Holtville High School basketball coach
By Cliff Williams Staff Writer
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
Office have the alleged victim’s phone. Authorities collected Wilson’s phone as well. “You could see a conversation between the two,” Franklin said. “Mr. Wilson is going to contend someone had the security code to his phone and he was not responsible. There is other information we can’t disclose now but I don’t think it’s beneficial to Mr. Wilson.”
used BOE accounts for personal purposes
Superintendent says no money is missing
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
Wilson was released on a $6,000 bond 90 minutes after turning himself in according to the Elmore County Jail website.
Dennis said Wilson also coached other sports at Holtville schools including being the head track coach and assistant football coach.
A “significant deficien-
cy” was found by the Alabama State Department of Public Examiners when the agency looked at the finances of the Elmore County Board of Education.
Chamber holds luncheon welcoming members
Millbrook hosts Cops & Kids day
By Cliff Williams Staff Writer
By LIZI ARBOGAST GWIN Managing Editor
The Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce held its annual luncheon to install new officers and board members for the first time in a while Thursday.
TDennis said other staff would fill in for the duties of Wilson at Holtville while he is on administrative leave.
The finding said an employee misused BOE accounts. The BOE’s response said the auditor’s issue is in the system’s Child Nutrition Program.
Police
way to do that than to get out here for some fellowship and have some fun?”
The COVID-19 pandemic put a hamper on gatherings but the chamber celebrated the successes of business in Wetumpka.
“We haven’t been able to do this for the last couple years,” chairperson Clay McConnell said. “Your attendance is an indication people want to get back together and have these opportunities to see each
he K-9 dogs were doing their search, and firefighters worked to open a wrecked car. Officers had multiple vehicles on scene, and even a fire truck or two rolled into Village Green Park on Saturday. But it wasn’t the scene of a crime or accident. Instead, it was the 13th annual Cops & Kids event hosted by the Millbrook Police Department.
While many cops and kids events are hosted with some bounce houses, food and mingling, Millbrook’s day was not just about building those relationships but also showing children what the police and fire departments are capable of.
See CHAMBER, Page A3
“Today is all about the kids, and if you have kids, you’re gonna get parents,” Millbrook police chief PK Johnson said. “In law enforcement, we want to have and enjoy positive relationships with those in our community. What better
In one demonstration, kids were able to climb aboard a firetruck or see inside the back of a police car. The Millbrook Fire Department was also on hand doing a demonstration of two men breaking into a wrecked vehicle. The kids even got to see the jaws of life in action.
“Kids are visual; they like to look at stuff,” Johnson said. “We have our brothers
and sisters out here with the fire department doing some demonstrations. We’ve got some of our SWAT personnel out here with some of our special weapons and tools that we use. We have our K-9 officers doing demonstrations on how our dogs detect orders.”
Plus, the kids also did get to enjoy the usual bounce houses and hotdogs and drinks provided by Wind Creek State Park. There were several other organizations on hand with demonstrations or activities for the kids. The Millbrook Civitan Club had a booth where children could do some painting, and the Humane Society of Elmore County had a few dogs available for
Members of the Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce attend the chamber’s “A Taste of Our Home Town” luncheon.
CLIFF WILLIAMS/ THE HERALD
Family rides Sea-Doos from Wetumpka to the beach
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
Staff Report
The Alabama Association of Secondary School Principals
Cameron Mercer can’t wait for the next ride up Lake Jordan to the Mitchell Dam with his grandfather David.
Afterall it is the place where a family adventure came to life — riding the Coosa, Alabama rivers and more from Wetumpka to Gulf Shores.
continue investigation, man no longer suspected
By Jake Arthur Chief Videographer
Elmore County Board of Education superintendent Richard Dennis said there was no money missing and involved online ordering.
“It is more complicated when you are trying to have a very progressive
“Items were purchased using the board’s online accounts that were for personal purposes,” the audit states. “Some of these purchases were paid using an employee’s personal credit card. However, additional amounts charged to the school account were repaid when brought to the employee’s attention. In addition expenditures for food, lines, small kitchen equipment and other supplies for catering events and test kitchen activities were not adequately documented to support the allowable purpose of the expenditures.”
Program gives tools to prevent suicide
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
Police are still investigating the fatal shooting in the Wetumpka Walmart parking lot on Jan. 20.
Simple steps and actions can prevent suicide.
Police were dispatched to the parking lot around 10:45 p.m. for a “shots fired” call. Once there, they found Centell Winston, 42 of Tallassee, dead of a gunshot wound in the driver seat of his vehicle.
It is especially so when a person realizes a friend or acquaintance is struggling. Simply saying “Tell me more” allows some struggling, and not just those contemplating suicide, to quickly understand they are speaking with someone who is listening.
learned it,” Tallassee City Schools mental health services coordinator Jen Bafford said. “To our youth it allows them space to explain what is going on.”
According to Wetumpka police chief Greg Benton, this was not a random shooting.
“This was not random, not a random act,” said Benton. “We believe the victim and the perpetrator knew each other.”
This is the first homicide in Wetumpka in over three years. The last homicide in the city took place in 2018.
“It’s not a good way to start out the new year,” said Benton.
“I have used the phrase almost daily since I
Benton didn’t want to speculate on the
Bafford wants others to realize everyone can help in mental health crises. She helped organize a Youth Suicide Prevention program with the Alabama Suicide and Prevention Resource Coalition (ASPARC) in Tallassee with the help of the 1:1
See SHOOTING, Page A3
Holtville’s Futral Alabama principal of the year
back down the river to the house for breakfast.”
Mercer grew up on Lake Jordan and frequently visits from Georgia.
Mercer had purchased a Sea-Doo and the grandfather followed soon after.
“It got started the first part of the summer,” Mercer said. “It kind of all snowballed from there.”
“Kyle Futral is an exceptional principal and is very proactive and innovative in his thinking and approaches to managing his school,” Dennis said, As principal of Holtville High School, Futral has transformed
(AASSP) named Holtville High School principal Kyle Futral the 2022 Alabama High School Principal of the Year. The High School Principal of the Year award was presented to Futral on Friday, Jan. 28 during a schoolwide assembly at Holtville High School. Elmore County Superintendent Richard Dennis was in attendance for the presentation.
“My grandfather had a tradition every Saturday morning to take the jet skis up to Mitchell Dam,” Mercer said. “We would sit there with the jet skis off for an hour or two and float in the current. Then ease
the school culture from that of a school struggling with low morale, achievement and attendance to a school that strives for excellence. By collaborating with staff, many of the school’s issues were identified and addressed. Futral’s leadership style of listening, encouraging, supporting, organizing and challenging the staff and students, caused the school culture to
The grandfather and grandson shared stories and talked about life. One day the conversation drifted a little.
“I said it would be cool to go all the way down the Coosa,” Mercer said. “I said it would be pretty cool to go to Mobile. My grandfather, having the big ideas, said, ‘Boy I
shift in a positive direction. The school experienced a 62 percent decrease in discipline referrals, 50 percent decrease in chronic absenteeism, 7 percent increase in the graduation rate, 33 percent increase in CCR rate and a 20 per cent increase in ACT proficiency in the last five years.
See PRINCIPAL, Page A3
WILSON
SUBMITTED THE HERALD
The Mercer team of Cameron, Chad, David and Owen pose for a photo between Wetumpka and Gulf Shores. The family was aided by Bart Mercer and Jordan Roberts at boat landings with gas and food.
LIZI ARBOGAST GWIN | THE HERALD
An officer plays catch with a child during Millbrook’s Cops & Kids event on Saturday.
Police Reports
WETUMPKA POLICE DEPARTMENT
OCT. 2
• Theft and fraudulent use of a credit or debit card was reported on U.S. Highway 231.
Oct. 1
• Reckless endangerment and criminal mischief was reported on Outhalacoochee Street.
SEPT. 30
• Criminal mischief was reported on East Osceola Street.
SEPT. 28
• Theft was reported on U.S. Highway 231.
SEPT. 27
• A domestic incident was reported on East Micanopy Street.
• Domestic violence was reported on King Cotton Lane.
SEPT. 25
• Harassing communications was reported on U.S. Highway 231.
• Harassment and criminal mischief was reported on Coosa River Parkway. SEPT. 20
• Unlawful breaking and entering and theft was reported in Autumn Wood Village.
TALLASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT
OCT. 9
• A domestic incident was reported on Third Street.
OCT. 8
• Harassment was reported on Lower Tuskegee Road.
• Debris was reported in the roadway on North Ann Avenue.
• A welfare check was conducted on Notasulga Road.
• A child custody dispute was reported on Jordan Avenue.
• Debris was reported in the roadway on Gilmer Avenue.
levard.
• Suspicious activity was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Assistance was given to another agency on Potts Drive.
• A white male was arrested on Little Road.
• A noise complaint was reported on Second Avenue.
• A civil dispute was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Assistance was given during a medical call on Sedgefield Court.
• Theft was reported on Hillcrest Street.
• A civil dispute was reported on Lee Street.
• A white male was arrested on Gilmer Avenue.
• A suspicious person was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
OCT. 6
• Suspicious activity was reported on Thompson Avenue.
• A motor vehicle accident with injuries was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Identity theft was reported on Langley Street.
• A white male was arrested on U.S. Highway 231.
• A domestic dispute was reported on Thelma Drive.
• A noise complaint was reported on West Main Street.
• Harassment was reported on Little Road.
• A missing person was reported on Ina Street.
OCT. 5
• Assistance was given to a citizen on Rickey Lane.
• Suspicious activity was reported on South Tallassee Drive.
• Assistance was given to a citizen on Barnett Boulevard.
• Assistance was given to another agency on Riley Road.
• Assistance was given to another agency on Ashurst Bar Road.
• Animal control was requested on Gilmer Avenue.
• Harassment was reported on West Butler Street.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Salem Place.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Barnett Boulevard.
• A domestic dispute was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Highway 229.
OCT. 4
• A juvenile complaint was reported on Central Boulevard.
• Assistance was given during a fire call on Notasulga Road.
• Harassing communications was reported on Barnett Boulevard.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Central Boulevard.
• A disorderly person was reported on Jordan Avenue.
• Debris was reported in the roadway on Friendship Road.
• Animal control was requested on Noble Road.
• A child custody dispute was reported on Greenwood Road.
• Animal control was requested on Magnolia Street.
• Animal control was requested on Gilmer Avenue.
