood lost to Hooper and Glenwood, 3-1. But enough was enough.

The Wildcats bounced back in postseason play and didn’t allow a single team to even take a set from them.

In the last seven games, Edgewood beat its opponents a combined 21-0 and claimed that inevitable championship.

“When you’re at the top, it’s hard to stay at the top,” Brown said.

“You have a lot of targets on your back and this year, we had a lot of targets. That was our biggest challenge but we stayed focused day in and day out, and I couldn’t be more thankful to go out the way we did.”

loss hard and realized every point matters, no matter who you’re playing. You have to play up to your potential in every game.” Those tough matchups paid off as Elmore County swept both of its area opponents, Tallassee and Marbury, 3-0 in the area tournament. The Panthers clinched the No. 1 seed and swept Eufaula 3-0 in the first round of the super regionals. After going back-andforth with Rehobeth in the second round, Rehobeth won the third and fourth sets of the match to end Elmore County’s season just one game short of their ultimate goal.

decades of inactivity.

In 2007, 20th Century Fox opted to update the trio once again, this time with a live action/CGI hybrid film. The first two Chipmunk movies became the two high-

est-grossing live action/ animation adaptations of all time. And so, who was Ross Bagdasarian? As expressed in the movie’s credits, “This film is dedicated to Ross Bag-

dasarian Sr., who was crazy enough to invent three singing chipmunks nearly fifty years ago.”

Michael Bird is a music teacher for Tallassee City Schools.

WHO Continued from A4

DALTON MIDDLETON | THE TRIBUNE

TOP: Tallassee’s Mason Nelson was one of many Tallassee wrestlers who went undefeated during the Jamie Blakely duals tournament. ABOVE: Tallassee’s Avery Brantley, top, wrestles against Elmore County’s Shawn Colvin. Brantley was named Co-MVP of the Jamie Blakely Tournament after going 4-0 on the day.

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High school students offering gift wrapping service

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

Wrapping Christmas presents is a life les -

son Natasha McMil -

lan wants to teach at Elmore County High School.

The Family and Consumer Sciences teacher realized in the last year her ninth grade son didn’t know how to cover a box with wrapping paper. She wants to change that for her students and help fund other lessons in the classroom along the way.

“I’m like, I teach family and consumer science and these kids don’t know how to wrap presents,” McMillan said.

“Where I used to work, we wrapped all the time. It is second nature to me. I was like, ‘You don’t know how to wrap?’ They were like, ‘No.’”

McMillan got to thinking about how she could make a lesson out of wrapping gifts.

McMillan considered having her students wrap empty boxes to learn, but she felt like it would be boring.

Then she thought

Like many teachers, McMillan tries to stretch the funds she has for the classroom. Aside from the amount that the state funds all teachers, she also receives extra funding through Elmore County Board of Education Career Technical Education. McMillan teaches in a lab that looks like a home kitchen and also includes sewing machines and more; however, cooking can be expensive.

area residents might like to have their gifts wrapped and help the nearly 150 students in McMillan’s classes.

“I want to be able to teach them how to wrap gifts and figured it would be a good way to raise a little bit of money,” McMillan said.

McMillan said she hopes people will like the service and let students learn in the process.

“As of Monday, nobody has dropped off anything,” McMillan said. “I figured it would take about a week or so because a lot of people haven’t made Christmas purchases yet.”

McMillan said those interested should drop their gifts off at the school office with wrapping paper.

“We will supply the tape,” she said. “We can’t do that much paper, plus there will be big boxes we can’t

plan for.”

There is no set pricing for the service according to McMillan.

“We are only seeking donations,” she said.

The funds will help the students with several things.

“I would like to have a Christmas party for the students,” McMillian said. We also adopt a kid every year and buy clothing and a toy for them.”

The donations will also help further McMillan’s efforts in the classroom.

Like many teachers, McMillan tries to stretch the funds she has for the classroom. Aside from the amount that the state funds all teachers, she also receives extra funding through Elmore County Board of Education Career Technical Education. McMillan teaches in a lab that looks like a

home kitchen and also includes sewing machines and more; however, cooking can be expensive.

“The food has gotten outrageous,” McMillan said. “Everything is hard to buy with so many kids. I don’t want any of them to not be able to do it.”

In the last few weeks McMillan was teaching the students how to cook pies. She said the supplies alone for 150 students totaled nearly $900.

The veteran teacher isn’t trying to make five star chefs out of her students.

“I’m working on teaching life skills,” McMillan said. “When a student leaves I want them to be able to make supper. I want them to do a little more than survive.”