• Animal control was requested on Second Avenue.
• A welfare check was conducted on Grimes Street.
• A welfare check was conducted on West Butler Street.
• A motor vehicle accident with injuries was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Harassment was reported on Hillcrest Street.
• Theft was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Criminal mischief was reported on Third Avenue.
• An animal complaint was reported on Highway 229.
• Animal control was requested on Riverside Avenue.
• A white male was arrested on Barnett Boulevard.
• An assault was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• A domestic dispute was reported on Rickey Lane.
• A white female was arrested on Barnett Boulevard.
• Assistance was given to another agency on Gilmer Avenue.
• Assistance was given to another agency on First Avenue.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on North Ann Avenue.
• Animal control was requested on Riverside Avenue.
• Animal control was requested on Central Boulevard.
• Abuse was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Assistance was given to a citizen on Asbury Ridge.
• A suspicious person was reported on West Butler Street.
OCT. 2
• A suspicious vehicle was reported on Alber Drive.
• A noise complaint was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• A suspicious vehicle was reported on East Roosevelt Street.
• A noise complaint was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Reckless driving was reported on Lower Tuskegee Road.
• Assistance was given to another agency on Laurel Street.
• Burglary and theft was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• A suicidal subject was reported on East Patton Street.
• A white male was arrested on Barnett Boulevard.
• A white female was arrested during a harassment call on Herd Street.
• Assistance was given to another agency on Jefferson Street.
• Assistance was given during a medical call on Riverside Drive.
• Animal control was requested on Riverside Avenue.
• An abandoned vehicle was reported on Notasulga Road.
• Assistance was given to a citizen on Notasulga Road.
• A missing juvenile was reported on Laurel Street.
• A suspicious vehicle was reported on Barnett Boulevard.
• A welfare check was conducted on Riverside Avenue.
• A white male was arrested during a traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.
• Assistance was given during a medical call on Gilmer Avenue.
• Suspicious activity was reported on Hickory Street.
• Assistance was given to another agency on Hicks Store Road.
• A motor vehicle accident with injuries was reported on Ina Street.
OCT. 7
• A domestic dispute was reported on Central Bou-
RELATIONSHIPS
Continued from A1
adoption.
• Theft was reported on Carr Street.
• Reckless endangerment was reported on Notasulga Road.
• Suspicious activity was reported on Hickory Street.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Little Road.
• Suspicious activity was reported on Sims Avenue.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Gilmer Avenue.
• Animal control was requested on Freeman Avenue.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Gilmer Avenue.
• A white female was arrested on Freeman Avenue.
“Today is just a day of family fun,” Johnson said. “This is not just the Millbrook Police Department. Our whole community helps us do this, and we are thankful to have that.”
Johnson said he expected about 3,000 to 4,000 people throughout the day, and that’s a great number especially given a fall festival in Prattville and the Alabama National Fair in Montgomery on the same day.
Although Johnson and his staff want to provide a fun-filled day, the ultimate point of the Cops & Kids event is to start building those relationships between law enforcement and youngsters in the area. He wants people to understand police officers are just people too.
“I’ve been in law enforcement for 35 years, and during that time, especially over the last 15 years or so, there’s a lot of negativity
• Assistance was given to the Tallassee Fire Department on Central Boulevard.
• A suspicious person was reported on Sims Avenue.
• Unauthorized use of a vehicle was reported on Notasulga Road.
• Criminal mischief was reported on Thelma Drive.
OCT. 3
• Criminal mischief was reported on Thelma Drive.
• Gunfire was reported on John Street.
• Criminal mischief was reported on Twin Oaks Drive.
• Theft was reported on Dorman Drive.
• A domestic dispute was reported on South Central Boulevard.
• A motor vehicle accident with injuries was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• A private property accident was reported on East Roosevelt Street.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Barnett Boulevard.
• An abandoned vehicle was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Animal control was requested on Central Boulevard.
• A suspicious person was reported on Airport Drive.
• Debris was reported in the roadway on Lower Tuskegee Road.
LIZI ARBOGAST GWIN | THE HERALD
Children got a chance to check out the inside of Millbrook Police Department vehicles during Saturday’s Cops & Kids event. The department had police cars and vans on display.
‘ROUND THE CLOCK PADDLING
Alabama officially has a new congressional map
TPI STAFF Staff Reports
This Thursday the panel of three federal judges ruled in favor of the congressional map as submitted by the Special Master. Under the new congressional map, Tallapoosa County remains in district three. Meanwhile Coosa County and Elmore County are now in district six. These new districts will be used for the elections in 2024.
Previously, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered Alabama lawmakers to redraw the congressional lines due to a violation of Section Two Voting Rights Act. The state legislature was required to redraw the map with two Black majority districts, or something close to it.
The state legislature submitted a new map in July and the plaintiffs filed an objection. In
early September, the three federal judges rejected the submitted map and ruled that a Special Master would redraw Alabama’s congressional lines.
The Special Master submitted three proposed maps on Sept. 25 and the judges had a hearing on Oct. 3. Remedial Map 3 was selected. According to the order, this map aimed to preserve the cities of Birmingham and Mobile between the congressional districts.
The order states this map also solves the dilution problem of Black voters that brought Alabama’s original map to the courts. District two is close to having a Black voter majority with 48.7%. District seven is majority Black at 51.9%.
“With this new, fairer map, and for the first time ever, Black voters in Alabama could have two members of
Great night on the river
Congress representing their interests at the same time,” said Eric H. Holder, Jr., the 82nd Attorney General of the United States. “This historic development will strengthen voting rights and ensure equal representation for so many Americans.”
Meanwhile the Alabama Republican Party expressed disappointment with the selected map and they hope Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall continues with the appeal process.
“While we continue to have the utmost respect for the legal process, we are disappointed with the decision the District Court has reached,” the statement said. “Of the three maps, the Court chose the map that is the most Democratic — not the map with the highest minority voting age population.”
SUBMITTED | THE HERALD
Alabama has a new congressional map for the 2024 elections. After months of legal disputes, the court’s Special Master designed the Remedial Plan 3 for the state.
CLIFF WILLIAMS THE HERALD
Under the watchful eye of wildlife, the first paddlers of the Alabama Great 650 made their way through Wetumpka on the Coosa River Monday morning. Before daybreak Salli O. Donnell passed under the Bibb Graves Bridge marking 232 miles on the river since Saturday. After sunrise, solo paddler Trey Reeves came through, followed by the tandem of Matt Taylor and Myles Sumerlin. Throughout Monday and into Tuesday more paddlers will follow the Coosa on the way to the Gulf.
CLIFF WILLIAMS | THE HERALD
The Wetumpka Area Chamber of Commerce joined Homesouth Roofing and the Greater Montgomery Home Builders Association for Boil and Brews at the Coosa Rica.The networking event allowed the three organizations to gather for a low country boil and barbecue along the banks of the Coosa River.
TheWetumpkaHerald.com
A lack of compromise is what’s holding us back
WWeddings,
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.
hat’s wrong with our country isn’t the Republicans or the Democrats. It isn’t the liberals or the snowflakes or the conservative-minded.
What’s wrong with our country is our lack of compromise.
I grew up in an extremely liberal family, and since I’ve been an adult, I’ve spent most of my time around people who are fairly conservative. I know a lot of good people on all sides of the spectrum, and what I’ve come to realize is there’s really not all that much dividing the two.
But there’s a problem our society seems to have of taking things to the extreme. It’s the hero vs. villain scenario, the “If you’re not completely with me, then you must be completely against me” mentality. It’s mostly a figment of our imaginations that have been
LIZI GWIN Managing Editor
perpetuated by politicians, and yes, the media.
Some people read my columns and think I’m overly liberal. Others read my columns and think I’m too moderate. Either way, I am actually pretty middle of the road on most issues and it’s mostly because I’m a people person. Being a journalist, I’ve always wanted to know both sides of the story and consider all angles of an issue.
What I’ve learned, and what’s becoming scarier and scarier, is how much that extremeness and complete lack of compromise is actually what’s hurting us most.
Some people think gun control activists want to
“take away all the guns.”
While there are some that may think that, I certainly feel like there’s gotta be something in the middle of “take away all the guns” and Alabama’s new gun lack-of-control law, which allows people to conceal carry a gun without even a background check, much less a permit.
If you look into the lack of a workforce issue, it won’t take you but three minutes to hear someone say, “Nobody wants to work anymore.”
Or “People do want to work, but nobody wants to pay them what they are worth.”
The beauty about humans, I would like to remind you, is we are all different. It’s certainly not true that “nobody” wants to work. There are tons and tons of people who work hard and actually like to do so. And there are lots of companies that
are trying to do better by their employees, either through raises or more time off or better benefits.
There are also people who don’t care to work and companies who aren’t worried about their employees’ personal lives or feelings. Speaking in these all-encompassing terms makes it very hard to get anywhere in a debate or discussion, and it makes it even harder to come up with a compromise. I think if people are really honest with themselves, they are likely much more middle of the road than initially meets the eye. Myself included. If more people were a little more level-headed, especially those in positions of power, we might actually be able to get somewhere.
Lizi Arbogast is the managing editor of Tallapoosa Publishers Inc.
Music education in its purest form
In October, I had the opportunity to observe a truly unique music education program in action.
Eufaula City Schools held an open house day for the public to visit the schools and see what was happening. One of the programs highlighted was the drum circle program for special needs students, led by veteran music educator Kim Jackson.
I first heard of a special needs drum circle at the Alabama Music Educators Association annual conference in 2020. While I had seen drum circles for many years, this was the first time I knew of a program dedicated to students who had severe and profound disabilities — the students we band and choral directors never get to meet because they are often in self-contained classrooms.
Jackson was the band director at Admiral Moorer Middle School in Eufaula for most of her 25-year career in music education. A few years before she planned to retire, she connected with Lauren Bearden at Homewood Middle School after hearing about the Synergy drum circle there.
Bearden, who had been drum major at Homewood before becoming a band director, created Synergy for students with special needs. The idea came from a student with cerebral palsy who participated in the Homewood High School band. Bearden and Homewood band director Chris Cooper decided to find a way to make band more accessible for special
education students and Synergy was born. Synergy gained some notoriety performing for various events in the Birmingham area and beyond — and students now graduate from Synergy into a drum circle at the high school called Fusion.
Jackson decided to bring her version of these drum circles to Eufaula City Schools in 2017. Jackson worked with students throughout the district. Jackson’s groups were among those invited to perform at the Alabama Music Educators Association convention in 2020 for every music teacher in the state — a tremendous honor for any program but especially a brand new one like the drum circle at Eufaula. When Jackson retired as a band director in 2021, she immediately went to work with the special education department doing pull-out music lessons at all four schools in the system. A typical day of instruction was what I observed in October. As Jackson enters the classroom, students are led to a music room where the conga-styled drums are already placed in a circle in front of classroom chairs. Some of the students are escorted,
some of them need to be held, some are in baskets or wheelchairs, and some are using walkers.
But when they get situated behind the drums, something truly beautiful happens.
Jackson turns on her iPad, connected to a classroom speaker, and the music begins. They start simply, with quarter and eighth notes, right hand to left hand, leaving out counts and putting them back in, keeping time with the music being played. The kids focus on Jackson’s every word and direction and the special education teachers and aides also participate. What I imagined would be cacophonous ended up being perhaps the purest form of music education. The kids drum. They clap and sing along. They dance, stomp, and do hand movements. They pat on their laps. They do everything you’d expect from a music class. Jackson has them rising to a crescendo by starting lightly with their fingertips before using their entire palm on the drum head then backing off in a decrescendo to soft sounds once again.
Students are developing their fine motor skills in a way that just isn’t possible through other activities. They are also gaining the courage to perform alone and together as each person is given the opportunity to create their own beats to share with the circle.
MICHAEL BIRD Columnist
Humane Society of Elmore County News
First pickleball tournament a success for shelter
By REA CORD HSEC Executive Director
Saturday was our first-ever Paddle for Paws pickleball tournament at 17 Springs in Millbrook and it was a resounding success. We had more than 60 players registered, it was a fantastically gorgeous day and the tournament went off without a hitch.
We want to give a huge thanks to all the sponsors, volunteers, staff, guests and players who made for a successful event. We first want to thank 17 Springs for partnering with us on a first time tournament for us both and we must say the facilities at 17 Springs are absolutely first class.
There are three key people responsible for organizing and running this great event
so please thank Jennifer Tritz and Cheryl Payson, volunteers for our shelter, and Jim Young, expert pickleball tournament advisor from Opelika who shepherded us through to completion.
We are immensely grate-
ful for our sponsors as their financial help and support was critical to our success: Birdie & Louie Pet Food Company, George & Linda Nobles, MAX Credit Union, Michael Gay State Farm Insurance Agency and Dink
and Volley Pickleball Boutique. More thanks to all who provided door prizes and in-kind donations: Tail’s End Thrift Store, Birdie & Louie Pet Food Company, Dink & Volley Pickleball Boutique, Ingram’s Farmers Market & Garden Center, Linda Gartland, Samantha Fulaytar, Charline Pope, Smokin’ S Bar-B-Que, Must Stop Cafe, Petco Montgomery, Shawn Tritz & Jim Young. We also had incredible volunteers from Max Credit Union, many from our shelter volunteer crew and so many others that we might miss someone if we tried to list names. Thank you all so very much for spending your Saturday with us and working so hard on our behalf. And thank you to the Pelzer Avenue Pickleball Group for
Grant to help STEM in schools
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
The Elmore County Board of Education now has an extra $140,000 thanks to a community grant program through the Alabama legislature.
State Rep. Troy Stubbs was at last week’s Elmore County Board of Education meeting to present the system with the check. Elmore County Schools superintendent Richard Dennis said the extra funds would mainly go to STEM initiatives across the system.
“We have been dedicating quite a bit of ours to STEM development — robotics across the board,” Dennis said. “We put a lot of the community
grant program funds into our STEM programs.”
Stubbs said how the monies are spent is left up to the system.
“It allows us to find opportunities to allow public school systems and other charitable organizations to receive funds they may be able to administer as they see fit within their purview and responsibilities,” Stubbs said.
Dennis said STEM funding is needed to help train the next generation of employees for the workforce.
“It really starts in the middle schools and getting them involved in programming like STEM,” Dennis said. “It is the gateway to career tech and
Pet of the Week - Rainey
Some music educators might view all this as simple rote learning. However, for students who are rarely, if ever, served with any type of music education, it was fascinating to watch the classes unfold. Are they doing music theory or identifying composers? No. What they are doing, however, is working collaboratively — a key point of music education — on songs like “Celebration” by Kool & the Gang, “Shake it Off” by Taylor Swift, and other up-tempo tunes as they shake tambourines, rattle egg shakers and beat on those drums. They take turns, they share and they have a good time. Isn’t that the point?
Jackson told me about an autistic student in one of the classes who, by all accounts, was completely nonverbal. Then, one day, while participating in the drum circle, he began to sing along to the song they were performing — to the amazement of everyone! I witnessed a student with Down’s Syndrome play her heart out before getting up to give me, the visitor to their environment, a giant hug. And
workforce development.”
According to Dennis, one issue affecting school funding is the teacher-student ratio in middle schools, which is one of the highest through all the schools.
“It is probably one of the most difficult ages you deal with, middle school students,” Dennis said. “That is where we need programming and don’t have the support with teacher units. You do not have the elective units to help. That is your gateway to get students into workforce development at the career tech programming or sites.”
Stubbs told the board the lieutenant governor’s office is administering a new grant pro-
Rainey is a 5 1/2 year old female pit bull/labrador mix who is just as sweet as they come. She was adopted from Humane Society of Elmore County as a pup and sadly found as a stray whose adopter could never be contacted. As a pup she loved toys and was very happy carrying them around all day. She is still just as loving and sweet; she is also great with other dogs.
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 choos-
your most kind donation on Saturday.
Of course we reserve our last and biggest thanks to all the players who registered and came out to play. We think everyone had a simply wonderful time and we appreciate the kind words and support for our event and shelter.
With everyone’s help and attendance, we netted well over $3,000 for our shelter — how great is that for our first ever pickleball tournament.
Go to our shelter’s Facebook page for lots of great photos thanks to photographers George Black, Sharon Earl, Rodney Barrett and Cheryl Payson.
As if Paddles for Paws wasn’t enough, we also enjoyed participating in the Millbrook Police Depart-
ment’s 13th annual Cops and Kids Day at the Village Green Park on Saturday. Three of our young dogs found new and loving homes as a result. Children and pets — there’s nothing better. And we have the tickets at the shelter office for Food for Funds – Shrimp Boil by the Wharf Casual Seafood Wetumpka. For $30 your ticket will get you a Red Bag Shrimp Boil (shrimp, corn, potatoes & sausage - will feed 1-2 people) you can pick up from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 28 at the Wharf. Our shelter will receive a portion of the ticket sales and we think this is just a scrumptious idea all the way around.
Rea Cord is the executive director for the Humane Society of Elmore County.
gram for schools. “We initiated the K-12 Capital Grant program,” Stubbs said. “It is $179 million statewide.”
ing. This adoption fee covers the mandatory spay or neuter, basic 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.
I saw a student who had to be physically carried around the room by a special education aide continuing to shake a tambourine in time with the recording.
Jackson told me there are bad days, too, just like in any classroom. In other words, it isn’t always sunshine and lollipops. But the day I visited those four schools in Eufaula, I definitely got to witness something sweet.
Michael Bird, M.Ed. is one of the choral and band directors for Tallassee City Schools. At Tallassee, out of a student population of 487 students, 220 are enrolled in choir and band. The music department just moved into a brand-new $21 million school, complete with a performing arts center with a new band room and two new choir rooms.
MUSIC
SUBMITTED THE HERALD Kim Jackson leads a drum circle with her special education in Eufaula.
LIZI ARBOGAST GWIN | THE HERALD
The first-ever Paddle for Paws pickleball tournament, which benefited the Humane Society of Elmore County, was a huge success; it was held at 17 Springs in Millbrook.
Stubbs said the program is open to any school in the state and awards are capped at a maximum of $5 million for any
CLIFF WILLIAMS | THE HERALD Alabama state Rep.Troy Stubbs speaks at Tuesday’s Elmore County Board of Education meeting. Stubbs awarded the school board a $140,000 community service grant from the state.
PREVENT
Continued from A1
Foundation and the River Region Chaplin Service. ASPARC’s Cheryl Dodson led the program and said anyone using the phrase “Tell me more” needs to be prepared.
“Get ready because you may be the first person that has listened,” Dodson said.
Dodson said the phrase is part of ASPARC’s Question Persuade Refer (QPR) method of preventing suicide. The first question is the hardest she said. Those questions can be
“Have you been so unhappy lately that you’ve been thinking about ending your life? Do you wish you could go to sleep and never wake up?” or even more direct such as, “Are you thinking of killing yourself?”
But knowing when to ask one of those questions is key. Dodson said the person may give direct clues by saying they will kill themselves. It could also be behavioral clues such as stockpiling pills, a teenager putting personal affairs in order or giving away prized possessions.
“If you cannot ask the question find someone who can,” Dodson said. “If you dance around it, you are going to come away with more questions than answers. Get comfortable with the uncomfortable. If you are uncomfortable asking it, they are less likely to be honest with you.”
Dodson said someone needs to practice in a mirror to begin to get comfortable with asking the tough question.
“It is easier to ask a stranger than someone you know,” Dodson said.
It is the reason for asking the question in private, out of earshot those the person is in crisis might be embarrassed to hear. She said it is important for the person to believe they are not fighting this alone.
“We is important. It implies I’m on your team now,” Dodson said.
AUDIT
Continued from A1
CNP program,” Dennis said. “We have one of the strongest, if not the strongest. We have a very innovative program. We end up trying to find the policies that will guide us and cover us.”
“[They] may have been battling for a longtime but now they have a team.”
She said the “Tell Me More” phrase followed by silence will most likely lead to a lengthy conversation about stressors in the person’s life.
The next step is to begin the process of getting help, persuading a person in crisis they can be helped.
“Oftentimes you can’t solve their problems but you can help. You can show up,” Dodson said. “Everyone can help. We trained bus drivers, cafeteria workers and more.”
Dodson said those responding to the crisis need to be prepared by knowing where help is available or getting the person to agree to get help. She said there is no reasonable way for everyone to be prepared for helping someone contemplating suicide. Dodson said a person helping needs to be ready to refer them and follow up. She said preparation is key.
“Talk about mental health as part of your day to day topics with friends,” Dodson said. “Have the contact information in your phone. When they see it in your phone, they know it’s acceptable.”
Dodson said good references are dialing 988 where someone is on the other side to help a person in crisis or helping the responder. She said 211 is also good at pointing people in the right direction. Dodson said 911 can help as well.
“It will likely happen at night or on weekends when there is not much help,” Dodson said.
But the process doesn’t stop there. Dodson followup is necessary to make sure the person is getting help.
“Set an alarm to check on them again,” Dodson said. “Thank you for sharing your story and pain with me. Following up is as important as any step in the process.”
Dodson said there are many myths about helping a person thinking about suicide. She presented slides with the myths and
careful about doing.”
the facts as reported by ASPARC.
MYTH
Asking a person about suicide will only make them angry and increase the risk of suicide.
FACT
Asking someone directly about suicidal intent lowers anxiety, opens up communication and lowers the risk of a suicide attempt.
MYTH
Only experts can prevent suicide.
FACT
Suicide prevention is everybody’s business and anyone can help prevent the tragedy of suicide.
MYTH
People considering suicide keep their plans to themselves.
FACT
Most people considering suicide communicate their intent sometime during the week preceding their attempt.
MYTH
Those who talk about suicide do not do it.
FACT
People who talk about suicide may try or even complete an act of self destruction.
MYTH
Once a person decides to complete suicide, there is nothing anyone can do to stop them.
FACT
Suicide is the most preventable kind of death and almost any positive action may save a life.
Just as important as accepting much of what is commonly thought about suicide is a myth, the way the question is asked can make a difference.
“‘You’re not thinking of killing yourself, are you? You wouldn’t do something stupid would you?’” Dodson said. “Doing this likely closes the door to them opening up to you.”
Dennis said the district self-reported an issue related to orders placed on Amazon across five years totaling less than $160. It involved using a personal credit card to pay for the purchases.
“That is my (chief school finance officer) and finance department doing an investigation,” Dennis said. “Then that is followed up by the state examiners doing a much broader, more in-depth investigation to make sure.”
Dennis said the other issue involved one activity of less than $500. He heard rumors large sums of money were involved, in some cases six figures.
“That is simply not true,” Dennis said.
The superintendent gave two examples of problematic issues. One was using a school board credit card to purchase gas coming back from a conference where a receipt was not turned in.
“I have done this [by accident],” Dennis said. “You have to pay for that. [Staff] have come to me on this.”
The other involved using boardroom tables at a family function such as a Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas.
“That would be potentially an issue,” Dennis said. “It would be something we have to be
Chris Newton with the Alabama Department of Public Examiners was at the Elmore County Board of Education meeting Tuesday morning to present the findings of the audit. He read almost verbatim the findings presented on at the agency’s website. Newton said any questions about the audit must be delivered to chief examiner Rachel Riddle, who was not present at the meeting.
While Dennis said there wasn’t any money missing, state auditors said in their report there is a likelihood the audit didn’t find everything.
“The risk of not detecting material noncompliance resulting from fraud is higher than for that resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations or the override of internal control,” the audit states.
The board acknowledged the finding of using the school account for personal purchases.
“Immediate action was taken to address the concerns and to establish policies and procedures to correct,” the response stated. “The Elmore County’s Board of Education’s Child Nutrition Program is innovative in exploring new opportunities to provide better services and foods to the students of Elmore County.”
The board said new programs have vague procedures which contributed to the ECBOE CNP developing its own guidelines.
“It has been discovered that some of the guidance provided by
the USDA does not align with other procurement laws for federal funds,” the board’s response states. “The ECBOE CNP Department did not knowingly violate procurement procedures with respect to catering and other small kitchen and test kitchen purchases. …We have developed more defined procedures related to purchasing in the CNP Department and expect these changes to immediately correct the concerns in this finding.”
Auditors said they appreciated the board’s response.
“Procedures should be in place to ensure school accounts are never used for personal purchases,” the audit states.
Dennis said the CNP program wasn’t hiding anything. It was being “innovative” to encourage student participation. He said the food trailer is one of the innovative programs. Dennis said it was even being used at two schools in Montgomery.
“It helps us fund our program,” Dennis said.
Dennis said procedures are now in place and the CNP accounting measures are controlled and reviewed by the finance department.
School board policy states the CNP accounting falls under the review and maintenance of the chief schools financial officer.
“The Chief School Financial Officer will maintain financial records that account for the receipt, obligation and expenditure of each federal program fund,” the policy manual states.
According to court records, in January 2020 an Elmore County Board
of Education employee and then-Millbrook resident Leah A. Sellers was indicted by an Elmore County Grand Jury for three counts of third-degree theft, one count of fourth-degree theft and one count of using the position for personal gain. In April 2021 Sellers entered a guilty plea to four counts of fourth-degree theft. She also paid restitution at the time totaling $4,715.56.
The indictment lists Dennis, Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin and Elmore County CSFO Jason Mann as witnesses.
The audit and response do not state if any action was taken against the employee or employees in the recent audit. Dennis said he couldn’t discuss personnel matters that might have arisen.
“A report was done outlining what took place to the Ethics Commission,” Dennis said. “We addressed it and reported it up front to the state examiners office — the state department [of education] as well and the local [district attorney]. The ethics commission cleared it.”
Auditors also found the violations of the Davis Bacon Act in reporting wages when federal funds are used for construction projects. Dennis said it was the first time Elmore County Schools had used the funds in such a way. He said other systems were also experiencing the same issue in audits.
“It was simply a clause that was left out of a contract,” Dennis said. “That has been corrected.”
Things are not eternal but life can be
Over the years, it seems we get attached to things as well as to people. These past two years of life have had many hurdles to jump over and hoops to go through.
JACKIE WILBOURN Columnist
Of course, I realize as years creep upon us, so many things do change. Friendships and families can be interrupted due to death. Soundness of mind and healthy bodies can certainly wear out. Tragic events in this world can interrupt the flow of security. The list is numerous and continues on and on. Personal let-downs appear to occur more frequently. All of these situations will affect and grieve our very heart. Then we look at things — beautiful buildings that stand in our amazement today will one day either crumble or burn to the ground, that boat that we fish from or automobile that we drive, will cease to run and just stop working. What about that expensive furniture we purchased with the idea it would last a long
BETHLEHEM EAST
BAPTIST CHURCH
Bethlehem East Baptist Church will have all Sunday school classes beginning at 9:45 a.m. Sunday morning followed by regular service at 11 a.m. in the sanctuary. We will continue with Facebook Live Sunday School at 9:30 a.m. and Worship Service at 11 a.m.
CARRVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH
Regular hours of service are Sundays- 9 a.m. Sunday School and 10 a.m. Morning Worship.
Wednesday nights at 6:30 p.m. the church offers Children’s Gospel Project, Youth Bible Study and Adult Prayer Meeting. Regular office hours are Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
EAST TALLASSEE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
ETUMC’s Rivers Edge Flea Market is now closed. The church will start a new project called Rivers Edge Food Pantry. ETUMC will provide canned food, water, dry beans and rice, blan-
time, or even the giant sized TV that will become outdated and not perform as it once did?
Many people are in the latter season of life and for the most part, all these things will outlast us and be passed on to our children and theirs and theirs (maybe), but the end result will be the same: Ruin.
It sure seems most everything in our life is only temporary.
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal,” (2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV).
One day our earthly lives
Church Briefs
kets, and jackets. If you want to donate or help with the cause, call Joan Wood at 334-312-4913.
EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF THE EPIPHANY
Please join us for Sunday services at 10:30 a.m. when the Rev. Lee Lowery will celebrate the Holy Eucharist. We are asking everyone please to wear a mask. The service will be live streamed on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ EpiphanyTallassee/ For more information, visit the
will end, our breathing will stop and our heart will cease to beat. God’s Word tells us we are but a vapor. However, there is one life that is eternal, one truth that is forever – and that is Jesus Christ. For He is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Now, for us, He is unseen yet He is eternal. And it is good to rest amidst all this temporary stuff, knowing the day is coming when we shall walk with the eternal savior.
One day, Jesus can look at each of us and say, “Welcome home.” Those friendships can be rekindled, our parents can once again give us a hug as we speak the words, “I love you.”
Eternity will begin and no temporary things will enter the gates of Heaven. All will be peace forever more on that happy golden shore. What a day that will be!
Our prayer as we await our journey should be, Father, we live in a world that is passing away day by day. Yet we thank You that even though our time on earth is short, we — because of Jesus Christ — shall live eternally. Thank You for Your Son, Jesus Christ, my Savior.
Rev. Jonathan Yarboro is the Pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Wetumpka.
church website at http:// epiphanytallassee.org/
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
First Presbyterian Church, located at 514
Central Blvd. will host a Veteran’s Day Celebration on Nov. 11 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. for all veterans and first responders and their family members.
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
“We are OPEN and everyone is WELCOME! Come worship with us in
Worship With Us
HARMONY
person Sunday mornings at 8:50 a.m. (contemporary) or 11 a.m. (traditional). Sunday School for all ages is offered Sunday mornings at 10 a.m., and a nursery is available for infants. CHILDREN & YOUTH: meet Sunday evenings from 5-6:30 p.m. and Wednesday evenings from 6-7:15 p.m.; supper is included both days! For more information about our church or the programs we offer, visit our website: fumctallassee.com or call us: 334-283-2195. FUMC
Tallassee - 1 Jordan Avenue.”
OUR LIFE’S JOURNEY Airs every Sunday at 8:30 a.m. on 580 WACQ, FM 98.5 & 101.1, on your smart speaker, your TuneIn app, or on our website www.wacqradio. com. Please share on social media. This set of programs features Msgr. Charles Troncale, Fr. Mateusz Rudzik, Fr. James Dean, Fr. David Carucci, Fr. Patrick Driscoll, and Deacon Jim Labadie.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. – John 3:17
Dalton MiDDleton SportS eDitor dalton.middleton@thewetumpkaherald.com
Wetumpka softball receives championship rings
SUBMITTED THE HERALD The Wetumpka softball players show off their newly acquired state championship rings. The Indians won the AHSAA Class 6A state championship last season with a 54-6 overall record.
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
After nearly five months of waiting, the Wetumpka softball team finally received its championship rings. Wetumpka won the AHSAA Class 6A state championship on May 19 with a 2-1 win
over Athens in extra innings. It was the second state championship in program history and first since 2015.
On Friday night before the football matchup with Stanhope Elmore, almost all of Wetumpka’s players, current and former,
ROGERS SETS PERSONAL PASSING
RECORD
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
Nate Rogers has always done most of his work in the rushing game, but he showed Friday he can throw it as well as any quarterback across the state.
In a 56-42 win over rival Stanhope Elmore, Rogers had his best passing game to date. The senior quarterback completed 14 of 19 pass attempts for a career-high 305 yards and three touchdowns. In three years of starting, it was his only career game to reach the 300-yard mark and only his second career game with three passing touchdowns. As well as he did through the air, he showed off his usual skill running the ball too. He rushed 11 times for 135 yards and two more touchdowns.
For his record-setting performance as the Indians won their fourth-straight game, Rogers has been named the Elmore County Player of the Week for the second time this season.
“Stanhope made up their mind that we were not going to beat them with Nate running the football,” Wetumpka coach Bear Woods said. “I said before the season that Nate could be a 2,000 yard passer. Three games ago, we had some struggles connect-
ing with receivers. But I’m not surprised to see him do this.”
Much like any high school football player, Rogers is not someone who is going to get upset at his stat-line in a game. But as his senior year has already reached the midway point, he cares more about earning his team some wins than he does how many passing yards he had.
And not only did his Indians pick up a win on Friday night, but it was a region win and a win over their bitter rival.
Stanhope Elmore and Wetumpka have played each other every season since 1970, and Stanhope holds a 32-23 record during that time.
However, Rogers has a 3-0 record as a starter against the Mustangs. He had been leading the team since he was a sophomore, and Wetumpka
has won all three games.
There have been only eight instances in the rivalry when a team won three games in a row, so there have not been many starting quarterbacks, if any, outside of Rogers who have won every game during their time as a starter.
“It feels really good,” Rogers said. “They talk so much stuff across the bridge, so it feels really good to be 3-0 against them as a starter.”
Woods agreed, and loved seeing Rogers have his best game of his career in the biggest game on Wetumpka’s schedule.
“He’s 3-0 against them,” Wood said. “He owns this town every time he comes back.”
While Rogers and Woods both enjoyed the rivalry win, both are now turning their sights forward to another region opponent.
Wetumpka travels to the Cramton Bowl on Thursday to face Montgomery Carver, which is 3-0 and tied for first place in the region with Pike Road.
Carver’s defense has been more than stellar this year as the Wolverines have allowed only 12 total points in region play up to this point, so Rogers will likely have to carry the momentum over from his breakout game through the air over into Montgomery.
Elmore County wraps up perfect area record
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
Elmore County will host its area volleyball tournament for the 14th consecutive year. The Panthers (23-7) wrapped up a perfect 6-0 record against area opponents with a 3-0 sweep over Holtville on Thursday night. Elmore County swept through Marbury, Holtville and Tallassee this year.
The date and times for the area tournament have not been set yet, but all games will be hosted at Elmore County High School.
Following the sweep of Holtville on Thursday, Elmore County hit the road to Auburn to play in a weekend tournament.
The Panthers went 2-2 on the day against some very tough competition and older schools.
Elmore County beat Smiths Station, 2-0, and Harris County (GA), 2-1, then fell to Auburn, 2-1, and Northridge, 2-0.
EDGEWOOD ACADEMY
The No. 1-ranked Wildcats finally lost a game. Edgewood Academy, which has won four-consecutive AISA state championships,
dropped its first game of the season last week to Hooper, 3-1, on Monday.
The loss ended a 28-game win streak to begin the season for the Wildcats and it was the first loss to a team in the state of Alabama since 2021.
The Wildcats shook off the loss quickly, however, as they rallied back on Tuesday and swept Lee-Scott, 3-0.
To start this week, Edgewood will look to cap off a perfect area record with a match against Macon East before finishing up the regular season and turning sights towards postseason play.
STANHOPE ELMORE
The Mustangs played only one match this week and it served as a thrilling win for Stanhope Elmore. Stanhope played in its annual Pink Out game, where players and fans wear pink to help support breast cancer awareness.
The game was against Chilton County, and Stanhope Elmore pulled out a close 3-2 win in five sets over the visitors. Stanhope Elmore is now 4-0 against Chilton
Wetumpka’s Barker selected to All-Star game
STAFF REPORT By TPI Staff
Wetumpka offensive lineman Clark Barker has been selected to play in the best All-Star football game the AHSAA has to offer.
Barker, a senior, has been selected to play in the 37th annual Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Football Classic. Barker is one of 40 players selected from the entire state of Alabama to play in the game. He is the only player from Elmore County to receive the honor.
The All-Star Classic is currently scheduled to be played at the University of Southern Miss’ Carlisle H.H. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg on Dec. 16.
Barker is one of only seven offensive linemen to be selected to the team and will have the opportunity to help Team Alabama increase its series lead over Mississippi.
Alabama currently has a 25-11 series lead over Mississippi and has won three-consecutive games. Barker is the 11th
player from Wetumpka to be selected to the roster and first since Avery Thomas in 2021. He is the third offensive lineman from Wetumpka joining Christian Williams (2013) and Brandon Kennedy (2014).
The coaching staff for Team Alabama consists of Ben Blackmon (Enterprise), Jeff Kelly (Saraland), Trent Taylor (Andalusia), Ronnie Jackson (Ramsay), Deric Scott (Foley), Erik Speakman (Opelika), Matt Geohagan (Bibb County) and Smitty Grider (Benjamin Russell). Before Barker takes the field for Team Alabama, he will try to help Wetumpka finish off a successful season. The Indians are currently 4-3 and 3-1 in AHSAA Class 6A, Region 2. Wetumpka has won four-straight games ahead of a region matchup with Montgomery Carver this Thursday at the Cramton Bowl.
Elmore County’s Abbi Williams (15) hits the ball against Prattville earlier this season. Williams and the Panthers currently have 23 wins as the regular season nears an end.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Vote for your Fans’ Choice Player of the Week now!
DALTON MIDDLETON | THE HERALD
Wetumpka’s Nate Rogers recorded 440 yards of offense and five touchdowns against rival Stanhope Elmore last week.
Holtville tries to clinch home playoff game
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
WETUMPKA (4-3, 3-1)
AT MONTGOMERY CARVER (5-2, 3-0)
THE PLAYERS
Wetumpka: QB Nate Rogers has completed 61 of 128 passes for 817 yards, 6 TDs, 4 INTs; he has rushed 128 times for 1,094 yards, 16 TDs. … RB/WR Jamarion Thrasher has scored a touchdown in all three games since returning from injury. … WR Ty Player had 2 catches for 154 yards, 2 TDs last week.
CARVER: QB Terrell Russell has completed 91 of 162 passes for 1,594 yards, 16 TDs, 5 INTs. … WR Laquenton Underwood has 32 catches for 621 yards. … LB Noah Maye has recorded 73 tackles, 13 tackles for loss.
FO UR DOWNS
Last week, Wetumpka beat Stanhope Elmore, 56-42; Carver beat Cedar Grove (GA), 13-9. Carver beat Wetumpka last season, 33-13, while Wetumpka leads the all-time series 6-4. Wetumpka’s offense is averaging 44 points per game during its four-game win streak. Carver has outscored its three region opponents, 81-12.
NEXT UP: Wetumpka has a bye week; Carver hosts Sidney Lanier.
ELMORE COUNTY (5-1, 2-1)
AT BEAUREGARD (4-2, 2-1)
THE PLAYERS
ELMORE COUNTY: RB CJ Wilkes has rushed 48 times for 352 yards, 6 TDs. … WR Cade Everson has rushed 44 times for 282 yards, 7 TDs; also has 11 catches for 199 yards, 2 TDs. … DE Brandon White has recorded 19 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 1 interception and 2 forced fumbles.
BEAUREGARD: QB Cub Jones has completed 44 of 64 passes for 478 yards, 6 TDs, 2 INTs.
RECORD
Continued from B1
County on the year.
The Mustangs have already wrapped up area play and are waiting on the area tournament to begin.
Stanhope is the No. 2 seed as Wetumpka is No. 1. The Mustangs will face Carver for a
SOFTBALL
Continued from B1
… FB Arron Standridge has rushed 11 times for 69 yards, 6 TDs. … WR Javonn Holman has 23 catches for 273 yards, 5 TDs.
FOUR DOWNS
Last week, Elmore County beat Tallassee, 34-20; Beauregard beat Sylacauga, 39-38. Beauregard beat Elmore County last season, 31-20, and leads the all-time series 10-7. Both teams, along with Valley, are in a three-way tie for second place in the region. Elmore County’s offense is averaging just over 40 points per game this year.
NEXT UP: Elmore County hosts Valley; Beauregard hosts Central Clay County.
MARBURY (1-6, 1-2) AT HOLTVILLE (5-1, 3-0) THE PLAYERS HOLTVILLE: QB Keiland
chance to advance to the regional tournament.
Date and times for the tournament are not set yet.
HOLTVILLE
Holtville wrapped up its regular season with a couple of 3-0 losses last week. After earning their biggest win of the season
were in attendance and honored before the game.
Baker has completed 60 of 113 passes for 919 yards, 8 TDs, 5 INTs; has scored 5 rushing TDs. … WR Erik Adkins has 17 catches for 282 yards, 2 TDs. … DE Anthony Chunn has recorded 26 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 4 sacks.
MARBURY: RB Carsyn Cobb has rushed 182 times for 1,287 yards, 1 TD. … WR Jeremy Baileynemard has 6 catches for 171 yards, 2 TDs. … DL Jason Crenshaw has recorded 19 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack.
FOUR DOWNS
Last week, Holtville beat Jemison, 28-6; Marbury lost to Selma, 22-14. Marbury beat Holtville, 35-12, last season while Holtville leads the all-time series, 46-25.
Holtville’s defense is
against Tallassee, 3-0, Holtville bounced back with losses to Elmore County, Billingsley and Marbury.
The Bulldogs are now 1-5 in area play and look to be the No. 3 seed when the area tournament begins at Elmore County High School. They will play Marbury at a time yet to be determined.
allowing only 15.5 points per game; Marbury is allowing 35.5. With a win, Holtville will host a home playoff game for just the second time since 1993.
NEXT UP: Holtville at Demopolis; Marbury at Shelby County.
SIDNEY LANIER (4-2, 2-1) AT STANHOPE ELMORE (2-4, 1-2) THE PLAYERS
STANHOPE ELMORE: RB Arthur McQueen has eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark on the ground; he had over 350 yards last week against Wetumpka. … WR Jamari Coleman has caught a touchdown in back-to-back games. … DB Jermaine Ray leads the team in interceptions and scored a touchdown on special teams last week.
FOUR DOWNS
STEM Continued from A5
one school system. He said there is a sliding match scale with better funded systems matching up to 30%.
“We ask for basic information about needs and support from the local delegation,” Stubbs said.
Each player stood at midfield and was given a replica blue map and their championship rings. The only two players not in attendance were Edgewood’s Ashley Burgess and Purdue freshman Ashlynn Campbell, who left a video message from her dorm room in Indiana. En route to its championship win, Wetumpka put up one of the most dominant softball seasons in recent history. The Indians started the season with a 24-0 record and earned national recognition as they were ranked as high as No. 6 in the country. That dominance moved over into area play as Wetumpka went 4-0 and beat its two opponents by a combined 53-0 in four games.
travel about 100 miles without refueling.
don’t see why we would stop in Mobile. Let’s go all the way to the beach.’”
Mercer talked things over with his father Chad and the younger Mercer started piecing together a plan.
“I sat down on a computer and pen to paper and tracked out the miles,” Mercer said.
“The first step was figuring out how far we had to go. I figured it’s about 410 miles.”
Mercer knew they couldn’t carry enough gas along with them.
He set a course on Lake Jordan to figure out how much fuel would be needed and when. He figured out at about 35 mph his Sea-Doo could
“We added 12 gallons of reserve to each jet ski,” Mercer said. “That would give us a good reserve.”
Mercer planned four stops with mileage varying between 70 and 110 miles based on access to boat ramps.
“We knew how much fuel we needed and knew where we would run out at,” Mercer said.
“We needed a truck to bring us fuel.”
Mercer also made calls to the Corps of Engineers who maintain the three locks the group would have to go through.
“It just all kind of fell into place,” Mercer said.
The group of David, Chad, Camerson, Cam -
The Indians then moved
eron, Chad and Owen set out from Gold Star Park in Wetumpka in late September.
Until Selma, it was a stretch of water Cameron knew. His father Chad had brought Cameron up bass fishing. Below Selma, things were new for everyone.
One thing stood out to Cameron the entire trip.
“It is just gorgeous,” he said. “As you are coming through the Coosa, it is kind of narrow. The water color is about the same as Lake Jordan. As you get further south at Parker’s Island at Coosada, the river gets a lot wider. There is a lot more sand and sandbars on the banks. Some of the coolest parts are seeing some of the old ferries on the river. There is
Last week, Stanhope Elmore lost to Wetumpka, 56-42; Lanier beat Russell County, 32-28. Lanier beat Stanhope Elmore last season, 41-17, while Stanhope leads the alltime series 6-3.
Stanhope Elmore has lost three-straight games, all by double digits.
Both of Lanier’s losses have been on the road; Stanhope has only played one home game.
NEXT UP: Stanhope Elmore at Pike Road; Sidney Lanier at Carver.
TALLASSEE (1-6, 0-3) AT VALLEY (4-2, 2-1) THE PLAYERS
TALLASSEE: QB Trent Morris has scored a touchdown in four-straight games. … RB Joseph Hooks scored two rushing TDs last week against Elmore County. … RB/WR Jaiden McKenzie is the Tigers’ leader on the ground and through the air.
VALLEY: QB Cam’Ron Dooley has completed 40 of 65 passes for 564 yards, 8 TDs, 4 INTs; he has rushed for 188 yards, 7 TDs. … RB Tilyn Carrell has rushed 93 times for 671 yards, 3 INTs. … WR Brandon Thomas has 12 catches for 221 yards, 5 TDs.
FOUR DOWNS
Last week, Tallassee lost to Elmore County, 34-20; Valley lost to Clay Central, 47-0. Tallassee beat Valley last season, 25-7, and the all-time series is tied 20-20. Valley is in a three-way tie for second place in the region with Elmore County and Beauregard.
If Tallassee loses, the Tigers are officially eliminated from the playoffs. NEXT UP: Tallassee at Sylacauga; Valley at Elmore County.
“This is a great opportunity to fill in the gaps.”
Fencing will be installed at Redland Middle School.
Just over a year after students started walking the halls of the new school, the board approved $174,798 for perimeter fencing.
“We got a really good bid on that because of the volume of fencing involved,” Dennis said.
“That is basically 50 acres
into the postseason and won its final eight games of the season, including a perfect 4-0 record in the state tournament in Oxford. Following the season, Wetumpka players picked up numerous statewide awards. Mya Holt and Ella Watson were both named AHSAA All-Stars,
so much history that is unlocked while you ride down through there.”
On Day 1 of the Mercer adventure, Cameron wasn’t so sure about things. It was a 110 mile run between stops.
“The river is just winding and curving,” Cameron said. “You are like, ‘Come on, is it ever going to straighten up?’ I was running low on food and didn’t pack enough snacks.”
Luckily for Cameron, Uncle Bart was in the truck aiding the trip of his father David, son Cameron and brother Chad. Cameron pulled up as Bart was pulling out a paper sack.
“Bart said, ‘I got yall some cheeseburgers,’” Cameron said. “I said, ‘That is the best news I heard all day.’ We sat there and had lunch.
Then got on the water again.”
and we are going around about half of it.”
The board entered into an executive session to discuss the good name and character of an employee. It took no action when it returned to a normal meeting.
The next meeting of the Elmore County Board of Education is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 17.
while four players earned AllState honors in Holt, Watson, Lily Davenport and Ashlynn Campbell.
Holt earned the biggest honor of the year as she was named the Gatorade Softball Player of the Year in Alabama, the first player to do so from Wetumpka.
Roberts, but he still enjoyed the time.
The crew would stop in Monroeville for the night before getting back on the river again at safelight. Fog was there and slowed the pace, but they hugged the bank. The four personal watercraft ran across a dredging operation too. Soon they entered Mobile Bay. But maintained pace for the most part.
“We held 35 mph until we hit the fog on Day 2,” Cameron said. “We were excited when we got close at the end running to Gulf Shores.”
Safely back home, the Mercers are cherishing the experience.
Bart said his role was supplying gas and food at the boat ramps with family friend Jordan
“You didn’t know what you were going to get into,” Bart said.
“The biggest thing was it was an experience with my family. It is something they really wanted to do. We enjoyed it. I was able to help make it happen. It was a great time to be with family.”
Bart’s son Owen was on one of the watercraft for the journey.
Cameron isn’t sure what the next Mercer Family Adventure will be but it will be discussed first with his grandfather.
“The next time we go to Mitchell Dam on a Saturday morning before breakfast, we may talk about it and figure it out,” Cameron said.
Holtville’s student section cheers on the Bulldogs against Shelby County. Holtville (5-1) can clinch a home playoff game with a win against Marbury this week.
BEACH
PICK’EMS
Edgewood Academy fights for home-field advantage
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
Looking at Edgewood Academy’s overall record, it may not seem like the Wildcats are having a very successful season over in Elmore.
But that isn’t the case by any means.
Edgewood Academy is exactly where football coach Chad Michael wants it to be.
With three games left in the regular season, Edgewood Academy has a 2-5 overall record, but the Wildcats are actually 2-1 in AISA Class AA, Region 1 play.
They are tied for second place in the region with Hooper Academy, and this weekend’s game will decide which team will host in the playoffs and which team will travel.
By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor
Edgewood hits the road Friday night to face Hooper (4-2, 2-1) at 7 p.m.
“When our season started, we knew our non-region schedule was going to be really, really tough,” Michael said. “Our goal was to focus on our region opponents so we’re sitting in a really good spot. Now we’re playing for a chance to host for the second year in a row and this is a huge chance for us against a really good Hooper team.”
Tough might be an understatement when looking at Edgewood’s schedule this year.
Edgewood currently has five losses coming by the hands of Fort Dale Academy, Autauga Academy, Chambers Academy, Banks Academy and Lowndes Academy.
Those five schools have a combined record of 30-5, with two of the losses
Two county teams participated in what was the biggest cross country meet of the season on Saturday. Holtville and Wetumpka traveled to the Jesse Owens Classic this weekend, hosted by Lawrence County HS, and raced against thousands of runners from across the southeast. Holtville and Wetumpka’s boys and girls teams were four of 305 teams that participated in the race, while multiple other runners participated without a team.
coming from each other.
Lowndes (7-0) is undefeated and allowed only 21 points per game all season while Autauga (5-2) sports the worst record of the bunch. Every other team is 6-1.
According to Maxpreps, Edgewood has the third-toughest schedule of any team in AISA this year behind only Glenwood
Both Holtville teams raced in the Bronze divisions. The Holtville boys finished in 32nd place out of 38 teams, while the girls finished in 25th place out of 26 teams. On the boys side of things, Holtville’s Brenen Miscisin had the best place finish of any racer from either school. He placed 68th overall in the Bronze race with a time of 18:18.21. He was followed up by Jonas Mann (121st), Sam Segarra (170th), Joel Dyess (272nd) and Logan McGough (390th).
Mann was the only other Bulldog to finish the race in
(AAA) and Bessemer (AAA).
While Edgewood has taken some beatdowns by the tough teams, it has proved worthwhile as Edgewood has beaten both of its last two region opponents – Abbeville Christian and Macon-East Academy – by a combined score of 64-6.
“It’s been really tough
and been a struggle,” Michael said. “Luckily, we’ve come out of that stretch healthy, which was the main thing. But it has helped us get ready for the speed and physicality of the game and that is helping us go forward down the road.”
A year ago, this game didn’t mean much as Hooper did not even make the playoffs. Edgewood hosted and handled the Colts, 20-7, in a defensive slugfest. This year, however, Hooper looks to be a different team completely.
After a 2-8 season, Hooper has already doubled its wins from a year ago with three games left in the season. It’s improved on both sides of the ball, increasing points per game by over 10 and decreasing points allowed per game by over two touchdowns.
under 20 minutes as he clocked a time of 19:05.48. Segarra was just behind him at 20:58.25.
In the girls race, Alexis Troglen had the best finish of any girl from either school. She finished 100th overall to pace the Bulldogs with a time of 23:29.61. Thirty seconds later, Abella Adams finished 121st overall with a time of 23:59.75. Kylea McCord (173rd), Adalynn Guthery (234th) and Adalyn Weaver (266th) rounded out the team qualifiers for Holtville while Lily Kuykendall (271st), Payton Wright (272nd) and Ashlynn Rexroad (279th) were the last three Holtville runners
to cross.
Wetumpka’s squad was split up across three different races. Eli Holden and Zachary Pierce both raced in the Gold race, and Holden placed the best time of any boy from either school. He finished with an impressive time of 17:34.72, but placed 189th in a race filled with excellent runners. Pierce also cracked the sub-20 minute mark with a time of 19:00.09 and finished 270th overall.
The rest of the Wetumpka boys raced in the 5K Red race. The five-man team finished in 26th place out of 32 teams. Bennett Williams led the Indi-
The Colts do enter the game having lost two of their last three, however, with losses to Crenshaw Christian (6-2) and Escambia Academy (3-4).
Last week, Hooper beat Sparta Academy (0-7).
All four of Hooper’s wins this year have come against teams that are either winless or have one win on the year.
“They are much improved from last year,” Michael siad. “They have a lot of the same guys so they’re a year older, but you can tell they have all improved in the weight room and gotten stronger and faster. When you watch them, they believe they can win. No matter what the score is, they’re never out of it. They keep fighting and playing hard. They have some good athletes and they’re very physical.”
ans with a time of 18:44.74 and an 85th place finish. Behind him was Julius Williams (160th), Walter Lynch (211st), Collin Spradlin (326th) and Samuel Larson (375th). Williams finished with a time of 19:43.03. There were only three Wetumpka girls who raced in the event, and they all raced in the 5K Red despite not having enough to field a team score.
Nyema Walker finished 104th with a time of 24:33.43, Jacey Williams finished 178th with a time of 26:42.97 and Beverly Ramirez finished 225th with a time of 30:24.14.
DALTON MIDDLETON | THE HERALD
Jackson Hudson (51) and the Edgewood Academy defense will face a Hooper team averaging nearly 40 points per game this season.
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Public Notices
PUBLIC NOTICE
MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE
Default having been made in the payment of the indebtedness secured by that certain mortgage executed on June 8, 2016 by Calvin A Lake, a married person, originally in favor of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., and recorded in RLPY 2016 at Page 26788 the Judge of Probate of Elmore County, Alabama. LOGS Legal Group LLP, as counsel for Mortgagee or Transferee and under and by virtue of power of sale contained in the said mortgage will, on November 20, 2023, sell at public outcry to the highest bidder at the main entrance of the Elmore County, Alabama, Courthouse in the City of Wetumpka, during the legal hours of sale, the following real estate situated in Elmore County, Alabama, to wit: Commence at an iron pipe marking the NE corner of Section 6, TI8N, RI8E, Elmore County, Alabama; thence S 14°02’52”W, for 2760.04 feet to an iron pin on the South ROW of a county paved road and the point of beginning of the parcel described herein; thence S 6°54’W, 238.69 feet to an iron pin; thence S 00°17E, for 438.39 feet to an iron pin; thence S 89°50’E, for 407.86 feet to an iron pin; thence S 00°12’E, for 571.04 feet to an iron pin; thence along an old fence S 87°49’W, for 427.24 feet; thence N 00°17’W, for 1026.84 feet to an iron pin; thence N 6°54’E, 238.69 feet to an iron pin on the South ROW of said road; thence along South ROW, N 89°43’E, for 20.0 feet to an iron pin and the point of beginning. Said parcel lying and being in the NE 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of Section 6, T18N, R18E, Elmore County, Alabama, and containing 6.00 acres, more or less. For informational purposes only, the property address is: 143 Wildberry Ln, Wetumpka, AL 36092. ANY PROPERTY ADDRESS PROVIDED IS NOT PART OF THE LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPERTY SOLD HEREIN AND IN THE EVENT OF ANY DISCREPANCY, THE LEGAL DESCRIPTION REFERENCED HEREIN SHALL CONTROL
This sale is made for the purpose of paying the indebtedness secured by said mortgage, as well as the expenses of foreclosure. Furthermore, the property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the mortgagee, nor the employees, agents or authorized representative of the mortgagee make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition, including those suggested by Code of Ala. (1975) § 35-4-271, expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. The successful bidder must tender a non-refundable deposit of Five Thousand Dollars and no/100 funds at the time and place of the sale. The balance of the purchase price must be paid inness on the next business day LOGS Legal Group LLP at the address indicated below. LOGS Legal Group LLP reserves the right to award the bid to the next highest bidder, or to reschedule the sale, should the highest bidder fail to timely tender the total amount due. Alabama law gives some persons who have an interest in property the right to redeem the property under certain circumstances. Programs may also exist that help persons avoid or delay the foreclosure process. An attorney should be consulted to help you understand these rights and programs as a part of the foreclosure process.
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., and its successors and assigns Mortgagee or Transferee LOGS LEGAL GROUP LLP 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 704-333-8107/ 23-023134 Attorneys for Mortgagee or Transferee Wetumpka Herald: Oct. 11, 18 and 25, 2023 218654
Default having been made in the payment of the indebtedness secured by that certain mortgage executed by Kevin Jermaine Fleeton, a single man and Kevontae Fleeton, single, originally in favor of Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., solely as nominee for Guild Mortgage Company LLC, on January 17, 2023, said mortgage recorded in the of Elmore County, Alabama, in the undersigned Guild Mortgage Company LLC, as Mortgagee/Transferee, under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, will sell at public outcry to the highest bidder for cash, in front of the main entrance of the CourtCounty, Alabama, on November 20, 2023, during the legal hours of sale, all of its rights, title, and interest in and to the following described real estate, situated in Elmore County, Alabama, towit: Commence at a rebar being the Southwest corner of the Northwest 1/4 of the Northeast North, Range 18 East, Elmore a bearing of South 88 degrees 46 minutes 03 seconds East
28 seconds East a distance of thence with a bearing of Northonds West a distance of 275.07 feet to a 1/2 inch rebar capped 1/2 inch rebar capped ALSNorth 00 degrees 50 minutes
thence with a bearing of Southonds West a distance of 351.71 a bearing of South 25 degrees
thence with a bearing of Southonds East a distance of 132.33 bearing of South 12 degrees 48 minutes 00 seconds East a distance of 107.10 feet to a open of South 37 degrees 56 minutes 31 seconds West a distance of 51.00 feet to a 1/2 inch rebar
lying and being in the Southwest 1/4 of the Northeast 1/4 of Range 18 East, Elmore County,dress for informational purpos-
as Mortgagee/Transferee, under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, will sell at public outcry to the highest bidder for cash, in front of the main entrance of the Courthouse at Wetumpka, Elmore County, Alabama, on December 7, 2023, during the legal hours of sale, all of its rights, title, and interest in and to the following described real estate, situated in Elmore County, AlaSubdivision, Plat No. 4A, as reof Probate of Elmore County, Alabama, in Plat Book 20 at Page 6.. Property street address for informational purposes: 280 Taylor Xing , Millbrook, AL 36054. THIS PROPERTY WILL BE SOLD ON AN “AS IS, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED ASJOYMENT AND WILL BE SOLD -
TIES ENTITLED THERETO. Al-
abama law gives some persons who have an interest in property the right to redeem the property under certain circumstances. Programs may also exist that help persons avoid or delay the foreclosure process. An attorney should be consulted to help you understand these rights and programs as a part of the foreclosure process. This sale is made for the purpose of paying the indebtedness secured by said mortgage, as well as the expenses of foreclosure. The successful bidder must tender a Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) to Tiffany & Bosco, P.A. at the time and place of the sale. The balance of the purchase price plus any deed recording costs and transfer taxes must be paid next business day at the Law the address indicated below. Tiffany & Bosco, P.A. reserves the right to award the bid to the next highest bidder should the highest bidder fail to timely tender the total amount due. The Mortgagee/Transferee reserves the right to bid for and purchase the real estate and to credit its purchase price against the expenses of sale and the indebtedness secured by the real estate. This sale is subject to postponement (“Transferee”) Tiffany & Bosco, P.A., 2501 20th Place South, Suite 300, Homewood, AL Number: 23-06724
Wetumpka Herald: Oct. 4, 11 and 18, 2023 23-01902
PUBLIC NOTICE MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE
abama law gives some persons who have an interest in property the right to redeem the property under certain circumstances. help persons avoid or delay the foreclosure process. An attorney should be consulted to help you understand these rights and programs as a part of the foreclosure process. This sale is made for the purpose of paying the indebtedness secured by said mortgage, as well as the expenses of foreclosure. The successful bidder must tender a non-refundable deposit of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00)
time and place of the sale. The balance of the purchase price plus any deed recording costs and transfer taxes must be paid next business day at the Law the address indicated below. Tifright to award the bid to the next highest bidder should the highest bidder fail to timely tender the total amount due. The Mortgagee/Transferee reserves the right to bid for and purchase the real estate and to credit its purchase price against the expenses of sale and the indebtedness secured by the real estate. This sale is subject to postponement or cancellation. Guild Mortgage
wood, AL 35223 www.tblaw. Sept. 27, Oct. 4 and 11, 2023 23-01855
Default having been made in the payment of the indebtedness secured by that certain mortgage executed by Kenneth Ray Hardman and Kimberly N. Kirton, husband and wife, originally in favor of Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., acting solely as nominee for InterLinc Mortgage Services, LLC, on July 8, 2019, said mortgage recorded in the of Elmore County, Alabama, in Loan Services, LLC, as Mortgagee/Transferee, under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, will sell at public outcry to the highest bidder for cash, in front of the main entrance of the CourtCounty, Alabama, on December of sale, all of its rights, title, and interest in and to the following described real estate, situated in Elmore County, Alabama, to-
street address for informational purposes: 19 Copper Ridge Ct
TITLED THERETO. Alabama
by
Culpepper Jr aka John Culpepper and Kassie D Culpepper aka Kassie Culpepper, husband and wife, originally in favor of Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., solely as
Public Notices
TIVE OF THE ESTATE OF LILLIE RANSAW, DECEASED Attorney of Record for Personal Representative: REGINA EDWARDS THE LAW FIRM OF EDWARDS & EDWARDS, P.C. 109 EAST BRIDGE STREET WETUMPKA, ALABAMA 36092 334-514-1011
Wetumpka Herald: Oct. 11, 18 and 25, 2023
EST/RANSAW, L. PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE PROBATE COURT OF ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF ARCHIE LEE REEVES, SR., DECEASED CASE NO: 2023-262 NOTICE OF FILING OF PETITION FOR SUMMARY DISTRIBUTION OF ESTATE TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES, Petitioners, ADRIENNE P. REEVES, ARCHIE L. REEVES, JR. and OCTRAVIUS REEVES, -
REEVES, SR., DECEASED, 1975, Section 43-2-691, et.-
JOHN THORNTON JUDGE OF PROBATE ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA -
EST/REEVES A. PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE PROBATE COURT OF ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF VIRGINIA R. RHONE, DECEASED CASE NO: 2023-251 NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATE
Letters Testamentary in the Estate of VIRGINIA R. RHONE, deceased, having been granted to ANGELA DEWBERRY on September 27, 2023 by John
Public Notices
py Thornton, Judge of Probate of Elmore County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons and parties having claims against said estate are required, within the time allowed by law, to present the same to the Court or the same will be barred.
ANGELA DEWBERRY PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF VIRGINIA R. RHONE, DECEASED
Attorney of Record for
Personal Representative: CASSIDY LEE COURTNEY & MANN, LLP PO BOX 100
Wetumpka, Alabama 36092 334-567-2545
Wetumpka Herald: Oct. 4, 11 and 18, 2023
EST/RHONE, V. PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE PROBATE COURT OF ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF ANNA GRACE ROBINSON, DECEASED CASE NO: 2023-249 NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATE
Letters of Administration over the Estate of ANNA GRACE ROBINSON, deceased, having been granted to KENNETH M. ROBINSON, JR. on October 2nd, 2023 by John Thornton, Judge of Probate of Elmore County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons and parties having claims against said estate are required, within the time allowed by law, to present the same to the Court or the same will be barred.
KENNETH M. ROBINSON, JR. ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF ANNA GRACE ROBINSON, DECEASED Name and Address of Attorney for Administrator: RALEY L. WIGGINS CAPELL & HOWARD PO BOX 2069 MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA 36102 150 SOUTH PERRY STREET MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA 36104334-2418029 Raley.wiggins@chlaw. com
Wetumpka Herald: Oct. 11, 18 and 25, 2023
EST/ROBINSON, A. PUBLIC NOTICE
IN THE PROBATE COURT OF ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF LOUIS T. ROGERS, DECEASED CASE NO: 2023-230 NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATE
Letters Testamentary in the Estate of LOUIS T. ROGERS, deceased, having been granted to RAMONA S. ROGERS on
Public Notices
September 18, 2023 by John Thornton, Judge of Probate of Elmore County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons and parties having claims against said estate are required, within the time allowed by law, to present the same to the Court or the same will be barred.
RAMONA S. ROGERS
PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF LOUIS T. ROGERS, DE-
CEASED
Attorney of Record for
Personal Representative:
CASSIDY LEE
COURTNEY & MANN, LLP PO BOX 100
WETUMPKA, ALABAMA 36092
334-567-2545
Wetumpka Herald: Sept. 27, Oct. 4 and 11, 2023
EST/ROGERS, L.
PUBLIC NOTICE
IN THE PROBATE COURT OF ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF FREDERICK R. SCHEROCK, CASE NO: 2023-252 DECEASED NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATE
Letters Testamentary in the Estate of FREDERICK R. SCHEROCK, deceased, having been granted to STACEY LEE FLEENOR on September 27, 2023 by John Thornton, Judge of Probate of Elmore County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons and parties having claims against said estate are required, within the time allowed by law, to present the same to the Court or the same will be barred.
STACEY LEE FLEENOR
PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF FREDERICK R. SCHEROCK, DECEASED
Attorney of Record for
Personal Representative: JAMES E. FLEENOR, JR. FLEENOR LAW, LLC 1490 NORTHBANK PKWY SUITE 256 TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA 35406 205-722-1017
Wetumpka Herald: Oct. 4, 11 and 18, 2023
EST/SCHEROCK, F. PUBLIC NOTICE
IN THE PROBATE COURT OF ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF JOSEPH CHARLES SURETTE, ALSO KNOWN AS JOSEPH CHARLES SURETTE, JR., DECEASED CASE NO: 2023-232 NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATE
Letters Testamentary in the Estate of JOSEPH CHARLES
Public Notices
SURETTE, ALSO KNOWN AS JOSEPH CHARLES SURETTE, JR., deceased, having been granted to BRADLEY EARL EKDAHL on September 8, 2023 by John Thornton, Judge of Probate of Elmore County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons and parties having claims against said estate are required, within the time allowed by law, to present the same to the Court or the same will be barred.
BRADLEY EARL EKDAHL PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF JOSEPH CHARLES SURETTE, ALSO KNOWN AS JOSEPH CHARLES SURETTE, JR., DECEASED
Attorney of Record for Personal Representative: KELLY LEE ATTORNEY AT LAW 164 WEST 5TH STREET N PRATTVILLE, ALABAMA 36067 334-358-0685
Wetumpka Herald: Sept. 20, 27, Oct. 4 and 11, 2023 EST/SURETTE, J. PUBLIC NOTICE
MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE NOTICE
Default having been made in the terms of that certain Mortgage, executed on 09/30/2015, by THOMAS A BLACKWELL JR, A MARRIED MAN, AND WIFE MERIBETH BLACKWELL, as Mortgagors, to MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC. AS NOMINEE FOR FIRST GUARANTY MORTGAGE CORPORATION as Mortgagee, which said Mortgage is recorded in the Elmore County, Alabama, in RLPY Book 2015, Page 46863 on 10/08/2015, and Carrington Mortgage Services, LLC is currently the holder of the Mortgage, and underlying promissory note secured thereby, and Carrington Mortgage Services, LLC is authorized to enforce the terms of the Mortgage secured by said promissory note; and default having continued under the terms of said Mortgage, and by virtue of Alabama Code Section 35-10-3 and 35-10-2, the following described real property will be sold at public outcry, for cash, to the highest bidder, in front of the Courthouse door of said County, during the legal hours of sale, on 12/06/2023
THE FOLLOWING DE-
SCRIBED REAL ESTATE, LOCATED IN THE COUNTY OF ELMORE AND STATE OF ALABAMA, TO WIT: LOT 46, ACCORDING TO THE MAP OF BRENSEN CREEK PLAT #2, AS THE SAME APPEARS OF RECORD IN THE OFFICE OF THE JUDGE OF PROBATE OF ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA, IN PLAT BOOK 16, AT PAGES 11 & 12. Subject to all easements, restrictions and reservations ap-
Public Notices
the property. Alabama law gives some persons who have an interest in property the right to redeem the property under certain circumstances. Programs may also exist that help persons avoid or delay the foreclosure process. An attorney should be consulted to help you understand these rights and programs as a part of the foreclosure process. The property is being sold “as is, where is” Said property is sold without warranty or recourse, expressed or implied as to title, use or enjoyment. This sale is made for the purpose of paying the indebtedness secured by said mortgage, as well as the expenses of foreclosure. This sale is subject to postponement or cancellation.
Kent D. McPhail
McPhail Sanchez, LLC Attorney for Mortgagee/Transferee 126 Government Street Mobile, AL 36602 251-438-2333
Wetumpka Herald: Oct. 4, 11 and 18, 2023 FC/BLACKWELL PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE PROBATE COURT OF ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF JULIUS J. WRIGHT, DECEASED CASE NO: 2023-248 NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATE
Letters Testamentary in the Estate of JULIUS J. WRIGHT, deceased, having been granted to JULIUS WRIGHT, JR on October 3rd, 2023 by John Thornton, Judge of Probate of Elmore County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons and parties having claims against said estate are required, within the time allowed by law, to present the same to the Court or the same will be barred. JULIUS WRIGHT, JR PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF JULIUS J. WRIGHT, DECEASED Attorney of Record for Personal Representative: MATTHEW T. ELLIS CRUM, ELLIS & ASSOCIATES, PC PO BOX 1186 MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA 36101-1186 641 SOUTH LAWRENCE STREET MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA 36104 334-581-6600 334-603-8524 mellis@crumellis.com
Wetumpka Herald: Oct. 11, 18 and 25, 2023 EST/WRIGHT, J.
Notices
COTTON QUEENS CROWNED FOR THIS WEEKEND’S FESTIVAL
BY ABIGAIL MURPHY Multimedia Reporter
With the Alabama Cotton Festival around the corner, the queens of cotton were crowned. The tradition continued with the Cotton Queen pageant taking place the weekend before the cotton festi -
val. This year, the pageant was opened back up to the whole state of Alabama and not just Elmore County. The pageant’s theme was diamonds and pearls. The categories were based on age groups starting with newborns to 17-yearold high schoolers. The winner for the Baby
Miss Alabama Cotton Queen category was Dallas Cleveland.
Isabella Hunt was named Teeny Miss Alabama Cotton Queen and Tiny Miss Alabama Cotton Queen was given to Paislee Hines. The Petite Miss Alabama Cotton Queen went to Braylen McGinty.
This year the pageant also added the Senior Cotton Queen for those 65 years and older.
“We have many beautiful and dignified older women in our town and all our state,” said pageant director Carla Golden. “We thought it would be fun for them to
show the younger girls that beauty knows no age.”
This year’s participants were Betty Coker, who won second alternate, Elizabeth “Bit” Lott who won first alternate and most photogenic and Barbara Aldridge who won third alternate.
Rebecca Gutierrez, a retired registered nurse, was announced as the Senior Cotton Queen.
The pageant was held from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 7 at the First Baptist Church of Eclectic. All the queens will be at the cotton festival this Saturday in downtown Eclectic.
ABIGAIL MURPHY | THE OBSERVER
TOP: Rebecca Gutierrez, right, is crowned the Senior Cotton Queen. ABOVE: Town librarian Betty Coker won second alternate for the Senior Cotton Queen Pageant. LEFT TOP: Back row, from left, Petite Miss Alabama Cotton Queen went to Braylen McGinty; Rebecca Gutierrez was named Senior Cotton Queen, Paislee Hines is Tiny Miss Cotton Queen; and, front row, Isabella Hunt is Teeny Miss Cotton Queen. The senior category was recently added to the pageant for ladies 65 and older. LEFT BOTTOM: Barbara Aldridge is announced as third alternate for the Senior Cotton Queen pageant. BELOW: Elizabeth “Bit” Lott, right, won first alternate and most photogenic for the Senior Cotton Queen Pageant.